Bucking Industry Orthodoxy - Enough IT B.S.

It never ceases to amaze me the incredible degrees of complete stupidity that come out of my industry. I'm not talking about the technology or the gadgets! Specifically I mean the technology management philosophies that pervade.For far too long, enterprise IT department have acted like tech dictators who are the final arbiters of what tech tools are available to the wretched masses. But every once in a while, I read osmething that gives me the smallest inkling of hope.

CIO Update released an article calling for business goals to drive technology decisions! Halleluiah! I wanted to cheer when I first read the article. Someone somewhere is finally waking up and smelling the nonsense the tech industry has been shoveling.

For years, big businesses have sought the Holy Grail of business-technology alignment. In this ideal utopian state, technology would empower and support business strategy and growth. Sounds simple, right? And yet, according to studies, 68% of business IT projects fail to achieve their goals! Why? Because the IT department never understood the real business goals and strategy.

Until IT listens to business goals and understands the overall strategy, we will never be able to implement tools that support those goals. Until IT stops being a hindrance and starts acting like a partner, they will continue to see failed projects, declining pay and loss of jobs.

If you are interested in tech-business alignment, call us for a technology evaluation. We will review your systems and practices and recommend improvements to help propel your business into the 21st Century.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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When to Walk Away from a Problem Customer

Just as in personal relationships, there are toxic business relationships. I should have known this one would be trouble from the beginning.

This soon-to-be former customer had just moved into a new office space. They moved all their existing computers, servers and other equipment into the new space and just needed someone to connect everything and get it working with the new internet connection. This job usually takes half-a-day to complete. I was retained two weeks ago and so far only 1 computer is connected to anything!

Some of the warning signs:

1. The business owner was never on time for any meetings.
2. The office manager was the rudest woman I've met in years.
3. The deposit check bounced.
4. No one had any ideas about user names or passwords for any device on the network.
5. Office staff has zero discipline -- people showed up for work when they damn well pleased.
6. The governing management method can be summarized as "bully, threaten and scream."
7. Contradicting instructions from everyone I spoke with.
8. The business owner was more interested in recounting his latest sexual conquest than working.
9. On the 2nd day of the contract, I was accused of being a thief and a liar by the office manager. For the record, I'm still not sure what I stole or lied about.
10. The owner's interior decorator spent 2 hours telling me the right way to set up a network.

I could keep writing but I think you get the point. You have to know when to walk away. In this case, I'm not walking -- I'm running like hell.







R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Gaming the System - Why Metrics Fail

“What gets measured, gets managed.” – Peter Drucker

Ever since Dr. Drucker's insight, businesses have tried to measure every element of human productivity. Entire industries have been born the help businesses better measure and track results. The theory is that the more you measure, the more you can manage.

But there's a problem with this logic.

Some of the best examples of this failure can be seen in the actions of the U.S. government. The most egregious example which comes to mind was back in 2004 when the Bush Administration reclassified fast food workers. Under the old classification, flipping burgers at McDonald's was considered a service job, but since 2004 it is now considered a manufacturing job. This allowed Bush and his cronies to claim they created 2.6 million new manufacturing jobs in 2004!

Nonsense. They didn't any create jobs -- they simply changed the way they measured those jobs and saw a huge political boost because of it.

The danger of any metric is that people will always try to game the system. They will find new and creative ways to make the metrics look better. Management will smile and look the other way because the inflated numbers make them look good too. This devolves into a downward spiral until those numbers are completely meaningless.

Don't think you're business is immune. We all do it to some degree whether it's understating your weight or padding sales figures. The only protection is to cross verify your metrics and to reward honesty.

First and foremost, don't develop complex metrics. Simple, easily verifiable metrics work best. That means avoiding some of the more expensive metrics software packages that are out there. Instead, focus on home-grown metrics that really make a difference to your business.

If you need help identifying metrics, give me a call. (305) 423-9574

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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A SOPA Recap

After a furious rush of online activism, the SOPA/PIPA legislation in the United States was shelved. In short, this legislation would have allowed police agencies to remove websites they deemed to violate copyright laws from the domain name system.

At it's heart, this was a poorly thought out law. Just because you eliminate my Dot Com name doesn't mean you eliminate access to my web pages. The internet works on Internet Protocol addresses which the Domain Name System converts from machine addresses into the familiar .com names that are easily remembered by mere mortals. However, SOPA/PIPA did nothing to eliminate your machine readable address -- meaning this was completely useless legislation since it would not stop those websites from sharing pirated content.

Those who follow me on Facebook know my stand on this legislation. Any law that is inherently unenforceable is a waste of time and money. But, my concerns run deeper.

However, what is of much, much larger concern is how this law seeks to subvert over 200 years of the Prosecutor's Burden, most specifically, the presumption of innocence.SOPA allowed law enforcement to remove your website from the domain name system without a trial or any other form of due process. Simply the suspicion that you were involved in copyright violations was enough to remove your domain. This is in complete violation of the principles of American jurisprudence.

Not surprisingly, I have also heard that RIAA and the other industry lobbying organizations that supported SOPA spent $1 billion to get this law passed. I wonder what might have happened if they had invested that money in innovation instead. Trying to stop online piracy is like bailing out the Titanic with a thimble.

Historically, powerful businesses when faced with seismic changes in their industries have sought the protection of Congress. With the out-sized influence of corporations on our politicians, this trend will continue. SOPA will not be the last we hear on this subject.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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3D Printers Are Coming to Ruin Your Business

Imagine being able to print anything you need when you need it. Right now, 3D printers are a cool and strange new technology with limited application. But like Kevin Kelly taught us, the questions you need to ask is what happens when the technology becomes ubiquitous. What happens when there is a 3D printer in every house, office, factory, shopping mall and daycare? How does everything change?

For some time now I have been saying that 3D printers are going to revolutionize the world (here & here). The impact of personal-scale manufacturing is enormous. Again -- imagine being able to make anything you need when you need it. It is mind-boggling.

The reason it's so hard to imagine that world is because we have always existed in a world of scarcity. We never have enough of what we want and acquiring them requires energy (time, money, work, etc). The concept of a world where we can have almost anything is too alien to conceive.

But unlike the newspapers and music studios who were woefully unprepared for the Internet, you have been forewarned. You are in a position to do something about it.

There is no such thing as a business that will not be impacted by personal manufacturing. Not one. Start planning for it now or risk becoming the next company steamrolled by new technology.

Call me and I will be happy to help. (305) 423-9574

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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