深入探讨IT部门的职能变化及其挑战
最近在软件从业者的各种群里，热议着各央企成立大量数科公司的消息和评论，这是否成为一种趋势不得而知。对传统企业的CIO和IT管理人员来说，关心的是企业IT部门“升级”为数科公司对于企业数字化转型和IT工作带来哪些机遇和挑战；对IT供应商来说，更多的是担心甲方企业是否会“肥水不流外人田”，减少给供应商的订单。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
老兵之前写过一篇文章《在数字化转型中，企业需要什么样的IT部门》，在读者中反响不错。对于是否会出现“肥水不流外人田”的情况，对于具体的企业或集团不得而知，但老兵上述的文章中对这个问题有明确的看法。而本次就“数字化转型中，企业需要什么样的IT部门”这个话题进一步交流。
一、从IT部门到数科公司，变的到底是什么？
《在数字化转型中，企业需要什么样的IT部门》中，我们提到：传统企业的IT部门一般是从企业内部信息系统的运维团队发展而来，长期以来的主要工作是以信息系统为中心，为企业各部门提供信息系统的开发、建设和运维服务；进入数字化时代，在企业数字化转型需求的强烈驱动下，IT部门的职能发生了很大的变化：其作为企业内设机构，在企业内部的管理协调和业务理解方面具备先天优势，应当成为企业数字化转型的智囊团，发挥总体技术和智力支撑作用。
《在数字化转型中，企业需要什么样的IT部门》中，我们还提到，在数字化转型中，企业需要IT规划团队、IT架构团队、精益管理团队、系统开发建设团队、网络安全团队、系统运维团队、数据架构与治理团队、数据安全团队、数据智能团队等专业团队力量的支持，而这远远超越了传统的、较小规模的传统企业内设IT部门的职能范围和组织机构。在IT人力需求扩张的情况下，为更好实现履行IT部门职能，基于业务扩展和变化，成立专门的数科公司成为一种可选的方案。
在笔者看来，央企成立数科公司，相比传统的IT部门，主要体现两方面变化：一是在企业的主营业务和产品方面，通过开展数字化智能化技术研发，打造企业在行业细分领域产品软件定义化、服务化转型的技术底座；二是在企业内部建设方面，由企业信息系统定制化开发者的角色转变为企业数字化转型智囊团角色，作为甲方技术代表在企业非主营业务方向为企业选择产品化套装企业软件，开展建设过程中的项目技术管理、上层应用建设、数据治理和数字化运营。
在本文中，我们重点讨论IT部门或数科公司在企业内部建设方面，或者企业数字化转型方面应当怎样发挥职能。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
二、做好IT工作的“向上管理”
在网络上有一个流传很广的关于企业管理的说法，是说对于企业的高层、中层和基层员工而言：高层管理者主要负责把握企业发展的方向并进行战略性决策，对企业的成长和长期发展做出贡献；中层管理者对企业的稳定和效率做出贡献，将企业高层的战略决策转化为实际的工作计划和相应的资源分配；基层员工对自己承担的具体工作任务负责，为企业的成本、质量和短期效益做出贡献。
以上是从决策—计划—执行这个线条来看待企业的经营管理问题。但反过来看，最高层的决策从何而来？企业高层难道是靠敏锐的洞察力，精通企业经营所有的业务领域，一个人或一小群人完成了关于企业发展的所有重大决策？
事实上，企业高层的决策，都会背后有显性或隐性的“智囊团”。而本篇所讲做好IT工作的“向上管理”，指的就是IT部门和CIO，要成为企业高层有关IT决策的核心“智囊团”。原因在于，不论是否承认，企业高层决策“智囊团”都是客观存在的。如果IT部门和CIO不能成为企业高层IT决策的“智囊团”，那其他因素就会进入这个“智囊团”。其形式是多样的，比如外部或内部各色“专家团队”，甚至是装在企业高层大脑中各种宣讲、论坛的PPT。在这种情况下，企业的数字化转型过程中，其IT工作就会变成如下的模式：
1.企业高层提具体要求，如上XX系统，建XX体系；
2.CIO和IT部门领导根据高层要求，组织员工开展信息系统调研、设计、建设等工作；
3.IT部门员工领到任务； 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
在这种模式下，企业IT部门会成为纯粹的IT执行机构，也就是领导说怎么干就怎么干。而企业高层IT决策的“智囊团”不论是各色“专家”，还是自己大脑中的执念，有一个共同点，就是缺乏对企业实际的调研，缺乏对真实情况的掌握。在这种情况下，相关项目的建设缺乏必要的论证过程，其结果往往是高成本低效能甚至毫无用处，IT部门的工作也会陷入极度的被动。
而“向上管理”做得比较好的IT部门，其企业IT工作的模式是这样的：
1.IT部门深入企业业务线了解掌握企业经营现状，同步开展技术储备和外部产品调研，酝酿相关工作建议；
