Engage the Right Augmented Service Provider to Address a Skills Shortfall

Conclusion:
Due to the scarcity of skilled ICT professionals and managers, organisations will inevitably seek extra capacity from augmented services providers to address the shortfall. Staff conducting due diligence to find the best provider and qualify the providers must be unafraid to ask difficult questions, business savvy and, when dealing with providers, able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Identifying providers with the capacity and ability to deliver the desired outcomes and are a good fit is not an easy task.
If the staff find that no provider can deliver what is required, stakeholders must either:
- Wait for internal staff to become available, or
- Hire and train staff which can be an expensive, time-consuming exercise that may increase business risks.

About The Advisor
Alan Hansell
Alan Hansell is an emeritus IBRS advisor who focused on IT and business management. Alan specialised in critiquing and commenting on IT and business management trends, ways to justify and maximise the benefits from IT-related investment, IS management development and the role of the CIO. Alan has extensive experience in IT management, consulting and advising senior managers in matters related to IT investment. He was a Director in Gartner's Executive program and adviser to over 50 CIOs and business managers and before joining Gartner a consultant with DMR Group. He also worked as an IS professional, manager and industry consultant for IBM for nearly 30 years. Alan is a CPA and Associate of Governance Institute of Australia.