Business Implications of SOA: Part 2

In the last post, we talked about the first two business implications of SOA. The first is the rapidly evolving market ecosystem for “services in the cloud” and the increasing availability of plug-’n’-play “widgets” all made possible by the underlying standards and methods of SAO.  This innovation is equivalent to that brought about by the early [...]

Managing IT Infrastructure vs. Platforms

I was in an interesting discussion with one of my consulting clients recently.  I was with a group of IT managers responsible for their firm’s shared IT assets.  This is a large, global enterprise that has been on an aggressive journey over the last 5 years to transform business-IT maturity.  By any measure, they have been [...]

Re-thinking Business-IT Maturity

It’s time to update our venerable Business-IT Maturity curve - this is a BIG DEAL!  (Well, at least it is to some of us!)
For the last 10 years or so I have been drawing a simplified version of the Business-IT Maturity curve as a single ‘S’ curve, or learning curve.  I typically talk about three [...]

Improve or Innovate?

My last couple of posts have been on ITIL, where I presented my argument that approaches such as this (and CMMI) are necessary but not sufficient to take Business-IT Maturity to the next level.  They are necessary because they help build a solid foundation for IT operations and services.  They are insufficient because they typically [...]

Why ITIL is “Necessary but not sufficient”

My post yesterday claimed that ITIL is necessary, but not sufficient for reaching Level 3 Business-IT Maturity.  As anticipated, this has led to a fair amount of traffic, some showing up as commentary on the blog, others showing up as email messages from various vendors of Service Management and ITIL support services.  I therefore want [...]

ITIL: Necessary, but not sufficient!

 
I posted yesterday on the distinctions between IT Product Management and IT Service Management.  Rich Lemieux commented and pointed us to his helpful and informative DITY Newsletter and to his article on the 5 domains of ITIL V3 suggesting that IT organizations organize themselves around these domains as the “five new silos of IT.”
A couple of [...]

Leadership Lessons from the Performing Arts - 2

I am passionate about the profession of management consulting - and not ashamed to say so.  I’m especially passionate about business-IT maturity, and how IT organizations transform themselves to bring the highest possible value to the businesses and communities they serve.
I’m also passionate about music - both as a listener, and as an amateur performer.  As [...]

IT Mission versus Vision

 
I posted yesterday on how IT organizational mission changes with business-IT maturity - both in terms of satisfying an evolving demand and in shaping that demand.  In other words, as form follows function, organizational capabilities (and corresponding organizational design) follows IT organizational mission.  Typically, a change in IT capabilities or organization implies a need for, or at [...]

New Year’s Resolutions for Reaching Level 3

 
Some suggestions for IT leaders who are determined to drive up the business value and impact of Information Technology during 2008:

I resolve to be more effective in raising awareness of the potential for information technology to drive business growth.  I will bring ‘marketing thinking’ to my IT organization, and focus on improving our business communications.  [...]

Reflections on 2007 - En Route to 2017

It seems like a good time of the year to reflect on significant milestones or events that somehow mark 2007 on the journey to 2017 for IT organizations.  Ten years from now, when students of IT organizational evolution look back on 2007, what might the year be remembered for?  I’ll split this into a couple [...]