Non Technical and Irrational in Is

8/13/2019 Non Technical and Irrational in Is

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Non technical and irrational in

IS/IT

Alexandru Toma

Jan 31st2011


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Plan of the presentation

Initial disclaimer

Forms of symbolism in IT

Metaphor in organization science and IT

Categories of information systemsdevelopment (ISD) metaphors

Some examples

Summary

Final disclaimer/next seminar


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Initial disclaimer

You know most of what I will be talking about.

The interest is in what other people

say/think/write about. I can't even consider

myself a specialist - at least not a practician. Not everything is constructive (may be

subversive)

Choices made from an enormous literature However, no philosophy here


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Interesting reading 1: symbolism in

IS

Scientific (research) paper

Symbolism (not literal meaning / limited

rationality) in organization science / IS

Myth, metaphor and magic


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Myth: dramatic narrative, explains,

justifies "Traditionally, symbols evoke a negative connotation-

that myths, for example, are opposed to reality, that theyare antithetical to fact-but they need not."

Example of myths:

User involvement is beneficial and should be encouraged Resistance to IS is dysfunctional and should be eradicated

IS need to be integrated

The system developer is the best person to decide aboutthe system

Politics should not be the concern of the system developer The key to successful design is the use of a top-down approach


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Magic

Just works

Main difference from science / technology

is that we dont understand why, but is

repeatable

Matter of point of view / knowledge

Procedure vs ritual


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Interesting reading no. 2: Brooks

No Silver Bullet

Software development is (essentially)

difficult because of:

Invisibility

Conformity

Change Complexity


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From No silver bullet

"The reality of software is not inherently embedded inspace. Hence, it has no ready geometric representationin the way that land has maps, silicon chips havediagrams, and computers have connectivity schematics.

As soon as we attempt to diagram software structure, wefind it to constitute not one, but several, general directedgraphs superimposed one upon another. [] In spite ofprogress in restricting and simplifying the structures ofsoftware, they remain inherently unvisualizable []. This

lack not only impedes the process of design within onemind, it severely hinders commun icat ionamongminds."


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Communication


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Interesting reading 3: Metaphors

we live by Lakoff and Johnson 1980

Main point: Metapho r is fo r most people a device ofthe poet ic imaginat ion and the rhetor ical f lour ishamatter of extraordinary rather than ordinary language.Moreover, a metaphor is typically viewed ascharacter ist ic of language alone, a matter of word srather than tho ught or act ion. For this reason, mostpeople think they can get along perfectly well withoutmetaphor. We have found, on the contrary, thatmetaphor is pervasive in everyday l i fe, no t just in

language but also in tho ught and act ion.Our ordinaryconceptual system, in terms of which we both think andact, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. [Lakoff etJohnson 1980].


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Some history of metaphor in

organization science

Organization science debates ( Morgan,

Pinder and Bourgeois, Tsoukas)

Images of organisation

Perhaps the most interesting two

oppositions:

One or multiple metaphors for the same

object

Explain or make a (political) point


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Interesting reading 4: Images of

organizations

Morgan, 1980

Organization is a machine (dominant

metaphor)

Organization is a living organism

Organization is a brain (self-organizing)

Organization is conflict (union vsmanagement)

Multiplicity of points of view


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Multiple perspectives, all false,

mutually exclusive


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Multiple perspectives, all partially

true, not mutually exclusive


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Multiple perspectives, all right


17/46

Multiple perspectives, one right,

one wrong


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Types of metaphors of IS, IT, ISD

Same exercise for IS / IT / ISD

Metaphor classification in families

Dominant

Alternative

Counter-metaphors

rationnel

Irrationnel / drisoire


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Dominant metaphors

Essentially construction

Terms: architecture, framework,

Other material artefacts


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Critic of dominant metaphors

+ rationality


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Alternative metaphors

Culture, culture shock

Service

Communication Unique project (WWII Fighter Command

information systemCheckland)

Role playing game (DnD) Medecine, law


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Counter-metaphores

Religion / sects / magic

Archeology, bazaar

War Fashion

Propaganda

Leasure, bricolage Derision (animals, objects)


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Explain or make a point?

In principle, metaphors can be used to

explain (teaching, communication) or for

political purposes


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Other view

Dear SMEs, On behalf of my team, I would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you

for all your valuable contribution to AIPS Programme.

Your involvement in every stage of the project starting from requirementscollection, business process design, process testing, data conversions,integration testing and change management has helped us to ensure we areable to build a robust solution which meets the business needs as well as

incorporates the best practices and improved business procedures which willbenefit the entire Agency.

