The Institute for the Management of Information Systems
(Imis) is preparing a range of activities to educate board
directors in how to use IT to create true business
value.
That is the mission of new Imis chairman Francis Bergin, who
plans to exploit his strong City pedigree to exert influence at the
board level to make technology work better for the business.
In an exclusive interview with Computer Weekly, Bergin said, “I
would like to see directors of companies acknowledging the
importance of IT in their organisations. Very few directors go on
IT courses. Not all company directors are knowledgeable about, for
example, the risk management aspects of IT – loss of reputation is
as great a risk as financial loss.”
Bergin is looking at what Imis can do to address this core
issue, which affects IT’s business value.
“Just as main board directors are responsible for health and
safety in their organisation, so every board should have a director
responsible for IT,” he said, adding that he would like to work
with organisations such as the Institute of Directors to raise the
level of IT consciousness among directors.
Bergin has the experience and gravitas to be taken seriously by
company boards. His background is a financial career with Unilever,
combined with active engagement with financial bodies. He is a
general commissioner of income tax, a former president of the
Institute of Company Accountants, a past master of the Worshipful
Company of Bakers, and a faculty member of the Chartered Institute
of Marketing.
He also runs courses for company chairmen on chairmanship on
behalf of the Institute of Directors, and has written two books on
business communication.
He has already inaugurated a shake-up at Imis, the 9,000-strong
user-oriented organisation, which through courses and
accreditations promotes business value from IT.
A key move has been to make membership of the Imis board
competitive, with contested elections. In addition, Philip
Turnbull, chief executive of the Association of International
Accountants, has recently joined the board.
Bergin plans a new information systems foundation diploma and is
strengthening links with UK and overseas universities and
professional institutions to align and integrate Imis courses with
computing degrees. He plans to involve business heavyweights in
this process.
He thinks the IT profession has too many organisations currently
representing it and he does not rule out close tie-ups with other
groups.
“Maybe there are too many bodies,” he said. “We are looking for
a cohesion, a unified structure, and would not rule out a possible
ordered amalgamation on the right terms.”
Bergin supports the concerted IT industry moves towards
professionalism by the British Computer Society, the National
Computing Centre, Intellect and E-Skills UK. However, he warned
that professionalism requires an understanding of the end-user
context and requirements.
“We want users to have confidence in those with qualifications.
The problem is that once you are a part of a registered profession
there are burdens for the industry it is not conscious of. You need
regulatory bodies and supervisory bodies – you have to ensure you
know what the ultimate user wants.”
Bergin understands this point all too well, having been chairman
of the Institute of Company Accountants Disciplinary Committee.
He also believes that making IT simple to use is a corporate
social responsibility issue.
“IT is still too complicated for the end-user,” he said. “We
have got to make the management of information systems simple
enough to enable the average person to feel IT is a tool rather
than a burden. IT should be as simple as pressing the phone
numbers.”
He added that the key issues were how to make computers more
user-friendly and to get people to be more confident about IT.
“There has to be a more personal face in delivery and especially
on managing the delivery. IT is intangible for directors but it is
tangible for customers.
“The average person who runs a store in Peckham doesn’t know if
their accountant is a member of a professional organisation, but it
is important that they are. For the computer industry, registration
must mean something.”
More information:
www.imis.org.uk
The culture of professionalism
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