And don't forget the basics
IT and Business alignment has become even more in focus in the past few years as cost cutting moved to the forefront of the technology mandate. Perhaps marketplace confusion, so much in the press after the many failed promises of the dot-com era, is a contributor as well. There are companies that insist that IT is a necessary evil, and others that insist that IT provides competitive advantage. In either case, and for the variants in between, the questions that are asked can be boiled down simply to "What have you done for me lately?"
Alignment, and hence survival, is a matter of focus on two basic themes -- enable the business to achieve value and communication about what you're doing. Oh, and don't forget the basics.
Enabling business to achieve value is really an outcome of execution. By getting close to the customer, in big and small ways, IT can help with the value proposition. Annual IT strategy sessions, quarterly budget and project reviews, monthly financial and operational reviews, all performed with a committee of high-level business owners, are examples of the big things. Smaller things, but just as important, include named resources and co-location -- people that the every-day business person can converse with regarding business issues.
Another key component of achieving value is an unabated focus on business process. Using or evaluating technology because it's the latest thing might be fun and look cool, but if it doesn't improve the business then you've just spent money doing something for IT alone. If, on the other hand, you completely understand what the business is trying to do and can provide solutions that streamline or enhance business processes, you enable the business to achieve value through innovation. The difference may be subtle, but the focus on what rather than how is the real value creator.
The other basic theme in enhancing IT and Business alignment is communication. It's not self-serving to tell people how well (or not) IT is adding value, and, in fact, may be a survival tactic as well as an alignment tactic. Make sure the metrics you're using in the communication really point out value as well -- does a CEO really care as much about system up-time as he would about sales increases brought about by customers who are driven to a new web-based sales channel? Tell your story, tell it often, but do it in a way that business leaders can understand.
Oh, and don't forget the basics. You have to keep the phones working, you have to keep the PC's up, you have to get the checks out, you have to keep the systems operating. Poor or sloppy execution can undo all the alignment that has been achieved. Consistency in performance and financial excellence is one of the fastest ways to instill confidence in business, and is the cornerstone of alignment improvement.
