Unintended Impact

Most of us know about environmental impact statements in which an analysis is made of the impact or potential impact that a particular project may have on the environment.

I sometimes wonder if an Unintended Consequences Impact Statement (UCIS) would be helpful. After all, when proposals are made the greatest emphasis is placed on the benefits. The negatives are discussed, of course, but usually only the more direct negatives, not the indirect ones. Mentioning those can cause one to appear to be paranoid or overly cautious. The Unintended Consequences, however, eventually catch up. We need to remember Robert Weaver's observation: "Ideas have consequences."

For example, if a company moves to a highly computerized job application system, the benefits may be obvious. The Human Resources folks will tout the efficiency of the system and stress the reduction in paperwork. But what are the unintended consequences?

1. The system is designed for the ease of the HR department, not the applicant who, rather than mailing in or attaching a resume has to complete forms for each position for which he or she is applying. This may discourage applicants. [I can hear some HR people saying, "So?"]
2. The system may discourage those who are not computer literate. Is there a risk of discrimination problems?
3. The technology may not have sufficient safeguards to catch clerical errors. Moreover, staff members may pay less attention to accuracy because of the assumption that a technology-based system will catch such errors. Those old, paper-based, systems in which people manually tracked applicants were slow but often more accurate. You didn't tend to see bizarre items such as "9 applicants and 11 hires" because those discrepancies were caught early on.
4. A system, by its nature, implies that it is comprehensive. Which hires are made outside of the system? How can - and will - the system be circumvented?

These are just a few questions related to unintended consequences. As Dee Hock noted, the intended consequences may occur. Unintended consequences always occur.