The Blind Side of IT

Recently finished reading The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis - great book, highly recommended.  It's really 2 stories in one - the evolution of the NFL where the left side offensive tackle has emerged as the "most valuable player" position over the past few years (because that person protects the quarterback's "blind side" on passing plays, especially with the rise of passing offenses and the counterbalancing defensive pass rushers), as well as the personal story of Michael Oher, a young man from Memphis with a preternatural ability that fits that offensive tackle position very well.

The book got me thinking about most valuable player positions in any organization, and how that position in IT organizations has evolved over time with the rise and fall of technology and the shifts in business use of information technology.  A number of us can remember when the most in demand skill included areas like "CICS application programmer" or "IMS Database Administrator."  As technology emerges and cranks through its cycles, the skill set needed in IT shops shifts with it. Additionally, the rise of the global, interconnected world (i.e., The World is Flat theories) has enabled those skill sets to move to the most productive and cost efficient locations (making the IT labor market truly open like the free agency model in professional football).

While those things may be true, and will continue to evolve over time - there are at least two skills that I believe will always be in high demand:  Architects and Business/Technology Analysts.  People that can understand and speak the language both of business and what technology can do for it, and translate business requirements (often messy) into technology reality will always command a premium in the market.  Generally, these types can also translate the power of technology into "layman's" terms.  This premise has driven the rise of the consulting services businesses for the past 20 years.  Organizations that find people with those skills should be good stewards of that asset - encourage them, enable them, retain them and reward them. 

(written 06/22/07)