New Technology: A Problem Solver or Problem Generator?
August 23, 2018
Noodling about the k-epsilon model is probably not popular at most cocktail parties. In brief when flows occur, chaos usually turns up at the party.
Consider a large company anchored in technology from IBM, SAP, and some home brew applications. Toss in a mainframe, an AS/400 legacy system, and run-of-the-mill desktops.
Technological change is difficult, and when a switch is needed from Windows 3.11 to Windows 95, the shift may take years. The mainframe keeps on chugging along with CICS, MVS TSO, and green screens. The SAP system gets updated, but after a three year install process, who wants too make changes.
Today, the world of enterprise computing is different. Even the US government wants to move to the cloud. Virtualization is the big thing, not hardware down the hall behind a keycarded door.
When I read “Fragmenting Budgets and Rapid Pace of Change Creates Perfect Storm for IT Decision Makers.” The write up explains a situation which I thought most computer centric folks knew and understood.
The write up explains:
IT decision-makers are increasingly tasked with the difficult decision of choosing technology within business operations and finding the correct IT solutions for business needs. This extra link in the chain combined with the ever-accelerating pace of technological development is creating a perfect storm. In fact, a recent survey of IT decision-makers found that more than half are struggling to keep up with the pace of new technology. Most (84 per cent), acknowledge that they are not currently running the most optimum IT systems and significantly, 28 per cent admit that their organization has actually fallen behind the rate of technological change.
Nothing is as compelling as fear in an organization.
What’s happening is that the friction brakes of old school systems and methods are being replaced with the equivalent of dragging a sneaker on the pavement to slow down a bicycle. For some young at heart managers, the sneaker brake is great fun.
The downside is what I call a chaos problem. Semi stable flows become chaotic or, in more colloquial language, pretty darned crazy.
IT managers now find themselves in a technology environment less stable than those that existed a scant 10 years ago. The decision to embrace fast changing innovations can be a significant. Not only will the competitiveness of the organization be affected but the work environment may no longer match what must be accomplished to remain a viable entity.
Examples include the well publicized engineer revolts at Facebook and Amazon. The technical waffling from chip vendors when flaws are discovered. The presence of point of sale units at fast good chains and grocery stores which employees cannot operate.
The write up documents an accelerating opportunity for consultants. For those crushed with the fragments from technical chaos, the future may require rehab.
Stephen E Arnold, August 23, 2018
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