In one of RSA’s In-plant Insights blog, we learn some key tips about how in-plant print centers can work with their IT departments.

By  – I interviewed Teddy Abad-Perez, State of Colorado Division of Central Services, Department of Personnel & Administration- IDS Multi-Function Printer Program Manager and Brenda Berlin, State of Colorado Financial Services, Governor’s Office of Information Technology- Deputy Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer. Teddy and Brenda agreed to further detail the “10-Step Plan for Working with IT” that they discussed in theirIPMA conference session, “Working Smarter & Together with your IT Department.”


As dealers, it’s important that you understand how to support in-plant customers. Content like this and working with a partner like RSA can help you help your customers.


1. Engage IT early and often—deflect praise.
The first step that we would like you to take is to engage IT early and often. The importance of engaging IT is really to get their buy in on any IT project that you have associated with your in-plant, whether that’s a web solution or software solution. Generally, what we suggest you do is deflect the praise on “this is ouridea.” This is a ‘together’; this is what we’re going to be doing together.

2. Absorb blame.
Choose to absorb blame. Do this because your IT department is the subject matter expert in IT. They might not agree with certain projects or a direction, but it’s very important to absorb blame. For instance, “We do not get the project architecture issue regarding the project. We are sorry that we didn’t get it to to you right away, but here are our ideas.”

3. Sweat the details.
It is very important to be detail oriented in any project you approach your IT department with. The IT department will generally rely on those details in terms of how they are going to envision your project going forward.

4. Involve IT early.
Number one is really engaging IT. You have to involve them early in project development. When it comes to a vendor show, and it would be very important to have their presence there with you so they can help you and guide you to the right solution.

5. Streamline process.
Five is a core word that should be used with both IT and a lot of strategic plans out there. It’s really how you streamline your business processes. Definitely talk about streamlining business processes and what that means with your IT group.


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