Management & Technology
We can be heroes:
We can be heroes:
IT Roles, Archetypes and You
yp
Matthew Hodgson
Regional L d W b Information M
R i l Lead, Web & I f ti Management
t
SMS Management & Technology
Australian Computer Society (ACS), March 2009

Slideshare & Podcasts
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www.slideshare.net/magia3e
magia3e.wordpress.com

A little audience participation . . .
A little audience participation

Not too long ago . . .
Not too long ago

IT, Roles and Stereotypes
IT Roles and Stereotypes
When
Wh it comes to IT projects, roles and jjobs:
t jt l db
People often have no idea what we do
•
People think we’re all about computer toys
•
Often we don’t know our own career paths
don t
•
Do we really know what’s out there?
•
. . . are we more than just the stereotypical
IT-Geek or Computer Nerd?

Is the IT profession more than this?
Is the IT profession more than this?
Is this ll
I thi really:
• Who we are?
• What we do?
Is this how:
• Should we be portraying our IT industry?
What:
• Are the IT archetypes of the 21st century we should
be talking about to others?

IT Teams, Roles and Archetypes
IT Teams Roles and Archetypes
Archetypes are:
• A useful way to communicate human roles, needs,
roles needs
attributes
• C lt ll universall
Culturally i
Archetypes are not:
• Stereotypes: exaggerated, culturally-derived figures

Rorschach
• Careful observer
• Refusal to compromise
• Do nearly anything to
accomplish hi aims
li h his i
• Black-and-white values
ac a d te a ues
• Short-term oriented

Nite Owl
Nite Owl
The tactician
Th t ti i
•
Logical, strategic and operational
•
Employs technology and gadgetry
•
Has the stamina to go the distance
•

Doctor Manhattan
Doctor Manhattan
The theoretical thinker
•
Manipulates objects with ease
•
Analyses, creates and destroys
•
Sees patterns and relationships
•
in the U e se
t e Universe
• Understands the ‘big picture’

Silk Spectre
Silk Spectre
The voice of reason
•
Provides emotional balance
•
Understanding, empathic
•
Intelligent, analytical
•
Flexible, agile
Flexible agile, team player
•

Ozymandias
The leader
•
Smartest man on the planet
•
Thinks “outside the box”
•
Thinks about the long-term goals
•
Fast, adaptive,
Fast adaptive agile – “so fast he can
so
•
catch bullets”

IT Archetypes
IT Archetypes
Developer
Dl
Project Manager

IT Archetypes
IT Archetypes
Test Manager
Business Analyst

Typical IT Projects
Typical IT Projects
Solution Test
Architect Manager
Initiation Build
Analysis Design Test
Project Developer
Manager

Matt s Projects
Matt’s Projects
Agile
A il
Traditional
T diti l
IT focussed
IT-focussed People focussed
People-focussed
Products/deliverables Adding value
Linear Iterative
For users With users

What do I mean by with users ?
What do I mean by ‘with users’?
Soft kill both
S ft skills – b th a way of thi ki and acting :
f thinking d ti
• Talking to people about their work
• I l i people throughout the project – not jjust at the
Involving lh h h j h
requirements stage (and then vanish)
• G tti th to h l with th solution
Getting them t help ith the l ti
Good for:
• Change management – people own the solution
• Aligning the solution with how people think about the
way they do their work – means less training!

How to do this approach
How to do this approach
Identify
People’s needs
Understand
context
of use
Solution
Specify user and
Evaluate/validate
E l t / lid t validated!
lid t d!
organisation’s
with users Start Build requirements
Produce
design
di
solution

Case Study: Intranet
Case Study: Intranet
Identify
People’s needs
Business
Analyst
Understand
context
of use
Solution
Specify user and
Evaluate/validate
E l t / lid t validated!
organisation’s
with users Start Build
requirements
Produce
design
di
solution
User-experience
Designer

Case Study: Intranet
Case Study: Intranet
Identify
People’s needs
Understand
context
Contextual
of use
Card sorting Enquiry
Workshops
Solution
Specify user and
Evaluate/validate
E l t / lid t validated!
organisation’s
with users Start Build
requirements
Produce
design
di
solution

Case Study: Intranet
Case Study: Intranet
My l
M role on th project?
the j t?
• Team Lead
• Information architect
• Usability engineer
• Business analyst / business architect
• Solution designer
• Trainer mentor
Trainer,
• Change manager

…But how did I get here?
But how did I get here?
15 years ago:
• Played with emerging web technologies
• Built websites
• Built computers
• Taught myself to program early MMORGs
• Psychology Degree

…But how did I get here?
But how did I get here?
11 years ago:
• ACMA – Web Manager
• ACIAR – Information Systems Manager
• AFMA – Online Coordinator
• ALORA – Website builder, trainer,
builder trainer
consultant

…But how did I get here?
But how did I get here?
5 years ago:
• Masters of Knowledge Management
• NLA – Information architect

…But how did I get here?
But how did I get here?
Today:
• Consultant – help people with their
business problems
•PPresenter – t h people about
t teach lbt
social media, information architecture,
user-centred design, agile,
business analysis

What did I do to get here?
What did I do to get here?
Adaptive:
• Open to new experiences, roles and titles
p p
• Stole Applied theories and practices from
one role to another
• Took skills and tools from one discipline and
applied it to new situations
Focus on:
• Soft-skills
Hands-on:
• Be Zen – learn by experiencing it first

How can you do this?
How can you do this?
Role v. Title v. Discipline:
• IT roles are no longer all about a single p of BA to PM
g g path
• Business value people with people skills – title doesn’t matter
• Don’t box yourself in – explore different skill sets
Don t
• Don’t limit yourself to labels or titles
• Learn lots of people skills – communication is key
Continuous learning:
• Find a mentor
• Share what you know – be a mentor
• Learn from others inside your community

What does Community mean?
What does ‘Community’ mean?
Groups like:
• ACS, ABAA, WIPA, WSG, IAI, etc.
Join:
• An association to learn from others
• An association that’s different from yours
Continuous learning:
• Be open minded
• Don’t be afraid to think ‘outside the box’
• Don’t be afraid to teach others what you ve learned – the
Don t you’ve
fresh perspective of newbies is like gold!

You and the Community
You and the Community
Nurture
N t your physicall and online sociall networks:
hi d li i tk
• Communicate using Blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn,
g g, , ,
Facebook and connect to others
• Share discuss, comment critique
Share, discuss comment,
• Attend workshops
• Present at conferences
f
• Find a mentor for yourself
y
• Mentor others

Conclusions
Much of IT now revolves around:
• Our relationship with people – soft skills
p pp
• The business unit they work in
• How well we understand their needs and can
transform them into solutions
This is transforming IT roles:
• Move away from just a technology-focus
• Move toward roles about people & communication –
becoming the hero of the business and its people

Take home messages
Take home messages
As IT professionals we should be:
• Involved in our IT communities – create networks
with social media is a good place to start
• L ki t complement our t h i l skills with
Looking to l t technical kill ith
human-centric ones
• Promoting our heroic archetypes, not geeky
stereotypes

… we can all be heroes …

Management & Technology
FIN
Questions?
Q ti ?

Management & Technology
We can be heroes:
We can be heroes:
IT Roles, Archetypes and You
IT Roles, Archetypes and You

Management & Technology
Matthew Hodgson
ACT Regional Lead, Web and Information Management
SMS Management & Technology
Twitter: magia3e
Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/magia3e
Blog: magia3e.wordpress.com
g g p
E: mhodgson@smsmt.com
M: 0404 006695