TECHNOLOGY ϵ϶BUSINESS
Robert Kingston Expert in Residence
THE PRINCIPLE
Move from alignment to unity of business and IT, creating a seamless Technology Business strategy and operations.
“Every business is a Technology Business” is how our odd, slightly misused mathematical notation should be read. With the ever-growing dependence on technology, the worlds of IT and business have migrated – sometimes reluctantly – from isolated compartments to fully-aligned entities. But now, an “All Ops” approach is required with full, mutual, and deliberate convergence of business and IT without friction or middle persons. They move and act as one."
THE ANTIPRINCIPLE
Cherish the red tape of requirements and specifications-driven communication channels between business and IT, facilitated by specially assigned intermediaries.
THE CONTEXT
The water-like levels of responsiveness, speed and adaptability needed to thrive in today’s Technology Business context do not allow any obstruction, delay or noise between the stakeholders involved. Any Technology Business strategy should be deployed, both fluidly and rapidly, in both business and IT operations as it evolves and iterates repeatedly and continuously. This “All Ops” approach – continuously adjusting and delivering on strategy – cannot afford any loss in translation along the way. Cross-disciplinary teams work jointly on products – rather than on projects – with a potentially unlimited lifecycle, guided by shared budgets and tangible business value streams. Technology becomes be more and more democratized – then internalized – as all involved will learn from each other’s roles, perspectives, and skills.
LIVE THE PRINCIPLE
- Empower the business: Shift ownership of, and responsibility for Technology Business solutions, products and change towards the actual business domains.
- Create Technology Business product teams: Move to continuous product delivery, driven by cross-organizational, autonomous, “All Ops” teams with allocated budgets.
- Democratize technology: make self-service of IT capabilities by the business the default, for example in areas such as data, application services, and process automation.
- Promote a “With Open Arms” platform: drive and support open standards and a versatile digital platform inviting Technology Business teams to work quickly, securely, and consistently.
- Go beyond the conventional governance: Enable Technology Business product teams to act quickly and autonomously, on top of predefined policies and authority levels.
THE OPENINGS
- Build generic enabling platform services but make absolutely sure one or more business domains sponsor, adopt, and apply each service right away.
- Transition incrementally, introducing Technology Business product teams one at a time – considering the availability of relevant platform services.
- Make Technology Business product teams the default for new corporate products and services, especially when new, innovative technology enables them.