"Information technology", (also commonly referred to as IT) is the generic term used to indicate the set of technologies that facilitate the processing of information. IT includes software, hardware, network resources, communications technologies, and other services, as well as the structures, architectures and methodologies used to process data, information, and communications.
Now, let's say a company is in serious trouble. Would an IT team be able to transform the way they work, optimise processes, and thereby save the company from bankruptcy? Obviously, this depends on the specific case, and where the real problems within the company lie, but in many cases the answer is a clear "yes", provided however that the right method is followed, the right measures are put in place, and the right resources are allocated.
The Phoenix Project uses a fictional story to show us how to do this. It is a novel, but it’s also full of examples and practical ideas on how to improve the performance of both the IT department and other departments within a company.
The book tells the story of Parts Unlimited, a fictional automotive parts manufacturer that is going through a serious crisis and is on the verge of collapse. To save the company, the management tries to launch a new project, called Phoenix, hoping that it will be able to bridge the gap with the competition, and get things back up and running smoothly. The meaning of the name of this project, phoenix, was chosen to represent the mythological phoenix rising from the ashes.
Bill Palmer, the company’s IT director is the main character in the story. Bill gets promoted to vice president of IT, and is assigned the Phoenix project directly by Steve Masters, the company's CEO. Through the restructuring of the IT department, Steve hopes to organise workflow, streamline interdepartmental communications, and effectively serve the other business functions at Parts Unlimited.
Bill Palmer reluctantly accepts the new role and, along with system manager Wes and IT service support director Patty, begins to encounter numerous problems. The initial impact is a disaster, the situation seems to get worse and worse, until Bill meets Dr Erik Reid, a new member of the board of directors, who has a central role in the novel, and becomes Bill’s mentor. Dr Reid shares some pearls of wisdom with Bill, helping him find the answers on his own.