IT OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK

Information Technology Department: Operational Framework

The following are excerpts from the document “Thoughts on Policy Development and Operations for Information Technology” by Mark Munger and has been gathered and modified from multiple books, documents, and presentations by others with organizational creativity inserted to piece it together.

This document was partly customized for a casino environment

Information Technology or “IT” is an integral part of every business entity in the modern age. There is no modern business that operates without Information Technology, and most are dependent upon it. IT can be a utility that assists in product delivery, or IT can be the product we deliver to our customer. IT is also a competitive advantage when used to drive innovation and cost savings in an organization. In every way IT is an essential and important part of the business.

The IT department exists to serve other team members and the customers. Team members from all entities and departments including the hospitality and retail sectors with casino gaming, food and beverage, retail distribution, and entertainment. It is the responsibility of the IT department to ensure the technology operations of those business entities remain functional 24/7. This document describes ITs’ vision, purpose, mission, and how IT should approach its work.

First Principles: Core Values and Beliefs

“In the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Perhaps, then, you might gain that rare tranquility that comes from knowing that you’ve had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain that deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time here on this earth has been well spent, and that it mattered.”

Jim Collins, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t

The Information Technology core values set the everyday principles we strive for. The values provide a basis for how we approach our work. Each team member should review and be familiar with all values we hold. The values listed here are not our only values. They are the ones we prioritize to drive the success of IT and the organizations we serve. While we hold additional values than those specifically listed, we are choosing to prioritize the ones listed on a daily basis.

The organization encourages each team member to create their own personal, written set of values and beliefs. Principles to live by. In stoic philosophy, there is a concept of “First Principles” that are the core values in which we know and build all else. They are what guide you in all you do. A well-defined set of first principles is part of what takes a person or company from good to great. [For further reading/research, consider Find Your Why by Simon Sinek, Principles by Ray DalioRay Dalio Author, American billionaire investor, and hedge fund manager. Founder of investment firm Bridgewater. Author of Principles series of books, Meditations by Marcus Aureilus]

Integrity

IT members, and the IT department as a whole, shall have integrity in every interaction with staff and customers. IT builds integrity by doing what we say we will do with ethical, honest, practical, and reliable service. When IT loses integrity, it loses the trust of the business. We must provide service in a consistent process that others can rely on. In this way, Integrity is defined as:

Define what you will do within the guidelines set by the business
Do what you say you will do
Do it when you say you will do it (Provide update dates if completion date is unknown)
Do it how the staff member or customer expected you to do it
If you don’t do the above (for any reason), OWN IT & MAKE IT RIGHT

Teamwork

IT is a team effort. There is no single person that can work 24 hours a day, every day, and be an expert in all technologies. Even if there was, IT requires multiple technical and business views into solving a problem as experience bias limits any one person’s options. This applies all business departments and not just for IT. The IT Team and the business are better with many inputs. It is always better to ask questions first, then tell someone what you think you know. Epictetus noted back in the 1^st century “We have 2 ears and 1 mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Wise words to remember.

As a team, we must value each team member’s knowledge, experience, and contribution. Even a lack of knowledge can assist in resolving an issue with new perspectives and questions. Each team member must contribute to the best of their ability, knowledge, and experience.

As a team, there are 5 traits that IT Staff are expected to learn and practice. These are:

1) Trust: We must trust that everyone is working towards the same goal. We must trust that each person is going to have the team’s, and the business’s, best interest in their actions. Mistakes will be made, and we must trust each other enough to reveal them, ask for assistance, and know that mistakes are not a weakness but a mode of learning.

2) Conflict: We will engage in healthy conflict when we think there is a better way to perform a function or project. Constructive feedback and alternatives are to be sought out and given freely as that is the only way to achieve the best outcome. It is appropriate, and even required, to defend your viewpoint but not to become defensive. Ask questions, listen to the feedback of others, and give feedback and opinions freely. Remember Epictetus! Listen then speak.

3) Commitment: Team members must commit to the performance of projects and common objectives. Conflict and debate are encouraged; though after a decision is made to move forward, team members must commit to the outcome.

