to encourage effective collaboration between IT and marketing //

The marketing and IT departments don’t have the same worldview, which can lead to friction in inter-departmental project collaboration. This article discusses the main points of friction, and how to overcome them and improve communication and effectiveness.

As technology is becoming more and more important in almost all aspects of business, it becomes increasingly critical to bridge the IT/marketing gap. Staff from both IT and marketing need to be aware of the potential conflict sources and take steps to prevent them.

Part 1: Different cultures

Marketing: “I don’t know. Test it .”

IT “I require a requirements document.”

The computer is IT’s primary tool, and it pushes them towards a certain mindset. IT staff are looking to:

• Automate.
• Use templates and databases.
• Limit exceptions.
• Create once and use many times

IT needs predictable and repeatable processes, and a way to manage and predict change.

Marketers should not repeat the same mistake twice. They will have learned nothing the first time. Marketing must try out new ideas and put into practice what has been learned.

My friend Wade says that a computer can do one thing very well a million different times. Marketing wants to accomplish a thousand things at once.

Learning vs. Stability

IT departments aim to create processes that are repeatable and reliable. They are focused on the efficiency and reliability in systems and operations.

Marketers, on the other hand, see repetition of the same approach as an opportunity to grow and improve. Innovation and adaptation are key to marketing’s success. Marketers are willing to experiment and take on new ideas.

This fundamental difference can create tension, but it also offers an opportunity to combine marketing with IT.

IT business priorities

In the past, IT departments were internal entities that focused on support, infrastructure, and network management. They safeguard data and systems from both internal and external threats.

IT power structures are often made up of infrastructure and support personnel with a thin layer of strategy. It can create a tech bureaucracy which can get in way of projects that are moving quickly and business priorities.

Balance deadlines and delays: Timetables

The marketing department is often under pressure to meet strict deadlines due to the urgency of campaigns or promotions.

IT projects, on the other hand, are often delayed due to resource constraints, complexity, and unexpected challenges.

To close this gap, IT and marketing need to set up clear schedules as early as possible with clear deliverables and deadlines.

Details vs. big picture: Perspectives matter

IT professionals prioritise the technical aspects when embarking on new projects, taking into account system integration, server resources and security implications, as well as long-term maintenance.

Marketers are looking at things differently. They are looking at success metrics and user experience. They want to be able change something if it doesn’t go as planned (or let’s face, sometimes, it’s just a guess).

To achieve collaborative success, it is important to be upfront about the different expectations. If marketing anticipates the need to pivot a strategy based on feedback from users, it must make that clear at the beginning.

Sources of friction

Here are some of the common friction points between marketing and IT. It’s important to be aware of these sources and to take steps to avoid them.

• Half-baked ideas.
• Projects for emergencies
• The failure to adhere to the process and deadlines, particularly in the approval process.
• Requiring an enormous investment in a program whose results do not justify the effort.
• Do not add non-critical requirements.
• Lack of communication and collaboration.
• Constantly changing needs
• Testing and quality assurance are not adequate.
• Expectations that are unrealistic or unclear
• Insufficient or incorrect data, or failure to predict what data is required to assess the success of a project.

Dig deep: 5 ways that marketing and IT can better work together

Part 2: Marketing needs to be educated on technology

To establish a successful collaboration with IT, marketers need to have a certain level of technical literacy. By becoming familiar with the technologies that underlie marketing, marketers are able to:

• Communication with IT professionals can be improved.
• Get insights into possible solutions.
• Avoid being misled.

Chief marketing technologists

Marketers must take the initiative and understand how technology affects their campaigns and strategies. A person from the marketing department should become ” chief technologist” with a thorough understanding of the systems involved, business objectives, costs, and possible solutions.

Also, it’s a good idea to have someone in IT who is familiar with the goals and priorities of the marketing department. In my experience, a marketing technologist is absolutely necessary on the marketing side.

The essential knowledge of technology

Marketing professionals should understand the basics of IT to be able to communicate with it effectively. Understanding:

• Server-client dynamics.
• Templates and databases are important.
• Apps: Basics
• What is the purpose of caching?
• Benefits of using a data base
• How databases work in general and how to balance features, graphics and load speed with bandwidth.

Code, design and Data

Marketing professionals don’t need to be designers, but they should know how things work. This includes:

• HTML and stylesheets, including responsive design essentials.
• Basics of tracking users using cookies
• Web-based analytical tools
• Email systems.
• What apps do?
• Ad management systems

Lists will differ by industry and company. Marketers need to be able to come up with new (reasonable ideas) if they know what is possible.

Part 3: Balancing Act

The cultural divide between marketing and IT must be acknowledged and bridged. These strategies can help.

Be a diplomat

First things first. There is a huge cultural difference between marketing and IT. IT professionals may not be receptive to approaches that are successful in marketing and sales, like urgency and motivational techniques.

You should also find the best way to communicate. The best way to communicate is probably not via email, Slack, or by dropping in. It may be best to use a Jira board or a work management platform, as well as some other project management tools.

The document containing the requirements

IT doesn’t request a document to explain the requirements of a project as if they were saying, “Go away kid, I don’t want you bothering me.” They are simply trying to get clarity about the project in order to determine which systems will be impacted, the scope of the project etc. They can’t agree upon timelines without enough detail.

Marketers shouldn’t spend an entire month writing detailed requirements documents. Start with a simple conversation, then ask what else IT requires so that they can concentrate their efforts on achieving the desired results.

Early involvement of IT is essential. You’re only responsible if you fail to get IT involved early.

Balance perfection and progress

I would like to divide IT experts into two groups. Some IT professionals will say yes immediately, and then return a few hours afterward with a list containing all the obstacles and problems. Some IT people will immediately say yes, then return an hour later to present a similar solution.

Wade, my friend, would always say “no”. He’d smoke a cigarette, come back and say “This is staging.” It was usually 90% of what we wanted.

It is important to accept people for who they are.

Marketers and IT professionals can be perfectionists, or “ready, fire aim” types. You’d better figure it out before you get bitten in the rear.

Understanding the type of person you are dealing with will help you communicate and plan more effectively.

Collaboration is essential for success

Collaboration between marketing and IT in the digital world is essential.

Organizations can optimize their professional capabilities by recognizing the cultural differences, developing technology literacy, adopting the right approach, and encouraging effective collaboration.

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