Stolen Computer Found

The news was all good when the US federal government announced that they had recovered the stolen computer - and all the data it contained.

Although many of us suspected that if a stolen computer would be found - it would be this one. The Bush administration did NOT need one more reason for people to talk about ineffective leadership. Or even - gasp - incompetence.

I wonder how the investigation to solve this crime was organized. Was one agency appointed as "lead" (project manager)? And another agency assigned as the command hub (project controls)? And perhaps an entirely different agency as the communications hub (communication plan)?

While the processes that law enforcement uses are well defined, this was a project. The project goal: find one laptop computer in the Washington, DC, area. There was a definite beginning: when the press leaked the information that the data was missing. And a definite end: accessing the hard drive to make sure the confidential data was still there.

Now the prosecution begins - or not.

How does everything translate into project management?!?! :-)