research & advisory services * consulting * facilitation © copyright 2008 ibrs all rights...

Research & Advisory Services * Consulting * Facilitation

© Copyright 2008 IBRS All rights reserved.


IS Higher Education Meeting the Needs IS Higher Education Meeting the Needs of Industryof Industry

Peter GrantPeter Grant

[email protected]@live.com.au



• Who am I– Worked in ICT since 1973– Founding Director, Gartner Consulting ANZ– IT Director Queensland Transport– CIO Queensland Health– CIO Queensland Government– Faculty Advisory Boards – several universities– Consulting in Federal and State Governments– Masters in Information Systems

Thank you for the Invitation



• Students TRUST Universities to design and implement degree programs that:– Are worth 3 years of their life and a big debt

– Provide them with the skills to identify and manage a career in ICT

– Make them employable for their first job and valuable industry ready team members and partner

– Build lifelong alumni networks.

• The community TRUSTS Universities to provide Vision and Leadership to Industry and Government on issues relevant to ICT.

Our Promise to Students

Are we keeping up our part of the deal?



• They know and can apply theory relevant to their role / career.

• They understand context• They understand enough about the history of the ICT industry to be able

to JUDGE and ARGUE when and where to use certain approaches. Like ‘This initiative should be managed under a project structure because…’ or ‘An SOA approach is better because it overcomes problems like…’

• They have the knowledge , confidence and approach to argue for what is right.

• They don’t repeat past failures.• Where things have worked? Where have the BIG TRAIN WRECKS been?

What caused them. We can give all graduates a level of experience by just showing them recent ICT history.

What Makes a Good Graduate?



• They understand the Industry • Were the industry is heading, the big players today and how they are setting

direction through competition for market share, what problems does this cause, the role of government in ICT (infrastructure investment, industry development, setting appropriate standards, vision, support for education), the role of the ICT industry and the industry associations, and ICT and the environment.

• They have a focus on quality and ethics.

• They can communicate in all modalities.

• They are power users of the key tools in their domain.– Word processing, Project Scheduling, Developer Tools, Architecture Tools

• They know where their career is going and have a plan to get where they want to go.

What Makes a Good Graduate?



They are ambassadors for your University and the ICT Industry.

What makes a good graduate



WHAT THINGS SHOULD GRADUATES KNOW ABOUT?



Why Do we use ICT

• Say it in 4.....

1.Transform, automate and Lock in Processes2.Improve Decision Making

– Structured vs Unstructured Decisions 3.Communications

– E-mail, IM, Presence, Video Conferencing, etc4.Entertainment



• Build Technology• Run Technology• Transform Enterprises• Design Enterprises

How Do we Deliver Technology?

Technology Focus

Business Focus



• Build Technology• Run Technology• Transform Enterprises• Design Enterprises

TechnologyFocus

Business Focus

• Say it in 4.....

1. Transform, automate and Lock in Processes2. Improve Decision Making

– Structured vs Unstructured Decisions 3. Communications

– E-mail, IM, Presence, Video Conferencing, etc4. Entertainment

Do we overemphasise how not why?

Why

How



Career Streams

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Systems Analyst Network Analyst Technical

Development

Manager Software Architect Multimedia Specialist Data Modeller Software Developer Web Developer Games Developer Graphics Designer Animator Testing Manager

Customer Services Manager

Customer

Relationship Manager

Telecoms Engineer Capacity Planner /

Analyst Database

Administrator Release Manager Hardware Engineer Sales Consultant Account Manager Security Specialist Systems

Administrator Network Manager PC Support Help Desk Operator

CIO / CTO IT DIRECTOR

Program Director Project Manager Capability Manager Benefits Manager Change Manager Sourcing Specialist Business Analyst Quality Manager Test Manager Program Office

Manager Vendor Relationship

Manager Trainer Benefits Analyst Business Process

Modeller

CIO / CTOIT DIRECTOR

IT Strategist Business Architect Information Architect Technology Architect Applications Architect Strategic Planner Business Continuity

Planner ICT Policy Officer Information

Management Specialist

Business Process

Modeller

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT

Building Technology


Development



Customer



Analyst Database



Running Technology




Modeller

Transforming Business




Business Process

Modeller

Designing the Enterprise




Challenge No 1:

ICT is a Broad Church with many career streams.

When do we give undergrads the knowledge to make a choice about

what they learn?




Challenge No 2:

Are we teaching the range of skills a graduate needs?

Factors Impacting Graduate Capability


Constraints on Universities

Currency and Breath of Courses



• Focus on paying your own way.

• Some courses are provided because they are popular and they attract students.

• Unpopular (but important) courses are often dropped.

• Inhibits the University’s Leadership role– Courses that are important but not obviously popular

should be promoted as ‘loss leaders’.

University KPI are Wrong?



