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It’s not usually my intention to introduce non-BI related material to this blog, but this is far too important to pass up. There is an object lesson.
By now, anyone not living in a cave knows that investigators from the GAO smuggled detonators and liquid explosives aboard planes at nineteen TSA screening locations. The story on AOL quotes TSA spokesperson Ellen Howe:
“While people think about us in terms of the checkpoints and they see us as the checkpoints, there’s a lot more layers of security,” she said. In addition to the checkpoints, the TSA uses different technologies and has officials who check the validity of documents and observe people’s behaviors throughout the airport. “Just because somebody gets through one layer doesn’t mean they’re going to get through all of the layers.”
It doesn’t matter. They got aboard 19 planes. Game over!!!! Investigators 19, TSA 0. Earlier, the report said:
“The investigators learned about the components to make an improvised explosive device and an improvised incendiary device on the Internet and purchased the parts at local stores, said the report by the Government Accountability Office. Investigators were able to purchase the components for the two devices for under $150, and they studied the published guidelines for screening to determine how to conceal the prohibited items as they went through checkpoint security.” [Emphasis added].
One of the goals of BI is to foster a culture of continuous improvement. Just because you have put a new process in place doesn’t mean you can leave it running on autopilot. Always assume that your competition is not standing still, and whatever you have done today to give your enterprise an advantage can be used against you tomorrow.
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