Systems Analysis

In the About Me box on my Facebook info page, I’ve written a single, short sentence: “I overanalyze.”

I don’t know if the over- part is true, but I certainly do feel like I’m constantly analyzing things, thinking about how things work, how people work, how interactions work and don’t work, how essential timing in the kitchen is and planning ahead is and making lists is. Okay, maybe I do overanalyze. But I like doing it, and I think I do save myself some time and effort, and at every traffic light on the way to work I always know the order of the lights so I’m never surprised when it’s my turn to go. And I can almost always tell Frans where his missing keys or wallet are.

Anyway (I promise, I’m going somewhere with this), I just started taking a course in the library science program with my staff tuition waiver. The course is called Systems Analysis for Information Management, and while the focus is on digital libraries, it also looks like we’re going to get a good introduction to systems analysis in general. I read the first two chapters of Systems Analysis for Librarians and Information Professionals, and got so excited by the introduction to systems analysis that I texted my dad, “I’m reading about systems analysis! And I like it!” His reply wasn’t quite so enthusiastic.

Maybe my dad is a little older and wiser than me. Or maybe I’ve just found my calling in life.