4) Accountability: Each team member is required to hold every other team member accountable regardless of position. This is not to be accomplished in an offensive or sarcastic way. It should be done with the best intention of moving the business forward and can be as simple as the basic question: “Did you complete x” and if not “when do you expect to complete it?” Team members should not get defensive about these inquiries trusting that their team member is asking to ensure follow-up, check if assistance is needed, and not to accuse.

5) Focus on team results instead of personal achievement: The focus of any activity should be on business objectives. It does not matter who in the department fixes an issue, we all share in the accomplishment. Individual results and accomplishments should always be after team results and the achievement of the objectives of the business.

Service

The IT department provides critical service and support to all departments. We do not exist on our own. We are only successful when our users and customers are able to function and complete their work. In sports analogy: Forward progress down the field only counts when we get the ball over the goal line or into the net. Anything short of that, we have not completed or accomplished our objective. In business, an example is that providing a computer, installing applications, creating a user, and giving that user permissions are all forward progress. Unless that user is able to login and access the applications and data to complete their work, we have not completed our objective. We must always ensure and verify that the user or customer is functional before we can call something complete. That is what we mean by service. This sometimes means an acknowledged handoff to another team member to finish the work you started. Note it is an “acknowledged handoff”. Sending a message or leaving a note is one-way communications and not an acknowledgment.

We strive for service excellence in all our activities. To that end, there are characteristics that every IT team member should possess. These are:

· You help find a solution to the problem and NOT an answer to a question

· You own your user’s or customer’s problem until completed

· You genuinely want to help others succeed (Team members and users)

· You focus on the details from spelling to completeness and cleanup

· Your response to requests is “Yes, and . . .” There is no but.

Continuous Learning

IT Team members should always be striving to learn about current best practices, new technologies, and ways for personal growth. No other industry changes as fast as information technology. There are always updated best practices in how to use everything from Windows to Printers. New versions of software are released every week providing additional features to be reviewed and leveraged in the business. All of this progress will get lost without personal growth both in and outside of technology. To this end, we aim for the following:

· You are prepared and able to change directions when appropriate

· You have the courage to try new things and accept failures within defined risk levels

· You learn from both failures and successes

· You don’t accept the status quo, questioning everything as to why it works that way

· You learn and grow continuously in work, play, and life in general

Fun

Putting fun into every activity enhances both pleasure and creativity. It actually helps you solve problems. We strive for an environment that cultivates fun and is a place that all team members enjoy being in. It is difficult to be excited about getting to work each day if the environment is not set up to be enjoyable and fun. Just as important, if we as team members of the organization are not having fun, this cascades down into other departments and eventually the customers realize we are not having fun. For an organization whose principal business is hospitality based, this is a crucial part of our business. Fun translates to a friendly work environment where people like to be – when we enjoy our jobs, it translates into our customers enjoying our products and services including the environment we serve them in.

What is fun? Humor is most commonly associated with fun though there can be social and recreational activities that are fun. “Fun” is the “playful, social, interpersonal, recreational, or task activities intended to provide amusement, enjoyment, or pleasure” (Lamm & Meeks, 2009). Fun are the activities that make you feel good and part of what makes life worth living.

There is no secret recipe to fun. It comes through mutual respect and caring for your fellow team members in addition to a creative, entertaining, and enjoyable atmosphere. Long lasting fun requires an investment in relationships. An investment in community. It can also be cultivated through company events that help fellow employees, and their families, feel a connection to work beyond business as usual. An attitude of fun, laughter, and joy are not only desired; it makes our work environment, and our lives in general, more satisfying and worthwhile. It also has a real effect on customers and anyone else who comes in contact with our business.

It is no surprise that multiple studies have found that workplaces that strive for and implement a fun environment are:

· More creative

· More productive

· Have more collaboration between members

· Have less boredom and fatigue at work

· Have reduced conflict and tension in stressful situations

· Have fewer sick days

· Have increased employee retention; Team members enjoy their work!

We encourage fun in all our daily activities. If you cannot remember a fun thing at work on your way home, then it should be a goal for the next day, to find something fun for not just you, but the team members around you too.

