I have heard recently several comments that an IT department should be dismantled as a department and assigned to every other part of the corporation. If there were only a single source suggesting this then I would name and shame them here, but sadly there are many who persist with this errant vision. I also know that this is a view shared by author Peter Hinssen, who suggests that when you have alignment that “IT is transformed to a perfect, executing, order-taking butler”.
I and many other IT leaders do not see that as being where IT is today. I have written before about how the role of the Head of IT (normally either the CIO or CTO) is changing. The role is becoming one of Chief Change Officer, in other words they should be seen as the best agent for change in the corporation. IT has a background in building capabilities, gaining clarity on corporate requirements, and increasing the commitment where change is needed, and most importantly executing change.
Now I will state here for clarity I do not see the primary role of IT as merely maintaining the equipment and operational applications. In fact that those types of roles may in some instances be more cost effectively managed by a facility management firm who engage operational specialists. IT’s role in an organisation is to focus on two areas:
◊ Changing business processes, and
◊ Contributing to improvements in Business Results.
IT’s role historically has been to respond to stimuli from other departments for change then build or implement systems as needed. More recently it has had to respond to corporate goals and implement corporate-wide solutions that are intended to provide an holistic solution. Ultimately both these areas are about supporting business decision making, being a change agent. Change agents by their very nature cannot be integrated with the very areas where change needs to happen. They need to have an independent viewpoint, but they do need to be able to understand the challenges faced.
It is the independence of IT that allows them to ask challenging questions that will then facilitate positive change.
