2nd Post IT in Organisations

Today we had an excellent day with Microsoft looking at a range of issues. They were helpful and challenging as were my staff. So despite what people think of the MS giant they do listen. So well done them. This blog isn’t about MS however it’s about how does an organisation keep up to date with effective and efficient technology that matches its culture,  against a backdrop of cutting spend across the budget.

So below are a series of questions I am now asking that I will share with you. Please feel free to provide answers, suggestions or any comment

1.      How do you strike a relationship with a supplier whose aim is to create future demand and revenue, when you need them to advise on how to sweat the product you already have?

2.      In creating your corporate partnering how can you be assured that the technology you already have is being used to its full?

3.      How can you ensure that your staff will be able to adapt to any new technological change should it be staged or big bang. Should it be trained or user led?

4.      When balancing budgets how do you compare the benefits of future investments for more efficiency, against cutting current spending?

5.      Should you switch off access to some software  such as Excel in order to drive people to use corporate  data-systems?

6.      Is it better to have a full on relationship with a main national provider or go for local suppliers and design the technology in-house?

These are just 6 little questions that no doubt others will be asking. Striking a balance between the needs of the organisation, the abilities and capacity of the workforce, and the ever decreasing budget is making the IT environment especially interesting

Nationally we have a range of strategies and options to add further issues to the above.

I am confident we will find a solution.