strategic planning process

The Ten Common Myths of I.T.

"A company runs on information, not data."
				be developed inexpensively, if not free.To
- Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONYou've heard them				some companies, technology is purchased more
all before. They particularly arise whenever				as the latest

				status symbol, as opposed to its
quality work is required or when				practicality. It is purchased more
organization and management control
				to "keep up with the Jones'" than anything
is imposed. Of course, I'm talking about				else. What they don't realize
the ten common myths of
				is the Jones' are in as much trouble as they
I.T. Ten common rationalizations people in				are."A DBMS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR DATA BASE"I
the Information				remember meeting an I.T. Director from a
				large regional bank from the
Technology world turn to whenever their
authority or professionalism				U.S. southwest who insisted his company
				didn't have a data base. What he
is challenged. They are neither new or
limited to a specific				meant to say was he didn't have a DBMS (Data
				Base Management System). With the
geographical location. They have been
around as long as the modern				propagation of DBMS packages in the field,
				most companies now sincerely believe
computer and they transcend all cultural and
industrial boundaries. What's				a DBMS is a prerequisite for data base.
				Although DBMS software offers
worse, they have proven to be effective.The
following is the ten most popular myths in				tremendous leverage for file management, it
the field. Obviously, it				is far from being a mandate for

is not all inclusive. It is simply the ten				data base.All companies have a data base,
most commonly used:				some are managed, most are not. A data

OUR PROBLEMS ARE UNIQUEWE NEVER SEEM TO HAVE				base is nothing more than a collection of
ENOUGH TIME TO DO THINGS RIGHTYOU ARE				all of the data required to produce
STIFLING OUR CREATIVITYSYSTEM DESIGN IS AN
ART FORMTECHNOLOGY WILL SOLVE OUR PROBLEMSA				information. Obviously, this definition
DBMS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR DATA BASETHERE IS				transcends the computer. It is a
AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF DATA IN AN
ORGANIZATIONOUR COMPANY RUNS ON DATAUSERS OWN				recognition that data is a resource which
THE DATAUSERS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT				must be managed like any other

Let's look past the facade of each of these				resource; e.g., money, people, materials,
for a moment and				etc.A DBMS offers great capability when
				managing data stored on mass storage
see what they really mean."OUR PROBLEMS ARE
UNIQUE"This is perhaps the most popular of				devices. But it must be realized that data
the myths and is probably				is used throughout an entire

used to pacify the ego of I.T. Management.				organization, in manual and computer
I discovered it				applications, in a variety of files

several years ago when I happened to do some				(manual, tape, microfiche, disk, etc.).
consulting for three				Data Base Administration

separate companies from the United States,				activities typically cover only the data
Japan and Brazil. In all				used by a DBMS. What is necessary is

three instances, the I.T. Managers insisted				a higher level position that manages all of
their problems were				the data, regardless of where used

unique to their company. They pointed at				or how stored. The Data Management function
the overwhelming pressure				should behave in a manner similar

they operated under, uncooperative users,				to Materials Management, Financial
insensitive management,				Management, and Human Resource Management.
				This
and some cultural constraints. The
parallelism was incredible. Here				is the Achilles' Heal for most I.T.
				organizations, the failure to recognize
were three separate companies,
geographically separated by thousands				data as a valuable and re-useable
				resource.To compound problems further, even
of miles, all of which describing the same				when DBMS technology is introduced
problems, yet viewing
				to a company, it is rarely used effectively.
themselves as unique.In studying this				Instead of utilizing a DBMS
further, I discovered most companies share
				to share data among applications, most apply
the same problems, such as:A. A substantial				it as an access method only.I conservatively
backlog of user requests (three to five years				estimate less than 5% of all I.T.
seems				organizations

to be the norm).B. Poor communications				in the world have successfully implemented a
internally within the I.T. staff				managed data base environment,

and externally with end-users.C. Project				DBMS or not."THERE IS AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF
cost overruns and slipped schedules.D.				DATA IN AN ORGANIZATION"Some people would
Employee dependencies to maintain and support				have you believe there is an inordinate
systems.E. Hardware/Software dependencies;				number of
systems are tied too closely
				unique data elements used in an organization
to a particular vendor, making upgrading				and to catalog and control
difficult.F. Redundant data throughout an
organization (we know of one state				them is a mammoth undertaking (therefore, we
				shouldn't waste our time). Instead
government who conservatively estimated
NET-PAY is calculated				of documenting a data element and re-using
				this intelligence,
at least 100 different ways).G. Lack of
adequate documentation (thus providing job				people typically redefine data with each
security for				application. This leads to