2.IT部门领导和CIO常态化向企业高层汇报有关的工作思路策划，条件成熟时提出相关工作建议；
3.企业高层同意CIO和IT部门的工作建议，决策实施项目；
4.CIO和IT部门领导组织员工开展信息系统调研、设计、建设等工作。
在这种模式下，企业IT部门得到企业高层的充分信赖，是企业高层IT决策“智囊”的核心，所有的IT工作都会在对企业真实经营状况的充分调研和论证基础上开展，相关项目建设效能能够得到有效保证。
三、探索与业务部门的协作模式
在企业数字化转型过程中，业务部门和IT部门需要密切协作。然而在实践中，各业务部门和IT部门之间往往出现各种的矛盾：业务部门抱怨IT部门强推业务上信息系统，使用不成熟的电子流程约束业务活动开展；IT部门抱怨业务部门喜欢另搞一套，破坏整体IT架构，不遵守数据规范。笔者认为，在数字化转型中，IT部门或数科公司在与业务部门开展协作时，需要注意以下两方面：
1.在业务数字化及信息模块上线的工作节奏方面，尊重业务部门的主体地位；
以笔者的经验来看，IT部门职工容易犯的观念性错误就是：迷信技术和信息系统的作用，认为业务上了系统，就是实现了数字化；业务部门认为系统不好用，就是业务部门的观念跟不上；认为业务的问题是通过技术来解决的。
在实际的企业数字化转型过程中，IT部门不重视在小范围业务垂直领域做好数字化转型的精细化运营示范、做出效益，而是热衷于摊大饼、建平台，像互联网公司抢用户一样，催促业务部门配合接入。这样做，一方面对于实际配合接入平台的业务部门，迟迟看不到效益方面的提升;而没有接入平台的业务部门就更加缺乏接入平台的动力。从而造成IT部门和业务部门之间的矛盾。
笔者认为，IT部门或数科公司在开展企业数字化转型时，应当尊重业务部门在其自身业务数字化方面的主体地位，摒弃建平台吸用户的互联网思维。首先在垂直领域结合业务部门需求，做好业务数字化、信息模块上线和业务运营，通过运营实现业务降本增效，通过数据分析挖掘新的业务方向和增长点，从而形成示范效应。将业务上线的推动模式转变为吸引模式。
2.在IT架构和数据治理标准体系方面，坚持IT部门和数科公司的主导地位。
另一方方面，在企业数字化转型过程中的IT架构设计和数据治理标准体系方面，IT部门或数科公司要坚持主导地位。IT架构关乎企业IT运行全局，对企业整体的业务运行有重大的影响；数据治理标准体系和制度更是关乎企业数据资产和应用的核心。这两方面都不是单个业务部门所关注或负责的内容，需要IT部门或数科公司作为主导力量来推进。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
在这方面，笔者见过很多业务部门基于本部门或本业务短期、局部利益，违反企业整体IT架构和数据治理体系，另起炉灶搞建设的现象。对于这一现象，IT部门或数科公司要坚持原则不退让，企业高层更是要鼎力支持（这也凸显出第二章“向上管理”的重要性）。
四、理顺IT体系内部工作关系
最后一点需要注意的事项，IT部门转变为数科公司后，或者说IT部门扩张之后，相比扩张之前，新增了两项工作关系：一是IT部门内部不同团队之间的工作关系；二是与CIO及IT管理部门之间的关系。
对于IT部门内部不同团队之间的工作关系：由于IT部门的扩张（如成为数科公司），原本部门内依靠工作惯例、人为协调实现的不同IT团队、人员间的工作协同，变成了公司内部不同部门之间的协同，对于IT部门内部的工作制度、流程和任务体系建设提出了更高的要求。之前看过一篇博文，指出很多从事数据工作的IT人，自己工作中都明显不习惯数据思维。在这里笔者提出，数科公司对于自身内部的管理，要在整个企业集团内做成数字化转型的示范。这不光是树立形象的问题，更是把企业集团数字化转型中的IT工作在本公司内部开展一次演练。
对于IT部门或数科公司与CIO及IT管理部门之间的关系：在IT部门扩张之前，CIO、IT管理部门与IT部门是管理部门与执行部门的关系，或者说业务上的直接指导关系，在有些企业甚至是同一个部门，相互间的工作关系几乎不存在协调的难度。IT部门成为独立的公司之后，与CIO和集团公司IT管理部门之间的关系变得比较微妙，这对于数科公司、CIO和IT管理部门三方都是一个全新的课题，需要提前策划、积极理顺工作关系。
五、结语
本次主要就IT部门或数科公司在企业内部建设方面，或者企业数字化转型方面应当怎样发挥职能提出了几个观点。对于数科公司在企业主营业务和产品方面的职能发挥是另一个非常重要的方面，下篇文章继续讨论。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
翻译：
From IT to Digital – What kind of IT department does a business need for digital transformation
