Page 17 - DCAP307_PLANNING_AND_MANAGING_IT_INFRASTRUCTURE

Unit 1: IT for Managers

Notes
Did u know? Risk mitigation and resource management among IT projects fall under the IT
manager’s purview.

1.5.3 Why All Change and Flexibility is Good?

The position of IT Manager can be very challenging. It is extremely varied in scope, allows you
to come in contact with a large portion of your company, provides you with opportunities to
directly affect the overall direction of your organisation, and is excellent professional experience
to acquire. In addition, you get to increase your range of experience; you are forced to (and get
to) keep up with the latest changes in technology (so your skill set will always be in demand);
and your network of contacts gets large.
As important as all that is, there is an added bonus: In recent years, IT has taken on a strategic
value in the roles companies play in the new economy. Information Technology is now a critical
component of many companies and the U.S. economy: “IT is the fastest growing sector in the
economy with a 68% increase in output growth rate expected between 2002 and 2012 (U.S.
Bureau of Labour Statistics).” Not only is your job interesting and rewarding, it is also very
important. Dependence on technology is only growing, and issues like security and compliance
are making IT more visible throughout the organisation. What more could you ask for?

1.5.4 Why All Change and Flexibility is Bad?

On the other hand, being an IT Manager is a difficult, often thankless, task. Like many service
jobs, if you do it superbly, most people don’t notice. In addition, the responsibilities differ
radically from company to company. Some companies actually have many IT Managers and
several layers of management. At others (and this number is shrinking), an IT Manager is a part-
time role which someone fills while doing their “real” job.
In addition, the role of an IT Manager can often vary widely within an organisation, depending
on who is making the decisions at the time. While the techniques might vary, the “Western
Region Sales Manager” knows what his or her role is — get more sales as soon as possible — and
that isn’t going to vary much from company to company. An IT Manager, on the other hand, can
mean many things to many people and the job changes as technology and needs advance and
evolve. Addressing all these needs and people can mean that time for “extras” like sleep and
meals have to be sacrificed.
As a manager, everyone else’s crises become yours. People (your users, your staff, etc.) are
demanding quick resolutions to problems, and are looking to you to fix them.

1.5.5 The Value of IT Managers

IT is a brave new world to many of today’s corporations. Many executives now know how to use
Word, Excel, e-mail, and their handheld Blackberry, but some have little or no understanding of
the deeper, more complex issues involved in IT. They imagine IT to be a powerful but complex
world where rewards can be magically great and risks are frighteningly terrible. These executives,
and their corporations, need professionals to both explain and execute in this new world. This is
where you come in.
You can leverage your technical knowledge, experience, and interests with your company’s
direct proût and loss requirements. Together, you and your company can provide a powerful
business combination. Alone, your individual skills and passions can wither into arcane interests,
and your business expertise can build models relevant to an economic world decades in the past.

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