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I’m typing these words while riding on the southbound Amtrak Vermonter. My train left at White River Junction VT at 11:42 am. I’m scheduled to arrive at Union Station in Washington DC tonight at 9:59 pm.
Why choose to take Amtrak rather than fly?
I have this intuition - as yet unsupported by any data - that higher ed people are also likely to be train people. My guess is that many of you will immediately grasp why I chose the train over the plane.
The idea that many of you (higher ed folks) will understand my decision to go by Amtrak perhaps says something about how Information Technology (IT) units should approach their work on campus.
How we want to use technology is not always about maximizing productivity.
Sometimes, it is the quality of the experience that matters most.
It is inarguably faster to fly 413 miles (as the crow flies) between Hanover NH and Washington DC than it is to take the train. There are frequent flights from Manchester and Boston Logan to Reagan National Airport. The cost of $329 for a round trip business seat on the Vermonter is comparable to what it costs to fly.
Choosing to go by train rather than flying is a choice to prioritize enjoyment over productivity. The experience of going on a long train trip is enjoyable. There is an easy relaxation about the journey. One learns much the towns, cities, and rural areas along the route simply by looking out the window.
On the Vermonter, nobody is stressed out or tense. Everyone, from my fellow passengers to the Amtrak conductors, seems to be in a good mood. And my (comfortable) seat (plenty of leg room) has power and what seems like reasonably serviceable WiFi.
Who could ask for anything else?
So here is my tentative, speculative, and not fully-baked conclusion about what trains might teach us about higher ed technology.
Perhaps - just perhaps - campus IT leaders should spend more time thinking about experiences. Maybe it is the case that things other than productivity and efficiency matter.
Taking lots of time to have long conversations with non-IT people (faculty and other staff) may not be the most efficient use of time. Campus IT people are incredibly busy. The demands on their time have increased much faster than resources for growing headcount.
But maybe it would be good for both campus IT people, and the non-IT people who depend on the smooth running of campus technologies to do their work, to interact with each other in a slow and non-stressful way.
As with the choice to go by Amtrak rather than to fly, perhaps campus IT leaders should purposely choose to design interactions and events with their staff that place a premium on whimsy and enjoyment.
Can we imagine an Amtrak inspired slow edtech IT movement?
Are you a train person?
