Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a three-part series on strategies for making IT
work in the enterprise. Part I appeared yesterday and focused on trends shaping IT organizations and how IT
should enhance evolving business models. Part 3 will appear on Friday.
One of the steps IT executives can take that will help them transition from where they
are today to where they might very well need to go tomorrow is discussed here. It
describes an approach to organizational alignment that builds from the assumptions
laid out in Part I , as well as current and future core competencies.
The best way to interpret the approach is to read it as an open letter to your
company. The organizational structure described below can work within a centralized
or decentralized organization, though the clear bias is toward a decentralized
structure.
What follows also works within alternative sourcing scenarios. If, for example,
you’re decentralized but insist on in-house requirements, specification,
implementation and support, then you can use the model to help you make it all
work.
The “open letter” format is intended to personalize new organizational requirements.
It was constructed in response to the problems plaguing most IT organizations and
companies struggling with what to do about IT. Please read it with these assumptions
in mind and – much more importantly – as something that you might perhaps resend in
your company!
THE ORGANIZATION OF IT
An Open Letter to the Business/Technology Community
It’s time for us to re-think how we acquire, deploy and support IT and how we should
organize ourselves to effectively apply IT to our business models and processes. This
letter is intended to explore the parameters of that organization and offer a set of
specific suggestions for making IT the strategic weapon it’s destined to become.
Let’s begin with a description of the new business/IT agenda – which really describes
a new business/IT partnership.
The New Business/IT Agenda
technology at our company.
services; if alignment cannot be determined, then investments in existing or new
infrastructures or applications should not be made.
to champion “technologies.”
“conventional” business activity or function; without (well-conceived, -implemented
and -supported) IT, there are no business processes, products or services; IT is
therefore as “legitimate” a corporate stakeholder and provider as marketing, financial
controls and other “core” business activities.
ability of IT to adapt to new competitor challenges and business opportunities is
essential to its ability to contribute to profitability and growth.
From Here to There
organized or managed centrally. The decentralization of IT is a natural and
appropriate extension of the decentralized business environment. While one might
argue that centralization/decentralization swings with the political winds, it’s
difficult to imagine it ever swinging back to where applications development becomes
separate from their business units or users. What is possible – and desirable – is
the “centralization” of the “infrastructure” – defined in very specific ways –
since there is a lines-of-business and enterprise benefit to the central management of
infrastructure services.
“collaboration” and “facilitation.” IT is too often seen as an obstacle to progress
and growth, not as a facilitator of business.
areas in which to invest – and then invest in them consistently and predictably.
These areas include:
— The design and development of a world-class communications network.
— Methods for organizing, accessing and securing data.
— World-class mobile computing, virtual office and electronic commerce infrastructure
technology.
lines of business – activities that are appropriately conducted at the enterprise
level. They include:
— The setting of standards boundaries that simultaneously provide room for the
businesses to operate in and offer the cost and performance advantages of
less-rather-than-more-variation in our communications and computing environment.
— Process improvement initiatives.
— The co-management of any enterprise outsourcing activities.
— Procedures for aligning systems and technology investments with business
strategies.
— The facilitation of reuse (of applications, data bases, development
architectures) and the reduction of redundant technical activity in the lines
of business.
— Leadership in enterprise wide initiatives (like major upgrades).
— Enterprise hardware and software (license) acquisition.
— Contracting and sub-contracting.
— Hardware and software asset acquisition and disposition.
— Selected security administration and business resumption planning.
— Overall security policy.