• Conflicting Priorities in Developing a Course– Utilisation of existing academic skills and preferences– Cost of Diversity inhibits new course directions– Availability of Materials … texts, research– Industry don’t know what to ask for– Preference vs Graduate Requirements– Motivation to change status quo

• So how quickly (if ever) do new important topic areas enter the curriculum and what do they replace.– Search– Architectural Concepts: SOA, Standards, Classification Frameworks, Zachman… – Systems Selection– Strategic Planning for ICT, Governance, COBIT, ITIL…– Identity Management– Cloud Computing…

Course Real Estate




Challenge No 3:

Are we teaching the right combination of subjects in our

courses with the right level of choice for students.


Government ICT Policy

No Agreed Definition for ICT





• The Federal Government has two groups who influence the ICT industry.– Neither has a definition of the ICT industry.– Neither understand the transformation impact of ICT.– Neither has an appropriate methodological approach.

• Classification becomes a BIG problem with Government, Industry and Head hunters all having different names / definitions for the same roles.

• A lack of understanding of the WHY and HOW of ICT has led government to see ICT as a problem.– ICT Shops in government are not valued– Salaries are being squeezed– Limited training taking place– Overall the ICT workforce is becoming less skilled leading to increased failures

and further reduction in the ICT industry’s PERCEIVED value.

Government ICT Policies Misguided



• Recently the federal Government gave away over $50 BILLION to stimulate the economy. None of the money is to be spent on ICT !

– 43 Billion NBN Update but this is currently unfunded and will probably delay initiatives in the short term. But roof insulation initiatives were funded up front and were immediate.

• Recently the Gershon review into ICT for the federal government targeted 15% across the board savings for ICT BAU for the Federal Government.

– States are looking to copy the initiative.

• Recently the leader of the opposition in QLD stated that he would save $1B to cover election promises by cutting ICT in the QLD government.

• In 2006 the SDPC report into ICT in the QLD government recommended $120M p.a. in savings from ICT spend.

• In 2007 the NSW government announced it would cut ½ Billion in ICT spend p.a..

• Multiple BILLIONS of Dollars wasted by government on failed ICT projects over the last decade has led to a lack of trust in ICT as a solution for anything.

What is Government Doing?



• Recently the federal Government gave away over $50 BILLION to stimulate the economy. None of the money is to be spent on ICT !

– 43 Billion NBN Update but this is currently unfunded and will probably delay initiatives in the short term. But roof insulation initiatives were funded up front and were immediate.

• Recently the Gershon review into ICT for the federal government targeted 15% across the board savings for ICT BAU for the Federal Government.

– States are looking to copy the initiative.

• Recently the leader of the opposition in QLD stated that he would save $1B to cover election promises by cutting ICT in the QLD government.

• In 2006 the SDPC report into ICT in the QLD government recommended $120M p.a. in savings from ICT spend.

• In 2007 the NSW government announced it would cut ½ Billion in ICT spend p.a..

• Massive Downturn in the number of students selecting ICT courses as first preference. In Queensland over the last decade there has been a fall of over 70%

What is Government Doing?



• Industry not valued – seen as a necessary evil.• No Career Direction and cost cutting on career

development and training.• Salaries being contained

The Environment for Graduates




Challenge No 4:

Who is influencing ALL of the Government’s ICT Policy from education – strategy - deployment?

My Answer: Nobody!

But shouldn’t Universities be doing that. You are the leaders.


Industry Relationship


Research Focus may not be right

Head Hunters


Adoption of ICT





• Major Federal and State Government Agencies work on outdated platforms.– Medicare written in COBOL.– Centrelink based on Model 204 a non relational database– Queensland Health run GroupWise as their collaboration platform.

• ICT Adoption in Teleworking for example has MASSIVE Environmental positives. But we ignore it for more FUN tecko initiatives..

• ICT is the GREENEST INDUSTRY ON EARTH!

• It’s hard to find a teaching or research focus on this area. Legacy replacement is a major problem for government and industry in Australia.

ICT Adoption




Challenge No 5:

How much teaching and research is going into ‘Adoption’ and ‘Implementation’?

Can our graduates articulate why organisations (a) need to improve adoption

and (b) how they might go about it – approach, risks, challenges.




Industry Relationship


Research Focus may not be right

Head Hunters


Adoption of ICT





• There are at least four classes of industry stakeholder– The ICT industry– Non-ICT business stakeholders (government and private)– ICT Associations (at least 30 at last count)– Head Hunters

• Head Hunters struggle to classify ICT roles.

• Very heterogeneous groups– Small ICT players often make disproportionate requests.– Role of Associations not clear to all. – Business stakeholders almost ALWAYS ignored.

The Relationship with Industry




Challenge No 6:

How do we decipher all the complexity and noise from Industry. What are the REAL requirements?

OR should we be telling them!



• Polluted by Secondary School Teaching– Breath and History of ICT Industry not taught.– Mostly the focus (without any context or method) is on low level systems development– Many students turn away from ICT at this point.

