What Can IT Do to Make Lemonade in a Sour Economy? (Part 2)

Last month, I shared with you two suggestions to help to stretch your IT budget and stay competitive in today’s marketplace. Just in case you thought I forgot, here are two more to consider:

1) Right resourcing:

Your organization may already face the challenges of a reduced staff. Here is an approach to leverage your situation:
When times are tough, focus on what you are good at and leverage others’ expertise where you are lacking. If a project involves new technology, utilize knowledgeable consultants for architecture, design, engineering, and perhaps implementation. When the project is complete, insist on a thorough knowledge transfer. Utilize internal IT staff to manage, monitor, and maintain the existing systems as well as take responsibility for the newly implemented technology. This approach leverages each group’s strength, recognizing the “tribal knowledge” held by the internal IT staff that is necessary to properly maintain and support existing systems.

2) Use the “cut back” to your advantage – reinvent your business processes:

Leverage the available skills and technologies to help your business become more efficient. With the emphasis on efficiency, IT can help businesses reduce costs and streamline processes. Many organizations already own but have not deployed software that can help them become more efficient. Let me give a few examples:

• Windows Server 2003 or 2008 with Windows SharePoint Services (WSS). If you own either server product then you simply need to download WSS. Most approaches to document processing and collaboration (sharing, editing, tracking and approvals) we have observed are rather hodge-podge – a little of this, a little of that. A properly designed and architected WSS solution can significantly streamline that environment.
• InfoPath. Another area ripe for streamlining is filling out and routing forms for approval. There is a very good chance you already own this product, and if so, you are a candidate for realizing some real time savings by implementing forms-based workflows in your organization. InfoPath takes the “rocket science” out of automating your business process and enables you to focus on the process and not the technology.
• Own Novell OES2 or other Novell products? Are you manually adding accounts to Active Directory to match your Novell accounts?   Implement the free portion of Novell Identity Management and connect the two directories together to automate and streamline your manual account management process.
  

During drought trees grow deeper roots rather than building out nice leaves – this is a tree’s way of taking advantage of the hardship to increase its survivability in droughts and storms. An IT organization can do the same for their business by reducing costs, becoming more efficient and taking advantage of the right resources. If you have any questions about the methods or technologies mentioned in Part 1 or Part 2 of this article, ask any of our consultants. They will be happy to provide any details.