"This new Amazon bestselling 4th edition will simply provide you with four things: • Proven ways to make the contribution of the IT function as beneficial as possible to the business it serves; • Proven ways to ensure that the IT function is fully recognized for the positive impact it has on business performance; • Enough explicit examples to instill confidence that these approaches are doable in any IT organization; and, • Advice on how to get started, even though you have no buy-in except your own. The collective application of these lessons has an important outcome: an IT function that is continuously improving its effectiveness to the enterprise. More importantly, the book explains how IT professionals and business managers can use collaboration, communication and persuasion to do that. More than technology itself, it is about continuously improving IT-business relationships through active interest, involvement and initiative. Unlike the ever-changing world of technology, these principles do not change. Technical Impact is intended for IT professionals and business managers who wish to make their IT management function more directly responsive to the businesses they serve. And it will also give IT professionals insight into ways to make their IT career last and make it count, remain enthusiastic about their contributions and improve their sense of accomplishment and reward." C-level executives increasingly believe that the IT function must take the initiative to introduce beneficial change into their business and actively help target and lead it, especially due to its cross-functional view and its knowledge of emerging technologies. And, at least from my experience, they aren't likely to think much of IT managers who don't believe that themselves. So, to try and help accelerate IT's ever more strategic leadership role as an equal partner in the business (and some of what I've learned took me several tries), I've found practical and proven ways to: Improve IT professionals' understanding of the vital role that IT plays in business success; - Communicate this understanding effectively to business professionals at all levels, in business terms; - Engage in an ongoing collaboration process with all aspects of the business through active interest, involvement and initiative; - Actively support the IT team so that it is comfortable enough to routinely lead the business to better ways; and, - Develop a "part of it, proud of it" attitude within a strategically integrated (not aligned) IT asset management function. More importantly, the book explains how IT professionals and general managers can use collaboration, communication and persuasion to do these things. In summary, I would offer you this guidance: building and keeping linked-destiny business relationships is how an effective IT asset management program is best achieved. The principles involved, unlike our changing world of technology, are constant. --Al Kuebler Reader Comments "Al Kuebler's book, "Technical Impact" will provide you with practical insights that will help you keep IT relevant and make your career count. The book is brief and--perhaps as an illustration of its effectiveness--uses flowcharts and a 'book map.' The map allows you to jump right to the page that covers what you want to do at your company--say, commercialize an IT function."--CIO Magazine "Al Kuebler shows IT managers at all levels how to communicate the benefits of IT in business terms. He also shows business leaders what they can expect from an effective IT management function. If you want to save money while growing your enterprise with IT, you'll want to get and use the knowledge in this book." --Bob Boor Chief Technology Officer Royal Bank of Scotland Group "Al Kuebler's book is a primer for IT managers and executives." --William Richmond, Ph.D. Professor - Finance, Information Systems and Economics Department Western Carolina University (WCU) "If you read only one chapter, make it, 'What Are You Doing for Me and Why Don't I Know It?' It's right on the money. As Kuebler puts it, our primary function in IT is to directly understand what the business does and needs and communicate what IT is doing for it." --Ray Crescenzi Senior Vice President, Technical Services ABN AMRO, international banking "This tremendously useful guide illustrates how customer satisfaction and bottom-line results are enhanced through effective leveraging of the IT function. Al Kuebler provides a roadmap that fosters company-wide collaboration to empower IT professionals to actively contribute to overall business strategy and leadership." Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE Chief Executive Officer, APICS The Association for Operations Management "Al Kuebler does a great job of demystifying IT for business owners like me who don't have a technical background. I recommend that entrepreneurs read this book to understand what they need from technology, and how to get it." --Todd Feldman Found