retrofitting - the joys of banging a round peg in a square hole

 

Jonno with hefty mallet, June 2013

I know the usual saying goes fit a square peg in a round hole...but in this case the same excruciating frustration and sense of futility prevails every time the 'safety barricades' have to go up in the driveway. While I cannot disclose the exact location of this situation, I can divulge there is a fair amount of irony that goes with this ridiculous exercise. The irony has been in effect since 2009, when the rigorous and mandated Risk Assessment Committee was formed, inspections ensued across the entire organisation and Occupational Health and Safety and site management plans were enforced with the reams of paperwork appropriate for each project.

Now you might think I am careless when it comes to appreciating safety in the workplace, which I can clarify I am not, I'm merely perplexed that while other projects may be scrutinised in every manner of detail, requiring tomes of  remedial action tables to explain the risks and mitigating strategies, WHY a ridiculous safety barrier system is still allowed to exist after 4 years of operational anguish. 

Maybe there's too much paperwork to write up in order to change it?

Rogue communications designer causes rethink of production engineering

Dear Kettle Chip Company,

I'm writing to you to express my great disappointment with this product, as upon opening the pack, I could not find the beetroot variety in the mix.

I've included some pictures, packets and supermarket receipts for two packets of your vegetable chips.

I've never written my concerns on any food products before, but in this instance I feel compelled to let you know about my utter disappointment in the Kettle company veggie chips.

Upon opening the first pack (for the first time trying the product!) I was confused and just simply couldn't believe what was before my eyes... the simple fact that the packaging labelled 'beetroot' in the largest font might have indicated that in fact there was a FAIR amount of beetroot inside, perhaps the super-sized word could even be interpreted as the 'primary' ingredient? In this instance I would just put it down to a rogue graphic designer who has absolutely NO experience in communication design as it is so called these days.

While the word 'beetroot' was indeed a feature of the packaging it was in no way reflected in the product!

What a let down...

Putting my disappointment behind, I opened the second packet with my family shortly after - there were four of us sharing so the sweet potato was appreciated quickly and we unanimously decided to see what the second pack would offer -

this is what the SECOND pack offered. Continued disappointment, surprise, incredulous wonder, suspicion and deflated feelings. We all looked at what spilled into the bowl, then at each other, then back to the bowl in utter disbelief!

WHERE'S THE BLINKIN' BEETROOT??

If I could give any advice... (well while I'm here writing now and you can't stop me)
Please! Either one of these options might work in desisting a flood of mail similar to mine.

1. Remove the word beetroot from your packaging
2. Add beetroot chips in the product - and plenty of them!
3. Reprimand the the graphic designer and redesign the packet. A trendy use of justifying the text across the pack does nothing for conveying the essence of what's inside it, it merely misrepresents the hierarchy of 'key ingredients'
4. Employ a whiz-kid systems engineer in order to fix the machine on the production line, so it dispenses beetroot at the same rate as the other varieties
5. create a strategic plan around the seasonal availability of beetroot so as to alleviate any potential shortage of the vegetable that may impact its distribution throughout the veggie chip product.

I do hope that the Kettle Chip Company can remedy the situation so that one day I can brave buying another pack, to perhaps relish your product. Until then I won't bother myself with the sheer dissatisfaction.

I hope you have enjoyed my discursive opinions more, than I your veggie chips!

Disenchanted
Bliss
(on behalf of the Jensen family)