An in-depth look at the changing functions of the IT department and their challenges
Recently, in various groups of software practitioners, there has been hot discussion about the establishment of a large number of companies and comments by central enterprises, whether this has become a trend is unknown. For CIOs and IT managers in traditional enterprises, they are concerned about what opportunities and challenges the “upgrading” of enterprise IT departments will bring to enterprises’ digital transformation and IT work. For IT suppliers, it is more concerned about whether Party A enterprises will “fat water does not flow outside the field” and reduce orders to suppliers.
The veteran has previously written an article “In the digital transformation, what kind of IT department enterprises need”, which has been well received by readers. For whether there will be a “fat water does not flow outside the field” situation, for the specific enterprise or group is unknown, but the veteran’s article above has a clear view on this issue. This time, the topic of “What kind of IT department does the enterprise need in digital transformation” is further exchanged.
First, from the IT department to the data department company, what has changed?
In “What Kind of IT Department Do Enterprises Need in Digital Transformation”, we mentioned that the IT department of traditional enterprises is generally developed from the operation and maintenance team of the enterprise’s internal information system, and its main work for a long time is to provide information system development, construction and operation and maintenance services for various departments of the enterprise. In the digital era, driven by the demand for digital transformation of enterprises, the functions of IT departments have undergone great changes: as an internal organization of enterprises, IT has inherent advantages in internal management coordination and business understanding, and should become the think tank of enterprises’ digital transformation and play the role of overall technical and intellectual support.
