IT and IG - Friends or frenemies?

Information Technology & Information Governance:Friends or frenemies?

Twitter: @smbounds http://knowquestion.com.au

About knowquestion

Information and Knowledge Management specialist consulting firm

“Joining the dots” between technology, governance, and people

Based in Canberra and Melbourne


frenemy, n.1. Someone who pretends to

be a friend but is actually an enemy

2. A rival with which one maintains friendly relations


Case study 1: Tech focus ≠ good IG

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Case study 1: Tech focus ≠ good IGRecordkeeping-compliant system based on

SharePoint 2010Mandate to implement new, comparatively

untested system by the CIO12 months design and piloting by the IM

team – lots of bugs discovered and squashed

Rollout plan produced to progressively migrate business areas with a minimum of disruption over 18 months


Case study 1: Tech focus ≠ good IGIT never understood the IG

complexities“Can’t we just migrate everything in

one go?”IM manager quit, team was

disbanded and relocated under various IT teams

IT took control, saw upgrade to SharePoint 2013 seen as “the answer”

3 years later, the project is still in limbo


Case study 2: Don’t bury IG


Case study 2: Don’t bury IGConsultant setting up an Information

Governance structure at request of business

Set up overarching process with senior exec attending steering committee

Information stewards appointedKnowledge café identified key areas

requiring improved governance


Case study 2: Don’t bury IGResponsibility to deliver strategic IM

capability was placed with CIOCTO was assigned responsibilityTreated IM as part of IT architectureRedirected IM funds into data

architect / data modelling roleLack of money and resources to

progress IM3 key IM champions have moved to

other orgs/areas in frustration at being stalled


Case study 3: IT is not “special”


Case study 3: IT is not “special”Local council was having trouble

completing their initiatives and projectsDuring a workshop, 600 separate initiatives

were tabled (4 x A0 pieces of paper, 6pt font)

A new governance process was devised and agreed by all major stakeholders (including IT) to jointly agree on the top ~10 priorities

Agile approach – everyone collaborates on completing priorities & minimise conflicts


Case study 3: IT is not “special”

Review of process 3 months later found that IT had withdrawn nearly all of their work from the priority queue

Justification was that “IT know best what they should be doing”

Ignored fact that IT choosing to do tasks that were not a business priority was a key reason for bottlenecks in the first place!


This is not IT’s fault!


Well, it kind of is.


Mystique and “specialness” of IT

The productivity revolution from affordable local computer servers, PCs, and the internet in the 90s gave IT a ‘touch of magic’

For 20 years IT has been able to obtain a significant budget simply by promising the technically successful deployment of technology


The IG problemWe know that:

◦ lack of audit, integrity, and data quality controls leave organisations at legal risk, cause scandals and reputational damage

◦poor information and data architecture can have a serious and ongoing impact on productivity

◦technology upgrades decrease productivity by forcing users to relearn the UI

◦migration of information and data across technology platforms are costly and error-prone


“Expecting A while rewarding B”

IT is rewarded for doing tech,

not on managing the impacts of having done it.


Centralised IT planning

It’s easy for strategic and project plans to become a mechanism for IT to:◦hold the ultimate veto power◦prioritise pet projects◦adopt a technically simpler approach◦demonstrate “progress” without actual

business benefits◦avoid blame for outcomes


What employees do

Rather than challenge this mystical, controlling mentality, employees are going around IT

“Shadow IT” spend can be 50% or more of the corporate IT budget


What employees do

Since shadow IT is technically unauthorised, IG won’t find out about it officially

And if it does, IG must either tacitly ignore the IT directives to follow corporate process, or protect the interests of the business


If IT is a mystical “black box” it can’t be

strategically used.


Are IT and IG destined to always be frenemies?


A. System changes should be initiated in response to

business problems.


B. A process of prioritisation should determine which

problems are to be solved first.


Senior exec support for the processToo often, inconsistent messages

from executives and managers sink Information Governance initiatives

IG works when there is ongoing buy in and follow through from the highest levels down

Not a dictatorship but a collaboration

IG personnel should genuinely listen and respond to needs, not impose a mandate

Better buy in from staff = better outcomes


C. Business problems need to be treated

holistically.


Genuine IT engagement

Good CIOs are recognising the need to be genuinely strategic about information and not just technology

Essential to have consultation and engagement with all areas of business

Problem: The business often lacks the ability to technically describe what’s needed


D. Information Governance is best placed to integrate all views about information

handling.


Bridging the gapInformation Governance teams need to

provide both processes and staff expertise to describe and negotiate the technical implementation of business needs by IT

Adopting this approach is normally a step outside the comfort zone of both IT and IG

Making this relationship work is all about …


Respect.

IT and IG - Friends or frenemies?

Leadership & Management

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