IT MISSION STATEMENT

Provide technology and services that provide the foundation for,

and propel the Vision and Purpose of,

[Business, NGO, or Tribe].

As part of the overall organization, we exist to support the tribe, its government services, its business entities, and their collective customers. We must embrace the tribe’s vision, taking a long-term view in all actions. We must opt for long term viability vs. short term fixes. In conducting our mission, we must consider what is right for the tribe, its members, and the people the tribe employs and to which we serve.

As IT we must provide

technology services and systems

that are reliable and secure

that people and the business need

in a timely and responsive manner.

To do this we must define the types of technology services and systems we provide. We must develop a method of tracking what people and the business need and deliver it in a timely and responsive manner. We must also develop a list of priorities with respect to the systems and departments which we serve. Definition of the work we do and services we provide give certainty and a framework to satisfy the expectations of the customer base we serve.

Our first step will be to define the types of work we do.

IT “Work” Classification

“What is not measured, is not managed” – Stoic Philosophy & Peter Drucker

For anything being worked on and managed, a structure is needed to classify and measure the work being performed. The 1^st objective is to track work to ensure it is being performed and completed. The 2^nd objective is to provide a process where work can be continuously optimized.

For IT (and some other shared services departments), there are generally four (4) types of work that are performed. They are defined as follows:

Business Projects – Business initiatives, should be most of the development work.
Internal IT Projects – Infrastructure and IT Operations. Sometime called plumbing
Operational Maintenance (Updates and Changes) – Often generated from the two previous types of work. Proactively updating, securing, and backing up systems to ensure they remain operational
Unplanned Work or Recovery Work – Incidents and problems generated by interruption to existing systems. These make it harder to do the 3 types of planned work. These are the interruptions that if allowed, these can prevent the more prioritized work from getting done.

These four items are generally listed in order of importance with Business Projects being the most important. Though the unplanned work or recovery work can take the highest importance when, for example, the Slot Management or Point of Sale System is not functional. It is also important to note that though the word “Project” is not in the last 2 descriptions, a Project Management attitude and discipline is expected for all types. All Projects (a.k.a. “Work”) must have a beginning and end, and an agreed upon deliverable or outcome.

For a good and rather easy read to understand more, the book The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim provide more context and examples.

Let’s define these 4 types of work further.

Business Projects

Business Projects include equipment and applications required by the business. The Casino Management system and Point of Sale (POS) systems are good examples of these. These are systems that are either direct customer-facing (e.g. slot machines) or are used to service the customer (e.g. POS terminal). These systems are directly involved in providing services to the customers and are what drive the revenue of the business. For most of these systems, IT serves a co-management role with administration and maintenance shared with another department. For example, Slots manage the slot floor technology almost 100% with IT in a supporting role though IT co-manages the POS systems with Food and Beverage. ITs’ role is primary on the platform, operating systems, hardware, and network communications of these systems though we work with the business departments to serve their needs. We are the trusted advisor, consultant, and are to support the department’s use of these business systems.

Examples of Business Projects include:

· Upgrade POS to latest on-premise version

· Implement employee scheduling and management system

· Implement mobile application for customer engagement

· Implement new Financial system or payroll system

· Develop and implement new analytics for conversions

Internal IT Projects (Infrastructure)

Internal IT projects include the platforms, communications, and the protection of these systems. In analogy terms, this can be thought of as plumbing. The pipes, sinks, and faucets required to transport, store, and deliver information to our internal users and our customers. IT must be proactive to ensure that the hardware and software used by the business are reliable and keep users productive.

Example of IT Projects include:

· AS400 upgrade

· Server virtualization

· Implement new email monitor and filtering to secure all email

· Server operating system upgrades

· Network switch and router upgrade

· New PC deployment

· Network Management implementation

· Implementing End Point Security

Operational Maintenance (Scheduled / Planned)

Operational Maintenance is the scheduled work needed to provide current and uninterrupted services to the business and customers. This is work that is not urgent though it can be time sensitive. It can also turn into unplanned work quickly. Operational Maintenance is work that is not currently impacting the business but would impact the business if not completed. For example, data backup and restore are operational items. Monitoring the end point security software for any sign of malware or intrusion is maintenance. Also, IT does not know how many new users will be hired and need logins; though we do know there will be new users needing logins. In planning, IT can anticipate that the business will hire new users; will need computers, applications, and access to data; F&B users will need terminal cards for the POS; and all the data they use will need to be protected.

