How to be Taken Seriously as a Business Partner
Part of my job consists of working with General Managers & Managing Directors, talking about process and technology projects, and how we might leverage internal and external resources. I am…
IBM Marketing Message Muddle
Just an observation from the past week; I had a meeting with an IBM Sales Team, reviewing a range of products as they work to understand where IBM might help…
A Surprising Problem with SaaS/Cloud: Long-Term Cost Trends
When considering SaaS and Cloud solutions, you need to anticipate and acknowledge this important difference from on-premise systems; your ability to manage cost may be severely reduced.
SQDC for Enterprise IT – Cost, Next Steps
First in a series of posts on presenting a summarized view of Corporate IT using SQDC-style KPIs - a Lean Management-inspired way of speaking in a language your Manufacturing Operations teams will understand.
SQDC for Enterprise IT – Introduction, Safety
First in a series of posts on presenting a summarized view of Corporate IT using SQDC-style KPIs - a Lean Management-inspired way of speaking in a language your Manufacturing Operations teams will understand.
Ten Bucks in Ten Minutes
I really do like networking events - group meetings with other with other IT professionals, discussing topics of common interest, with a reasonable amount of vendor / consultant-sponsored gentle selling,…
Reading for Understanding – Business
You are only as good as what you know, and half of what you know comes from books Truth be told, it's not an original thought - I heard it…
Developing an IT Strategy: Timing
In some companies, IT struggles to find a voice amid the other functional areas of the business - Finance, Operations, Sales and Marketing, even Human Resources. "Business Alignment", a regular…
Coffee Shop IT
A practical analogy for operating your IT function "like a business", with emphasis on design, usability, sustainability, and rigor. Think of your team as the boutique consulting firm that it really can be. The real payoff comes when you focusing on the built-in advantages of the internal team ...
How to Draw an Owl
On Documentation One recent afternoon I found myself in deep conversation with potential consulting partners, holding out for a difficult requirement: "Excellent Documentation". That's a tough one to quantify, let…