Visitors Edition
Already a member? Sign In.

Need help? Our Trial Membership program will get you help on any IT project you're working on. You'll get access to our research, tools, advice and project help.

Start Trial Membership Learn More

Membership Help?

Want to learn more about our membership options, pricing, or to get a product demo? Get in touch with one of our reps using an option below.

I Want Help with a Membership Live Chat

Decode the Real Corporate Strategy

Understand the best practices in business priority decryption.

More Details
  • Print
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
Itrg-thumb-sb9
Download the Storyboard Overview

Your Challenge

  • The real corporate strategy is often either undocumented (i.e. exists in the CEO’s or CxO’s head), may be in distinct business unit or departmental strategies, or is stated at such a high level that it is not possible for IT to take action.
  • The CIO needs a better understanding of the organization’s actual business goals and objectives in order to plan the IT strategy that will enable better alignment between IT and business strategies.
  • Detective work is required to ask the right people the right questions in order to find out what the business strategy actually is. Otherwise the IT strategy may fail to anticipate what IT solutions and resources are needed to deliver and support high-priority business initiatives.

Our Advice

Critical Insight
  • More than one-half of IT resources in 70% of organizations are working on projects that are not linked to corporate goals.
  • In many organizations, the IT leader is not part of corporate strategic planning. CIOs find themselves in jeopardy more often for what they don’t know and aren’t doing than for the things they are doing. Even if the corporate strategy is available, it seldom provides the detailed business information needed to develop a sound IT strategy that enables corporate objectives. The result is misalignment between the business objectives, and what IT actually delivers.
  • Where corporate strategies are not deep or documented, the CIO can be the catalyst to force clarity and consensus on corporate priorities by devoting time and energy to understanding the business drivers, strategies, and goals - asking the right questions of the right people in order to find out what’s really needed.
Impact and Result
  • Reduce investments in IT initiatives that are not linked to the achievement of corporate goals.
  • Increase the relevance of the CIO in the development of business strategy.
  • Elevate the reputation of the IT department in the organization.

Get to Action

  1. Discover the business goals and objectives

    Understand the corporate strategy.

  2. Identify the high level corporate direction

    Create the business context and starting point for the IT perspective.

  3. Interview the business department heads

    Understand the IT implications of the individual business strategies.

  4. Map the business goals to the IT imperatives

    Create the IT perspective of the organization’s corporate strategy.

Related Solution Sets

Improve Value & Mitigate Risk through IT Governance

Take the guesswork out of IT decision-making.

Establish an Effective IT Steering Committee

Make sure you have the right passengers on board.

Evaluate IT's Alignment with the Business

How do you know where you stand?

Tags

alignment, goals, objectives, planning, business, strategy, corporate, direction

Related Content


Get the Complete Storyboard

See how all the steps you need to take come together, with tools and advice to help with each task on your list.

BONUS Get access to up to 5 additional free downloads

Download Now
Understand the best practices in business priority decryption.

Companies Who Helped

  • CSC
  • Honda of America Manufaturing Inc
  • Pennsylvania One Call System
  • Compton Petroleum Corporation
  • Brockville General Hospital
  • Central Kootenay Regional District
  • Community Action Agency of New Haven Inc
  • Saskatoon Health Region
  • City of Ottawa
  • Yogi Shulz, Covelle Consulting
  • Jan Woly, IT Strategy Consultant

Solution Road Map

Other Solution Sets in IT Strategy & Alignment

  1. Prepare for a Successful IT Strategy
    Preparation for IT strategy development and execution lays the foundation for IT strategy success.
  2. Improve Value & Mitigate Risk through IT Governance
    Take the guesswork out of IT decision-making.
  3. Establish an Effective IT Steering Committee
    Make sure you have the right passengers on board.
  4. Decode the Real Corporate Strategy
    Understand the best practices in business priority decryption.
  5. Get IT in Line with Organizational Needs
    Determine the appropriate IT maturity level.
  6. Make the Case for the Hybrid IT Operating Model
    Break the link between the IT operating model and the business structure for a more effective IT department.
  7. Move to a Stable & Controlled IT Department
    Extinguish the Firefighter status and gain control over the IT department.
  8. Build a Culture of IT Innovation
    Enable IT innovation to achieve business goals.
  9. Institutionalize Innovation through IT
    Leverage IT’s strong multi-department spanning position to facilitate innovation across the enterprise.
  10. Create a Software Strategy
    Manage and guide the organization's software direction.
  11. Make IT a Partner in a Successful Merger or Acquisition
    Don't let an M&A sidetrack your career. Create a solid M&A plan to ease the transition.
View the full Solution Road Map