IT governance framework helps to ease everyday processes, increases productivity levels, and scripts what to do in case of an incident. However, creating and implementing an organisation-wide IT governance framework is no easy feat, yet so crucial.
With more services moving to cloud environments, digital expansion on all fronts, and increasing third-party connections, all departments within an organisation benefit from standard procedures.
So what do you need to take into consideration when developing and implementing an IT governance framework? Here are the three most important aspects.
Defining the three IT governance challenges
In a nutshell, IT governance is the way in which IT leaders set the digital direction for the entire organisation. It shapes how decisions are made, organises processes, and guides investments. To get there, you need to get three aspects right:
- Know your attack surface
- Use the organisational culture
- Create value for stakeholders
Of course, that’s all easier said than done. And frankly, it requires a much higher word count than we can provide in this blog. That’s why there is a link to our full whitepaper for a more in-depth explanation of the topics. For now, we’ll talk about the second aspect.
Defining organisational culture
One of the first things you would need to do, is determine how to make your governance framework be adapted throughout the organisation. Preferably as smoothly as possible, with continuous engagement. To do so, you need to frame it in a way that works will with your company-wide values and goals.
Those are the principles every employee is familiar with, and is already implementing in their everyday work in some way or another. Using the language that you know is familiar and understandable will help the acceptance of your IT governance framework.
As an addition to the previous approach, try to incorporate the organisation’s business goals in the framework’s implementation process. If company goals focus on long-term gains, define your framework in a similar way.
Alternatively, if most processes are very result-driven, you could split the process into smaller steps. This results in more quick wins - more frequently. It gives people continuous proof your governance framework is working and taking shape, keeping them motivated throughout the longer process.
Mapping your attack surface & creating value for stakeholders
Before you can determine your approach based on the organisation’s culture, goals and values, there is something you need to do first. Before you can say what IT processes need to be standardised, how exactly, and what kind of incident would have the biggest business impact, you need to know where you currently stand.
What EXACTLY is going on in your IT infrastructure? When you have a better understanding of your attack surface, you can identify risks such as shadow IT or misconfigured email security.
Then, once you have the data on what works well, and where the biggest gaps and risks are, you have the first set of tools to get your stakeholders onboard.
Interested in finding out how to make these the other two aspects work together with the organisational cultulre? Read our full IT governance whitepaper here:
Sebastiaan Bosman is Content Marketeer at Cybersprint.
With an educational background in Communications and Linguistics,
he is responsible for creating and editing processes of most internal and external communication. He writes content such as blogs, whitepapers, and case studies, primarily based on Cybersprint’s own research data. Previously, Sebastiaan worked as Content & Communications Advisor at ING Global.
