Building a Big System That Works

The Social Services Department has never been able to calculate what percentage of its total spending actually went to the recipients of Social Aid. The system does not do what it says it does, he writes. So that's because then you can face the system with a clear head and say, OK, well, this thing isn't doing what it saying it's doing, but it's probably doing something. And the thing it's doing might be useful, but we should figure out what that thing is.