Organizational processes in ICT Management and Evaluation. Experiences with large organizations.

Abstract

In this study, we describe the managerial and administrative processes relevant in the assessment of cost, efficiency and value of ICT support within and around an end user organisation. Systems of interdependent processes have been proposed to guide the management of ICT, without looking at the organizational activities, outcomes and interdependencies closer. The changed role of ICT in organizations’ activities does no more allow for isolated management of business and ICT domains. Despite of a lot of talk about business alignment of ICT, a permanent link between the mandates of business and IT management remains yet to be established, even in organisations well aware of their information management and the business alignment issue. In our study we found that appreciated approaches of IT governance, e.g. ITIL and CobIT, and Information Systems Management models could profit from a supplementing comprehensive, architectural view of the ICT in organizations and from an enterprise architecture management process. We attempt to clarify the concept with the results of a three-year project where client organisations of an ICT provider were looked at from an ICT architecture management point of view. As complementary data, we study narratives on organizations that have some success in joint business and ICT planning and management. A map of managerial processes, and a model for different areas of ICT evaluation are results of the study. The enterprise architecture concept can be seen as a shared platform to enable efficient joint management and development of business and ICT. To steer the organization towards future success, the strategy process interacts with an EA management process that guides and supports the comprehensive ICT management and development. EA also provides a sound foundation for ICT evaluation.