Systems Practice in the Information Society

Finally, my single authored book has seen the light of publication.
I thought I should write something about it for anyone who might be interested in systems thinking and information systems.

It is the result of thinking about my own practice in the last few years as a project manager, PhD student and researcher. The book aims to give audiences a general idea of systems thinking and how it can be applied through different methodologies in situations (not only problems) which we can encounter in our efforts to improve society with information.

The book defines three types of patterns to inform our practice. I have found these patterns present in the thinking of different people when it comes to implement information technology in various ways, ranging from transactional systems to customer databases and electronic government systems.

I have been searching for ways to make systems thinking more accessible to people without having to refer necessarily to philosophy and debates over the true nature of systems. The book provides examples and conceptions to help us understand what to do with the main ideas of systems, and how methodologies already developed in this area can be put to the service of collaborative work between individuals who share similar thinking patterns.

Currently I am using the book as a complementary text in my courses, and refer to some of the material that I have used. I would like to continue sharing ideas outside the systems thinking community with people working on public policy, information systems, electronic government and corporate social responsibility.

Somebody told me when I started writing the book (January 2008) that it was going to be difficult to reach different audiences, in particular those of academia and industry. I was lucky to get the book endorsed by individuals from tboth of these communities who see new ways to inform systems practice and projects. The concepts and patterns in the book could inform our thinking or our practice. My guess is that some people will give me their views after reading the book on how useful they find it.

On the issue of patterns, I have used them to write about how e-government is conceived of and implemented. Kevin Orr and I have written a paper in the International Journal of Public Sector Management on the use of these patterns to understand e-government development in a country like Colombia. We found these patterns very interesting to inform future design and action, and in particular to help audiences see the limitations and possibilities of current plans and projects in this area.

Where to from here?

Well, I am enjoying the moment, but it feels like I have closed a cycle which began possibly in 1997 when I listened to policy makers in Colombia talking about the information society and I felt that we could improve our thinking about it. I found systems thinking to be a good vehicle to do it. On the way I have found e-government and others as key areas where I can also make a contribution with ideas and practice based on systems. My guess is that I will still be using systems thinking in some way or another. In my current rol I find it useful to help me balance management and IT-based perspectives about situations. From here, perhaps a more critical research agenda can follow. My friend Foucault seems to be calling me again to help me re-think my role as a researcher and citizen in the global information society. Will tell you later how this invitation unfolds...

Details of the book can be seen at:

http://www.ewidgetsonline.com/dxreader/Reader.aspx?token=beMupvWMTeeOQpuXR5uDwg%3d%3d&rand=1409328941&buyNowLink=

In the balance - Where are we going with social networks?

I have recently seen discussions on the use of social networks for marketing purposes. This not only involves companies advertising on sites like facebook, but also many organisations putting themselves to be followed via twitter and the like. Newspaper websites (we could consider them for a while social networking) all have adverts (on the side of a page or appearing when you click on things). The social interaction is mixing up with advertising.

Advertising of course is a form of social interaction, but with some science behind (hopefully, without aiming to have a go at advertisers). There is always a continuous battle of spaces between advertising and social networking. We have heard this week that in the UK the ban for TV programmes to use adverts in their content (for instance a soap opera character drinking a coca-cola and showing it) has been lifted. A colleague who is expert in marketing suggests this is a positive move, given that the advertising industry is in need of new channels, and that audiences are mature enough not to be totally driven by what adverts suggest (you drinking coca-cola because your favorite TV character does it).

Things are still in the balance. Whilst advertising tries to catch up with audiences, audiences always devise new ways of socialising without the intromision of advertising. It would be better if we understood a bit more the complexities of both. Just learned that advertising on the internet has different revenue models if you are hosting a website. You can charge advertisers for the space, for the number of clicks on their ads, or for the redirection that you give to potential customers to the advertisers own sites.

Also learned today that sites like facebook are finally breaking even (if you do not count capital investment), and could be making money soon. How? self advertising (advertising to those fitting the profile); selling advertising space to direct users; virtual gifts (linked to the real ones); micropayments (small transactions if you buy real gifts).

mmm, it sounds to me similar to what I heard in a conference last week about the credit crunch structure: you have a portfolio of income sources, some of them riskier than others. That is all fine up to the point where there is a big external change. In the case of the credit crunch, there was a drop in property prices (big external change), so even if you had the best portfolio of mortgages (in terms of risk), your losses came from all products. The customer does not see a good value in what you offer. What could this mean for sites like facebook? It needs to be careful not to lose its appeal as a social networking site, not as a commercial site, that is to people like me a good value. Or maybe this means that any big change can come at any moment, and in a couple of years time we will not be thinking of facebook, maybe something else. If this is the case....things are still in the balance, hopefully for good.

Systemic connections, and health

It is official, a picture of a molecule (carbon nanotube) shows connections with atoms (hydrogens) and the like. The guys from IBM research have done a fantastic job showing us this!

Connections might be temporary or permanent, in this case I guess they have to be created continuously, that is the life of the molecule.

Life at this microlevel tells us about things. For me it tells me that once certain connections are established, they might last for a life time, and that other connections are to be kept.

Today I was reading some information about asthma, and how it can be prevented. Habits of prevention and treatment are to be acquired and followed. This creates connections between certain stimuli (weather, pets, dust) and reactions (narrowing of airways in the lungs). Treatment and both prevention also requires people to create connections within their life style: treatment inhalers, cleanness, and prudent exercise. These could be considered connections for life.

Ah, and forgot the role of stress. This can also generate symptoms of asthma, and it is important to work on the causes of it.

Our current economic climate could be the trigger of these stimuly and symptoms. Uncertainty of what is to happen, anxiety to keep a job, the need to know about but also put up with news, and even things that become too bureaucratic can put us at bay and in a kind of 'vigilant' mood. Experts like Al Siebert in his book "The resilience advantage" tell us that too much strain due to things like this without proper recovery can lead us to weaken our whole system of resistance to eventualities, or inhibit what he calls fighting back adversities.

So it is important to strengthen healthier connections in a good lifestyle. Good food, good excercise, good conversation, good working timetabling, good rest, and good state of mind can help.

Interestingly also, I found articles talking about successful project managers in the IT sector, talking about resilience. This could prompt us to relate good project skills to those of good lifestyle connections.

My job now is to look for my own balancing connections, and to infuse a good balance in the life of the IT and management students I encounter.

See ya!