IT is always behind

Brintha wrote about if business or IT is behind on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-business-ready-ten-years-behind-brintha-shanmugalingam-rmhqf

In my view, IT is always behind, this is why we have shadow IT.

Every Excel-file used by businesses is a proof of this. Every manual copy of data between systems. Every manual correction of data in a system is due to IT is behind business. Every privat smartphone running apps not available at work is due to IT a step behind.

The question is not if IT is behind, the real problem for business is when it’s falling even more behind.

Wrong question

Solution architects often focus solely on the tool, the platform or technique.

Nobody asks what Adrienne's thread was made of.

Linen? Hemp? Wool? Perhaps. But that's the wrong question.

The real problem was not to kill Minotauros. It was how to get out of the labyrinth at Knossos, alive. She solved the problem and is still remembered. Not the manufacturer of the thread.

Finding out how to solve the real problem is more important than finding a tool.

Do I need a certification?

For a while, there have been a huge focus on certifications from different vendors, but are they really needed?

For me personally, it’s questionable.

I didn’t get certified in Linux in 1987. Instead I bought a thick book about how to design an operating system, and read it several times. Inter-process communication and dead-locks are still tricky subjects.

I didn’t get a certificate for world wide web in 1989 when I was implementing hypertext at work for system documentation in a production plant.

Neither any certification when I created my first CGI-scripts i C for httpd before Apache was released.

I missed to take ”Datakörkortet” in Sweden, as I was to busy with architecture for a digital music platform in 2000.

For me, when there are certifications in a topic, it’s already mainstream and I’m at the next wave.

One exception to the rule. I was TOGAF certified in 2011, but I’ve been working as an Enterprise Architect since last millennium.

Difficult to create AI-agents?

Agentic AI is the best since sliced bread. The question is then, is it difficult to create AI-agents for production? Not a PoC or pilots.

As usually the architect answer is, how long is a string?

My background is as a programmer, a programmer writing software programs to be precise. (Wording matters). I begun professional software development in 1986 but haven’t written production code this millennium.

So for me writing AI-agents doesn’t seem too difficult when you know which problem to solve, how to break down into manageable chunks and manage error handling. Then automated tests and ownership for operations & maintenance.

Your mileage may vary depending on your background.

Wording matters

Wording matters, especially when you are using AI.

As usually, I’ll give you an example from my film production.

The business terms program, project and event are rather easy to describe, aren’t they?

No it’s not that easy.

In the Apple universe, FCP, (video editing program), uses these to terms for something completely different.

When you create a project in FCP, you create a timeline for editing, not a like project on your finance system or in your ERP.

An event in FCP is a logical folder where you store media assets and project. Project in FCP terminology, not film production projects.

Event in IT is not equal to event in film production, and not with an event in FCP.

An FCP project is called sequence in Avid and timeline in Resolve. Don’t mention the word timeline for a project manager as he thinks of something else.

The term program is also ambiguous. A transformation program with different projects, a software program or a program on TV.

Is it confusing for you? Then think of an AI agent trying to find out the context.

Try develop software without a coherent terminology, within budget, time and with quality.

This is why I recommend to use Information objects a semantic Rosetta stone.

TM Forum’s information model have defined entities for Project and Event. My approach would be to use these two words as information objects.

The project term from finance relates to the information object project. Project in FCP relates to another information object, not yet defined.

With your own Rosetta stone, it’s easier for both humans and AI to understand.