Computing this week launches the Professionalising IT campaign, in partnership with Intellect, the technology industry trade association.

Professionalism is an increasingly important issue for everyone involved in IT – it leads to better projects and more successful companies.

Computing and Intellect hosted a series of three roundtables to debate the issue, and to make recommendations on how to improve professionalism in IT, involving many of the most influential figures in UK technology.

The first roundtable looks at the role of the individual.

Define professionalism

Our experts agree there is no single recognised definition of what we mean by professionalism, and specifically what it means in terms of IT.

‘The problem is that everybody has a different definition of professionalism,’ said BCS president Charles Hughes. ‘Until we know what it is, and unless we get away from the majority of people thinking that if you have a technical qualification then you are a professional, then we haven’t gone far enough.’

Being professional is about more than technical skills, says Derek Hardman, director of governance systems at Fujitsu Services. ‘It’s all about skills, responsibility and behaviour,’ he said. ‘Skills is the easy bit. The responsibility and the behaviour is where all the challenges are.’

Alf Roberts, chief executive of the IEE, says IT can learn from the example of a recognised profession such as engineering. ‘There are some similarities and there are some differences,’ he said. ‘But certainly, to my mind, the three key elements in professionalism are a body of knowledge, applying it in an effective way, and doing so with the right attitude towards your employer, the client and the public at large.’

Peter Skyte, national officer at trade union Amicus, warns that professionalism has often been forced on other sectors. ‘Virtually every other profession has had to have professional standards and registers because there’s been a disaster, or something’s gone wrong,’ he said. ‘That’s not what we want. So we need to get a wider look.’

Hughes says individual professionalism comes down to taking personal responsibility.

‘Professionalism is three major things,’ he said. ‘First is competency in whatever technical or business area, and competency in soft skills. Second, it’s a series of responsibilities and obligations. It is tied in with a code of ethics, with understanding best practice and applying it appropriately. And the third factor is public obligation.’

Promote professionalism and create demand

Professionalism will only take root among individual IT staff if they have a need or desire to be seen as professional and, where that does not exist, the demand should be created, say our experts.

‘Professionalism comes from within the individual, and we have to convince them of the value of being professional,’ said John Thomas, chief executive of the Professional Contractors Group. ‘That’s what you’re trying to instil and that’s not going to be easy.’

Carsten Sorenson, senior lecturer in information systems at the London School of Economics, believes that many people in IT will respond to something that helps them to keep up with the rapidly changing environment in which they work.

‘The ability to understand the world that is constantly changing under people’s feet is the driving force that makes them want to become professionals,’ he said.

BCS’s Hughes says promoting professionalism and its benefits is essential, and that this must start from the top.

‘It’s not going to happen overnight simply because half a dozen people say it’s a good thing to do,’ he said.

‘We need a major communications and promotions programme. But persuading individuals that this is a good thing is not sufficient; it needs to be the people who employ them. One without the other won’t work.’

Mike Allen, chairman of advisory company Oakleigh Consulting, believes that people working in IT are already saying they want to be recognised as professional.

‘This is an idea whose time has come,’ he said. ‘There are real aspirations for professionalism, and people want to be part of things that give that seal of approval and help them do things better.

‘We really have to grasp this now, because if we miss the opportunity, it could take a really long time to come back again.’

Establish a framework and identify the building blocks

The panel of experts says that IT is too broad and complex an industry to introduce a single all-encompassing scheme of professionalism, but an overall framework is still needed.

‘You have to look at structure and tiering, and target your professionalism where it has value,’ said Ron McLaren, operations manager of Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA).

But common behaviours across all areas of the profession are vital, says Fujitsu’s Hardman. ‘We must find a way of saying, whether you’re an architect or a systems designer or a data centre manager, there is a set of standards of professional behaviour which is appropriate in this industry, and those standards are common across all of those different roles,’ he said.

Oakleigh’s Allen says people in IT need to know what they need to know. ‘One of the key issues is not having an obvious core body of knowledge that everybody in IT has and keeps up to date and uses as a basis for whatever specialism and expertise they have,’ he said.

John Higgins, director general of Intellect, says IT can look to industries such as engineering and construction as examples of complex industries with recognised professional standards.

