The crack of service systems

Recently we have come to know more about why a baby that is being monitored by people (good and bad we could say) still dies. We also know of children whose death has been caused by already identified potential harmful people. The problems are then referred as problems of the systems that serve our society: Schools, police services, social services. The systems crack but we do not know how they do so or why.

What problems of the system? It is difficult to start pointing out, given the culture of name and shame we live in. The blame is to be put in one individual or some of them. The system still needs rethinking, and possibly a review is to be undertaken. In the review, more cracks are discovered, more news are published, and we are left thinking that yes, we are people are good and bad, and that systems need rethinking. We trust the review, hoping that it will highlight the need for important changes.

There is the issue of communication. Information that resides somewhere and needs to be known by everyone in services or agencies is not communicated promptly. The systems do not have such memory to recall information from several parts. The last case we heard of shows that the information is being shared, but the action taken afterwards is that of monitoring. The benefit of the doubt is followed, but the information does not show other fundamental problems: Someone is tricking another system (someone allowing someone 'not good' to live in a house). This information item is not to be shared with those monitoring the system. The system could be very robust in gathering 'known' or 'knowable' information, but is fed the information that people want to give.

We then have the issue of trust. Service systems operate under the premise that those inside and outside align to the purpose of these systems, we trust on the people. When there is a crack, the trust in the people running the system is put into question. Those using the system are still given the benefit of the doubt. Procedures to detect lies in the system are a big problem. One possible reason could be that focus on performance, multi-agency working and service delivery take priority over alerting the system on potential risks. Alarm signals have been raised but then the responsibility of taking action is diluted.

So the issue of systems serving people needs to be accompanied by that of protecting people. But we are very busy protecting ourselves. Are we protecting ourselves from the systems we are part of, the systems we use? Is it not the other way round that has created the need for a system...?

I wonder what is to happen next. Our trust in the systems is once more damaged, but it seems we will then keep them because there is no better alternative.

In defence of the Quantum of Solace

The new movie of James Bond (Quantum of Solace) has received mixed reviews. Whilst for some it is a story going nowhere, for others it is a more humane picture of the all times hero.

What I liked is that the action is intense at different points, and right from the beginning we are taken into an atmosphere of pursuit, risk, and betrayal.

Bond is seeking revenge, but he finally understands that he is seeking himself. Something philosophical to think about. Me and my brothers Ricardo and Juan Carlos loved to go to see Bond's movies. I still remember when we watched "Octopussy" together. I can still remember the feeling of expectation, awe and somehow empathy towards Bond. He could use the most advanced technology, but at the end, it was his courage and luck which helped him. He proved himself. And by doing so, he helped us to remain friends, to forget about our problems and to share life.

Now Bond has helped me to understand the importance of letting go. He cannot do everything, or fight against himself. He is trapped in his own mind. He decides it is time to move on from revenge, and keep doing what he is good at.

In life this happens to all of us. In my case, I tend to be perfectionist, worried, anxious, and ask a lot from myself and my significant others. I also have some charm (of course I do!), but tend to forget this and other good things for the sake of urgency and perfection. Like Bond, I think we all need our own quantum of solace to pick ourselves up, let it go and move on. In careers and big decisions, we want everything to go according to plan. What if life gives us something unexpected...?

Maybe we need some solace. To regain friendship with ourselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4jY8WxcFMo

Here and there...where?

My life is now into two worlds. Talking about football and students.

Football is everywhere, a good atmosphere can be felt across the country.

Woking FC in Surrey is in the Blue Square League (as far as I can say). It is a team which plays good football, but according to one of its fans, it has not had a good start of the season. They are just above relegation.

I enjoyed their last match against Stevenage Borough. The match picked up after a rainy start and also because Woking was losing. And they did not manage to make the best of scoring opportunities. But the atmosphere is still there!

The number of fans is not as in Hull, but they cheer up a lot!!

What about my current students?


They are different, a bit more 'techie', with career aspirations. They come from different backgrounds and have different expectations. They like to talk and participate. They are very attentive. They seem to have bonded.

The course on people and technology is very good. Lots to talk about human computer interaction (HCI). I was delighted to have lectured on the ideas of Maturana, Winograd and Flores. They are useful and could help them to understand better how to design good computer systems.

So here and there, things are different but they are not to some extent. Maybe because even if we move, we keep certain things close to us.

Come on Woking F.C !

Where is the Christmas Crunch?

The news keep coming in about imminent recession. For Christmas it will be more apparent that we should all tighten our belts.

