Forging Strong Bonds Between Information Services and IT
Jinfo Blog

By Scott Vine

Abstract

FreePint's Research Focus for the next three months is the "Strategic Alignment of Information Services and IT". Co-producer Scott Vine introduces upcoming articles and highlights the webinars and Communities of Practice sessions we have planned to support this Focus.

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The current Research Focus, "Strategic Alignment of Information Services and IT" has the lofty aim of enabling content experts and technology experts to better understand, work together and achieve mutual goals around the value of information in their businesses.

I was glad to be asked to help produce this Focus as I believe the importance of a strong working relationship between IS and IT is even more important today than it has ever been. We are all services providers and problem solvers, so how hard can effective collaboration really be? Join us and find out.

We start the Focus with Shaida Dorabjee on "Creating the Right Organisational Culture". Shaida's article identifies many of the barriers to cultural change and then offers practical steps to identify where the problems lie and how to start to address them.

Forthcoming Articles

Our forthcoming articles should have very broad appeal. 

• In the coming weeks Tina Reynolds will be looking at what makes a healthy relationship between IT and research services, and the associated issue of how you go about repairing a non-functioning relationship between the services

• Sally Roberts examines how you make sure the right experts are involved in decision-making within your organisation

• Focus co-producer Steve Bynghall will look at IS and IT - and how they are working hand in hand on governance

• I will be offering my thoughts on working with people who think fundamentally differently to you - information people understanding how IT people work.

This is just a flavour of the articles we will be publishing and we'll tell you more about some of the pieces in the pipeline in future blog posts.

Webinars

Three FreePint Webinars have also been scheduled as part of the Focus. This is a great opportunity to hear some experts in the area and pick up some tips on improving your own working relationships with your IT department. Restricted to FreePint Subscribers and registered guests - follow the links below to register your place.

• IS and IT Make Sense of the "Digital Workplace", 12th January - recording available to view for anyone with a FreePint Subscription

• Successful Relationships Between IS and IT: Tips from the Pros, 9th February

• Shifting the Worldview around IS/IT Relationships: A First Step to Alignment, 8th March.

Community

As part of the Research Focus we have scheduled both an in-person and a teleconference Communities of Practice scheduled for January/February. Join this discussion to get perspective and consider what better alignment of IS and IT change might mean for your organisation.

• Step One to Alignment Between IS and IT (In-Person), 28th January, London, UK

• Step One to Alignment Between IS and IT (teleconference), 2nd or 4th February.

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