In IT, people can be caught up in a web of choices that send them into analytical mode. This state can cause them to “over-complexify” simple tasks. IT projects are never simple in their design, but the solution to complex problems is often found hidden in that area of the brain that is seldom visited... the “simplicity domain”.
To rip and replace or stay with the tried and trusted?
Craig Neill is chief technology officer at DVT.
Take the following example: An IT manager is in charge of the local mail server. The MD has no access to his e-mail on his laptop and needs it to access a presentation at a board meeting. The IT manager goes into analytical mode and starts with the issues that seemingly make the most sense: check the mail server configuration, check the pipes, check his firewall settings on his laptop, check the proxy, restart the machine, confirm the mailbox set-up, check his account on the server. Yet it all looks correct; the more the IT manager panics, the more he goes into the abyss of complexity when in fact maybe he overlooked the simplest of problems: his password probably expired.
IT is interlinked with people's DNA, both at a personal and corporate level, and most corporate organisations are effectively the sum of their IT-enabled processes. Technology options are in abundance. Systems, tools, development platforms and methodologies claim to enhance business, streamline business processes and maximise profit. But, whenever a salesperson offers a new, earth-shattering and groundbreaking solution, somebody else has tried it before, successfully or unsuccessfully.
Too many options
The myriad choices can be overwhelming: what technology to choose, what project management approach is better, contractor, in-house, outsourced, co-sourced, offshore, software as a service (SaaS), cloud-based, project-based, sprint-based, fixed quote, .NET, Java, Ruby, Web, desktop, enterprise architecture, application rationalisation, Windows 365, client/server, legacy modernisation? To rip and replace or stay with the tried and trusted? After all, some mainframes are 50 years old and still functioning, and some companies gain competitive advantage by staying with what they know, such as Cobol and SAP R/2.
In a fast-paced world, people can forget to slow down and take a step backwards. Decisions made in a state of panic are almost always wrong. With all of the above in mind, here are some practical options.
The following seven steps are practical guidelines that can be applied to making IT simpler:
* Stop! - Stop what you are doing, stop analysing, stop thinking. Just simply put ... stop. A moment of reflection can lead to that deep solution discovery.
* Relax - Go play golf, go for some exercise. Take a deep breath, walk away from the problem for a moment. Do what is needed to exit panic mode. Sometimes the clearest answers to complex IT problems come at the moment of least stress.
* Simplify - Look at the technology problem again, but this time through new eyes. Break it down to the simplest of forms. What is the goal, its inherent organisational value, and what are the underlying drivers? Forget about technologies - identify the need - and always return to the need for its overall resolution.
* Ask - Invoke domain specialists who can resolve the complexity. No one can know everything. Almost every company has people who know their subject matter to a great level of detail, and they can help resolve the most complex of challenges. If such domain experts are not to be found in the company, their skills can be in-sourced.
* Draw - Once a problem (or solution) is visualised, it is far easier to understand and resolve. A graphical layout of a problem will almost always lead to the simplest solution. Modelling tools such as Visio and Rational can be instrumental in capturing intellectual capital and knowledge here.
* Empower - Learn to delegate and empower people, without losing sight of responsibilities. A team of empowered people can solve the most complex of tasks. Teamwork is particularly important in today's world of agile software development. Scrum and sprint sessions are fundamental here, along with the imparting of trust, goals and deadlines to the team.
* Manage - The success of anything in IT, whether it involves huge SAP implementations, custom-built applications, software roll-outs, networks or even hardware is managing and managing well. The key to success lies in the simplicity and clarity of communication, clear task assignment and the reliability of people. In this regard, teams must be of manageable size.
IT might seem inordinately complex, and the failure rate of software projects is the stuff of legend, with the Chaos Report reflecting up to 80% of failure, but it can be deconstructed and simplified. The seven steps above will help in the successful delivery of projects, on time, according to requirements and within budget.
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