One of the biggest surprises that I had when I worked with big companies for the first time is often they had big problems in IT.
It wasn’t just security, but even the basics of how they functioned in IT. It is clear that the constant upgrade cycle is very tough for most companies to master.
Why do we need to upgrade so often in IT? Lots of reasons. First is security. Hackers understand and exploit weaknesses, so we always have to increase our level of security.
Second is functionality. We are doing new things like AI and that requires some additional controls and considerations. IT is always pushing the boundaries of what is possible to save time and money.
This isn’t a complaint. I have made my living on helping companies upgrade and maintain their IT infrastructure. I think it is exciting how things improve and I love being an early adopter of technology. I always try to encourage my clients to keep their technical debt to a minimum so that it is easier for everyone including the users.
I have always been about the user experience. I don’t want to use a system that isn’t easy and safe to use. Security can be frustrating even when you know what you are doing. As an IT consultant we have to find ways to make things safe and easy for our clients. It is possible.
For example I love using passkeys. I think that is easier to have the cam on your phone see a QR code and then go to that web page and for that instance select verify on your phone. That to me is faster than typing a 12 digit password or managing a password manager (which I love by the way). There are great ways to work and they are getting better.
Anyway, big problems require big solutions. Its fun to be able to help companies in this way.