YES, WE SAID "IT FLEXIBILITY": Podcast interview with Tim Jennings, research director for the Butler Group

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Is the phrase "IT flexibility" an oxymoron -- a paradox in two words, like "jumbo shrimp" or "goverrnment organization"? It certainly can be. But Tim Jennings, research director for the UK's Butler Group, says that, not only is achieving flexibility and agility in IT possible, he is there to tell you how it can be done, and he's happy to talk about this. The devil is indeed in the details -- the architecture you set up, the infrastructure you utilize, and the governance and processes you implement --

"Too often," says Jennings, "IT is perceived as being a barrier to change, incapable of reacting quickly to meet new initiatives, and requiring additional investment for each new project. From IT's perspective, the changing nature of technology results in legacy architectures that are complex to integrate, and system "silos" that inhibit a more adaptable approach. In practice, it is this tension between business need and IT response that is largely responsible for a gap in business-IT alignment, as much as any problems of communication and understanding."

Jennings believes that an organization can overcome these issues by developing an approach to IT that incorporates flexibility in all aspects, from architectural design to models of delivery. From a strategic perspective, this will require choices on how IT investments are planned, prioritized, and measured; the development of new ways of pricing and billing IT services; the role of third-party services and how these should be integrated into IT delivery; and the incorporation of greater flexibility into IT resourcing.

Interested in hearing more? Tune in to this challenging and thought-provoking podcast interview on this very relevant subject with one of Europe's ace analysts.

Resources

Achieving IT Flexibility (PDF)

Butler Group

Bio

Tim Jennings is one of Europe's most experienced IT analysts with expertise gained in a broad spectrum of technology areas working with both vendors and end-users in his 20-year career in IT. Tim joined Butler Group in 2000, specializing in Application Deployment and Integration. In 2001, Tim was appointed Research Production Director, and in 2004 joined the Butler Group board as Research Director. He works alongside Butler Group president Martin Butler, who continues to provide strategic advice and support.

Production Credits

Dana Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host
Kimberly Stone, Web Development Manager
Scott Ebner, Web Developer