Here is the latest CIO magazine contribution made by Murray Wills, Director of Maxsys:

http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/spot/D5BAA04AB448B64ACC2577BA008390A7

http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/opin/9D32E090AA8FF940CC257702006B7F43

This article discusses the unhealthy situation of not considering information technology as a critical strategic enabler.   

The paper is brief (only six pages of text) and presents the concepts in an easy to understand manner. There is an informative table on service models, deployment models and essential characteristics. The authors liken cloud computing to utilities “Just as enterprises pay for the electricity, gas and water they use, they now have the option of paying for IT services on a consumption basis.” A great simile, although for Kiwis not all our utilities are operating in an open market!

The benefits and risks of cloud computing are outlined and the conclusion suggests that an organisation considering cloud computing needs to do a thorough benefit and risk analysis. The white paper also covers effective strategies for mitigating risks and addressing assurance issues related to cloud computing.

I highly recommend this article as a starting point for those new to the topic. It also synthesises the current thinking by those working in this area.

Cloud Computing: Business Benefits With Security, Governance and Assurance Perspectives; An ISACA Emerging Technology White Paper

ITCP is the new “gold standard” professional Certification for ICT Professionals in New Zealand, and is closely related to similar Certifications around the world.

According to NZCS (www.nzcs.org.nz):

“ITCP is New Zealand’s contribution to a global programme of professionalism and certification being coordinated by the IP3 Taskforce (www.ipthree.org), set up by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP – www.ifip.or.at), an international umbrella organisation originally established by UNESCO.

This means that once the accreditation process is complete, ITCP will be recognised around the world. New Zealand organisations with ITCP Certified Professionals on staff will gain a significant differential from competitors, giving potential clients the confidence to deal with an organisation with independently accredited professional”

Murray Wills, Managing Director of Maxsys Limited and a Foundation ITCP recipient says that “this is a very important step for the profession in New Zealand”. Next year is the 50th Anniversary of the NZ Computer Society and this is possibly the most significant step in recognition of IT professionals in those 50 years”.

The ITCP website comments that:

 ”through ITCP, ICT professionals who operate ethically, have a broad knowledge and skill base including non-technical areas of ICT (such as privacy, ethics, communication and leadership), and have a strong mix of education and experience will gain a well-earned competitive advantage. And so they should. Those that believe in ethics and professionalism should be recognised, and those that don’t have no place in a profession entrusted with the information and communications technology that underly the success of our country’s economy, government, business and community.” (see http://www.itcp.org.nz/about)

“The IT profession needs to step up and be counted“, says Wills. “In these times, more than ever organisations need to be able to differientiate between professionally certified ICT practitioners and those with no training, experience, ethical or professional obligations. Now that we have the ITCP, I can see a time after a phase in period where companies and Government agencies should be asking why their IT staff, contractors, and consultants do not have ITCP”

Uptake of the certification process has been impressive, with seemingly hundreds of applications. Congratulations to NZCS President Don Robertson, CEO Paul Matthews and the NZCS Team for a well run consultation and implementation process.

 About Maxsys Limited:

Maxsys Limited (http://www.maxsys.co.nz).  Maxsys is an independent IT and business consulting services company operating internationally and in New Zealand.  Maxsys Managing Director Murray Wills is a regular commentator on business and IT. He can be contacted by sending an email to murray@maxsys.co.nz

One organisation introduced a tool for programme management but limited its use to a small number of users.  The strategic benefits of the tool were not achieved and only some functionality was being used. 

In another organisation senior managers were half-hearted in their support for the tool and unsurprisingly the staff were half-hearted in their use of it.

There are many aspects to think about when  implementing a programme management tool;  some of the tips are:

• Remember it is all about the programme of work i.e. the projects as a whole body of work, tracking their progress and alignment to the strategic goals of the organisation.
• Treat the implementation of the tool as a project.  It should have an objective, tasks and success measures.
• The project needs a sponsor/owner who can champion the project and tool.
• The project needs the support of the CEO and  senior managers (financial, time, acknowledgment). If it is not supported you are wasting your time.
• Adapt the organisation’s project methodology to accommodate the tool (we have considerable experience in this area).
• Consider how widespread the tool will be implemented.  There are pros and cons to a limited implementation versus the whole organisation.
• Get IT onboard early so that any security and architectural aspects are covered off.
• Develop a communications and implementation plan.
• Introduce the use of the tool in stages i.e. identify functions that will provide quick success and concentrate on those first.
• Don’t underestimate the cultural change required.
• Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t introduce project management methodologies for policy projects. We have done it and you can.
• Offer training and on-going support.  Expecting staff to teach themselves will hinder the likelihood of success.

 About the Author:

Amanda Wills is a Director and Consultant of Maxsys Limited (http://www.maxsys.co.nz).  Maxsys consultants have experience acquired over many years in project management, IT and business management. Amanda heads Maxsys’ project and programme management consulting team and she is happy to discuss your needs in terms of implementing a project or programme methodology or tool. Amanda can be contacted by sending an email to amanda@maxsys.co.nz

http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/22642/

Once this research is written up it will be interesting to see the research methodology and types of conversations they had.

