Technology, great technology
Of course technology is important too. But the most important things about technology are clearly not the things that most IT people like. Lots of IT people like - the latest of the latest (why role out version 1 if version 1.1 has just been released?), high levels of complexity (why have a simple executable if we can have a multi-tier solution), and most of all they like things that are different from what we already have today ... (why keep going with Windows if we can have Linux?)But clearly this is not what we need today. We need something that works now (reliability), something that's simple to use (no I don't want a 5 day training course, no I don't want another password) and something that saves me time (no I don't want to browse through a ten-level folder hierarchy before I can find where I can store my document and then be forced to add 25 mandatory attributes). On these three tests most system implementations fail.
And therefore I would like to publish here a few simple rules for implementing IT things:
1. start small and let it grow - this allows the system to be implemented quickly and adapt itselfs to the business while it grows. I am a great fan of iterative development.
2. think developing the applications from building blocks - and then use these building blocks by replicating the same gadget in different business process throughout the organisation. Building blocks can be functionality but also reusable information. Example: A document loader is a document loader, so why develop complete different things for different users. OK the user interface may differ, but the data model (supporting a common taxonomy) and the core functions should not.
3. think information before functionality - always remember that the application will be replaced in a few years time while the information stays behind, so don't make the information application dependent
4. keep it simple (but everybody always breaks this one ...)
5. only protect what needs to be protected (so keep security models to the simplest possible level if you can)
6. only share what needs to be shared (so don't overload the information warehouses with stuff that nobody needs)
7. Get as little as possible other people involved, but get the key people - this counts for both the userside as for the developers (better have one great developer, than 10 mediocre ..., by the way great developer also means somebody who can live up to all the other rules)
8. Avoid the latest technology, unless it has a > 100% advantage
9. Always stop people's private hobbies
10. Be prepared to have a fight about all of these rules.
Labels: Information Management
posted by Evert Ruijs @ 7:15 AM
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