Comments on: Between the idea and the reality,…. falls the shadow http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-falls-the-shadow/ Another voice in the blogosphere Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:14:53 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: The protean nature of modern technology - another limitation of most views of e-learning « The Weblog of (a) David Jones http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-falls-the-shadow/#comment-1782 The protean nature of modern technology - another limitation of most views of e-learning « The Weblog of (a) David Jones Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:54:20 +0000 http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/?p=333#comment-1782 [...] This approach ignores the protean nature of software in that during the long period of use the system is not to be changed and/or changes are kept to a minimum. The only people who are allowed to change them are the central IT folk and anyone who even thinks about changing or working around these systems is sought out and “dealt with”. Hence the negative conatations of shadow systems. [...] [...] This approach ignores the protean nature of software in that during the long period of use the system is not to be changed and/or changes are kept to a minimum. The only people who are allowed to change them are the central IT folk and anyone who even thinks about changing or working around these systems is sought out and “dealt with”. Hence the negative conatations of shadow systems. [...]

]]> By: davidtjones http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-falls-the-shadow/#comment-1524 davidtjones Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:36:28 +0000 http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/?p=333#comment-1524 G'day Matson, I tossed and turned a bit about whether or not I would spam your comment. There were three main reasons I was going to spam it * You don't mention that quickplanner plus is your company * My use of "idea" in this post wasn't intended in the same way you used it * The over-emphasis on "planning" is one of the major flaws contributing to shadow systems Your company Your blogger profile (http://www.blogger.com/profile/14628159963370941143) lists the quickplannerplus website as "My Website" The idea IN the above I intended "the idea" to represent the idea held be management and the central IT division about what was happening in the organisation around the use of their IT systems and the costs/benefits of those systems. For me, the idea is separated from the reality of organisational life by a gap. A gap that is bridged by shadow systems. The main idea of this post is that central IT divisions see shadow systems as something to trashed out of hand, rather than understood as signifying that there is a gap and that perhaps they should learn about the causes of that gap and rectify the idea to be closer to the reality. Over emphasis on plan-driven approaches. A major contributor, IMHO, to the gap between the idea and reality is the on-going, over use of plan-driven approaches by central IT divisions and senior management. I haven't looked in detail but it appears that quickplannerplus assumes and enhances this over use of plan-driven approaches. I've talked about the problems of these approaches and the alternatives in other blogs posts and in the other publications. e.g. http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/publications/the-teleological-brake-on-icts-in-open-and-distance-learning/ http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/publications/the-teleological-reason-why-icts-limit-choice-for-university-learners-and-learning/ In the end, I decided to allow your post to provide a platform to repeat my platform and maybe generate some additional debate. David. G’day Matson,

I tossed and turned a bit about whether or not I would spam your comment.

There were three main reasons I was going to spam it
* You don’t mention that quickplanner plus is your company
* My use of “idea” in this post wasn’t intended in the same way you used it
* The over-emphasis on “planning” is one of the major flaws contributing to shadow systems

Your company

Your blogger profile (http://www.blogger.com/profile/14628159963370941143) lists the quickplannerplus website as “My Website”

The idea

IN the above I intended “the idea” to represent the idea held be management and the central IT division about what was happening in the organisation around the use of their IT systems and the costs/benefits of those systems.

For me, the idea is separated from the reality of organisational life by a gap. A gap that is bridged by shadow systems.

The main idea of this post is that central IT divisions see shadow systems as something to trashed out of hand, rather than understood as signifying that there is a gap and that perhaps they should learn about the causes of that gap and rectify the idea to be closer to the reality.

Over emphasis on plan-driven approaches.

A major contributor, IMHO, to the gap between the idea and reality is the on-going, over use of plan-driven approaches by central IT divisions and senior management. I haven’t looked in detail but it appears that quickplannerplus assumes and enhances this over use of plan-driven approaches.

I’ve talked about the problems of these approaches and the alternatives in other blogs posts and in the other publications.

e.g.
http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/publications/the-teleological-brake-on-icts-in-open-and-distance-learning/
http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/publications/the-teleological-reason-why-icts-limit-choice-for-university-learners-and-learning/

In the end, I decided to allow your post to provide a platform to repeat my platform and maybe generate some additional debate.

David.

]]> By: matsonian http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-falls-the-shadow/#comment-1523 matsonian Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:26:18 +0000 http://davidtjones.wordpress.com/?p=333#comment-1523 Having an idea is one step, implementing it is the next... or is it? How about developing a plan for implementation like that which is developed using the QuickPlanner Plus method of planning. QPP helps the individual to develop idea from thought to fruition by helping to define the goals, objectives and vision. http://www.quickplannerplus.com Having an idea is one step, implementing it is the next… or is it? How about developing a plan for implementation like that which is developed using the QuickPlanner Plus method of planning. QPP helps the individual to develop idea from thought to fruition by helping to define the goals, objectives and vision.

http://www.quickplannerplus.com

]]>