• Student Demand Driven is RUBBISH !– We have left the future of the National Workforce Strategy to a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds.

• Undergrads are Unaware of:– Career Options in ICT and the lack of formal career paths– Why we use ICT– How the Industry works– Their contribution as a graduate and possible development opportunities

• Undergrads are motivated by a range of objectives – not all good– Residency– Career– A Job – A piece of paper– What’s easy– Few have a vision for their contribution to the community / Industry thru an ICT Career.

Students - The Raw Materials




Challenge No 7:

How much do graduates know about the industry, their career and their

value proposition?

Have we influenced their motivation?




Why is it important to understand what field you are

in?Because in the end people need to CHOOSE a

specialisation.

It’s hard to change careers mid-stream. You have to get a basic grounding, then decide on a career and go for it.



So what field is the ICT discipline?• Engineering

Social Science

Architecture

BusinessScience

ICT Can be DEFINED in and by all these disciplines.ICT Can be DEFINED in and by all these disciplines.



ICT HAS CAREER STREAMS LIKE ENGINEERING (ELECTRICAL, CIVIL, AERONAUTICAL, NAVAL, ...)

THERE ARE 4 ICT CAREER STREAMS.

EACH ICT CAREER STREAM HAS UNIQUE THEORY AND SKILLS.

A background understanding is OK, but you need to focus on ONE Stream to be really valued.



Career Streams

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER


Development



Customer



Analyst Database







Modeller





Business Process

Modeller


Building Technology


Development



Customer



Analyst Database



Running Technology




Modeller





Business Process

Modeller




Changing Roles Can be Expensive

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER


Development



Customer



Analyst Database







Modeller





Business Process

Modeller


Building Technology


Development



Customer



Analyst Database



Running Technology




Modeller





Business Process

Modeller




Technology Building - Engineering

Orientation: Engineering Effective, Efficient and Reliable way to build quality software and hardware.

Industry Perspective: 15 years ago many government agencies had significant numbers (hundreds) of programmers

developing unique systems. (Rego and Licencing example). Today, organisations look for packaged solutions – far fewer roles in agencies and these are NOT

VALUED to the same extent as 15 years ago. Valuable positions are more likely found with packaged solutions providers (or Games*

developers) and this is a continuing trend

Theory: Programming Concepts (Algorithms, Data Structures, OO,) Relational Theory Relational Calculus Programming Tools Modelling and Animation Techniques . . .



Running Technology- Service

Orientation: Service Running the business of delivering ICT services within an organisation.

Industry Perspective: A $2B industry in QLD alone!

Theory: ITIL Infrastructure Optimisation Relationship / Sales and Marketing Methodologies Finance and HR knowledge

Budgets of $100M pa and management of hundreds of staff. Security Capacity Planning Procurement and Contract Management

Image Problem: Many people think that all we do is fix broken PCs in the office.



Transforming Business - Change

Orientation: Managing Change Making changes in business to help them take advantage of technology.

Industry Perspective: No clear industry vertical established. An ABSOLUTELY critical role in ICT

Theory: PMBOK Prince2 Benefits Management Business Process Management Process Modeling Team Dynamics Quality Management Business Case Development Project Governance Program Management



Designing the Enterprise - Architecture

Orientation: Architecture The City Planner for the Business.

Industry Perspective: Recognised as important within industries that seek information based competitive advantage. Still establishing role in less Information Mature industries including government. Doesn’t show up yet in the Hays National Salary Surveys but salaries can be HIGH ! Strong Information Systems Orientation

Theory: Zachman Framework COBIT McFarlin Grid Porter Competitive Strategies Service Oriented Architecture TOGAF Modelling Tools (Popkin,...) ICT Strategic Planning ICT / Business Alignment Security Strategy

Image Problem: Totally INVISIBLE to the community.



• Civil, Electrical, Aeronautical, Naval,. . .

• Each Stream has unique Theory and Skills with a generic foundation.

• In ICT we try to have it all under one name!

Engineering Example




Challenge No 8:

Are we building university offerings around careers?



• Over 1000 applicants

• 100 graduates selected on MERIT– 30 had ICT Degrees– 70 didn’t

• Bulk of the 70 had business degrees. They BEAT IT graduates to IT jobs!

• The non ICT ones were mainstream (unrecognisable) within 6 months.

• And some roles like Spatial skills COULDN’T be hired!

Hiring Profile – QLD Government ICT



• Students TRUST Universities to design and implement degree programs that:– Are worth 3 years of their life and a big debt

– Provide them with the skills to identify and manage a career in ICT

– Make them employable for their first job and valuable industry ready team members and partner

– Build lifelong alumni networks.

• The community TRUSTS us to provide Vision and Leadership to Industry and Government on issues relevant to ICT.

Our Promise to Students

Are we keeping up our part of the deal? I think we have work to do.



QUESTIONS

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