Continuous Change: Chaos or Improvement?

I am not sure there is any segment of our culture or society that changes as continuously and constantly as does technology - and information technology in particular. Whether it is the iPod or the phenomenon of ubiquitous cell phones, now with downloadable video, or digital cameras, or high definition TV - the only certainty is that these, from last year's list of major innovations that have transformed how we conduct not just our business, but our lives, will be supplanted on next year's list.

Whether this continuous change constitutes continuous improvement depends on value judgments, and these will differ. But we can live and conduct our business in dramatically different ways through this changing technology landscape. We have more choices:  used wisely, that is a good thing.

The technologist's job is to keep pace, to make sure that the community has the opportunities that technological advances allow. As a leading edge research university, UC must provide its students and faculty tools that allow them to compete successfully. Our staff must have the tools to provide leading edge services to the community. And all this within declining budgets. So we continue to add differentiated and new services, tools, offerings, not just keeping pace with technological improvements, but staying ahead of them. Some are mundane (but critical) like increasing e-mail quota allocations. Some are too unformed to announce at this time, like developments in UCit's offering cell and smart phone services. Some are transformative in back office functions, like UC Flex:  Laying the Foundation for the New Urban Research University - and some in the main business, teaching and learning - as in experimental podcasting, 3D educational role-playing games and multimedia chat rooms in FTRC Technology Innovations.

I consider the big news to be that the technology is now providing the tools for us to change the old structures of the classroom as four walls, of instructor contact as during office hours, of the bulk of learning being on campus, of the course being one size fits all. Blackboard (and other course management systems) was just a beginning, a foundation to really change the way we conduct the business. Technology continues to break down barriers between learners and educators by making time and space irrelevant - or more manageable, anyway. No longer is a first shift job an impediment to someone getting a higher education. Consider the "virtual university" provided by modern distance learning, the "virtual meetings" enabled by easily accessible software, the ease of satellite up- and down-linking. Consider that using the UCFileSpace service, you can access your files from anywhere in the world.

In this issue of the UCit newsletter, you can take a look at these and other items of continuous change. Time Warner has extended its Road Runner program for UC employees, and Public Safety has rekeyed the locks to electronic classrooms (because not all of our threats are "virtual"). We have added spam protection services. On that note, please take a glance at Safely Conduct Business Online. 

In all fairness, along with many advances, technology brings some fresh annoyances. I will only cite one. Rarely, these days, do we have a human being ask us if we wish to continue holding when we call a high-traffic phone number. Rather, an automated voice routes us through a menuing system. Out of consideration (and compassion) for your callers, your department may want to consider ordering a solution (call IQ for Intelligent Queueing), free of charge.

This issue is devoted to Continuous Improvement, as is the University of Cincinnati, its UC|21 plan, as is the world of IT, as very likely are you, yourself. Here, I am assuming you must be, since you are taking time out of your busy day to read UCit now. We appreciate that.

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Return to the Winter 2006 index.