Every now and then, it’s useful to look further back than just the last 10 or 20 years of technology. There are some concerning themes that lead to the conclusion that IT has never truly solved its core issues. Instead, the industry tends to repackage existing solutions as new technologies, obscuring the uncomfortable truth that IT is doomed to repeat the same problems it has always faced.
It’s important to recognize that “Systems and Procedures” departments existed long before computers, functioning for several decades. Their role was to design, simplify, and measure business processes. They created procedures that detailed vast amounts of transactions to be recorded manually by clerks (human operators) in ledgers (databases) or journals (logs), which were then stored in shelves and cabinets (filesystems) under lock and key (security) – collectively forming systems. The methods they devised were meticulously documented as repeatable scripts for setting up, recovering, and operating business processes. These principles still form the backbone of IT today.
IT enables business processes
Can you explain how the project you are currently working on benefits your business?
The primary reason businesses adopted computers back in the 1960s was to automate their processes. The role of the Electronic Data Management function was to consolidate redundant data.
It is essential to trace the work back to its purpose. What is the purpose of you and your team? How can you adjust your success measurements to align with broader goals instead of focusing solely on the specific tasks at hand?
Systems are not technology
The ‘Systems and Procedures’ department used to have a clear understanding that a system is a combination of processes, data, and how these are utilized by people. However, as IT has evolved, there is now little to no mention of the broader system that includes IT. When the term ‘system’ is used today, it often refers to a specific technology component or software program rather than the overall business system. While the ‘Systems and Procedures’ department focused on business operations, IT has primarily been introspective, concentrating more on itself.
It is important to recognize how technological changes impact processes and people, and how these factors influence the solutions being developed. Testing should not end with functional tests and the release to production; it should continue through feedback from real users, on an ongoing basis.
How to think big
The frequency of transformation within industries is reportedly increasing, with industrial revolutions occurring at a faster rate. However, the magnitude of these changes seems to be decreasing. So, what does this mean for your business? Many companies advocate for the principle of “Think Big, Start Small,” yet few consistently adhere to this approach. Instead, execution often resembles “Start Small, Stay Small.” In this scenario, work is divided into small components that are executed separately, resulting in incremental changes that are released quickly but lack true transformative impact.
It’s essential to maintain a “BIG” perspective. This means understanding how technological changes ripple through operational practices and ultimately influence the customer ecosystem. Additionally, it involves recognizing how customer behaviors and evolving strategies affect business processes and the technologies needed to support them. This is a two-way street.
Take a step back to evaluate whether you are merely making ineffective practices more efficient, rather than creating an effective ecosystem. To retain a “BIG” vision, customer experience expertise must be integrated with business process know-how and product knowledge within Product Ownership.
Data has always existed
Data itself is not the new oil—just ask those in the EDM (Electronic Document Management) functions of the 1960s. They understood that data was essential for success, but they also recognized that they faced a significant issue with data redundancy, a problem that still persists today. Their goal was to consolidate data and make it accessible to the business. In reality, however, they only provided a more streamlined method for accessing subsets of their existing data.
Data has always been at the core of business processes. The fact that IT can now manage a wider variety of data does not mean that this data is new.
Security is important
Cybersecurity is a crucial part of overall security. It’s important to address both aspects—cyber and physical—rather than focusing solely on one. This includes considering physical security measures and the behavioral traits of individuals. No amount of cybersecurity can prevent people from using default passwords, and historically, it hasn’t. Additionally, no cybersecurity measures will stop someone from carelessly disposing of millions of user records in a dumpster behind the building, or from unknowingly allowing unauthorized individuals with generic white badges into secure areas.
While cybersecurity is obviously important, focusing exclusively on technology ignores the broader context within which it operates. Penetration testers understand that their evaluations must encompass physical security, user behavior, and technological configurations.
