Databases Exist
Ok sorry that sounds a bit sarcy, Yes I agree that a balance needs to be struck between people and processes vs Technology. However DAtabases, Document management systems Single sign on, cross applicaton search the underlying technology is there we just need to impliment it correctly with apps such as sharepoint, xerox docushare, atlatissan JIRA allow us to manage documets etc but the best prctice from an IT pointof view has not been carried over from database design. To avoid stale data we all know every data item or file should be stored once (or if it needs editing once centerally and versioned )
let me give you an example a namless organisation chooses to give each department their own sharepoint site and let them configure workflows :) good, let them decide who can see documents good :) let them decide where sharepoint stores files >:( bad. Basic modeling of who else will need that file, not done a concerted effort to capitalise on not just team wide document management but organisation wide document management not done centralised storage, you may as well be speeking iraqi in new york.
We (Th IT people) need to get involved here and cut down on the number of data stores (remove repeted data like in adatabase) and help the organisation avoid stale data and develop sensible processes to ensure everything is stored in the right place we can search that place (like a database) and everyone who needs to knows where that is.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
