Ma'am Aileen and the Movies Update

Around a month ago, I gave my BA 191 students a challenge: how to apply IT management principles in the "alternative reality" of selected Sci-Fi films. I posted the assignment in this blog around that time and I promised an update of what my students will come up with... Voila! This is post is that promise fulfilled! Not only have they made interesting presentations with the short time given them (45 minutes), they also made a lot of interesting analogies...

Minority Report for alternative sourcing. John Anderton going to the "virtual reality junkie bar" to get information from the precog to prove his innocence. The frame-up situation disallowed him from getting to the truth in the office and so he looked for "alternative sources". It also helped that he was "well-connected" with different kinds of "suppliers".

Prof X School for communities of practice and selective sourcing. Prof. X used Cerebro to seek common-minded members in the expanding X-Men community, and Jean Grey used as a medium between the supermutants show an emphasis on synergy and communication in the institution. The use of Shi'ar technology-supported training rooms is an example of selective sourcing: my students tell me Shi'ar technologies are from alien beings beyond our galaxy.

Zion and The Matrix for knowledge infrastructure and sensitive sourcing issues. The “jack” as critical component of the knowledge infrastructure where they get “training” through uploadable skills, e.g. kung-fu, flying a helicopter; a sensitive sourcing issue was also observed when Zion people developed their machines and technologies from the enemies (the machines) themselves.

The Jedi Council for knowledge infrastructure and communities of practice. The Jedi is supported by a knowledge infrastructure which includes their holographic version of a galactic-spanning internet. The council is a community of practice with shared belief and knowledge exchange enhanced by holographic modes of communication regardless of time, climate, and uh, planet, and of course, let's not forget, also through the Force.

Star Trek for communities of practice. This is shown as specific roles are performed by each crew member and each member is recognized as "experts" in their own right. Expertise is commonly shared among everyone: the “senior manager” (whether it's the cheeky james kirk or the suave jean luc picard) is often seen consulting his subordinates when situational or environmental elements go beyond his own area of expertise, which is, uh... hmmm... who really knows? Basta ganun...

...In short, for at least 45 minutes of their life, kin-areer nila to. Nakakatuwang basahin. I can't wait to try this on a high-brow, CEO-facing consulting gig in the future. Baka batuhin ako ng mga PDA nila palabas ng boardroom. Or worse, magpasoli ng bayad for my consulting hours!! Anyways, I myself learned a lot from listening to these less-than-scientific-but-nonetheless-heavy-on-the-insight analogies. So, thanks to my BA 191 students for these flashes of wisdom. Indeed, the Force is strong in all of you. :)