Where do you start when you have nothing to start with?

Ever walked into a new management position and thought, "Holy crap, what did I get myself into?" Old hardware, no warranties on equipment, no support on software and software either at or past support deadlines litter your server room or datacenter. You spend the first week answering calls from Senior Vice Presidents who insist you fix their systems as your first priority. Employees trail into your office with complaints about everything from work hours to irate development managers who don't understand why your team can't keep their applications running. What do you do?

If your response was not "RUN", then keep reading.

First you watch, you listen, and you ask questions. Evaluate the reasons for the environment getting into the dilapidated state in the first place. Listen to the business leaders and your new team. Listen to the vendors that have supported the environment. Of course, everyone will have their own perspective. Take the emotion out of the equation, don't allow blame and finger pointing to color your game plan.

Then, act.

Start with the basics.

1. Supporting the business
   
   1. Can the current systems sustain projected business growth?
      
   2. If not, what is the business willing to invest to support that growth?
      
   3. What is the business's risk appetite?
      
   4. Is there a cohesive vision of what the business needs?
      
2. Resource Planning
   
   1. Does your team have clear job descriptions?
      
   2. Is there a proper staffing model?
      
   3. Do the technologists have adequate training for the technologies necessary to support the business?
      
   4. What is the percentage of effort spent on supporting the existing environment versus enabling the business to do more?
      
3. Governance
   
   1. Is there a documented governance framework in place?
      
   2. Does the culture lend itself to structure and standards?
      
   3. Is there a cohesive vision of IT's role?
      

      
       

• Understanding the business goals will go a long way toward insuring your credibility as you present your vision for transforming the services your team provides. Do your best to understand the agendas of those you work for and with.
  
• Creating a stable environment for your team will go a long way toward insuring they believe in you enough to not abandon their posts. They'll at least, "go along for the ride".
  
• Bring in vendors who can partner with you to help stabilize and then transform your environment.
  
• Don't make promises you can't keep.
  
• Working with your team, create policies and procedures to insure everyone is aware of the new rule book. It's unfair to existing employees to change the rules and not enlist their support and buy-in. While some may push back at the new structure and boundaries, most will understand the need in order to move forward.
  
• Create a remediation plan with business drivers, costs and estimated effort in time and resources. When you do this, take into consideration that everyone has "day jobs". They may be unwilling to put in the additional effort that would be required to clean up. So, reward them. Complement those who do well, who perform above and beyond. Give them public appreciation. Give them feedback, both positive and negative. Employees deserve to know whether they are adhering to the "new world order" or are not meeting expectations.
  

Lastly, don't expect miracles. The environment did not languish into this state over night. It will take time, concerted effort and focus to get yourself into a positive place. It will also take compromises. What may be seen as the best technical approach may not be the best business approach. After all, isn't an IT department's role to support the business? Best of luck.