COMPLEXITY—THE ENEMY OF CIOs IT must start taking positive steps forward if it wants enable of growth, rather than hinder it. Business units are demanding a higher level of service from IT, and CIOs are taking a hard look at how they run their operations, spend their money, and plan for tomorrow. In the long run, CIOs can implement new systems that are expected to radically change IT operations and reduce staff and costs. Here are some of the symptoms of complexity in IT: -
Frequent and reoccurring software crashes of critical applications due to incompatibility of data, files, errors, or network protocols. -
Longer timeframes for IT staff to solve the problems in item 1. -
A significant increase in IT budgets, including hardware, software, human capital costs, training, and support. -
Increase in the level of application outsourcing—if there is a problem, it is better to let some other vendor deal with it. -
High turnover of critical IT staff due to frustration, long hours, and burnout. -
Unexpected surprises in new technology, new languages, or applications leading to increased time in understanding and managing projects that use them. -
Longer timeframes to satisfactorily test and install new applications or software packages. -
Growth of expensive hardware and software in IT architectures—the "silent sales" syndrome. -
Incompatibility between competing vendor software packages—i.e., file structures, databases, transmission protocols, and parameters—due to lack of standards. -
Frequent but necessary software upgrades of packages, operating systems, and application development languages, resulting in yet another round of errors and incompatibility problems. -
Incessant requests for new business systems to be developed and installed within what appears to be unreasonable timeframes. |
