Today, just having the right technology tools in place is usually not enough to help your information technology (IT) program produce its full value. In our experience, many IT organizations are operating far below their capability. At a time when highly efficient operations are crucial to most organizations' effectiveness, we at Deloitte Consulting LLP (Deloitte Consulting) believe your IT resources should be driving enhancements related to such areas as improved operational performance, regulatory compliance, risk management and governance.
Technology has become critical to almost every business, but the “science” of managing the technology function usually lags its counterparts in other parts of the organization. Because IT is still often regarded — and managed — as a “back office function,” the opportunity is missed to drive speed-to- market, overhead, pricing, investment decisions and more. Is your company making the most of your IT investments, programs and tools? Do most executives view your IT system as helpful or as constraining? Is your IT program effectively aligned with business strategy and goals? These are critical questions in leveraging IT to its fullest on an enterprise-wide basis. There is no question in our mind that you could get the most value for your IT investment by more effectively aligning your technology with your business needs.
How to Drive More Value Through IT Effectiveness
We assist our clients in their efforts to “operationalize” their strategies by formalizing the tools and processes needed to understand how IT resources and programs can create and increase shareholder and overall business value. This means running IT like a business, rather than as a back office cost center. This requires strategic thinking about a wide range of stakeholders (customers, vendors, IT staff and executives), plans (strategy, processes) and outcomes (assets, technology investments, financial results). We’ve helped some of the world’s leading companies make their IT programs more effective. We recommend they employ a multidimensional and integrated framework of management process disciplines that we believe are required to operate a world-class IT organization. Here are some of the key lessons we’ve learned along the way:
Create value. We can advise you on your efforts to position IT strategically within your business. This starts with innovation and planning as well as management of sourcing and delivery mechanisms — and extends through architecture design, innovative solutions and strategy planning.
Manage toward value. We can help you in your efforts to create value-generating approaches to IT activities and investments that start in the boardroom, or on the shop floor, but can bring improved results. The capability to drive value must be matched by the delivery of IT services that help your organization realize value to its fullest. We stand ready to help you with your efforts to incorporate new innovations in IT resource management, operations management and customer relationship management.
Gain important perspectives. Today’s business world requires that leaders align their technology with their business objectives. Access to high quality information is a requirement for effective analysis, decision-making and action. Your IT program should enhance your perspective on the company, not obscure it.
Pursuing excellence across all disciplines. Because we are part of a broader, deeper organization with many compliance and consulting disciplines, our clients have access to knowledge and assistance on virtually all business issues. From tax implications to architecture to globalization, Deloitte Consulting has access to a wide range of professionals as part of our multidisciplinary team approach.
Bottom-Line Benefits
IT should primarily be a value creation tool. When properly managed, your IT resources can make a significant and clear contribution to your business, helping to improve performance, reduce risk and enhance value. As a market leader in IT strategy, planning and management consulting services, our IT Effectiveness consulting team is aware of what it takes today to achieve and sustain value and competitive advantage through processes and performance that can help your business grow in the following areas:
Improving speed to market
Reducing costs
Retaining, developing and aligning talent
Creating new competitive categories that result in market advantage
Getting it Done
We use a playbook approach to providing diagnostic-related services that thoroughly and consistently enables us to help our clients in their efforts to assess customer needs, understand and work within the financial and other key infrastructure components, manage risk and regulatory requirements, build a “best in class” environment for operations and technology to coexist, and create value. This approach helps identify and track your company’s high impact areas — from linkage with strategy and people performance, to compliance and competitive benchmarks, among others. Throughout the process, our clients are aware of and involved with each step. A timeline is established at the onset of the project, so that all parties know what to expect and when. The areas of diagnostic focus are as broad as today’s pressing business needs, including IT performance management, cost allocation and reduction, and management of compliance, risk, talent and other resources. We also provide services related to Program Leadership or PMO set up and execution, and IT Merger Integration. We work with senior executives to help them in their efforts to significantly improve the performance of their companies —and to choose the appropriate course of action by fusing executable strategy, operations and technology.
Download a printable version below.
