1. 1 The Changing Skill Mix for IS Professions References Willcocks, L. (1996). “Rethinking Capabilities and Skills in the Information Systems Function”, Proceedings of the 7th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Hobart, Tasmania, December 11-13. On Reserve in Library (SYS2003) Feeny, D. and Willcocks, L. (1997). “Core IS Capabilities:Sustaining In-House Business Exploitation of IT”, OXIIM research and discussion paper RDP97/2, Oxford Institute of Information Management, Templeton College, Oxford, UK On Reserve in Library (SYS2003)

2. 2 Reasons for change Recent years have seen increasing turbulence in organizational environments volatile marketplaces globalization shortened product lifecycles customer pressure greater quality, more tailoring Many organizational responses now rely on IT

3. 3 Changes in IS delivery wish to concentrate on core competencies - excellence within a narrow domain greater reliance on external vendors, consultants, packaged software greater accountability expected of IS adoption of a ‘purchaser’ role for IS as well as, or sometimes instead of, a ‘provider’ role

4. 4 Forces shaping the future IS function In-House IS Function Core Competence Strategies Business Reliance on IS Challenge of Economic Recession / Change IS Outsourcing Potential (Feeny & Willcocks, 1996, p.4)

5. 5 Enduring Challenges for IS professionals The need for two-way strategic alignment between the business and its technology The need to provide low cost but high quality systems (that can be delivered quickly enough to meet business goals) Effective project management (actually this isn’t just for IS, it is an enduring organizational challenge) NOTE: ALL IS Professionals Systems analystProgrammer Maintenance engineersSoftware engineers DesignersProject managers

6. 6 Leadership Informed buying Nine Core IS Capabilities Relationship building Business Systems Thinking BUSINESS and IT VISION DESIGN of IT ARCHITECTURE DELIVERY of IS SERVICES Contract facilitation Architecture planning Vendor development Making technology work Contract monitoring (Feeny & Willcocks, 1997, p.5)

7. 7 Capability v. Skill Capability: Has the power to be able to do something Can do a task if called upon to do it Skill: Expertness in doing something Practiced ability to do something well

8. 8 Our Focus: No single individual will have all these capabilities Some of these capabilities are largely technical (technical skills not focus of this unit) ‘architecture planning’ ‘making technology work’ ‘contract monitoring’ Many of the new ‘capabilities’ are not traditionally associated with computing professionals Very strong emphasis on communication skills

9. 9 Capability 1: IS Leadership Different from Project Management skills Largely responsibility of senior project managers, BUT not only exercised by ‘managers’ Sources of leadership include Ability to effectively structure roles in group work Showing expertise, competence Capacity to engage and persuade Having strong links within and without the organization (networks) Having very well developed communication, negotiation, and political skills

10. 10 Capability 2: Business Systems Thinking The bread and butter of our courses in SIMS: Thinking beyond technology to its application in business Recognizing the incapacity of client to exhaustively specify requirements Not simply automating the past, but adapting business processes Not accepting at face value things that are said, but researching Very high level of communication skills required

11. 11 Capability 3: Relationship building Building relationships within and outside the project environment Related to leadership in that it is about persuading, engaging members of the organization Requires skills in negotiation, conflict management, persuasion as well as a strong political understanding By all accounts still in short supply in organizations

12. 12 Capability 4: Informed Buying “New” capability in IS. The ability to advise on the best purchases to the best possible advantage, long- and short- term Requires an understanding of the goals and expectations of both purchasers and suppliers Considerable amount of negotiation involved Is there a reciprocal role - ‘informed selling’?

13. 13 Capability 5: Contract Facilitation Another “new” role. Providing assistance to ensure the most appropriate contractual arrangements between parties to IS projects. Requires foresight about internal and external parties Requires very high levels of negotiation and conflict management skills, which in turn depend on clear, effective communication.

14. 14 Capability 6: Contract Monitoring Constant vigilance to ensure that contractual obligations are met by all parties Must be able to monitor often complex projects, complex responsibilities and be aware of complex consequences Has more technical elements than Capability 5. May be carried out by people trained as lawyers, accountants, although increasingly an area into which IS professionals are moving

15. 15 Capability 7: Vendor Development Development of relationships and projects with technology vendors (short- and long-term) Shares with Capability 5 a need for strongly developed negotiation and communication skills Again, has a reciprocal role within vendors (services or software)

16. 16 Underlying Capability, Project Management The ability to organize and plan appropriately for IS projects Economics Risk assessment Budgeting time and resources Like many of the others requires a strong mix of technical, communication, and political skills, especially skills in (one-on-one) negotiation and conflict management

17. 17 Other Capabilities Architecture Planning The ability to plan appropriate IS architecture (broader field than just machines) Making Technology Work The ability to make effective marriage between technical knowledge and business situations These capabilities: Have strong technical component (which you must master) BUT Also thrive on good interpersonal and political skills

18. 18 Skill Mix Not all skills are required by every IS professional every time Not all capabilities will be called upon in every project BUT in the course of any IS career (particularly in this changing professional environment) these capabilities will probably be called on sometime A skill mix (rather than a narrow set of skills) seems essential in every area of IS today

19. 19 Professional Communication Tasks Assignment: Research report

20. 20 Assignment:Capabilities and skills a glossary Capabilities – powers that allow you to do jobs that you might (sometime) be called on to perform Skills – skills required to do a task Raw data – words used in adverts Source – single source (consistent data type) Data collection – arranging raw data significantly Analysis – make some sense of raw data Results – apply your knowledge (intelligence) to what the raw data indicates Discussion – what the research project reinforces or changes in your knowledge of the topic communicate this in a project report

21. 21 Research reports Purpose: Investigative Specific Scientific Traditional structure: Covers logical requirements Ensures a “balanced” viewpoint Ensures the most effective outcome

22. 22 Abstract Summary of major elements within a report see Executive Summary 150 words a good limit last job of writing first page after title its purpose is to indicate its relevance to a prospective reader (both topic and outcome)

23. 23 Introduction Strict structure required for all parts of research reports Background - who commissioned the report - purpose of the report Introduce the topic - scope of the research in relation to the topic as a whole Its purpose is to indicate why the research was undertaken and what it is about

24. 24 Historical background history of the topic other research on the subject known to the researcher explanation of special terms, concepts Its purpose is to indicate where this research fits into what is already commonly known about the subject

25. 25 Research method a description of exactly how the research was carried out an explanation of why it was carried out the way it was a justification for how the data was manipulated to get a result Its purpose is clarify how the research was carried out AND to allow anyone else to repeat the research project

26. 26 Results present the raw data -as it “fell out” -in summarised form (having prepared the audience by explaining the method of summerisation in the previous section) data analysed, clarified to highlight results worthy of further discussion NO OPINION AT THIS STAGE Its purpose is to allow the audience to apply their own logic/ opinion/ belief about the results, before they hear your explanation.

27. 27 Discussion local - what data shows about the immediate situation broad - what implications the data has in regard to the topic as a whole counter opinion - address possible contrary opinion to your own any other relevant matters about the subject Its purpose is to INTERPRET the results, and their implication. OPINION goes here.

28. 28 Conclusion explanation of any restrictions which might have biased the research to the results found suggest any further research that could be undertaken to clarify inconclusive results or the subject generally

29. 29 why this structure? logic clarity discipline effectiveness professional – excellent, clear-minded