Companies are wasting their IT budgets on systems that don’t meet users’ expectations, a recent survey commissioned by FileMaker International has found. 67% of information workers surveyed said their database systems do not fully meet their expectations and 58% said that if an IT system is running slow or is too complicated to use, they will find another way of completing the task.
Highlighting how a poor purchasing choice can have a negative impact on productivity – a quarter (24%) admitted that they feel de-motivated when their systems fail to operate and 80% are left feeling frustrated.
The FileMaker Database Technology Report uncovers a severe lack of communication and understanding between IT departments and Information workers. Only 24% of information workers say themselves or a colleague has purchasing control over their organisation’s database system – compared to 58% of IT departments. Interestingly, nearly half the people surveyed (47%) agreed that the technology they use to manage information in their personal lives is more effective than the technology they use to manage information at work.
Other highlights include:
· A quarter (25%) agree that databases in their organisation are underused because they are complicated to manage
· 61% agree that the slower a database runs or the more complicated it is to use, the more reluctant they are to try and access that information again
· 32% agree that data in their organisation is probably unreliable because the systems they use are not integrated
· Database failure seriously impacts two thirds (65%) of businesses, and in some cases (8%), very seriously
Tony Speakman, director, FileMaker northern region said: “There is a worryingly large percentage of companies out there wasting IT budgets on software that is not the right solution for their users. Budgets are still being influenced by decisions makers in IT departments, rather than the users themselves, which is having a negative impact upon productivity. Our research shows that information workers are becoming ‘IT Gurus’ and businesses need to understand that it’s not just IT departments that understand IT.
“In today’s financial climate, every pound spent in an organisation should maximise profitability – not reduce it.”
The survey seems conveniently to have missed the fact that the biggest problem with databases is that the users do not keep them up to date or enter incorrect information.
Of course this “Survey” was carried out by a company trying to flog its own database software!
Personal experience suggests relatively few organisations listen hard enough to the views of ALL stakeholders and status / power considerations have too much impact on decision-making.
For example, Social Workers have been unhappy about the IT system foisted on them since its inception.