The Process

The last two years have seen three of my good friends tying the knot. This year it's another buddy's turn and we have to go through the whole process again. I'm not referring to the actual ceremonies. Those I understand have to be repeated. Ofcourse, it would be a lot easier if they just have some templates where the couple key in their particulars and sign them off. Anyway there are specialists for that kind of thing and I am not concerned about that. I was referring to a difficulty of another kind.

Let me put this to you. What do you think is the toughest thing to accomplish before a wedding? If I did a survey, here is what I would get. Finding a wedding hall, getting the menu right and spotting the right girl. In that order. Actually there is one more thing and it is probably courtesy that keeps people mum on the toughest of them all - deciding a wedding gift for the couple.

Picking a wedding gift is a delicate affair. One doesn't want to give something too mundane like a pressure cooker while others like a crate of beer may not be particularly apt for the occasion. Add to it the pressures of finding something that is useful yet totally unique and you have a problem on your hands. Things really get out of hand when fifteen adults have to agree on one gift. Endless discussions and sleepless nights are a logical consequence. Coming from a software engineering background as I do, I evaluate the cost of the thing in terms of man hours and it usually outstrips the actual wedding itself.

That's exactly the kind of situation we techies are trained to handle. Present us with any new problem and what do we come up with? A process. Firstly, one of us raises a gift request. Once it is acknowledged a budget hearing is held. Then come the brain storming sessions. This is when everbody gets worked up. Every suggestion is shouted down and remarks are made on the intellectual capacities of its owner (which are documented for later use). When we finally run out of options, one person inconspicuously asks the prospective groom what he wants and informs the team. That is common in our line, asking the customer what he wants comes rather late in the process. Based on the groom's inputs the procurement group gets hold of the item and closes the matter.

And then its time to manage the logistics of getting to the wedding venue. That has a process of its own and I'll tell you about that some other time. Where would we be without processes...