Repairing the Broken Information Technology Department

Abstract

After 13 years of IT experience in private enterprise, taking over the City of Rockford’s IT Department proved to be a shocking experience. The state of the city’s IT organization, processes, technology, network security practices, customer service practices, and organizational relationships were all examples of industry “worst practices”. This case study documents the initial state of the IT Department as the author found it and the steps taken to turn it into a responsive, value-adding organization. The study examines all aspects of the process including:• Communication and relationship building with other city departments;• Taking ownership and responsibility for IT strategy and decision making;• Centralizing IT purchases;• Establishing hardware and software standards;• Establishing a centralized help desk;• Technology assessment and improvements; and• IT process improvements.