When I point out a problem or issue with something, I often get the response ‘That is how it always has been’. Most of the time when I ‘complain’ about a system or issue, I get the response, ‘That is how it always has been’.
When I first started teaching programming courses, I discussed with my fellow lecturers about the high failure rate in programming courses and suggested we change our approach (such as look for a new reference / text book). The first response I got was, ‘That is how we have always conducted the classes’. Indirectly, they were telling me that I should suck it up and deal with it because I’m new and inexperienced. Do not mention the high failure rate.
But my opinion is, how can you change / improve a system unless you identify what part of the system is not working? I may not be able to provide a good solution, but I have the right and ability to identify or point out problems with a system. As a user of a system or someone who is involved in a system, I am a position to identify areas of improvement. I may not be able to provide a good solution, but identifying the problems allows experts or creators of the system to provide possible solutions.
Similar to ‘how it always has been’ is ‘that’s the rules’. Last year, I had to fly several hours, from Brisbane to Canberra, and spend a night there just to renew my Malaysian passport. (Any Malaysian wanting to renew their passport in Australia has to go to the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra to do so). In addition to the passport fees ($100), it cost me $350 (transport, accommodation and food). The whole process took two working days. (As appointments are only available from 9am to 12noon, you have to fly in the night before). It’s a big inconvenience. Imagine the cost and time off work and school required for a family of four to renew their passports. The Malaysian High Commission created a huge bottle neck by insisting that Malaysian travel to Canberra to renew their passports.
When I told a friend about this, their response was ‘but that’s the rule’. I was so annoyed, but took the time to explain that rules are man made. We humans make rules, and rules can be changed to keep up with the changing time and technology. For example, when research showed that if back passengers wear seat belts, the mortality rate during a crash is reduced, the road rules were changed to require that all passenger wear seat belts (not just the driver).
The High Commission could change the rules and allow consular offices at major cities to permit Malaysians to renew their passports. That’d reduce the bottle neck at the High Commission while reducing the cost and the inconvenience to Malaysians renewing their passports. A better solution. Definitely!
In my humble opinion, ‘that is how it always has been’ and ‘that’s the rules’ are just excuses. ‘That is how it always has been’ does not mean that that is how it has to be in the future. Identifying a problem is the first step to solving it. And rules can be changed to improve a system. Rules are not carved in stone. Humans made rules and rules can be changed to improve things so ‘that is how it always has been’ can be changed to ‘that is how it was in the past, but it can be changed’.
When I first started teaching programming courses, I discussed with my fellow lecturers about the high failure rate in programming courses and suggested we change our approach (such as look for a new reference / text book). The first response I got was, ‘That is how we have always conducted the classes’. Indirectly, they were telling me that I should suck it up and deal with it because I’m new and inexperienced. Do not mention the high failure rate.
But my opinion is, how can you change / improve a system unless you identify what part of the system is not working? I may not be able to provide a good solution, but I have the right and ability to identify or point out problems with a system. As a user of a system or someone who is involved in a system, I am a position to identify areas of improvement. I may not be able to provide a good solution, but identifying the problems allows experts or creators of the system to provide possible solutions.
Similar to ‘how it always has been’ is ‘that’s the rules’. Last year, I had to fly several hours, from Brisbane to Canberra, and spend a night there just to renew my Malaysian passport. (Any Malaysian wanting to renew their passport in Australia has to go to the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra to do so). In addition to the passport fees ($100), it cost me $350 (transport, accommodation and food). The whole process took two working days. (As appointments are only available from 9am to 12noon, you have to fly in the night before). It’s a big inconvenience. Imagine the cost and time off work and school required for a family of four to renew their passports. The Malaysian High Commission created a huge bottle neck by insisting that Malaysian travel to Canberra to renew their passports.
When I told a friend about this, their response was ‘but that’s the rule’. I was so annoyed, but took the time to explain that rules are man made. We humans make rules, and rules can be changed to keep up with the changing time and technology. For example, when research showed that if back passengers wear seat belts, the mortality rate during a crash is reduced, the road rules were changed to require that all passenger wear seat belts (not just the driver).
The High Commission could change the rules and allow consular offices at major cities to permit Malaysians to renew their passports. That’d reduce the bottle neck at the High Commission while reducing the cost and the inconvenience to Malaysians renewing their passports. A better solution. Definitely!
In my humble opinion, ‘that is how it always has been’ and ‘that’s the rules’ are just excuses. ‘That is how it always has been’ does not mean that that is how it has to be in the future. Identifying a problem is the first step to solving it. And rules can be changed to improve a system. Rules are not carved in stone. Humans made rules and rules can be changed to improve things so ‘that is how it always has been’ can be changed to ‘that is how it was in the past, but it can be changed’.
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