information technology: what is it and strategies for it management architecture adele edwards...
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Information Technology: Information Technology: What Is It and Strategies What Is It and Strategies for IT Management for IT Management ArchitectureArchitecture
Adele EdwardsAdele EdwardsDatabase Development OfficerDatabase Development OfficerNeeds Assessment Database Management (NADM) Needs Assessment Database Management (NADM) MemberMemberDigital Libraries Initiative Group (DLIG) MemberDigital Libraries Initiative Group (DLIG) Member
4/10/014/10/01
Do We Have the Do We Have the Capabilities We Need?Capabilities We Need?
• SOURCE: Association of American Colleges
QUOTE: We have become a people unable to comprehend the technology we invent.
What We Are Going to What We Are Going to DiscussDiscuss
• What we mean by Information Technology
• What skills are included in IT
• What are IT Management Processes
• History of Organizing IT
• Strategies to Discuss Organizing IT
• What is needed for IT to succeed in the Library
• References
Also Important but Not Also Important but Not CoveredCovered
• the best use of IT
• the cost and value of IT
• the strategic direction we should take IT except as it relates to where those decisions should be made
• whether we have all the IT resources we need
• need for new IT resources
• what new applications/systems we need
• what old systems we need to improve
• how we could better utilize IT
• project management within IT, etc.
What We Mean by What We Mean by Information Information TechnologyTechnology
• Hardware – Servers, PCs, Printers, Scanners– purchasing, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting,
updating, replacing, training
• Software - Access, Netscape, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Operating Systems (Windows (NT, 9x), Linux, MacOS)– purchasing, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting,
upgrading, solving configuration problems, training
What We Mean by What We Mean by Information Information TechnologyTechnology
• Networks - Cables, PC Network Cards, Hubs, Routers, Ports, Network OS– purchasing, hardware, software, setup, maintenance,
troubleshooting
• Databases - III’s Innopac, Atlas (FAST db), SIS, FRS, Access DB, Oracle DB– design, programming, maintaining (changing, updating),
admittance, troubleshooting, conversion, training
What We Mean by What We Mean by Information Information TechnologyTechnology
• Web Applications - static pages, forms, links, interactive (Sabio), e-journals– hardware, software, networks, databases
– design, programming, maintaining, updating, permissions, troubleshooting, training
• Security – networks, OS, software, hardware– backups, firewalls, encryption, authentication and
validation, locking devices
What We Mean by What We Mean by Information Information TechnologyTechnology
• User Support - help desk, telephone support, user training, automated help, troubleshooting, tech. availability
• Management – equipment, software and people, planning, research and development– vendor relationship, scheduling, technology refresh,
personnel, communication with rest of Library, University and IT community, budgeting, marketing, tech. staff
training
Groups the Library’s IT Groups the Library’s IT Interact WithInteract With
Library's IT
UNIVERSITY
Vendors
user
Accounting
University
Government. Other Groups
Accounting
computer
user
server
printers
Database
Application
Database
Application
Hardware
Application
Scanner
Backup
SecurityNetwork
Network
NetworkNetwork
Database
Web Applications
Support
Security
Security
Security
Security
User
Operating Systems, Database (Oracle, Access), Network Protocols, FileServers, Email Servers
SoftwareInfrastructure
OutlookWebAccess,Sabio, E-Reserves
Innopac, Atlas, SIS,FRS
Netscape,Word,PowerPoint,Outlook
Security
What Skills Are What Skills Are Included in ITIncluded in IT
• Technical
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Training
• Team Work
• Management (Project and People)
What Are IT What Are IT Management ProcessesManagement Processes
• Setting Strategic Directions – Setting Strategic Directions – DLIG, LIST, SLRP, DLIG, LIST, SLRP, Cabinet, other cross functional teamsCabinet, other cross functional teams– Facilitation broad planning efforts regarding IT Facilitation broad planning efforts regarding IT
strategy and development of technology platformsstrategy and development of technology platforms
• Establishing Infrastructure Systems – Establishing Infrastructure Systems – LIST, LIST, DLIGDLIG– Establishing and communicating hardware and Establishing and communicating hardware and
software standards; planning, building, and running software standards; planning, building, and running network highways with data access and delivery network highways with data access and delivery capabilities; and coordinating development of capabilities; and coordinating development of shared applicationsshared applications
What Are IT What Are IT Management ProcessesManagement Processes
• Searching for New Technology – Searching for New Technology – DLIG, DLIG, LIST, other teams/cross-functional teamsLIST, other teams/cross-functional teams– Identifying, assessing and experimenting with Identifying, assessing and experimenting with
emerging ITemerging IT
• Developing Business Systems – Developing Business Systems – NADM, NADM, FAST/LIST, and others (small systems)FAST/LIST, and others (small systems)– Planning, building, and running specific Planning, building, and running specific
application systemsapplication systems
What Are IT What Are IT Management ProcessesManagement Processes
• Access and Support of Technology Use – Access and Support of Technology Use – whole librarywhole library– Diffusing IT throughout the organization Diffusing IT throughout the organization
through education, specialized consulting, through education, specialized consulting, access to IT utilities and services (e.g., data access to IT utilities and services (e.g., data centers, desktop publishing, and high-centers, desktop publishing, and high-resolution graphics), and by establishing and resolution graphics), and by establishing and maintaining vendor relationships (e.g., maintaining vendor relationships (e.g., negotiating service contracts, getting volume negotiating service contracts, getting volume discounts)discounts)
Understanding IT Understanding IT Management ProcessesManagement Processes
• Container Container – ““what” is done what” is done
– strategic planningstrategic planning
– central IS (Information central IS (Information Systems) or CIO (Chief Systems) or CIO (Chief Information Officer) Information Officer) type position/grouptype position/group
• Contents Contents – the actual “doing”the actual “doing”
– implementing details implementing details
– organizational unit – organizational unit – team, dept.team, dept.
