Information technology is much more than technology. It is more on those business practices and processes that underline the formation and utilization of information. Information technology includes; information itself, quality, structure, and content, among others. For information technology to be effective, it has to encompass people, processes, technology, and content. Firms face various information management issues and problems. These issues have been worsened by the rapid growth of electronic information (Robertson, 2005). Some of these problems include; little integration or coordination among personnel, poor adoption of existing information systems by personnel, little recognition, and support by senior management, internal politics, etc. There is a need to build an effective information technology support team to solve these problems. An effective information technology support team is one of the most important things that lead to the success of any project.
How to build an effective information technology support team
Build a solid team structure
The first step in building an effective information technology support team is to build a solid team structure. For each team, there has to be a leader who has the responsibility to oversee that work is done but this does not mean the others are inferior. According to Wallace (2007),” the team structure that develops (either formally or informally) will be flexible such that the right people work together for any given topic” The leaders should recognize and appreciate the roles played by other team members in achieving the team’s goals. If one is not recognized he may feel out of place and fail to perform.
Choose the right people
All roles will require individuals who are highly motivated, flexible, and possess the initiative to work on their own. The team members should have the ability to work in a team environment. This ability is essential for effective communication between the staff and managers. The team members should be willing to work collaboratively, share thoughts, dreams, concerns, etc (Wallace, 2007). The teams should be well conversant with the business knowledge of some of the processes and technologies used. An effective team is one whereby members support each other and recognize that the team’s success requires the success of all members. The members should work as friends with a common purpose.
Recognize and manage the complex environment
An effective IT support team should be able to recognize and manage the complex environment in which organizations operate. These organizations should not look for simple approaches and believing vendors for technology solutions (Robertson, 2005). To succeed, the leadership must be strong to define a clear direction and plan many small activities that are in line with the needs and issues. Risks must be identified and mitigated to make sure that these complexities do not hinder effective solutions.
Put more emphasis on adoption of information system
Staff must participate actively for an organization to be a success. This is made easier if soft wares are not installed centrally. They should ensure that important files are saved into the records/documents management system. Sufficient adoption is necessary to ensure that the required information is stored in the system. For the repositories (business) to have sufficient information for its use, then a significant mass usage becomes imperative. Sufficient adoption is facilitated by carefully designing Projects from the outside (Robertson, 2005).
Team mobilization
Effective teams should be mobilized through building a team culture. Attitude and some specific actions are what constitute a team’s culture. As noted by Wallace, (2007)” All people in leadership roles should make each feel a valued part of a team with a clear and important mission”. They should know who to report to, their responsibility, how they report issues, problems, bugs, etc, expected behavioral norms, how to use specific software, hardware, and other equipment, etc. The junior staff should be coached and avoid bossing them.
Personnel welfare
When building an effective IT support team things such as the structure of the team, budget, reward methods to be applied, etc, should be given consideration (Wallace, 2007). Good team behavior should be rewarded either in monetary form or in kind. This motivates team members and in turn, raises the productivity of the organization.
Social events
Social events help the team members to renew their production capabilities. To achieve this, teams’ culture, the background of members, and norms of the organization should be considered. You should plan for social events that will benefit all team members. The person responsible for organizing these social events should take more care to avoid events that appeal to a group of members at the expense of the others (Wallace, 2007). Some of these social events are; lunchtime drinks and meals, evening drinks, day trips, charity events, training courses, etc.
Conclusion
An effective information technology support team is necessary for the success of any organization. For a team to be effective it has to have a good structure with the right personnel. Team mobilization is important because it makes members feel at home. A good reward mechanism raises personnel motivation and morale to work. When all is said and done, there is a need for regular renewal of the body either spiritually, socially and, emotionally through social events.
Reference
Robertson, J. (2005). 10 principles of effective information management. Web.
Wallace, S. (2007). Team Building, Collaboration and Communication. Web.