The idea that IT should improve business performance is nothing new. In the past few years, management and tech teams have reached an uneasy truce. On one hand, the brainiacs who live in the server room understand that they are still beholden to the bottom line; while the suits in the cubicles and corner offices realize they must give the innovators a little leeway…if they want work done.
Ultimately, however, everyone knows that business is business, which means IT investments have to be exactly that: investments. They can’t be written off as an ongoing expense that needs upgraded software and equipment on a quarterly basis. They have to earn their keep within the organization. There has to be technological payback.
With that mindset, management and IT must have a strategy that clearly defines enterprise needs; helping align processes, organization, information, and technology to best support decision-making throughout that enterprise.
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How to achieve Technological Payback
Getting these interests and objectives to converge creates the sweet-spot of IT change management that’s the most beneficial for business. But what do those above mentioned categories mean? Here are some precise explanations:
- Processes – Implement and optimize robust, repeatable, and flexible processes for quality, efficiency and effectiveness. Simply defining them is not enough.
- Organization – Everyone is a stakeholder, but clearly define roles and responsibilities within an organization. When everyone knows their role, everyone is incentivized to participate in planning and decision-making; and they are far more responsive with regard to their area of expertise.
- Information – Good info is critical, which means transparency, timelines and accuracy are imperative. It’s a delicate balance demanding clarity for everyone involved (specialist and non-specialist alike), but the right data and metrics delivered to the right decision makers is the key to actionability.
- Technology – The right technology is what connects participants throughout the organization, vertically and horizontally, so that processes are accessible, actions are visible, and reasoning is easy to understand. With these systems in place, you can automate reporting, access analytics, facilitate communication, integrate feedback, and truly synchronize efforts throughout the enterprise.
Digital transformation is one step in an overall organizational change management strategy. Get insight into how to take your investment to value every step of the way.
