IT people and their lack of imagination

[aussielong]

One thing I've noticed in 20 years in computing in a range of industries and on this forum is the absolute literalness of most IT people.
Obviously I'm talking about technical people (support people/developers mainly). There seems to be a complete lack of imagination in most IT types, a singular inability to imagine anything they have not experienced personally and allied with this a complete lack of ability to see the bigger picture.
Many IT people see their skills (say C# programming or DBA) as defining who they are.
And so they remain at a low level for the rest of their lives and allow the chancers and bulltulipters (PMs, BAs etc) to exploit them and cock things up.

Why is this? Education? Or is it inevitable that a mindset that deals with detail has no time for the bigger picture? Is there a level of autism involved?

I have long been fascinated by this issue.

Here are a couple of reasons: Risk aversion and capabilities.

The 80/20 rule at work. 80% of IT people are doing modern blue collar work really - and aren't going to be leading anyone for long due to natural selection. 20%, or less, are doing hard, highly skilled work that needs a decent education and set of abilities plus experience. Of those 20%, some can and do move up the line - the remainder have a high risk aversion that is necessary to operate well in a lot of IT jobs such as programming. This risk aversion prevents them from putting themselves out there.

[Churchill]

SasGuru, perhaps this is more your level.

Etch A Sketch

[sasguru]

Here are a couple of reasons: Risk aversion and capabilities.

The 80/20 rule at work. 80% of IT people are doing modern blue collar work really - and aren't going to be leading anyone for long due to natural selection. 20%, or less, are doing hard, highly skilled work that needs a decent education and set of abilities plus experience. Of those 20%, some can and do move up the line - the remainder have a high risk aversion that is necessary to operate well in a lot of IT jobs such as programming. This risk aversion prevents them from putting themselves out there.

Quite. There are very few, if any, of this class on this forum.
And as regards the OP's comment. Yes my experience is limited to that top 20% that make the strategic difference and produce competitve advantage.
I'm not really interested in the commodity skills that comprise the other 80%.

[shaunbhoy]

Yes my experience is limited to that top 20% that make the strategic difference

[sasguru]

Just curious, what do you do for a living SB?
You told us you don't code.
You're obviously not very bright.
Are you some kind of 1st line support monkey?

[shaunbhoy]

Just curious, what do you do for a living SB?
You told us you don't code.
You're obviously not very bright.
Are you some kind of 1st line support monkey?

Nothing that could be explained in any understandable way, to a dullard like you.

HTH

[sasguru]

Nothing that could be explained in any understandable way, to a dullard like you.

HTH

I'm quite sure it's something that doesn't require much brains, since you don't have any.
But do try and realise that not everyone is like you.

HTH

[shaunbhoy]

I'm quite sure it's something that doesn't require much brains

You looking for a job then?

[darmstadt]

Sounds like trendy arty-farty bolloxs to me. The best programmers I know (well I have to hire them) have PhDs in mathematics.

I bet they have beards and wear glasses, hairy jumpers and sandals with socks on as well