CIL'06: Working and Planning with your IT Department

With Barrett Jones, Joint IMF World Bank Library

• it's never easy!
• good tips for talking / working with anyone
• 1 meeting = 3 calls
• 1 call = 5 emails
  
• (LJ is GOOD at this!)
• use the power of cc in emails
  
• get invited to IT meetings
• always follow up...shows you're on the ball...record of what went down...mutual understanding
• education
• learn about technology
• visit your server (touch it!!)
• learn the basics
• read:
• NY Times technology section
• Wired magazine
• bring your IT guy to CIL!
• Vendors
• use them
• for advice on tech issues
• they work for US!
• (eg. Mike McL has been awesome!)
• strategy:
• typical to have lots of hoopla re strat plan, then it gets shelved...IT strategy...do we have one? (tbpl / city?)...if so, read it, adopt it, reference it
• dream big, plan small...dream about what you want to DO with technology, then make it happen with technology