Monday | 24 November, 2008
Break this rule
When it's the right time to break rules in the IT world
Judy Artunian 27/12/2006 07:23:46

Here's how

If you're going to break an IT management rule, do it the right way. Jeffrey Kaplan, a director in the Washington office of consulting firm PTRM, offers these guidelines:

Do determine if it's worth the risk. Understand what makes the situation unique, what the new process or procedure will be and why it will be an improvement over the traditional approach.

Don't break a rule based on a hunch or knee-jerk reaction to something you hear.

Do share the risk with people in your organization who have a vested interest in what you're trying to accomplish. Get the support of business unit executives or other colleagues so that you're jointly accepting the risk.

Don't unwittingly send the message that you encourage rule-breaking. To avoid setting a bad example, explain to your team your rationale for breaking a particular rule.

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