Introduction
If you're an IT professional or employee of a technology company, you've probably heard of IT governance with Microsoft Consulting firm. But perhaps you did not fully understand the meaning of this term. IT governance is a critical part of any business, and it's almost certain that you're using governance functions without even knowing it.
The purpose of this article is to define what IT governance is, its role in your business, and to outline some principles to consider when negotiating this broad topic and creating the IT governance framework. unique to your business.
What is IT Governance?
IT governance can be defined as a formal framework for ensuring that IT investments help meet business needs. Simply put, the governance framework allows certain users to be allowed or prevented from doing certain things.
The concept of IT governance grew out of legislation and regulations established in the late 1990s and early 2000s to regulate the growing use of technology in businesses. These laws include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act.
This law, enacted in the wake of several corporate accounting scandals (Enron is a case many remember), established criminal penalties for certain types of misconduct. The law also required the SEC to establish regulations defining compliance guidelines for public companies.
It doesn't take an expert in economics or law to understand that this legislation cannot be taken lightly and that laws like this have fundamentally changed the way business is done in the 21st century . Governance isn't just a good idea: it's the law.
Should my business care?
There are types of businesses that particularly benefit from having IT governance concepts in place.
- Organizations or companies subject to regulations
- Companies or organizations whose business models are based on efficiency and optimization
- Companies that have demonstrated the maturity of their IT activities
- Principles of IT governance
- The risk principle : the measures and controls must be adapted to the levels of risk.
- The principle of relevance : the needs of the company determine the level and style of governance to be planned.
- The principle of behavior : the governance solution dictates the behavior of the company.
- The principle of deployment : the governance solution must be implemented gradually.
- The principle of automation : technology makes the governance solution stimulating and discreet.
Governance at its best
The differences between governance and IT management
The two are distinguished by different audiences and realities, but share an extremely important common objective.
Governance
Provides strategies for business success
Provides orientation and guidance
Focused on priorities and policies
Usually ensured by a steering or governance committee made up of various business stakeholders and representatives of the IT department
Their mission is to assess and mitigate the risk of non-compliance through controls and regulations
This committee usually associates technicians and collaborators without technical attributions
Management
Focuses on day-to-day actions, decisions, implementations and processes
Ensures the maintenance of the objectives of the company and the various departments
Usually provided by technology experts responsible for implementing computer systems and applications and supporting users with Al Rafay Consulting Chicago.
Their priority and their mission: to provide consistent and optimal IT services
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