Strategic IT Alignment Best Practices Checklist free download

Download free Strategic IT Alignment Best Practices Checklist. This checklist is part of IT Governance Implementation Toolkit:
1. Use an IT advisory board to oversee IT strategy and policy decisions.
An IT advisory board should be in place and responsible for Corporate-wide strategic IT planning and IT policy. To make effective decisions with the IT director, the board must understand the Corporate’s vision and the bureaus’ business objectives, and possess an adequate understanding of the current technological environment in which the bureaus’ operate. The board should include bureau management staff and external community partners.

2. Base IT decisions on bureau and City-wide strategic plans.
IT should exist to support bureau and Corporate-wide goals. A decision to use specific technologies should arise from well identified strategy and operational needs—including the identification of users and customers—and a thoughtful risk analysis. Changes in a bureau’s strategy or a change in Council’s priorities may require updates to the IT department and/or bureau strategic plan.

3. Position the IT director as a strategist who resolves business issues with information technology.
The IT director is a communicator, educator and relationship builder with strong IT experience. The IT director acts as a bridge between the IT department and the bureaus. The IT director should be embraced as a member and full participant of the executive management team.

4. Ensure that IT customer service managers possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
IT customer service managers must understand and communicate the strategic objectives of both the IT department and the bureaus. They need the skills to articulate and balance the wants, needs, capabilities and limitations of both the bureaus and the IT department. The customer service managers are the key players for managing expectations and resources between the bureaus and IT. Knowledge of bureau business processes, and customer service and project management skills are crucial for IT customer service managers.

5. Bureau managers understand the rationale behind IT policies and are periodically informed of emerging technologies.
The IT director is responsible to see that bureau managers understand the IT department’s strategic plan and the rationale behind citywide IT standards, rules and policies. Periodic updates on current and emerging technologies allow bureau managers to consider emerging technologies when developing bureau-specific IT plans.

6. Monitor and report on the progress of the IT strategic plan.
The strategic plan should be evaluated every twelve to eighteen months. Top management should act on the results of the evaluation and update the strategic plan as goals are achieved or strategies change.