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I just read Joe Wilcox’s Microsoft Monitor: People Ready entry and I was blown away. I had to read it twice because it was so spot on. I think he hits the right chord when saying it’s something we can all relate to – at least I hope so. Software can have a positive role to play in how people can get stuff done better. Two examples I like as they’re companies I can relate to
- enabling Dyson engineers on the road
- Christian Aid helping employees view the same information irrespective of their location
Even my mum gets these when I try to explain the power of software to her. They’re companies we both know who are providing better customer experiences and enabling their people through software.
When Joe comments that businesses treat IT as a cost centre rather than a profit centre I nearly fell off my chair. That’s it – in a nutshell. Software really can help businesses do more through enabling their employees.
Finally, Joe comments that the TV ad he saw didn’t mention products – hallelujah. The products are there to back this up but right now we really just need to show people that software can make a significant impact for good in business. Then I can tell you about the products…
Off to finish the last of St Paddy’s Guinness. 
Comments
- Anonymous
March 20, 2006
To add a little about IT as a cost center, I began looking at the terms Information and Technology. In the majority of organizations I've seen, the IT departments are far more the stewards of information rather than involved in the gathering and use of that information in relationship to the profit center.
I believe part of the reason that this came about is that most of the digital information organizations had was in the finance divisions of the company (which have always been treated as cost centers). As a result, the groups that emerged to handle the technology early on came from finance and then expanded as a support role for the rest of the company as technology became more prevelant.
Looking towards the future, all IT managers should spend a couple of days a year working side by side with the sales staff, operations, and direct profit centers of the organization to learn what information is available and not captured or used effectively. This is a first step that is safe for companies to take with the end goal being that IT departments are much more closely in tune with the information in the rest of the organization. - Anonymous
March 20, 2006
Interesting comments on the role of the IT dept with respect to information. I've always worked on the basis that the IT dept provides tools to be a facilitator to other departments to harvest information but thinking this through more I can see what you mean given IT has been aligned with finance historically in some organisations. Maybe some of the challenge therefore is to ensure information ownership "sits" with the business group that owns it rather than arbitrarily with the IT group who may "house" it.
It would be interesting to see if this holds true in organisations that have grown up with IT rather than added it and also if it holds true in smaller organisations where the lines or responsibility blur as people have multiple roles.