Q&A: REA Group IT service delivery manager Damian Fasciani
- 22 March, 2013 09:25
REA Group IT service delivery manager, Damian Fasciani.
Taking the service approach to corporate IT has been Damian Fasciani’s mandate since he joined REA Group (ASX:REA) in July 2010 as IT service delivery manager.
He spoke to Computerworld Australia about consumerization of IT, staying relevant and why he loves the iPhone 5.
What does your role as IT service delivery manager involve?
We have a function that provides technical support to all the REA Group staff globally so I’m responsible for that technical support services function. I also look after our corporate cloud strategy and what we do with software as a service (SaaS) systems.
What are some of the technology projects you have been working on?
REA Group’s internal app stores which allow employees to download apps for their iPhone or iPad will be expanded so that Windows and Macintosh users can also download software. It’s all about the consumerization of IT and giving REA Group staff a self-service capability. This also shows faith between IT and the staff members because we’re allowing them to adopt technology.
REA Group lists with hybrid cloud
What are some of the challenges you face in the role of IT service delivery manager?
We like to be as forward thinking as we can. Having rolled out a lot of the latest technologies, what that does is raise the bar. The REA Group staff accept that as the norm so we have to constantly go back and challenge ourselves with new ways of serving customers.
In April 2013, a few of us are going over to Silicon Valley in the US to meet with some of the tech companies we partner closely with. We want to learn from them and understand how they operate internally from an IT perspective so we can bring back some initiatives to launch in 2014.
What are the three biggest issues facing IT managers today?
The consumerization of IT that has hit the workforce means that we’re faced with having balance and structure around how corporate IT is run versus allowing people to bring their own gadgets.
Another challenge is big data. This is a focus for REA Group because we want to mine and analyse some of the data inside our systems to better serve staff.
The third challenge is that we have a rapidly changing IT industry with new start-ups and ideas. Corporate IT teams have to remain relevant in this ecosystem. The key to remaining relevant is having the philosophy that you’re of service to the organisation; there is no longer the old school command and control approach.
What is your favourite gadget?
The iPhone 5 is a fantastic gadget because it keeps me up to date with industry news on Twitter and colleagues on Facebook.
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