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Every man takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world. — Arthur Schopenhauer
In hockey, good vision means that someone can see much more of what is happening on the ice than what is right in front of them. This allows them to anticipate what is going to happen, and put themselves in a better position than they would be able to do if they did not have this information available to them.
In nature, most any socially oriented animals will have certain members of the group which act as peripheral vision and a set sensors for the group as a whole, providing safety for the group or identification of events which the group as a whole should know about.
In an IT organization, peripheral vision is needed. The technology field is moving too quickly and has too much business impact to be ignored. At the same time, the amount and degree of activity which is squarely in front of IT leaders demands a very large amount of attention. What is needed is a mechanism to give the IT leadership peripheral vision – understanding what is coming up on them external to what is capturing their immediate attention.
As an IT leader you are in a position to craft your ecosystem to meet your needs. Your peripheral vision is clearly part of these needs and knowing how to leverage the ecosystem to meet your peripheral vision can be extremely valuable. There are several resources within the ecosystem which will offer this valuable information.
Industry Publications. There are several standard industry publications which are broadly circulated across most IT departments. Without going into specific titles, there are a handful of publications which give general information in the industry as well as the what is coming up in the industry.
Blogs / Podcasts. Over the last couple of years, there have been several highly respected and informed industry analysts, and authors for the major publications. The blogs and podcasts which these people have publish are a great means to stay current. They are often more timely and in greater detail that what would fit within the constraints of a formal published periodical.
Industry Research Firms. Industry research firms carry with them a price which the industry publications, blogs, and podcasts do not. What you get for this price is a deeper look at specific areas, and if you choose, take part directly in research studies which give you a tremendous view into the what is and is not working across the industry.
Consulting Firms. Consulting firms will primarily play an advisory role in what is coming up in the industry, how it may affect you, and help you move through the transition to the future. This is the highest and most impactful form of peripheral vision. Good consultants will not only have their fingers of the pulse of the industry and its specific technology, but also your organization and what the changes will mean to you.
Given the unique requirements of your organization, you may have many sensors in place to watch various aspects of the industry and applying them to what is important to your organization. This typically requires some form of budget, but it is a highly valuable use of your funds. Like in nature, a group without external sensors be unable to react quickly to the external events which take place.
