ICT MATTERS by KINGSTON ALI MWILA –
ONE of the perennial debates in Information Technology (IT) is the question: whom should the IT Department report to? Is it the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Finance Department or Social Media Team or the Head of Research and Development?
This question is like asking how many angels can dance on a micron of silicon. At the risk of appearing to dodge the question, I suggest IT reports to everyone (Ruth McCambridge).
So how can IT report to everyone? It starts with an attitude – a collective state of mind defined by the IT departmental culture. It requires an open approach to all relationships across the organisation and is manifested in a desire to collaborate and integrate and deliver. This open IT culture is rooted in a mutuality of respect among all departments. Whether it is Finance, Human Resources, or Manufacturing, the IT personnel need to earn their respect by delivering on promises and meeting expectations.
Once the culture is established, relationships are continuously nurtured. You can’t do that if you think you have one boss. Much like a consulting company has many customers, an IT organisation has a multitude of clients. Specialised treatment of one client because of an organisational reporting relationship comes at the expense of servicing others. A nurturing and open IT culture flourishes in an environment where all clients become the centre of their universe.
Of course the official reporting relationship needs to be comfortable and supportive of the open IT culture. When IT reports to the CEO, this balanced perspective is assumed. In other reporting relationships, the need to be open may be less obvious. The Chief Technology officer (CIO’s) role is to help everyone understand the need for an IT that meets the needs of the many, not the few.
According to Mark Roman, tt depends on the particular business model and the technical acumen of the leadership. What matters is that IT has a strong and respected voice throughout the organisation. That can only be achieved by an open, service-oriented IT organisation. One that identifies with the business and sees itself as part of the organisation’s bloodstream. One that sees itself as reporting to everyone.
The article titled “The Ideal Structure for an IT Department in a Growing Business” published by CIO Source states that while it is possible for businesses to save more than 15 to 20 per cent in costs by outsourcing specific tasks to trained professionals, there are times when it is more advantageous to utilise in-house staff, such as for tasks associated with automation, and tasks that are consistent and routine. Using outsourced staff, however, may help to save more money and resources with regard to specific, highly-skilled, non-routine business tasks. Here are some IT roles that are often outsourced to skilled professionals Support Desk
•Network Administrator
•Software Developer
•Software Tester
•Engineer
•Security Analyst
•Systems/Database Engineer
In the local environment in the Zambian setup, it has been noted that a small number of the staff will manage the above functions. Sometimes even one person. This will let you judge for yourself.
With a comprehensive IT strategic plan, it is possible for executives to craft the perfect IT departmental structure based on the determinations associated with the enterprise using internal IT staff versus outsourced IT staff.
On the previous part, we stated that who IT reports to will be determined by many factors. We mentioned that the size and maturity of the business may be considered as the key determinants. The same approach can be used to determine as well whether IT will be outsourced or Internal.
In this dynamic environment, business should focus on the Expanding Means of Communication – Long before computers and information technology, communication was a vital part of any business. IT, however, has redefined the way we communicate with each other.
Data Collection and Management – Data has become one of the most valuable resources a company can have. Many companies – Facebook and Google, for example – have built their business models around collecting users’ data and using it to sell advertisements.
Even if a company is not a technology company, it still needs data such as sales data, financial records, inventory information and customer records. IT systems allow an organization to collect, store, manage and utilize data.
The days of storing information on paper in rows of filing cabinets are gone; databases store vast amounts of information for businesses. And with the introduction of cloud technology, this information can often be accessed at anytime from anywhere.
IT tools allow organisations to take raw data and put it in a format that allows for analysing.
Information Security Management – Company IT departments should also be tasked with putting information security measures in place to keep the company’s data secure and free from hackers. Not only can data leaks lead to fines and regulatory action, but they also put an organisation’s reputation at risk.
Consumers do not feel comfortable giving their data away to companies who cannot keep it secure. IT security measures prevent this from happening.
Customer Relations Management – IT is being used to improve the way organisations interact with their customers. Specifically, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems – often referred to simply as CRM in the business world – track and organise every interaction a company has with its current and potential customers.
These systems keep track of where an individual may be in the sales pipeline and aggregates all information so the company can provide a better user experience. Without IT, this process would not be nearly as effective.
Improvement of Processes – One of the most valuable functions of IT in an organisation is improving the efficiency of operational processes. IT systems are put in place to eliminate wasteful and useless activities that can be done better through the use of technology. For example, companies can now onboard and train new employees through online training sessions and modules – saving the company time and money.
Implementing IT allows organisations to automate processes and take over otherwise costly activities like printing and mailing billing statements to customers.
The Author is a Speaker, Mentor, Educator, Trainer, Professional & Community Leader, Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Leader. For comments email: ICTMatters@kingston.co.zm; www.kingston.co.zm; WhatsApp +260 955 689 574
