ICAEW IT Counts wins award

If you thought that the words innovation and accountant never belonged in the same sentence then it is time to think again. That's what I said in March 2008 about IT Counts a new online network launched by the ICAEW focused on IT, but with a strong business slant.

I'm not the only one with that view as IT Counts has just won Best New Web 2.0 Initiative at the Web 2.0 Strategies 2008 event in London chaired by Euan Semple. 

A look at the current statistics for the site shows:

Community Statistics

3197           Users
169             Posting(s)
394             Comments

The comments to post ratio of 2.3 is a good sign for a new community especially one not based on the forum Q&A approach, but in providing longer blog posts.  The user numbers are also encouraging given IT Counts has only been going three months with no big publicity launch and is an online network for Chartered Accountants where IT isn't normally their main focus.  Perhaps most encouraging is that feedback received from members on the site is very positive.

I've been lucky enough to be involved with the ICAEW's online network development and it has been a pleasure to see these first green shoots emerge so well. Congratulations to the ICAEW for being forward thinking and having the mettle to launch IT Counts at a time when most organisations still haven't woken up and grapsed the benefits of online networks for business.

Comments

[Andy Warren]

Accountants have generally been early adopters of IT. For many years they have seen the benefits of using technology and systems to support their work. Of course there are still some technophobes out there in the world of finance but there are many more extremely IT literate professionals.

The challenge comes when many accountants in business, especially in the FD or FC role, have to constantly rein in the IT spend in companies and say no to the IT departments requests for new, faster, bigger equipment. This doesn't mean they don't appreciate technology, they just have to consider the wider picture.

The main thing that an accountant, particularly an ICAEW trained one, will be looking for in any IT investment or use is the value to the business. If they can be convinced of the benefits to the company then they will be far more willing to embrace the technology.

[Philip Woodgate]

Hi Andy

Accountants are very influential in IT investment. To benefit the business in this area they really need a good understanding of technology. However, accountants are great when it comes to Excel, but when it comes to technology in general the expertise varies greatly.

All to often Excel is used instead of a proper database or integrated systems just look at http://www.eusprig.org/stories.htm for the horror stories. Check out number 3 and think twice about using macros in future.

[Andy Warren]

Hi Philip,

I agree that the expertise of accountants in technology varies greatly. Even in Excel, there is a widely differing level of ability and understanding. At least its moved on from when I used to train staff (including partners) in a Big Four firm (admittedly quite a few years ago) and there were many who had to be carefully guided through just turning a PC (or a Mac as we used) on and making sure the brightness was adjusted so that they didn't have a dark screen. And as for the other systems and software we used to use, that was a very specialist arena that only a select few of us in the ISA department ever handled.

Any technology will only be as good as the people using it and the data that's put in. The advantage of Excel, and hence it's adoption, is that you can make changes quickly and experiment. If you have a more involved system that requires a full specification and a couple of weeks consulting and programmers time to get a new report issued then the benefits are radidly reduced. However, I agree that if not used properly Excel can lead to significant risks and an absence of control and security.