I am giving a talk on "IT Services - Help Or Hindrance?" at the UCISA
Management Conference on 8-10 March - see
http://www.ucisa.ac.uk/events/events/2006/conference
This talk will address the challenges faced by IT Services in having to
provide stable, secure, robust services used in mission critical activities
within institutions, whilst enthusiasts are wishing to exploit the potential
of technologies such as Blogs, Wikis, VoIP, etc.
As a former member of staff in several IT Service departments I am aware of
many of the positive aspects of IT Services, and of the difficulties they
face. I'd be interested in hearing about the perceptions of IT Service
departments from the Library sector - which has a similar service culture
and which will face similar tensions. So examples of areas in which IT
Services may be considered a hindrance would be welcome. I'd also welcome
suggestions on ways in which such tensions could be addressed.
All replies sent to me with be treated in confidence (both the name of the
sender and their host institution) - unless you'd be willing for your views
to be made public.
Note also that I intend to make use of disruptive technologies during the
talk (09.00-09.45 on 9 March) including a Web-based IRC channel and possibly
audio broadcast (subject to technical constraints and agreement from the
conference organisers) - so if anyone would be interested in joining in,
please let me know (although I can make no guarantee - especially with such
an early start!).
Thanks
Brian
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Brian Kelly
UK Web Focus
UKOLN
University of Bath
BATH
BA2 7AY
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
Phone: 01225 383943
FOAF: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ukoln/staff/b.kelly/foaf/bkelly-foaf.xrdf
For info on FOAF see http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ukoln/staff/b.kelly/foaf/
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