BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT

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The excellent Business-IT alignment is a precondition of successful business operations.

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The Business-IT Alignment Layers model © of upifyIT structures the domains of the cooperation into four layers: Vision, Plan, Build, and Run.

The top element of the Vision layer is the Strategy, encompassing the harmonization of the Business and IT Strategy. Target Architecture includes the Business and the IT side. The Competencies cover the necessary capabilities of the people: business and IT, internal and external, hard, and soft skills.

The Plan layer includes Demand Management and Project Portfolio Management. Some of the IT demands result in project a, while others in services requests of small changes.

In the Build phase, the organization realizes some developments in frame of formalized Projects, while others as a line activity in the framework of IT Investment management.

Finally, the organization has to operate and maintain the Services. The cost management, cost allocation, internal settlement, and other budgetary topics are the components of the Financials element.

During the entire Vision – Plan – Build – Run chain, the harmonized Processes guide the activities. At the same time, Relationship management ensures that the Business and the IT areas monitor, manage, and enhance the cooperation to reach the organizational level goals.

Our services for you: Analysis and Recommendation

We review all elements of the Business-IT Alignment Layers model, or a subset, based on your needs and request. The assessment focuses on the quality of the alignment between the Business and the IT departments. For each domain, we listed a few questions that we will use during the work. The lists are not comprehensive.

Strategy

  • How well are the strategies harmonised?

  • Are there discrepancies?

  • Are all elements of the IT strategy mapped to the business strategy?

  • What is the level of understanding of the strategies in the organization?

  • Do the strategies include harmonized future Business and IT capabilities?

Competencies

  • Are the required future Business and IT competencies described?

  • Is there a holistic view of the required competency allocation between the Business and the IT?

  • Does the IT understand the competency gaps?

  • Does the Business understand the competency gap?

  • Is there a plan to close the gaps?

Architecture

  • Is there a Business Architecture (capabilities, process, and other elements)?

  • Is there an IT Architecture defined?

  • How well are the two architectures mapped to each other?

  • Doe the Business and IT teams used harmonized methodology (e.g., TOGAF)?

  • Are the architectures up to date?

Demand

  • Is there a defined Demand Management process?

  • How well are the Business areas involved in the prioritization?

  • What is satisfaction level with the demand management?

  • Is the Demand Management efficient?

  • How optimal is the approved demand set on the organization level?

Portfolio

  • How well is the Project Portfolio Management defined?

  • Is the involvement of the Business and IT areas sufficient?

  • Does the Business and IT regularly review the progress, besides the formal PPM forums?

  • How good is the fit of the Portfolio the aligned strategies of Business and IT?

  • Are the calculations well supported on the Business and IT side?

Investment

  • Does the Business and IT align the investments that are outside of the PPM process?

  • Are these investments also assigned to Business and IT strategy goals?

  • How much decision power has Business over the IT investments?

  • Does the Business and the IT regularly review the investment status?

  • Are the IT investments transparent to the Business areas?

Projects

  • Are the Business and IT areas sufficiently involved in the projects?

  • Do the Business leaders play the Sponsor role when the Business is served with the deliveries?

  • Are there regular Business – IT reviews to check the status of the projects?

  • How well do the Business and IT prepare the operational phase after the go-live?

  • Do Business and IT solve the issues proactively and constructively?

Services

  • Are the IT services defined in Business terms?

  • Does the organization have a Service Level Management (SLM) process?

  • How much does the SLM process and practice meet the best practices?

  • What is the satisfaction level with the IT services?

  • Does IT report the service level fulfilment to the Business regularly?

Financials

  • Are the IT budget and spending transparent to the Business?

  • Are the IT budget elements assigned to services, including the service levels?

  • Is there an internal settlement between the IT and the Business?

  • Are there internal prices assigned to the internal services?

  • In which areas are improvements necessary?

Processes

  • Are there sufficient processes to define the way of Business – IT cooperation?

  • How effective and efficient are the processes?

  • Does Business and IT regularly review and improve the processes?

  • What is the satisfaction level with the processes?

  • In which areas are improvements necessary?

Relationship

  • Does the Business and IT regularly review the common topics – elements of the Alignment Layers Model?

  • Are there KAMs (Key Account Managers) assigned?

  • Is there a follow-up on the agreed actions?

  • What is the level of trust between the department?

  • Are the IT visits on Business department and vice versa, to have a better mutual understanding?

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EASY COOPERATION

Our cooperation is effective and efficient

We combine remote collaboration and on-site presence.

The terms are flexible to accommodate your needs.

Ready to fix your Business – IT alignment?

Challenge us! Ask a question!

ASK A QUESTION
Please describe where you see the problems. A few sentences would already be sufficient. Besides, ask a few questions to see how we would resolve the issues.