What I've Learned

So I've been talking to thought leaders, technologists, and subject matter experts in Identity and Access Management for a little over a month now. I wanted to share some of what people are telling me. In researching the answer to how IT can help the business embrace IAM and sell the value, a few common themes have emerged. Here's a sneak peak:

• IT should lead and wants to lead - no one denies IAM projects are technically complex and, frankly, not that interesting to the business. Most folks I talked to agreed that it's the role of IT, more specifically Information Security teams, to explain the risks of not doing the work and talk about the benefits in terms of value to the customer


• Technology doesn't solve problems...people do - business process drives what IAM technology supports. If your identity administration processes were unclear and lacking accountability prior to implementing a new technology, your process gaps will only become more painful rolled into a slicker workflow technology. Devote the time to define processes, include the right people in process design, and establish process ownership.


• Perception is reality - if people don't see the value right out of the gate, IAM initiatives can can be viewed as just another "IT project" guzzling capital dollars. Involve those impacted right from the start, give them a voice in how the solution evolves, ask them to get others on board by helping to sell the value within their own functional areas.

More to come.....it's getting interesting........