When an IT manager seeks approval for a significant recommendation, he or she must prepare to defend the proposal and to win approval. When management turns down a proposed expenditure or project, IT must change its plans and the business units that are dependent on the IT initiative must change their plans. When preparing to take an IT recommendation through the approval process, IT management must take into account four key considerations that, if not adequately addressed, can sink a proposal. These are proving value, identifying funding sources, mitigating risk and demonstrating credibility.
A Case In Point
As an example, imagine that an IT Manager is recommending to the CFO and CEO to purchase a Business Intelligence application and the associated server and storage hardware to support it. Take the CEO's role in this case. After the CEO has been briefed on the recommendation and has reviewed it, he/she must decide whether to approve the project or to reject the proposal. Most senior managers seek adequate answers to four questions before they will give approval.