Technology underpins nearly every aspect of modern business operations. However, without proactive management, it can also pose significant risks ranging from productivity losses to data breaches. That's why every organization needs a skilled technology manager.
What is a Technology Manager and Why Does Your Business Need One?
For large enterprises, the technology manager is the CIO. In mid-size companies, it's the IT director. At small businesses, it may fall to the business owner or other employee wearing multiple hats.
But the role remains crucial - overseeing the technology suite to maximize reliable performance and minimize downtime. According to one survey, the average cost of IT downtime is $300,000 per hour across all companies. The technology manager acts as the quarterback across people, processes, and systems.
Maintaining a Written Technology Framework
To effectively minimize risk, technology managers need a detailed framework breaking down the various components of the technology stack. This serves as a blueprint for monitoring, measuring, and managing each element.
A robust framework may cover areas such as:
- Core infrastructure like networks and servers
- Endpoint security
- Business applications
- Data protection
- Backup and recovery
- Access controls and user management
With this framework, technology managers can identify potential failure points, calculate risks, and guide budget decisions on remediating issues before they cause outages. It enables them to make data-driven cases for critical security upgrades and infrastructure investments.
The Perils of Lacking Proper Technology Management
Businesses without adequate technology management and planning expose themselves to substantial peril in today's complex, rapidly evolving technology landscape.
Without a proper framework, they lack visibility into vulnerabilities that could allow cyber-attacks. They can't anticipate the impact of growth on IT infrastructure. Critical upgrades to software or security measures get deprioritized.
When outages or breaches do occur, these businesses have no documented incident response plans or recovery protocols. The results can be dire - from permanent customer data loss to catastrophic disruption of operations.
Steps to Build a Technology Framework
Don't have the in-house expertise to create a technology framework? Here are some options to get started:
- Work with a trusted managed service provider to document your technology stack, risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Hire a fractional technology executive or advisor to assess your needs and build a framework.
- Use technology suite assessments and planning tools from vendors like Microsoft.
- Start with industry framework templates and customize for your specific business.
The key is owning your technology roadmap. This allows you to take charge of mitigating risks and controlling costs from vendors. It's a small time investment that can pay major dividends in risk reduction and improved resilience.
Does your business have a documented technology framework guiding management and planning? Share your experiences and advice in the comments!
