Innovators: MIS software - overview to five articles spotlighting innovators in five areas of MIS

Software Magazine, March 15, 1990

INNOVATORS

Innovators are the first to adopt, to try new ideas and to take risks. While managers of corporate software resources may not be widely perceived as innovative types, they should be. Innovation is at the core of their job descriptions.

Anyone with the responsibility of not only keeping track of the changes in computer software technology, but actually implementing new software and running organizations of people who use it has to be innovative.

Our Leading MIS Software Innovators feature focuses on the innovative aspects of the software professional's job. Using unscientific methods, we have chosen representatives from the five segments of our readership to write about.

Our Case innovator at Metropolitan Life helped push the use of new software development techniques at his company. Our Data Center innovator at Hallmark Cards is an example of innovative use of management control over his data center operations. Our Data Management innovator at Southern California Gas Co. has overseen his organization's move to data-driven development centered on IBM's DB2. Our Networking innovator at United Airlines' Covia subsidiary is on the leading edge of implementing new technology, in OS/2 and Microsoft's LAN Manager. And our Integration innovator at General Motors Corp. is a long-time proponent of MAP integration standards, and a model for how the user community can try to win support from software suppliers.

The pursuit of a competitive edge can come at a price. That may be why the adoption of Case tools and techniques is still only in single-digit percentages across all MIS organizations. Now that IBM has AD/Cycle on paper, the early adopter market segment should start to become users.

Two years ago, users of IBM's DB2 relational database would have been considered innovators. New users today would be called late majority adopters, or possibly laggards.

These professionals and all others on the leading edge of corporate software management deserve to be recognized for their contributions. This is one small effort to do so.