Key Elements of an Effective IT Governance Process

To successfully implement IT governance, chief information officers (CIOs) require both leadership and execution, according to Gartner, Inc. Great IT leaders master process, and they understand that executing governance programs involve process, discipline and creativity.

Gartner analysts said that to deliver successful governance CIOs need to manage two dimensions of governance. First, governance is a decision-making framework that reflects the organization’s goals and priorities, and how the organization intends to achieve them. Second, governance processes, covers the structures and methods the organization uses to execute and institutionalize the governance framework. In essence, the framework is what the organization has decided, while the process is how the organization will institutionalize those decisions.

Among the critical standing governance success factors is ensuring that participants occupy optimal roles. The governance role most appropriate for individuals derives from their position in the organization and specific skill set. This approach helps CIOs match stakeholders to their optimal enterprise roles.

CIOs also need to bear in mind that the ability to fill a recommended role varies with an individual’s skills, interests and the enterprise environment, with some people performing adequately and others doing much better. If current roles do not match the tool’s recommendations but governance still delivers expected benefits, CIOs should not make any adjustments—because outcomes always come first.

In addition, integrated communication is important to governance decision input and decision execution. However, failing to communicate is a common governance pitfall. Governance bodies struggle with decision making when they lack appropriate information. Stakeholders, in turn, struggle to comply with poorly communicated decisions. To facilitate and communicate decisions more effectively, governance communications should use the same business outcome metrics, prioritization scoring systems and milestone metrics throughout a project’s life cycle. CIOs also need to inventory their communication tools when they notice lack of compliance with governance decisions or excessive revisiting of established decisions.

More information can be found at www.SupportIndustry.com.