Checklist to clean up your IT-department: some additions

The checklist I described in my last blog on how I would clean up an IT department, triggered some nice discussions, both on the content of my suggestions as well as to its completeness. There a few “infrastructural” elements I would also take in consideration when executing the topics of the checklist. When addressed properly, they might prove to be a big bonus, not only to enhance the results of your clean up but potentially also delivering structural improvements.

• Automate
  Although IT was invented to automate business processes, we tend to forget to automate the IT business itself.

  Firstly when can far more optimize our IT-tasks: simply by using rule driven engines we can automate up to 80% of system management tasks. Activities like database re-orgs, file transfers and tons of other laborious tasks can be relatively easily turned into an unattended “lights out” process.

  Secondly by analyzing business process flows and optimizing them using automatic rule based engines, massive savings can be achieved by erasing waiting loops, bypassing technology handovers and wasted processing of empty or faulty cycles.

  Thirdly we still forget to make more use of self service options by our customers: they gladly do things themselves if it can be done simply and at the moment they want it. So offer more “services webshops” instead of enlarging your services desk.
  The beauty of all above: the measures pay for themselves AND improve quality in one go.

• Optimizing resources
  I bet 75% of your IT-budget is people related. And despite automation you will always need people to analyze, translate and service the business for your customers. Some things to consider:
  • You probably are better off with less but better and more agile people
  • At the other hand don’t see people just as a cost item but try to define the added value of an individual to the business, process, project or organization
  • Ask yourselves questions like: what is production and what is overhead? Is the overhead really needed? Can we delegate or mandate to bypass overhead?
  • Assign the right tasks to small empowered teams
  • Don’t discriminate between internal and external resources: choose the best price/performance mix. Both can be given things like fixed price/fixed date assignments and both can be managed with delivery and quality bonuses in mind
  • Invest in training and coaching of your staff that shows the attitude to get it done
  • Fire the mediocre ones that drain on you management time and energy

  Not the easiest questions to answer and to act upon, but necessary ones. Mind you: the above is independent of the given HR-situation: if you can’t find good people: don’t hire mediocre ones and look further; if mediocre ones are available cheap and by the trainload: don’t hire them either and look further.

• Proactive attitude
  Too often we are to reactive in IT. We can wait until your boss is asking you to cut budget (again) or we pro-actively approach the organization with ideas and suggestions to improve the business. How to get those ideas?
  • Start asking your own people for out-of-the-box thinking: hidden behind their daily operational faces are often hidden treasures
  • Ask your (end) customers the same questions
  • Ask external resources for a fresh look on things. Don’t allow for vague lumpy reports but crisp, quick solutions.

  Focus on things that can improve revenue and quality; use cost saving as an element to get the budget for change. Thus apply bottom up Business Process Improvement that works.

Please share me your thoughts on this.

Results2Match has a strong vision on proven and successful business management solutions and result driven implementations.

This blog is written by Hans van Nes. Hans is a very experienced interim manager and (radical) change management consultant. You can contact Hans through his Results2Match email address.