This is the first edition of the “WG Fridge Blog”. What is it about? To help you understand what the WG Fridge is all about, I ask you to watch the introductory video.

Our storyline on information governance builds on the image of the communal refrigerator. We argue that enterprise data management is in the same state as most communal refrigerators:

• No one knows what is inside
• No one knows how old it is
• No one knows who brought it
• No one knows if it is still edible
• No one knows why there are 12 strawberry yogurts in it
• Nobody throws anything away
• Nobody feels responsible

Let’s take a closer look at those involved! “No one” or “nobody” is known to be a bad starting position when you have to make sure that the “system refrigerator” is kept in good shape. The same applies to the handling of information and data!

Let’s turn to our WG! The WG “Züri 6” is located in a 5-room apartment in Zurich. It is a typical residential community with a small troop of residents, most of whom are students. The apartment has 4 bedrooms and a common room and a large kitchen with an equal refrigerator plus cellar and attic. As usual today, the infrastructure is at the best level, WLAN is available everywhere, the digital world is present everywhere.

We present:

The WG and their “mother”, Maria Locker

The residential community was founded in 2012 by Maria Locker, a business student. She is nearing the end of her studies. Maria is the “mother” of the WG. She always tries to find a solution when there are conflicts and is the first point of contact for problems. The refrigerator has been an ongoing issue since the beginning of the WG. Maria has not yet managed to bring order to the chaos. No wonder, with the different characters of the residents (which we will present to you in the following blogs)! Meanwhile, Maria ignores the issue and lets the residents settle their conflicts among themselves. She also refills sometimes when something is missing. She rarely settles conflicts but primarily stays away from discussions.

These are the residents:

Nadja Spring: Psychology student in her 4th semester. Sees herself as part of a whole, considers the organism WG as part of her existence and understands it as a personal defeat when something goes wrong. The WG is an important support for her and she would do anything to keep it together. She is into “organic food” and would only buy organic (if she had the money). Prefers to cook for herself.

Roger Lederer: business student and “fils à papa”. Actually knows only one goal: his personal advancement, subordinates his priorities to the higher goal = career; regards roommates as a necessary evil and likes to put himself in the limelight; risks are his passion (original quote: “Fear is something for insurance salesmen”). Has already heard that you can also prepare food yourself, eats primarily from takeaways or from mom’s canteen.

Sepp Serios is a physics student in his 5th semester and is careful not to break any rules. He is in a relationship with Rita Ernst.

His favorite phrases are:

“we’ve never done it that way before”,
“the others don’t do it either”,
“anyone could come up with that”.

Food is all the same, the main thing – calories. However, loves it when invited and is sometimes there when not expected.

Mona Geiger is the cheerful one in the flat-sharing community and always up for a good joke. She is a designer and likes to surround herself with “nerds,” as she likes to say. She sees rules as an imposition; loves to put herself in the limelight, expression comes before content for her, chaos is her best friend. Cleaning up is something the others can do better. Loves foreign cuisine and sometimes invites a cook, not always to the delight of her roommates.

Rita Ernst is studying education in her first semester and comes “fresh from home”. She is an only child and has no idea about joint households. She has trouble accepting the views of others; likes to put herself in the center and sees the world egocentrically. She keeps getting into conflicts with Mona. She regularly takes food from home “It’s best at home anyway” is her favorite saying.

Rapahel Studer is the “nerd” among the residents. He is, of course, studying computer science in his 3rd semester and is permanently networked. He lives by the motto “anything is possible” and puts it into practice. He is a technology freak, wants to solve all problems with technology, but fails at the simplest tasks. Prefers to take the complicated path rather than the simple one, always tries to build his own solutions and distrusts everything that does not come from himself. Favorite food: Pizza (passed under the door or from the 3D printer).

Pierre Alors is the typical exchange student. Takes life pretty easy; is very tolerant and always in a good mood; gets along well with everyone except Sepp Serios. Flirts intensively with the ladies and takes care of good mood in the WG. Only on one subject he knows no tolerance: food must be fresh and well-groomed. Tinned or ready-made food is an abomination to him. If necessary, he stands at the stove and creates his own delicacies. Has abe rmeist no money for it and must “get” the ingredients from the others.

Our protagonists have one thing in common: they all need to eat and everyone loves it when the fridge is filled with the right contents. I wonder if they agree on the management of the refrigerator?

Read the next episode: The poisoning … To be continued…

What patterns of behavior sound familiar? Do they remind you of similar characters in your company?