IT is all about learning

IT has become pervasive in life and it isn't all good. The whole of modern business is built on it without most of us really taking too long to think about how dependant on it we are.



I learnt many years ago that in simple terms there are only two types of IT systems Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) and Decision Support Systems (DSS).



An OLTP is basically an automated process that has taken away the paper way of doing things and it could be anything from online banking to the home shopping telephone ordering system that I worked on when I was at Littlewoods.



A DSS is any system that provides the user with information either collating it or analysing it so the user can make better decisions. This could be as simple as an excel spreadsheet analysing where you spend your budget or a business intelligence system analysing the profits for a multi-national.



It occurs to me that it all comes down to learning.........The OLTP takes away the need for us to dedicate brain power to remembering repetitive skills and the DSS enables use or power of judgement to make better decisions.



Tie this all in with the power of enhanced communication with others to help us improve our information and application and we learn and make progress.

The best stuff in life works well without havng to show off

I was in a meeting with someone who was talking about how they had written this piece of software and it was really easy to use and provided a lot of value to the user. She was reflecting how really it was massively complicated and did all kinds of clever stuff that they would never get credit for because it seemed so simple. She was happy about it because it did what it was supposed to.

I thought that's great really. Most of my favourite gadgets and applications tend to be straight forward and I guess that it is something to aim for in anything I make or do.

Even in facilitation..... if I'm being a good faciliator it is because things are flowing and that means me not saying or doing anything beyond what is absolutely necessary to enable that flow.