IT Failures: Risks of Survival
Michael Krigsman, Asuret, Inc.
Jonathan Yarmis, The Yarmis Group
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Risks of Survival
Changing Priorities

Growth vs. Cost Containment

Keep the lights on vs.

aligning with the business
Retaining user knowledge

The critical factor

© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Changing Priorities
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Changing Priorities
When mandated with reducing cost, how do you

evaluate where to cut?
Those that are easiest to cut?

Even if they expose you to more risk in the short-term?

How do you “align with the business” when the

business is constantly changing its mind?
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Alignments
and Disconnects
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

are common
Lack of alignment and conflicting incentives:

Business / IT

Management / project staff

Vendors / customers

© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth vs. Cost Containment
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth vs. Cost Containment
How do you balance the realities of cost containment

with preparations for a recovery?
“IT will drive the economy’s recovery”

Wishful thinking or really the way it is

In an increasingly risky environment, can you focus on

anything but security?
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

It’s Not Technology
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

knowledge
Success and governance: people, collaboration, and

responsibility
Goal: Create shared organizational memory

Engaging stakeholders

Improving collaboration and communication across silos

© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Sharing Lessons Learned
Social media

Empowered end-users or out-of-control end users?

Cloud computing

What happens when end-users have access to as much or

more computing capability than IT, on demand?
Mobility

Users are driving the next-generation platform.

Can IT afford to get in front? Can IT afford not to?!

© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Preventing failure
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

The point
Fear drives failure

…Be fearless and brave to do what’s right

But, also exercise good and wise judgment

(don’t needlessly destroy your career)
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Thank You for Joining Us!
Next IT failures town hall:

Tuesday, May 19, 11:00AM EDT

Discussion Initiator:

Paul Ingevaldson

Former CIO, Ace Hardware
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.

Let’s have coffee!
Michael Krigsman Jonathan L. Yarmis
CEO Principal
Asuret, Inc. The Yarmis Group
Email: mkrigsman@asuret.com Email: jly@yarmis.com
Web: http://asuret.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/jyarmis
Blog: http://blogs.zdnet.com/projectfailures + 1 (203) 227-7841
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mkrigsman
+ 1 (617) 905-5950
© Copyright 2009 Asuret Inc. All rights reserved.