Newspapers and banks are now suggesting strategies to save. In countries like the UK, this is perhaps similar to what rationing meant during the Second World War. People were encouraged to replace their basic diet with substitutes. Still we are always tempted to go for the sales, the discount, 2 for 1, 3 for 2, pay nothing in the first 5 months, etc. As if we were to save. Interestingly, some of these 'savings' strategies are to blame for the crunch itself! We should be wary of what we are really getting.


So there is a psychological as well as physical crunch I gather. With an inflation hitting over 5% one should say that the situation is critical. But wait a minute...is it not the case that in other countries and before the whole thing about banks, mortgages and crunch became news in the West emerged, inflation was and still is much more higher?

The fuel of economies seems to be capital, in order to fund employment. But there is also a job to do, regardless if that is paid or not. Cleaning up the streets, helping those in need, teaching what you know. These are all examples.

We might not need to take the crunch everywhere we go as if it was a 'cross'. The religious crunch is not taking place, so the priest says. We are still thinking of a better life here and over there. So we are not reducing our real investment in hope.

And if we want a good Christmas, an old and wise friend used to say: Make yourself a good Christmas, it does not happen by chance.

The IT elephant

The story of the elephant still strikes me, and perhaps even more now that I am looking into IT careers for my students...

Outside the main tent, a big circus elephant is tied to a small pole fixed on the ground via a chain. A child passing by asks his father: "Why does not the elephant break from the pole?"

The father could have answered in many ways, but reminds his son that from early childhood, when the elephant was small, it became 'trained' not to break away. A small elephant could not have broken away, but what about a big elephant?

The big elephant still thinks it cannot break away.

Professions in information technology are a double edge sword: If you are enthusiastic and capable, you can become an expert in what you do, and be recognised as such.

However, this can also become your own 'chain', and you can find it difficult to break away from a 'pole' (your own IT niche).

When we start our careers, we might feel like the small elephant, without enough 'force'. But as time goes by, we can become too comfortable living in our own 'tent'.

How can we break away then?


I do not have answers but perhaps more questions:

Why is it that we feel too comfortable where we are? Is it satisfaction, or is it an easy life? Satisfied people might not need to move on.

Why cannot we try something else? Are we paying too much attention to other people's advice?

And finally, is it that we want to follow a path that is not ours?

Second Life...

You might be thinking what I am going to write about...

Well, Cecilia and I are now in the South, I have taken a Senior Lectureship position at Royal Holloway, University of London.

The last few months we were moving from Hull, busy busy time. Finally I manage to say something about this move.

It has been good. Only problem is, our friends did not move with us.

Life is different, busier (I guess with new job new things come up), we seem to know this life whilst at the same time we do not. It is the same country, but people and things look different.

People on the streets, my students, neighbours, even the guys who repaired a car handle from our Focus. And the focus looks different too!

I cannot fully describe it what it is, but perhaps these are some hints:

Lifewise

• Surprise surprise, a 21st century heating system. At the beginning it was so sophisticated we did not know it was not working. We had to wait for a month for it to be repaired. But finally it works like a cybermachine.


• Broadband, yes, we had it, but then we did not have it. Our phone line with BT seems to also be a cyber device. It tells the BT people that things are fine, whilst Cecilia gets text messages saying that they are investigating a fault. Tomorrow we will probably have another episode in the saga of "who is right? The machine or the guy who comes to repair it?"


• Roads are busy whilst greener. Let me explain. The Surrey area is green, really nice, but many people have decided to move in (including us). So at any roundabout (a kind of crossroad, intersection) , we have to qualify for the first three spots available in the lane (I think in the last Olympics there were some races in which only the first two qualified, or the first four). This means accelerating from 0 to 30 mph in...1,5 seconds. But other than that, when there is no traffic, wow! A green trip.


• The websites of train times do not tell you everything. From Egham to Woking via Weybridge there are more trains to catch. Yes, there are, only if they know that there are trains to London every 7 minutes from Woking, and that there are trains to Basingstoke via Weybridge and from Reading to London via Virgina Water, life would be easier. I am now sounding like a train officer...let us leave it to that.
• And people on the trains...busier, curious.
• London is not far away. Very tempting indeed!
• The mass could be in Italian!! Brace yourself!

Workwise:

• Lunch is more expensive in the Students restaurant than in the Senior Common Room. So academics might be getting obese...? Or students might be borrowing more from the central bank?
• I have a bigger office...but my computer (brand new)...let us leave it to that too.
• The recepcionist is the friendlist person of the school, she has won national awards for that...let us...congratulate her and leave it to that.
• Courses, not modules. Workshops, not tutorials.
• Yes Amanda, there is a work load model! But everyone gets the same amount of teaching (professors, non professors), as well as admin, and the rest is research for everyone.

