InformationWeek

July 7, 1998

Your letters to my print column and this E-mail forum ask some serious questions about managing information technology in today's world. Since today's world is essentially absurd, my serious responses may sometimes sound a little whimsical, and my occasional whimsical ones, serious. In any case, if you want to participate, write to me at lovelace@home.com. I'll respond to those letters that I can. I reserve the right to edit for size and content. Just sign your E-mail the way you want it to appear online.

Dear Herb:
I have a B.S. degree in computer science and am a programmer-analyst for an international company, where I work on a real-time airline application system (mainframes). I've been working on the same platform with different companies for the past eight years. My concern is that I am not picking up new skills because my job doesn't give me the time and exposure to learn new technologies.

Since I am developing a strong interest to get into project management, I thought a graduate program would help me grab the skills. If I am right, please advise me. What concentration is suitable for my experience and current interest? I need some advice in terms of keeping up with the latest software tools, too.

Thank you in advance.

Mo

Dear Mo:
There are multiple training courses available to you that provide the project-management skills you seek without requiring you to invest either the time or money involved in a graduate program. Your local university can send you a catalog of offerings and assist you in registering. Or, if you prefer, many professional organizations such as the American Management Association have programs to teach you the necessary expertise.

Regardless of which path you take, I would urge you to consider also a course in leadership techniques, since project managers need more than just knowledge of the technical tools if they're going to ensure that a project is coordinated and tracked properly.

You asked about keeping up with the latest in software tools. There is such a spectrum of technology in use today that it's impossible to become proficient in all the possible disciplines you might use. Instead, I suggest keeping abreast of the latest in the industry by reading the leading magazines in the field. I find InformationWeek to be an excellent source, and I would hold the same opinion even if I did not write for the publication.

One other thing to consider: You have been a programmer-analyst for eight years without ever getting an opportunity to become a project leader. Why do you think that is? It may be useful for you to sit down with your boss and ask that question. Perhaps you will find out some information that can help you in fine-tuning your next career steps.

Dear Herb:
I am so glad I found this section. Please help me. I need some good advice from a person like you. Here is my situation:

I am a hard-working team player who seems to keep missing promotions. There have been two project-manager positions and a team-leader position that I did not receive. The company is very aware of my career goals. At times, I feel they are trying to show their muscle and keep me in my place (writing programs, which is fine for some people, but not me).

My background is projects. I have been involved with a major ERP implementation and a large HR/PR implementation from "name-brand" companies, plus other small projects. I tried for a job at another company as an IS manager, but they felt I did not have enough experience because I am not a supervisor at my current company.

What am I doing wrong? Do you think it is my presentation skills? To add more fuel to the fire, I tried to transfer within the company and found out through the grapevine that my boss did not recommend me as a "good employee." Not to sound arrogant, but I am a good employee -- I'm very business-minded and I try to do what is right for the company.

I think it is time for me to move on, but I don't know how. I read about all these great careers and just dream that some day I will have one. Any good advice? I am 32 years old. I don't think this is too young to be a manager -- or am I wrong?

Thanks,

Leeza

Dear Leeza:
No, you are not too young to be a manager, but you have to determine first if it is the right job for you and, if it is, then how to get it. It is time to sit down and make a candid assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. To be hired as a manager in information technology you need to have either a track record as a manager or a demonstrated talent that would lead people to believe you will be successful in your first opportunity in such a position.

After you have done your own analysis, go and ask for the same assessment from the boss who you believe spoke poorly of you. Listen to what he or she has to say without arguing. You are there to learn, not contest what you hear.

Next, think about what you have heard and structure your resume to build on what you can offer your next employer. If the opinion of your boss carries a great deal of weight in your present company, you may not have a bright future where you are. It is possible that you may have to accept a lateral move so that you can make a fresh start.

Good luck and let me know how your make out with your career plans.