Examples of Operational Maintenance include:

· Monitoring the performance of equipment

· Monitoring the security systems and implement additional filters

· Backup and restore of data files and full systems, testing disaster recovery

· Configuration and tuning of systems based on monitoring

· New user creation and permission assignment

· Printer toner/ink replacement

· POS menu changes

· Develop and improve documentation of configurations, processes, & procedures

Unplanned / Recovery work

“Problems cause change…. Change causes problems” – Anonymous

As with anything in life, there are always events that will occur outside of one’s control or action. We do operational maintenance to help prevent unplanned work. We must also have plans available to react quickly and productively when unplanned work occurs. An objective of the IT department is to proactively monitor and develop automated processes to address unplanned work. Other areas need structured documentation that allow rapid and logical processes to restore functionality.

Examples of this type of work include:

– Power outages

– Hardware failures

– Software bugs

– Construction snafus

– Compliance issues

– Departmental projects where no advance notice was provided

– Password resets

– Virus and malware attacks

– POS Tickets not printing

– Internet outages

– ATM & ATR failures

– WAN outage

Management of 4 types of work

All four types of work should have tickets generated to track. Business and IT project tickets will remain open for longer periods. Operational Maintenance items may have recurring tickets (e.g. change backup tapes). All unplanned and recovery work must have a ticket assigned. The Service Manager should review tickets daily. When additional resources are required to resolve the ticket in the service level time required, the service desk manager will work with the IT director or departmental directors for the additional resources. Tickets should be worked daily. Reports should be generated and reviewed by IT staff at least weekly with a bi-weekly, high level report produced for executive management.

IT Staff Responsibilities

Define and Prioritize

Problem definition is a challenge for business though it seems to be even a greater issue for IT professionals. We sometimes want to dive right in attempting to fix an issue, before the issue is completely defined. IT professionals are also limited by “Knowledge Bias”. That is, we see the world through the knowledge we have. The saying that when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail is not lost in this scenario. Software programmers tend to look for software issues, cabling people look for cabling issues, and people with no knowledge resort to turning it off and on. We tend to look at problems, and the world, through what we already know. Every issue or project must be approached by first questions, then definition, then by documentation, then process and action. This may all be done in 2 minutes or may take several days or longer.

Do not accept a hot potato without first asking detailed questions about why its hot. In some cases, it should be hot and there is no problem. We should always ask questions and determine our own diagnosis. There is a scientific method to problem solving and as professionals, we should all be using it. Follow a process and always ask questions!

(For further research, internet search “Scientific Method” and the “Socratic Method”)

Here is a brief summary of how we should be addressing issues:

1) Observe and ask questions to define the issue

a. Has it ever worked?

b. When did it stop working?

c. What changed around the time it stopped working?

d. What impact is it having on the business, customer, department, and individual?

NOTE: Based on the above, prioritize based on impact. Is it your highest priority to solve? Should the support ticket be left open and flagged for later follow-up?

2) Research and collect knowledge about the issue

a. What does a proper working system look like?

b. Were there variations made for our environment?

c. What vendors and systems are involved?

3) Develop possible solutions

4) Test and record results

5) Analyze results (Did it work?)

6) Document what resolved the issue and what didn’t resolve it. (Knowledge Base)

We have several priorities in the business with some being known and others set dynamically by management. In general, the high priority items include anything with direct and immediate customer impact. Systems involved include almost anything on the casino floor including ATMs and kiosks, most issues with the Point-of-Sale system. Also included are any immediate security or data reliability issue. These can also include safety or operational issues regarding regulatory and compliance

A priority matrix will be developed to guide team members in this endeavor. If in doubt, ask.

