Having now written a total of seven articles examining different aspects of what is needed to add real value to your business using information technology, it is now time to condense our journey into a summary of the key thoughts discussed.
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Very few people will argue that the realm of technology has become an integral part of our daily lives – particularly when it comes to our business dealings, but even as private individuals digital is all-pervasive.
As their role in enabling this monumental transition, IT departments and the industry at large have done an excellent job over the last decade building a stable infrastructure platform with predictable, dependable performance, and this platform is a necessary step towards the provision of tangible business benefits which are tailored to drive the improvement of all manner of business process outcomes.
Moving beyond this stable infrastructure, there are several “capabilities” that every business will need to directly address in order to unlock this untapped potential.
This capability refers to the level of expectation and belief placed in information technology by the business executives. This will determine the maximum value that IT can add to the business. If technology is seen and treated only as an order-taker, it cannot provide the next layer of business value.
A logical first step towards achieving more value from your IT investments is to ensure that the IT function is resourced correctly. Having the right team in place, whether these be internal resources or sourced via strategic vendors, is crucial to achieving alignment between business and IT.
Even with each position filled by the ideal candidate, IT will still have difficulty delivering on its mandate if the entire business is not made acutely aware of its purpose. A clear and widely understood purpose / mission helps to ensure that expectations on all levels are aligned, so that the business as a whole understands what IT can and should be doing, and what the role of the technology function is to the future success of the organisation.
This is an area that I predict will see much development in the next year or two as discussions about IT in general too quickly focus in on features and specifications, in the process losing the necessary overview which is essential when looking at the bigger picture. Avoiding this common pitfall can only be achieved by both sides of the divide — business and IT — gaining a clearer understanding of what the other needs, and what technology can deliver.
5. Planning and Decision-making
As IT evolves into a more strategic role, decision making moves from the hands of a non-IT executive (usually finance) to the IT leader. Although operational spend will continue to be controlled from this point, business unit leaders will all the more be responsible for their own growth initiatives as the organisation matures, working in conjunction with IT to leverage the technology available to achieve the desired results. Once again shared understanding from both sides is imperative to a fruitful initiative.
It may appear obvious, but it should not be overlooked that it is critical to ensure not only that the correct initiatives are invested in, but also that performance objectives are defined up front and measured in meticulous detail. This constant process of assessment ensures that information technology delivers on its promises, bolstering the faith the business places in its technology and providing tangible proof of the business value unlocked.
If you found this series interesting, we invite you to read more or even start determining your own company’s maturity levels in each capability via this freely-available 18-question assessment tool. This will help you identify where your business stands at the moment, and map out a path to where you want to be to improve your results.
Image: Lâm HUA via Flickr.
