A friend recently complained to me that he had been unable to work effectively because the tool he wanted to use wouldn't work. It wouldn't work because his technology function had set his rights to his own laptop too low for the software to operate. His IT function was unmoved even in the face of escalation. If it didn't work within the standard configuration, it wasn't going to be used. Security and stability were used to justify their stance.
The irony is that my friend eventually exposed his company to a greater security issue by bringing in his own laptop, installed the tool on it, connected to the work LAN and used it to get the job done.
This is an IT department acting as policeman and divorced from the rest of the business. Their users can't be trusted, they must be controlled and only allowed to operate within a specific walled garden for their own safety. In my opinion this uncompromising and ineffective approach is outdated and gives the IT function a bad name that will once more have CEOs looking to outsource, potentially jumping out of the frying pan and in to the fire - outsourced desktop contracts will always be constrictive!
IT departments must treat users like adults and allow them the flexibility to get the job done and it's a good start in partnering with the business. Security and stability can still be achieved within these environments, it just takes a little bit more thinking about, innovation and collaboration with the customer. What a scary thought!!
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