I.T. function responsibilities:
- Software Development
- Development/acquisition of application software for payroll, accounting, stock etc.
- Data Management
- Covers data design, data models and data security.
- Network Management
- Provides network services.
- Operations Management
- Responsible for running network, hardware and software as well as back up and security of data.
- End User Support
- Interfaces with users, covers user support, help desk and user training.
- Capacity Planning
- Plan future capacity requirements for power, disc capacity and network capacity.
- Technical Services
- All non-database and non-application related software, supporting operating systems.
May be issues in assigning responsibilities and workloads of above departments.
E.g. Software Development, how to split resources between supporting/maintaining existing software and developing new applications. Choices are:
- Separate development and support teams.
- Support may not always be fully occupied therefore less productive.
- Some support issues may require highly skilled staff taking them away from dev work.
- Combined team working on both dev and support.
- Maximises use of skills.
- Lack of focus as priorities unclear.
- Development team plus support team who work on small enhancements.
- Dev team work on new software.
- Support can work on small scale enhancements helping to even out highs and lows in support.