As an IT group, or even as technologists in general, our clients and customers don't want to hear that "it's the network", or "it's the web server", or really any excuse about what is broken. They just want their application to work, and that should be our goal when we are providing support  to an application. We should be working to get something fixed, taking ownership of an issue when it lands on our desk, and making it our responsibility to work with the groups in IT necessary to get things fixed.

Whether you're a generalists or a specialist, many of our clients don't care. They want their issue fixed, and often don't know who to go to, or how to even describe the problem. We often do know better, and should be able to explain the issue to another specialist in the technology area that can help. Just like I prefer to have my general contractor explain an issue with the routing of electrical wires directly to that tradesman rather than telling me and having me go try to explain it to the electrician.

No one wants to take the blame, but regardless of how we try to push it off to other groups, users will remember that we couldn't fix it, and that IT in general is to blame. It takes leadership from our managers, but it also takes a little ownership from each of us to give our industry a better perception in the world.

Steve Jones

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