the staff).H. High staff turnover.I.				inconsistent definitions and redundant work
Design inconsistencies.J. Systems personnel				effort. But worst of all,
clash with data base personnel.K.
Information Systems do not meet users				it makes implementing a change to a data
needs.L. DBMS is used as nothing more than				element extremely complicated.In reality,
an elegant access method.M. Data is tied too				there is a finite number of data elements in
closely to applications, making change				any given
difficult.Bottom-line, I.T. organizations
suffer from low productivity				organization, probably in the neighborhood
				of 3,000 to 5,000. And although
and poor performance. Inevitably they end
up in a "fire-fighting" mode				it is no small effort to document the data,
				it is a wise investment in the
of operation constantly patching problems.
However, the problem here is				future. Once it is defined, a data element
				can be re-used in multiple
the chief fire-fighters are also the
principal arsonists. It is				applications, which leads to a shared data
				base environment. Capturing this
unfortunate the "fire-fighters" enjoy higher
visibility than those				intelligence must evolve over time with each
				application, it cannot be
who work quietly in a methodical manner.
This is a situation where the				captured over night."OUR COMPANY RUNS ON
				DATA"This is one of the most naive statements
guilty are promoted and the innocent are				in the business, one
prosecuted.Instead of imposing management
discipline and control, I.T. managers				rooted in ignorance. The person using this
				expression obviously
resign themselves to a life of chaos. It is
no small wonder their average				doesn't grasp the inherent differences
				between data and information. They
tenure in office is less than three
years."WE NEVER SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO				are not synonymous. The differences are
DO THINGS RIGHT"This implies "we have plenty				simply too numerous to list
of time to do things wrong." There
				here but essentially Data by itself is
is an interesting relationship between the				meaningless; it is the representation
quality of a product
				of a fact or an event. It is the raw
and the speed by which it is developed.				material by which information is
This phenomenon is true of
				produced. Contrary to this, Information is
any product being built.The faster the				the intelligence or insight
delivery of a product, the greater the
chances are				gained from processing data to support
				specific business functions.A company runs on
for inferior quality. The slower the				information, not data. In fact, information
delivery, the greater the chances				is the

are for superior quality. Neither extreme				most important asset a company has. All
is acceptable; an even balance				actions and decisions are

must be maintained to assure one doesn't				predicated on information. Organizations
have an adverse effect on				progress when the impact of

the other.Instead of developing a long range				good actions and decisions outweighs the
plan that incorporates an information				impact of bad actions and

strategy, management nurtures the problem by				decisions. Information gives us the means
saying they need everything				to make these actions and

"yesterday." Software vendors prey on				decisions.Those who do not understand the
companies like this by offering miracle				differences between information and

products (e.g., CASE, 4GL, program				data are probably the same people who do not
generators, etc.) promising to accelerate				understand the differences

development while producing quality results.				between an information system and computer
Without the appropriate				software."USERS OWN THE DATA"This is a
				typical attitude found in companies who do
management environment, they deliver neither				not
and compound problems
				understand the concept of managing data as a
further. These tools concentrate on				resource. In this
efficiency, not effectiveness. Before
				situation, data is jealously guarded by each
you can streamline your operation, you must				user. As a
first know what you are doing."YOU ARE
STIFLING OUR CREATIVITY"This scapegoat is a				consequence, redundant files and
favorite among the "techy set." It is a				applications are the norm. The
defensive
				sooner you get past this stage, the better
expression that springs up whenever				off your organization
discipline or change is mentioned. What
				will be.Does the Controller "own" the money?
is ironic is these same people do not				Does the Human Resources Manager
hesitate to reorganize a user's
				"own" the employees? Does the Materials
department. The hypocrisy is incredible.				Manager "own" the parts?
Systems people, who are supposed
				Of course not; they simply administer the
to be the agents of change in an				resource. A comparable
organization, are the most resistant to
it."SYSTEM DESIGN IS AN ART FORM"Closely				position to manage data resources must also
related to the "stifling" myth is the view of				be created."USERS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY
system design				WANT"Translation: "I don't know what I'm
				doing so I'll just keep hacking
as an exotic art form. Most systems
developers like to be viewed as				away at the problem." This type of comment
				is a sign the person
free-spirited souls who do not like to be
encumbered with organization,				is not properly trained in Systems Analysis.
				Users didn't get their job
discipline and accountability. The fact is,
many of these so-called				by default; they must know a little bit
				about their end of the business,
"Rembrandts" are nothing more lousy house
painters. They hide behind				otherwise they are not going to have it for
				long. The problem typically
the mystique of their technology in the
hopes it will conceal their				stems from the analyst's inability to define
				business problems, specify
poor performance.Systems design is a proven
and teachable science. This is not to				information requirements and to effectively
				communicate with the
suggest science lacks creativity. For
example, there is considerable				user. Instead of asking how the user wants
				to view their screen,
creativity in the sciences of architecture,
engineering, music, etc. Science				try to understand their problem first. An
				elegant solution to the wrong
simply establishes the governing principals
and rules to be observed				problem solves nothing. Only when the
				Systems Analyst can walk in the
in your work."TECHNOLOGY WILL SOLVE OUR
PROBLEMS"This is more of a train of thought				moccasins of the user, does the analyst have
as opposed to an actual				the right to build a system

expression. It is based on the belief that				for the user.CONCLUSIONYou would think after
hardware and software will				forty years of promoting these myths,

correct all of the ills and ineffectiveness				we could invent some new ones that are a
of the company. The belief				little more imaginative. The

that technology, not management, will solve				fact they have survived this long is
problems is just as prevalent				indicative that management is

today as it was when the computer was first				still not facing up to their problems and
introduced.It is fascinating to watch				are still baffled by
companies throw millions of dollars at
				technical gobbledegook.Tim Bryce is the
solving a problem through technology, yet				Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates
balk at spending money for				(MBA)

management, a sort of "penny-wise and pound				of Palm Harbor, Florida and has 30 years of
foolish" mentality. Corporate				experience in the field.

management genuinely believes that I.T,				He is available for training and consulting
management controls and tools can				on an international basis.

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The Ten Common Myths of I.T.