This collaboration between Bill Holtsnider and Brian D. Jaffe should be on the bookshelves of anyone involved in information technology. While it focuses on everyday functions of IT professionals, the key lessons revealed can be realistically applied to many areas in management. The book is exceptionally well done and can be beneficial to novices and experts. Anyone with an IT department, (small or large) can and should use this book as a practical guide in improving departments . as well as understanding and motivating other people. It exposes the reader to a plethora of "key concepts" and provides suggested methods for dealing with unanticipated problems that might occur. Including where to seek additional help; should the need arise. I enjoyed reading the book and give it my highest recommendation. Reviewed by Reginald V. Johnson, author, How to Close More Customers
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More About This Textbook
Overview
IT Manager’s Handbook: The Business Edition is a MUST-HAVE guide for the advancing technology professional who is looking to move up into a supervisory role, and is ideal for newly-promoted IT managers who needs to quickly understand their positions. It uses IT–related examples to discuss business topics and recognizes the ever-changing and growing demands of IT in today’s world as well as how these demands impact those who work in the field. Specific attention is paid to the latest issues, including the challenges of dealing with a mobile and virtual workforce, managing Gen-X/Yers, and running an IT organization in a troubled economy. Rich with external references and written in-easy-to-read sections, IT Manager’s Handbook: The Business Edition is the definitive manual to managing an IT department in today’s corporate environment.
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
The role of IT is changing as businesses depend more and more on technology as a critical component to their success. This Business Edition of the IT Manager’s Handbook series is targeted to help IT leaders make this transition possible, and provides new guidance on how an IT leader can help transform into a business partner.- Jim Chilton, Chief Information Officer, Americas - Dassault Systemes
After learning how to manage a team of developers the hard way - making my share of mistakes in the real world - I now wish I had read some books on management before entering the workforce. This book provides a clear, easy-to-use resource for a technical person who is moving into management. It weaves in new concepts such as Web 2.0 and social engineering in a way that communicates in a straightforward manner to both technical and business people. This text should be required reading for technical staff to communicate the needs of a business - and it will be required reading for my development teams.
- George M. Stragand, Director of Software Development, ClickFox
Product Details
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Meet the Author
Bill Holtsnider is an experienced writer, educator, and software professional with more than 26 years of experience working in the computer industry. His IT expertise includes working in such diverse areas as stock portfolio management, identity management, and software development. He is the author of six books and a wide range of technical and marketing documentation.
Brian D. Jaffe is a seasoned veteran in the IT community. As an IT professional, he has worked for several Fortune 500 companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Time Warner, Philip Morris, and The Interpublic Group of Companies. Currently he is Senior Vice President for Global IT at McCann Worldgroup in New York City, one of the country’s leading advertising agencies. His articles have appeared in Computerworld, InfoWorld, eWeek, and The New York Times.
Table of Contents
1. The Role of an IT Manager 1.1 Just Exactly What Does an IT Manager Do? 1.2 Managers in General 1.3 The Strategic Value of the IT Department 1.4 Develop an IT Strategy 2. Managing your IT Team 2.1 Keeping Employees Focused 2.2 Avoiding Burnout 2.3 Employee Training 2.4 Performance Reviews 3. Staffing your IT Team 3.1 Why IT Managers Need to Deal with Hiring People 3.2 Write a Position Description 3.3 Recruiters 3.4 Selecting Candidates 3.5 Outsourcing and Offshore Outsourcing 4. Key Principles of Project Management 4.1 Projects and "Project Management": A Quick Overview 4.2 Phase One: Scope the Project 4.3 Phase Two: Develop a Project Plan 4.4 Phase Three: Launch the Project 4.5 Phase Four: Track the Project’s Progress 4.6 Phase Five: Close Out the Project 4.7 Decision-Making Techniques 4.8 What to Do If/When the Project Gets Off Track 4.9 Useful Project Management Techniques 4.10 Funding Projects 4.11 Multiple Projects: How to Juggle Well 4.12 Dealing with Non-IT Departments on a Project 5. Changing Companies 5.1 The First Day 5.2 The First Month 5.3 Two IT Departments: What Happens if Your Company Merges with Another? 6. Budgeting 6.1 The Budgeting Process 6.2 The Difference between Capital vs. Operating Expense Items 6.3 Lease vs. Buy: Which One Is Better? 6.4 Other Budgeting Factors to Consider 7. How to Deal with Vendors 7.1 Dealing with Vendors 7.2 Key Evaluation Metrics 7.3 Getting Current Information 7.4 Purchasing Sources 8. IT Compliance and Control Issues 8.1 The Importance of Compliance to IT 8.2 The Rules 8.3 How to Comply with the Rules 8.4 Hidden Benefits of Complying with the Rules 8.5 Methodologies and Frameworks 8.6 It’s Not Just Regulatory Compliance 8.7 Additional References Bibliography Glossary Index