Business-Driven Technology

A business-driven technology strategy articulates the capabilities required for the success of an organization. To align business-technology investments with business strategy, focus needs to be on the type of value that the business aims to create. Decisions on business-technology investments require structured thinking about business goals. A clear understanding of business requirements dictates the business-technology plans and investments that are needed to execute the company’s business strategy.

Deciding on such investments must start with a thorough understanding of your organization’s strategy, goals and objectives. In the end, a well-articulated, business-driven technology strategy will recognize the uniqueness of varying organizational capabilities and will balance that with the desired strategic positioning by abiding to:

Determine the specific business-technology capabilities that have to be in place for you to meet your short-term and long-term business goals and objectives. A mature business-driven technology strategy is the most effective way to ensure that the technology group understands the specific business needs and helps carry out the business strategy.

Prepare the processes you need to put in place to improve communications and educate your organization about each component. Creating an effective strategy requires complete communication and integration of enterprise business strategy, enterprise technology strategy and technology function strategy.

Decide the internal and external capabilities you need to execute on defined business strategies. To prioritize and focus investments, start by understanding the type of value that will be created. In addition, consider the nature of this investment mix as it relates to supporting other critical activities of your business.

Understand and specify the business value discipline that you have to pursue. Is operational excellence, product leadership or customer intimacy your primary value discipline? Embed your answer in the enterprise business strategy and then circulate it to all stakeholders and to all levels of the organization. This will prescribe the specific capabilities that you require to guides effective technology strategy creation in your business.