While technology has greatly increased productivity, and much technology is indispensable today, the IT departments of the companies and the employees who use them, have started to get out of control. The departments and employees have started to overly create and use technology systems for the sake of having them. They make and use them because ?it?s cool.?
It may be great to have a wiki in a department, helping everyone learn from everyone else; but what use is a blog to me, or anyone else.
I can see it now? an HR manager saying ?Hey, we can make something like Facebook for the company.? Sounds cool, but what use is it really? ?hey, check out that secretary!?
I had a director install IM so employees can chat with each other? in the same building.
Of course there is this other thing that I like to call A PHONE!!! Call Me!!
It?s quicker to use, and if you?re chatting with the person on IM at their desk, you already know where they are.
(Also please don?t send me emails like it?s an IM app, if you need something that quickly, Call me. I even have a cellphone)
Sure I?ve used IM in a conference, but each has it?s place.
Then I have an addendum to Lesson #6:
a) IT departments will continue to use the technology that they already know.
So if you try to introduce an open source php app to the enterprise, I?m pretty sure the .net programmers will point out how ?bad? it is.
b) IT departments will use what the technology of the company that the top executive have been wined and dined the most from. (while this is not always true, it sure happens a lot; otherwise they fall into the Buzz word trap)
IT departments are starting to forget they are not the core business (except in a tech company of course)
In my opinion, companies would be better served to forget about ?Enterprise 2.0?, and concentrate on improving the current applications. Stores could have easier, smoother checkout (don?t need a register asking for my email); Email spam filters could be better (Don?t need my email being transcribed to my voicemail); A wiki is nice if it helps, but I?m still waiting for an enterprise blog I can?t live without.
Sometimes the older technology is the best. (sometimes not)
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