Discussion on:
View:
Show:
IT cannot and should not be expected to support every app someone chooses to use on their BYOD platform. An IT staff can only support so many platforms and applications. Unfortunately some people want it both ways. I don't have a problem if someone requires a specific application because it makes them more "creative". If you choose to operate "off the reservation" your on your own.
John, your comments are right on, but your comments didn't actually respond to the article. The author never said that IT could or should support every app someone chooses to use on their BYOD. Rather the author was pointing to working with marketing to assist them in maximizing productivity, while expecting them to work with IT in terms of applications and technology needs.
BYOD is fine, if IT is given the time and training and a little of the WIIFM factor 
How often would this happen in the real (cash-strapped) world? Not very often I'd imagine! It'll just be a case of business as usual in most places...
How often would this happen in the real (cash-strapped) world? Not very often I'd imagine! It'll just be a case of business as usual in most places... 
Aside from another description of portly on account of I don't get too much exercise. 
In order to develop effectively you have to understand the domain, and underlying ideas. You can't apply properly otherwise.
Physics, chemistry, metallurgy, horticulture, electronics and mechanics are just some of the subjects I've learned entire segments of in order to do my job. Math, I've got coming out of my ears. Having / needing to learn these sparked all sorts of other interesting learning.
Including Chaos Theory, String Theory, Philosophy and Cosmology. Allied with an intense interest in history it made me learn about the giants on who's shoulders I'm standing.
Well rounded isn't something you do, it's something you are, and you aren't ever going to be well rounded by NOT studying something.
If you want an eye-opener have look at robotics, just the math can keep you busy for a couple of years.
A few non - IT types getting off their well rounded posteriors and learning a bit of IT would have far more of an impact than a geek learning flower arranging...
In order to develop effectively you have to understand the domain, and underlying ideas. You can't apply properly otherwise.
Physics, chemistry, metallurgy, horticulture, electronics and mechanics are just some of the subjects I've learned entire segments of in order to do my job. Math, I've got coming out of my ears. Having / needing to learn these sparked all sorts of other interesting learning.
Including Chaos Theory, String Theory, Philosophy and Cosmology. Allied with an intense interest in history it made me learn about the giants on who's shoulders I'm standing.
Well rounded isn't something you do, it's something you are, and you aren't ever going to be well rounded by NOT studying something.
If you want an eye-opener have look at robotics, just the math can keep you busy for a couple of years.
A few non - IT types getting off their well rounded posteriors and learning a bit of IT would have far more of an impact than a geek learning flower arranging...
John_LI_IT_Guy, I think has missed the point of the article. I don't think that the writer is implying that IT can and should support every app that someone chooses to use. Instead, it is a call to all of us, IT Staff and users to broaden our horizons beyond our immediate circle of influence, expertise, etc in order to be better prepared to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves as challenges.
Unfortunately, the Johns perspective is all too common within the IT community. No one said IT was going to be easy, and I suspect that it will continue to be so, for many years to come.
Unfortunately, the Johns perspective is all too common within the IT community. No one said IT was going to be easy, and I suspect that it will continue to be so, for many years to come.
Like "IT Alignement to the Business". Let's face it, IT is and always will be barely tolerated by the organization. No matter how much you lower costs or streamline processes or how many problems you solve for the organization. IT will always be treated like the the bastard child from the poor side of the family. It's the destiny of anything that's infrastructure.
The C-Level execs hire spinless cowards as CIOs why? because all they need is someone to have around and point the finger to when the CEO can't get his iPhone to talk to the ERP. Or when the CEO's "executive assistant" can't print the christmas list for the entire company on the color laser printer.
Add to that the unreasonable expectations users have that IT infrastructure should be like that of the USS Enterprise (without paying a dime for it of course) and we have the current situation.
Marketing personnel are amongst the most unstable, unreliable people around, they call it being "creative". In practice it's impossible, no matter how much social skills you apply to it to reach an agreement with them, because they'll break it as soon as it's written and say it's due to the "creative process", or the "dynamic enviroment modern companies are these days". After several years of dealing with them I very much doubt that. They break their agreements because they can, and usually IT has to suck it up, PERIOD.
Since when push comes to shove, the suits will rather listen to a Mac Fanboi that tells them that with Macintosh you don't need IT departments when they have 1000 workstations to support (and let's not even begin to talk about servers, networking, storage et al), or to some consultant that has never done any production work in his life tell them about how the wonders of the cloud, BYOD, Big Data or whatever came out this morning applies to EVERYTHING. Or even worse to some "Management Consultant" tell them that they're going to transform IT into a profit center with no investment at all. It really doesn't matter what IT does or doesn't do.
The current fad now is telling the suits that they can outsource everything to the cloud and give tablets to the users so they don't need any grumpy geeks to manage their systems. They never actually do it though, they just use it as a negotiation tactic to keep IT salaries low and IT Infrastructure OPEX to a minimum. While of course, forcing IT to give support to the current infrastructure (which is usually falling apart from lack of maintenance) and the flashy new mobile devices.
So "Broadening the Base by NOT studying IT" should mean "stay away from IT profesionally, be a hobbyist".
