Tips for better IT and business alignment
02/11/2010
Today’s IT managers and CIOs need to be mindful of IT planning, and spending needs to align with the long-term trajectory of the business. The reality is that IT decision making needs to adapt to the changing culture of tomorrow’s digital native workforce that demands freedom, mobility, and sustainability. This requires an honest understanding of the user's needs on one hand, and the financial/strategic demands of the CEO on the other.
According to the 2009 IT Industry Trend Survey conducted by the Society for Information Management (SIM), the top 5 concerns for IT executives looking ahead in 2010 are:
1. Business Productivity & cost reduction
2. Aligning IT with business
3. Business agility and speed to market
4. Business process and re-engineering
5. IT cost reduction
“The results of the study confirm that the economic downturn has caused a significant shift in priorities,” said Jerry Luftman, former SIM VP for Academic Community Affairs and Executive Director of Graduate Information Systems Programs at Stevens Institute of Technology. “IT executives are focusing on ensuring that business is conducted efficiently to get more mileage out of their budgets.”
Industry surveys by Forrester show that up to 80% of businesses admit that IT is critical to their successful operations…but, unfortunately, less than half of businesses say that IT is effectively meeting their business needs. Fortunately, there are easy—and inexpensive—ways to help align IT with your business goals. Ask lots of questions. A recent article in Profit magazine outlines 6 penetrating questions to ask your IT team on a regular basis. Here is a sample;
⇒ How does the organization fix breakdowns? How quickly? A great idea is to put together regular reports on the number of tech-related problems, root causes, and helpdesk patterns.
⇒ What is the long-term IT plan? IT Managers should be looking at least 1-3 years down the road and have a good sense of where the company is going.
⇒ How are you managing your tech spending? IT is often a source of large, unplanned capital expense. According to Gartner research, the TCO of a technology asset can cost up to five times as much per year as the purchase price.
⇒ What will the organization do if disaster strikers? Real continuity doesn't come from recovery... it comes from business resilience. Your organization should strive to anticipate risk and develop response capabilities proactively.
Let IT Weapons help future-proof your business. There is a wide range of options available to better align your technology infrastructure with your strategic business goals. IT Weapons has the business knowledge and technical expertise to keep you safe.
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If you aren’t ready for a complete IT strategy change, IT Weapons also offers a range of small consulting engagements designed to keep your existing IT infrastructure aligned with your strategic business goals. We offer certified business continuity and disaster recovery solutions ranging from assessments and planning, to staff training and infrastructure deployment.
We also provide an array of business-centric infrastructure assessments designed to help you get the most from your IT investment. Lower the TCO, maximize productivity, and keep your operations safe. We’ll give you the tools to keep your IT and business strategy on the same track.
Contact IT Weapons today to learn more about our award winning consulting.