EdReNe – The Hague, Netherlands, 18 th -19 th May 2010

EdReNe – The Hague, Netherlands, 18th-19th May 2010

Quality of usefulness

Fiona Iglesias

Wait here by Ian Stevenson. *Emmett*. CC - Attribution.

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What's useful?

New bike! Hello, I am Bruce. CC - Attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives

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What's useful?

Tape measure. Lucy.Bold. CC - Attribution, non-commercial, share-alike. www.flickr.com


What's useful?

Making things better... whatleydude. CC - Attribution. www.flickr.com

High usage

Clear impact

High return oninvestmentPhone on my phone. ☼zlady. CC - Attribution,

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Framus Star Bass. drewm. CC – Attribution, non-commercial. www.flickr.com


Solar Panels. Powerhouse Museum. CC – Attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives.


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Shiny Happy People. buck82. CC – Attribution, non-commercial. www.flickr.com

User, owner, other actors

Change culture

Change behaviour

Change thinking/approach


1. Projects and products that are obviously useful

2. Projects and products that are less obviously useful

3. Projects and products that look like failures

Gene Amdahl's first computer.. Erik Pitti. CC – Attribution.


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Sinclair C5. Grant Mitchelli. CC – Attribution. www.flickr.com

Low return on investment

Low usage

High impact

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So what does it mean for us?

1. How should we define usefulness?

2. How do we measure impact in an education context?

3. How much should we be tied in to measuring usefulness and where does that leave innovation?


Traditional project

management

1. Planned

2. Clear, fixed aims and objectives

3. Measurable outputs, outcomes, benefits

Agile project management vs

1. Delivery of a vision

2. Based on working software

3. Customer collaboration and response to change


Twelve principles underlie the Agile Manifesto

1. Customer satisfaction by rapid delivery of useful software

2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development

3. Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)

4. Working software is the principal measure of progress

5. Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace

6. Close, daily co-operation between business people and developers

7. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication

8. Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted

9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design

10. Simplicity

11. Self-organizing teams

12. Regular adaptation to changing circumstances

Path to the truth is littered with useful failures – Umberto Eco

• According to this principle, science progresses by continually correcting itself, falsifying its hypotheses by trial and error, admitting its own mistakes - and by considering that an experiment that doesn't work out is not a failure but is worth as much as a successful one, because it proves that a certain line of research was mistaken and it is necessary either to change direction or even to start over from scratch.


A present for you. Zahira. CC - Attribution , non-commercial,

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• How do we define 'useful'?

• How do we measure the wider impact of non-traditionally 'useful' projects/products?

• Who's responsibility is innovation?

• Do we need a shift in approach in order to produce both innovative and useful projects/products in today's rapidly changing environment?


Documents

EdReNe – The Hague, Netherlands, 18 th -19 th May 2010