Keep the Joint Running: A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology

by Bob Lewis

Keep the Joint A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology (aka the KJR Manifesto) radically redefines how IT should operate, in 13 highly practical, straightforward chapters. The KJR Manifesto debunks much of the long-held conventional wisdom ... such as the importance of treating end-users as "internal customers" and the desirability of running IT as a business ... that have encouraged working CIOs to isolate IT from the rest of the enterprise. It provides more sophisticated ways to approach what is usually handled simplistically - subjects like "best practices," process optimization, and metrics. And it demonstrates how human factors deserve more attention than any others for IT leaders ... and for that matter, for all business leaders ... who are serious about wanting to run high-performance organizations.

Genres: Business, Technology

239 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think in the realm of IT this is quite a nice starter kit to understanding the ins-and-outs of IT as a business environment and quite applicable regardless of where you are on the corporate ladder of IT.

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although some of Lewis' points about rethinking IT's relationship to the business are valid, this book didn't contain any eye-opening revelations. Many of the changes he advocates, such as forcing IT staff to spend more time with the users they support, or using best practices as a starting point rather than hard-and-fast mandates, are understood and already followed to some extent in many organizations.

I liked Lewis' observation that managers act as if IT needs to be separate from the rest of the business, because how could a technical IT geek ever talk to someone from a non-IT department? And yet, at the end of the day, the IT person goes home and has no trouble conversing with their non-IT family and friends.

I also liked the point about large projects being unmanageable due to changing requirements and the competitive landscape. I agree with Lewis that a constant stream of small, incremental "enhancements" makes more sense.

The last chapter of the book is one of the most important, as it explains how crucial it is to hire and retain great employees. I can tell you firsthand that many companies don't do this, and choose to settle for whoever comes along. Hiring a failure drags down other other employees and the entire organization.

Notes
"The search for best practice is an exercise in close-mindedness. It substitutes external authority for the application of creativity and good judgment." Instead, use others' good thinking as a basis for your own.
Base metrics off goals that are stated in operational terms, then translated into math.
People need to communicate and collaborate to increase trust. Separation leads to a distrustful "us vs them" mentality.
Concede early and often. Let others win on all but truly important issues. They'll feel obligated to concede to you later.
IT personnel should spend time working alongside users to understand their requirements firsthand.

Replace big projects with a series of small, achievable "enhancements".
Users aren't "internal customers", since a customer is someone who makes buying decisions. Users are consumers, people who use the product. IT's real customers are the same as the business'.
The only answers to project proposals are "no" and "when". Priorities are meaningless because you never get past priority 1 anyway.
There are no IT projects. All projects are about business change.

Gut instinct is your experience talking. Listen, but don't trust it until you verbalize it and do some evidence-based, rational decision-making.

If employees are easily replaceable, you're hiring the wrong kind.
Great employees are more important than great strategies, because great employees can overcome the lack of the others.
When hiring, never settle.
Do whatever it takes to retain good employees.

[Tom Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish two things: 1) that I could give this book 6 stars and 2) that everyone in my industry read this book at least once. Nothing that Lewis writes is entirely earth shattering (though in fairness the book was written a few years ago), but what he does so well is pull it all together and present it in a common sense way. In an industry fraught with faulty methodologies and "best practices" that sit in for actual thought and analysis, Lewis is a fresh voice.