When viewing IT management When viewing IT management processes we need to be careful to processes we need to be careful to separate the informationseparate the information
History of Organizing History of Organizing ITIT
• 1960’s to early 1980’s only large 1960’s to early 1980’s only large mainframesmainframes
• Centralized management of resources, Centralized management of resources, includingincluding– Data entryData entry
– Computer operations – keeping it runningComputer operations – keeping it running
• The small set of users saw only reportsThe small set of users saw only reports
History of Organizing History of Organizing ITIT• Mid 1980 to late 1980’s, PC’s being used Mid 1980 to late 1980’s, PC’s being used
as well as large mainframes or mid-rangeas well as large mainframes or mid-range
• Decentralized Decentralized – branch offices branch offices
– large organizations with lots of PC uselarge organizations with lots of PC use
• Users start creating own data on PCsUsers start creating own data on PCs– SpreadsheetsSpreadsheets
– Word processingWord processing
History of Organizing History of Organizing ITIT• Late 1980’s to mid 1990’s fewer mainframes Late 1980’s to mid 1990’s fewer mainframes
bought, mainly servers or networked PCsbought, mainly servers or networked PCs
• End-user had been ostracized as their needs End-user had been ostracized as their needs grew. Now more effort to support small groups grew. Now more effort to support small groups of users equally with entire organization.of users equally with entire organization.
• Users were main creators and users of systems Users were main creators and users of systems – Databases, graphics and imagesDatabases, graphics and images
– E-mail, collaborative softwareE-mail, collaborative software
History of Organizing History of Organizing ITIT• Mid 1990’s to now, very complex collaborative Mid 1990’s to now, very complex collaborative
systems using servers, PCs and the Internet.systems using servers, PCs and the Internet.
• CIO and/or CTO positioned high in organization to CIO and/or CTO positioned high in organization to provide strategic planning of IT with organization’s provide strategic planning of IT with organization’s goals.goals.
• Users have plethora of options to use, create and Users have plethora of options to use, create and understand:understand:– Internet – web systems, e-journals, portalsInternet – web systems, e-journals, portals
– Database systems for all aspects of workDatabase systems for all aspects of work
– Communication devices – cell phones, chat rooms, Communication devices – cell phones, chat rooms, electronic conferencing, palm computerselectronic conferencing, palm computers
Strategies to Discuss Strategies to Discuss Organizing ITOrganizing IT
Two questions to help design the Two questions to help design the appropriate IT management architectureappropriate IT management architecture
• How should IT responsibilities and resources be apportioned among teams?
• What are the management processes central to effective IT management ?
Strategies to Discuss Strategies to Discuss Organizing ITOrganizing IT
Factors that affect IT management Factors that affect IT management responsibilities and thus the responsibilities and thus the apportioning of themapportioning of them
• The extent of the organization’s need for networking resources to exchange information among multiple teams or with external organizations
• The organization-specific requirements to share data elements among teams or with external groups
• The extent to which applying common application systems across the organization is desirable
• The requirements for specialized human resources related to IT
Questions for InitiatingQuestions for Initiating DialogueDialogueNetworking resourcesNetworking resourcesTo what degree do our teams require networking capabilities?To what degree do our teams require networking capabilities?
• Do we need to transport information in the form of data, voice, video, text, graphics, and/or images? Internally or externally?
• Do we need to connect teams internally for electronic mail, access to data, and so forth?
• Do the business units need to connect externally with business partners (i.e. via electronic data interchange)?
• Do we need to reduce costs by sharing networking resources?