Dear Herb:
You've alluded to the "package solution" trend in several of your columns. In-house development as a strategic element is, in my view, becoming increasingly cost-prohibitive for many enterprises and is paving the way for package implementations. The ERP trends, the availability of better-quality solutions, the large (and growing) knowledge base in systems integration, etc., are all making packaged software more palatable.

My question is, have you found a best-practice process (or source) for the package-selection effort? I'm looking for a Web site, or birds-of-a-feather group (NOT a Big Six or big-bucks consultant) that specializes in the "marrying" of business challenges/opportunities with IT skills, business requirements definition, project planning/scope definition, business-case development, and investment analysis, in a way that lets the projects ultimately selected be managed (e.g., linkages and accountability built-in).

It's a process that should lend itself to a methodology (as has project management), given that it's repeatable, and its products could be reused and could be improved with each iteration.

Any thoughts?

J.T.

Dear J.T.
Wow. Sounds like you want the information technology equivalent of the Vegematic that used to be advertised on late-night TV: "It slices, it dices, it chops, it shreds, and all for only..."

In any case, first let me answer your question. Then let me tell you why I don't think you should put too much stock in my response to your request.

There are multiple sources for package-selection processes that do not require the use of "big bucks" consultants. The leading IT magazines frequently publish articles that discuss the selection process and how various companies have approached it.

You asked about Web sites. Since the biggest thing today in package selection is Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, you can get a great deal of information on the ERP supersite at http://www.erpsupersite.com. On the Supply-Chain Council page at http://www.supply-chain.org you can even obtain a supply-chain operations model, which will answer a number of questions.

Now that I've answered your question, here is why I think you should not put too much emphasis on using a published methodology. It is true that many consultants work off of a basic methodology. What they do is take their firm's cookbook for package selection and tailor it (hopefully) to the specific client. This customization is what the client is really paying for, whether or not they realize it. The real issue, however, is that package selection is probably the least important element in making the installation of a major project such as an enterprise resource planning system a success.

What I suggest you do is read the literature, visit the Web sites to get a feel for what are some of the important questions to ask, and then develop the methodology that fits your particular business conditions. Most important of all, talk to people about what they would do differently -- especially in the installation of ERP systems -- regardless of their choice of package. Make sure to read as many articles as you can about what is involved in changing the culture of a business so that the system meets the expectations of management. An excellent treatise on the subject is Tom Davenport's marvelous article "Putting The Enterprise Into The Enterprise System" in the July-August edition of the Harvard Business Review.

Dear Herb:
I am an equity analyst for a Virginia-based investment bank. I would really appreciate your opinion regarding an interesting business strategy proposed by a local software company. This company currently produces software that enables its customers to access various databases. The company's vision involves purchasing access to databases and packaging this access with the company's software. A simplified example of this strategy would involve the purchase of a specific doctor list maintained internally by Blue Cross/Blue Shield. As a result, customers of this software company would have access to a database formerly unavailable to them, Blue Cross/Blue Shield would make money without giving up much, and the software company would charge more for the software/database package.

Are other companies considering such an idea? What do you think about the plan's viability?

Sincerely,

Taylor M.

Dear Taylor:
I see two major flaws in the proposed business strategy. The first one is that the vast majority of companies that have the type of internal databases that you talk about would be very reluctant to ever let anyone outside of their own organization access them for security reasons. Trying to guarantee that the access would not be misused would require reworking of the authorization processes and would no doubt be a nightmare to the systems people involved. Once they explained the risks involved to their own senior management, it would take a very brave -- or a very foolhardy -- executive to approve participating in the business venture.

The second reason is far more important. The public outcry to the idea of companies' selling such data would be daunting. As you probably know, recently American Express got less that favorable publicity for a less intrusive business arrangement than the one you suggest.

I could be wrong, but I would not put my own money into such a venture.

Herbert W. Lovelace is CIO at a multibillion-dollar international company. Herb practices his day job under an alias and has changed the names of colleagues to protect the guilty.

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