From the calculator to global communications and commerce--this IT evolution is a study in extreme innovation. However, most really don't understand how it works, what enables it and why it all matters. My 5-year-old daughter often says, "Daddy, I want to watch 'Kim Possible'." She has no idea why or how it magically shows up on my computer through iTunes; she just knows that it is there and she wants to watch it.
The more everyone touches and uses IT (like my daughter or your CEO), the less they "understand" about why and how it works--this makes your job that much more important, that much more vital to how your business runs. Like the astrophysicists that have studied, learned and shared their findings with the world, IT professionals are creating the networks, architecting the infrastructure and delivering the applications that let everyone experience the power of information technology--personally and professionally.
Although we are not astrophysicists, we do understand and run the technology that rules our business universe. Take pride in that as you find new ways to make IT matter in your business. Your trick is to keep your technical edge while learning the realities of the business processes that run your company, from HR to Finance to Sales and Distribution. Then, using your understanding of IT, you'll change them, make them better and help others understand their impact. This is not easy, but ya know what? Most everything worth doing isn't.
Oh yeah, and have fun with it--Galileo did.
John Siefert is publisher OF Network Computing. Write to him at [email protected].
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