Ceciliawise:

• The poorthing is enduring a lot! She is very brave really. I love her for that and many other things.

This is the story of second life. Or perhaps is it the story of us growing wiser and older...? Will there be a third life?

Wimbledon 2008

Not everything should be about making a move to the South.

Cecilia and I were looking for places to live in the South of the UK. We also took a break to go to Wimbledon on the 26th of June 08. As a nice surprise, Catalina Castaño, Colombian tennis player was on court number 4! She was playing women's doubles, and her partner was Kaia Kanepi. They won their match 7-5 6-4. It was the second round.

So we watched the match, and after I jumped out of the bench to try and get an autograph. Before I knew it, there were 4 or 5 people surrounding Catalina, so I had to make my way. I asked her for an autograph, she kindly accepted and signed. Only thing I could say was: "Good match!"

Catalina played very quickly. She continuously talked to her partner, and they made very fast moves. Her forehand is good but I liked her backhand better. She also made very clever shots. Kaia was better at strong and long shots.

Another celebrity for my list!
I am a Happy Man after getting Catalina's autograph.

It is nice to go to Wimbledon, enjoy queueing up and then watching players, the environment is very friendly and you get to eat southern chicken with chips, buy a t-shirt or enjoy strawberries whilst the weather changes. We were lucky, only a short spell of rain. After watching Catalina, we watched Marion Bartoli and Marcos Baghdatis in respective matches. The rest of the tournament we were hooked up to the TV and enjoyed the fabulous victory of Nadal, incredible!

Terry was here!!

Terry made it all the way from Maine!

It was wonderful to have Terry Porter here with us. She enjoyed herself a lot and we got good ideas to continue working together.

There was also time to go to Nandos and celebrate our reunion with Cecilia, Jennifer, Todd and myself.

Terry brought a spark of happiness here to Hull, and as always, we met and exchanged good thoughts, possibilities, ideas and desires.

Our research has to do with sustainability, Terry works in a couple of projects in Maine, I try to invent projects here in Hull and in the UK. For the future, we would like to talk about experiences on sustainability projects.

But also on developing our careers and other people's.

What theories, paradigms will we encounter in our journey? That is research!

Where the home and the heart are

Guess where we have been visiting friends...

Swansea, London, Durham.

Friends from Mexico, Colombia, Germany. We all have moved on, and are now in different places, with some ideals to fulfill yet.
Miguel and I were trying to catch a glimpse of the wind in Swansea. Lots of sport on our visit, a nice walk around the Three Cliffs Bay and the University hills (this is one of them). People seem to be quieter than in Hull. Even went to a casino where Miguel won 34 times the investment. Lucky guy eh?



Ronald and Juliana came to visit London, we joined them. Had a fantastic time catching up and talking about living in foreign countries. Ronald has not changed at all, maybe he has gained a bit of weight, but have not we all done it? It is good to talk to him, he tells you what he thinks straight away, but in a funny way, how do you do it Donald?




Yes, we all like latin american food, this is 'bistec a lo pobre', very peasant food, but we like it, maybe we are all peasants in Latin America, but we like to eat well. And on top of that we like beer. Maybe that is the reason for the belly dancers (but you cannot see much, we have hid them well!)




Not lost yet, but in Durham with Marc we found that mobile technology (plus a German friend) can help you find your way. Maybe the way to breakfast, or to the monastery!


First we found our way to a nice breakfast, some weight being put on but it was a bank holiday and an opportunity to catch up. Life as academics is not too bad is it Marc?

Nothing like waking up after a night out, a night to remember because of the waiting of the taxi. For about an hour we gained a good glipmse of the Durham culture, including a street fight controlled by the police. All of this show for free.


But Marc, maybe we need to follow a different path in life and become more meditating and careful about what we say...maybe there are answers in Durham Cathedral, you never know.

I spoke to Cecilia about this, and she does not like the idea. I wonder why...


The home and the heart is where both of them meet. Friends help us in that search!

Systems Thinking Video

Finally...

We have done a video to show the basic ideas on systems thinking as we see it at Hull University (or maybe as I see it).

You will see a 'play' in which different points of view come to the light, and the possibility of learning to appreciate other people's views when making decisions is proposed.

We do this in daily life, or when we work in big plans. We do it in relationships, with friends, when we buy our car or our house.

Hopefully that will convince you that even if you think we know something, we might be a long way ahead of doing so. But that should not stop us from doing things.

March 2008: Collaboration and fun!

