· Engage in "keep them happy" planning exercises. As the number of technically knowledgeable departmental staff increases, so, too, will pressure on the central IT organization to more clearly articulate its plans for the future. Since relatively few IT organizations embrace planning with great enthusiasm, it is te mpting to create a facade by doing just enough planning to pacify the most vocal DCNAs. Such actions are generally transparent and counterproductive.

· Raid departments for the best and brightest staff. DCNAs are often hired as entry-level technical employees, but a significant percentage will rapidly develop expertise that warrants more responsibility and higher salaries. This makes them vulnerable to raids from central IT, which is often hungry for people with the combination of technical and consulting skills that characterize the most effective DCNAs.

· Assume that centralized administration of network services is always more efficient. It is fairly common for central IT staff to view centralized administration of network and system services as being more efficient. This is not always the case, and, even when it is, some departme nts may be willing to forgo some efficiency in order to derive greater overall effectiveness from systems that are customized to meet the needs of their specifi c environment. Moreover, there are many cases where distributed management is more efficient due to less bureaucratic overhead.

· Treat them like the enemy. It is commonly the case that the most effective DCNAs are also the biggest troublemakers in IT's viewpoint, usually because they challenge the status quo. By painting them as the enemy, some central IT managers can generate enthusiasm and unity among their employees. While this "us versus them" mentality may build team spirit in the short term, it is organizationally divisive in the long run.

· Speak down to them. The pecking order of many organizations finds the more experienced technologists in the central organization and the younger, less experienced technical staff at the departmental level. One or two experiences with ambitious, but misguided departmental technology initiatives can foster an elitist attitude within central IT that is difficult to overcome.

· Use organizational standards as a means for discouraging creativ e use of alternative technologies. More central IT organizations are using organizational software and hardware standards as a means of keeping overall support costs in line. In most cases, this is sound business judgment. However, it's also quite common for central IT to discourage innovation by restricting departmental discretion through the imposition of arbitrary standards.

· Deny them information or access. Should central IT provide a DCNA with access levels equivalent to their own staff? Given the lack of accountability, the smart answer is probably no. But this is not a black and white issue. Access to information and systems can be measured in degrees. Access to some secure systems (such as a network performance monitoring system) or information (a central IT e-mail discussion list) can make DCNAs more productive by enabling them access t o tools and information.

United We Stand The lack of cooperation and distrust that characterizes the relationship between central IT and departmental technologists in many, if not most, organizations is a significant drain on overall organizational effectiveness. Improving this relationship requires personal commitment on both sides and a clear recognition that both parties' interests are better served through cooperation rather than competition. But personal commitment from technical staff is not enough to ensure success. A diligent effort at the most senior level of the IT organization is required to create a structure that enhances the likelihood of information exchange and cooperation. At the least, a central IT staff member should be designated to coordinate relations between IT and DCNAs and among the DCNAs themselves.

For those central IT staff who long for a return to centralized control of IT, I have three words of advice: Get a grip. The politics of large organizations, like that of nations, suggest that the highly centralized bureaucracies, typical of so many of today's IT organizations, face the same fate as those old Z80 PCs running CP/M.

Dave Molta is director of network and system services at Syracuse University. He can be reached at dmolta@nwc.com.