Mind the Gap
IT is not an end in itself. A company's IT should be aligned with the needs of the business. This is easier said than done. It starts with the management clearly articulating its requirements and expectations and also being prepared to provide the necessary financial and human resources. Then IT is responsible for implementation. It is seldom the case that both sides get it right.
For this reason, there is the QuickAssessment IT, which allows a quick, reliable and efficient assessment of the current situation. Thanks to the rating system, it is clear where IT and business fit together and where there is room for improvement.
Figuring out management requirements and expectations, and whether IT meets these requirements
Business is an organization that conducts a business activity and offers products on the market. IT is the digital infrastructure that should support this business activity and create new product opportunities. Business has an interest in IT being geared to business requirements and improving its own competitive position. After all, digital data makes many things possible that are difficult or impossible to achieve in the analog world. As simple as this sounds, it is just as complex in reality. For data to be exchanged between different systems and programs, standards are needed, and when it comes to implementation, standard is often not equal to standard. That's why answers are needed to the following questions:
What are the business and market requirements?
Do the business-oriented and product-oriented IT meet these requirements?
How are they articulated and formulated by management?
Can these requirements be met with the available resources?
What is the interaction between IT, operational and market success?
Where is there potential for improvement?
How can this be realized?
Among other things, the following provide information about this:
- The organization
- The processes
- The existing IT infrastructure
- The existing communications infrastructure
- The existing application landscape
- Data, data sources and data flow
A QuickAssessment can be used to make an initial assessment, which can then serve as a starting point.