Going over their heads: IT Decisions

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Going over their heads: IT Decisions

Phil Factor

SSC-Insane

Points: 20244
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November 30, 2013 at 12:40 am

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Going over their heads: IT Decisions
Best wishes,
Phil Factor

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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004406 More actions · Answer 1

I don't think it ironic at all that some consider IT to be conservative. Look at all the crap that has been shoved down our throats that we've had to rollback and discard or have had to live with because it's some C-Level manager's pet.

And, personally, I wish it actually were more conservative but, sadly, it's as easily distracted by the latest bright, shiny objects as some at the C-Level. I've said it before and I'll say it again... "Change is inevitable... change for the better is not."

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Steph Locke SSCrazy Points: 2963 More actions · Answer 2

I don't think this is just an IT issue - too many times have I seen someone ask a manager about a process or requirements for something when the manager is so far away from the day to day work that the answer they give is misguiding or just plain inaccurate. Managers need to be asked because otherwise they pout, however, you cannot beat the answer given by an experienced and competent user within a department for determining what is actually required.

So it's not just

CIO: my guys need hadoop because our volumes are huge

DBA: our data is tiny but we're having some real load time issues due to network throughput

but also

CFO: my guys needs a wizzy visualisation tool to help them build financial reports

Accountant: I wish I could secure some of our trainer's time so the juniors could use excel better

or

Sales vp: we need a system that allows the sales teams to access their work computers on the road

Sales guy: the folks we're selling to want to see some sample reports - can you build me some so I can produce some print offs the day before?

marlon.seton SSCrazy Points: 2623 More actions · Answer 3

Nice to see my old friend 'War' Locke joining in.

There has to be a fine balancing act between what the users need and what IT can support (which isn't the same as what they want to support). Back in the 80s and 90s, we often came up against the problem of IT departments effectively running banks by only allowing systems that fitted their existing technological framework. We couldn't get our system in regardless of how well it met the users' needs. I'm not saying IT should support everything regardless but they have to accept they are there to support the users and so be flexible in what they are prepared to have in place.

Phil Factor SSC-Insane Points: 20244 More actions · Answer 4

@Marlon.Seton

I've been both poacher and game-keeper in the war between the devs and the strategists (support is only one of the issues), so I can see both sides of the argument. The technologists rarely appreciate the full impact of change on an organisation, but the strategists often fail to explore and appreciate the value of the technology being suggested. There must be a balance between the two sides, and without the restraining hands of the IT strategists, there can be chaos. Without the pressure from users and devs, enterprises can get stuck in time-warp.

Best wishes,
Phil Factor