First few months will be naturally challenging in adjusting to the new ways ofdoing things and in acquiring adequate knowledge of using the new system inthe right manner and I hope we will get over the same fairly quickly. Dedicatedwalk-in sessions are available for all staff to facilitate a smooth transition.

Please note that Classroom Training and e-learning are still available andplease ensure you undertake the required e-learning courses and encourage

your colleagues also to do the same. Thanks once to all the Subject Matter Experts involved in AIPS Programme.

Satya Devata

AIPS Project Leader


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Possible alternate metaphors

Lord of the ringscommunity of the ring

Inverse metaphor: business as master and

IT as servant

How you frame things is important


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The chimpanzee tea party

Political / subversive

Because of the cultural difference, the

tools (cutlery, crockery) arent used as

they should

Focus on something useless

(methodology)


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Some particularly interesting

metaphors for IS / IT / ISD

Culture

Politics

Role-playing game


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Interesting reading 5

ScheinOrganizational Culture and

leadership

What is a culture?

Artefacts (visible)

Values (more or less visible)

Shared beliefs (non questionable, invisible)


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From Schein

What is defined as physical, social, or individualreality is itself the product of social learning andhence, by definition, a part of a given culture

("Social reality refers to those things that

members of a group regard as matters ofconsensus, that are not externally, empiricallytestable.")

One of the reasons why business decisions are

often difficult to make and why management isan intrinsically complex activity is the lack ofconsensus on whether a given decision areabelongs in the realm of physical or social reality.


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IS/IT/ISD as a role-playing game

"You are standing in an open field west of

a white house, with a boarded front door.

There is a small mailbox here.

Your avatar goes through the game,

collecting/losing objects, health points

You dont always know the rules of the

game at the beginning (most interesting)


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The RPG/DnD metaphor

Some setups are particularly fit to the

game metaphor (job interview)

But it can be applied anywhere, ie career

management, project management

Lets imagine rules for the meeting game


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The meeting game

The most productive meeting is the one thatdoesn't take place.

If it does, be sure to have the right people in theroom, agenda, minutes, follow-up of decisions.

Be sure communication takes place (invisibility).

Be sure the trade-off needs are understood anddealt with.

Be sure that conflicting goals of subgroups orpersons can be negotiated or decided by ahigher authority


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Metaphors for IT frameworks

Like ITIL, CISSP, PRINCE2

What are they (like)?

Science?

Technology?

Magic?

Philosophy?

Religion?


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Some interesting books

Morgan

Donald Norman

Brooks Weinberg

deMarco and Lister

More to come athttp://kc.iaea.org/livelink/llisapi.dll/open/30

220452
http://localhost/var/www/apps/livelink/llisapi.dll/open/30220452http://localhost/var/www/apps/livelink/llisapi.dll/open/30220452http://localhost/var/www/apps/livelink/llisapi.dll/open/30220452http://localhost/var/www/apps/livelink/llisapi.dll/open/30220452


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Possible follow-up topics

Enterprise architecture,

IT frameworks / methodologies,

More detailed presentation of metaphorsfor IT including counter-metaphors,

Silver bullets,

Management/IT fads and fashions


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Summary

Obviously no ethical considerations. What is

good/bad (in the rules/out of the rules) depends

on how you (subjectively) frame the game. You

decide how you play. No easy answers. Sociotechnical methods

(some of them mentioned in Hirschheim &

Newman paper) were not a success. I don't

have a silver bullet, I can't save the world as thecomic heroes shown before do. however...


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Summary

Metaphors are powerful. metaphors are

dangerous (Hitler, Dilbert). Use, don't abuse

Know how to defend against aggressive, political

metaphors (might be hard) Be sure you understand the game you play

Be sure you understand the game your partners

(manager, colleagues, subordinates) play


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Summary

Be sure not to be locked in one only metaphor

Calculating moves might work better, but

depends on you

Sometimes reality is simple, straightforward anda metaphor will do more harm thank good

If you have comments/horror stories that you

might want to make/tell in private, for

anonymous research purposes, I'm interested


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Final disclaimer

Old Romanian joke

Those who can, do.

Those who can't, teach others how to do.


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Final disclaimer

Old Romanian joke

Those who can, do.

Those who can't, teach others how to do. Those who can't even teach, manage.


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Next seminar

February 28th

Can unauthorized hacking ever be ethical?

Marti

Documents

Non Technical and Irrational in Is