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Representative POMs are described for Alignment with Business at each level of maturity.

1Initial

• Practice

  Start to ensure input from other business units is based on informal relationships between the IT function and and these other business units.

  Outcome

  The degree of alignment between business and IT plans will depend on the extent to which the IT planners are familiar with the business plans.

• Practice

  Start to ensure input from the IT Strategic Planning process to business planning is based on informal relationships between the IT function and other business units.

  Outcome

  Increased opportunities for IT contribution to business may be garnered at the business planning stage.

• Practice

  Start to make at least ad hoc efforts to harmonize the timelines of the IT function and other business units.

  Outcome

  The improvement in harmonization may increase the likelihood of some degree of alignment flowing from informal links between the IT function and some other business units.

• Practice

  Start to collaborate, even if this is on an ad hoc basis, between personnel from the IT function and business Strategic Planning.

  Outcome

  An increase in alignment of IT and business plans.

2Basic

• Practices

  • Plan business and IT strategy independently.
  • Predict strategic IT projects using business strategy which are then used as an input to IT Strategic Planning.
  • Ensure IT strategy is technology driven.

  Outcome

  IT strategy planning takes into account most urgent business needs.

  Metric

  # of IT programmes arising from business initiatives.

• Practice

  The IT function needs to place boundaries on the business strategy concerning what technology decisions can be made.

  Outcome

  Due to its focus on IT as a cost centre, the IT functions input to business planning may emphasize more what the business cannot do in terms of IT, rather than emphasize opportunities provided by the IT function.

• Practice

  Conduct IT and business Strategic Planning independently, however, provide/make some attempt at co-ordinating the timelines.

  Outcome

  Increased likelihood of the prevention of business strategy decisions that cannot be implemented due to technological barriers.

• Practice

  Collaborate at the CIO-business leader level in relation to business Strategic Planning.

  Outcomes

  • Business and IT plans are likely to be well-aligned at the top level.
  • Further work will be required in the early stages of the development processes to align at a detailed level and there is some scope for confusion here.

  Metric

  # of meetings of the IT function and other business units staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.

3Intermediate

• Practice

  Ensure staff stakeholder re from the IT function consult closely on requirements with their business colleagues before developing the IT strategic plan.

  Outcome

  The degree of alignment of IT strategy with the overall business strategy is enhanced.

  Metric

  # of IT programmes arising from business initiatives.

• Practice

  IT function staff ensure that the IT cost implications of envisaged business strategies are comprehensively communicated to the business planners in a timely manner.

  Outcome

  Business plans with implications for IT are more soundly based.

  Metric

  # of business programmes arising from IT initiatives.

• Practice

  Undertake IT and business Strategic Planning independently but co-ordinate their timelines so that the business strategy can feed into the IT strategy.

  Outcome

  Improved cost efficiency and performance of IT Strategic Planning.

• Practice

  Ensure stakeholders participate in IT planning sessions.

  Outcome

  Better alignment results between business and IT strategy.

  Metric

  # of meetings of IT function staff and other business unit staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.

4Advanced

• Practice

  Ensure IT strategy is business driven and is developed jointly with business strategy.

  Outcome

  IT investment will be more closely targeted to business objectives.

  Metric

  # of IT programmes arising from business initiatives.

• Practice

  Provide IT Strategic Planning with technology roadmaps and indicate where business value can be obtained.

  Outcome

  Potential contribution of IT to business value generation is clearly stated and alignment of IT strategy with business strategy is enhanced.

  Metric

  Internal stakeholders actually contributing to Strategic Planning vs. expected to contribute (# & %).

• Practice

  Develop the Strategic Planning processes of the IT function and other business units collaboratively and ensure their timelines are coordinated and harmonized.

  Outcome

  Planning resources will be used more efficiently and there will be less wastage due to overlap and rework.

  Metric

  # of scheduling/co-ordination meetings.

• Practice

  Oversee collaboration on IT Strategic Planning between the IT function and other business unit personnel through a formal governance structure.

  Outcome

  Roles and responsibilities are clear and deviations from schedule, deliverables or budgets are surfaced in a timely manner.

  Metric

  # of meetings of IT function and other business unit staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.

5Optimized

• Practice

  Ensure IT Strategic Planning is an intrinsic and key element of business Strategic Planning.

  Outcome

  The IT strategy is focused on business value generation and the generation of new business opportunities.

  Metric

  # of IT programmes arising from business initiatives.

• Practice

  Explore opportunities for the IT function to contribute at the highest strategic level, (e.g. changing the 'rules of the game' at the industry level).

  Outcome

  As such opportunities are identified and exploited, the organization can achieve an industry leadership position.

  Metric

  # of business programmes arising from IT initiatives.

• Practice

  Ensure IT and business Strategic Planning operate to a single timeline.

  Outcome

  A more efficient planning process ensues.

  Metric

  # of scheduling/co-ordination meetings.

• Practice

  Implement a defined (and constantly refined) process for integration, evaluation, sign-off and approval of IT and business strategic plans.

  Outcome

  Effective collaboration between business and IT Strategic Planning is enhanced.

  Metric

  # of meetings of other business units and IT function staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.