[LINK] Electronic medical records: why we should seek a second

[Jan Whitaker]

At 12:26 PM 21/12/2011, Rick Welykochy wrote:
>This "monster of poor project management, poor governance, poor risk 
>analysis and
>mitigation, poor consultation, and horrible design" as described by Jan
>sounds suspicously like motivated inference, an afflication of climate
>change deniers, e.g.
>
><http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hot-thought/201108/climate-change-denial>
>
>or the more general afflication of the psychology of denial.
>
>Self-serving bureaucrats, yes. But they actually optimisitcally believe they
>are doing a good job! In spite of all the evidence to the contrary.

Good lessons in there. There is something to be said about positive 
determination. Set a goal and go for it. But that's not enough. It's 
certainly a poor way to conduct public policy. That's why we have 
debates and gather data, look at options, mold and adjust, deal with 
delays if it's the right thing to do, etc.

Motivated inference is another aspect of human nature to fold into 
the analysis process and add to project risk assessment, along with 
emotional intelligence and the ethics of conflict of interest. I'm 
not sure we have the means to divorce ourselves (not just bureaucrats 
whose jobs depend on these projects) from our subconscious responses. 
As you say, they believe they are doing a good job (or at least the 
'right thing'), despite the screaming (figuratively) that is coming 
back at them. It's like a few other hot topics: resistance to same 
sex marriage springs to mind. We need leadership that actually 
listens, is aware of the pitfalls of these human psychological 
tendencies, and can build in means to deal with them so the public is 
ALWAYS the focal point of the benefits rather than their own power 
grabs and self-interest.

Thanks for letting me get that out of my head and adding to the puzzle.

Jan



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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