Opinions Vary…
IT as a service (ITaaS) is a term that is quickly becoming as pervasive in its usage as cloud, and mobility. Business and IT leaders alike are delving deeper and deeper into what it means to systematically change the monolithic IT consumption models that are in place within nearly every fortune 1000 organization. However, as with many of the terms that are being commonly thrown around in this post-PC era, what IT as a service actually means to both the IT leaders who must deliver it and to the business leaders who would consume it is at its best ambiguous. To that end, I’d like to share what the business leaders I interact with believe IT as a Service means to them – and in some regard what the business may not realize will be required of them to achieve these expectations.
The Business Expectation
Although expectations can take many forms dependent on business leader seniority and the industry verticals which they are leading, there are three common themes that consistently surface:
- Holistic answers to the problem in the context of the business/business unit
- Business savvy IT resources dedicated to the business/business unit
- A single context for consumption of services inclusive of people, process, and tools
These expectations paint a less than pretty picture of what the business is currently getting from enterprise IT, but in fairness the current IT models are a monster of the business’s own making.
Delivering solutions in a business context has definitely been an uphill battle. Historically, IT has been challenged with achieving this for one simple reason. They are organized and funded (by the business) to operate, not innovate (70%-80% of IT budgets go towards keeping the lights on). Because of this, IT resources do not have the deep business knowledge that is ultimately required to implement change. That knowledge is the cornerstone to differentiated innovation and contextual business solutions.
When it comes to providing more dedicated resources, i.e. resources that know and understand the business/business unit, this too can demonstrate a fundamental shift in current business thinking. Shadow IT organizations run rampant in today’s enterprises. These organizations are funded solely by the business units they serve. As opposed to fighting the existing formal IT entity, the business needs to redirect funding and/or existing resources to help fill out the new model that will deliver on IT as a service.
The last expectation is easily as difficult as its siblings. It requires a balance of technology and business acumen as well as a good helping of organizational cultural knowledge.
In a nutshell, this expectation will require yet another shift in the way the business interacts with IT as well as adopting a business as a services mindset. This is the realization that all business actions are in part or in whole a service regardless of what the pieces and component which comprise them are. For example, onboarding a new employee is a service with discreet SLA’s (service level agreements), measurements, and costs for each component. This is not a broadly accepted model and will undoubtedly have a steep adoption curve. IT as a service and business as a service are symbiotic, one cannot truly mature to the level of the expectations being put forth without the other.
Not Business As Usual
Each company will have its unique challenges with these concepts (shameless plug- EMC Consulting is a world leader in helping organizations through these challenges), but the end state of IT as a service is dependent on each of the business shifts I have just laid out for you dear reader. So to all the business leaders who are pushing your CIO to move in this direction, be careful what you ask for. Changing the IT model is only part of the equation.