Teamwork (Divide and Conquer)

In 1776, Adam Smith, an economist who is considered the Father of Modern Economics, wrote an historic book called “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations”. In the opening of his book, he uses a pin factory example to shows that specialization increases productive capacity. Pins were used in clothes making and had many other purposes in that day. Smith noted that a layperson would struggle to make more than a single pin in a day. A skilled craftsman working alone could make about 20 pins in a day. 20 times a laypersons productivity sounds like a lot here. Though he goes on to describe a factory where a team builds pins.

“One man draws out the wire, another straights it, a third cuts it, a fourth points it, a fifth grinds it at the top for receiving, the head; to make the head requires two or three distinct operations; to put it on is a peculiar business, to whiten the pins is another; it is even a trade by itself to put them into the paper; and the important business of making a pin is, in this manner, divided into about eighteen distinct operations.” Smith calculated that with automation 10 workers could produce some 48,000 pins in a day, a major productivity gain over craftsmen working individually.

Whereas a factory producing pins with 10 skilled workers could produce about 200 pins a day, Smith wrote that a factory dividing the process with the same 10 skilled workers and working together could produce about 17,000 pins per day. Quite an impressive improvement.

We also see this in many professions. Think of law enforcement with its front-line beat cops, detectives, administrators, and management. (Structure simplified for this example).

As an IT professional, we must realize that 1) we cannot know how to do all things and 2) there is too much work happening 24/7 for one person to handle it all well. In this sense we must divide responsibilities and rely on each other’s ability to learn and focus a set of skills to support the team with those skills. We call this becoming a Subject Matter Expert or SME. Each IT team member is expected to be a SME in a few areas to the best of their ability. Also note that in this term we do not focus on the word expert as gaining complete mastery over a subject. In IT, complete mastery is rarely attained and is more of a pursuit than a destination. Expert here means you learn and become proficient in the configuration and operation of the subject including its impact on other subjects.

We as IT must divide and conquer relying on each other where applicable. There are a base set of skills troubleshooting that everyone is required to learn such as login assistance, printing, email, and network connection. While there is a base set, even these subjects will have SMEs beyond the base set of troubleshooting skills.

Permission and Access

“With great power comes great responsibility” – Peter Parker Principle

IT staff possess the highest-level permissions to some systems and applications. Even moderate permission levels can lead to the ability to create exceptional service (e.g. Satisfied customers) or cause exceptional harm (e.g. Unplanned / Recovery work! Or worse…)

Sometimes it is necessary to provide access and permissions to IT staff who have not yet been trained or may not have sufficient knowledge or experience in the system or application. It is the responsibility of the IT staff member to realize they have this elevated position and to think about any action they may take. The staff member is responsible for their actions. Following a written process or procedure does not relieve a staff person of their responsibility. Should IT staff find themselves needing to make a change for which they do not have formal training or experience, the staff member should:

1) Seek out direct instruction from a knowledgeable support person (internal or vendor)

-or-

2) Gather feedback to decide if immediate action is needed to prevent further customer disruption, loss of data, or cause another team member or department from meeting an immediate and urgent need. If an action can wait for additional consultation with someone more experienced, then the action should wait to prevent further issues. Wanting to help is not cause to go outside of your knowledge zone.

Done is better than Perfect… but that is no excuse for errors or sloppy work

“Le meglio è l’inimico del bene” – Voltaire

We are employed to get a job done. Not to work. Completing a project or job is the objective. A job is to be correct and complete. Done is when a customer can use what we are working on, and we have documented it for support. We stive for perfect though it is far better to be done and turn it over to the user than to delay until we believe it is perfect.

If there is time, all projects should be polished with a bow around them. (Figuratively!) Time is not always available nor does every project benefit from a polish and a bow. Though think of a gift someone has given you for a birthday or holiday. The gift is just as good if it’s the gift alone, though sometimes it is made more memorable with the wrappings and a special note. We strive to make it more memorable and delight though the gift of completion is the expectation of our customers. Customers include staff and the patrons of our various business entities.

