How IT can deliver success in a downturn

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0d87b40e-361b-11dd-8bb8-0000779fd2ac,dwp_uuid=4dce8136-4a24-11da-b8b1-0000779e2340.html
By Peter Whitehead, Digital Business Editor Published: June 13 2008 10:35 Last updated: June 13 2008 10:35
Financial Times Ft.com

Sangwook's comments & summary - This article is the compilation on how to deliver IT successfully in a downturn. There introduced 5 sub topics on it. In my opinion, it is going to be very useful ideas to consider to save IT expenditure when we would meet the similar situation happening in advanced countries. One of the common ideas out of 6 suggestions below is to focus business in more detail than IT itself and align business(processes) into IT. Not the other way around.

1. Work out what is mission-critical
Operations which requires successful time-critical events often find it appropriate to own the
entire environment which support all transactions.

2. Get your computing from the cloud


3. Speak the business language
IT should generate the top five ideas on how efficient use of new or existing systems can cut
cost and should draw its attention to how a new online widget can generate efficiencies for the
customer and staff.

4. Agile can cut costs and reduce risk
Agile aims to increase significantly the quality of the software being delivered. Agile actually
reduces cost because re-work is reduced.

5. Focus on the “I(nformaton)”, not the “T(echnology)”
Managing data or the “information” of IT is tough because it requires abstract thinking and
because in our daily lives we use information so frequently and seemingly effortlessly.

6. Squeeze out waste with SOA
Service Oriented Architecture(SOA) look right across the business at processes that involve
multiple operations. SOA then becomes part of the process of identifying cost and efficiency
opportunities, and also a key part of solution.