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• Imagine you are starting an new IT job or role
• What’s the first thing you are shown?
  • New interfaces
  • New screens
  • Things on the screen you’ve never seen before etc etc
• What would be the first thing you are going to try and do?
  • Learn all these things straight away?
  • Read documentation, watch videos, listen to these IT users that have used these systems before?
  • There’s a lot to process
    • On top of that all the ways of working, cultures, personalities, managers etc etc
• Of course to break down and learn a new system you need to have previous / solid IT systems knowledge
  • Refer to some of my previous posts, where I go through API’s, system hops and connections (IP source and destination), knowledge of current IT users and external 3rd parties and vendors
• How I think about learning and studying a new system
  • I get a book / notepad out and write with a pen (yes, writing down notes and drawings)
  • I ask about core systems
    • The driver of the whole system, engine room, heartbeat of the business
    • Knowledge of this core system, will give you perspective on how and what the business you’re working for is about
      • Without this knowledge you won’t know what to develop, support, optimise and improve
    • What and who are the dependencies on this core system
      • E.g. what other system functions and IT teams need this core system to be available
      • What are the consequences for this core system if it we’re not to perform the intended functions
        • Who (customers and clients) and what is going to be affected
      • Core systems can be multitude of other smaller core systems, it doesn’t need to be just the one main system
  • I ask about who knows the system end to end
    • Who has been around the longest, who knows what, the niches, the specifics etc
      • I then write down these names of these IT users. It will be important later to know who to consult
      • What is something about the system I don’t know that I should. What am’ I not asking? Have a think about it
  • I ask who are the end users that need this core function to operate and deliver the results/outcomes required for the end user to complete their task or job
    • What are the dependancies on these systems
    • E.g. If A doesn’t function, B won’t be able to complete the task, or if C doesn’t complete D will get incomplete data on their report etc
  • I ask if there are 3rd parties and vendors associated with supporting the system
    • E.g. CISCO for networking, TelecomABC (fictitious company name) for telecommunications, AWS for cloud support etc
    • Ask around who had any interactions with any staff directly with these 3rd parties
  • I ask what regular checks and monitoring is performed to ensure the uptime of the system
    • There might be regular daily morning checks, a document stating how to support specific functions of the system, or dashboards and monitors for the various functions.
      • But be sure to know how to monitor and check your systems
• Once I have some idea, broad picture of how these system’s work, I immediately write notes and put together some drawings on how these systems and IT users connect
  • It doesn’t need to be perfect but some notes and drawings will accelerate your learning and you won’t forget things quickly
  • You can always correct your notes and drawings
• I touch base with IT users in the days after starting, observe and think about ‘what if’ and ‘maybe’ scenarios
  • E.g. what if A doesn’t perform it’s intended function on Tues, how do I know how to fix or recover A so it can continue it’s function or if B fails to complete the file transfer cycle, can we restart B or we need to start again from where B failed?
    • These are scenarios that may happen
• After a few weeks, I review what I’ve learned
  • Are there notes missing, can I clean up some parts of my documentation etc
  • Do I need to share this documentation?
• This is a general guide on how I think about learning new IT systems and functions for the first time

Summary:

• Prior or previous knowledge on IT systems is needed
• Ask about main / core systems and consequences of it not functioning or failing
• Ask about who supports these systems currently, get to know what they know in their heads
• Ask about affected IT users like customers/clients
• Ask about dependencies of the system
• Make sure to take notes and document things along the way