Just Because You Can . . .
April 22nd, 2016
"Just because you can – doesn’t mean you should” is something I find myself saying to my customers a lot these days. And, if you are a parent – let’s face it you say that a lot to your kids too right? “Just because you could jump off that bridge…”
Sometimes I feel like I’m watching that very scenario but within IT. With an Information Technology and Information Management career that spans close to 30 years I find it somewhat amazing that technologies are entering organizations oftentimes with little to no clear answer to questions like:
- “What information are we (and are we not) going to store in this application?”
- “How are we going to ensure the information’s integrity?”
- “How can we quickly and efficiently find the information when we need it?”
- “How will we dispose of this information if we need to?”
- “What value does this application bring to our organization over x, y and z applications that we ALSO have in this organization? Is this yet another place to store the same information?”
- “How will this add value? What does success look like and how will measure it?”
The “shiny object” or newest and coolest technologies are entering organizations at ever increasing speeds – don’t get me wrong – I love new technology, I’m a keen and eager early adopter but I’m also a realist and more isn’t always better. I think we have lost a little bit of good IT practices along the way. Oftentimes the above questions aren’t being answered. New technologies enter, are deployed, and then some of these questions start to arise (usually about the time the business users are asking the questions or are frustrated about how long it takes to find information).
The time to answer these questions is earlier in the process -- this is not a new IT practice just one that seems to be overlooked in the rush to adopt the latest and greatest.
Is this something you are encountering in your organization? Want help but not sure where to start? Let’s chat!
Written by: Sheila Bryant