today's it/is professional & the role of the bcs in career development queen mary...

Today's IT/IS Professional & the Role of the BCS in Career Development

Queen Mary University of London

25th November 2003

Professor David J Parsons

BCS Regional Operations Manager North

Agenda

Today’s Business / Technology Environments

The Need for Professionalism

The ‘Perceived’ Performance of Today’s IS/IT Professionals

Information Systems Engineering as a Career

The Importance of CPD

Role of the BCS in Career Development

Conclusions

We live in an increasingly complex environment

President of the World Future Society said in his 1996 annual report :

'the global network of interconnected computers and telecommunications links is already the biggest machine ever built..... but it will likely become bigger and more powerful in the coming decades. This monster machine will fundamentally transform human life as we know it today.‘

This is the CAREER ENVIRONMENT facing today’s IS Professional

© David J. Parsons 2003

Definitions

( NOD )

PROFESSIONAL - “of or belonging to a profession ....... involving training....... showing appropriate skill ........ maintaining proper standards ....... competent .... expert....."

CAREER – “ an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progression ”

The Business Environment faced by today’s IS Professional

• Change the only constant factor• Pressures on costs and revenues• Intensive competition - traditional markets under attack• Markets - global, location independent, customer

focused• Customers - more demanding• Increasing range of technology related opportunities• IT becoming essential to compete


The Technology Environment faced by today’s IS Professional

• Change / pace of change• Huge amounts of storage• Ever increasing processing power• Increasing amounts of networking bandwidth• Better - faster - smaller - cheaper• Pervasive / ubiquitous computing• Mobile / portable everything• 'E' / ‘M’ everything• Technology driven Information / 'cyber' age


The ‘Martini’ ScenarioThe ‘Martini’ Scenario

Anytime - anyplace - anywhere

Technology that will allow ANY user : ANY whereANY timeANY how

Authorised access to : ANY productsANY servicesANY information

Available from ANY information or service provider

Located : ANY where ANY distance from the user

The ‘Martini’ Scenario - the ‘right’ oneThe ‘Martini’ Scenario - the ‘right’ one

Technology that will provide the RIGHT user :

Authorised access to : the RIGHT productsthe RIGHT services

the RIGHT information

At the RIGHT locationIn the RIGHT format

At the RIGHT timeFor the RIGHT

price

The need for ProfessionalismAre IS / IT Professionals getting it RIGHT ?

Remember the old adage : PERCEPTION IS REALITY

Some surveys suggest that the performance of the IS /ITIndustry leaves much to be desired.

Scientific American Survey - 1994Gartner / Standish Surveys - 1998OASIG Survey – 1998


The Need for ProfessionalismSurvey Results - 1

Scientific American 1994

25% of all large scale developments cancelled

Gartner / Standish 1998

Almost 33% of the projects failed altogether

OASIG 1998

About 40% of developments fail or are abandoned


The Need for Professionalism Survey Results - 2

Gartner / Standish 1998

Almost 75% of IT projects exceeded their budgets & schedules

OASIG 1988

About 80% of systems are delivered late and over budget


IS Industry Performance – 3What about something more up to date ?

Standish 2002 *

31% of projects cancelled before completion88% of projects exceed deadline, budget or bothFor every 100 starts, there are 94 restartsAverage cost overrun – 189%Average schedule overrun – 222%

* IT Project Management : On Track from Start to FinishJoseph Philips ( McGraw Hill ) 2002


IS Industry Performance – 3What about nearer home ?

Computing

26th Sept. 2002 “More project skills for civil servants”

3rd Oct. 2002 “Trials begin on Child Support IT system”

Computer Weekly

3rd Oct. 2002 “ National insurance number errors not taxpayers fault “


IT Professionalism – some questions ??

As Career IS / IT Professionals - is this level of performance acceptable ?

Would a situation in other branches of engineering be acceptedif, for example :

4 bridges in 10 failed ??4 out of 10 miles of new highway were unusable ??

Are there differences between Information SystemsEngineering and other branches of Engineering ?

