In institute teachers have learned me to use quantitative estimations for the parsed phenomena or objects. And in this article I also shall try to hold on to this principle. Therefore for the beginning it is necessary to be defined with some concepts and settlement factors. On the basis of a system approach they will characterize processes of automation in the company.

« Let's count! »
When in the Internet I find scientific articles in which the system of a state estimation of processes interesting to me is resulted, I always would like by all means and to execute there and then reduced accounts on the datas. We shall briefly tell so, for me it is important to deliver own numerical experiments. I have decided, as the given article represents HTML page why me to not add some interactivity. … And to enable my favourite reader not only to read about numerical state estimations IT offered me in the company, but also to execute real accounts.

Attention! Any datas on activity and a state of your company will not be saved and published anywhere.

To calculate performances of activity IT resulted in below, it is necessary for you to answer correctly the following further questions. If to you not interesting to be engaged in accounts the block of questions you can safely skip and continue your reading. For the same who will decide to evaluate a state of an information work of firm, I can wish you obtaining of good significances of resulted in parameters.

So, the block of questions.

I yet do not know, whether I shall publish techniques of concrete accounts of parameters of an information state of the business, indicated in this article, whether or not. I am sorry...
Lecture is farther

First of all is a concept business transaction. Under business transaction we shall understand elementary interaction between the manufacturer of the goods or services and their client. Elementary interaction includes an exchange of a minimum quantity of the information which is enough for acceptance of any solution. Hereinafter an amount business of transactions made by the company we shall describe a variable "BT". It is necessary to mean, that the amount business transactions is not connected in any way to processes of formalising and automation of activity of the company, and depends only on essence of business and environmental conditions. It is rather difficult to count this parameter. As there are business the transactions connected to activity of this or that company, but is not direct, and through some external control structures (for example, change of rates of taxes in normative documents).

The following parsed parameter will be an amount of the classified transactions . This amount business transactions which have mapping on any carrier at the description of activity of the company. For example, in account books, paper waybills, databases, computer documents. We shall mean for brevity as "BTS". In epoch before appearance of computers to evaluate an amount of classified business transactions it was rather problematic (imagine a record count in different paper journals and writing-books which should be enumerated is, probably, only under force to the titan). However has occurred computer era, and the companies not only have got computers and networks, but also have successfully inserted different electronic accounts departments, ERP and CRM systems. Now it is possible to assume, that the volume of classified business transactions is proportional to an information content, stored on the computer carriers, disregarding the executed code and volume of general-system files.

And one more very important parameter connected to concept business transactions is a business inquiries. Actually, it is volume business of transactions, which is requested by employees of the company to realize the daily activity and to make of solution. Certainly, there are inquiries which are shaped with usage of a plenty business transactions. Moreover, it is necessary to understand, that not always answers to inquiries can contain the complete and comprehensive information (answers with some degree of accuracy - than not stochastic character of an information work in the company). That fact is important, that entirety of answers to business inquiries depends on a level of our knowledge and volume of the transactions classified business. However the return situation is not eliminated also, at big "BTS value there can be a small amount business inquiries. In this case it is possible to speak about problems in the company - information redundancy or stagnation of business (business as such interests employees a little). Business inquiries we shall mean an amount as "BTQ".

The further my reasonings will concern in the greater degree only IT sphere (though reduced reasonings can be applied and in case of record-keeping on « clay plates »). I shall try to describe evolution of penetration of computer technologies in all lines of business of the enterprise at a level of system processes. Me as possessed by idea of global automation, IT the manager will interest, first of all, the organizational party of information advance (other knowledge can be gathered from news resources and sites of the companies, software developers and technologies).

Let's add our list of parsed performances still to several parameters which settle up on a basis already circumscribed, and also used at the description of an economic state of the company.

We can evaluate cost of the single classified business transaction ("CBT") as:

CBT = Aggregate cost of possession / Classified business transactions

Or, as I assume:

CBT = Aggregate cost of possession / Information content on computer carriers
(disregarding the general-system software)

In this case the information volume is global and includes not only specialized databases, but also any information storehouses (for example, the information which is located in electronic plates or text documents). As usage of the systems, permitting to prospect and systematization of the information in unstructured sources, can increase largely relevance of answers business to inquiries. And usage of similar technologies is a prerogative, first of all, administrative solutions on the company and in any way does not concern global processes of information industry.

The following interesting parameter the parity can act:

IK = Classified business transactions / Business transaction

Which, purely, can be considered as some performance of "ripeness" of business. The closer to 1 this factor, the better we know, how business works. It is necessary to mean, that five hundred years back some workshops could have it a parameter rather close to 1. Essence that five hundred years ago the total business transactions was largely less than today. However there can be such situation when it is a parameter of more unit. That is we have included in structure of the classified business transactions excessive (for example, the company which is engaged in production of irons, gathers the information on production of a nuclear bomb). We shall name it as information knowledge of business and we shall designate as "IK".