The IEE’s Roberts says it is possible to segment the IT sector and focus on areas, but this must be within a common framework.

‘Look at the Engineering Council as a model. Its purpose is to have common standards across the whole of engineering.’

And Nick Coleman, chief executive of the Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP) says that any structure needs to be about more than simply gaining accreditation for various technical abilities.

‘It is three things. Accreditation, growing the professionals by supporting professional development, and providing a voice for the professionals working in the industry,’ he said

Define and communicate the business case

The drive for professionalism must be supported by organisations and IT leaders alike, and, for that to happen, the business case has to be clearly and thoroughly understood.

‘You can do all the work that you are able to with individuals, but unless the leadership is there, you might as well not bother,’ said Fujitsu’s Hardman.

Peter Monk, a consultant at user body the Strategic Supplier Relationships Group (SSRG) says the backing of employers is essential.

‘If we do not have the employers on board, then the solution that is embarked upon is certainly doomed to failure and may even not be worth the time and effort,’ he said.

‘The business case has to be put to the captains of industry to explain why they should really put their hand in their pocket to reap immense benefits tomorrow.’

The IISP’s Coleman says businesses need to understand the risk of failing to support professionalism.

‘When it comes to a risk-based decision in business, they really want competent professionals to be making those decisions,’ he said.

‘It is about where the risk is and making sure we’re professional around those risks. If we crack that for IT, then we’ve done a good job.

Identify quick wins

It is unrealistic to devise a model for professionalism covering the whole sector from day one. In the short-term, we need to identify specific areas where it will have immediate benefits, say the experts.

‘We should be looking at those areas where professionalism would have the best and the most benefits,’ said SSRG’s Monk. ‘We cannot professionalise the whole of the IT industry.’

Intellect’s Higgins urges focusing on the areas with the most obvious business need. ‘We need to target improvements in professionalism, or prioritise where it will make the most difference first,’ he said. ‘Let’s target where we can make the best of things. To do that, we need to do more work on the business drivers.’

Ashley Braganza, senior lecturer at Cranfield School of Management, says company boardrooms should be a starting point.

‘The focus has to be on senior management, looking not just at their responsibility in terms of IT, but the effects of IT around change and the changes that IT is bringing about within their organisations,’ he said.

IISP’s Coleman says the priority should be on practical issues that affect IT workers.

‘We have to deliver something which really means something to a professional working in the field, which actually helps them in their careers,’ he said.

What the experts say…

‘The real question is would we like to do better? The answer must be yes and so let’s move on from there.’

Ron McLaren, operations manager of skills body SFIA

‘Many IT professionals are shackled in a 19th century kind of thinking with some 20th century behaviours and playing with 21st century technology.’

Ashley Braganza, senior lecturer at Cranfield School of Management

‘We wouldn’t allow doctors, nurses, teachers and so on to be able to practice without having protective standards and some verification, monitoring and regulation of that. We should be applying similar approaches to IT professionals who are at the heart of many systems which are business and safety critical.’

Peter Skyte, national officer, Amicus

‘Are we professional? Very much with a lower case “p”; never with the upper case “p”. We are nowhere near organised, motivated or externally benchmarked enough to even know what that means.’

Ronan Miles, chairman, Oracle UK user group

‘Professionalism is very important if we are to improve the reputation of the IT sector and the regard in which it is held.’

John Higgins, director general, Intellect

‘There is quite a serious lack of professionalism from the user community in its relationships with suppliers. There’s also an awfully poor level of professionalism amongst a lot of suppliers.’

Peter Monk, consultant, Strategic Supplier Relationships Group

‘Innovate, improvise and change, but within a professional and ethical framework, otherwise you will end up with the software development in this country moving somewhere else.’

Carsten Sorenson, senior lecturer in information systems, London School of Economics

‘You need to distinguish between someone qualifying as a professional and someone being certified as competent under some regulatory regime to do a particular job.’

Alf Roberts, chief executive, IEE

‘We need professionalism in IT to encourage more people to enter what is an exciting and interesting occupation.’

Mike Allen, chairman, Oakleigh Consulting