Modelling the human approach to world

The work "Modelling the human approach to world" is part of the mutlidisciplinary field of informatics which deals with production and use of information systems in enterprises and other communities. It contributes to its development in the area of human-machine relationship and communicating information. At present information systems (IS) are used for collecting, distributing, storing, processing and conveying information. Their components are hardware (machines) and software. Without information systems today's work with information wouldn't be possible. People remain in spite of intensive implementation of information technologies the main element for companies' operation. Information technologies help man, cannot replace him however. To understand the role of information technologies it is important to be aware of the difference between man and machine (computer) information processing from which we can deduce the implications for business operation. The computer is only able to work with a reality model prepared by a human being. Reality is in information systems represented by means of signs. Even though we can understand the information system as a tool similar to classical tools (typing machine, filing cabinet etc.), there is a difference, because these tools don't exist as physical objects, but only as signs. The symbolic nature of information systems didn't interest researchers in the past very much, but now it increases. The first reason can be found in the massive implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT), which calls for intelligibility of their representation; the second reason can be found in the fact that computers are used as media with functions similar to textbooks, letters, newspapers, telephones, films, where the importance of semiotics has already been recognized. The advancement of hardware requires from software developers abilities similar to professional artists. The third reason lies in the fact that production processes are more and more controlled by computers. Cooperating people must rely on symbols mediated by computers (Andersen, 1997). IS are more complex and important is their influence on people on many levels and through many means. Structuralism may be of some help as it studied similar phenomena in the first half of the 20th century. In the first part of my work I described the differences between human and computer information processing, in the second part I analysed the modelling theories which take into account the human approach and at the end I deduced general conclusions for the relationship between man and computer in information system and suggested some recommendations on how to improve their relationship and make human understanding and use of information in information system easier. One of the researchers who studied the difference between man and machine was Hubert Dreyfus. He came to the conclusion that there is a principle difference between man and machine. He identified some typical situations where man and machine differ: Rule following, bodily existence, situations, pattern recognition etc. Dreyfus' analysis will be supplemented with the analysis of public space, intentionality and language. I don't want to present a complete description of human approach to world, I rather sketch some key points to clarify the difference between man and machine. From the analysis of man and machine two conclusions emerge: on the one hand proposal how to analyse and propose information system which would better connect subjective and objective aspects; on the other hand importance of IS integration into the business culture and the whole context of human work. As a suitable approach appears in compliance with P. Ricoeur structuralism and its analysis of narrativity. In the area of IS development there are four so called socio-technical theories which try to incorporate some principles of human approach to world into their modelling procedures and balance the superiority of technical view on the human computer interaction. The main common feature of these theories lies in the emphasis on the importance of human factor for organisations (they consider organisations social systems). The role of technical equipment is seen in the support of human activities. They are called Language Action Perspective, specifically methodology DEMO, Organisational Semiotics, Theory of Organised Activity and Human Interaction Management. DEMO methodology focuses on communication which is analysed by means of four axioms based on the language act theory. The theory differentiates between locution, illocution and perlocution. Locution deals with the proposition's content, illocution is related to the intention which we communicate the proposition with and perlocution contains effects in the addressee. From these three perspectives production and communication acts are analysed. Organizational semiotics deals with the semiotic aspect of human communication. It uses a six-stage semiotic ladder with physical, empirical, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic and social level. On all these levels communication and its signs are analysed. On the first three levels machines can be used, on the next three levels the human work with information is carried out and machines don't help there much. Organisational semiotics emphasizes the social level where organisational, social and cultural norms play an important role. Theory of organized activity is based on the theory of units which the group has in common. The theory divides the world on actors and things. For the activity to start both these elements must be present. Typical features of actors are interest and responsibility. The human interaction management tries to modify the proposal and functioning of information systems in order to respect the principles of human work. The basic argument of human interaction management is that most processes where people are involved is in instant change which cannot be governed by rules independent of the process participants. Flexibility is necessary for success. K.H. Broninski, the author of Management of Human Interaction, calls for support for mental work a transformation of information into knowledge. He proposes a procedure structuring work. It consist of five parts: research, evaluation, analysis, constrain, task. Another piece of knowledge of the Human interaction management is that a big proportion of human work has small concrete results, and cannot be quantified. However time spent on researching, comparing, evaluating, generally information processing and their transformation into knowledge, is a substantial part of a worker cooperating with colleagues and other people. It is better for employees to have supportive rather than directive leadership, as people are individuals. People do things in different times, in different ways, on the basis of communication with others, according to the state of resources and their mood. They do what they consider most appropriate in given situation. Continual process change must be possible and it is necessary to support it. Human activities are creative, exploratory and loosely structured. The socio-technical theories neither explicitly address the difference between man and machine nor try to unify their perspectives organically. However they show some content elements which are important for human beings. When considering the human approach to world we cannot be limited to a set of perceptions where man and machine differ. We should consider their arrangement which allows for new ways of understanding reality. The synthesis of the elements can be carried out only when the elements are linked together into a structure, e.g. a plot. Another problem lies in the necessity to consider time. Progressive development and its modalities constitute integral part of a homogenous stylistic form. Two rationalities are at work here; the one understands the world in its unity mediated by a form, best of all and most generally by a narrative; the other systemizes the first understanding and transforms it onto a syntactic level. The modelling techniques use the second syntactic rationality; we can reach it only in time, however. Stories have many advantages in comparison to other ways of conveying information: aims, causes, chances, agents are unified in time and space into a plot. Originally different elements are unified in the plot. They seem accidental; however they gain necessity in the plot. Other important aspects are source of information, narrator, rhythm, repetition and focalization. These elements can be separated on three levels: text, plot, fabula. They concentrate on different elements and their relations. We will use the results of work of the structuralist J. Greimas and his theory of actants suggesting which role can be considered in narrative information conveying. His semiotic square is a method of understanding context elements. Analysis of the elements of narrative which are the results of structuralist research cannot substitute the narrative understanding; we can only approximate it and explain it in further details. We encounter a creative act which cannot be reduced on rules and formalized. That is why a creative approach of the author is necessary in the development of IS. The conclusion achieved in the analysis of differences between human and machine that human understanding and behaviour is not completely formalizable was found in our attempt to use the structuralist approach on design and functioning of information systems. The interconnection of objective world of machines with the subjective human understanding is possible in a story created by a creative human being able to ensure organic and natural unity