SAD1: Is our system worth it??

Programs. Systems. Databases. And some more.

Over the past years (my college years that is) I have been taught how to design, code, test and maintain such things stated above and quite fortunately I was able to understand what is being taught to us (haha). This semester isn't any different from the rest because we still have to create new systems and strategic plans for our chosen company. Admittedly, my group and I tried to look for a company without an existing IS sector or those who have only have a few existing system so that it will be easier for us to propose a system needed and suited for the company.

We were torn between taking DCPO and make a Human Resource Information System or LDS and make a Record/Document Management system or Applicant-Job Matching system. In the end, being the cowards that we are we chose LDS because the system they need sounds a bit easier to make than if we chose DCPO. But our previous professor, Prof. Tamara beat us to it when she said that it was too simple and easy that it wasn't worth our time and effort. She suggested us to make a Research and Extension system for the university, an idea that we weren't too keen to take because we weren't familiar with such systems. I can say that my classmates and I are more familiar with HRIS, document management systems, heck, even financial systems because we been dealing with such systems all the time.

Actually, even before our professor asked us if the system we will be making is "worth" it, I was already pondering on the same thought. We have been making the same kind of systems in a lot and it seems to be being a bad habit for all of us. Though we are not recycling the same system over and over again because systems do have their differences but the thought of it the distinctly alike in many ways that it makes one feel that you are recycling a system. I share the same argument as my fellow classmate, Jade mentioned in class that, it is the truth that we have been dealing with the same kind of systems but up to this day those systems are still a challenge to us because coding it is really a hard thing to do. Up to this day, we still haven't "perfected" or even reached an 80% efficiency rate on the systems that we make so it means that creating an efficient system is the real challenge, I can't also ignore the truth that there are still a lot of things we haven't learned because we still haven't ventured in creating different and new systems.

No one can really blame us, the students for sticking into HRIS, financial, enrollment systems because even if it is hard we are already comfortable in such systems and venturing to other systems brings fear. Fear that we might not finish it because of the insufficient time to delve into new ideas for these new systems, fear that we will fail and fear that what we understood and learned isn't enough. But then truth remains that if we let ourselves be shaken by such fears, we will never improve, we will never be an IT professional. I have understood that and I am still trying to take that fear away because I want to succeed but honestly it is hard to do so.

Creating a Research and Extension system, a lone system set to be "shared" by two different offices seemed a bit difficult for us. We kinda feared making it, for the fact that it sounds complex (because it should be shared or connected, either using the Internet or not is a factor we were still considering at the moment). But then, I was thinking that making such a system is a challenge, it is "worth it". It has features we haven't encountered in our past systems and even if it is hard my group and I promised to work hard and learn more to do it. Though we are looking for another system (because our professor advised us to do so), to provide us other options, I think we will try to ignore making all too familiar systems because we wouldn't learn at all if we stick to "tradition". Hopefully, our professors and our other, rather gifted friends like Regina will help us in this new venture. If you have any suggestion please contact us right away.. Thank you and happy holidays.