Field notes
The escalation system was working perfectly.
Every issue had a ticket.
Every ticket had a category.
Every category had an owner.
Every owner had a meeting.
Unfortunately, the machine was still drifting.
At Northwind, the problem didn’t disappear.
It just became very well documented.
That’s the trap of digital escalation:
We automate the routing.
We automate the reporting.
We automate the dashboard.
But we forget to automate — or rather, manage — the actual decision loop.
A dark factory does not need more tickets.
It needs clear ownership, fast decisions, real problem solving, and closed loops.
Otherwise, the system health is green…
…and the rework pile is still growing.
Welcome back to The Dark Factory.
