Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Who buys wins

I read with interest a great post at http://blog.diverdiver.com/2012/02/reinventing-governmemt-it.html . Its well worth a read.

What it outlines well is that the cycle of in-house -> outsource -> in-house has taken us full circle.  I suspect that this cycle is more focused on 'different is better' approach to change and the timescales around which this occurs is so long that few involved may remember the issues and the reasons of moving in the first place.

It is true that the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence.  And sometimes its full of dog crap.  So take care where you move to.

But is there a different angle on this?  The debate about who does IT is interesting.  What does not appear to have been looked at is who buys IT.  So let's take a look at that.

IT is complicated.  Few really understand how it all works (and I do mean properly actually works) and of those who do, fewer understand the business and customer they have to support.  Its a horrible dilema and one that is certainly part of the issue.   The result is that if you have inhouse or outsource IT they are still IT.  And maybe there is the clue to a possible change.

The key question is do we really need the IT department?  When all of the models outlined in the blog link above are in place there is a strong case of an IT department.  You need somebody in the know to 'buy' your IT for you because you bought just that, IT.   But in the world of SAAS things have changed.  A commitment to a whole SAAS world fundamentally removes the T from IT.  And if you do that, the business case buy it themselves.

A minor change of strategy in Gov would greatly enable the migration to cloud.  Its a simple rule.  The business is allowed, without reference to the IT department to procure whatever SAAS it wants but with a few conditions.  NO BESPOKING.

Over time the remaining 'IT' managed by the IT department (inhouse or outsourced) will slowly evaporate as the business is able to procure its tools for itself.  Remove the IT department and you remove one of the major blockers to cloud.  Self interest.