how to find your mr/s wonderful- itfm

Finding Mr./Ms. WonderfulFor Your Staffing Needs

Mike SerberThavron Solutions

Copyright 2015 Thavron Solutions, LLC

Introduction


Introduction

• Why did I choose this topic?

Copyright 2015Thavron Solutions, LLC

Introduction

• Why did I choose this topic?– Focus on the “human” side of ITFM/TBM


Introduction


– Focus on the Analyst role


Introduction



– Focus on “soft skills”


Introduction




– It’s the people who make or break the effort


Introduction





– Many of you have your own thoughts on this topic


Introduction





– Many of you have your own thoughts on this topic

– Let’s learn from our collective experience


Introduction

• My Background


Introduction

• My Background– Music


Introduction


• Music Education degree


Introduction



• Taught school band for 4 years


Introduction




• Private music teacher for 45 years


Introduction





• Community Band Director, Brass Band player, trumpet performer, composer, arranger


Introduction





• Community Band Director, Brass Band player, trumpet performer, composer, arranger

• You’ll see why this is relevant later


Introduction


– Technology


Introduction

• My Background– Technology

• Programmer


Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst


Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst

• Programmer/Analyst


Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst


• Analyst/Programmer


Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst



• Data Base Administrator (DBA)


Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


• Program Manager

Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


• Program Manager

• Financial Analyst

Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


• Program Manager


• IT Financial Analyst

Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


• Program Manager



• TBM Analyst

Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


• Program Manager



• TBM Analyst

• Configurator

Introduction


• Programmer

• Analyst




• Project Manager


• Program Manager



• TBM Analyst

• Configurator

• Consultant

Introduction


– Technology

• What I’ve learned


Introduction


– Technology

• What I’ve learned– Integrate my life experiences and passions into a deep

understanding of what skills, especially “soft skills”, are required to be effective in the IT and Finance industries


Introduction

• Today’s Topics:


Introduction

• Today’s Topics:– Focusing on the role of ITFM/TBM Analyst, or on YOUR

role


Introduction

• Today’s Topics:– Focusing on the role of ITFM/TBM Analyst, or on YOUR

role

– Answering the following 3 questions:


Introduction

• What is the Nature of the Work?


Introduction


• What are the 7 Critical Skills?


Introduction



• How to find the Right People?


Introduction




• No earth-shattering revelations


Introduction





• Just common sense concepts


What is the Nature of the Work?



• Initial Data Gathering



• Initial Data Gathering– Coordinate the efforts to identify and gather primary

Financial and IT Asset data




Financial and IT Asset data• Accurate and complete IT Financial (Cost) Data - General Ledger,

Fixed Assets




Financial and IT Asset data• Accurate and complete IT Financial (Cost) Data - General Ledger,

Fixed Assets

• Accurate and complete IT Asset (Portfolio) Data – Applications, Servers, Storage, Databases, Data Centers, etc.




• Data Mapping



• Data Mapping– Map IT Costs into Cost Categories (Cost Pools) – Labor,

Hardware, Software, Depreciation, etc.





– Map IT Assets to Applications






– Identify Portfolio of Business Services






– Identify Portfolio of Business Services

– Map Assets to Business Services




• Data Mapping

• Cost Allocation



• Cost Allocation– Determine and implement strategies for allocating IT costs

to IT Assets



• Cost Allocation– Determine and implement strategies for allocating IT costs

to IT Assets

– Determine and implement strategies for allocating costs from IT Assets to Business Services




• Data Mapping

• Cost Allocation

• Periodic (Monthly) Processes



• Periodic (Monthly) Processes– Load/refresh data files




– Assess data quality and completeness





– Generate reports






– Compile presentations






– Compile presentations

– Communicate results to constituents




• Data Mapping

• Cost Allocation

• Periodic (Monthly) Processes

• Other Critical Tasks



• Other Critical Tasks– Handle requests for system changes




– Create new reports





– Resolve problems






– Troubleshoot issues







– Fight fires







– Fight fires

– Participate in fire drills



• Other Critical Tasks– Handle requests for system changes– Create new reports– Resolve problems– Troubleshoot issues– Fight fires– Participate in fire drills– Save the world


Finding Mr./Ms. Wonderful




What are the 7 Critical Skills?

• Must be breathing




• Desire or interest in doing the work



• Desire or interest in doing the work– Often overlooked, because it’s so obvious


What are the Critical Skills?


