To most non-technical people, the mere
mention of "IT" can be a real turn off, or result in a roll of the
eyes.
Although traditionally associated with geeks developing code in a back
room, IT
- in its very broadest sense - forms the backbone of organizations
today, which
begs the question: why is there still such a huge communication gap
between the
IT discipline and the business it powers? This article provides
anecdotes and advice for businesses to help them resolve the issues
between business and IT, and describes how using Agile methods might
just save
their relationship.
The Newlyweds
While IT and business have had a close
relationship, it is only fairly recently that a more integral partnership -
where both parties share business goals and objectives - has been critical in
driving the business forward. Historically, technology projects have been owned
and driven by the IT department and, more often than not, have failed to create
the connection between the technology implementation and business value.
Like any new marriage, there are
conflicts of interest, differences in opinion and approach that can inhibit an
effective collaboration. This typically results in the business thinking it's not
being served by the IT department, and opportunities are being missed because
of IT's inability to respond quickly. In contrast, the techies say they are
doing all they can, but the business is constantly
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changing its requirements
and doesn't understand the complexity of what's being asked for. Even though IT
will drive a project, the business often views it as a mere back office
function, not supporting its role in creating business value or meeting
requirements. All the business sees are budgets spiralling out of control and
what it needs never really being delivered.
It is also common for businesses to
fail to measure the true value of IT; however this is a mistake. Only by
assigning business value, in hard currency, to each IT deliverable and even every
feature of a deliverable, can business truly manage the relationship with IT
effectively. When embarking on any IT project, it must therefore be developed
in line with business need and provide a measurable output of how the project
will help drive business forward.
End of the Honeymoon Period
The development of a new software
application can prompt a classic case of communication breakdown. Using a traditional
waterfall approach, the business starts off by communicating its objectives
reasonably well - scoping out the project in a huge amount of detail upfront. However,
when the business hands over the project to the IT department, it leaves it
well alone for months ... and then wonders why the end result doesn't meet its
expectations.
The reason is this: a waterfall approach encourages IT and
business to work in parallel with one another rather than in an integrated,
collaborative process, which Agile development methods advocate. This method of
defining requirements without reviewing them on an ongoing basis leaves no room
for change, so when change inevitably occurs, it means that deadlines and costs
can snowball out of control.
Coming to an Understanding
The challenge for nearly all businesses
is to get IT and business to share similar objectives and continually
communicate those objectives effectively. The IT department might be interested
in the bits and bytes of specific technologies, but what it should really be
asking of the business is: how much revenue would the business like from a new
implementation? Being able to evaluate and analyze projects in these terms on
an ongoing basis is vital in order to get business buy-in from the start.
Having someone or something which can aid
mediation between the two departments is the only way for both sides to get
what they want and for the IT project to succeed. This is where Agile methods
and processes - developed primarily to ensure success in software development
projects - can provide the answer.
Agile methodologies break down a project
into short one-to-four week iterations, each treated as a "mini-project" which
is planned, scoped out, designed, coded and tested before moving onto the next
iteration. Input from the business and its users is included every step of the
way, so that the resulting application matches the business requirement as
closely as possible. Daily "scrum" meetings allow project workers to discuss
their progress, actions for the day and any possible challenges - but are kept
very short so that meetings don't impede progress.
An example of how Agile methods can
increase collaboration between business and IT can be seen in Valtech's recent
work with one of the worlds leading travel companies on a new booking system. The company relied on IT to manage bookings,
but technology was still considered a back office function and not a strategic
business asset. The current systems were
unable to meet growing demand and while IT was attempting to respond to this
problem from a purely technical standpoint, the business was demanding, cajoling,
and threatening over lost revenue and poor customer satisfaction. The upgrade project was bogged down in
detailed technical complexities, while the peak seasonal booking period was
fast approaching, representing a very real threat of significant further loss
of revenue due to the inadequacies of the current system.
The desperate CIO, faced with what he
believed to be an impossible task, brought in Valtech to assist. The advisory team immediately engaged on two
tracks: within IT, a full audit of the status of the project; within the
business, engagement at multiple levels to gain a full understanding of the
current business priorities for the booking system.
Having gained a good understanding of
both sides of the problem and identified key top-level issues, priorities, and
personalities within the organization, the team presented the stark reality to
all in a joint session to create a new baseline of understanding in the organization. From this low point, it was possible to
refocus all efforts on achieving best results rather than internecine struggle. The team formed bridges between appropriate
points in the IT and business organization, creating collaborative teams with aligned
objectives. These teams variously had
responsibilities in governance, issue resolution and development prioritization,
but always included a combination of business and IT staff with joint
objectives.
This introspection and refocusing
exercise led to a highly prioritized set of development tasks that could meet the
immediate needs of customers, prior to the period of peak booking system
demand, and without the performance issues of the previous system. With the
crisis defused, and both working practices and relationships transformed, work
continued on other features of the system, with the foundation now in place for
a much improved future.
By using Agile principles to engage the
business, right up to managing director and marketing director, the emphasis was
moved from a purely technical one to looking at the overall problem, aligning
business and technical staff in resolving the problems. The careful deployment of Agile methods
restored the confidence in IT of the business stakeholders, and challenged it to
engage and collaborate in a very different way.
A Match Made in Heaven
The relationship between business and
IT is a complex one whose parameters will continue to develop and evolve over
time. By taking into account this evolution and changing business requirements,
Agile methods can play a big part in bridging the gap in communications and helping
to stabilize the once rocky relationship between IT and the rest of the
business. Facilitating and opening the lines of communication will lead to an
effective partnership and lay the foundations for a match made in heaven,
rather than hell.
Remember The Golden Rule of
What Made the Relationship Work
Software and practices have no purpose
without the ability to see and objectively resolve business driven need, be it
regulatory compliance or competitive advantage. Without this need the marriage
will never work. It seems amazing that the gap of understanding continues to lose
track of fulfilling the prime objective ‘long term harmony' both parties
getting what they want when they need it.
About the author
Jonathan Poole became CEO of Valtech in March 2007, following a re-organization of its international Group
Board. Having joined Valtech in 2004, as Managing Director of the UK business,
Jonathan has led the business through the creation of a complete services
portfolio. The reality of delivering business agility has been the focal point
of Valtech UK over the last
18 months, bringing many long term contracts and significant growth to the UK business.
Jonathan's new remit is to replicate this business strategy throughout the
international group of companies.
Articles 
associated with geeks developing code in a back
room, IT
- in its very broadest sense - forms the backbone of organizations
today, which
begs the question: why is there still such a huge communication gap
between the
IT discipline and the business it powers? This article provides
anecdotes and advice for businesses to help them resolve the issues
between business and IT, and describes how using Agile methods might
just save
their relationship. 
