By Naked CIO, 15 December 2008 14:26
COMMENT
Why are IT departments always inundated with requests in December? It's just another example of how little the business understands us, says the Naked CIO.
There are cycles in everything and so increases in workload at points of the year are natural. However, after almost 20 years managing IT in different capacities I still find the 'end of year' rush more a result of poor planning and vision than a standard cycle of activity.
One of my staff has concocted a doomsday list that serves as the friendly end-of-year task list of items IT is expected to fulfil in short order. The list, started at the beginning of November, grows every day even though it is obvious there is not enough time to handle all the demands from the business.
It is as if on 1 January the world transforms and our business morphs overnight from the caterpillar into the butterfly - or one would believe if you assessed the urgency of the demands placed from the business to have these items completed.
From an IT perspective business leaders need to think in terms of practical deliverables and timing. What they don't understand is that most technology can be up and tested even if not implemented and can wait for deployment on a particular date if necessary. But as happens every year about this time, a rush of requests come in which IT cannot service by the desired deadline, leading to IT once again bearing the brunt of business disappointment.
In our department the doomsday list has become quite a celebrity in that it serves as a yearly reminder of both the lack of business planning and more importantly the lack of understanding our business colleagues have for our function within the business.
There is a perception that IT has spare resources and such flexibility it can pull rabbits out of hats. Furthermore, when a request comes in our business colleagues perceive that our only function is to serve that particular part of the business and that no one else matters. However at year end, not to mention other times, we experience a bottleneck that means someone will be disappointed.
No matter how many meetings or consultations we have with the business to remind them to alert us early for year end activities, it never seems to help. It comes down to a complete and utter disrespect for the department and its staff - and makes for a miserable and stressful holiday season for IT while those business colleagues who lack planning and foresight leisurely enjoy their holiday festivities.
So our list serves as a monument of stupidity. It is just a small example of how little IT is valued at a time of year when everyone is meant to show appreciation. Next year I will try to politely inform the business that all requests for year end must be submitted prior to 31 October - however, I will let you judge how successful this proclamation will be.
What is ludicrous is that with today's business continuity, seamless applications and real-time processing, the whole concept of 'year end' in the true scheme of automation has become irrelevant. The rush and the urgency are essentially unnecessary as there's no real need to have requests implemented by one particular day.
Comments
There are 6 comments. Join the discussion
1. Peter B. Giblett
Any rush at any time of year normally comes as a result of poor planning by the business community and IT at a senior management level. I agree that "business leaders need to think in terms of practical deliverables and timing". I also understand the natural desire to 'clear the books' at the year end.
I do find this similar to the attitude where a business manager talks to one of my staff on a Friday afternoon in the middle of April expecting them to create a data feed for a customer on Tuesday. Apparently this business manager had promised this to the customer 3 months ago, but had only thought to tell IT a few days before.
In IT we have some truly excellent staff who are able to go above and beyond the call of duty to perform miracles, but there is a continual lack of understanding that good quality deliverables need proper planning. Just because we have delivered the impossible in the past does not mean that departmental priorities allow us to continue to do so. Business demands are generally growing more complex as business becomes more tech savvy.
Change the business culture - from one of ad-hoc, last-minute requests to proper planning of the work is essential. This change requires a recognition within the business that planning is important. Of-course there are occasions when a last minute request is needed, simply not all-the-time. Had I, as the department manager been involved at the customer meeting 3 months earlier, then this would not have been a surprise last minute deliverable.
To a large part this starts by having an active change board that involves senior managers focuses deliverables around the priorities of the business. When it comes to year end requests a deadline of 31st October (with a change board meeting on November 1st) seems eminently sensible.
Peter B. Giblett
(From my blog in IT Toolbox)
2. René de Wind
I agree with you, but there are a few exceptions: regulations and fiscal changes often go into effect on january 1. The financial industry is primarily affected by this, but many or most other sectors also.
Maybe we should try to change the tradition by only allowing the timing for these requests to be may 1st and oktober 1st. I know a company that has effectively done that and allows only few exceptions. A draconian measure, but after 2 years everyone had gotten used to it and they were able to relax the rule...
3. anonymous
I thought it was a problem here in Africa where people still find it had to plan well other than being last minute strugglers!. But what upsets me most is when my department carrys the whole blame on top of being the only ones with a such disorganised stressfull ...
can i call it holiday!
Some thing needs to change.
4. anon
yep, the planning behaviours round here are solely driven by an essentially artificial end of year deadline. After a number of years of careful study i have cunningly worked out that the sole driver for this is the payment of bonuses for senior management.
Actually, that's not entirely true, it didn't take years of study...
Sorry about the anonymous post but sometimes a degree of discretion is required...
5. Dave
In my experience the end of the calendar year frenzy is due to the "use it or loose it" mentality of corporate budgets which are based on the previous years expenditures and then given a percentage increase.
I've observed this since entering the workforce in 1975.
6. anonymous
It is one of the most stupid waste of money ideas going. The use it or loose it as already mentioned as well as depts holding onto cash all year in case it's needed for somthing else.
If rules and regs were changed to allow for the easier carrying over moneys for projects then the cost of delivery would fall as well as spread out the burden on 'all' depts involved in the delivery of it