In the following step we can evaluate, as far as the company can full answer own employees about structure of own business. Also we shall name this factor as information interest of a development of business "II". It settles up as follows:

II = Business inquiries / Business transaction

The given parity actually characterizes our understanding of an affair which we attended (or depth of our knowledge). If to go on paths of summation not only our inquiries, but also business transactions relating to different kinds of activity of the person we shall come to the conclusion, that this factor tends to unit, however be equal to this value cannot. From the point of view of the analysis of activity of the company, it is important not only knowledge of the value of this parameter. The knowledge of legitimacy of behaviour of this variable is important. As under rush of external circumstances, an amount business transactions is always augmented, also this factor should not only be diminished, but also permanently "grow up" coming nearer to 1. Otherwise it is possible to assume a certain stagnation of business in the company (absence of interest).

And, at last, the last interesting parameter which furthermore is rather simply evaluated is:

IS = Business inquiries / Classified business transactions

Or, as I assume:

IS = Volume of the required information / the Information content on computer carriers
(disregarding the general-system software)

This parity can be considered as performance of systematization of activity of the company (as of today, some kind of an exponent of automation of activity of the company). This factor we shall name information satisfaction "IS". The given performance actually mirrors, as far as in an operating mode the company can full ensure with the information of own employees. The value of this parity should be equal an ideal approximately 1. If it less than 1 it is necessary to speak about unsufficient data support, that can be dangerous - experts receive less necessary for acceptance of correct solution than the information. However if this parameter is more 1 it is possible to speak about information redundancy, that also can is negative affect correctness of decisionmaking.

Now, when we were defined with parameters which allow to analyse state IT of an infrastructure of the company, it is possible to reconstruct a history of processes of informatization and automation of firm on the basis of a system approach. And also to try to assume that us, for representatives IT of sphere waits hereafter, and what structural transformations to the companies, probably, will take place hereinafter. But we shall start, perhaps, from the very beginning of global computer era …

So. As wrote Kurt Vonnegut « When I was younger - two wives ago, 250 thousand cigarettes ago, three thousand litres of alcoholic drinks ago... » («Cradle for a cat ») era of total automation began. The person, having played enough in the favourite toys on the first computers, at last has mused, and perhaps this piece (computer) it is possible to decide useful problems. Also has written the first accounting programs. It is important to understand, that "paper" technologies to this moment have already spent the possibilities on deprecication business transactions and on increase of information knowledge of business in conditions constant decrease of information satisfaction. Information satisfaction depends not only on automation, but also from an amount business inquiries. The amount business inquiries, in turn, depends as well on external processes (for example, appearance of the network the Internet).

That it was hereinafter easier to understand my logic, I have drawn a figure. The horizontal axis represents time. I have defined five structural moments in evolution IT of divisions in the company. The first period when programmers are indirect workers (Not Employee). Further they become regular employees (Programmer). On the following coil of evolution are shaped specialized IT departments (Department). A present level - structural representation at a level of the first deputies of directors and presidents (CIO). And, at last, a state of system penetration into all business processes of the company as partnership on business (Partner).

It is natural, that unique process which does not depend on these states, constant growth of an amount business transactions is. However, in turn, the volume business transactions depends on global processes and in computer industry (feedback effect). For example, appearance and a development of the network the Internet has largely increased an amount business transactions connected with activity of any company. I shall not publish hereinafter any digital estimations. As they depend on the company as such (the value, the strategy, age, etc.), branches in which this company works, an internal and external situation in the state (states), on which territory this company (branches, affiliated companies, partners) realizes the activity. I shall try to make only trending and characteristic behaviour of performances circumscribed above as functions of time. Have gone further …

In days of disastrously diminished factors of information satisfaction and the growing by leaps and bounds cost business transactions in many companies the first programmers, possessed by idea of global automation (one of which once was ÿ) have appeared. A state « Not Employee ». They started to develop and introduce the first programs of the administrative account, some kind of great-grandmothers of modern overall systems. It was the beginning of accumulation not only program experience, but also technological, and human. At this stage these experts yet were not employees of the companies. Nevertheless, besides programming and introduction of programs they studied to decide some structural problems, namely mismatch of offered technological solutions really to an event (!), Plus mismatch of requests of direct executors on « to dispersal of commas on the screen » to real expenditures of labour, etc., etc. As the real social status of such executors in the company was a little bit higher than other non-staff employees management of the company presented increased requirements to their qualification, that positively affected experience of the future IT managers. Time which these non-staff employees conducted in the company, all was augmented. These factors in aggregate have reduced in appearance of the first positive results of introduction of information technologies. So to say, « have sprouted the first sprouts of effective information systems ». Deprecication business transactions was not still very much appreciable for business as a whole, however, growth of information knowledge pushed growth business of inquiries that should affect positively rates of growth of business as a whole (a direction of an information intensification).

