Changes in IT

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We all face change every day in one way or another, but the question is how it affects you personally. Because there are differences in how each of us perceives change and how often we have had to face it so far. For some, the world crumbles when their favorite yogurt is no longer produced, while others are quick to find a replacement. Companies, especially IT companies, are constantly subject to process changes. Without wishing to paint a diagram, our author wanted to make some observations about adapting to personal change that he thinks are of general value. Because we are not alone in making changes: our clients are also currently having to make large-scale changes.

Change can be for two reasons: external or internal (e.g.: I would like to exercise more). The fact how often a person has already experienced change in the past seems to have an additional impact. Ultimately, IT people seem to face change more often than others.

IT is constantly changing. Constant transformation is part of our industry: not a day goes by without something new coming out, new concepts bringing new ideas or external influences manifesting themselves in IT (e.g., working from home requires changes in infrastructure). Training is a smart way to respond to these changes. Depending on the frequency of change, you have a customized process model. Most of the time you accept the challenge and even look forward to it. But somehow you haven’t gotten out of constant learning in IT. I’ve also never met anyone in the field who is afraid of new challenges.

Especially when taking on something new and unknown, there are two different personalities: those who take on the challenge and those who shy away. Because if you begin to change, you are not immune to failure along the way. Change is easier when you know all the circumstances and have all the information. But that’s not always the case. One says, “I’ll try. If I don’t reach my goal this way, then I’ve gained experience and will do things differently next time.” The other is more afraid and shuts himself off from the possible learning process behind it, “How will I do it if it doesn’t work? Will my colleagues respect me then?” The first open-ended type is called “dynamic self-image,” the second is more of a “static self-image.”

Learning as a key
So it seems to matter whether you use the learning process often or not. As the saying goes, you stay young if you learn something new every day. But does it make sense from an evolutionary perspective? Why do you learn? Essentially, you learn to gain experience and standardize sequences.

The latter is especially important because once we standardize processes, we become faster. Example: brushing your teeth. Are you still actively thinking about brushing your teeth today? Chances are, like me, you work on a kind of “autopilot” and do everything in two minutes while you ponder other topics. But what if I showed you a method that is even more efficient and faster? Would you try it? I’m guessing that 75% are now saying, “Why? I learned it once, and that’s enough for me.”

From an evolutionary standpoint, this reaction is also quite normal and typical. Young adulthood is for learning, so that later you can go back to what you learned and apply it. However, this cannot be applied statically in all areas. For some, not staying in the “now” state is even existential.

If we look back in time, many companies focused on their core competencies. Products have been standardized and optimized so that they are basically cheaper in terms of production.

The same applies to costs in the marketplace: IT systems simply had to become cheaper. However, instead of dealing with change (What’s new and innovative in the market?), savings were made in that place – and the market has no respect for tradition. Kodak, for example, was mostly in the business of selling photo paper. A cell phone with a camera – no one wants that kind of Frankenstein.

Change is complicated and requires a lot of energy and money. If customers switch off, the question is whether they will survive. So not only do we have to be open to change, but we have to advise our clients about it and reach out to accompany them. This is the only way to be able to reasonably support the customer “on your side”.