What can be learnt that will help the Career IS /IT Professional ?


The Need for Professionalism

Computing - 7th August 2003

“IT failures show lessons have not been learnt”

POST ( Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology )

Report on GOVERNMENT IT PROJECTS – July 2003


Report on GOVERNMENT IT PROJECTS – July 2003

Technology Issues – specific to IT :

Rapidly changing technologyUser requirementsComplexityOversight

Project Issues :

Relations with SuppliersProject management


Professional – a definition

( NOD )

PROFESSIONAL - “of or belonging to a profession ....... involving training....... showing appropriate skill ........ maintaining proper standards ....... competent .... expert....."

The Information Systems Engineering CareerKey words

Taken from the Definition of Information Systems Engineering agreedbetween the BCS and the Engineering Council :

Creation, use and support of information systems for the solution of practical problems.

Specification, design, construction, testing, bringing into service, maintenance and enhancement

Quality assurance

Design, development and use of standards and tools

Fitness for purpose, range of functionality, economy and efficiency, reliability, cost-effectiveness, security and safety, and life cycle support.


Where do we need to develop our professional skills, to beexpert, competent etc. in our Careers ?

Technical skills associated with our profession :

Programming, systems, operations, support etc....

Other skills essential to most ( including our ) professions

PeopleProjectPersonal


Professional Career Responsibilities – ‘people’ examples

Dealing with : Users, individuals, management, colleagues, customers, clients etc.

Remembering Systems impact people : considering our impact on work & working practices

Ensuring fitness for purpose : meeting users’ / clients’ needs

Looking after team matters : leading, coaching, advising


Professional Career Responsibilities –‘Project Management’ examples

Meeting Requirements – care & diligence ( including legal issues )

Solutions – ensuring designs meet requirements

Carrying out Risk Analysis – security, restart, recovery

Task / time / skills / resource scheduling / management

( Meeting schedules within budgets )

Ensuring quality at all stages of systems life cycle


Professional Career Responsibilities – ‘personal’ examples

Taking responsibility for own actions & those of subordinates including our CPD - ( Continuing Professional Development )

Maintaining our knowledge & understanding

Developing our competence & expertise

If necessary, identifying actual / potential personal conflicts of interest


So we will have :Career Issues, Pressures, Challenges, Opportunities associated with :

• Business Pressures / challenge of change

• Technical challenges & opportunities

• People issues

• Project ( including legal issues )

• Personal professionalism - keeping ‘up to date’

& maintaining high standards of personal behaviour


Professional & Career IssuesSources of help

We have briefly discussed how systems impact & issues related to:people, projects, personal professionalism

Is there a source of help ?

Can the Professional Societies provide any useful help and guidelines ?


Professional Societies – a source of help ?What can they do / what do they do ?

Accredit individual professional competence and integrity

Advise the UK Government on IS-related matters, examine & initiate debate on topical IS issues

Represent profession on issues of importance

Set standards for education and training

Provide opportunities for networking through branch and specialist groups

IMPORTANTLY they set standards for professional conduct

etc. etc.....


Professional Society - Codes of Conduct

Define rules of Professional & Personal Conduct ( i.e. behaviour )

( in the case of the BCS the professional standards required as a condition of membership )

Allow evaluation of what should be expected from members of their profession.

Provide clear definitions of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behaviour


British Computer SocietyCode of Conduct & Practice

The BCS Introduced Revised Codes of Conduct and Practice inJanuary 2002. The revised Code of Conduct covers :

The Public Interest Rules 1 - 6

Duty to Relevant Authority Rules 7 - 9

Duty to the Profession Rules 10 - 13

Professional Competence & Integrity Rules 14 – 17

Copies can be ‘downloaded’ from the BCS WEB Site


British Computer SocietyCode of Conduct & Practice

Code of Practise covers :

Maintaining ‘standards’ of competence & Members’ Duty of Professional Care

Upgrading/ maintaining personal knowledge / skill

Maintaining awareness of relevant :

• technological developments• procedures• standards

Encouraging sub-ordinates to do the same


To help to respond to the issues / pressures :

Professional Societies can provide :

Some useful guidelines

e.g. through Codes of Conduct / Practice

Support

e.g. Career AdviceBranches & Specialist GroupsCPD Schemes

etc..


