(By Info-Tech Analyst Russ Conwath - Printed with permission from Processor magazine www.processor.com).

Bill Clinton's “It's the economy, stupid,” was one of several messages intended to keep his 1992 presidential campaign on track. I've modified this saying and use it to remind myself of what's important in IT.

It's possible to get buried in cool technology, a big project, or the latest support issue and lose sight of why we're really here. IT has often been seen as a supporting cast or an expensive collection of geeks who sit around spending money on stuff that isn't always successful at delivering what the business wants and needs. I find neither of these depictions palatable or apt, particularly for those of us who have made IT our life's work.