Opinion: Taking IT shops from marginalized to virtualized

Computerworld - We've all heard the line about "realigning IT with the business," which is sort of like saying we want our "quarterback to face the proper end zone," or "We feel it's important that our striker stop kicking the ball sideways off the pitch" -- duh. But as crazy as that sounds, it's reality -- and it isn't getting better, it's getting worse.

Business thinks IT is slow and unresponsive. IT shops know that the business is totally unappreciative of the fact that while they want to support the business as much as possible, they are effectively doing so wearing handcuffs and chains. IT is like Houdini, the fact that it can get anything done is magic to me. Every year for 15 years the gap between the two has widened. Now it is about to fracture forever potentially.

The issue du jour is now instead of just complaining about IT, business units are making decisions and acting completely outside of IT with regards to Information Access applications and tools -- and then expecting IT to quickly provision and support those applications. Information Access applications include every business facing application -- from Word to a trading system to CRM to e-discovery. Priority 1 mandates -- such as regulatory compliance and legal, are especially hot now. Business critical applications -- those designed to extract incremental value from existing information -- are taking a backseat to the application of spit and chewing gum. IT shops are starting to remind me of those poor bastards in the engine room in Titanic.

The result is that IT is becoming further marginalized in the eyes of the business. IT is forced to say no to business requests, as it simply cannot bring new applications online in any short-term window because of legacy issues. As "hot" applications are brought online, they further stress IT resources as they tend to be implemented in a stovepipe fashion -- where the business unit only cares about that application but not in context to the impact it may have on other back-end IT operations. The business unit is therefore acquiring these tools and services, and handing them off to IT to support after the decisions have been made.

The situation today is becoming flammable. The business wants to be able to react to requirements quickly without having to be overly concerned for IT and its ability to deliver. The business unit wants known costs for known services in a known time frame -- and the ability to add or delete service levels based on costs and requirements. The business unit believes it is mandated to act, so as IT pushes back, the business unit moves ahead regardless.