The Importance of Information Technology Standardization

By Joseph Venturelli

 

 Introduction

Information technology is integral and vital in every business plan. It plays a key role to ensure maintenance and expansion of an organization’s objectives and strategies. It facilitates communication between an organization, inventory management, information systems management, customer relationship management and competitiveness enhancement through product quality. Multinational corporations deal with vast amounts of data thus IT plays an important role in data management. Therefore, the use of standardized information technology in large corporations has various benefits to individual companies, individuals, and users.

Information technology standardization offers a set of powerful business tools for large corporations The tools facilitate fine-tuning of risk management and business performance through more sufficient and sustainable means of operation. The businesses can demonstrate the quality of customer service and boosts embedment of best practices within organizations. Standardization promotes a culture of continued performance within an organization. It establishes scales and increases capacity for efficient task completion. IT standards enable an organization to develop services, products and development.

Secondly, it decentralizes the decision-making process since the executive, and all critical users contribute necessary input with an aim of bettering the corporation performance. Communication and information flow are enhanced among the employees, customers, vendors, corporation’s executives and IT regulating bodies. Involvement of the necessary components increases standard implementation making it highly cost-effective. Consequently, companies realize better returns since the involved parties are aware of what is expected of them, and there are measures to assist them conduct their duties accordingly. The parties involved, support IT maintenance in an organization leading to minimal group focus.

IT standardization in organizations expands an organization’s vision and focus.  It determines the technology to be implemented in a corporation by guiding the industry, consumers, users and administration so as to derive optimum benefits from the standards. All the relevant aspects of the industry such as technical and essential characteristics of the corporation environment are thoroughly explored to ensure the rules act as success enabling factors.  Companies adopt new and productive forms of information storage and communication systems. As companies pursue their economic goals, they are regulated by certain practices, hence, their vision and focus is in line with the set IT standard. As a result of compliance, corporations save expenses that would otherwise be lost through lack of vision or downtime. The visions expand to embrace sustainability through the deployment of products that comply with the developed standards. Greater understanding of national and regional IT standards makes it easy to realize the company vision since it is established within those sets of rules.

According to The British Standards Institution, IT standardization minimizes business risks through easy identification of risks and development of mechanisms to mitigate actual and potential hazards and downtime. Since information technology lays focus on advancing how things are done, errors are minimized. Standards give a guideline on what is expected of corporations thus complex tasks can be handled with ease. Companies develop strategic portfolio aimed at transforming the business by the implementation of effective business models and cultivation of best practices. The internet avails information regarding different companies on which SWOT analysis can be conducted to facilitate avoidance of risk factors. Corporations can also learn from the experiences of other firms.

Moreover, large companies can become more sustainable through IT standardization. It facilitates close examination of resources and energy utilization within an organization. Setting standards that are sensitive to the environment promote cost-saving and boosting of corporation’s reputation. IT promotes communication, information exchange and development of digitalized services and products. The consumers and providers gain awareness on the standards requirement, thus, boosts compliance. Development of homogeneous all-pervasive standards facilitates construction, resource use and connections that are built on the standards guiding large corporations.

Further, big companies become more creative and innovative through IT standardization. Different businesses that are governed by similar rules interact frequently and develop advanced language aimed at driving new advancements. Since new technologies are emerging in the martket rapidly, successful innovation is vital for corporation’s penetration into new markets and gaining of sustainable competitive advantage. The service industry companies give sufficient focus to their processes thus offering quality services. The companies participate actively in developing better means of executing relevant duties.

Finally, IT standardization provides natural ways of solving problems for large corporations. In the face of challenge, the standards act as a reference point regarding the possible solutions. The rules provide guidelines for technical excellence, conducts prior testing and implementation and present short, clear and easily understandable documentation. Also, the experts involved in setting the standards can be consulted in case hardships are encountered during standards implementation. Standardization thus expands networking in corporations operations. It also promotes timelines, fairness and openness in  activities. All individuals involved contribute accordingly through the primary communications medium.

Conclusion

In summary, information technology standardization plays an integral and vital role in large corporations. It avails powerful business and marketing tools, decentralizes decision making within corporations and enhances creativity and innovation. In large Corporations, IT Standardization promotes sustainability, minimizes risks, and expands business focus and vision as well as increasing productivity through natural problem solving.

 

About the Author

Joseph Venturelli earned his degree in design from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.   His debut into Information Technology in healthcare began as a system administrator, concentrating on the technical oversight of information systems at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1990.  Early on Joseph trained and became certified as a system engineer and certified trainer.  He has been responsible for leading teams of technologists including infrastructure, web services, data center operations, call centers, disaster recovery planning and help desk services, and has managed scores of system implementations over the past twenty five years..

Joseph co-led the creation and implementation of an electronic medical record system, which included full financial, transcription and scheduling integration.  Physicians were given office access to the scheduling and clinical documentation platforms.  This integration strategy created immediate medical record completion, eliminating the need for back end inspection and rework resources.  Joseph has consistently delivered efficiencies through standardization, recruiting and retaining key talent and launching enthusiastic customer service programs for a variety of professionals, patients and vendors.

Joseph has been published in numerous technical journals and industry magazines and has authored several books including one on patient advocacy.  A seasoned executive, Joseph has worked as the Chief Executive Officer for a Southeast Consulting firm, a Chief Information Officer for an Ambulatory Surgery Center company as well as the Chief Information Officer for a Midwest county hospital system and as the Chief Technology Officer for a New England Hospital System.