This is particularly important in times of recession, as companies and government agencies will start to rely more heavily on efficiencies that can be made through effective use of IT systems and processes, or the introduction of new IT based services.

 Attached is an article which I authored which has just been published in the Institute of Directors Journal Boardroom this month.

Click Here to read the full article.

I came across this very good article online recently, which lists the Top Five Tips for CIO Strategic Planning, according to SearchCIO.com.

Visit http://searchcio.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid182_gci1335550,00.html?track=NL+981&ad=678196&Offer=CIunsct123spns&asrc=EM&USC=&5183025=&uid=7869767%2523 to find out more. 

The accompanying articles make very interesting reading for CIO’s, IT Managers and CEO’s, and once again they highlight the need for Governance of IT and alignment of IT with the business.

If you need help interpreting these or relating the points in the articles to your own environment, please give me a call.

Murray

In 2005, Robert Sutcliffe and I wrote an academic paper on this topic.

Our research indicated that this is an issue that would affect a number of countries, worldwide, not just New Zealand. Given that New Zealand graduates are very mobile, it is likely that without some form of bonding, or encouragement to come back after their OE, even if we manage to enthuse students at an early age to persue IT (with all of its diverse career paths) as a profession, we will loose many overseas.

This may be at the expense of the NZ IT industry as we will be competing with a worldwide shortage of talent.

Really, nothing much has changed (apart from the skills deficit becoming more pronounced), so for interest and background to a poll we are running I have detailed the topic below.

You can take place in our Quick poll on this topic by entering the poll on the home page.

The Press release on the topic was as follows:

PRESS RELEASE 8 July 2005

Secure your IT Staff

That’s the message from Murray Wills of Maxsys Consulting and Robert Sutcliffe from Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) who have conducted a study into the rapidly growing global IT skills shortage that is having an impact on New Zealand. The study shows some worrying trends for employers and the economy.

The news is good for IT professionals. In the next few years it is predicted that in many countries, including New Zealand, Australia, Britain, USA, Europe and India, IT professionals will be in demand. “Confidence is returning to a sector that was knocked around after Y2K and the dot com crash” says Wills. “Unfortunately, we have seen a global downturn in students studying IT in the last few years. This will lead to a worldwide shortage of graduates”.

“With a shortage of suitable staff many projects may not be able to start, or may suffer delays. This will not just affect technology companies. One study showed that 92 percent of IT workers in the US were employed by non-technology businesses reliant on IT to maintain competitiveness and lower costs,” says Mr Wills.

According to Mr Wills the Government may need to look at creative ways of encouraging people to study information technology if New Zealand is to avoid a decline in competitiveness and economic growth. “Because New Zealand is not the only country with a developing shortage, we now find ourselves in global competition to attract and retain staff,” says Mr Wills.

“One way of encouraging more students may be to offer fees scholarships for IT study, or to give a period of tax breaks in certain key skills shortage areas to attract workers to New Zealand.”

Referring to a report recently completed for the Ministry of Education by Linda Leach and Nick Zepke of Massey University College of Education Science and Technology Mr Wills says, “Programmes in schools that target years 11 and over go someway towards developing an interest in these areas, but work needs to begin well before year 11. Many students are making career choices in late primary school and very early secondary school.”

Wills’ and Sutcliffe’s study outlines the sort of initiatives that were used during a similar shortage from 1999 to mid 2001 and suggests a wide variety of methods to alleviate the issue. Collaboration between tertiary institutions, government and industry is high on the list.

“Industry can help by promoting IT careers,” says Wills. “Internships, scholarships, graduate recruitment schemes, summer employment are also very useful vehicles that benefit students and industry. Retention schemes, share options, work variety, and mentoring have proved popular in the past. Referral programmes offering rewards to staff who recommend new employees is also something that we might see again.

No one technique will guarantee success according to Mr Sutcliffe. “In the long term anticipating workforce skill needs, promotion of IT careers and well aligned training are the keys to sustaining this vital skill set,” says Sutcliffe.

WelTec has seen an increase in recent months of industry contacting them asking for graduates, or students to do part-time work. “This contact is vital,” says Sutcliffe, “as is constant alignment of training and education to industry needs. It is important that we work on this issue together.”

[Ends]

Murray Wills is former Head of the School of Information Technology at WelTec. He is currently a Director of Lower Hutt based Business and IT Consultancy, Maxsys Consulting.

Robert Sutcliffe is a Programme Manager in the School of Information Technology at the Wellington Institute of Technology.

If you would like to read the academic version then please go to the following link:

NACCQ Conference 2005 Paper

Recent research shows many board members are increasingly turning to the CIO for insight and leadership in business change.

You can read more by checking out this link from Execitive Brief:

http://www.executivebrief.com/news/cios-will-take-lead-in-driving-business-change-survey-says/