ICT can play strategic role in firms

• A world class ICT function is about more than ensuring availability, implementing and supporting applications and systems.
• ICT functions in most local organisations are currently not positioned to play this strategic role. There is a need for ICT functions to transform how they operate and implement processes that balance operational efficiency with innovative change.
• World class ICT functions focus on building flexible and adaptable architectures that address current and future business IT needs.

A frequent question I often get from many business executives is “how do we transform our ICT department to a World Class ICT function?”

As organisations increase their dependence on technology many business executives are expecting more from their ICT departments.

They expect ICT to play a strategic role in improving interactions with customers, foster innovation, streamline go-to market strategies and deliver valuable business insights geared towards improving business revenues and the bottom-line.

A world class ICT function is about more than ensuring availability, implementing and supporting applications and systems.

It is an opportunity for an organisation to use ICT to improve its operations and challenge the business to innovate and identify potential efficiencies and cost benefits across the organisation.

Unfortunately, ICT functions in most local organisations are currently not positioned to play this strategic role. There is a need for ICT functions to transform how they operate and implement processes that balance operational efficiency with innovative change.

There is also a need to put in place good governance and reporting structures that enable them to continuously monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the ICT function.

This whole exercise involves a wide array of considerations that must be aligned to create a function that can effectively add value across the organisation.

Over the past couple years I have had the privilege of working with different ICT functions locally and across the world and through these interactions, I have developed a list of key attributes that distinguish and identify truly World Class ICT function.

Such a function is supported by effective governance structure; builds flexible and adaptable enterprise architecture; continuously meets or exceeds operational service levels; manages risk; measures and tracks performance and aligns with globally accepted industry standards such as ITIL - The Information Technology Infrastructure Library or COBIT - Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies.

This week I will review these attributes broadly but over the next couple weeks I will deconstruct each attribute to identify the various actions that local ICT functions can take to transform into World class functions.

Effective governance consists of the leadership and organisations structures and processes that ensure that the ICT department sustains and extends the organisations strategy and objective.

Governance is a responsibility shared by all the key stakeholders including the Board of Directors, executive management, ICT leaders and business users.

World class ICT functions focus on building flexible and adaptable architectures that address current and future business IT needs.

They focus on identifying business demand for technology and ensuring that the service delivery approach and operating model is aligned to business requirements.