We
have designed this service to meet the needs of small to medium organisations
who can't justify a large investment in IT or don't want the distraction
and loss of focus that goes with big IT projects. Traditionally IT has been
heavy. Expensive equipment, esoteric skills, complexity, unmanageable costs
and big, disruptive projects. Those days are gone. The range of off the
shelf products, the value of the Internet and the contribution of Linux
and the open source community means that most IT needs can be met simply,
at reasonable cost, without heavy side effects.
With
this service we aim to get the job done with the lightest possible touch.
We use our knowledge of available products and web services to put together
the simplest, most cost effective solution to an organisation's IT needs.
These are the skills and techniques we use to deliver this service.
Communication,
Communication, Communication
Often IT solutions end up being more complex and expensive than necessary
because of communication failure. The best, most cost effective solutions
are also tightly focused on the job at hand. When the need hasn't been
properly understood what often happens is that a more general solution
is used that is more costly and complicated that necessary.
We use our communication skills to understand an organisation, it's people
and it's needs. To make sure that we can propose technology choices that
deliver just what's needed to get the job done.
Independence
As the welcome page to our web site says. "Technology. We don't build
it. We don't sell it. We just make it work".
Our company direction is that we do not resell other companies' products.
As a matter of principle, we preserve our independence so that we never
have any vested interest when we recommend a purchase. Independence is
important in delivering light IT results because it ensures that inappropriate,
overly costly or complex choices aren't promoted because of hidden agendas.
Managing
IT suppliers
We act as a filter to the claims, dictates, agendas and commercial drives
of IT suppliers. We use our experience and expertise to assess the products
on offer, find the right solution and counter the IT industry's tendency
to oversell. We use our technical support experience to avoid technologies
that bring with them cost and complexity out of proportion with the benefits
they offer.
Flexibility
Often, technology and systems take too long and can't change fast enough
to meet the changing needs and constantly refreshed challenges of work
in present day organisations. In the work we do, the technologies we use
and the purchases we recommend we keep the need for flexibility constantly
in mind. We favour technologies that are adaptable by design in order
to get the most value over the long term from technology purchases.
Understanding
the cash flow
We use our project management and IT management experience to select the
purchasing strategy that best suits an organisation's cash flow. In recommending
acquistions we know the importance of using the right financing options,
to use capital funds appropriately and to time operational expenses in
line with business plans.
Appropriate
use of open technologies
We have expertise in the open technologies that are gaining prominence
as cost effective alternatives to more proprietary products. This includes
the Linux operating system, the Apache web server and the Staroffice/Openoffice
products. We also have a clear view of when these technologies are appropriate
for a role in an organisation, and when they are not.