The C-Level execs hire spinless cowards as CIOs why? because all they need is someone to have around and point the finger to when the CEO can't get his iPhone to talk to the ERP. Or when the CEO's "executive assistant" can't print the christmas list for the entire company on the color laser printer.
Add to that the unreasonable expectations users have that IT infrastructure should be like that of the USS Enterprise (without paying a dime for it of course) and we have the current situation.
Marketing personnel are amongst the most unstable, unreliable people around, they call it being "creative". In practice it's impossible, no matter how much social skills you apply to it to reach an agreement with them, because they'll break it as soon as it's written and say it's due to the "creative process", or the "dynamic enviroment modern companies are these days". After several years of dealing with them I very much doubt that. They break their agreements because they can, and usually IT has to suck it up, PERIOD.
Since when push comes to shove, the suits will rather listen to a Mac Fanboi that tells them that with Macintosh you don't need IT departments when they have 1000 workstations to support (and let's not even begin to talk about servers, networking, storage et al), or to some consultant that has never done any production work in his life tell them about how the wonders of the cloud, BYOD, Big Data or whatever came out this morning applies to EVERYTHING. Or even worse to some "Management Consultant" tell them that they're going to transform IT into a profit center with no investment at all. It really doesn't matter what IT does or doesn't do.
The current fad now is telling the suits that they can outsource everything to the cloud and give tablets to the users so they don't need any grumpy geeks to manage their systems. They never actually do it though, they just use it as a negotiation tactic to keep IT salaries low and IT Infrastructure OPEX to a minimum. While of course, forcing IT to give support to the current infrastructure (which is usually falling apart from lack of maintenance) and the flashy new mobile devices.
So "Broadening the Base by NOT studying IT" should mean "stay away from IT profesionally, be a hobbyist".
I'll have to tell you that your attitude is unhelpful. 
Taking off that hat, because I look and sound silly in it, and engaging my well rounded and broad experience of IT in business, I have to say that while it might not be the best way to say it, absolutely none of it was factually incorrect.
As you say alignment from another angle, and every time I hear this tune, I have to point out pseudo IT consultants have been spouting it for decades, with absolutley no effect.
Which makes me wonder, are they right....
May be the real problem isn't that IT won't align to the business, but that business won't allow IT to align itself. Certainly there are few other explanations. I mean if we are all thickies that just don't get it, why are they paying us, or more correctly our managers, who they picked because they weren't too IT...
Taking off that hat, because I look and sound silly in it, and engaging my well rounded and broad experience of IT in business, I have to say that while it might not be the best way to say it, absolutely none of it was factually incorrect.
As you say alignment from another angle, and every time I hear this tune, I have to point out pseudo IT consultants have been spouting it for decades, with absolutley no effect.
Which makes me wonder, are they right....
May be the real problem isn't that IT won't align to the business, but that business won't allow IT to align itself. Certainly there are few other explanations. I mean if we are all thickies that just don't get it, why are they paying us, or more correctly our managers, who they picked because they weren't too IT...
Since Mincing Words have failed miserably, I only do that with the non-it personnel around work, and ONLY as long as the job pays well enough to stick around.
can understand.
If we do it like this, it won't do what you want now, will never do what you want later, and it will cost more.
Yes but I've already sold it...
So what do you do? Give up and let off steam with a frequent and lengthy rant is the only sanity preserving option.
If we do it like this, it won't do what you want now, will never do what you want later, and it will cost more.
Yes but I've already sold it...
So what do you do? Give up and let off steam with a frequent and lengthy rant is the only sanity preserving option.
The article's premise is a little bit confusing to me. I agree that networking and forming connections is essential for ANY industry and being able to work outside the box is definitely going to make you more valuable within your organization. But if you're in IT, studying IT to stay ahead of the curve is not an option: it is mandatory.
IT is one of the toughest industries in which to stay competitive, especially given the increased adoption of cloud-based implementations and such--where IT pros are required to develop skills previously beyond their interest level (EX: Systems Administrators being asked to code). With increased globalization, it's also paramount that we not only continue to develop our technical skills, but also our soft skills and BUSINESS skills. We must remember that IT is here to serve people and not the other way around.
So IMO, it might have been more apt that this article's title refer more to the importance of building connections, since that's what the body seems to talk about.
IT is one of the toughest industries in which to stay competitive, especially given the increased adoption of cloud-based implementations and such--where IT pros are required to develop skills previously beyond their interest level (EX: Systems Administrators being asked to code). With increased globalization, it's also paramount that we not only continue to develop our technical skills, but also our soft skills and BUSINESS skills. We must remember that IT is here to serve people and not the other way around.
So IMO, it might have been more apt that this article's title refer more to the importance of building connections, since that's what the body seems to talk about.
You about said it... People with College Degrees tend to see other people with College Degrees as 'competent', 'informed' and 'intelligent'. Anyone else is just a slack-jawed yokel from the backwoods that can't tie their shoelaces.
They couldn't be more wrong. But try telling THEM that!
They couldn't be more wrong. But try telling THEM that!
- Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Prev
- Next
- Toggle
