Traditionally, the relationship between IT and business users has been reactive. Monday morning rolls around and a revolving door of continuous requests like password resets, server access, and equipment upgrades opens up. The demand to tackle low impact tasks leaves IT feeling like simple order-takers rather than valued members of the organization who should be focusing on enterprise-wide initiatives. Seemingly, there is a disconnect between what business users think IT is responsible for and what IT can help the business achieve.
With that in mind, what options do CIOs have to help IT executives graduate from order-takers to business leaders? The answer is simple: Empower business users to become more self-reliant by implementing intuitive technology that requires limited IT maintenance and offers wider usage across the enterprise.
No code means time for IT
CIOs who deploy no-code employee self-service solutions, for example, can help business users across the enterprise fulfill the needs of their department with minimal IT intervention. Whether it is initiating employee on-boarding, sharing marketing collateral, or deploying virtual servers or desktops, no-code solutions can offer easy customization for business users and keep IT focused on more strategic actions.
Ultimately, if a solution is built in a language everyone in the company can understand, people across the enterprise will feel more empowered to use it. In contrast, CIOs who don’t implement easy-to-use tools run the risk of users taking matters into their own hands. In other words, business users will deploy disruptive technology if they feel that what’s been put in place by their IT team is slow, hard to use, or outdated.
Place the business user in the driver’s seat
In general, business users know the ins and outs of their departments, so why have IT spend time driving their processes for them? As business users begin to take ownership of solving the minor IT needs of their department, operating becomes much more streamlined.
On the whole, investing in easy-to-use technology that empowers business users to become more independent of IT will become a must for CIOs. After all, implementing tools that are agile, collaborative, and require minimal training not only benefits the business as a whole, but it can also transform IT’s role in the enterprise to that of partner instead of order-taker.
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Joe LeCompte has more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and technical management positions. As a principal of PMG for over 10 years, Joe leads the company in deploying enterprise service catalog and business process automation. Joe leverages his extensive project management background and developed the implementation methodology and project model for PMG’s engagements.
