dictatorship and diplomacy; the campus politics of successful it projects utah state university –...

Dictatorship and Diplomacy; The Campus Politics of Successful IT ProjectsUtah State University – Logan, Utah 84322

Dictatorship & Diplomacy

The Campus Politics of Successful IT Projects

Copyright Rory J. Weaver 2002. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.


Dr. Barbara WhiteVice President for

Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

Rory J. WeaverAssistant to the CIO


And the Problem is:

Leadership Styles

IT Opinions

Campus Politics

!! Budgets !!

Committees Ceaseless Debate

This is not Sports…

We have Fighting. Torture. Revenge…


Ingredients of Projects


And the Solution Is:

Learn to Identify the

‘Success / Failure’ Indicators

Stop the debates and get the job done!

Understanding campus politics can make the difference between success and failure.


What are Success / Failure

Indicators?


Indicator #2

Indicator #3 Indicator #4

The Big Picture

Opinion vs Knowledge

The Golden Rule

Fair Play

Indicator #1


How to IdentifySuccess / Failure

Indicators


Indicator #1

How ‘Big’ is The Big Picture

Enterprise Wide

The Big Picture

College Only

Departmental

Short termLong term

Temporary

Permanent Noble Cause Bluff

“Is It True Love or an MLT”

“What’s so Important…”


True Love

A Most Noble Cause (or an MLT?)


Indicator #1

The Big Picture

Not who is right, but what is right – for the institution.

Case Study

The USU Portal Project

Communication is Key!


Quick History

President Hires Another VP for …

CIO convenes Portal Committee

Committee Examines Issues – Recommend Solution

New VP takes exception

CIO Clarifies Recommendation

New VP Responds: ‘You’re Wrong. I’m Right. Do It My Way! I’m New’


Email Thread 1----- Original Message -----

From: Non AttendeeTo: New VP

New VP,The most recent Portal committee meeting was held yesterday and here is the review of that meeting:…NA.


Email Thread 2

From: New VPTo: NA

cc: CIO

NA,Portals are marketing and customer service functions. Portals are not for the tech staff…NewVP.


Email Thread 3From: CIOReply To: NewVP

NewVP,Please see my "take", on all of this per the message that ‘NA’ sent. It is my understanding that ‘NA’ was not at the meeting… There appears to be some confusion…Thanks.CIO


Email Thread 4

From: NewVPReply To: CIO

CIO,This is all screwed up. I forwarded to you ‘NA's email with my responses. In your response you combined my responses and ‘NA’s email together into statements never said.NewVP


Email Thread 5From: CIOTo: NewVP, NA, & Attendee

Please accept my apology per any misinterpretation; I was simply trying to clarify "where we are“. It was not my intent to cause more confusion....although apparently I did. Again, my apology. CIO.


Indicator #2

Opinion vs. Knowledge

Are you a politician or a technician?

What technology to use (or vendor)

How to apply chosen technology

Know what you’re talking about.

“I don’t think it means what you think it means.”


“Inconceivable!”“You keep using that word. I do not think it

means what you think it means.”


Indicator #2

Opinion vs. Knowledge

Are you a politician or a technician?

Case Study

WIRELESS IMPLEMENTATION

Know what you’re talking about.


Wireless Opinions

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has formally approved the 802.16 global standard,…

VnuNet.com, Dec. 13, 2001

A group of technology leaders say they are building standardized specifications for writing mobile Internet applications. BEA Systems, Borland Software, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems are backing Nokia Corp.'s open mobile architecture,…

Information Week, Dec. 19, 2001


Opinion/Knowledge Hierarchy

Tech Bent Student Employees

Dept. System Admins

Secretaries et.al.

Dept. Guru

Dean / Dept.Hd.Legal Issues Safety Issues


OSI Network Model


Indicator #3

The Golden Rule

“He who has the gold… Rules!”

Gold = Dictatorship

No Gold = Diplomacy

Gold / No Gold <> Success


Indicator #3

The Golden Rule

Case Study

The USU Portal Project


Sequence of Events

CIO Convenes Portal Committee

Committee Examines Issues

The President says “Reconsider”

Committee Re-examines Issues

Recommend Solution


President says ‘Reconsider’

Politician or Technician

The President has the final word.

The recommended solution was too costly in several ways –

Up Front Costs

Ongoing Maintenance

Human Capital Requirements


Indicator #4

Fair Play

No hidden agendas.

No soapboxes.

Honest, Genuine, Respectful, Issues oriented collaboration.

“I know something you don’t know…”


“I know something you don’t know…”


Indicator #4

Fair Play

Case Study

The USU Data Warehouse Project


The Former President’s Project

President Appoints ‘Favorite Son’ to Council

CIO Convenes DW Advisory Council

Council Examines Issues – Propose Solutions

Council Moves Forward in Spite of ‘FS’

Result: Award Winning Product

‘Favorite Son’ Vetoes ‘Everything’


Conclusion

Lessons Learned and Take Home Points

• Get ALL the Facts

• Get High Level Commitment

• Do it Right – The First Time

• Involve Anyone/Everyone Affected

• Repent and Forgive

Kiss each other and live ‘Happily Ever After’


It’s ‘kissing’ again. You don’t want to hear that...


The End

(Except for Q & A)

dictatorship and diplomacy; the campus politics of successful it projects utah state university –...

Documents

campus politics of successful

dictatorship diplomacy

opinions campus politics

ingredients of projects

cio slide

important slide

revenge slide

projects copyright rory