Comments on: Biggest IT Myth of all time? http://www.colin-beveridge.com/index.php/biggest-it-myth-of-all-time/ joined-up management for a joined-up world ™ by Colin Beveridge Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: No silver bullets. Really! http://www.colin-beveridge.com/index.php/biggest-it-myth-of-all-time/comment-page-1/#comment-8823 No silver bullets. Really! Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:20:30 +0000 http://www.colin-beveridge.com/?p=592#comment-8823 [...] Colin Beveridge, “Biggest IT Myth of all time?” [...] [...] Colin Beveridge, “Biggest IT Myth of all time?” [...]

]]> By: colinb http://www.colin-beveridge.com/index.php/biggest-it-myth-of-all-time/comment-page-1/#comment-214 colinb Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:06:14 +0000 http://www.colin-beveridge.com/?p=592#comment-214 Bingo! Marny's final sentence sums it up nicely. Maturity is all about honesty and transparency, rather than smoke and mirrors. Bingo! Marny’s final sentence sums it up nicely. Maturity is all about honesty and transparency, rather than smoke and mirrors.

]]> By: Marny Pigott http://www.colin-beveridge.com/index.php/biggest-it-myth-of-all-time/comment-page-1/#comment-211 Marny Pigott Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:45:00 +0000 http://www.colin-beveridge.com/?p=592#comment-211 There is a lot of dodging around the words here, I think. Projects are courses of action we undertake and IT is something that used to be called DP (or even EDP.) Sometimes they come together. Isn't Colin saying that IT departments sometimes run a project to effect some hardware, firmware or software change primarily for the 'benefit' of the IT installation itself? 'Benefit' is not a good choice of word maybe but I mean that IT is the instigator. These projects would generally occur because the hardware is becoming obsolete or the firm/software version is about to become unsupported. Sometimes, though, we even have system development projects for the IT department to deliver some operating or anlysis tool. It may well be that the business gets some overflow benefit (if Windows keeps running and support is available, if we replace the hardware to make it easier to update etc) and we may well seek to recover the some or all of the cost from client departments/users in the same way as any organisation passes on its costs. That does not make it a business project per se. Doesn't Colin just want us to be honest about the cost recovery (if we do recover any) instead of hiding it in the payroll enhancements or the new invoicing system build? There is a lot of dodging around the words here, I think. Projects are courses of action we undertake and IT is something that used to be called DP (or even EDP.) Sometimes they come together.
Isn’t Colin saying that IT departments sometimes run a project to effect some hardware, firmware or software change primarily for the ‘benefit’ of the IT installation itself? ‘Benefit’ is not a good choice of word maybe but I mean that IT is the instigator. These projects would generally occur because the hardware is becoming obsolete or the firm/software version is about to become unsupported. Sometimes, though, we even have system development projects for the IT department to deliver some operating or anlysis tool.
It may well be that the business gets some overflow benefit (if Windows keeps running and support is available, if we replace the hardware to make it easier to update etc) and we may well seek to recover the some or all of the cost from client departments/users in the same way as any organisation passes on its costs. That does not make it a business project per se.
Doesn’t Colin just want us to be honest about the cost recovery (if we do recover any) instead of hiding it in the payroll enhancements or the new invoicing system build?

]]> By: colinb http://www.colin-beveridge.com/index.php/biggest-it-myth-of-all-time/comment-page-1/#comment-139 colinb Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:24:47 +0000 http://www.colin-beveridge.com/?p=592#comment-139 Alan I concur with your explanation of the Facilities recharge process, which is very often mirrored within IT/ IS functions. However, their charge usually includes provision of routine refurbishment so the number of "facilities projects" is usually below the management waterline. Whereas, a pressing need to upgrade IT infrastructure (due to product sunset dates) is too often regarded as a separate project. (which I would contend is often an IT project). I don't agree though with your final comment because the phrase "there is no such thing as an IT project" is usually stated (and vehemently) by those who do not recognise pure-play IT projects and try to dress them up in false business clothing! So your comment about doing projects without non-IT input does not chime with me. Indeed some of the largest non-IT impact (aka disruption) is often associated with IT projects that affect the day-to-day operation of the business. Alan

I concur with your explanation of the Facilities recharge process, which is very often mirrored within IT/ IS functions.

However, their charge usually includes provision of routine refurbishment so the number of “facilities projects” is usually below the management waterline.

Whereas, a pressing need to upgrade IT infrastructure (due to product sunset dates) is too often regarded as a separate project. (which I would contend is often an IT project).

I don’t agree though with your final comment because the phrase “there is no such thing as an IT project” is usually stated (and vehemently) by those who do not recognise pure-play IT projects and try to dress them up in false business clothing! So your comment about doing projects without non-IT input does not chime with me.

Indeed some of the largest non-IT impact (aka disruption) is often associated with IT projects that affect the day-to-day operation of the business.

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