If you’re not questioning the value of IT, you are not maximizing the value of information technology.
Information processing is the key competency for any individual and how it works collectively for organizations. It is the commodity from which all other value is derived.
Not to get all meta on this, but determining value is perhaps the most valuable aspect of information.
The value of currencies is information that is driven by information that drives even more information. Cause and effect in this is hard to pin down, but a lot of value is gained or lost on this information.
All markets are either direct information exchanges or proxy information exchanges.
The value is always fluid. It is a moving target that fluctuates based on other information.
The difficulty in capturing the value of information gets us focused on the wrong things. We focus on things like cost and some type of measurable return on investment based on technology.
Hierarchical information systems have massive limitations based on the structure of the hierarchy. In stable environments with low rates of change, good hierarchical systems can be established.
However, in fast changing situations hierarchical systems may not meet the demands. These kind of systems might demand something more like agile and adaptive.
The real trouble begins when you have a misunderstanding of your organizations information dynamic. Is your industry really fast moving or are you just scrambling. Or are you trying to force fit a fast moving into an old fashioned hierarchical systems that you can control from the top.
Understanding the information dynamic of your organization is the critical first step to getting more out of IT.
