|
Softer
skills for software professionals
Indian
organisations that are poised for international growth, especially
in areas like BPO, systems integration and project management,
need to focus on training their workforce, in particular those
employees who interact with global customers, says MOHAN
BABU
One
of the leading perks available to IT professionals—training
and upgrading of skills—has received the biggest setback in
recent times. In the nineties, companies would try to woo
candidates by offering lavish perks, including promises of
training and updates in technologies, along with opportunities
to work on the latest projects using these skills. However,
companies with a “big picture” vision that are able to take
a long-term view of the future are finding it advantageous
to continue re-skilling their key people on the latest tools
and technologies. This is especially true because a lesser
number of people working for organisations are being tasked
with responsibilities that their former peers and colleagues
shared with them.
Training
has traditionally been the first area to be cut during a downturn,
and the last to be funded when companies emerge from a slowdown.
However, individual managers in IT divisions who have the
discretion and vision prudently try to siphon a few resources
or use innovative techniques like knowledge-transfer, “brown
bag” lunch sessions to enrich the collective knowledge of
people in their groups.
Indian
organisations that are poised for international growth, especially
in the BPO, outsourcing, systems integration and project management
need special focus on training their workforce, especially
the customer-facing, global employees. This is especially
true because Indian companies bid for projects from a wide
array of companies spanning the globe, and need to understand
the nuances of the projects along with the culture of the
organisations giving them the work. Apart from the technical
skills and knowledge of IT systems, consultants need special
focus in the following areas:
- Core
technology skills: Most technology companies try to equip
their employees with a variety of technologies and tools.
By doing so, they can easily shift people around, based
on project contingencies and business needs. Some follow
the “boot camp” approach by putting all new recruits through
a rigorous training programme and others train employees
on a need-only basis.
- Team
player and team management skills: Almost all IT projects
require groups of people to work in tandem, coordinating
the efforts of team members spread across functional, technical,
and geographical areas. This is especially true for projects
for clients in the onsite or offshore model where a few
people working at client sites co-ordinate the efforts of
their peers halfway across the globe. Personal issues, differences
in personalities and other issues have a way of creeping
up if not identified and squashed. All members of the projects
need to be trained to handle such issues, and communicate
fluently and clearly.
- Project,
programme and systems management: Although project management
is a specialised function in most organisations, with specialists
working to co-ordinate projects, deadlines, etc; all members
of IT teams need to be aware of the basics of project, programme
and systems management. Having an overview of the business
process being solved and the different pieces that need
to fit in order to make a project successful, helps each
member of the team to work towards the unified goals.
- Basics
of business: Most IT initiatives, except for those in the
area of R &D, are undertaken for one specific purpose—solving
business problems. Naturally, it follows that people working
on IT projects need to be aware of the business issues they
are trying to solve. This may include functional business
expertise like knowledge of Accounting Systems, Financial
Systems, Banking, Telecom, Insurance or other areas of business.
- Communications
and cultural sensitivity: One of the most important aspects
of working with people involves communication and cultural
sensitivity. Communication includes oral, written and non-verbal
communication, including body language, etc. This also includes
moderating verbal accents and understanding the accents
of people from across the globe who speak English in different
ways!
The
ideas presented here are not set in stone. Most experts suggest
that training be considered a continuous process and could
involve a mix of some of the ideas suggested. Also, depending
on the needs of the situation, specific training packages
can be tailored to address the issues involved.
|