As an IT organization that is part of a hospitality organization, we should aim to not just serve our customers but to delight our customers. Go above their expectations and provide service with a smile. The mode of service sometimes is as important as the service delivered itself. While the computer may not value your smile as you change its backup tape, it does help you in keeping a healthy attitude. And, please, no yelling at inanimate objects.

Done is not acceptable when there are errors or sloppy work. Simple items like optional description fields with no input, lack of notes or dates, bad capitalization, spelling errors, grammatical errors, and the use of inappropriate or unprofessional names is not to be tolerated.

Done also requires logging and documentation that the work is done and what work was performed. Proper documentation means all information recorded, in a clear and readable format, in a place that anyone looking for it can easily find it, if so authorized. To modify an old saying, if IT chops down a tree in the forest and it’s not logged and documented, then no one heard it and the tree was never chopped down. Our apologies to the environmentalists who may be offended by chopping down trees.

Remember: “Work not documented is work not completed.”

Personal Log: Stardate January 1, 2022

Every team member should keep a personal learning log. The base of the log is to document activities and learn from your own experiences. This should also outline the learning goals for the current quarter, the year, and as a bonus should include some multi-year certification or career goals. The IT department is responsible for more technologies than any single person could learn and manage. And even if a single person could learn and manage them, they would be limited to their own single viewpoint (“Experience Bias”). It is important for the growth of the organization and each team member that there are learning goals set and reviewed at least twice a year with monthly or even weekly status checks. The log is one way to track and ensure regularly that this direction is being pursued.

Unfinished Symphony

What is written here does not compose an entire arrangement or blueprint on how IT should approach work and conduct themselves within the organization. As we work, play, and learn, we will add, change, and refine ourselves and our department. It is up to everyone to make a contribution towards this. Everyone has a voice, and everyone’s voice should be heard. It is up to everyone to use their voice and ensure it is for the good of their team members, the department, and the tribe.

Appendix A – Organization list of entities and departments

Top Level

Administration

Corporate Finance

Public Safety

Facilities

Human Resources

Purchasing

Health Benefits

Gaming Commission (includes Backgrounds, Surveillance, and Inspectors)

Casino Enterprises

Casino Finance

Food and Beverage

Slots & Table Games

Cage Accounting

Drop Team

PBX

Marketing

Entertainment (Audio / Visual)

Retail

Retail and Wholesale distribution of products

[Not an exhaustive list – example only]

Appendix B – 202x Goals and Objectives

Goals and Objectives are stated in terms of an Objective paired with 3 to 5 Key Results. This Objective-Key Result (OKR) management was invented by Andy Grove at Intel and more detail review can be found in his books, John Doerr books, and many others. In general, we will state all Objectives as “We will accomplish XYZ as measured by 3 results which include numbers, dates, and other specific success criteria. Note not all of the below are great result examples. Discuss how each could be better stated.

Goals and Objectives examples – 202x (Where not explicitly stated, numeric date of Dec 31, 202x is inferred). All items below should have date defined for completion/deliverable.

1) Define and Organize all IT work and systems

a. Implement a service tracking system that tracks, classifies, and reports every service request.

b. Implement an IT Wiki (Browser based) consolidating and updating all IT processes, procedures, documentation, configurations, and information for easy lookup and retrieval.

c. Define all technologies and products used by the organization, with a primary IT Team member and 1 or more backup Subject Matter Experts (SME) responsible for each. Establish an education path for both SMEs and all IT staff on each subject.

2) Increase the performance, security, and reliability of all systems

a. Implement management software that monitors all systems performance and alerts to performance degradation before users notice.

b. Assign IT member with Primary CISO responsibility and have them review and/or implement firewall, malware, and end-point security to keep the systems safe from external and internal threats. A presentation to all IT team on each systems security to be a deliverable.

c. Review and verify data protection is functional and data continues to be protected on a daily and hourly basis. Verify and test the backup and restore, disaster recovery and business resumption process presenting results to executive staff.

