CIO

Jul 23 2008   4:40PM GMT

Is the Business attitude toward IT improving in your organization?

Posted by: viip
IT, CIO, ITIL, Inherent Quality

The business attitude toward IT is generally improving in many organizations. Is it in yours?

For a few things that may help you inherently improve quality and value (and the business attitude toward IT), you may like to visit this CIO Briefing on SearchCIO.com. It contains ITIL case studies, product overviews and articles on related trends, strategies, execution, tools and technologies behind the scenes of successful ITIL utilization. You may also like to visit this interesting piece on SearchCIO.com that is associated with a Forrester Research survey; particularly if you are wondering whether it may be better for the CIO to report to the CFO or the CEO.

Jul 21 2008   8:48PM GMT

The relationship between CobiT and Val IT

Posted by: viip
Val IT, Risk Management, ISACA, ITGI, Governance, Inherent Quality, CobiT

A quick post to share awareness…

There is some potential interesting reading in Volume 3 2008 of CobiT Focus. Articles in the July issue include one on the relationship between CobiT and Val IT; and another on IT Risk Management. There are more however. You can view the newsletter here.

Jul 21 2008   3:57PM GMT

If pro athletes earn millions, perhaps IT Pros should also (some already are; read more)

Posted by: viip
CQO, CIO, Inherent Quality, Software Quality

In a world where quality must increasingly become a shared responsibility, perhaps you can say that Security is in My Job Description. Perhaps you can say other things are too. Perhaps you can say there are a million reasons to be a CQO and therefore to be a help to the CIO. For those who work hard at supporting the CIO, perhaps reading this will interest you: Who wants to be a CIO Millionaire?

Jul 11 2008   2:59PM GMT

Taking a fresh look (e.g., Visual Studio Gallery; CIPS)

Posted by: viip
Visual Studio Gallery, CIPS, Inherent Quality, Software Quality

This post shares awareness of a couple of fresh looks: Visual Studio Gallery; CIPS. This weekend may be a good time in general for you and your organization to think about taking a fresh look at ways of making quality and value increasingly intrinsic and pervasive.

Jul 10 2008   3:50PM GMT

Compliance, Governance, Security (and ideally value that’s increasingly inherent)

Posted by: viip
Inherent Quality, Security, Governance, Compliance, Software Quality

Sounds like an interesting blog: Regulatory Compliance, Governance and Security. Welcome aboard Charles.

Jun 23 2008   10:26AM GMT

Proactively preparing for Enterprise 2.0 and evolution of computing to follow

Posted by: viip
ITKE, CIO, Inherent Quality

As computing draws ever closer to the masses, and as the Internet’s population draws ever closer to the world’s population, interesting challenges that search engine providers and others continually work on will be related to data and information (e.g., volume, storage, de-duplication, inherent value, increasingly improved content rankings and so on). As food for thought for IT Pros, and virtually any member of the general Business population, now may be a good time to increasingly become less reactive. Now may be a good time to increasingly work towards proactively preparing for (and contributing to) the evolution of computing. TechTarget sites, e-newletters and events may be a good means of help for you to do so. In any event you may find the following words interesting; they are from this SearchCIO-Midmarket.com article about the recent Enterprise 2.0 Conference.  

The general consensus on the panel was that the biggest impediment to using blogs, wikis, Real Simple Syndication and other collaborative business software is the users themselves.

Jun 19 2008   3:35PM GMT

Search chief officers and IT Pros, for what out of the box can really mean

Posted by: viip
Internet Evolution, CIO, Inherent Quality, Software Quality

Linda Tucci, Senior News Writer, recently wrote on SearchCIO.com that the “future of business is information technology”, she also wrote that it was fun to hear Susan Cramm, the former CIO of Taco Bell turned “leadership coach,” tell a ballroomful of CIOs that “at successful companies of the future — 2015, in her imagined scenario — IT will not be treated by CEOs as an expense to be minimized, but as an asset to be optimized.” (full article here) 

If risk exposure is often embedded in corporate values, and if the future of business is IT, should IT somehow be explicitly stated within your corporate values? Is it? Ideally so; and ideally your organization is making use of IT to replace inherent risks with something innately better.

If your organization produces or would like to utilize an OOTB type product, you may be interested in reading What ‘Out-of-the-Box’ Really Means (ideally you’re also interested in continual improvement and forward progress that increasingly strives to improve the quality and value within). 

Search chief officers and IT Pros, for what out of the box can really mean before, by and beyond 2020 if IT is treated like an asset to be optimized and if the quality and value associated within is increasingly improved.

Jun 13 2008   5:05PM GMT

IP3, do you know what it is?

Posted by: viip
IT, CIPS, Inherent Quality

International Professional Practice Partnership 

Stay aware and involved; the principle inherent quality is you. Click here for an update. This post takes no credit simply shares awareness.

Jun 2 2008   5:32PM GMT

Skills Framework for the Information Age

Posted by: viip
IFIP, CIPS, Inherent Quality

The skills framework information below was contained within a 5/30/2008 email to CIPS members from the Chair of the Canadian Council of Information Technology Professionals. For information about the Information Systems Professional designation, or the new Canadian IT Profession designation, contact gina@cips.ca (Gina is the CIPS Professional Standards Manager).