By degrees boys - programmers became regular employees in the company - a state "Programmer". Such structural solution allowed to reduce considerably cost business transactions on separate directions of activity. For a management of the company has become is appreciable to increase a degree of information satisfaction. At least, has become understandable how to command in conditions of intensively explicating business as a whole. It is necessary to mark, that growth and quality business inquiries at this time starts to be observed, however is insignificant because of mistrust to computer technologies and absence of computer erudition. The management of the company already starts to understand, in what can reduce increase in the classified business transactions as there is a real possibility of decrease of industrial costs (for example, at the expense of staff reduction of technical executors). And it results in general increase of profitableness of the company. Therefore, it is possible to speak about the beginning of process of an ingrowth of computer technologies in real business processes (even at a level of partial replacement of a human labour the automized systems), that results in the following organizational stage in life arising IT divisions.

In what structure only departments of the first programmers did not include management of the companies. But they were racks, are courageous and honesty performed laborious operation. The result has not kept itself waiting. That the accountant filled up with papers and going with huge folders, were released of a pile of papers has become the fact, and folders for them steel thin. Such state of affairs was seen by other employees of the company. In a smoking room they set to the programmers becoming already traditional questions - and whether it is impossible to make so, what and for them too folders of steel thin. On them, the first programmers inspired with ideas and the first victories, answered: « Without problems, additional resources both financial, and human » however are necessary. And these resources were planned and granted on IT needs in the companies. Thus, the first have started to be shaped IT departments. In the same time era of network technologies starts. And this line of business already assumes usage of experts only "specializing" on computer technologies and with the specificity. Thus, the first have appeared IT departments - a state "Department".

Appearance IT of divisions at a system level was promoted by wishes and requests of management of the companies on the further deprecication business of transactions and to increase of information satisfaction. At this stage starts to play the important role the factor of increase of information interest. Because the structure business transactions already switches on results of marketing researches, social interrogations, technologies of interaction with clients, etc., etc. The amount and volume of information sources Accordingly grows. All this can be automated and systematized, that it is necessary to make. As the amount business transactions sharply increases, requests on improvement of quality of the information become tougher, requests to growth of information knowledge are increased. All this taken together results in revolutionary changes in technologies for IT spheres (three-level and multilevel systems, ERP, DocFlow, CRM, the Internet, etc.) . And as the result in base business processes occurs global deprecication of transactions and unknown growth of the inquiries satisfied business. Actually this stage can be described as scale spanning IT technologies of all industrial activity of the company.

All time of evolution IT goes constant global redistribution of regular resources inside the company. It is stipulated that, that growth of number of the classified business transactions and better sufficing business inquiries allow to liberate regular resources which were vital for the company in epoch before appearance of computers. But « piously the place is empty it does not happen ». Freed resources "are successfully eaten off" IT by divisions. For us it is important to understand, that under once "boy - programmer" accumulation of significant administrative resources starts. It is visible from my second figure (the square of objects Resource grows in due course). From the point of view of general business of the company this process ensures the further deprecication business transactions, plus increase of efficiency of activity of the company at the expense of growth of accuracy business inquiries. Accuracy and operationability business inquiries uniquely are increased with growth of speed of "response" IT of the system (response) to inquiries of a management. This fact also is confirmed by my figure (there is a reduction of an amount of hierarchical operations at realization IT of projects).

It is impossible to tell, that period IT of departments can be described as cloudless. To whom only from the first persons in the companies similar divisions were not subject, and to this day are not subject. I have in a kind, that specificity of professional work of bosses in the company of this period is not connected in any way with IT. Time outside of the company too does not cost at-sight. Business transactions is engaged in deprecication not only firm in which I work, but also its competitors and partners. Accordingly are permanently changed both business of a condition, and business of technology on branch as a whole. As an example, influence of the network the Internet on changes of the basic business of processes of the majority of the companies. In result business of a request and standards for systems of automation (for example, ERP, IDEF, CRM, etc.) were generated general . It is the important step in development IT. As if not to be defined with main principles of a constant development and service of an information system cost business 0 business transactions and business inquiries. The further deprecication business transactions also leaves on some plateau. Accordingly, basic problem IT divisions becomes maintenance at the set level of these parameters, irrespective of a state of development / depressing of the basic business in the company and on branch.

