OPINION
Windows 7: Investment in staff education pays dividends
13-12-2010
by ElectricNews.net
Companies considering a migration to Windows 7 should take advantage of new technology and staff training to get the most from the new OS, says Martin Hill of Dell Education Services.
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| Martin Hill, Dell Education Services |
Faster, more secure and more reliable than its predecessors, Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system has been described as a strategic imperative for Irish businesses by the head of Citrix Systems Ireland. That comment was part of a recent Citrix survey that found 73 percent of Irish company directors and IT managers plan to deploy Windows 7 as soon as possible, with nearly half intending to do so before the end of 2011. However, the survey did not reveal how many businesses plan to support migration by training their workforce to fully utilise the new operating system.
Over a year has passed since the launch of Microsoft's Windows 7, and after 12 months of understandable caution given the financial environment, it seems Ireland's businesses are ready to make the leap. The opportunities the new operating system presents for a more efficient and productive use of IT are there for all to see, but with Ireland and the world's economic health still in the balance, it is crucial that organisations understand both the challenges and opportunities associated with such a migration. How can Irish companies guarantee the greatest return on their investment and ensure Windows 7 delivers the sort of operational improvements that will lead to increased productivity and sustained business growth?
Migration challenges
Before we answer this question it is important to acknowledge that Windows 7 comes at a difficult time for IT managers in Ireland. The economic situation has led to cost-cutting exercises, resulting in smaller IT departments. This has left companies lacking the technical staff to support employees through the adjustment to new business software. While the enthusiasm for a migration to Windows 7 is understandable, it is important to take into account the strain such an operation can place on an understaffed IT team. Business managers need to first find a way to reduce this pressure before they start searching for the competitive advantages promised by Windows 7.
Fortunately for CEOs, both of these challenges can be met simultaneously and at relatively low cost through a two-pronged approach. The first factor is the potential that new technology offers; the second is educating staff to use it properly.
For IT managers, much of the technical strain of implementing a new operating system can be removed by the latest virtualisation technology. By virtualising existing networks, the IT department can avoid having to manage the upgrade of tens, hundreds or even thousands of desktops individually. It is therefore a positive sign for IT managers that 60 percent of those surveyed by Citrix who have invested in Windows 7 (or are planning to do so) are considering desktop virtualisation infrastructure to aid the migration. Here at Dell Education Services (DES), this has been reflected by a growth in virtualisation training in Ireland, leaving it second only to storage training. This is a great example of businesses taking a strategic approach to a major IT infrastructure overhaul. However, there is another crucial part of the migration that should never be overlooked: the end user.
Understanding staff needs
While virtualisation can provide a cost-effective and time-efficient migration path, it cannot guarantee that those who will use the technology every day are ready to make the switch and skilled enough to fully benefit from its improved functionality. Organisations must therefore include the needs of the non-IT staff in their migration strategy. Whereas in the past businesses may have had concerns over pressure on their staff's time, modern training solutions offered by providers such as DES reduce the time spent out of the office through intelligent use of remote access resources and "floorwalking" learning delivered at their desk.
By taking IT training beyond the IT department and into the main employee base, businesses can ensure their whole workforce is sufficiently skilled to use the new technology before it comes into play. Increasing the capabilities of non-IT staff, who would otherwise find such technology changes challenging, reduces the pressure on the IT help-desk come the big switchover.
By addressing the skills gap across the whole workforce, companies can maximise the impact of a new operating system as soon as it goes live. Unlike its predecessor, Vista, Windows 7 is a major shift in end-user operation. If it is to play any role in an economic recovery in Ireland, Irish organisations need to look at the way they are approaching complex new hardware such as virtualisation and embrace a similarly educated-led approach to the migration over to Windows 7. By training your entire workforce to fully explore the possibilities that new technology offers to improve productivity, you will reduce the demands on the IT help-desk, leaving the team to focus on keeping business-critical infrastructure and systems online and updated.
Martin Hill is EMEA Sales Director for Dell Education Services, a provider of training services for IT professionals and end-users.
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