In “What kind of IT Department Does an Enterprise Need in Digital Transformation”, we also mentioned that in digital transformation, enterprises need the support of professional teams such as IT planning team, IT architecture team, lean management team, system development and construction team, network security team, system operation and maintenance team, data architecture and governance team, data security team, and data intelligence team. This goes far beyond the scope and organization of the traditional, smaller scale IT department within a traditional enterprise. In the case of the expansion of IT manpower demand, in order to better fulfill the functions of the IT department, based on business expansion and change, the establishment of a specialized digital company has become an optional solution. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
In the author’s opinion, the establishment of a number of companies in central enterprises, compared with traditional IT departments, mainly reflects two changes: first, in the main business and products of the enterprise, through the development of digital intelligent technology, to create a technical base for the transformation of software definition and service of products in the field of industry segmentation; Second, in terms of the internal construction of the enterprise, the role of the customized developer of the enterprise information system is changed to the role of the think tank of the enterprise digital transformation. As the technical representative of Party A, the company selects the product suite of enterprise software for the enterprise in the direction of the non-main business of the enterprise, and carries out the project technology management, upper-layer application construction, data governance and digital operation in the construction process.
In this article, we focus on how the IT department or a company should function in terms of internal construction or digital transformation of the enterprise.
Second, do a good job of “upward management” of IT work
There is a widely circulated saying about enterprise management on the Internet, that is, for the senior, middle and grass-roots employees of enterprises: senior managers are mainly responsible for grasping the direction of enterprise development and making strategic decisions, and making contributions to the growth and long-term development of enterprises; Middle managers contribute to the stability and efficiency of the enterprise, translating the strategic decisions of the enterprise’s top management into actual work plans and corresponding resource allocation; Grass-roots employees are responsible for the specific tasks they undertake and contribute to the cost, quality and short-term benefits of the company.
The above is from the decision – plan – implementation of this line to look at the operation and management of enterprises. But conversely, where do decisions at the top come from? Is it that the top management of the enterprise relies on keen insight, proficient in all business areas of the enterprise, and one person or a small group of people complete all the major decisions about the development of the enterprise?
In fact, there are explicit or implicit “think tanks” behind the decisions of the top management of enterprises. The “upward management” of IT work mentioned in this article refers to the IT department and CIO, which should become the core “think tank” of IT decision-making at the top of the enterprise. The reason is that, whether it is acknowledged or not, the high-level decision-making “think tank” is an objective existence. If the IT department and CIO cannot be the “brain trust” for IT decisions at the top of the enterprise, then other factors will enter the “brain trust”. Its forms are diverse, such as external or internal various “expert teams”, and even a variety of presentations and forums installed in the brain of the top of the enterprise. In this case, during the digital transformation process of the enterprise, its IT work will become the following pattern: 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
1. Enterprise senior management to make specific requirements, such as XX system, build XX system;
2. CIO and IT department leaders organize employees to carry out information system research, design and construction according to high-level requirements;
3. IT department staff received tasks;
In this model, the enterprise IT department will become a pure IT executive, that is, do what the leader says. The “think tank” of IT decision-making at the top of the enterprise, whether it is a variety of “experts” or the obsession in their own brains, has one thing in common, that is, the lack of actual investigation of the enterprise and the lack of mastery of the real situation. In this case, the construction of relevant projects lacks the necessary demonstration process, and the result is often high cost, inefficient or even useless, and the work of the IT department will fall into extreme passivity.
And the IT department that does a better job of “managing up”, its enterprise IT work model is like this:
1. The IT department goes deep into the business line of the enterprise to understand the status quo of the enterprise’s operation, synchronously carries out technical reserves and external product research, and incubates relevant work suggestions;
2. IT department leaders and CIO regularly report relevant work ideas and plans to senior management of the enterprise, and put forward relevant work suggestions when conditions are ripe;
3. The senior management of the enterprise agrees with the work suggestions of CIO and IT department, and decides to implement projects; 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
4. CIO and IT department leaders organize employees to carry out information system research, design, construction and other work.
In this mode, the enterprise IT department is fully trusted by the enterprise senior management, is the core of the enterprise senior IT decision-making “think tank”, all IT work will be carried out on the basis of full investigation and demonstration of the real business situation of the enterprise, and the construction efficiency of related projects can be effectively guaranteed.
