[Sigia-l] The Menace

[Thomas Vander Wal]

Patrick raises some wonderful questions...

On 11/13/02 10:03 PM, "Patrick Neeman" <pat at nexisinteractive.com> wrote:

> The same goes on here -- The AIfIA wants to become an ongoing concern. I think
> it's a great idea, and I think supporting
> professional organizations like this isn't just about making more money (which
> we all like), but mostly about meeting other IAs and
> Product Managers and whatever title people in field have, and talking about
> the craft and learning about the craft. I'm a member
> (not actively, but paying) of a few other professional organizations, and I do
> it just because I like to see those who join the
> organizations get the same educational benefits out of it I did when I
> orginally joined.

I am very much the same in what I want out of an organization.  I want to
learn more and come to a better understanding of what leads to success.
Many of us in the IA profession learned the hard way, trial and error.  For
those coming into the profession or coming to the understanding their
projects would benefit from IA having a resource to turn to would be a great
benefit.  I want to absorb as much information as I can about IA, as well as
other areas that would benefit my clients and people that depend on the
guidance I offer.  Having a community/organization that has respect, which
is what I believe AIfIA to be, helps give credibility to not only what I
offer as advice, but as well Patrick and others that know from experience
that IA works and leads to success of the projects that fill our lives.
 
> I also think that the benefits of this organization fall into a grey area.
> whether they want to give something back to the
> community, whether they want to see more education, whether they will benefit
> finacially. I think saying they are going to profit
> completely off it is wrong, but I also think that
> saying their intentions are 100% percent altruistic is also wrong too. It's
> somewhere in a grey area.

Patrick, oddly (and I say this truly as a Thomas that grew up doubting and
believe in that trait to lead to the right answers too) I think you will
find the intentions to be 100% (possibly more accurately 99.9%) altruistic
as the case.  I know Christina and Jesse took time off from their jobs to
work on their books, which will likely never pay them back for the time they
took off from work.  They like the rest of us, believe in IA strongly,
passionately, and want to see the profession grow.  The best way to see it
grow is to share what you know and offer critiques to make IA better.
 
> I spoke up because I would also like to see a variety of voices because that
> encourages a variety of viewpoints, and thus better
> thinking and results.
> 
> Is that so bad?

No not bad, actually encouraged.  Those that have a voice and a positive
contribution have a place.  Doubting and expressing those doubts has helped
all of us grow.  We hone our profession on doubt, we will hone AIfIA with
those doubts.  As we examine the doubts we look for ways to eliminate the
doubts in our own daily work, our profession, and our professional
organizations.  We hope to prove by our actions (*our* is relative to all
members of AIfIA as we all have a voice and a place in moving IA forward)
that we assuage the doubts and in the course of doing so move the profession
forward.  

All the best, 
Thomas

--- 
www.vanderwal.net