Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

The Foolishness of Alignment

Over the past few years, virtually every trade journal I have read and almost every conference I have attended has focused on IT–business alignment. I have a very visceral reaction to this topic. I think it's a bunch of hooey (I believe that is a more politically correct term to use than what originally came to mind!). My disgust with this term is not due to my lack of belief that IT should be on the same page as business. Rather my negative reaction is exactly because of this belief! Let me explain.

My understanding of the word alignment (and granted, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed!) is the bringing together of two separate things so that they converge on a common purpose. To be a proponent of IT–business alignment (and notice how technologists usually put the IT portion first!) is to suggest that IT is somehow something separate from the business. If this is the case, why don't we talk about finance–business alignment? How about marketing–business alignment? The answer is obvious: It's because finance and marketing are not separate from the business—they are part of the business! I would argue, so is IT! No IT organization (unless you are talking about an IT capability at a technology company) is a standalone entity. IT is part of the enterprise it supports in the same ways as these other functional entities. Does your CFO have a plan to “align” with the CEO? If he's not already in alignment, he might be on his way to unemployment! Using this ...