In many business environments, each department operates almost as a separate entity. The corporate team may set goals, allowing each department to choose its focus. Teams only come together when absolutely necessary for the greater good of the organization.
That’s changing, especially with IT and how closely it links to business success.
Sharing business goals gives team members direction. Because organizations can no longer function without technology, aligning goals to an IT strategy ensures better decision-making and implementation. Benefits include:
- Improved collaboration between all departments
- Better user experience
- Greater connection with patients and clients
- More clarity in technological processes
- Better roadmap and business planning
- Healthier financial well-being
Aligning IT strategy with business goals helps guide every team member, allowing them to process and make better decisions. It ensures:
- Everyone is working towards a common goal
- IT supports each goal while adding value to the overall process
- A better way to mitigate risk and handle compliance issues
- Collaboration between departments
While it’s easy to understand on paper how closely the two are aligned, it can be more difficult implementing a plan everyone will follow. If you’re in the process of bringing IT and C-suite business strategies together, the following steps can help make the transition smoother.
Evaluate - It’s hard to bring an organization together if you aren't sure how all the pieces fit. It’s time to sit down and map out your entire strategy. What are the individual components? How does each department work towards the end goal? This allows you to see where IT overlaps, and where duplication and overlap are holding you back.
Communicate - The more information you have, the better the process. Allow each team member to have a voice in future planning. You can learn a lot from the people that use systems every day. You can also discover where weaknesses exist in the design, and what functionality will help your entire structure move faster into the future.
Strategy - Once a clear picture starts to form, bring every team member in on the final planning process. This is where you can avoid making costly errors by overlooking potential problems. To move forward effectively, the more people you have behind you, the faster implementation will be.
Test - Implementation is only part of the overall process. It’s equally important to continue to evaluate over time. Rarely does everything work flawlessly the first time around. By testing and keeping communication lines open, you’ll be able to assess faster and change directions without losing steam.
IT strategy is an integral part of every business. By combining your IT strategy with your business goals, you and your team will have a clearer picture of your direction.
For IT Strategy, Cloud Conversion, or Help Desk Services reach out to us at Silver Linings Technology 360-450-4759
