I’m David Knott. I’ve been working in enterprise technology for over forty years and I’m still learning. This blog is based on mistakes, failures, lessons and some things I find interesting:
The change *is* the system
What do you think of when you think of computer systems? Do you think of a fixed set of features and functions, designed to meet a particular purpose, which changes steadily over time as a result of planned projects or essential maintenance? Or do you think of a dynamic process of continuous change, which adapts to meet a set of needs and opportunities revealed through practice and experience?
Many people who have worked in systems development for a while would favour the second definition: they recognise that a computer system is never ‘done’ and that its capacity for change is one of its most essential features. However, most organisations continue to construct investment plans, portfolios and even balance sheets as if the first definition was correct: IT systems are fixed assets with defined purposes which are built through upfront investment and then depreciated over time.
Business sponsor translation service
It’s tough being the business sponsor of a technology initiative. You want to achieve an outcome; you are responsible for achieving that outcome; it’s your budget that is being spent; and you will be judged on the result. But you are dependent on people you don’t know, concepts that you don’t understand, products that you may never even see, and suppliers that you have never met.
Given how tough the job is, it seems like a good idea not to make it any tougher. However, because business sponsors are rarely experts in technology, they often accidentally make their jobs tougher without realising – sometimes just by saying a few words. Because business sponsors are senior leaders, the things they say have consequences: they prompt the people around them to take action. And, if the sponsor says the wrong things, those actions will be counter-productive.
Coping with volatility: don't panic; seek truth; release frequently
If you’re in the last stages of a multi-year digital delivery programme, then you probably feel frazzled. That’s the normal condition of late stage programme teams. If your programme has coincided with the last five years (five year digital delivery programmes are still a thing) then you must feel frazzled to a historic degree.