IT Value Stack

Less Tech, More Policies

Pui-Wing Tam reminds us that "...it’s not always about throwing more tech at a problem. Instead, companies also need to rely on better IT policies and tech training." (The complete post: Promoting Less Tech But More Tech Policies.)

Spot on piece. The issue is that many CIOs believe they are judged on the delivery of IT systems rather than enabling users to do their job better. In their opinion what the users do on receipt of the system is their problem.

As an ex-developer I was appalled at how little attention was given to userware. I suspect the problem is that techies like technology as it is predictable. Users, with their analogue spectrum of attitudes, moods and learning compliancy, will be far too threatening for most digital-oriented technologists to handle.

Too Much Information

Ben Worthen writes It’s Official: There’s Too Much Information. 

My take: There is only too much information if some of the information isn't contributing to making better business decisions. I am sure Wal-Mart's 1 billion records per hour helps it to understand the buying trends of the market. The danger comes when the data is captured on the off chance it might be used, or because the CIO feels that it is what the users are likely to want without consulting them.

Strictly speaking the issue is too much data. Information is what you infer from the data. Though admittedly beyond a certain point the benefits of information discovery yield a diminishing return in business advantage.

IT and the Future of Oil

There are many influential people across the globe who believe that the availability of oil against demand has peaked and that we are now hurtling uncontrollably towards what might be called the post hydrocarbon man' period where the oil based goods and services we have taken for granted become only affordable to a limited few. Given the role the IT industry has in the consumption of oil through component development and operational delivery, it is appalling to see how off the pace we are in the data centre.

Only market forces will stimulate a change in this situation. Users will eventually boycott organisations with poor green credentials as will corporate buyers. But it is taking time to come into effect.

I would like to see a smarter relationship between business and society. Rather than pump all that surplus heat out into the atmosphere, why not set one's data centres up next to, for example, sports centres? The excess heat could be used to heat the swimming pool. Or funnel the excess heat into some type of biosphere construction thus enabling the production of tropical fruit in non-tropical countries. Just a thought.

(For more on this you may want to read Lean & Green — Reducing Energy Drain for IT Business Gain)