Up to this moment all my reasonings concerned IT sphere in conditions when the management of the company considered information technologies as auxiliary and secondary for the basic business. However time does not cost at-sight. I already mentioned return influence of computer technologies on business (to reduce the fact enough, that investments in the Internet advertising were razed to the ground on volume of investments in classical kinds of advertising). Moreover, scheduled and classified operation IT of divisions, introduced in the company at level CIO, results in remarkable result of release of resources both in IT, and on other directions of activity of firm. And it means the further increase of efficiency of business as a whole, including on the basis of information technologies. Maintenance at the set level of cost business transactions and increase of information knowledge is already possible only in conditions of constant reconstruction of all technologies of management of activity of organization. It is natural, that processes of re-structuring and reorganization of business in the companies go permanently, irrespective of a state of an information infrastructure. I assert, that representatives IT should be included in these processes, or it is already possible to speak about influence of information technologies on the basic business.

So, let's try assume, and that will be the following evolutionary step in structural development IT. That it was easier to you to understand my logic, I have drawn one more figure. From my block diagram it is visible, that the information work can be divided into operations connected with maintenance of a work cycle of primary activity and the operations connected to direct activity IT of divisions (administration, computer maintenance and updating of engineering, network maintenance, etc.). We shall group and somewhat we shall isolate from IT departments of the experts occupied in maintenance of technological compatibility of soft-hardware solutions and real business (business - analysts, IT technologists, etc.) . Why it should be made? I already wrote that an amount of the classified business transactions can exceed an amount of transactions really required business (business of inquiries). To understand, as far as the amount business inquiries and business transactions is optimum, it is possible only in details understanding in base business processes of the company. That is there are the problems localized not by information divisions, but with their help, some kind of interdisciplinary technological solutions. It is not necessary to forget still, that for IT technologists always there is an own opinion concerning plans on a development of the basic business. To argue that primarily the hen or an egg, probably, senselessly. Therefore spores on how to explicate business, between traditional and information technologists also has no strict solution. However experience displays, that sensible cooperation can yield fine results.

I now write about organization in real-time mode of structural parallel interactions, as near future IT. There are specific requests in activity of any division according to production schedules (for example, in case IT is a formalising of operations). Nevertheless, time comes, when it is necessary to organize operating interaction of experts from information and not information divisions at a technological level, some kind of to produce a certain general-purpose language of terms, concepts, techniques of accounts, rules of the account, etc. It increases quality of support and updating of information systems as a whole. As we receive result, that is necessary to organize representation at each level of management of employees of the information departments responsible for compatibility and eligibility of technologies, and main managers of divisions working at a level. But thus and other party in the duty regulations receives item on « answer-back feelings ».

Results of operation thus are evaluated not only by results of activity of concrete division, and in the synthesized kind, with allowance for the contribution of each participant business of process in a common cause (observance of a principle of indissolubility business of processes). As the result is born the block diagram at which system penetration IT into primary activity of the company (and on the contrary) is ensured. At such state of affairs it is possible to speak about direct obvious influence of information technologies on the basic business. Certainly, it is possible to assume, that chiefs of divisions in the far future will have additional qualification appropriate approximately to a level of a systems analyst. However can be, and is not present. Now I do not take about it to judge. Time will show. It is important, that at this structure of management, chief IT of activity in the company acts already in a role of the partner on business and is extremely interested as a result of operation of this business.

At organization of management with an intensification of parallel structural communications it is possible to speak about « system principles of organization IT of activity of the company as means of increase of a management efficiency as a whole ». What does it give?

First of all, it is heightened reliability in support and a high operationability of a development of information systems in conditions of dynamically progressing business. Such result is ensured with "deleting" of excessive administrative barriers, as in a direction of creation of inquiries on support and updating IT of components, and on their realization in life. The following important point (as consequence of the first factor) is a constant maintenance on optimum and a high level of significances of parameters of an information state of business (are circumscribed in the beginning of the article). Undoubtedly, that the stable information state will result in turn in deprecication business transactions in conditions of constant growth of their amount. It can mean only increase of efficiency of work of all employees of the company. Really, the plenty of the classified information for smaller cost allows to make more effective and correct solutions.

As there is a constant and scheduled cooperation of business and information technologies it is possible to speak already about smooth re-structuring and reorganization of all business of processes of the company (without revolutionary shocks).

The availability of stable structural parallel communications will reduce in a cost-saving both in sector IT, and as a whole on the company. Process of smooth updating of information systems (in a mode of optimization of business and IT) will reduce in deprecication of cumulative possession, and this next deprecication business transactions. Planned character of operation IT of divisions will reduce in increase of reliability, a simplicity of management, a high level of interchangeability and deprecication of information systems of management as a whole.

Last modified: 05.12.2004