Over the years, companies structured their IT into centrally managed departments organized by functional capabilities. The objective was to improve the delivery of information technology by establishing and meeting service levels and lowering the cost of the function. These services were sold or provided back to the business, which ingested them into the respective business processes. In most companies, this evolution is now mature and the enterprise receives quality services at an ever-decreasing cost per unit. But an unintended consequence occurred.
The unintended consequence
As organizations matured, they looked to establish and maintain both technical and process standards that further aid in ensuring quality and lowering cost. This quest for functional excellence and lower unit cost increases misalignment of enterprise IT from the goals and concerns of the business leaders.