IT Relationship Management Roadmap. How to align IT with the business. How can IT become a strategic partner to the business.

1. IT Relationship Management
Roadmap
Mark T. Edmead
Email: mark@mteadvisors.com
web: http://www.mteadvisors.com
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 1

2. ∗ Significant redundancies in technology and infrastructure
∗ Proliferation of shadow IT groups
∗ Ineffective and inefficient resource utilization
∗ Disparities in technical ability, standards, and support
∗ Business clients are confused by IT structure
∗ Many don’t know who to contact for what services
∗ Many not informed about IT policies, procedures or
projects
∗ Clients don’t feel they are receiving appropriate service
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 2
Typical Situation

3. ∗ Better coordination between business clients and IT
services
∗ More communication about IT processes, policies and
services
∗ Advocate for locally directed IT services
∗ Centralized coordination but local implementation
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 3
What is Needed

4. ∗ IT Strategy
∗ Project Management
∗ Business Analysis
∗ Marketing Communication
∗ Contract Negotiations
∗ Match Making
∗ Ambassador
∗ Translator
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 4
Relationship Management is:

5. ∗ Responsible for managing key client relationships
within the administrative divisions
∗ Plays a critical role in assuring close IT alignment
between each division and IT services
∗ Each Relationship Manager works to understand the
division's needs and plans and coordinates the
delivery of IT services to meet those needs
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 5
The IT Relationship Manager is:

6. ∗ Organizer, negotiator, communicator
∗ Technical enough to have credibility with IT, but
∗ Able to explain things non-technically, and
understand clients business at a high/strategic level
∗ Match relationship manager personality with clients
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 6
Relationship Management Skills

7. ∗ Provide comprehensive management of the client relationship
∗ Serve as a resource for connecting clients with the IT services they
require
∗ Advise clients of available IT services
∗ Including new and changed service offerings
∗ IT policies and standards
∗ Identify opportunities for technology enhancements that serve the
division’s business needs and strategic plans
∗ Facilitate project kick-off meetings
∗ Coordinate and facilitate resolution of technology issues, as well as
IT-enabled workflow/processes issues
∗ Ensure that client-specific service level agreements are met
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 7
IT Relationship Manager Activities

8. ∗ Requires thinking differently about IT
∗ From order taker to strategic business partner
∗ Beyond the IT as an “overhead” expense
∗ Provides accountability
∗ Higher level of partnership
∗ Enhanced resource specialization
∗ Frees up IT staff to do technical tasks
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 8
Recognizing the value

9. Enablers Inhibitors
Senior executive support for IT IT/business lack close relationships
IT involved in strategy development IT does not prioritize well
IT understands the business IT fails to meet its commitments
Business - IT partnership IT does not understand the business
Well-prioritized IT projects Senior executives do not support IT
IT demonstrates leadership IT management lacks leadership
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 9
Enablers and Inhibitors
Luftman, J. (1996). Competing in the Information Age:
Practical Applications of the Strategic Alignment Model,
New York: Oxford University Press.

10. ∗ Client buy-in
∗ Socialization process
∗ Support of IT management
∗ Need to be empowered to be the relationship manager
∗ Understanding of client’s strategic goals
∗ Visibility across the IT organization
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 10
Critical Success Factors

11. ∗ Ownership for hot issues in place
∗ IT: increased visibility into client strategic goals and
priorities
∗ Increased client input into IT processes and policies
∗ More seamless rollout of IT Programs and initiatives
∗ Fewer surprises about new IT projects/needs
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 11
Positive Results

12. ∗ Change can be and is difficult
∗ Relationship management role is unclear or unknown
∗ Maintaining the client advocate focus and balance
∗ Requires a good deal of internal structure to support
it
∗ Changing business initiatives/direction
∗ Cultural, political, organizational, interpersonal
challenges
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 12
Challenges

13. ∗ Need to know it’s a different organizational model
with organizational dynamics that have strengths and
weaknesses
∗ Getting communication piece right is critically
important
∗ Governance for projects and project portfolio must
be clearly defined, documented, and communicated
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 13
Lessons Learned

14. Contact Information
Mark T. Edmead
Email: mark@mteadvisors.com
Web: http://www.mteadvisors.com
(c) 2010 MTE Advisors 14