CIO in Action
CIO in Action offers best practices for furthering IT's role in the enterprise from a CIO who is immersed in the job every day.
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Preparing for the CIO track
Jay Rollins provides tips about how to prepare for the CIO position, including the top 10 undergraduate courses to take to become a CIO. He also offers insight about the evolving role of the CIO.
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Implementing help desk software: IT exec offers a firsthand account
If your organization is in the market for new help desk software, read Jay Rollins' detailed account of selecting and implementing a new help desk system. His insights into the process may save your company time and money.
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IT project management tips about centralization, alignment, and more
In this roundup of project management tips, Jay Rollins covers centralization, alignment, prioritization, PM groups, and hiring the Super Project Manager.
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Don't let standards impede employee innovation
If users want to use one-off software tools or hardware, IT pros might want to think twice about saying "no." Jay Rollins says being too standards driven can be counterproductive to employee innovation.
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Why SMBs should formalize IT governance processes
Want to get the benefits of IT governance without dealing with all the layers of the onion? Jay Rollins outlines what SMBs need to do to start formalizing the IT governance process.
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Let employees select trade shows to attend (but retain veto rights)
With tighter travel and training budgets, many IT leaders are being more discerning when approving employees' requests to attend trade shows. Jay Rollins discusses the process he uses to help employees decide which trade shows to attend.
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BI systems failure: Is the CIO to blame?
Jay Rollins comments on a recent discussion about whether a CIO could be faulted when business intelligence systems projects fail. He breaks down the two sides of the argument and offers his take.
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Responding to IT mini crises involving KFC, Lotus, Adobe, and a contractor
Business lessons can come from the most unlikely of sources, as evidenced by a mini work crisis because of this week's Kentucky Fried Chicken promo. Jay Rollins outlines the five stages of a mini crisis and describes four situations that he refers to as geek social fodder.
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Hiring independent contractors to help with small projects is a win-win
Now is the perfect time to hire an independent IT contractor to work on small projects that are on the back burner. These projects can lead to small wins that make users happy and provide the contractor with some much-needed income.
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Stepping into a leadership vacuum shows initiative
Take charge of your career by stepping into a vacuum and taking ownership of it. Jay Rollins discusses potential pitfalls you may encounter and explains why confidence is key in this leadership role.
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Seek out difficult customers to gain valuable insight
One of the best things about difficult customers is that they care enough to complain. If you're discounting these customers' opinions, you may miss opportunities to gain valuable insights about your service or product.
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A funny thing happened on the way to selecting software
Actually a few funny things happened during phase one of Jay Rollins' software selection process. Find out how a pushy vendor, Thomas the Tank Engine, and a pizza party factor into the process.
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Built-in change processes increase chance for IT project success
Don't get complacent when things are going well; you run the risk of overlooking a problem or an opportunity for change. Jay Rollins describes what he likes about the built-in change process his company uses and explains how it compares to the traditional project management approach.
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HIMSS09: Greenspan's thoughts on economy and health care IT generate a buzz
Jay Rollins offers a recap of the last day of this year's Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference. Find out why he thinks Alan Greenspan's comments lead to more questions than answers.
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HIMSS09: The gold rush is on for health care IT
Jay Rollins notes that the $19 billion open to health care IT has had an effect on the exhibitions and offerings at this year's Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference. Read some of the startling statistics presented at the event.
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What your help desk needs to do, Part 1
In this first of two posts, Jay Rollins addresses some steps in setting up your help desk software so that you can begin to leverage the system to begin to reverse the "Help Desk as a cost center" perception.
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Finding time to understand new technologies
IT managers weigh in on what they see as the issues that currently need attention in small and mid-size businesses. They reinforce the assumption that IT leaders need to make time to focus on the bigger picture.
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Reverse the help desk as a cost center perception
The help desk is typically the poster child for IT being labeled as a cost center. Here is a way to turn that perception around.
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What your help desk needs to do, Part 2
The second of two posts focused on mining your help desk for gold. This post focuses on what features and functions you should look for in a ticketing system.
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Security tips for small businesses
There are some low-hanging fruit when it comes to security that, when implemented, can make your life a little easier. But with the limited funds available to smaller IT organizations, here are some tips for getting the biggest bang for the buck.
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Can telecommuting work?
With gas prices at record highs, telecommuting is being attempted again and again by companies across the country and around the globe. But is it something that small and mid-size enterprises should attempt? Here are some thoughts.
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Hiring the Super Project Manager
If you're looking for a project manager to lead your PMO, you have to look deeper than a PMP certification. Here are the characteristics to look for.
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The beauty of the checklist
Checklists are very simple tools that can have a huge impact on IT efficiency and effectiveness. Here's how to use them.
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People management tips for the IT manager
Your staff is truly the most important asset you have to manage to make your IT organization successful. Here are some tips from an experienced IT manager on how to make the most of your people.
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Techno Messes
Here are some tips for what to include in your IT policies regarding Smartphones and laptops.
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Use the 'Come To Jesus' meeting to get wayward partners back on track
The Come to Jesus Meeting is a tool that can be used effectively if done right, but when you play the hole card, you better be able to back it up.
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Minimizing Infrastructure: Steps to being a more strategic IT Leader
Focusing on IT infrastructure instead of focusing on ways to help your company grow is one way to keep IT being viewed as a cost center. Here are some tips to break that cycle.
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The Strategic IT Infrastructure
Can infrastructure be strategic? Not by itself, but the right infrastructure can enable the IT leader to be more strategic. See how.
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When should you look at an e-discovery platform?
Using a real-life example, Jay Rollins provides some decision-making criteria on whether to purchase an e-discovery platform.
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Creating an IT Strategy: Information gathering
When creating an IT strategy there are a few rules of thumb that will help, but the course you take is usually dependent upon the industry you are in.