IT Management and Alignment Webinar Notes

A set of practice Q&A flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on IT management, alignment, and practical considerations in government and private sectors.

What is described as the top responsibility of today's technology leaders in the CIO magazine article?

Navigating the waters of change, especially through AI; separating reality from hype and understanding how to implement multiple disruptive technologies holistically.

Which professional IT association in South Africa is recommended to join?

Institute of IT Professionals of SA.

What is the 80/20 (or 85/15) rule mentioned for self-discipline in a distance learning module?

About 80–85% of the time should be spent learning and collaborating; about 15–20% on other activities.

Which platform is suggested for collaboration among students and instructors?

LinkedIn.

How many units are in the IT management course described in the notes, and what are they?

Six units: 1) Managing the IT facility; 2) Managing knowledge in the digital firm; 3) IT managerial decisions; 4) IT for strategic advantage; 5) IT economics; 6) Managing information resources.

Which two units are combined in the early weeks of the course, and why?

Units 1 and 6 (managing the IT facility and managing information resources) because they are closely aligned.

What are the three success factors in IT mentioned in the notes, in order?

People, processes, and technology (in that sequence).

What is the difference between digital transformation and technology literacy?

Digital transformation is organizational and cultural change, not just technology; technology literacy is awareness of emerging technologies, not organization-wide change.

Name the four domains of IT management highlighted in the notes.

Planning and design; operations; infrastructure management; security.

What are the three dimensions of information systems?

Technology, organization, and management.

What role does the GITO (Government Information Technology Officer) play in government IT?

Central IT leadership with a central server and provincial policies guiding IT across departments.

What is the difference between centralized IT and decentralized support in government organizations as described?

IT is centralized with a central server and policy; support is decentralized with on-site IT teams in each department.

What is the recommendation for archiving vs deleting data when migrating to the cloud?

Archive data that is not needed for day-to-day operations but may be required later to ensure availability and cost efficiency.

What are SIEM tools used for in cybersecurity?

Security Information and Event Management; collect logs to monitor security in real time and trigger alerts; open-source examples include Graylog, Prometheus, Grafana.

What is advised to address change management and user adoption in IT projects?

Plan for adoption, provide training, and manage change; use surveys and regular feedback to ensure adoption (quarterly rather than biannual).

What tools were mentioned for asset/inventory management in the government example?

SAP for asset management; PDAs/scanners (with QR codes) for asset tracking.

What are the key data management principles highlighted for cloud migration (confidentiality, integrity, availability)?

Ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information; comply with POPIA and data residency requirements (data should reside in SA).

Why is knowledge management important in cloud migrations, as highlighted in the notes?

To support change, reduce resistance, and enable smoother transition via a knowledge portal and community of practice.

Why is it important to know 'who's who in the zoo' in IT management?

To understand roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines, enabling governance and alignment between IT and business.

What is the recommended approach to security by design and data governance in cloud/on-prem environments?

Integrate security into the design, manage identity and access, monitor for intrusions, and ensure compliance with laws and policies, including data confidentiality and availability.