The document discusses how CIOs can take a more proactive role in management by harnessing governance of enterprise IT (GEIT) boards. GEIT boards can help ensure transparency and balance between innovation and running the business. GEIT can also help prioritize investments to generate cost savings and self-funding projects, especially during economic crises. Successfully implementing GEIT depends on factors like change management and communication. The outcomes include reduced costs, enhanced risk management, and improved business-IT relationships.

1. THOUGHTLEADERS
MADHAV CHABLANI | madhav.chablani@tippingedge.in
MADHAV CHABLANI IS the Principal
Consultant & Founder CEO, TippingEdge
Consulting Pvt Ltd.
Management Issues on top of
CIOs' minds CIOs can harness GEIT
boards to make IT more pro-active.
SENIOR IT executives are once again processes can help ensure a balance rates by addressing both the way
focusing on the strategic role that IT between IT innovation and ‘run-the- projects are selected or approved
plays in productivity to drive new business’ initiatives. (e.g., ensuring use of the right gat-
business processes that increase The right governance enablers can ing process and assessment criteria)
profits and enhance revenue, while ensure transparency of IT supply and the way they are governed and
continuing to drop real costs. A and demand, and facilitate decision overseen, once they are underway.
CIO's mandate is to create more making about demand and its prior- Successfully implementing GEIT
cohesive and coherent Business–IT itisation in pursuit of value delivery depends on several factors: change
alignment. Obviously, there isn’t a to the enterprise. “During an management, communication,
perfect alignment between the busi- It is a fact of business life that economic proper scoping and identification of
ness and technology goals of the specific events, activities or even cri- achievable objectives.
crisis, ef-
CIOs. But as tough economic times ses will arise that will require some The outcomes of a successful
continue, it’s not all that surprising GEIT objectives to take precedence
fective GEIT implementation are worth it,
that the practical realities of running over others for a time. However, it is can ensure producing both shorter-term,
IT in a period of ongoing budget important to note that GEIT objec- that invest- tangible benefits such as reduced
declines are still top of mind. tives, regardless of their priority at ments can cost and longer-term benefits
There are still significant opportu- a particular time, are related (e.g., generate such as enhanced management
nities for many enterprises to transi- an emphasis on value delivery will of IT-related risk, improved
cost savings
tion IT’s role to a more pro-active impact resource management). relationships between business
one. This can be done through the Therefore, GEIT initiatives must
and are self and IT, and increased business
use of mechanisms such as GEIT take a balanced and holistic view of funding.” competitiveness. Outsourcing can
(Governance of Enterprise IT) the five GEIT focus areas (strategic create significant benefits, with the
boards, an appropriate organisation alignment, risk management, value proper governance focus.
structure encompassing roles for delivery, resource management, per- The use of frameworks and struc-
managing business relationships, formance measurement). tures can help improve the gover-
and standardised processes to effec- During an economic crisis, when nance of enterprise architecture.
tively bridge the business demand there is a strong focus on manag- Frameworks and standards such
with the IT supply. ing cost, effective GEIT can ensure as COBITv5, ITILv3 , ISO 27000
IT innovation offers ample oppor- this focus is balanced with a view on series and TOGAF4 can help
tunities for IT to play a more pro- investments that can generate cost improve GEIT, bringing structure
active role. savings and are self-funding. and clarity to areas such as service
For example, GEIT enablers such as Governing enterprise IT effective- management, information security
optimal investment management ly can help increase project success and enterprise architecture.
CTO FORUM THE CHIEF
54 21 MAY 2011
TECHNOLOGY
OFFICER FORUM
Thought Leaders.indd 54 5/27/2011 4:48:01 PM