Information Technology

Part 1 of a four-Part Series

Part 1: Information Technology in Business
Part 2: Information Deployment
Part 3: Business Process Management
Part 4: Accelerating Returns and Paradigm Shifts

A new month is upon us and so it’s time for a new topic – IT or Information Technology. Yes, it’s a technology driven world out there. Given the current accounting changes due to such things as Sarbanes Oxley, you will eventually have to align your business processes with your technology. Perhaps you are waiting because technology is expensive. Well, the amazing thing is that it’s getting cheaper all the time. A lot cheaper.

Technological Advancements

If you’ve got kids then you are probably aware of video game technology like the Sony Playstation. But have you ever stopped to look at what’s under the hood of one of those boxes? In May 2005 the latest Playstation-3 (PS3) was announced. I mean we are talking about a powerful gaming console. It will use the latest multi-core 3.2 GHz cell processor with full wireless, HDTV, and Bluetooth support that can process two high-definition (1080p) video streams, at the same time!

The technical specifications far surpass most desktop PCs. Your Pentium-4 runs about two gigaflops, while the PS3 will run at two teraflops or about 1,000 times faster than your current PC. So while you work all day on an average computer, your kids will be playing – that’s right, playing – with a super computer that will retail for around $360.

Now this article is not about computing performance and flops is not the whole story. Besides, unlike a desktop PC, the PS3 is tuned for high-definition video processing. But still, what could your business do with supercomputing power on your desktop for $360? You may have to think outside the box for the answer to that one. And that’s one of the things your organizational leadership should be looking at in developing your strategy.

Technological performance is doubling every year and yet the cost of that performance actually falls so the result is more bang for your buck. The question is, how are you using this technology to release the growth in your business, improve your processes, and deliver better results?

Information Deployment

You see, it is not just about your Information Technology. It’s about the quality of the business processes and their associated information interactions that are delivered over the technology that is really important, not the technology infrastructure itself.

What we should really be talking about is Information Deployment — how you create, capture, deliver, use and measure your business information. Information Deployment is the strategic differentiator that your business processes require. Information Technology is now a commodity. But your business processes are your business.

Business Process Management

Next week we will discuss Information Deployment in more detail followed the next week by a discussion of Business Process Management or BPM and conclude with a look into the future of technology by discussing the concept of Accelerating Returns, more recently referred to as ” Moore ’s Law”, and the implications of technology on the future of business processes.

To learn more about using process improvement programs for your organization then attend the next How to Align a System of People and Processes for Results class. If you are eager to learn more about creating more order out of the chaos you are feeling at work then the How to Create Well-Defined Processes class is right for you. ISO 9000 Quality Auditor classes are forming now for Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor.

Call for information on having your own private in-house classes today.

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Posted on Tuesday, September 6th, 2005 under Computer & IT Policies