By Naked CIO, 3 March 2009 15:37
COMMENT
Why does everyone inside organisations think they know better than the IT department when it comes to technology? Asks the Naked CIO.
Within modern businesses, technology is the only discipline that is both a profession and a hobby - and it's a contradiction that hurts the reputation of the IT organisation.
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You don't see accountants go home and play with numbers but there are plenty of non-IT professionals that love being IT hobbyists in their spare time.
As a result, the hobbyists seem to think they know what needs to be done within an IT department just because they play around at home on their computer - and last week maybe even switched out their hard drive.
That means in every organisation you may have only 100 IT people - but 1,000 people who believe they are experts in IT.
It seems to a phenomenon that only affects the IT department. I never recall complaining to the accounts department about why accounting policy allowed for the reimbursement of some business expenses while disallowing others, nor moaning to the HR department over why it extends some benefits while excluding others, or to the PR department's decision to allow some forms of public comments but disallow employees to speak to public on others.
It strikes me, the main reason why discussion boards in general fill up with comments like 'the old guard of IT' and 'outdated approaches' and 'draconian prehistoric policies' is because hobbyists are enlightened enough about IT to know that something is possible, yet ignorant to the challenges, cost or risks of making it possible.
The world is full of wannabes, whether it is on the X Factor, YouTube, Big Brother or countless other examples - why should IT be any different?
But if you are truly shocked by the very real challenges that are encountered in every IT department across the country, don't complain - train to be an IT professional and help us change it.
Comments
There are 8 comments. Join the discussion
1. Ron Seal
Why do so many IT nerds think they're experts on journalism then?
2. Simon Garrett
I can sympathise with Naked CIO’s frustration, but there’s another side to this. Naked CIO asks: “Why does everyone inside organisations think they know better than the IT department when it comes to technology?” The users of IT may not know about IT, but they do know what they want to do their jobs. One might turn the question round and ask: “Why to IT departments so often think they know better than everyone else what people need to do their jobs?” Saying “Don't complain - train to be an IT professional and help us change it” is not the answer. It’s the IT departments’ job to provide the tools for the business; not just to meet board targets on cost, but to listen to users’ needs. That doesn’t always happen.
3. anonymous
And it goes even further than the pure IT department. I just completed an assignment at a telecoms organisation and they were putting senior line managers thorough the Prince 2 Practitioners course and when they succeeded they were immediately called Project Managers and expected to fulfill the role of PM. It takes time and a load of scars to become an effective PM. I was also contracting in a card company some years ago and had to give a lecture on advanced PM techniques to a several PM and as I hit the 3rd overhead noticed that glazed eyes were the norm so asked how much PM experience they had and the answer was "none". They were all graduates who had joined this company as "Project Manager". And people wonder why 1 in 3 projects fail!!!
4. Ian Ashton
Attitudes to the IT department will swing around when they start telling people what they can do with computers rather than what they can't do.
5. Simon
@Simon G
"It’s the IT departments’ job to provide the tools for the business; not just to meet board targets on cost, but to listen to users’ needs. That doesn’t always happen."
I think you'll find plenty of IT departments that are unhappy with what they provide - and would love to give a better service. But, they report to the board, and are responsible to implement what the board tells them are their requirements.
And don't forget that what a user wants to do isn't always what the board want them to be doing !
6. anonymous
You might not complain to HR or Accounting about policies, but over on this side of the pond it's classic break time conversation. "Of course they won't let us to X or Y because that makes sense".
I just remembered a line of commercials by AFLAC (an insurance company) that was geared towards getting us to talk to HR about getting AFLAC coverage.
And we are all hobby accountants ... unless you don't live by a budget.
Also, people are growing more confident in their use of technology, it's only natural that they would begin to generate opinions and express them.
7. Nick Cole
Hits the nail on the head with a sledge hammer! Though there are other engineering functions that have the same problem, long before IT became an industry. It is a long standing issue and often because the grandiose dreams of the naive few are brought down to earth by those who actually do know what is involved.
It doesn't mean that we should disregard requests from users or dismiss their aspirations far from it as sometimes the lateral thinking produces worthwhile results. But it isn't the naive who makes it all work, but the experienced and knowledgable real experts.
8. Bagpuss
Actually I thought the Naked CIO was currently out of work (Other than journalism) - in which case Tech is not currently his/her job but a career aspiration - or possibly a hobby even.
I can cook my own food as well now but I am not going to let a TV chef tell me what I like. but it's always a pleasure to talk to a help desk staff member who knows more about PC's than I do - but very, very rare.
And one last thing. If it were not for hobbyists there would not be an IT industry at all - how was electricity discovered? Who was Babbage working for? How did Microsoft and Apple start off?