March 2008 has been a busy month. At Hull, I organised a conference on information technology usage and local governance transformations. My friends from the group ELIS and I presented our work on how adoption of IT helps unveil a number of issues in relation to governance. Good attendance including IT managers from city councils. Conclusion of the event: We are still far from the ideal of making governments participative and accountable. But we enjoy studying the 'adoption' of IT, procedures and cultural practices in what is called the 'digital era governance'.

The research group also had a meeting where we discussed possibilities to move forward. We agreed to share ideas via a wiki. Easter holidays have come and we are engaging with the wiki now. We also created a discussion list for seminar participants. After this picture, we took our Spanish and French friends to the pub for typical lunch. I hope they enjoyed it!









And my students had the chance to present their project proposals to managers of a real organisation: St Stephens Shopping Centre in Hull. We had ellaborated proposals to help the centre develop a new phase. The proposals were very well received. We were lucky to have David Laycock (Centre Manager), Samantha Madden (Marketing Manager) and Rick Welton (councillor at Hull City) attending the presentations and giving feedback. For students, I think it was a very good experience. For me also, seeing how people can receive the work we do at university.


These guys might be thinking: Why are we here? Well, Mike Noble had the answer: We give it a go to our ideas, we take them outside uni! And managers enjoyed the presentations, they took some ideas to pursue forward. Possibly a new collaboration, but definitely a lot of good fun!

So, what is next? Before the month ends, begining to write my next book chapter (the information society), start the co-editing of another book with Alejandro from Venezuela on systems thinking and e-government.

April 2008: Get on with the teaching, and if time allows, travelling a bit! I will be getting 38 soon!

Next episode of the blog: Easter Holidays!

Turkey at last!

We had been planning to visit Turkey for a while. Finally, a self-made tour for Instanbul and a packaged trip to the main parts of Anatolia did the trick. I say 'packaged' because it was packaged with journeys, places, and interesting people along the way. Nice Indians, Italians and South Africans and of course Turkish people with a 'top gun' lenses style made our experience very nice.

First two days in Istanbul and as soon as we get our lonely planet guide out of the bag to check it, we are swamped with people inviting us to enter into their shops. Marvelous carpets, leather, ceramics, but they will have to wait...

AyaSofia (St Sophia) and the Blue Mosque: A must visit, together with the Museum of Turkish and Islamic arts. The city is very quiet, because of religious festivities. The sacrifice of Abraham is commemorated.

Off to Ankara on a night train. We cross to the Asian part of Istanbul. The city is immense really. Traffic is a nightmare but there are the boats and ferrys to help.

Ankara, Ataturk and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. This is now the center of the country. From paleolithic times we see evidence of settlements. Some superstition elements clarify to me that the 'moon' in Turkey's flag brings also the history of the past. Ankara, a growing city, regenerating abusive houses, excellent airport and roads. But wait to see where we go!!

Cappadocia. Long trip from here between mountains and steppes (estepas), typically from Russia but here we see that Anatolia flows from there. Goreme air museum, full of small chapels and houses on the rocks. Christians have settled there. The underground city of Kaymakli have provided them with shelter and protection against Seljuks. But the Seljuks are here to stay, they are here to become the Ottoman Empire. I am poised to see more Ottoman evidence here.

And I find it. The carpets (brought from Persia), the karavanserai (houses built on the silk road in Seljuk times); the bazaars. A mixture of cultures seen in the dancing (our friend saw the video and sees similarities with dances in Georgia and other countries from the Black see). Belly dancing for beginners like me (and I saw my belly, and I am now recovering from the shock!).

Turkey offers a lot. Pammukale and the city of Hierapolis from Greco-Roman times is a good appetiser for Ephesus (Efeso). The best preserved forums, houses, mosaics and library I have ever seen from the Greco-Romans (I have to go back to Greece to check more). The transition between these two becomes blurred, but so is the differences about stadiums, theatres and forums.



The West has retreated to the West, and now we have Turkey as a point of meeting with the East and much more. Will they be accepted in the European Union? I hope so, in fact, the Fiats and the others have made the country home in many respects. Lots of industry, lots of people willing to progress. Roads that take you everywhere, where everywhere there is a kebap shop and you can dine for as little as £1.50 (a tourist menu). Our bus back has two drivers and two waiters, Turkish music, the delight of crossing the sea by ferry and feel the breeze.

Imagine if you live in Turkey, or you live in the Asian part of Istanbul where we have returned. Traffic everywhere, boats everywhere, the city moves, they move, we move. The city bargains, we bargain. The city sweetens, we buy baklavas. We wake up to go home now, and our receptionist becomes our driver, thanks for dropping us, thanks for hosting us, wonderful country and experience.

Now reading Orhan Paumk's snow, indeed a good novel. But I also have my own experience of Istanbul Orhan, thank you!