4.2 Planning and Coordination
As stated in Accelerated Development above, the proposed NIG will be developed through planned and coordinated efforts. Proper planning and coordination is required to avoid the pitfalls of the unplanned development of information grids in other countries such as:-“We had better establish where we are going,
so we will know that we have gotten there,
when we have arrived.”Dr. Doolittle
Trial-and-error - individual information service companies will develop and operate components of an information grid, but not focusing on a nationwide vision for such a grid. Thus, these unplanned components may fail to achieve the desired national objectives, fit improperly into the grid, or do not achieve widespread acceptance, causing setbacks in time, effort and funds.
Inadequate Delivery - an information grid that evolves from the isolated and unfocused efforts of individual companies will be constrained by economic and market forces. In their efforts to remain profitable, these companies will only deliver information that they consider to be highly saleable. Information that may be useful but not frequently needed by users will not be offered. Information under the exclusive control of each company can only be accessed through separate subscription and connection by users to each company. In Figure 4-1, the areas not included in the “Information Grid” illustrate this effect. Without the NIG, users may never be able to access all the information that is available on the information market.
Duplication of Effort - in their effort to be competitive, individual companies will be duplicating efforts in product development and service offering to users in the information market. Users may also duplicate efforts (and cost) by subscribing to several services and probably have to use several types of delivery mechanisms in order to obtain all the information they need. Without the NIG, some aspects of an information grid will be based on overlapping efforts by the private sector, as shown in Figure 4-1, and this is not affordable in an infrastructural catch-up situation.