IT Versus Innovation... The Age-Old Battle

An interesting article:

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbr/cramm/2009/06/find-the-it-innovator-within.html

In the synopsis I received by email, it stated:

"The best drivers of IT innovation are often the most troublesome day-to-day employees [MY NOTE: users], writes Susan Cramm, because they love to question illogical processes. Companies need to utilize these "lead users" by freeing them from routine operations so that they can improve the way the company runs, she argues. Set up a "gifted and talented" IT program, she suggests, giving the best and the brightest the time to examine how and why a company runs the way it does and then support them with the resources to rebuild. "

It's one of the best arguments (I've ever seen published) for what goes on here at Boonex (and every other open source company ever) daily. The push and pull of end users versus developers goes on in every company producing a product used by more than 1 person, but nowhere is the struggle as great as with IT versus the user.

I have just gone through something similar with a programmer I was working with. Sadly, it did not work out well for him to say, "because I'm the programmer, that's why," in this case.

I bet it has before, though.

My point is this:

The steps that are being taken now are good ones. If/when developers learn that those users who cause the most stink {read: most opinionated] are often the ones who care the most, that is when progress is made in leaps and bounds.

I am well known for pushing the envelope, and for getting it done when I need it. I am guessing many of the others out there are like me.

It is better to harness such people and pt them to work for and with you than to force them to develop on their own, where it will not benefit your other users. It seems like a step has been taken here. Will we walk the mile?

Just a thought. *smiles*