Transformation has been an undeniable reality for IT since the beginning of the times. Whether it has been called process reengineering, business adaptability, technology agility, cost saving programs or more recently IT consumerization-commoditization, the fact is that we have never been laid back managing the IT agenda.
Transformation is linking several variables together to come up with the most likely and add-value scenario for the business. These scenarios are in the context of reducing costs, increase productive, regain business momentum; meaning all of them are looking to a better business positioning for which IT will have to respond in a prompt and efficient manner.
I often went reading IT news around the world but also having interesting discussions with some colleagues about this non-stop subject of business transformation and the required IT support. As the debate went on, I became overwhelmed with the feeling of loneliness as regards my own views. While many of my colleagues strongly defend the idea that IT should always follow business directions regarding the required transformation, I am more in favour of a balanced participation of IT on the transformation agenda.
This idea links to the vision about the real forces driving transformation, the push and the pull ones. To help with the introduction of these concepts let me tell you that “push” forces are those who resulted from the communicated business requirement, where the “pull” are the ones that resulted from a timely and proactive IT innovation activities. These are among others some main IT activities that have to be always present in your IT processes framework. In between the “pull” and the “push” we always find the Integrate layer, which is where we can define first and then manage a proper and balanced transformation activity plan.
In other words, transformation has to reap the benefits from an intimate collaboration between IT and the other business areas, not only at the deployment project phase but also from the definition stage. IT has to create an environment that supports the pursuit of transformation through the targets defined by the organization.
Finally my experience also says that whatever you do when managing IT transformation, please remember that most of the benefits the business will get from the transformation will result from a well communicated Change Management agenda, and this one has to properly manage and translate business requirements into IT capabilities, at strategic, tactical and operational levels.
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