That small casino on the side of the highway has many of the same challenges that mega casinos next to the huge population centers have. But how do small casino IT departments stay operational and secure on budgets that are a tiny fraction of the overall spending plan? We recently began a project that made us really sit down and think about that challenge. Part of what we created were seven core principles (in the form of questions) of operating an efficient IT department. I realized that much of this is very translatable outside this niche, so I thought it would be fun to share here.
I’d love to get your feedback on this. What are your tips on getting things done as a gaming IT department on a small budget?
1. Is the complexity necessary?
WHY this is important: Unnecessary complexity creates management overhead and risks that don’t need to exist.
2. Is doing something advanced taking time and energy from doing the basics well?
WHY this is important: Doing the basics well typically gets you to 80%+ operational effectiveness. Why give up 80% for the last 20%?
3. Is perfection on a particular task or project getting in the way of good?
WHY this is important: In IT especially, it is easy to get hyper-focused on a particular task while other tasks remain incomplete. If you find yourself putting 90% into the last 10% of a task, ask yourself: Is this already good? If the answer is yes, then document (if needed) and move on.
4. Are we actively asking, listening to, and understanding the needs of the business? Are we translating that into meaningful actions the IT department can perform?
WHY this is important: Any activities that IT endeavors upon that do not support the business are wasted time. Even if it partially supports the business, ask yourself: Is there another task I should be working on that fully supports it?
5. Are we asking for outside help when something is outside of our expertise?
WHY this is important: It is not uncommon for an IT specialist to accomplish a task in 1 hour that would take a non-expert 10+ hours to do incorrectly. Make sure to work with specialists who are willing to share their knowledge so that it is possible for IT to handle future issues directly.
6. Are we documenting our processes and procedures?
WHY this is important: Studies have shown that good documentation significantly reduces errors and inefficiencies downstream. An investment in time to record how something is set up, or what you did to fix a particular problem, usually pays back dividends in time later.
7. Are we taking time to recognize our efforts?
WHY this is important: It’s easy for IT to be taken for granted. Hopefully, the business will recognize us, but if not, we should always recognize each other. It translates into a sense of belonging and purpose, which ultimately makes us better.
