How often one hears of things a little too late. I should like to have gone to Complex07, the large Aus/East Asian conference on complex systems.
This was the bit that caught my eye in the Sydney Morning Herald review:
>Alexander Wearing from the school of behavioural science at the University of Melbourne has been exploring how humans operate in complex, information-rich environments.
>This has implications for the design of corporate information systems. Professor Wearing and La Trobe University’s Dr Mary Omodei have used computer simulations to explore how firemen deal with large and complex fires, particularly bushfires [interesting for reinsurers].
>”We are interested in the human components of complex systems,” Professor Wearing says. “It is generally thought that the more information you have, the better it is (but) our research indicated that it can be counterproductive. Although people make valiant attempts to keep up with the information as it comes in, that takes time away from other activities.”
>The same is true for senior managers in large and complex organisations, he says, adding that effective managers “probably only need a page of figures once a week”.
Hoe many of you would say Amen to that? Hands up.
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