Information technology and role of governance
Information Technology is an established and continuously evolving field in every industry and organization around the globe. IT employees ensure that computers work well for people and IT governance ensures that they are readily focusing on what matters.
IT governance consists of at least one process that helps IT employees, to better handle the risks and function at its most efficient. IT governance is fitted perfectly under corporate governance which is designed to keep the entire corporation running efficiently and smoothly. IT governance can slightly be molded to fit the industry’s needs. Depending on who you ask, IT governance can be about administering performance and efficiency by the business world whereas, being in charge of the framework to produce desirable outcomes by the IT department.
One of the objectives of IT governance is providing value to stakeholders which is at the center of IT governance in general. To provide value, they improve the company’s performance and efficiency with automation. Let’s say, you’re selling cloud computing software, automating the build and deployment process frees precious time which developers could use to develop new customer features or even polish up the interface. The value here is that they’re able to deliver more customers or a better interface faster which in turn makes the product more valuable to the customers. To bring out the potential value from IT resources demands a clear understanding of your company creating and delivering value. This knowledge will be the foundation that’ll drive your IT strategy.
IT managers and system managers know the ins and outs of technology as they work continuously and repeatedly over long periods to keep up with the latest trend. Hence, to some of these people, IT governance might seem like an extra chore however this comes with many benefits such as:
- Gaining sales from customers or partners can be tricky and is never easy however going the extra mile to implement IT governance affirms that you mean business.
- Managing your risks doesn’t come on its own, it requires a working environment to be studied where a standardized process has been implemented. IT governance assists in managing and keeping track in a controlled experiment-oriented environment.
- To assure you’re complying with rules and regulations so you can reduce or eliminate any vulnerability.
- To give the IT department additional time so they can give precedence to their projects better as IT governance better aligns them with the company’s overall objectives.
- To enhance the performance of IT departments by optimizing their unnecessary processes thus getting rid of cumbersome tasks.
Implementing IT governance is not straightforward as there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ way. Below are some tips to help you get started.
- Firstly, understanding what part IT governance has in your organization regardless of it being led by CIO’s or by lower-level departments.
- Many IT governance use frameworks to establish the approach to be used by an organization. COBIT is notably the most popular framework, giving 37 IT processes, inputs and outputs, objectives, methods to measure performance and growth, and more.
- Once an IT staff has been implemented, engagement is necessary, It may seem like an extra chore but it’s important to keep your department on track with the overall goals, and the less you’ll have to certify your value to the company.
Having a framework in place will push you to think more about your IT assets in your organization. When you’re able to appraise the IT value creation, measure it and deliver it more effectively, it’s safe to say your IT governance is functioning.
