IT's hidden face by Claude Roeltgen

Most recent press and blog reviews (Click on logo for full review)

I came away realizing it might be the first time I read a book that talks comprehensively about management process and procedures of IT in a no-nonsense manner… A jungle of any sort is a challenging environment to map out, but Roeltgen does an excellent job of diagramming the IT shop.
Chris Curran, CIODashboard.com, Dec 2, 2009

His book tackles the communications gulf between IT … and the rest of the world. ITKnowledgeexchangetechtarget.com, Nov 2, 2009

While the book is must reading for everyone in IT, it should be required reading for all C-Level executives and probably End Users as well. It might not be a bad idea for your significant other to read too so he or she can get an idea what you have to deal with everyday. This books strips away the myths and misconceptions of what goes on "behind the curtain" and explains in detail the challenges people in IT have to face each day. Jan 41, 2010

September 2009

From the

Extract: “.,,provides a detailed overview of a variety of compelling IT topics including management, security, software instability and the day-to-day responsibilities of IT professionals.”
Link to CBR webpage / Article as pdf

Oct 8, 2009

IT uncovered

Extract: “...written a book designed to be the CIO's bible – an overview of the key issues they face today including the pitfalls of failing to bridge the gap between the business and the IT department”
Link to full article / Article as .jpg

Sep 25, 2009

IT-World in English

Extract: “Why do IT-projects fail sometimes? Why are they so expensive? What do IT experts do in fact the whole day? Answers to these questions are given by Claude Roeltgen...”

Aug 14, 2009

IT shows business its hidden face

Extract: “This week sees the availability of a book that explains exactly what IT people do.”
Link to full article

June 22,2009

Top European CIO’s book translated to English.
Favourite read of European CIOs has been translated to provide an insight into IT industry.

Extract: “One of the most popular books amongst European CIOs is now available in English. IT's Hidden Face, written by Claude Roeltgen the CIO of one of Luxembourg's top banks has been a top read amongst CEOs, CIOs and government ministers across the continent.”
Link to full article

June 17, 2009

Presented in their newsletter: “Cet ouvrage revient sur les défis quotidiens que les IT guys doivent relever pour que les solutions technologiques, tant software qu'hardware, fonctionnent en toute transparence pour les utilisateurs.”

“'Why is everything so complicated for us? All this can be done in an easier way'. Phone calls like these from the CEO are no longer to be expected after having read 'Eine Million oder ein Jahr'”

“It can be read like a thriller...Claude Roeltgen is building a bridge between laymen and experts and by this he makes the grey IT monster transparent; this is the key to this worth reading book.”

“It is definitely a clear and exceedingly practical signpost which should not be missing in IT interested people’s library.”

“The IT expert succeeds indeed to present an entertaining book about the perils and mysteries of the computer world in an understandable language.”

“...the book closed a gap in the bookstore because the author builds the bridge between laymen and the practical requirements of IT experts.”

“The book offers fun, insights at every level and clearly formulated factual information.”

(The book is an updated translation of the German "Eine Million oder ein Jahr", published in two editions in 2006 and 2008.)

“...an unusual book in the positive sense of the word, a frontier crossing between seemingly incompatible worlds and a courting for more mutual understanding. This book should be handed out to every new PC user together with the Support-Hotline.”

“Crashed computers, lost documents: the IT-world is considered by many as being confusing or even dangerous. But it’s not the users being the problem, says Claude Roeltgen. The Head of IT looks behind the scenes of his industry and reveals how IT-professionals really work.”

TV Talkshow. Click on picture to start video (Skip the first 90 seconds).

About the book

A Grand-Canyon-sized gap exists between the expectations of computer users and what an IT department can effectively do. This gap creates many victims—on both sides! This book builds an easy-to-cross bridge between those two, very different worlds. It is written in layman’s language and doesn’t use IT-specific technical terms. Why do IT projects fail or always take longer than expected? Why is software so unstable? What do IT experts do all day, and why are there so many? What about IT security? This book takes a look behind the scenes and answers those questions.

(From chapter 1):
All around us, there is an unknown, hidden world; it is so proximal, it keeps millions of people busy, but from the outside, it is totally mysterious. This world is the engine rooms of Information Technology and of IT departments in companies. Surprisingly, this extraordinarily exciting world hasn’t issued any reports about its inner workings. Until now.

(From chapter 7):
To put it into one statement: “Software providers have, to the largest possible extent, outsourced Quality Assurance to their customers.” While everyone discusses outsourcing IT services to service providers, nobody discusses the biggest outsourcing business case in the world—a business that is offered free-of-charge by the service providers (the customers) to the service takers (software providers). The customers pay a license to receive the errors. They pay salaries to their employees to find the errors. They pay 20% of maintenance to have the errors corrected. They pay salaries again to have the corrections tested. And they pay for the damage caused by all errors they haven't detected.

Mike O'Dell

CIO at Pacific Coast Building Products; Chairperson ASUG (Americas' SAP Users' Group):

Extract:
“If you are a business manager who needs to work successfully with IT, or if you are an IT professional who needs to be able to explain why something can indeed be installed in 10 minutes but that success demands many more steps before and after that, this book is for you.”

Dr. Andreas Resch

Managing Partner Modalis, former CIO Bayer AG and member of the US CIO Hall of Fame

Extract:
“But there is hardly any reading material about technology’s inner life, from the engine room of IT, this foreign yet so proximal world. This is what makes this book so precious...Claude Roeltgen has made an important contribution about how the disparities can be managed better. The one who has read his book will be wondering much less, will understand more and judge better, will be better prepared, and will be able to react in a wiser way. The one who has read his book will be less a fascinated victim of technology and more an up-to-date epicure of technology, which is supposed to be a favour to our brains.”

Jean-Claude Juncker

Luxembourg's Prime Minister

Extract (from German edition):
“With his book, Claude Roeltgen has succeeded in depicting the IT world in understandable words—both for non-IT experts and those for whom IT is their daily business. Hence, he has chosen possibly the most intelligent form of courting for understanding: to help laymen understand better.

As he succeeds in doing this also in an amusing way, his book is much more than only a compulsory reading for concerned persons.”