For the past 20 years or more, the UK has had skills
shortages. In every sector there are complaints about everything
from basic literacy and numeracy, to specific sector skills, writes
Richard Pettinger, lecturer in management at University
College London.
By common consent, this also applies to computer science and IT,
and all of the skills, qualities and capabilities that go with this
discipline. The generation of children that has grown up using
computers since they could walk is perceived as being
computer-illiterate.
Computer literacy needs
This, therefore, begs the question: what exactly is computer
literacy? Clearly, it is not just the ability to use a computer -
most people can now do that. If that were the case, we would all be
computer literate. There would be no complaint and no skills
shortage either. So the debate moves on to what we might call
"effective computer capability".
And there the matter is normally left to rest, because tackling
questions such as this is hard work, and collectively we are not
good at it.
The idea that leaders, managers and computer experts need to sit
down together and establish what they want is obvious in principle,
but difficult to do in practice. People are much more comfortable
sticking to their own environment, knowledge, terms and
context.
From a computer science point of view, effectiveness relates to
the perfection and capability of the technology itself. From a
project management point of view, this is to do with the completion
and delivery of the technology to the client's specification and
satisfaction. From an individual and collective capability point of
view, this is to do with delivering one's own part of the overall
project and output as efficiently as possible.
Lack of accountability
When things do go wrong, each of these groups can sit in
isolation, secure in the knowledge that they did their bit right
and that it was not their fault. And the overall result is
invariably that projects overrun, are superseded by events and do
not deliver what was required.
Computer literacy must encompass an understanding of business
needs. Technology is commissioned, installed and replaced for all
sorts of reasons (vanity, fashion, currency, even isolated
capability).
There must be a much greater knowledge and understanding of what
technology is to deliver in terms of enduring profitability and
effectiveness.
Closely related is managerial and leadership expertise,
especially in the field of project management. The discipline of
project management ought to become a recognised profession, if for
no other reason than the sheer cost of projects, the elements of
risk, and the critical nature of cost and benefit evaluation.
None of this will be easy, quick or cheap to deliver. But if we
can agree to settle down and do it, we are all going to have a much
clearer understanding of what we are going to be asking of present
and future generations in terms of genuine computer and technology
literacy.