Difference between revisions of "Talk:Cable Sorting"

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(Created page with "* Parallel Printer Cable * Parallel Cable * RCA cables (various) * USB cables (various) - Has a USB 'A' plug on one side and anything else on the other * "Figure 8" cable * "Mick…")
 
 
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* TV Coaxial
 
* TV Coaxial
 
* Phone cords
 
* Phone cords
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(see [[Cables for the store]])
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* Centronics Cable
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http://www.tritech-computers.com/store2/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=698
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 +
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== Brainstorming new systems for cable management ==
 +
 +
<b>brilliant idea proposed by Robert:</b> Group cables to be sorted by physical characteristics rather than their function (to make it easier for n00bs to sort)
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Once upon a time, a group of people in Receiving and in the Thrift Store decided to come up with a way to help people in Receiving sort between the cables we want to keep, the cables we want to sell, and the cables we want to destroy.  There was a trick to it: in order for cables to be consistently and correctly sorted, there had to be a really easy way to teach new volunteers to do it.  And so began the Cable Chart.
 +
 +
The chart that came of this project was intended to be a trial run, just to see if it was possible.  It was, and now we have reached the end of this poor chart's life.
 +
 +
The primary functions of the cable chart:
 +
 +
* Tell volunteers and staff where to put cables we want to keep
 +
* Tell volunteers and staff when to recycle cables
 +
* Train volunteers to identify cables
 +
* Open communication between the Thrift Store and Receiving regarding saleable and non-saleable items
 +
* Ease the training burden on Staff in Receiving
 +
 +
In order to make this work, there has to be some input from the staff in both affected areas.
 +
The breakdown that has tripped this system before occurs when neither group pays attention to the chart and the needs of both areas fall out of date.
 +
 +
In order to remedy this, it's important for Staff in Receiving to pay attention to the fullness of their boxes and to update accordingly.  It's also important that Staff in the Thrift Store take from the cables that are stored in Receiving for them.
 +
 +
We might also consider coming up with a place to store overstock cables for the whole building.  As it is, Receiving is where almost all storage happens, and there isn't a whole lot of room there.  The Thrift Store, Hardware Grants Shepherds, Adoption Teachers, and Build Instructors all need to have access to certain stock items (standard power cables, mice, keyboards, etc) and right now, only the Thrift Store and Hardware Grants has any type of backstop outside of the Receiving area.
 +
 +
If a new storage area is created it has to be:
 +
 +
* Easily monitored for stock levels
 +
* Out of the path of people who might scramble our sorted things
 +
* In a central location where people can easily access the things they need

Latest revision as of 14:20, 19 May 2012

  • Parallel Printer Cable
  • Parallel Cable
  • RCA cables (various)
  • USB cables (various) - Has a USB 'A' plug on one side and anything else on the other
  • "Figure 8" cable
  • "Mickey Mouse" cable
  • Speaker Wire
  • VGA cable
  • DVI cable
  • VGA/DVI adaptor cable
  • Computer Power Cable
  • Ethernet Cable
  • KVM cable
  • PS2 cables
  • S-Video cable
  • Misc (has any of the above on at least one side)
  • Firewire
  • TV Coaxial
  • Phone cords

(see Cables for the store)

  • Centronics Cable

http://www.tritech-computers.com/store2/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=698


Brainstorming new systems for cable management

brilliant idea proposed by Robert: Group cables to be sorted by physical characteristics rather than their function (to make it easier for n00bs to sort)

Once upon a time, a group of people in Receiving and in the Thrift Store decided to come up with a way to help people in Receiving sort between the cables we want to keep, the cables we want to sell, and the cables we want to destroy. There was a trick to it: in order for cables to be consistently and correctly sorted, there had to be a really easy way to teach new volunteers to do it. And so began the Cable Chart.

The chart that came of this project was intended to be a trial run, just to see if it was possible. It was, and now we have reached the end of this poor chart's life.

The primary functions of the cable chart:

  • Tell volunteers and staff where to put cables we want to keep
  • Tell volunteers and staff when to recycle cables
  • Train volunteers to identify cables
  • Open communication between the Thrift Store and Receiving regarding saleable and non-saleable items
  • Ease the training burden on Staff in Receiving

In order to make this work, there has to be some input from the staff in both affected areas. The breakdown that has tripped this system before occurs when neither group pays attention to the chart and the needs of both areas fall out of date.

In order to remedy this, it's important for Staff in Receiving to pay attention to the fullness of their boxes and to update accordingly. It's also important that Staff in the Thrift Store take from the cables that are stored in Receiving for them.

We might also consider coming up with a place to store overstock cables for the whole building. As it is, Receiving is where almost all storage happens, and there isn't a whole lot of room there. The Thrift Store, Hardware Grants Shepherds, Adoption Teachers, and Build Instructors all need to have access to certain stock items (standard power cables, mice, keyboards, etc) and right now, only the Thrift Store and Hardware Grants has any type of backstop outside of the Receiving area.

If a new storage area is created it has to be:

  • Easily monitored for stock levels
  • Out of the path of people who might scramble our sorted things
  • In a central location where people can easily access the things they need
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