Information Systems do not exist in a vacum, but in the fluid, complex and pragmatic milieu of organistions and their existing IT infrastructure. Info Systems exist to automate organisational functions, embed corporate knowledge and processes, and facilitate and augment individuals' efforts and communications.
They are not an end in themselves, but part of the means of achieving organisational goals. An important, but diminutive part of the total infrastucture.
Data only becomes Information when its' importance is recognised and a value assigned to it. Helping people quickly and effectively transform data into information is the aim of good IT system. Good decisions are the benefit of good IT.
[Knowledge is generalisations or models derived from information. It is used to predict and anticipate events in the real world, enabling appropriate actions to be planned and taken.]
In today's IT environment, wide technical competence in networking, telecommunications, systems analysis and design, IT infrastructure and architecture is a start, but counts for less than half the role. Knowledge and understanding of business, managerial, and operational needs, coupled with good analytical abilities and project management skills are needed to fulfill the particular needs of a client. In a world of rapid change, market differentiation and organisational specialisation, the 'one size fits all' mindset cannot enhance an individual organisations' outcomes.
Experience leads to understanding the difference between:- effort and effect, solution systems and outcomes, distinctions between 'success', 'failure' and 'learning opportunities', and the ability to transform 'poor' and 'ordinary' to 'excellent'.
Professionals have an obligation to their clients to, within their means, make good on promises, to only promise what is appropriate and achievable in the situation, and to ensure the client understands any significant limitations and implications of selected solutions. Offering multiple solutions, with trade-off discussions and cost/benefit analyses are part of this process. Ultimately, only the client can convert [utilise] a solution into an organisation outcome. Consultants can facilitate, but never create outcomes for clients.
Evaluating Sites' Jul 1999 SAGE-AU 99 Sys Admin Maturity, E Zwicky System Management 101, E Zwicky Jul 1999 SAGE-AU 99 Python for System Admins Jul 1999 SAGE-AU 99 Inaugral Linux World Expo Mar 1999 San Jose, CA Networld+Interop Nov 1998 Interop 98 Using Linux Commercially Sep 1998 AUUG 98 Linux Security Admin Sep 1998 AUUG 98 Free BSD Internals, Install Sep 1998 AUUG 98 ISP Systems Administration Jul 1998 SAGE-AU 98 Systems Auditing Jul 1998 SAGE-AU 98 - the unexpected Ally Secure Communications over Jul 1998 SAGE-AU 98 Open Networks Networld+Interop Nov 1997 Interop 97 Classic Topics in SysAdmin OCT 1997 Usenix/SAGE, LISA 97 Writing Technical Documents OCT 1997 Usenix/SAGE, LISA 97 Inaugral Camdem Conf on OCT 1997 Camdem, Maine Telecommunications Problem Solving Leadership Sep 1997 Jerry Weinberg Tcl/Tk Aug 1997 AUUG Performance Measurement in IT Aug 1996 ACS Java Jun 1996 AUUG HTML and Web Publishing Jan 1996 AUUG Internet Security & Firewalls Jan 1995 AUUG Perl Sep 1994 AUUG Quality and IT May 1993 ACS Project Management Apr 1991 ACS Object Oriented Software Eng Dec 1990 ACS Software Quality Management Nov 1990 ACS Office Document Architecture 1990 Malcom Cardis X.400 and EDI 1989 Malcom Cardis X.400 1988 Malcom Cardis Touch Typing 1985 O.T.C. Real Time Software Design 1984 NSWIT
Member of ACM (Association of Computing Machinery),1997 Member of SAGE-AU (Systems Administrator's Guild), 1994 Member of Australian Computer Society, 1991 Founding Member of AUUG (Open Systems User Group), 1985