Four Phases in Growth of IT

I am one of the fortunate to have lived through the 4 phases of Computer Technologies. It has been a great learning, when I recognized these 4 phases and the way it impacted.

1.       The first batch of B.Tech Computer Science just came around in 1980s. Everyone, Civil Engineer to Sociologist learned how to Program and use the computers to their respective problems. Very new insights were found in every branch of Science, Technology and Commerce by using computer processing. CREATIVE phase of DISCOVERY

2.       Programming became a “profession”. Early adopters (1) got fast growth doing generally applicable solutions for their problems. CICS/IMS/COBOL gave foreign job opportunity. Rapid growth in Programming training. Streets full of Oracle training schools! Every college has established a Computer Science/IT course. World was on the course of Y2K water-fall! Nobody knew why year has to have 4 digits or will the airplanes fall down on 31-12-1999 1sec before 0.00hrs of Year 2000. PROGRAMMERS were EMPOWERED. Programmer decides – business endures.

3.       Managers who spent Billions of $ didn’t enjoy the event free Y2K transform. Big Bust of the IT startups. Bad assessment and control of Managers stood tall. MS introduced the almighty weapon – PowerPoint. All IS got refocused to provide the support to Management – ERP, Business Graphics, PPTs is priority. Programming and Computer Science became a ‘Commodity’. Professionals abided with Corporate IT Strategy and Security. Everyone forgot Programming. Quantity didn’t necessarily excite Quality in using Computers. MANAGEMENT FOCUS.

4.       New breed of platforms and frameworks kept GOOD programmers away from commodity IT. New RAD platforms came in, silently revolutionizing the art and science of problem solution (programming) on computers. Customizing lost its glamour and kind of detested. Configurable solutions EMPOWERED knowledgeable users to become CREATIVE on their OWN. EMPOWERMENT is the WORD for ALL. Governance gave room to Control. Managers got to DRILL-DOWN on DEMAND and detach from FED-IN PPTs. Professionals rediscovered their ability to create new information. Programmers thrived on creating the tools for world to evolve.

Information Systems (IS) and Information Techology (IT) is in this 4^th Phase. Where are You?

1.       Did I create any new solution to what I do regularly on the computers, increasing value or productivity?

2.       Do You have a creative new digital information idea that will make You see hitherto unknown?

3.       Can You implement the idea  before week-end?

4.       Do You see all data you "need-to-see" and have "right-to-see"?

5.       Can You differentiate data and documents and can independently verify their conformance?

6.       Do You actively share and collaborate ideas and knowledge?

Yes to one of more points to you being on the 4^th. Else, time to create similar set of questions to see if you are still in  3^rd or struck further down. {Do I work largely on Emails and Powerpoint as source of information? +++}.

CIO is responsible in the organization to build the necessary culture, systems and learning to move on the EMPOWERMENT phase. HIT (Head IT) will provide the needed infrastructure and governance framework to get it RIGHT, SAFELY and SECURELY.

Let us think further on what this new IS phase 4 has offered and how it can be leveraged