{"id":7944,"date":"2014-05-13T10:45:54","date_gmt":"2014-05-13T15:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/?p=7944"},"modified":"2021-10-14T11:21:42","modified_gmt":"2021-10-14T16:21:42","slug":"6-common-it-practices-that-drive-users-crazy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/6-common-it-practices-that-drive-users-crazy\/","title":{"rendered":"6 common IT practices that drive users crazy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Education\"Summary: As businesses rely more on data and technology, the barrier between IT departments and the business must come down. If businesses are to succeed in a data driven world, IT must better align itself with the business, and eliminate some common practices that frustrate end users. <\/em><\/span>
\n<\/a>
\nThere\u2019s long been a barrier between IT departments and end users. For whatever reason, IT and the business often don\u2019t see eye-to-eye and don\u2019t operate as a cohesive unit.<\/p>\n

\"photo
photo credit: lumaxart<\/a> via photopin<\/a> cc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>More than ever, this must change. As data and technology plays a larger role in the business, this barrier must come down if companies hope to succeed in a data-driven world. The business and the IT department must be on the same page if they hope to get the most out of their data.<\/span><\/p>\n

The problem is, both sides still unknowingly do things that frustrate the other. End users make security mistakes that make IT want to scream. IT departments sometimes come across as roadblocks to the business. Unless the issues are resolved, the business and the IT department will never align.<\/p>\n

What are these issues? While we\u2019ll cover the other side in a future article, today let\u2019s focus on one side of the coin: Common IT practices that drive users crazy. In what ways does IT unknowingly frustrate their end users? We\u2019ve compiled a list of some the most common practices, and explained each one below. End users become frustrated when IT departments:<\/p>\n

1. Speak in \u201cIT language\u201d<\/h3>\n

Have you ever spoken with someone who obviously knew more about a subject than you…and talked down to you as a result? Does it make you want to speak with that person again? No! This is a common issue among IT departments, as end users often feel like the IT department talks down to them because they don\u2019t understand technology. <\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe worst offense is in speaking in IT language, and assuming that because you are not in the IT department you must be stupid,\u201d says Becky A. Cole, Chief Capacity Builder at Connecting Resources Together<\/span><\/a>. \u201cI once worked for IBM on a software rollout they were doing for American Express. The installation instructions I had were made up of 26 pages of flowcharts. That worked for the programmers and the developers, but those weren’t the people in the field putting the software on the computers in Amex offices. One of the programmers got upset with me when I wanted to take \u2018gui\u2019 out of the information and replace it with \u2018screen\u2019.\u201d<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Create confusing password requirements<\/h3>\n

\n\u201cUsers are inundated with password requirements,\u201d says Adam Hartung<\/span><\/a>, a former CIO and current CEO of Spark Partners. \u201cTrying to remember them all is incredibly difficult. First IT says you need them all to be different, and wants them cryptic and wants them changed monthly. Then IT tells you not to put them into your address book, or into a list file, or write them down. How are users to keep track? And worse, nobody thinks that all this password effort makes any difference. When sites are being hacked every week they know the problem is more than passwords and security isn\u2019t reliant on them.\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, does this mean you should allow weak passwords, or never require password changes? No! But, overzealous password policies will not only frustrate users–they can actually cause more harm than good. <\/p>\n

Let me explain: What happens when users must constantly create new, confusing passwords? They forget their passwords! A lot. This causes two problems. First, some users regularly contact IT for new passwords, wasting both the user\u2019s time and the IT department\u2019s time. Second, other users just write their passwords down on a piece of paper and keep that paper out in the open where everyone can see it–negating many of the reasons for even having a password in the first place!<\/p>\n

What can you do? Many popular web services have opted for 2-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security to their applications. What does it do? While you can read more about it here<\/span><\/a>, 2-factor authentication adds another layer of security to your most important applications without requiring constant password changes. <\/p>\n

