Identity Management - A consultant's perspective
As ICT matures and companies look at bringing their infrastructure and business processes into the 21st century, we’re seeing an increasing interest in Identity Management as a foundation for security, compliance, efficiency and quality,” says Andrew Winter, consultant at 'Winter Consulting' . “Organisations see identity management as the way forward. They want the wide-ranging benefits that identity management promises but need help to overcome some very real challenges in getting projects off the ground.”
“We’re talking about fair-sized projects that bring changes to the entire business,” says Andrew. “ IT Managers need to get buy-in from all parties involved to be successful. That in itself is challenging but the widespread implications of the project means that it can be hard to establish a starting point.”
“It’s important to get the context right when embarking on an identity management project. I can help companies to see the big picture, and then focus on quick-wins and an ongoing process of stepwise-refinement towards the desired goals. Identity management is about finding a business solution, not just a technical or point-solution.”
”Each area of the business will use identity management to meet different requirements and the benefits are ubiquitous”, continues Andrew. “I encourage all stakeholders to get involved in planning the project and the outcomes required rather than getting IT to be the solo player.”
“Using an appropriate methodology and framework we can design unique road-maps together with customers, focussing on their specific requirements. This helps the business lift out the benefits particular to their environment – information that can be used by the business to obtain backing and buy-in for the project.”
“Identity management projects are typically long term initiatives that are phased in over time,” says Andrew. "Each one is unique but all have the same key principals for success.”
“It’s important to take the broad picture into account, but it’s equally important to recognise that for most companies the project needs to be broken down into a number of phases, each with its own set of deliverables and benefits. This is where experience can really help”, says Andrew. “There are hundreds of different ways of approaching these projects, and I can help companies understand how to prioritise the work and get the best value for their money”.
“A sizable chunk of any project will be looking at how business processes, workflows and policies are improved by the project. Once all the design and planning is done the actual implementation should be relatively straight-forward.”
“I am comfortable with engaging at any stage in an identity management project.” continues Andrew. "From inception and business case development, through to architecture, design and implementation. I have been fortunate to work on projects with most of the leading identity management vendors' product suites, and am in a good position to help business pick the most appropriate technology combinations.”
“My experience in identity management reflects the diverse nature of these projects. I recently completed two identity management designs for customers. The business drivers and desired outcomes are almost identical for the two business, but the technology components are going to be very different. It’s a classic case of a flexible delivery framework being applied to diverse operations. I’m delighted when the value I can add is so beneficial and widely appreciated. It makes all that investment, preparation and planning worthwhile.”