Blue Collar Rocket Science is the combined knowledge and skill that goes into building a rocket. Without the rocket science there would be no plan, and without the blue collar workers, the plan would never get built.
It’s also a metaphor for what it takes to run a successful media operation these days, be it a Web site or something else. The impact of the digital age is sweeping across all media like a tornado, disrupting business models wherever it touches down. If we’re going to launch a rocket in weather like this, we’d better make sure it’s a very well-built rocket.
Let’s Build a Rocket
Imagine you are one of many people helping build a rocket that can go into outer space.
It’s not easy to make a rocket. For starters there’s Rocket Scientist stuff that needs to be done. Someone has to turn knowledge of ballistics, fuel formulas, and aerodynamics into blueprints.
Then there’s Blue Collar stuff. To put all that Rocket Science to use requires skilled machinists who know how to bend metal, buck rivets, catch errors in the plans they are given, and admit when they’ve made a mistake so it can be fixed.
But let’s not forget the Management stuff. The program relies on schedules and budgets that have to be maintained. Every quarter someone has to go to Congress and reminds them how important building the rocket is so the money doesn’t get taken away. And when a big problem comes up, someone needs to gather facts, evaluate them, and make the right decision to keep the project going.
Are you the Senior Rocket Scientist?
The Senior Rocket Scientist on the program (let’s go ahead and call him “Werner”) is an experienced theorist. He solves abstract problems with math and the scientific method, then puts them into a form that can be turned into blueprints.
Are you the Senior Machinist?
The Senior Machinist on the program (her name can be “Rosie”) is an experienced implementer. She solves immediate problems with mechanical knowledge. When the blueprint doesn’t quite work in reality, she knows what tool to grab, what angle to change, to pull it off.
Are you the Manager?
The manager of the program (”Buck”) meets regularly with the Werner and Rosie to keep the program on track. Because they have different perspectives on the work, they don’t always agree. Sometimes they argue. It is Buck’s job to take their input and make it into a plan. When problems come up, he has to ask both of them what the best solution is, then decide what to do, even if they tell him two completely different things.
Shouldn’t it be “Blue Collar Rocket Science + Management?”
Management isn’t a “hard” skill the way Rocket Science and Machining are. The manager stands alone and, frankly, is far more replaceable.
People become skilled workers by learning specialized knowledge. Managers don’t. People become managers in all kinds of ways. Buck was put in charge of the program because he was a General with an impressive military record and now he manages the program with bluster and discipline.
But he could have been “Marge,” an accountant with a mind for financial efficiency and you manage with cost savings and productivity gains. Or “Chip,” who has a Senator for an uncle. Or “Betty” who has an MBA from Harvard.
Each one of these people would bring a different set of skills to the job of management, and over the life of the program maybe they will each have a shot. If Buck runs way over budget, Marge may replace him to get finances back on track. Then she could be replaced by Chip because his connections will help restore trust and goodwill in the program. Finally, Betty is put in the job because she will exercise more direct control over the project and see that it finishes up on time and within budget.
There is no one way to manage anything. By contrast, Werner can only have his job because of his knowledge of Rocket Science. And Rosie can only have hers because of her know-how as a machinist. They might have other skills, but if they didn’t have these particular hard skills they wouldn’t have their jobs.
Maybe the manager none of those people. Maybe it is someone who used to do Werner’s job or Rosie’s job then moved into management. But even if they used to be a Rocket Scientist, they can’t always take a Rocket Scientist’s view of things, because sometimes Rosie is going to be right. They have to try to understand both points of view in order to make good decisions that won’t lead to a spectacular fireworks display on the launch pad.
Whoever the manager is, at least half the people being managed, and possibly all of them, know a lot more about their jobs than the manager does. While it is possible to manage well without knowing how to do anything being managed, it can also be a tremendous challenge. In my metaphor, Buck is still doing a pretty good job. He doesn’t know much about rocket science or machining, but he knows how to get the best out of Werner and Rosie, even if they make fun of him behind his back. But he could do an even better job if he knew a bit more about Blue Collar Rocket Science, and maybe even avoid getting into the trouble that got him replaced by Marge.
Who Am I?
In close to two decades of working in digital media, I’ve worn all of these hats a number of times. I’ve managed programs and teams. I’ve taken esoteric knowledge about markup languages, data transformations, and back-end systems and turned it into action plans for building or overhauling large, complex Web sites. And I’ve also spent a lot of time on the shop floor actually doing the work of media development.
Unlike the laws of physics that govern real rocket science, the laws of media are in a state of constant flux and evolution.
I’m writing this blog with the intent of explaining all that Blue Collar Rocket Science. I want to dig into what a coder, content creator, or other Blue Collar media worker does, and how it relates to the Rocket Science of defining media standards and media theory. I want to examine topics of interest in some depth. While I intend to make the material accessible, don’t be scared if I throw in the occasional code snippet or two.
Whether you are Buck, Rosie, or Werner, I hope you find value in reading Blue Collar Rocket Science: Practical Appoaches to Getting Things Off the Launch Pad.
Brook