3) Review all business systems and work with business departments on new or upgrading systems to ensure they remain as productive and customer service oriented as possible

a. Meet with each business and department and document their current issues, needs, and desires for new ways to work or serve their customers

b. Review documentation and develop at least 3 new ways IT can assist the department in their goals and objectives

c. Complete current identified projects before end of 202x (See list)

CURRENT PROJECTS: (List is to be refined by the group and business and assigned to team members)

1. Entertainment

2. F&B

3. Facilities

4. Finance

5. Gaming Commission

6. Gaming Floor / Casino / Slots / Table Games

7. Marketing

8. Public Safety / Dispatch / PBX

9. Tribal

10. Information Technology or Multiple Departments

a. Stay on top of unplanned work (service requests)

b. IT Organizational

c. IT Infrastructure

Appendix C – Sample List of Applications and Technologies

· Adobe Acrobat Pro

· Adobe Creative Cloud Suite

· Agilysys MMS – Stratton Warren Systems (SWS)

· Asset Tagging & Inventory Management

· ATM: Cash Access

· BMS: Building Management Systems

· Building access server & system

· CAD: Autodesk AutoCad

· CAD: AutoDesk Revit

· CAD: Bluebeam Revu

· Cash Cage Management Software

· Casino Floor Mgmt: Jackpot & W2

· CMS: Casino Management System

· CMS: Floor Management and Analytics

· CMS: Player bonusing software

· CMS: Slot network & machine control

· CMS: Slot Touchscreen Control

· CMS: Tables Management

· Collaboration: Teams, OneDrive

· Device Remote Access support

· eMail: Microsoft Office 365 (includes ADconnect, CodeTwo Signatures)

· ESRI ArcGIS Map facility mgmt

· Ewaste Management

· F&B: Beverage Control

· F&B: Patron Waitlist notification

· Facility Maintenance and Ticketing system

· Fax Server

· Helpdesk Ticketing & Tracking

· IBM AS400 Backup, Restore

· IBM AS400 Operating system / Hardware

· IBM Client Access

· Infinium Accounting

· IT: Active Directory (Password reset, new users, group membership)

·
IT: Cable management

· IT: Data Backup and Restore

· IT: Domain Name Management

· IT: EMC Storage

· IT: End Point Protection

· IT: File Shares (Using AD Groups)

· IT: Firewall, VPN,

· IT: IP address tracking, DHCP, DNS

· IT: Mac and OSx

· IT: Microsoft Office Apps

· IT: Mobile Device Management

· IT: Network Access Control

· IT: Printer, Plotter, Embosser, Copier Setup

· IT: Server

· IT: Switching and Routing

· IT: Systems Status Monitoring

· IT: Web Programming – Internal

· IT: Wireless

· Microsoft Windows Server

· Microsoft Windows Workstation

· Mobile Phone ordering & Management

· Oracle Financials (including Excel plugins)

· Oracle: Scanning

· POS:

· Promotional Kiosks

· Public Safety Dispatch & Event Tracking

· Satellite Phones

· Spam and Malware filter

· SQL Server

· SSL Certificate Authority

· Surveillance

· Time and Attendance

· UPS Management and monitoring

· VMware ESXI and vCenter management

· Voice and Radio Recording

Voice: Phones, Softphone, Conference

Sources and Additional Reading

Many of these authors have multiple books. Much of the information in this text was written on their shoulders with the books below, and many hours reading websites and listening to podcasts.

“BE 2.0”, “Good to Great”, and all books by Jim Collins

Find Your Why and Start with Why and others by Simon Sinek

Principles by Ray Dalio

Measure what Matters by John Doerr

The Five dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet

Trillion Dollar Coach by Eric Schmidt

Originals by Adam Grant

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim

The Obstacle is the Way (and other books) by Ryan Holiday

Team of Teams by Gen. Stanley McChrystal

Smartcuts by Shane Snow

The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Tribes by Seth Godwin

Meditations by Marcus Aureilus

How we decide by Jonah Lehrer

The Tim Ferriss Podcast – Tim Ferriss Host

Work Life Podcast – Adam Grant Host

TEXT USAGE:

All quotes or book quotes are copywrite their respective authors and publishers.

This group of text as a whole is copywrite Mark W Munger

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