Technical Impact: Making Your Information Technology Effective - Book Report/Review Example

 Technical Impact: Making Your Information Technology Effective Kubler’s “Technical impact: Making your information technology effective, and keeping it that way” helps the reader or the professional have established ways of making a contribution on the function of Information Technology (IT), and its significance to the business that it serves. It also provides the proven ways to ensure that IT function is recognized for a positive impact. It dwells on the performance of the business and gives enough explicit examples of instilling confidence that these approaches in IT are practical in any business or organization as well as advice on how to get started in business using the IT as a driver (Kuebler, 2010). The application of these lessons together is important, as having an IT function that improves continuously makes the enterprise be more effective. This book also explains how the IT professionals and the managers of business enterprises can utilize collaborations, communications and persuasions to make information technology effective for the business or the enterprise. It also gives an insight into how to improve IT-business relationships through active interest, involvement and initiative as these principles are unchanging in every aspect. This book is therefore highly recommended for IT managers and professionals who intend to make their information technology management function responsive to the unique business needs that their enterprises or firms serve. It also grants the IT professional’s insights on the manner of making their IT career be relevant for a longer period, remain enthusiastic about the contributions and improve a sense of fulfillment and return (Kuebler, 2010). . Kuebler gives an insight on aligning expectations in that an IT position must deal with the relevant strategic issues as ably discussed Chapter 17 where he states that asking the right questions is the key to landing the right position. This helps those who want more IT career opportunities who are obliged to target their IT progress while he also states at Chapter 27, which talks about Career Craft meaning that a person must prepare, position and persevere for the desired results (Kuebler, 2010). . Strategic integration is discussed as important with the sole reason to know the IT’s value proposition as suggested by Chapter 1 which advices that the leadership should be proactive and value proposition (Kuebler, 2010). Chapter 20 advices that there is need to invest in IT for success in business and improve its strategic performance, while Chapter 22 gives an advice on finance matters with regard to the most compelling investment in IT. In the achievement of strategic integration, the book at Chapter 25 also states that the CIO should report at a C-Level position while Chapter 5 gives an insight on ways of keeping focus on strategy and the team’s future which can only be achieved through adherence to the strategy of the manager as well as the team (Stenzel, 2011). This book also gives the best practices of informational technology (IT) which is important in knowing how a person’s or a business’ IT function can improve continuously and be strategically managed (Chew and Gottschalk, 2009). Chapter 10, which discusses “Chasing Perfection”, prescribes that there is need for a value-focused continuous improvement that is important for the IT function to adopt the best practices program. Chapter 14 discusses “Getting the Best out of Best Practices” which posits that if you want to see It quality as an inherent part of the IT’s results, it is important to say what you are doing, do it, prove it as well as improve on it. Chapter 21 discusses “The Case for Quality” which discusses on how to delight a customer through IT quality (Kuebler, 2010). . This incisive book also gives an insight of buy-ins concerning a person who wants his IT investments to be clearly understood. Chapter 8 of the book which is entitled “You Don’t Think You Need Buy-In?” gives advice for those business leaders who do not understand the value of IT while Chapter 9 talking about “A Tale of Two CIOs” gives an advice on the commercialization of the IT function. On the other hand, chapter 18 discusses how to commercialize the IT function and is aptly named “There's No Lasting Change Without Buy-in”. These chapters underscore the relevance and the importance of buy-ins in any business that makes the IT function be effective and relevant (Kuebler, 2010). . The book also gives information on careers and how to know the technical proficiency and whether it is adequate for the business enterprise regarding its IT function. Chapter 28 titled “Getting the Career You Want By Developing Your Business Value” discusses the means and ways of avoiding career limiting positions in the management of IT. Kuebler also talks about collaboration in making IT effective through Chapter 11, which states that the CIO must have an interest, be involved as well as have an initiative to be successful. At Chapter 13, the author states that there is need for everyone to speak the same language so that there is IT progress devoid of any imitation of investment while also restating the importance of IT as a way of attaining new business growth as shown in Chapter 19. This important IT book also makes a discussion of communication in that it is important that each member of the IT team must understand the value of IT as shown in Chapter, which stresses the connection of each of the team members’ effort. Chapter 4 discusses hat a client teaches the business in terms of IT functions while Chapter 7 gives an insight on communicating through simple business terms by telling your own story plainly in order to win over business managers. Further, Chapter 26 gives a report card of IT that is relevant in handling the IT services function of the business, which include The IT Application Process, Mapping the IT World, Targeting Your Management Factors, A Client Relationship Management Culture, as well as Commercializing IT Services (Kuebler, 2010). Kuebler at Chapter 15 also discusses empowerment, which is important in building a creative IT organization whereby he suggests “Leading by Letting Go” which denotes a creative IT organization formula. In addition, he suggests that initiative is important in order to make IT to be an important contributor to the business and not just being a reactive bystander rather than a proactive partner. Innovation is also mentioned as important in satisfying the wants and the needs of the client in a profitable manner as shown in Chapter 24 titled “Leading the Business to Better Ways” that states that the business must build creative focus and momentum in order to succeed. It also warns persons about acquisitions by stating that there should be precaution in order not to be surprised after the acquisition of IT as enumerated in Chapter 16. This book also gives information on the management of vendors in order to make them be concerned with the success of your enterprise as shown in Chapter 6 while Chapter 12 gives information on how to outperform political games and achieving what the team deserves (Baschab and Piot, 2003). It also underscores the importance of research in order to remain relevant and current on the emerging techniques, tools and technologies as Chapter 23 advices on leading change. Therefore, Kuebler’s “Technical impact: Making your information technology effective, and keeping it that way” serves as a useful guide in showing the readers and professionals alike on how to foster collaboration and empower professionals in the IT field in contributing towards business strategy and leadership. It also gives the readers rare opportunities to comprehend the role of information technology in the business world and how it brings successes to business enterprises by building on its own achievements. References Baschab, J., & Piot, J. (2003). The executive's guide to information technology. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons. Chew, E. K., & Gottschalk, P. (2009). Information technology strategy and management: Best practices. Hershey: Information Science Reference. Information Resources Management Association., & Khosrowpour, M. (2000). Challenges of information technology management in the 21st century. Hershey, Pa: Idea Group Pub. Kuebler, A. (2010). Technical impact: Making your information technology effective, and keeping it that way. La Quinta, Calif: Technical Impact. Stenzel, J., & ITPro. (2011). CIO best practices: Enabling strategic value with information technology, second edition. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons. Read More