That bus has a lot to answer for......

When discussing the challenges of managing technology, our clients frequently express concern regarding risk in the form of a cliché:  “What happens if our key IT person gets hit by a bus?”

Institutional knowledge residing in the head of a key IT person is a common concern. It gets more pronounced when the CXO feels like he/she is beholden to that key resource. So what's the solution? Cross training, system automation and documentation are good starts but often are difficult in these lean times. We are our own worst enemy at times as we often feel more comfortable relying solely on people rather than proven systems that spread the knowledge.

Some of our clients naturally like the idea of constant access to the same support person for every issue. We certainly like to support the efficiency that comes from familiarity, but we’re conscious of not putting ourselves, or our customers, in the same predicament they wished to alleviate in the first place.

So what happens to your key IT person if you decide to outsource some of your IT needs? Many companies are utilizing their skills in higher value areas such as business intelligence, analysis, development and reporting. Others are focusing their time on the next module of their line of business application. Most IT people do not want to be the fire fighter on server and desktop issues. Once your key IT person gets past the initial feelings of change, and gets comfortable in their new role, then you don’t have to worry about that darn bus!