Third, explore the mode of collaboration with business departments
In the process of digital transformation, the business and IT departments need to work closely together. However, in practice, there are often various conflicts between business departments and IT departments: business departments complain that IT departments force business information systems and use immature electronic processes to restrict business activities; The IT department complains that the business department likes to do another one, which undermines the overall IT architecture and does not comply with data specifications. I believe that in digital transformation, IT departments or companies need to pay attention to the following two aspects when collaborating with business units:
- Respect the main position of the business department in terms of the work pace of business digitization and information module online;
According to the author’s experience, the conceptual mistakes that IT department employees tend to make are: superstitious about the role of technology and information systems, thinking that the system of business is the realization of digitalization; The business department thinks that the system is not good to use, that is, the concept of the business department can not keep up; The idea that business problems are solved by technology.
In the actual process of enterprise digital transformation, the IT department does not pay attention to the fine operation demonstration and efficiency of digital transformation in a small range of business verticals, but is keen to spread the pie and build the platform, and urge the business department to cooperate with the access like Internet companies grab users. In doing so, on the one hand, the business departments that actually cooperate with the access platform can not see the improvement of benefits; Business units without access platforms lack the incentive to access them. This leads to conflicts between IT and business departments. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
The author believes that when the IT department or the digital science company carries out the enterprise digital transformation, IT should respect the main position of the business department in its own business digitalization, and abandon the Internet thinking of building a platform to attract users. First of all, combine the needs of business departments in vertical fields, do a good job in business digitization, information module online and business operation, achieve business cost reduction and efficiency through operation, and explore new business direction and growth point through data analysis, so as to form a demonstration effect. Shift from a push model to an attract model.
- In terms of IT architecture and data governance standard system, adhere to the leading position of IT department and data science company.
On the other hand, in the process of enterprise digital transformation of IT architecture design and data governance standards system, IT departments or companies should adhere to the leading position. IT architecture is related to the overall IT operation of the enterprise and has a significant impact on the overall business operation of the enterprise. Data governance standards and systems are the core of enterprise data assets and applications. Neither of these areas is the focus or responsibility of a single business unit, and requires the IT department or several divisions to be the leading force.
In this regard, the author has seen many business departments based on the short-term and partial interests of their own department or business, in violation of the overall IT architecture and data governance system of the enterprise, to build a new phenomenon. For this phenomenon, the IT department or the company must adhere to the principle of not backing down, and the senior management of the enterprise must be fully supported (which also highlights the importance of chapter 2 “Management up”). 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
Fourth, straighten out the working relationship within the IT system
As a final note, after the transformation of the IT department into a multi-division company, or after the expansion of the IT department, compared with before the expansion, two new working relationships were added: one is the working relationship between different teams within the IT department; The second is the relationship with the CIO and IT management department.
For working relationships between different teams within the IT department: Due to the expansion of the IT department (such as becoming a digital company), the work collaboration between different IT teams and personnel within the department, which originally relied on work practices and human coordination, has become the collaboration between different departments within the company, which puts forward higher requirements for the construction of work systems, processes and task systems within the IT department. I have read a blog post before, pointing out that many IT people engaged in data work are obviously not used to data thinking in their work. Here, the author proposes that the company’s internal management should be a demonstration of digital transformation in the entire enterprise group. This is not only a matter of establishing an image, but also a rehearsal of IT work in the digital transformation of an enterprise group within the company.
For the relationship between the IT department or several departments and the CIO and IT management department: before the expansion of the IT department, the CIO, IT management department and IT department is the relationship between the management department and the executive department, or the direct guidance relationship on the business, in some enterprises or even the same department, the working relationship between each other is almost no difficulty in coordination. After the IT department becomes an independent company, the relationship between the CIO and the IT management department of the group company becomes more delicate, which is a new topic for the company, CIO and IT management department, which needs to plan in advance and actively straighten out the working relationship. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
V. Conclusion
This time, I mainly put forward several views on how the IT department or the company should play its role in the internal construction of the enterprise or the digital transformation of the enterprise. The function of the company in the main business and products of the enterprise is another very important aspect, which will be discussed in the next article.
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