IT Support Needs to Change

The trends in technology over the past few years have highlighted a growing sophistication in the use of technology. At one time, the only experts in the company were the IT support staff. That's still true in some ways but in many ways it isn't. Nevertheless, IT support personnel need to recognize what has changed.

The big thing that has changed is that the employees, especially those coming on stream now, are very used to technology and are good at using it for many purposes in their daily lives. This ranges from social networking to numerous apps to mobile uses like texting. While they may not be cognizant of the risks associated with some of these activities, all that does is tend to make the work of the IS support people harder, because they end up having to say "no" - and it only takes a certain number of "no's" before they are regarded as Neanderthals.

So there is a significant management problem that needs to be addressed. Couple this with the growing trend of companies to adopt a policy of allowing employees to use their own computers, and the whole issue is ramped up into the stratosphere.

It seems clear that what needs to happen is for the IT departments to release a lot of control. To be more responsive to new technologies coming up out of the field, and to support as best they can the employees who way to use their own technology in a way that they are used to doing, which should add efficiency. In the end, the technology will cost the company a lot less and while there might be additional risk, this is something that can be dealt with.

InformationWeek Analytics recently released a survey - End user 2.0 - that bears out these broad conclusions and also brings in some new considerations. Worth thinking about. The long term credibility of IT support functions everywhere is at stake.