There is another great opinion piece I found on Computer world titled:

Why your IT Sucks.

This was a follow up to the previous article of The unspoken truth about managing geeks and I must say it clearly presents some great points.

1. GIGO GIGO GIGO.

Can’t say it enough.  It’s so true.

Garbage

Back in the fifth grade, I was in a school musical, The GIGO Effect, in which the evil Glitches attempted to corrupt a computer named Mabel with “dirty power.” The point of the show was that technology is unable to produce intelligent results without intelligent direction, a truism encapsulated in the formerly popular computer acronym GIGO, “garbage in, garbage out.”

So, if you don’t begin with the end in mind, you will fail.

Doesn’t make sense?  Let’s start with this passage from the article.

Information technology is the art of managing an organization’s processes by establishing and maintaining computing frameworks.

If we can agree on that definition of “IT”, that means IT touches and deals with the entire business.  It is the electricity, the power, the force, the connector, and the enabler of achieving your business goals much, quicker, better, and more profitably.

For an IT strategy to succeed, everyone needs to see the use of Information and Technology in Business, what I call Business Technology as a critical enabler and vehicle for delivering the results of the business.  Gone are the days of “my mouse isn’t working.”  The more integrated the view of IT with the rest of your business, the further IT will help you succeed.  IT alone is not a magic bullet.  Technology needs business.  Business needs Technology.

Getting all parties, executives, IT, staff, managers to see one strategy that IT is meant to help everyone succeed at getting more done with less effort, and not offset workload from one person or group or another is the foundation of a great IT presence.

Check out the article, I’m sure you’ll find it to be great.