How to overcome the Top 5 IT issues that get in your way

Image via Wikipedia

 

Issue #1:  Money

 

Current IT buzz words rule the blogosphere Cloud computing, outsourcing, and of course…virtualization.  But trending topics aside, at the end of the day it’s the key business priorities that ultimately take precedence.  

The primary responsibility of every IT staff is to deliver critical business infrastructure to support and serve the institutional mission.

And the number one issue that universally plagues all organizations is the big bad “B” word (otherwise known as budget).

1. Funding

IT decision makers have always struggled with needs vs. wants budget. Acquiring the newest and latest technology will inevitably conflict with the bottom line, but the last few years have thrown a fork wrench into this debate, completely changing the paradigm of IT spending.  With the onslaught of the global economic crisis, the question is not “what do we need?” but more along the lines of, “what can we cut out of our infrastructure and still survive?”

The challenge for the foreseeable future then, is to reduce technology budgets, while at the same time enhancing effectiveness.

Thus the question of limited means, real priorities and allocation of resources takes on greater significance.

• Has the IT organization defined an operating and capital budget, within the overall company plan that identifies priorities, basic necessities for growth, and the fiscal bottom line?
• Has the IT organization openly discussed consolidation strategy with all departments’ campus wide?
• Has the IT organization approached each department and had the conversation to better comprehend perceived technology needs and services that are highly valued?
• Is there a framework for institutional priorities for IT, recognizing true financial limitations?
• Are IT leaders willing to identify, promote and seek company wide consensus to obtain additional funds if they believe they are strategically necessary?

 

Reducing Cost and Increasing Flexibility with a Single Server Platform for Both

Telephony and Enterprise Networks

End-to-end solutions to streamline workflow, cut paper waste and lower cost

See next post for: Issue #2: Security

Related articles

• Cloud Computing and Mobility Top Priority List For Australian and New Zealand CIOs in 2011 (gartner.com)
• Keeping Your IT Training Budget in Check [Leslie Allan] (ecademy.com)