Mind the gap between IT and management

Training specialist Auridian Consulting runs a series of courses aimed at management techno-illiterates which attempt to demystify techie jargon and give those in charge a clearer idea about what's going on in their IT departments.

"There's often a chasm between IT and management which can lead managers to believe that their IT departments, 80 per cent of whose expenditure is dedicated to supporting the IT systems, aren't spending that money properly," explained Ade McCormack, Auridian's managing director.

"The problem is communication. With the increasing amount of obscure terminology bandied about, the IT departments and their managers simply don't speak the same language. As technology advances apace, it's going to get worse. Our courses are designed to bridge the gap," he added.

The demand for such courses is clearly booming, as several of the UK's top 100 companies, including Abbey National, Compaq, and Standard Life, have now signed up with Auridian.

"In the UK, many IT people don't have good interpersonal skills because it's often not a requirement of the job. On top of this, management frequently doesn't want to embrace IT because of the negative connotations of being an 'anorak'. Either that, or they don't have the time to get up to speed on the subject," said McCormack.

"In the US, on the other hand, the status of technical staff has historically been very much higher. They also tend to be more commercially aware which makes them more respected by broadstream business people," he explained.

McCormack has worked for a number of hi-tech firms, including Logica and purchasing outsourcing company Software House, and has observed first hand the growing gulf between IT and management.

Formal attempts by training companies to bridge that gap have until now been limited in their success, according to McCormack. "I've seen a number of companies in the recruitment area attempt a sort of one-day Welcome to IT course. But, one by one, they're gradually sending their people across to us instead," he said.

Auridian's courses are held either on-site or at one of the company's training centres in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Dublin, and are split into half- and one-day modules. The typical cost is about £350 plus VAT.

The company has also launched a website (www.auridian.com) for business people and their IT colleagues, which aims to highlight IT's contribution to business performance.