RTFQ: This was sound advice I was offered in preparation of an exam:
“If you are in any doubt as to what to write – Read The Question.”
And so, with this sage advice ringing in my ear, I think back to when it was I last read a software licence – and despite my eagerness to install a particular software title, I can honestly say it was about 4 weeks ago (For info: ARIS Express – an excellent tool for Process Mapping) But can we all say that?
Even I found myself installing the software first, and then – retrospectively; breathing a sigh of relief after I had confirmed that my installation hadn’t flouted the Terms and Conditions.
We think nothing of patching systems, or upgrading knowledge-bases and database (or if we are in the top 10% – reviewing and updating processes) but how many of us take the time to patch our own knowledge-base – the very one we were born with?
We all know software vendors are past-masters at altering use-rights and Terms and Conditions through numerous flavors and iterations of software – almost to the point where a law degree should be mandatory for an IT role (sidebar: why has no one invented a font that is overly verbose and can only be printed in size 4 called “legalese”?!)
So my question is this: If you go the gym, exercise, brush your teeth, eat regularly, sleep (or do any or all of the above) do you patch your licensing knowledge? What does your training plan look like? Is it non-existent? Is it a sporadic week booked here or there throughout the year relating to an abstract framework that then tells you to apply licensing knowledge? Or it is a dedicated set number of hours per week/month aligned to your approved/supported software list or an IT risk assessment conducted for your company?
RTFQ: What are you doing to help yourself?
My apologies if this blog comes across as preachy – it’s not meant to; for my own part I know my licensing knowledge isn’t nearly as good as it needs to be; however 2013 is my year to catch-up.
What does your licensing training plan for 2013 look like? I would be interested to hear from anyone in the comments section below.
RTFQ: April 2023 – Update:
I’m delighted to announce that after a collaboration with Kylie Fowler of ITAM Intelligence, a new brand has been created in the ITAM space – namely: ITAM Accelerate. Here you will find some 44 ITAM processes (32 SAM, 12 HAM) and one use-case of a Software Vendor Audit Process built into a compendium of quality workflows. Crafted using the ARIS process design methodology and saved in MS Visio, the processes are ideal for any organisation wishing to progress their ITAM maturity. As a sidebar, we are seeing particular interest from organisations who have bought ServiceNow SAMPro, but then discover that the workflows between SAMPro and the ServiceNow CMDB don’t ship with the product.
To read up on how the ITAM Accelerate Process Kit can bolster your Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) head over to the link in this sentence. 45 workflows for less than the price of one day of a SAM consultant’s time! ITAM best-practice as offered in the kit has just saved you at least £45K.
Why do I mentioned this? We have a SAM Competence and Training Process in the kit – a systematic method by which your SAM team can be kept up to speed with this discipline we all know and love! You can always catch up on what good looks like from our free whitepapers page as well.
