Self-service Information Technology tools in forms such as business intelligence or procurement all of which empower end-users for their much craved data and service, have become ubiquitous in various industries.
However, questions have been raised regarding the capability of users to play the part in this ever-changing IT scenario. Industry analysts say that the advancement of IT users are going through a push and pull activity. One notable change brought about by this advancement in smart consumer devices is the level of ease and comfortable outlook that users have with technology.
However this overconfident perception with technology but actual lack of skills may bring more problems in the future. Members of the National Research Council reveal that there is a significant decrease of skills on engineering, technology, science and math in the United States.
According to Information Technology analysts and managers the key is to empower end-users without placing the more sensitive areas at risk. By this they mean that for corporate data, security must be placed above user access. Therefore strict control over such information should be prioritized. In terms of troubleshooting, a good tip provided by the experts is to first conduct small-group tests early on, to be able to pin point the errors and solve from there before this becomes a bigger problem.
Another consideration for corporations is the import of a business analyst in the team during early stages of a project so that facilitation on business and IT users’ communication can be done.
Experts in the field agree that in order to have a successful self-service Information Technology implementation, there should be an efficient partnership between the line of business concerned and the IT department. During the planning stages, always aim to strike a balance between user access and corporate data security. And also, dividing analytics application to various components that would meet with the different complexities required per user. Companies should also ensure that their IT should also have full comprehension over the specific needs or service needed for specific user communities. When lines of communication become blurry you should bring in a consultant to keep the flow of work crystal clear.