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IT Departments Fear Growing Expertise of Users
flatfilsoc recommends a long article in CIO magazine on users who know too much and the IT leaders who fear them. Dubbing the universe of consumer technology the "shadow IT department," the article highlights the extent to which the boundary between users' workplace and home have broken down. It notes the increasing clash — familiar to anyone who works in a company with an IT department — between users' home-grown productivity boosters and IT's mandate to protect corporate data. The inherent tendency of the IT department to want to crack down and control technology that it doesn't supply should be resisted at all costs, according to CIO. The article outlines strategies for co-existence. It just might persuade some desperate CIO somewhere not to embark on a career-limiting path of decreeing against gmail and IM.
Somebody says they are an 'expert user', we have them take the Trancender 70-270 practice test for Windows XP. If they can pass it with an 80+ score, we give them local admin rights or put them in an approved OU.
It is part of our SLA, and if anyone bitches, we just point them at the contract.
Having seen the hundreds of various ways an enduser can fuck up their data, this is one thing we DO NOT bend on. I have never had a CEO or CIO complain about this clause, and to date, out of maybe 20 users testing, NONE passed with even a 50 score.
User says they're expert? Make them prove it.
How about;
*To lighten the load a bit. What's wrong with a pic of your youngest child as wallpaper?
*Because work impinges more and more into our personal lives. How about a bit of reciprocation?
*To work around a stupid/incompetant/lazy IT dept/admin so I can get my work done productively
*Because I can/because it's there (Come on, a geek should understand this one.
Agreed. What need does a biller have in hooking up their IPOD to their work PC? Why would a clientservices-phone jockey need to hook up their USB memory stick? Why would a transcriptionist need access msn/hotmail/yahoomail?
...and nope I won't be working there if I have any alternative. Thanks for playing.
Yes. What need does a biller have for any kind of entertainment. I say ban newspapers, radios etc. too. While we're at it let's monitor toilet brakes. Oh and most employees stay back late anyway but there are a few stragglers. Let's cut their lunch hour in half and extend the working week to 12 hours 6 days a week. Ah hell lets make it 7 days a week. Worker's don't really need to have families or social lives.
Now would you want to work there? Are you going to do a wonderful job and slave away or are you going to go slow? If there's a shortage of billers and there are better working conditions elsewhere would you hesitate to leave?
*IF* however, you have federal and or state guidelines you MUST follow with regards to protecting identity and health information, then sorry pals, your workstation is locked down. Nope -- no unauthorized memory sticks. Nope, no internet access -- other than white listed work related sites. Nope, no access to install software.
I've had users ask me for permission to install some "app" they like to use. The simple answer is "no" and I don't want to waste my breath re-hashing the same reasons. So I say "No. Check your employee handbook, page 12 for why" and walk away. I'm not going to have anyone of my guys jump through paperwork hoops to keep CAP or CLIA or MediCal happy so someone can have their computer go "ding" at a certain time using their favorite software.
Wonder what your retention rate is there? Wonder how often your denial of requests have actually prevented someone from doing their job effectively? Now imagine that you want to install a new network monitoring app and your boss says "nope, read page 12...blah blah blah".
Have you ever considered you're simply an inconsiderate asshole with the people skills of a small mole rat?
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
I sincerely hope there's a secure lock on the door to the server room. And I hope it has a 'night latch' feature so you can't prop it open. You'd better remember to always carry a key, because otherwise you're locked out. Also, that administration password is powerful. I hope you're changing it every two days. And if anybody, ever, sees you writing it down anywhere, I hope you're fired for it.
Now: please bring another box of paper up to the printer room, IT dude. Chop-chop now.