High ---------------------------------- lowHigh ---------------------------------- lowcurrent situationcurrent situation
high ---------------------------------- low high ---------------------------------- low strategic time frame (3-5 years) strategic time frame (3-5 years)
Questions for Initiating Questions for Initiating DialogueDialogue
Shared dataShared dataTo what extent is data (e.g., Services, outcomes, To what extent is data (e.g., Services, outcomes,
instruction) shared across any of our teams?instruction) shared across any of our teams?
• Do we need standardized subject databases?
• Do the functional areas need to share more than financial data?
• Do the teams need to share data with other teams, customers, consortia partners, and other University units?
High ---------------------------------- lowHigh ---------------------------------- lowcurrent situationcurrent situation
high ---------------------------------- low high ---------------------------------- low strategic time frame (3-5 years) strategic time frame (3-5 years)
Questions for Initiating Questions for Initiating DialogueDialogueCommon Application SystemsCommon Application SystemsTo what extent do the business units have common application To what extent do the business units have common application
systems requirements?systems requirements?
• Do we need consistent application architecture (e.g., consistent office automation or electronic mail across the teams)?
• Should we have a standardized presence/image with customers?
• Do the functional areas need high levels of integration and coordination?
• Do the functional areas need business process integration (e.g., order entry, billing, or customer service)?
High ---------------------------------- LowHigh ---------------------------------- Low
Current situationCurrent situation High ---------------------------------- Low High ---------------------------------- Low Strategic Time Frame (3-5 years) Strategic Time Frame (3-5 years)
Questions for Initiating Questions for Initiating DialogueDialogueHuman ResourcesHuman ResourcesTo what extent are the people required to run critical To what extent are the people required to run critical
systems becoming more difficult to find and more systems becoming more difficult to find and more expensive to hire and retain?expensive to hire and retain?
• Do we need to increase productivity by building information systems?
• Do we need to maximize critical skills?
• Are critical skills in short supply? Should we have backup people with these skills?
High ---------------------------------- LowHigh ---------------------------------- LowCurrent situationCurrent situation
High ---------------------------------- Low High ---------------------------------- Low Strategic Time Frame (3-5 years) Strategic Time Frame (3-5 years)
Interpreting AnswersInterpreting Answers
If requirements for sharing across all factors If requirements for sharing across all factors are extremely are extremely highhigh, then it is likely that a , then it is likely that a centralized IS (Information Systems) centralized IS (Information Systems) group should manage IT. group should manage IT.
If most requirements are extremely If most requirements are extremely lowlow, , then dispersing most IT management then dispersing most IT management responsibilities to teams is the best responsibilities to teams is the best architecture. architecture.
Usually, it is a combination of both.Usually, it is a combination of both.
What Is Needed for IT to What Is Needed for IT to Succeed in the Library Succeed in the Library (or (or Anywhere)Anywhere)
• Good Communication and CollaborationGood Communication and Collaboration– Within the IT resourcesWithin the IT resources
– Within the LibraryWithin the Library
• Procedures and PoliciesProcedures and Policies– Help to know who does what and howHelp to know who does what and how
– Eliminates guessing or unanswered questionsEliminates guessing or unanswered questions
• Vision for the future of IT in the LibraryVision for the future of IT in the Library– Must always look ahead and plan, not just reactMust always look ahead and plan, not just react
• Work in Progress – things will change over timeWork in Progress – things will change over time
ReferencesReferences• “Bridging the GAP between IT and Business Management: A Strategist’s Approach.”
Effective Utilization and Management of Emerging Information Technologies – HD 30.2 I54 1998
• “Changing Organizational Structure to Accommodate Information Management Strategy: An Examination of 3 Gov. Dept. in Queensland.” Effective Utilization and Management of Emerging Information Technologies – HD 30.2 I54 1998
• Khosrowpour, Mehdi. Managing Information Technology Investments with Outsourcing – HD 30.2 M364 1995
• Khosrowpour, Mehdi. “Reorganizing Information Technology Services in an Academic Environment.” Organizational Achievement and Failure in Information Technology Management HD 30.2 0739 2000
• “Look at the Journey to IS Organizational Maturity: A Case Study of a CMM Level 3 IS Organization.” Challenges of Information Technology Management in the 21st Century – T 58.64 I533 2000
• “Monitoring the IT Process Through a Balanced Score Card.” Effective Utilization and Management of Emerging Information Technologies – HD 30.2 I54 1998
• Stephens,Charlotte S. “The Nature of Information Technology Managerial Work.” The Work Life of Five Chief Information Officers - HD 30.2 S783 1995
• Thierauf, Robert. Effective Management and Evaluation of Information Technology HD 30.2 T48 1994