There is only one principle measurement for IT success: Does the IT organization provide the necessary resources to make the business more successful. The sole purpose of the IT organization is to support the business - period.
Frankly, there is a fundamental problem that most, if not all, IT organizations have and it is endemic in the industry. IT views its user base as just that - users. Those that utilize IT resources are not "users" but customers. The term user is used pejoratively and is unfortunately engrained in the IT culture.
Although it may be subtle, the distinction between "user" and "customer" is certainly not trivial. When you go to a restaurant, do you prefer to be viewed as a "user of food" or do you prefer to be referred to as a customer? Most of us expect to be treated as a valued customer and demand high-quality service. We want our food cooked to perfection and served with a smile, and when we ask to substitute a salad for French fries; we don't want to hear, "Sorry, we don't allow substitutions."
Does the business, the customer of IT resources, receive software served in a timely manner and with a smile or do they continually hear, "Sorry, we don't allow substitutions."
Early in my career, I was hired as an IT professional by the finance organization of a Fortune 500 company. I did not work directly for IT but rather the financial controller and CFO, despite the fact that I fulfilled an IT role. Why? The answer is simple: IT failed miserably to deliver value to the business so they hired an IT resource that would. IT was unresponsive to business demands and viewed the business as mere users and not valued customers.
Several years later, I started my first consulting service. My first contract was very similar in nature to my prior experience. I was hired by the accounting department of a multimillion-dollar, international corporation to fulfill a role that the IT organization was unwilling or unable to provide. The business requirements demanded a reduced financial closing period, from ten days to seven days, and eventually down to three days. This requirement was not a joke, but the IT organization scoffed at this need. Thanks to the company's IT resistance to treat the business as a customer, I made a lot of money and, more importantly, the finance department met its key business drivers with the solution I provided my valued customer.
Unfortunately IT organizations fail to understand that they are a service provider and their raison d'etre is to enable the business to be more successful. IT provides a service to the business that enables departments and knowledge workers to be more efficient and effective in their decision support and operations thereby increasing profitability.
Correcting the Problem
Unfortunately, the solution for this pandemic is not easy because it requires far more than mere technology. The solution must be led by a paradigm shift and a new way of thinking. Technology is no longer the limiting factor, but IT thinking certainly is.
When IT organizations understand that if they give their customers what they want when they want it, they too will be incredibly successful.
If you are an IT executive or officer, ask yourself: Is the business a valued customer or merely an end user? And if you are really bold and interested in learning the truth, ask your customer, the business units you support, the very same question. You may be surprised by the answer!
Ken Karacsony has more than 12 years of consulting and professional experience in IT. He is currently working for a major automotive company as the enterprise data architect. Karacsony is an author and lecturer who has presented at the international DAMA conference and the international data quality (IAIDQ) conferences. You can contact him at Ken.Karacsony@Verizon.net.
