The IT Value Stack

Value-driven IT focuses on how organisations can get the best value from their IT Investment. A program that involves the board and the business, the book also provides guidance and tools to carry out the exercise. Introduction: What’s IT All About?

Chapter 1. Do you have a Problem?

The IT Industry has a Poor Delivery Record.

Users are Generally Suspicious of IT People.

IT is Unmeasurable.

IT Problems are the Fault of the IT Department.

The IT Industry Suffers from Low Self-esteem.

Many Businesses do not Know what Business they are in.

Other Problems.

So what hope is there?

Chapter 2. Introducing the IT Value Stack.

Overview.

Rationale.

IT Value Stack Overview.

People Matter.

Book Structure.

Chapter 3. Strategy Entwinement.

The Need for Strategy Entwinement.

Strategy Entwinement – Why it Doesn’t Happen.

Towards Strategy Entwinement.

Strategy Entwinement – External Perspectives.

Chapter 4. Process Entwinement.

The Need for Process Entwinement.

Process Entwinement – Why it Doesn’t Happen.

Towards Better Process Entwinement.

Process Entwinement – External Perspectives.

Chapter 5. People Entwinement.

The Need for People Entwinement.

People Entwinement – Why it Doesn't Happen.

Towards People Entwinement.

People Entwinement – External Perspectives.

Chapter 6. Technology Management.

The Need for Technology Management.

Technology Management – Why it Doesn.t Happen.

Towards Technology Management.

Technology Management – External Perspectives.

Chapter 7. Service Management.

The Need for Service Management.

Service Management – Why it Doesn’t Happen.

Towards Service Management.

Service Management – External Perspectives.

Chapter 8. Circulation Management.

The Need for Circulation Management.

Circulation Management – Why it Doesn't Happen.

Towards Circulation Management.

Circulation Management – External Perspectives.

Chapter 9. Value Management.

The Need for Value Management.

Value Management – Why it Doesn't Happen.

Towards Value Management.

Value Management – External Perspectives.

Chapter 10. IT Value and You – The Top 10.

1 Consider IT impact of every business decision.

2 Consider business aspect of every IT decision.

3 Become IT-conversant.

4 Create an IT-centric culture.

5 Treat the IT department like a business.

6 Unclog the arteries.

7 Defi ne and measure IT value.

8 Tame the suppliers.

9 Strengthen the value chain.

10 Become an IT leader.

Summary.

About the Contributors.

Glossary.

Index.

“…does a great job describing the issues of value generation within IT the way it is structured today.” (Financial Times, Wednesday 5th March 2008)
Ade McCormack has over twenty years experience in the business-IT space. He is also a public speaker and coach. Ade has a column in the Financial Times advising business leaders on business-IT issues. He is also author of the acclaimed book – IT Demystified.
An astrophysicist by training, he entered the IT industry as a real-time embedded software engineer. Through Brownian motion his career recoiled into project management. Today he focuses more on people development, advisory, writing and public speaking in the IT value realisation space. Ade is married with one son and lives in the Chilterns in England. His interests include road / cross-country running and French jive, the latter being a form of dance which Ade has single handedly, and perhaps inadvertently, evolved into a martial art. The IT Value Stack: A Boardroom Guide to IT Leadership

Successful IT value realisation is a cloudy subject. This in part contributes to the overall dissatisfaction many organisations have with IT. This book tackles the subject of IT value realisation head on. Most importantly it provides a model to help CIOs and business leaders maximise the return on their IT investment. The book covers:

• The IT Value Stack Model
• Business-IT strategy entwinement
• Process-IT entwinement
• User-technologist entwinement
• Technology management
• IT service management
• Circulation management
• Value management.
• Valuable input from influential contributors from the end-user, technology and advisory communities.

"This excellent book is a must read for anyone in business. As in his first book Ade McCormack demystifies IT and makes it clear, relevant and interesting for business."
—Dr Gerard Lyons, Chief Economist at Standard Chartered

"Ade McCormack hits at the key issues, the Business/IT relationship can no longer be one of master/slave, but must evolve into one of value based partnership for business advantage. An essential read for those organisations who believe there has to be a third way between traditional business and IT approaches."
—Eddie Short, Vice President, Global Lead - Business Information Management, Capgemini, London

Business people do not seem to understand technologists and the technologists do not seem to care. This is a problem when it comes to yielding best value from one’s IT investment. Other sources of value dampening lurk within the realms of strategy, processes, technology, services and governance.

This book is based on the author’s IT Value Stack methodology, which helps business leaders take control of their IT investment. Boardroom-bound CIOs will also find this book of value. As will those that advise on strategic business-IT matters.

The model is corroborated with input from influential people working within the world’s most successful end-user, business advisory and technology organisations.