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The Edge… there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. — Hunter S Thompson
Several months ago, I was introduced to the concept of differentiating IT into “Core” and “Edge” functions or services. This useful construct has significant implications to the way you can think about management and leadership of an IT department.
Core IT
Core IT refers to the nuts and bolts of an IT organization. These are all the areas that you absolutely need to get right, and need to continuously improve. These are also the areas where the perception of success or failure of an IT organization will originate.
Included in Core IT is the implementation and on-going support of the ERP, CRM, Supply Chain, and related mission critical systems the business partners depend on as part of their process execution.
Software development / package implementation and related system and application software architecture fits at the heart of Core IT as well. Going along with the software development is the project and program management. The Program Management Office is typically one of the key organizational structures that represent Core IT.
IT Operations is clearly part of Core IT as well. The ongoing care and feeding of the system software, databases, servers, network, communications gear is all part and parcel of the core technology infrastructure. The Help Desk and related support structures are typically pointed to as being representative of the Core IT as well.
Edge IT
Edge IT relates to aspects of IT which address different sets of problems, and necessarily address them differently. An example of this include developing an IT Road Map / IT Strategy for the organization. Similarly, it would naturally include technology assessments, research and discovery, and the application of new technologies to business enablement.
Workforce planning, financial and operational modelling, scalability and capacity planning are part of Edge IT. You can also put legal and regulatory / compliance aspects of IT in Edge IT along with the Security and Privacy, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity.
These items are not necessarily once and done, but performed periodically they establish the foundational success of the IT organization.
Application
It is interesting how different companies would group the “Core” and “Edge” activities. Ssecurity and privacy, for example, are clearly at the core in some organizations, while in other organizations it is definitely at the edge. Some items will migrate back and forth between “Core” and “Edge” over time, representing the gray area between these two categories.
As part of an organizational self-examination, it is interesting to see how much of the “Edge IT” is present in your organization. As companies grow and mature the core services that IT provides expand and more of the edge services become necessary. In this case, simply the presence of these activities indicates a more advanced maturity, providing the foundation for further leveraging IT within the enterprise by maturing not only the Core, but the Edge services as well.
How does your organization align itself? Do you think of Core and Edge services differently?
This is an interesting perspective of IT. IT organization that aspires to combat mediocrity and aims for service excellence should have a good balance of both. However, I think it should start with strengthening Core IT- making sure service delivery systems are performing and enabling business processes well. Edge IT puts IT organization into the path of maturity. It gives IT the benefit advantage and makes IT the partner of choice of the business.
Good point Glenn. In future posts I will be exploring the differences between the Core and the Edge in terms of Leadership and Management. How and when to concentrate on each, and how to best leverage the IT Ecosystem to optimize both Core and Edge.
I look forward to more of your insights and discussion.