After a nice summer break (that wasn’t actually long enough!) it’s time to get back to business . . . I spend a lot of time visiting local government websites not only professionally but because I like to keep up on what’s happening in the community where I live. Most local gover[...]
Archive for the ‘Information Technology’ Category
May 13th, 2010 - 12:04 pm § in Information Technology, Management
When minimizing risk hurts
Risk avoidance does not always lead to the best solution. By overemphasizing the potential risks associated with a proposed solution an organization may be missing out on opportunities to innovate and, often, provide a similar or better solution at less cost. [...]
April 27th, 2010 - 2:26 pm § in Information Technology
How to Assess Risk in IT Projects
Assessing risk is a key component of managing and IT project but also as part of the solution evaluation process. This post talks about the process of evaluating risk. [...]
April 12th, 2010 - 9:41 am § in Information Technology
Changing your password is a waste of time
Changing passwords frequently can be a waste of time and not necessary. This article highlights an article by Mark Pothier from the Boston Globe on the cost of tight password requirements.[...]
April 6th, 2010 - 7:46 am § in Information Technology, Management
What is an IT Strategic Plan Anyway?
Quite often, IT Strategic Plans are nothing more than a list of projects that are going to be undertaken in the coming years. A true strategic plan is set in context of business performance and links projects to specific objectives. Resulting outcomes are measurable and, in the IT context, not nec[...]
March 17th, 2010 - 1:03 pm § in Information Technology
Banish 7 bad computing habits
I came across this useful article from ITbusiness.ca http://bit.ly/dpAhru on getting rid of some key bad computing habits that can really mess up your day! I can definitely speak to the benefits of TrueCrypt and an online set-it-and-forget-it backup solution. I spent ages trying to figure out a [...]
March 4th, 2010 - 9:32 am § in GIS, Information Technology
Preventing Application Erosion: GIS Audit
Audits are a necessary process in the accounting industry to ensure integrity of accounting systems. Information technology can use audits to the same end and are an invaluable tool to prevent application erosion. GIS audits, in particular, are extremely helpful given the complexity and extent of [...]
February 23rd, 2010 - 12:53 pm § in Information Technology
Application Erosion: Death of a System
Application erosion is the slow deterioration of a system to the point where it no longer has value. Technological change and poor use are the key contributors. Although technological change is often the main reason for a system change, internal factors can play a more significant role. An inward[...]
February 16th, 2010 - 4:22 pm § in Information Technology
Isn’t it Time to Out-Source Email?
Out-sourcing email has the potential to remove a big headache from managing your local government IT infrastructure and save money. Privacy concerns are a non-issue if you accept that email is already an insecure form of communication that is difficult to control. [...]
February 11th, 2010 - 7:50 pm § in GIS, Information Technology
Focus on the Problem: Not the Solution
It's often too easy to focus on problems with technology and forget about the problem that needs solving. Understanding the problem is the key to finding the right solution which may or may not be the technology.[...]