*International Information Technology Professional (IITP) Designation -

The first-ever IITP designation will be offered by CIPS in partnership with the International Federation of Information Processing Society - IFIP (a United Nations/UNESCO consultative body), and its global association partners when the IITP designation is launched world-wide in 2009.  (CIPS is Canada’s representative in IFIP.)  The IITP designation will be offered to more than 30 million IT practitioners around the world. 

** Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) -

Level 5: ensure, advise

Autonomy

Works under broad direction. Full accountability for own technical work or project/supervisory responsibilities. Receives assignments in the form of objectives. Establishes own milestones, team objectives and delegates assignments. Work is often self-initiated.

Influence

Influences organization, customers, suppliers and peers within industry on contribution of specialization. Significant responsibility for the work of others and for the allocation of resources. Decisions impact on success of assigned projects i.e. results, deadlines and budget. Develops business relationships with customers.

Complexity

Challenging range - variety of complex technical or professional work activities. Work requires application of fundamental principles in a wide and often unpredictable range of contexts. Understands relationship between specialization and wider customer/organizational requirements.

Business Skills

Advises on the available standards, methods, tools and applications in own area of specialization and can make correct choices from alternatives. Can analyze, diagnose, design, plan, execute and evaluate work to time, cost and quality targets. Communicates effectively, formally and informally, with colleagues, subordinates and customers. Demonstrates leadership. Clear understanding of the relationship between own area of responsibility/specialization to the employing organization and takes customer requirements into account when making proposals. Takes initiative to keep skills up to date. Maintains awareness of developments in the industry. Can analyze user requirements and advise users on scope and options for operational improvement. Demonstrates creativity and innovation in applying IT solutions for the benefit of the user.

Apr 16 2008   3:16PM GMT

New creative ideas for helping staff and teammates feel appreciated

Posted by: viip
CIO, Inherent Quality, Software Quality

Perhaps you too have been part of an organization that stocked the kitchen with free snacks and drinks, including things to help during a long day or night (e.g., water, coffee, tea, pop, energy drinks etc.), and including a variety of healthy choices so the day could begin with a good and free breakfast at the office. Perhaps you are still part of a company that provides free food as one of several perks. Perhaps you would like to be.

Are perks appreciated? Do they help make a happier, healthier and more loyal employee? Do they help increase productivity? How about camaraderie? Might they somehow help with security? How about customer satisfaction and empowerment? How about improved software quality?

If you had a few extra dollars in your budget and wanted to do something nice for your team, would you offer free food, a financial incentive tied to productivity, or other?

For years companies have been exercising creativity to help staff and teammates feel appreciated (e.g., gift certificates, new fun items for the office or desk, clothing, free tickets to events, extra time off, special awards that can be displayed like a trophy, something special tied to the particular person’s interests, placing an employee name and picture in a place for others to see, trips, bonuses, and so on). Is this a trend on the rise? Is a simple verbal Thank You expressed regularly and publicly enough? Do we need to say Thank You more often, and in more creative ways?

Positive and insightful comments appreciated (Thank You); as are new creative ideas for CIOs and others to help staff and teammates feel appreciated for the inherent quality they bring and help to increasingly produce.

Apr 14 2008   10:10AM GMT

The value inherent to web events

Posted by: viip
BPM, IDS, CIO, Inherent Quality, SAP, TechTarget

Would you like to simplify an SAP Upgrade or reign over risk and instill performance assurance for greater operational excellence? If so you may want to check out this list of IDS Sheer webcasts. If you find they help you make quality, value, excellence and simplicity increasingly inherent, feel free to write a related comment or post. For further awareness you will note at least one of the webcasts is also listed on SearchCIO.Com, where you can find various webcasts that you may wish to also write a post or comment on. Thank you for doing so. 

Increasingly the value inherent to web events is growing and helping others ensure greater value within their organizations and for their customers. This post takes no credit, simply shares awareness of a few web events that may be of value to you, intrinsically and pervasively.

Apr 6 2008   7:11AM GMT

New CIPS Governance Model

Posted by: viip
CIPS, Inherent Quality

CIPS Governance Model details, and other updates… expect more news from CIPS in the months and years on route to 2020 and beyond.

The new CIPS governance model brings all parts of the association - national, provincial, and sections - into better alignment to ensure a more unified CIPS that is better able to meet the day-to-day needs of its members.

Mar 20 2008   4:20PM GMT

i3p: program seeks to establish 1 global IT profession

Posted by: viip
IFIP, CIPS, IT, Inherent Quality

more info here

Mar 14 2008   9:20AM GMT

Shared prior, watch it again; think of our children’s children, 100 years from now

Posted by: viip
IT, Inherent Quality, Software Quality, Fellowship, Alliance, Internet Evolution, ITKE, CIO, ACS, BCS, Bell, Business, CATA, CIPS, CPSR, CSSA, Culminis, Dr. Dobb's, Edge, EU, Forrester, GanttHead, Gartner, Google, IFIP, Government, Nortel, Sun, IBM, Yahoo, Cisco, HP, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, Unification, Zen, United Way

Mar 13 2008   7:11AM GMT

Greatest Challenge for IT Security Professionals

Posted by: viip
CATA, Alliance, CIPS, IT, Inherent Quality, Software Quality, Security, Zen

A survey by the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance identifies the lack of best practices as the greatest challenge for IT Security Professionals. (read more)