Victoria Member Spotlight: Dr Lynda Bourne, ACS Fellow
With more than five decades of experience in technology, Dr Lynda Bourne has witnessed firsthand the remarkable evolution of the ICT profession, from Machine Language and COBOL to personal computers, the internet and social media. Her career has spanned project management, technology implementation, change management, academia and international education, with a consistent focus on the importance of communication and people in achieving successful technology outcomes.
As an ACS Fellow, educator and advocate for lifelong learning, Lynda continues to reflect on how technology shapes people, organisations and society. In this Member Spotlight, she shares insights from her career, the lessons she has learned along the way, her journey to becoming an ACS Fellow, and her hopes for the next generation of women entering the technology profession.
A Career in Technology: Where It All Began
I moved down to Melbourne from Brisbane in the late 1960s. I transferred my studies to RMIT, but found the closest set of preferred subjects would best fit into computing subjects such as Machine Language, Data Structures and Development Languages. Seemed like an interesting career direction so I enrolled for the course. I didn’t get to finish at that time, but was able to get a second chance years later.
In the meantime I was able to use what I had learned to begin working in IT. I soon found that coding was not my strength and moved to implementing and project managing IT projects. Managing the changes and disruptions caused by implementing technology in organisations has always been an exciting and rewarding occupation. It has always been clear to me that even though the technology changes, the issues around managing the changes rarely vary and are always key to success. Over the 50+ years I have worked in the industry I have been given opportunities in the corporate world, academia, smaller companies and finally my own business. From the early IT projects and change management roles I have spent time in rescuing failing projects, auditing and reviewing both the technology implementation and the human factors – issues of communication and preparation. In the last decade, when I no longer wanted to take on overseas assignments, I enjoyed teaching potential IT leaders of the future both here in Melbourne and in Bogota, Colombia.
Career Milestones and Achievements
Important milestones: accidental info technology course at the beginning of my career, move to management of implementation of technology in different environments, chance to update and expand IT knowledge and experiences from further studies in the 1980s (supported by the policies of the Whitlam Government). And finally Doctoral studies that allowed me to further explore the importance of structured and measured communication to all those affected by any particular technology implementation.
I am proud that I could make a difference to those who would be affected by the introduction of technology in their lives and livelihoods, I am proud that through opportunities to update my knowledge and skills I could stay relevant for longer. And on the lighter side – I am proud that I could speak fluent COBOL.
Five Decades of Technology Change
I have seen so much change over my career in technology. The introduction of Word Processing software and supporting hardware, personal computers and the internet to streamline research, introduction of mobile phones (my first mobile was as big as a brick and just as heavy). Each innovation brought with it ease of use, automation of mundane clerical tasks, enhanced management reporting to support management decision making. The democratisation of communication with social media and the ability for everyone to share their opinions and their lives. But for each of these innovations there were downsides – many unskilled jobs disappeared, the overuse of personal devices and access to social media.
The Skills That Matter for Long-Term Success
The one essential skill that was most valuable for successful implementation of technology projects was structured communication supported by understanding how to identify and engage stakeholders who would be affected by the work or the outcomes of the work or who could affect the success of the work.
And it is impossible to discount the value of a sense of humour.
Advice for the Next Generation of ICT Professionals
My advice is this: technology is ever-changing, knowledge acquired at any one time can quickly become obsolete. For continued relevance and career advancement it is important that you network, constantly update your skill-set, and above all recognise that technology cannot succeed without a large dose of appropriate communication in its varying forms.
A Career with ACS and Becoming an ACS Fellow
When I applied to become a Fellow, I had just been awarded my Doctorate after decades of exciting assignments in many parts of the world. Becoming a Fellow was to me recognition from my fellow technologists that my work, my ideas and my contributions to the Body of Knowledge made a difference.
ACS provides a vehicle for continuous learning, networking and for the assurance of the health of the industry, but it must always be relevant in a fast-changing world.
What Continues to Inspire in Technology
There are now so many ways that technology affects every part of our lives. The technology is ever-changing and the way that technology affects people is complex. We must never lose sight of the dependence of society and our environment on the effects of technology – good and bad.
A Lasting Legacy in Technology
I hope that women entering the profession can see possibilities for themselves through the life experiences of women like me. I also hope that the books, papers, and other communications I have shared can assist emerging technologists in successful implementation of the changes that technology inevitably brings.
I was always ten years older than my peers in any of the organisations that I worked in. Taking time from the workforce to care for my children meant I had a lot of catching-up and perseverance to re-launch my career and then to be successful.