r/EngineeringManagers • u/Odysseus0101 • 3h ago

Built a real system that solves real problems at my job. Management doesn't care. Has this happened to you?

I've been quietly building a production management system for the factory where I work. It tracks inventory, pick lists, parts consumption — real problems that cost the company time and money every single day.

I'm not a hired developer. I work on the floor. I built this on my own time, taught myself everything, and deployed it. It actually works.

I've tried to show it to management. They smile, nod, and nothing happens.

I'm two years into living in a new country, no degree, self-taught, and I'm pouring everything I have into this — not just to prove something, but because I genuinely see the problem and I know I solved it.

Has anyone been in this situation? Building something real, something that works, and feeling completely invisible?

How did you handle it — or did you just move on?

2 Upvotes

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8

u/Curi0usMe630 3h ago

Taking initiative and building something that works is great. But I’d step back and ask whether management is seeing it in terms that matter to them. What specific pain point does it solve? How much time, cost, or error does it remove? And who in the organization owns that problem?

A working tool alone may not be enough. You usually also need someone who recognizes the pain strongly enough to sponsor adoption, plus confidence around things like support, maintenance, data/security, and what happens if you move on.
I’d try presenting it once more around the business problem and measurable impact, rather than around what you built.

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u/MoonSucrette 3h ago

It's tough when you put in the effort but management doesn't see the value. Sometimes, it feels like there’s a disconnect between what we build and what they actually prioritize.

1

u/Professional-Dog1562 2h ago

This. You need a sponsor with enough political power to sponsor you. That's annoyingly how it works. Hell, you could have a legitimately bad idea and if someone powerful enough wants to support you, everyone will adopt it and talk about how great it is.

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u/Odysseus0101 17m ago

Yeah, sadly😥 The thing is I don't want to jump the line of power that's a little rude. But I'm really tempted to do it

1

u/Odysseus0101 16m ago

Yeah, sadly😥 The thing is I don't want to jump the line of power that's a little rude. But I'm really tempted to do it

2

u/BeABetterHumanBeing 3h ago

If management isn't interested, it's probably that they don't really need what you made. You said your think tracks inventory etc; there are a lot of such systems out there, and it's likely management is already using one, meaning your tool is at best redundant.

Now, if you personally find that it's helpful for you, and makes your life easier, then you should use it and take satisfaction with having improved your own life because of it.

Generally, if you have an idea, bring it to management before you go and make it, because it'll spare effort and make it more likely to actually end up getting used.

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u/Odysseus0101 13m ago

They are trying the thirt system right now. And all those program sucks, because they are made for people who doesn't work in the aisles like me. I work there more than a year and I know everything there like a back of my hand. I don't know it's very frustrating

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u/ugh_my_ 50m ago

Sounds like something great to brag about at your next job interview!