3. Offer no self-service options<\/h3>\n

Often overworked, many IT departments lack the resources to deliver new solutions or fulfill end user requests in a timely manner. The problem is, they don\u2019t give end users other options–meaning users must wait around for IT to deliver new applications. The result: Users either become frustrated, or just take matters into their own hands.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI once worked for a company that offered no self-service tools,\u201d says Steve Hansen, a web designer at mrc<\/span><\/a>. \u201cEverything went through IT. While IT was helpful and friendly, they were already busy and restricted with corporate policies and bureaucracy. If we wanted a report, we waited days. If we wanted new applications, we waited months. They did offer us a reporting tool once, but it was so complex that nobody used it. I soon realized the only way to accomplish anything was to go around IT.\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. Do not provide proper feedback on requests<\/h3>\n

\n\u201cOnce users make a request for IT services there is not a transparent process to know where their request or project fits into their schedule,\u201d says JJ DiGeronimo<\/span><\/a>, a Technology Executive, Author, Entrepreneur & STEM Advocate. \u201cSo, they find themselves frequently asking for an update or expected delivery time which is often annoying to both the requester and the IT staff.\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"photo
photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video<\/a> via photopin<\/a> cc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>When users have no self-service options, they must go to the IT department for solutions. The problem is, many IT departments don\u2019t provide status updates on user requests–leaving users wondering when they\u2019ll have a solution, or if IT is even working on it at all. Paul Ingevaldson paints a clear picture of this problem in his book, \u201cThe 9 \u00bd Secrets of a Great IT Organization<\/span><\/a>,\u201d when he says, \u201cMany users feel that the IT department is a black hole that things go into but never come out of.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Do you think users want to go through an IT department that feels like a black hole? Of course not! If IT departments hope to properly align themselves with the business, they must create clear communication systems for user requests. <\/p>\n

5. Act like technology gatekeepers<\/h3>\n

In the past, IT departments controlled technology because it was scarce, and difficult for end users to obtain and use. These days, that\u2019s not the case. Consumer technology has surpassed business technology in many areas, and business-ready software solutions are easily available across the web. End users want the freedom to use their own devices, yet some IT departments still act like technology gatekeepers–trying to restrict end user\u2019s hardware and software options.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cIT people think of operating technology as if it were a castle,\u201d says Hartung. \u201cThey want control, and they want to know everyone who comes in and goes out. They think of technology like a fortress to be defended, so they don\u2019t want anybody using any device they don\u2019t control. Only users know this isn\u2019t really security, because they have to work in the \u201creal world\u201d outside of the corporation. They need ease of use from their own devices, and the web sites, cloud services and vendor (or customer) connections that are essential to do their jobs. Having IT try to control their device seems to them like a parent controlling what you can order from a menu.\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

6. Create a \u201cculture of no\u201d<\/h3>\n

Some IT departments have unknowingly created a \u201cCulture of no,\u201d in which end users feel like IT takes pleasure in denying requests. Now, I understand…user requests often aren\u2019t feasible. They ask for solutions that either can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t be delivered. However, this becomes a problem when users start viewing IT as a roadblock, or when IT develops a \u201cmy way or the highway\u201d mentality. <\/p>\n

\n\u201cIT departments often comport themselves as if the company can\u2019t live without them,\u201d says Matthew H Podowitz, Senior Director at the Pine Hill Group<\/span><\/a>. \u201cThis may be true from a practical standpoint, but the business probably doesn\u2019t want to believe it even if they know it to be true. The business appreciates this fact even less when this behavior manifests when telling the business \u201cno\u201d in response to some request of the IT department. Many companies believe firmly that IT has no inherent value and is only a \u201cnecessary evil.\u201d Instead, IT departments should comport themselves as just one cog (albeit an important one) in the mechanism that is the company – and that everyone (including IT) must work together to make the company successful.\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, what do you think? Is there anything you would add to this list? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: As businesses rely more on data and technology, the barrier between IT departments and the business must come down. If businesses are to succeed in a data driven world, IT must better align itself with the business, and eliminate some common practices that frustrate end users.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","slim_seo":{"title":"6 common IT practices that drive users crazy - mrc's Cup of Joe Blog","description":"Summary: As businesses rely more on data and technology, the barrier between IT departments and the business must come down. If businesses are to succeed in a d"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[81],"class_list":["post-7944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","tag-cio-challenges"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7944"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13118,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7944\/revisions\/13118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}