– A person who enjoys their work -




– A person who enjoys their work -• Works to overcome the challenges and obstacles of the job





• Derives satisfaction in doing a good job






• Applies themselves with energy derived from their enthusiasm






• Applies themselves with energy derived from their enthusiasm

• Tolerates the “!@#$%” that comes with any job





• Seeing relationships



• Seeing relationships– Good old analogies (remember the SAT/ACT tests??)




– (blank) is to (blank) as (blank) is to (blank)





– Understanding relationships between things






– What links things together, what is common between things







– Dog is to puppy as cat is to ____







– Dog is to puppy as cat is to kitten








– Winning is to everything as ___ is to brass band members








– Winning is to everything as beer is to brass band members






• Identifying patterns



• Identifying patterns– How does one thing progress to another?




– For example: 2,4,6,8 – what comes next?



“Who do we appreciate?”




– For example: 2,4,6,8 – what comes next?

– “Who do we appreciate?”

– The ability to recognize patterns is an immense help in solving problems in the IT field







• Problem-solving ability



• Problem-solving ability– The single most critical skill




– There will always be problems to solve in this role





– The ability to solve these problems quickly and efficiently is a critical factor for success






– The previous 2 critical skills, Seeing relationships and Identifying patterns aid in advanced problem-solving






– The previous 2 critical skills, Seeing relationships and Identifying patterns aid in advanced problem-solving

– Also aided by viewing a problem in creative ways







• Problem-solving ability

• Detail orientation



• Detail orientation– “It’s all messed up!”




– “What exactly is the issue?”





– “What exactly is causing this issue?”






– Perseverance






– Perseverance

– Eye for detail



• Must be breathing• Desire or interest in doing the work• Seeing relationships• Identifying patterns• Problem-solving ability• Detail orientation• Interact with people at many levels



• Interact with people at many levels– and, know what’s important to them




• Upper-level management





• IT Finance





• IT Finance

• IT Owners (Storage, Security, Data Centers, Applications)





• IT Finance


• A plus to have credibility with IT and talk their language





• IT Finance


• A plus to have credibility with IT and talk their language

• Understand and communicate technical concepts to non-technical people




• Upper-level management• IT Finance• IT Owners (Storage, Security, Data Centers, Applications)• A plus to have credibility with IT and talk their language• Understand and communicate technical concepts to non-technical

people• Understand and communicate financial concepts to non-financial

people



• Must be breathing• Desire or interest in doing the work• Seeing relationships• Identifying patterns• Problem-solving ability• Detail orientation• Interact with people at many levels


Finding Mr./Ms. Wonderful





How to find the Right People?

• Targeted Selection



• Targeted Selection– Match strengths of an applicant to the critical skills needed




– Ask questions to elicit responses to determine skill match





– Examples:





– Examples:• Critical skill: problem-solving ability





– Examples:• Critical skill: problem-solving ability

• Question: “Tell me about a difficult problem that you were able to solve”





– Examples:• Critical skill: Interact with people at many levels and know what’s

important to them





– Examples:• Critical skill: Interact with people at many levels and know what’s

important to them

• Question: “Tell me about a presentation you’ve had to give. Who did you present to and what did you try to communicate?”





– For good examples, google “Targeted Selection” or “Interview Questions”




• People in compatible fields



• People in compatible fields– Preparation in one field can lead to success in another




• Musicians




• Musicians– Detail-oriented





– Used to deep analysis






– Used to identifying patterns







– Ability to concentrate








– Creative (right and left brain)









– Goal-oriented









– Goal-oriented

– In need of a job




• Musicians

• Air-Traffic Controllers




• Musicians


• Actuaries




• Musicians


• Actuaries

• Teachers




• Musicians


• Actuaries

• Teachers

• Chess players




• Musicians


• Actuaries

• Teachers

• Chess players

• Professional wrestlers




• People in compatible fields

• Other good sources for prospects



• Other good sources for prospects– “Fast Track”, or Management Development programs




• Short-term positions in many different organizations within the company





• Fosters a big-picture perspective of the company and how ITFM/TBM fits into the overall needs of the company





• Fosters a big-picture perspective of the company and how ITFM/TBM fits into the overall needs of the company

• Develops a broad range of contacts within the company to facilitate working with many levels of the organization




– People in Finance who have an interest in technology, maybe as a hobby





– People in Technologies who LOVE Finance





– People in Technologies who LOVE Finance (ha, ha!)


Conclusion


Conclusion





• Just common sense concepts


Questions/Comments?


Follow up questions? Mike [email protected]@hotmail.com 612.366.7663http://thavron.com

mailto:[email protected]