CPD – Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe basis of Career Planning

Engineering Council Definition - October 1994

“ The systematic maintenance, improvement

and broadening of knowledge and skill and the

development of personal qualities necessary for the

execution of professional and technical duties

throughout the individual's working life ”


CPD – Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe basis of Career PlanningWhy important ?

Help ensure continuing employability

Career paths shorter & less predictableGreater mobility between organisationsIncreased job insecurity

Cannot always rely on employers to identify & meet development needs

To demonstrate continuing commitment to profession

To regularly review needs & plan relevant learning & development activities


CPD – Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe basis of Career PlanningSources of Help ?

Professional Society publications / schemes

Professional Society codes / rules of conduct

Organisational development / training schemes

Personal job appraisals / development discussions

Learning / specialist groups

Mentors. coaches, role models


CPD – Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe basis of Career PlanningHow to Start – a suggested approach

Develop a log book - Professional society, organisational or personal

Use it - keep it up to date

Useful to record :

Personal information Work experience – e.g. projects,Academic information achievements, responsibilitiesReviews / Plans Training recordsDevelopment plans Extra mural activities

etc. etc.

Continually updated CV & personal profile / record.


CPD – Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe basis of Career PlanningSome Conclusions

Change and complexity will not go away

Career paths shorter & less predictableGreater mobility between organisationsIncreased job insecurity

Cannot always rely on employer to identify & meet development needs

Ongoing need to develop new skills & capabilities

Need to take personal responsibility for continuous lifelong learning and development


CPD – Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe basis of Career PlanningSummary of Suggestions

Develop recording system for your own professional development

Determine personal & professional objectives

Develop a portfolio / log - personal profile, achievements, skills etc.

Identify sources of feedback - coach, mentor, role model etc.

Identify / review where you are now & plan where you want to be

Document your objectives

Develop your strategy for achievement


Some Conclusions for IS/IT ProfessionalsPutting the CAREER ISSUES in context

Information systems are here to stay !

Technology is becoming all pervasive

Technology & associated information systems are becoming /have become essential to most / many businesses

Businesses will demand more of the technology & informationsystems investments e.g. quality, reliability, functionality

Individuals planning to become involved with IS/IT will ALL need to plan their professional careers

Perhaps Professional Societies like the BCS can help.


What can / does the BCS do to help ?

EXAMPLES - details will be found on the BCS WEB Site

Career Planning Advice

Industry Structure Model

Career Development Framework / accreditation

Professional Accreditation & Qualifications – including relevant examination based qualifications

Network of Branch and Specialist Groups

CPD – Schemes – including mentoring


The increasingly complex information & technological infrastructure - a challenge

President of the World Future Society :

'the global network of interconnected computers and telecommunications links is already the biggest machine ever built..... but it will likely become bigger and more powerful in the coming decades. This monster machine will fundamentally transform human life as we know it today.‘

This comment was made in 1996 – it is just as relevant today as individuals consider their career options.

What have others said ?


What have others said ?

George Barnard Shaw : “ The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and, if they can't find them, make them. ”

Galileo : “ You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it himself. ”

Abraham Lincoln : “ Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing. ”

Dominic Cadbury : “ There is no such thing as a career path, there is only crazy paving and you have to lay it yourself. ”

Some thoughts for you to ponder ?


The FUTURE ? What other issues do IS Professionals need to be considering as they progress their careers?

These are some of my thoughts / questions :

Are we becoming excessively reliant on IT ?

Any there morally/ethically objectionable uses of IT ?

What will be the social impact of incessant growth of IT ?

Will DATA be the next major pollutant ?

Are we developing a digital divide – separating the information haves from the information have nots .

I leave them with you - no doubt you can and will add your own thoughtsto this list !


Thank You

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