This survey was conducted in Singapore to explore the value of IT professionals from the perspective of end users. The key findings show that end users place greater importance on the technologies supported by IT, like computers and smartphones, than personnel. A majority of end users say their productivity would be lost without this technology. While end users rely on IT for help, many do not fully understand the IT professional's full role beyond technical support.

1. IT PRO VALUE SURVEY:
THE END USER’S PERSPECTIVE
S URV E Y CO NDUCTE D BY HARRI S P O LL
J ULY 2 0 1 5
E X P LO RI NG THE V ALUE O F I T P RO FE S S I O NALS
THRO UG H E ND US E RS ’ ATTI TUDE S AND
O P I NI O NS ABO UT I T P RO FE S S I O NALS AND THE
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY THEY SUPPORT
(S I NG AP O RE )

2. STUDY OVERVIEW
This survey was conducted online in Singapore by Harris Poll on behalf
of SolarWinds from July 8-15, 2015 among 1,041 adults ages 18 and
older, among whom 658 are employed but not as an IT professional or
executive.
2
S C O P E AN D D E M O G R AP H I C S
© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

3. KEY FINDINGS
• Four in five (81%) end users identify a type of technology (computer, software,
smartphone or tablet) as among the most important in their daily work life. More
than three in four (62%) say their computer, while 56% say a smartphone, 28%
say software and 10% say a tablet is among the most important in their daily
work life.
• Just over one third (35%) say personnel is among the most important in their
daily work life, with one in ten (10%) indicating administrative assistants, 8%
business operations managers and 7% project managers and 6% HR
professionals.
3
E N D U S E R S P L AC E G R E ATE R I M P O R TAN C E O N TH E
TE C H N O L O G Y S U P P O R TE D B Y I T P R O F E S S I O N AL S I N
TH E W O R K P L AC E — S U C H AS S M AR T P H O N E S ,
TAB L E T S , C O M P U TE R S AN D S O F TWAR E — T H A N TH E Y
D O O N P E R S O N N E L
© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Question: Which of the following would you say are the most important in your daily work life? Please select up to three items.
• Computer
• Smartphone
• Tablet
• Software (e.g., email, CRM, word processing
and spreadsheet applications)
• IT professional(s)
• Administrative assistant
• CEO
• HR professional(s)
• Legal department
• Procurement department
• Project manager
• Business operations manager
• Other

4. KEY FINDINGS
• Nearly three quarters (72%) say it would take them more time to complete a
typical day’s worth of work without the use of the technology typically maintained
by the IT department or professionals employed by the company in which they
work, with 36% saying one day’s work would take an additional business day or
longer. 16% of employees say it would not be possible to carry out their daily
work without the technology supported by IT professionals.
4
A M AJ O R I TY O F E N D U S E R S I N D I C AT E W O R K
P R O D U C TI V I TY I S L O S T W I TH O U T TH E TE C H N O L O G Y
S U P P O R TE D B Y I T P R O F E S S I O N AL S
© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Question: How much more time, if any, would it take you to complete a typical day’s worth of work without the use of the technology that is
typically maintained by IT professionals (e.g., computers, software and telephone systems)?
• An hour or less
• More than an hour, but less than a business
day
• One business day
• More than one business day, but less than a
business week
• A business week
• More than one business week
• It would not be possible to carry out my daily
work without the technology supported by IT
professionals.
• No additional time
• Not applicable

5. KEY FINDINGS
• Three in five (60%) agree that their company’s IT department going on vacation
for a month would have a greater impact on their daily work life than if their
company’s executive leadership did.
5
M O S T E N D U S E R S AG R E E TH AT I T H AS A G R E ATE R
I M PAC T O N TH E I R D AI LY W O R K L I V E S TH AN TH E C -
S U I TE
© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Question: How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
My company’s IT department going on vacation for a month would have a greater impact on my daily work life than if my company’s executive
leadership (e.g., CEO, CFO, CMO) did.
• Strongly disagree
• Somewhat disagree
• Somewhat agree
• Strongly agree
• Not applicable

6. KEY FINDINGS
• Seven in ten (70%) end users say they do not understand or understand only a
little about the role IT professionals employed by their company, beyond helping
them as an end user resolve their technology issues.
• Nearly all (96%) of those who work for a company that employs IT professionals
say they ask for technical help/support from their IT professionals. More than
two in five (44%) ask for help/support from IT professionals monthly or more
frequently.
6
W H I L E TH E R O L E O F TH E I T P R O F E S S I O N AL I N I TS
E N TI R E TY I S N O T ALWAY S W E L L U N D E R S TO O D B Y
E N D U S E R S , TH E Y K N O W W H O TO C AL L O N W H E N
TH E Y H AV E A TE C H N O L O G Y P R O B L E M
© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Question: How well, if at all, do you understand the role of IT professionals beyond helping you as an end user resolve your technology issues?
• I do not understand at all
• I understand a little
• I understand a lot
• I understand very well
Question: On average, how often, if ever, do you ask for technical help or other forms of support from IT professionals at work?
• Multiple times a day
• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• A few times a year
• Once a year
• Less than once a year
• Never

7. The SolarWinds and SolarWinds & Design marks are the
exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC and its
affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other
countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks,
and logos may be common law marks, registered or pending
registration in the United States or in other countries. All
other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification
purposes only and may be or are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies.
© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.