Seminar in Planning for Instructional Technology Questionnaire
1. Name of Technology expert interviewed:
Graydon E. Elliott
2. Job Title:
Manager, Computer Services
3. Name of Company:
National Bank of Commerce
4. Number of years of experience:
Twenty-one years with computers and networks
5. Education:
B.S., M.S. and Ed.D.
6. What is the biggest problem you face in planning for technology implementation?
The speed at which the technology changes. If implementation is spread over anything more than 12 months, then the early work will most likely be outdated before the project is completed.
7. How important is planning in the overall picture of the environment in which you operate?
If detailed planning is not applied, it is very easy to wind up with a conglomeration of technology that is unproductive, difficult to manage, and complicated to interface. New systems generally can be designed where all the pieces fit together nicely with a moderate planning effort. It is the aged systems that need to added to and/or upgraded in part that have the potential for serious calamity if attention is not given to effective planning.
8. What is the single best piece of advice you could give to others who are trying to plan for technology use?
Be flexible. Realize early on that technology will change and you must change with it; otherwise you will be left behind. Attempts to be rigid, staying with a familiar system is a mistake. Accept the fact that the best designed system for today will be obsolete in a couple of years if you are not willing to plan and make changes to it. Software developers are constantly improving and enhancing their product. It is not uncommon for a new release to require more powerful hardware, or a new version of an operating system. A Company committed to a particular piece of software to run its business will be forced to upgrade or change out hardware if a new software release requires it. Not only does the technology change, but the literacy and skill areas of the end-user coming into an organization also change. For example, companies still using Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect are "out-of-step" because new employees coming in will have skills in Excel and Word. So my one piece of advise, is to remain flexible, always open to change, and be prepared to manage the changes that will surely come.
9. What is your e-mail address?