Everyone in technology knows that IT is too complex. By announcing its Simplify IT initiatives, Dell has certainly gone on record saying we're doing something about it.
While IT complexity is a serious subject, actual stories are often pretty funny. I don't know about you, but I've seen plenty of examples that are so tragic they are actually hilarious. Like unclear and acronym-filled user's manuals, stupid things end-users day and do, idiotic management decisions, and bizarre stories. Here is one I heard recently. One company needed to update their server image, but didn't have any automated tools to do so. They spent weeks updating one server at a time – with a CD. The IT people actually TRIED to get sick, by eating pizza that was a couple days old, just so they could go home. There are a lot more like this.
The conversations need to happen, but people can have a little fun doing it. (Who says IT people don't have a sense of humor?) So that is why Dell has become the charter sponsor of The IT Room (http://www.theitroom.com/), sort of a "Digital Dilbert for the IT Crowd" and a place to share horror stories and rant and rave. This gives people a place to join the fight against IT complexity.
We were approached by a company, MotivFilms, to participate with other technology companies in this project and immediately jumped at the chance to participate. Dell doesn't own this project—we're just one voice in this conversation. But since we do have a thing or two to say about simplifying IT, we'll participate in the discussion.
Dell will continue to support the dialogue around IT complexity, and will continue to sponsor The IT Room along with the other advertisers. We're wholeheartedly supporting the idea because it generates the right kind of conversations. So join us the fight against IT complexity! Start by mocking it.