teleconferencing and HOME GROWN cloud, it is time to get back to the basics. Computers were meant to do three things - take data input, manipulate that data, and then output the results. Forcing them to do anything else gets into negative ROI in a hurry.
In this economy, CIO's are going to be asked to show the exact effect on the balance sheet for everything they want to do. So much of what Gartner is proposing is going to be impossible to show such.
But then again, I truly believe Gartner is the biggest joke going in the IT world today. They have lost complete touch with the reality of how IT relates to business.
Gartner CIO advice: The good, the bad and the plain odd
Summary
Faced with an economic downturn, CIOs are being swamped with advice on how to tackle 2009. Silicon.com's Tim Ferguson reviews the latest advice from Gartner.
Topics
It seems CIOs are being told what to do in the New Year by every analyst, industry watcher and publication (ours included). Gartner recently joined the throng with its annual recommendations - with mixed results.
One of Gartner's best ideas is for CIOs to set aside time to get hands-on with newer technologies such as e-book readers, Google Chrome and HD teleconferencing or building mini-cloud applications.
Being familiar with the latest tech - even if some of it sounds consumer-focused - is wise because CIOs can then make the best choices for what their business uses.
It also adds to their credibility, especially among the technical members of their team. It never looks good to be in the dark about up-and-coming trends.
Gartner's CIO resolutions for 2009
1. Start building an alumni network
2. Stop being the exception that enforces the rules
3. Start scouting for key talent
4. Start preparing for the unexpected
5. Start using social systems yourself, visibly
6. Start taking cloud seriously
7. Stop ignoring people and opting for soft targets
8. Start offering your vendors a free lunch
9. Stop fearing the future; start driving it
10. Discover newer technologies to get experience of in 2009
Another solid suggestion is to identify which people on your team are working on projects that have the potential to bring long-term gains - and to make sure their jobs are safe.
Gartner points out that, while this year there is likely to be pressure to cut costs, sacrificing key personnel could leave businesses vulnerable when the economy recovers.
The other main area Gartner focuses on is talent. It recommends that, with IT workers losing jobs due to the economic downturn, CIOs should take advantage of the large pool of tech professionals looking for work.
Linked to this is the suggestion that CIOs build up their company alumni networks to keep in touch with people that have skills and experience with legacy technology used within the organization.
The list offers plenty of food for thought but a couple of suggestions struck me as odd or even unwise.
For example, Gartner advises CIOs to prepare for the unexpected by challenging traditional ways of thinking within the leadership team. This sounds fair enough but one of the ways Gartner thinks it should be done sounds risky.
Gartner says: "We advise CIOs to find people to join the discussion who don't fit the existing mould and perhaps even deliberately choose people who will irritate the majority."But couldn't irritating people backfire?
Certainly it will only work if the new blood has some genuinely innovative and useful ideas. If they're the sort who just bother everyone, they won't manage to influence the IT department's thinking or decision making in a positive way.
Another bit of unusual advice is for CIOs to decline vendor courtesy trips. Instead, Gartner says CIOs "should identify the senior management leader in each of their key vendors… and invite them to lunch or dinner at a chain-restaurant venue that sets a starkly thrifty tone."
The argument is that vendors will be working even harder than usual for the attention of CIOs in 2009, with an emphasis on more face-to-face discussions. So, argues Gartner, CIOs should make clear what they want on their own terms.
But is taking vendor execs to a Pizza Express really the answer? Couldn't it risk making the CIO look unprofessional or just cheap? Surely having a phone conversation or meeting a vendor at your office would be a better alternative.
In the end Gartner provides a mixed bag of advice - from the solid to the potentially risky.
Luckily most good CIOs know to take recommendations from even a reliable source with a pinch of salt - and think for themselves on the big issues.
This article by Tim Ferguson was originally published on silicon.com.
Talkback Most Recent of 5 Talkback(s)
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bjbrock14th Jan 2009 -
Spare me....
Not only have I not stopped taking my rep for expensive meals at the finest 5 star places, I have actually picked up the pace of such outings. I looked at the cuts I was asked to make this year and immediately decided the ROI on these meals cannot be sacrificed. So I fired 45 IT guys and told the rest to pick up the slack. I am using a series of carrots and sticks; the stick being you work 10/160 (10 days, 160 hours) and the carrot being I won't fire you next.
Mike Cox14th Jan 2009 -
Much like other Gartner reports
Much like other Gartner reports, you can get the same results by blindly throwing darts at a wall of possibilities.
Taking my vendors out to eat? Why? What purpose does this serve, other than to cost me money ... to ultimately buy things? That would be like shopping at Best Buy after tipping the greeters. It just doesn't make sense.
EMonkIA14th Jan 2009 -
bribing the vendor.
I think that if you (really) want a "x" product, then you can bribe the low-end vendor just for to obtain a bargain, but i think it is pointless to spend time and money just because to save a 1-5%.
magallanes14th Jan 2009 -
6. Start taking cloud seriously
The best about cloud is:
- cloud is rock solid.
- i can build a empire (or a castle) on a cloud.
- cloud is easy to understand, blurry-less at all.
:-P
1. Start building an alumni network
why?. for gosh sake, why i must spend resource on it?.
3. Start scouting for key talent
4. Start preparing for the unexpected
9. Stop fearing the future; start driving it
Easy to say but hard to follow.
5. Start using social systems yourself, visibly
No, social system is EVIL, you don't want to contact a important person using sms,myspace or facebook. You want to use those service only to invite a pal/gal to go out.magallanes14th Jan 2009
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