discipline

Keeping IT expenditures under control

Tue, 08 May 2007 20:01:36 -0400

To keep your company's IT expenditures under control, know how much you're spending and what you're spending it on. That might seem like simple advice, but it's not: it means having detailed conversations with your business counterparts so that you have a chance of adjusting the inputs when costs are an issue. Secondly, standardize your processes through the use of a standard framework like ITIL. Third, use a project management office staffed by independent analysts and managers whose major goal is business success. Fourth, use virtualization software to save some serious money. Finally, use sound business judgment; not every cost-control tactic results from using a specific technology or adhering to some arcane discipline.

Read more about effective cost containment:
- read the article at Baseline

Taking the pain out of BI

Thu, 03 May 2007 20:01:38 -0400

To create the discipline required to collect, manage and ensure the completeness and accuracy of the information required to make BI effective, have a cadre of good business analysts at the ready. These analysts tend to have a very good understanding of the business, as well as what the information in the business means from the front end and how that feeds into the back end. It's also important to sell key members of the senior team on a long-term vision of an architecture that will support opportunities in the future. That means using an approach that's both strategic and structured, and doing a good selling job on rising costs. Have a realistic view of where your data is at the start, and what it will take to improve its quality. Invest in a good data architect and ensure that your BI architecture is integrated to the rest of your architecture and not just a bolt-on to the rest of your systems. Understand the breadth and cost of your existing BI systems, including the hidden systems in end-user computing, and understand how they integrate with your solution. Finally, make sure you have executive alignment and real BI demand from the business.

Learn more about taking the pain out of business intelligence:
- read the article at CIO Canada

ALSO:
- read this about making the most of business intelligence
- this on Business Intelligence 101
- this on how collaboration increases business intelligence
- and this on intelligent business intelligence

BPM: A step toward innovation

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Business Process Management (BPM) has enough to recommend it on its own, but it can also play an important role in ensuring that the organization is on the cutting edge. Because it forces executives to be more aware of the processes within the company, it drives discipline, a necessary precursor to innovation. In fact, many BPM projects are undertaken to make businesses more innovative and agile, a change from just a few years ago when they were cost-motivated. BPM can also help SOA gain traction, because BPM builds services-oriented business applications that bind together many services into a process. But BPM is only as good as the people running it. With intelligent and insightful people at the helm, you'll get more intelligence and process out of your systems.

For more about BPM:
- read this Optimize article

Related Articles:
BPM can drive innovation. Report
Use BPM to address neglected areas. Report
BPM is a window into business performance. Report
Why IT must lead the BPM charge. Report
A roadmap for putting BPM to work. Report

CIOs expound on role and IT focus

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 20:01:38 -0400

CIOs, no matter how big or small the organization, are often dealing with the same issues and concerns, even though the scale of the challenge does differ depending on a variety of issues. As four tech leaders note (Manpower CIO Rick Davidson, Guess CIO Michael Relich, Mellon Private Wealth Management COO Tim Tully, and Accenture CIO Frank Modruson), the role requires persistence, a focus on strategy and tactical priorities and discipline. All four CIOs offer up specific tips on how they're doing their job today, and how they define business strategy versus technology strategy.

For more on today's CIO challenges:
- read this Optimize article