IT innovation through business relationships

By Sonal Shah

Sometimes following the right process or methodology is not the best way to manage a project. I think the key to a successful project is much deeper than the methodology, tools, processes or even the quality of the project manager. I think it has a lot to do with the relationship between IT and the business.

Take the pulse of your organization, for instance. Are IT and business managers coming together as strategic partners, or is IT simply viewed as a service provider within the organization? Coming together as strategic partners doesn't just imply that you share a seat at the table; it means that you're striving to learn and understand the language of the business. It means that both IT and business are making strategic efforts to move from the "service mindset" to a "value mindset". Taking the time to learn the language of the business, and the company's vision for the future will help clarify the areas in which technology can add the most value. But getting these basics right isn't enough. The challenge here is to instill in the IT staff, a mindset of continuous improvement, and to ensure that their goals align with the business needs, even as they change and evolve daily.

Becoming strategic partners allows both IT and the business units to create a shared vision, which they can successfully spread across the entire organization. Creating this shared vision is simpler than you would imagine – just take the time to understand what the business units do, and ask yourself how can I help them improve this with my IT knowledge. It may also mean that discussions start from the very beginning, by examining how past IT initiatives helped or hurt the business and how they can be improved upon.

It's also important to note that the business doesn't want you, the IT professional, to do their business; they want you to enable their business. It's up to the IT professionals to help them understand the value that IT brings to their daily processes as well as to their strategic direction rather than a barrier to innovation. Demonstrate that innovation isn’t fueled by technology, but rather through discussion and collaboration.

So the next time you start a new IT project, look beyond the methodologies, tools and processes and understand the business. Be aware of the importance of change management, communication, and risk and compliance. And don’t lose opportunities to be creative because of rigid processes and standards. As IT professionals, it’s up to us to get out of the business of maintaining and start innovating.

Sonal Shah is an Associate Partner at Solstice Consulting LLC. She has over 12 years of experience in delivering IT programs, and specializes in infrastructure optimization and virtualization.