Future Focus - Tomorrow's Insights for Today's Decision Makers 


Bridging The Digital Divide


June 2004

Aaron Kumove -- Managing Director, Horizon Consulting

No.  Not that one . . . not the one we have all read about . . . not the one based on education and socio-economics . . . not the one between the so called “haves” and “have nots”.

 I am talking about the digital divide that enables us to waste obscene amounts of money in the form of unproductive IT expenditure.  This is the digital divide between those of us who call ourselves IT professionals and business people whom we aim to serve.  This is perhaps the more significant digital divide as it is into this divide (or perhaps chasm is a better word,) that we continually shovel time, money and effort, sometimes never to be seen again as if swallowed up by a black hole!

More than any other aspect, it is this divide between IT and business people I believe that is responsible for failed IT initiatives.  If we could find a way to bridge this divide we would all be a whole lot better off (and probably a lot happier at work as well . . .)

Before we can aim to bridge this digital divide we need to identify the factors that are responsible for its creation.  From my observations the following factors seem to be particularly responsible. 

  • Fear
Many business people I think are afraid of IT.  They don’t understand IT.  As a result they  perceive a loss of control, and loss of control leads to fear.  Some IT people in many cases do not alleviate those fears well, and in fact, may do just the opposite – they may prey on those fears.  They do that in the form of arcane technical language,       condescending discourse, and an arrogant and perhaps even sometimes secretive        manner of engagement with business people which suggests knowledge of some vast deep dark technical “secrets”.
The underlying message in all of this is “be afraid, be very afraid, but don’t worry, I will save the day for you.  I am the IT guru . . . you need me . . .”
  • Ignorance
I am not referring to technical ignorance, but rather to process level ignorance on the part of both IT people and business people.  The processes I am referring to are the mechanisms for engagement between IT and business people.  i.e. Governance mechanisms and processes, project mechanisms and processes, funding and approval mechanisms and processes.  There are best practices in each of these areas but they are often minimally understood or followed.

  • Poor Communication
While IT staff can often be blamed for being poor communicators the same charge can also be levied against business people when they interact with IT.  In the case of some IT people the communication areas in need of improvement are often of a social or interpersonal nature.  In the case of business people, it is often of a case of lack of definition or thoroughness in communicating what they need from IT.

  • Governance

If I had to cite only one factor, this would be it, because it has the power to dispel many others.  In poorly performing IT shops this is what I generally see as being at the root of problems most of the time.  What do I mean by governance?  The mechanisms by which decisions are made and accountabilities for those decisions are allocated.

  • Training

This really follows on from governance, for once we have agreed a decision framework and established accountabilities; we then need to ensure that the people to whom accountabilities have been allocated are capable of meeting the standards for good decision making in the area for which they have accountability. 

  • Remuneration

Let’s face it; we do pretty well in this industry.  In more than one case, I have seen dysfunctional relationships between IT and the business that were to some extent fuelled by jealousy and anger over the pay packets given to IT staff.  I don’t believe that this is a root cause of the digital divide, as if things are going well, jealousy over remuneration levels tends not to raise it’s head too angrily.  Just wait though until things aren’t going so well though and watch this factor fan the flames . . .

Next issue we will look at how these issues can be addressed in bridging the real digital divide.

Aaron Kumove -- Managing Director, Horizon Consulting
Want to comment on this issue?  Perhaps you would like to add to the views expressed here, or even disagree violently!
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