The New Playing Field

Mar 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By JAMES GOMPERS

As security technology shifts to more network-centric solutions, there is a whole new playing field. The decision-makers are not necessarily the same. We now find ourselves in the middle of a group decision process. Unless we use the right tools and techniques, we may not meet the expectations of the group. Who are these new players and decision-makers? What roles do they play? What techniques can we use to successfully interact in this environment? At the end of the day, can we possibly meet everyone's expectations? Furthermore, the shift toward more people being involved in the buying process is just beginning within the physical security space. This article will take a look at these newest members of the team related to security equipment and systems.

Where we have been

In the past, selling security systems has involved interacting primarily with the security department. Occasionally we would interact with the facilities department. It is important for us to understand where we were in the decision-making process related traditional security applications. First of all, it was a relationship-based sale and project environment with little requirement to understand the buying decision. We seemed to know what the security department needed and interacted on a knowledgeable and even playing field. The sales and project cycle was much quicker, and we primarily had to please only the security department. You will see that times have changed as we enter a whole new project environment.

Where we are now

We are now facing a new challenge in the security environment. We are now not only selling to security but to multiple business units that play an important role in the operation and implementation of today's security solutions. Now involved are departments such as Information Technology, Facilities, the Executive Suite — and any other business unit that could be impacted by security needs. This new environment takes on a whole new complexity related to cooperation.

What roles do these new players have? In the new security environment, the roles tend to change. Responsibility and ownership of the systems and solutions can shift as well.

The players

Security

The security department's role as user of the technology is central to the decision-making process. Defining those needs and deciding which tools can effectively meet those needs of the enterprise are critical. Security has a vital role in determining if the requirements are met and has the final approval for the solution as a whole.

The IT Department

With security impacting the information network, there are concerns of exposure to bandwidth limitations and architecture. The question arises of whether to segregate the corporate network from the security network. Is the proposed security equipment compatible and “friendly” to the existing architecture? The IT Department also has support issues, resource issues and budget issues, all of which just scratches the surface of their concerns. The security industry overall may not be addressing these concerns at the level the IT department feels comfortable with. Network knowledge is useful, as is knowing some of the obstacles or issues ahead of time.

In many situations, the IT Department also takes ownership of the solution. They purchase, configure and maintain the network switching equipment, servers and storage. They may also configure and maintain the application software as well as develop middleware to integrate to other systems and databases currently under their control. Often, there is a shift in budget to accommodate these needed resources.

Facilities

The facilities or maintenance department can still play a large role in today's security environment. They are responsible for door hardware and the building as a whole, and the new IP-centric equipment must still meet their facilities standards. They tend to take a support position to the security operations as a whole, and maintain much of the field equipment within the enterprise.

Executive and Financial

Executive and/or finance department participation is critical to the process, assisting especially in budget decision and providing overall direction. They can also bring a “top-down” approach to the project, thus ensuring that the team members “play well” together.

Other Departments

There can be other members from several different business units affected or involved in a project, including human resources, who may have their own needs or concerns.

Establish basic rules

How do we interact and meet expectations within a group situation or environment? It is important to establish some basic rules in the multi-player, multi-decision-making environment. First off, it is critical to map the decision process. Who “owns” which decision and who is responsible for what? We would also benefit from knowing: Who is the initiator or leader of the security project? This mapping of the decision process will allow for faster and better decisions throughout the life cycle of the project.

It is also necessary to create tools to force participation by all parties involved in the decision-making process. It never fails that the participant who quietly sits in the meetings and does not add any input or ideas to the project is the first to “cry wolf” or have complaints with the end-result. One helpful tool is creation of a hot list. The hot list would assign decisions or tasks to each of the group participants. The list would look something like meeting minutes and would be e-mailed to all parties. Each week or at each project meeting, the list would be distributed and remarks would be included about the status of each item, such “complete,” “awaiting further information” or “no response.” What this tool does is create responsibility and participation from the non-participant. The party that does not complete the task at hand creates embarrassment or faces group pressure to complete the task. At the completion of the project, all participants will have played a vital role and contributed to the success of the project.

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James Gompers is founder and President and CEO of Gompers Inc., which is made up of Gompers Technologies Design Group (GTD Group), Gompers Technologies Testing and Research Group (GTTR Group) and the Gompers Alliance. The Gompers Alliance pools talent from top consulting firms in the security, communications and data industries to provide total solution plans and services to clients in North America and around the world. He has more than 20 years of experience in the security industry. Want to share an example of your own integration experience? E-mail questions or comments to him at jim@gompers.com

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