Slashdot Mirror
Creating an IS Department?
brainee28 asks: "I work in the IS department for a manufacturer in Arizona (a
one-man-show). I do mostly everything; from systems, to networks, to procurement, to implementation. I can't mention who I work for since we deal
with government contracts. My problem is this: The company didn't start out with an IS department. Up until 6 years ago, a few computers were scattered around, but processes and business was still being done the old-fashioned way (with paper). When the IS department was started, it was started by a hobbyist (he was named
IS Manager before I showed up), who knew nothing about management or any of
the major issues that befall a traditional IS dept. I joined 6 years ago
(I have 5 years of IS Management experience, and 15 years of experience
with IS in general) with the idea that I would be managing day-to-day
operations. That has still not come to pass. The hobbyist left the company
4 years ago, and I've been on my own ever since." What is the best way for new IS managers to convince their superiors of the need for widespread change?
"Management views IS as a facilities function; computers are a tool, and
only a tool. I presented a proposal to them about 2 weeks ago which
completely negates that and several other ideas they've had about IS.
Management accepted the proposal; however I'm now faced with additional
mountains to climb.
I have 3 things that management and I currently don't see eye to eye on:
1) The main job of IS is connectivity. Connectivity is the core of why we have IS. Anything else is extraneous, and I shouldn't be dealing with it.
2) IS involvement in other divisions isn't necessary. IS is involved with other divisions when physical products get connected to the network, but not before. Software should be evaluated by IS only when it becomes necessary for purchase and implementation, not before. Any developed piece of software (we have an in-house programmer in accounting who uses Access -- I know, I know...) should be evaluated by IS when the software is ready to install.
3)I'm too overloaded. With 93 permanent users and 110 workstations (some are floaters), I can't do both systems work and admin work (my title is Systems Administrator, but I carry no management authority) on my own. My proposal stated the need for the creation of staff (a tech and a clerk). Management thinks because things are running, I have no issues, but I'm falling apart from all I have to do to keep things running. I need to offset the load so I can do more of the 'bigger picture' things to help guide this company out of the IS dark ages. (We have no CTO or CIO; Management is made up of engineers from different disciplines)
How would Slashdot users attack this? I've done my Google searches; went back to traditional books from Barnes and Noble; and even contacted my alma mater, Northern Arizona University, to find some answers. How would you prove the need for change on these three points? Can I institute change here?"
I have 3 things that management and I currently don't see eye to eye on:
1) The main job of IS is connectivity. Connectivity is the core of why we have IS. Anything else is extraneous, and I shouldn't be dealing with it.
2) IS involvement in other divisions isn't necessary. IS is involved with other divisions when physical products get connected to the network, but not before. Software should be evaluated by IS only when it becomes necessary for purchase and implementation, not before. Any developed piece of software (we have an in-house programmer in accounting who uses Access -- I know, I know...) should be evaluated by IS when the software is ready to install.
3)I'm too overloaded. With 93 permanent users and 110 workstations (some are floaters), I can't do both systems work and admin work (my title is Systems Administrator, but I carry no management authority) on my own. My proposal stated the need for the creation of staff (a tech and a clerk). Management thinks because things are running, I have no issues, but I'm falling apart from all I have to do to keep things running. I need to offset the load so I can do more of the 'bigger picture' things to help guide this company out of the IS dark ages. (We have no CTO or CIO; Management is made up of engineers from different disciplines)
How would Slashdot users attack this? I've done my Google searches; went back to traditional books from Barnes and Noble; and even contacted my alma mater, Northern Arizona University, to find some answers. How would you prove the need for change on these three points? Can I institute change here?"
Im going to chime in with complete agreement with this. A single person providing services to @100 users is insane. Take a week off work ill (I think something stress related would be appropriate) and if they arnt phoning you on the Friday begging for you to come back and sort out issue X on Monday, take another week off. When you return, if they STILL dont realise the requirement for a properly manned department, start sending CVs out and let it become someone elses problem.
I sort of agree with you, but realistically, if you don't know, either on your own or through context clues, that IS stands for Information Systems, you shouldn't be responding to this guy's question anyway.
Maybe. But that is not an attitude to take if you really want people to spend time to answer your questions. I need to gauge fairly quickly if I know anything that I can contribute, or if I want to read on and learn something from the thread. If I have to read a pagefull or two to learn what it is about, it lessens the chances I will find it worth the bother.
So it is more of his problem, than mine.
And why couldn't IS by Information Security or Internet Services or... well you get it, many acronyms are potentially overloaded to the degree that it is not easy to dismiss all but one as unreasonable.
Speaking of reasonability, now that you have spelled out Information Systems for me -- what the h*ck is that? Really? What does an IS dept do that an IT dept doesn't? (Information Technology...whatever *that* is...)