Sufficient investigation, simmulation, test - Break off "If we build it, they will come."
Created : 2005-02-20 Updated: 2005-02-25
"If we build it, they will come" is still a common sight at information system initiatives in organization. Though most information systems are vastly money-eating, persons in charge take this risky "if-then" without a well-thought-out plan based on sufficient investigation, simmulation and test. Of course, they believe that they made a "well-thought-out plan". But the result shows it was not the case.
"If we build it, they will come" is another typical tradition, alongside of conservative tradition.
Is there any reason in this tradition? Yes there is.
In the case of Japanese national universities, policy about infrastructure was top-down, that is, it came from the Government (Ministry of Education). The job of a university was to spend up the assigned money by the end of the fiscal year. There was made up such a behavior pattern as : traders propose products and the university buy them - because it is the way the buraucracy of the university felt convenient and easy. And it, as a matter of course, resulted in huge money-wasting.
The way of reforming this tradition is simple. It is just to do what lacks there, that is sufficient investigation, simmulation and test.
Indeed, "omitting thinking of real people" would be the foremost implication of "if we build it, they will come." There people are looked at as mechanical/lifeless "filling". And also a standardization of people is contrived there, - contrary to the stance of "diversity of individuals".