Wie vermitteln Sie der Geschäftsleitung und den Vorstandsmitgliedern den Wert und die Vorteile von IT-Governance?

Communicating the value of IT governance to senior management requires less or no use of technical jargon and focus on how IT governance contributes to ensuring the organization meets its set objectives. A good guideline is using the pillars defined in the IT Balanced ScoreCard which are: 1. Finance - Demonstrate the financial value brought by IT or costs saved through IT. 2. Customer- Demonstration of customer(internal/external) satisfaction through the use of initiatives done by IT. 3. Processes - Demonstrating the effectiveness of processes being effected through IT governance and their impact on business objectives. 4. Innovation - Demonstrate how IT governance is setting the organization for growth through the use of emerging tech.

It's important to ensure that there is effective communication hence the need to ensure correct language is used (making use of business terms) depending on the target audience (different people in the C-suite as well as the BOD) and making sure that their concerns and interests ( return on investments , strategic alignment etc.) are being addressed as part of that communication be it from a reporting perspective or when facilitating a workshop. It's also key to make use of dashboards and make reference to KPIs as a way of showing the target audience how IT is supporting business in achieving goals (strategic alignment) based on preset metrics thereby ensuring continued support from the business by increasing stakeholder confidence.

Understanding your audience is essential before communicating about IT governance. Tailor your message to address the interests and concerns of different senior management and board members. For instance, the CEO may care about IT governance supporting business strategy, the CFO about optimizing IT budget and ROI, and the CRO about mitigating IT risks. Customize your language, examples, and stories to resonate with your audience and demonstrate the value of IT governance effectively.

Be the voice of reason and collaborate with the C-level so the team can make educated guesses on what risk is acceptable to be able to continue to do business and what risk is not that will harm its reputation. Do not try to install fear into the C-level team. Give them current examples of companies fighting against cybercrime, breaches, and the struggle to keep their information/proprietary information safe. Instill the knowledge of layered security controls to be a ble to fight against all types of attack vectors.

Leaders should strive for defining the potential or realized impacts of issues in a quantified manner. Highlighting how these issues would be / are prevented or minimized with effective governance. An example is attaching systems to revenue figures, data to damages figures, and then assets to replacement and recovery figures. Not an easy task, one that requires an iterative and context driven process. I strongly feel this is the most effective way to stand toe to toe with other L2s that have quantified data inherently because of the nature of their work (e.g., fraud, ops, etc.)

Once upon a time, Cyber Security staff and tools were considered a cost center. Now, the lack of adequate IT governance controls can lock companies out of certain industries that require IT Governance Compliance. For example, defense contractors without CMMC certification are unable to do business with the Department of Defense. Outlining the lack of business opportunities that can occur due to lack of compliance can put things into perspective for Senior Management and stakeholders.

◼️Highlight Strategic Alignment: Emphasize how IT governance aligns with the organization's strategic goals. By demonstrating how IT initiatives are directly linked to achieving business objectives, you can show that IT governance is not just a technical necessity but a strategic enabler. Highlight specific examples where IT governance has facilitated business growth, innovation, or market expansion. This alignment builds a compelling case for IT governance as a critical component of the organization's success.

Emphasizing the outcomes and benefits of IT governance is a compelling way to convey its value to the organization and stakeholders. By showcasing metrics, indicators, or benchmarks, you can illustrate how IT governance enhances IT performance, quality, efficiency, and alignment with business objectives. Highlighting how IT governance facilitates the realization of strategic goals, such as improving customer satisfaction, fostering innovation, and gaining a competitive edge, can underscore its impact. Additionally, demonstrating how IT governance mitigates IT costs, risks, and issues that could impact the organization's reputation, compliance, and sustainability further underscores its significance.

Focusing on outcomes and benefits is essential when communicating the value of IT governance to senior management and board members. Highlighting tangible results such as improved IT performance, enhanced business alignment, risk mitigation, and cost optimization has been instrumental in garnering support for IT governance initiatives. By demonstrating how IT governance directly contributes to achieving organizational goals, such as increasing customer satisfaction, and ensuring regulatory compliance, convey effectively its importance and secure buy-in from stakeholders. This emphasis on concrete outcomes helps to underscore the significance of IT governance in driving organizational success and sustainability.

IT governance is like a map and a GPS to guide organization to make a technology decision. It provides a clear path and direction to ensure all technology investments supports the business objectives. To communicate the benefits, you can use below strategies. 1. Identify and communicate current pain points/ issues being experienced by the organization, 2. Create a sense of urgency, 3. Identify and communicate quick wins. o Structured key decision making forums. o Improved alignment between the business units and IT o Traceability on the Tech investments o Risk mgmt. etc. Lastly, every organization has a unique culture, and these tactics needs to be adapted.

The COBIT 2019 Implementation Guide (free to ISACA members) provides a rather exhaustive list of challenges that you may face throughout each phase of implementation of your governance program. These challenges are broken out to show root causes, along with success factors in overcoming them.

Proposing solutions or recommendations to facilitate the IT governance process can also be beneficial. For instance, involving senior management and board members in IT governance committees, defining the roles and responsibilities of IT governance stakeholders, or establishing IT governance policies and standards can help streamline the implementation of IT governance practices. By addressing challenges head-on and providing actionable solutions, you can pave the way for a smoother adoption of IT governance within the organization.

In effectively communicating the value and benefits of IT governance, it is essential to address the challenges and barriers that may impede its implementation or adoption. By acknowledging potential difficulties such as lack of awareness, resistance to change, or competing priorities within the organization, you can demonstrate an understanding of the obstacles at hand. Furthermore, highlighting how IT governance can help surmount these challenges by offering a structured framework, guidance, and assistance for IT decision-making, planning, and execution is crucial.

In my experience, addressing the challenges and barriers to implementing IT governance is crucial for its success within an organization. Common obstacles such as lack of awareness, resistance to change, and conflicting priorities can hinder adoption. To overcome these challenges, organizations should educate stakeholders about the benefits of IT governance, involve them in the decision-making process, align IT initiatives with strategic goals, establish clear frameworks and guidelines, and foster stakeholder engagement. By proactively addressing these barriers, organizations can ensure the effective implementation of IT governance, driving improved decision-making, risk management, and organizational performance.

Additionally, leveraging tools such as frameworks, models, or maturity assessments can assist in evaluating the current state and desired state of IT governance within your organization. These tools provide a structured approach to assessing the effectiveness and maturity of IT governance practices, enabling you to identify areas for improvement and establish a roadmap for enhancement. Furthermore, employing tools like surveys, feedback mechanisms, or audits can aid in measuring the impact and effectiveness of IT governance initiatives within your organization. By gathering feedback from stakeholders and conducting assessments, you can obtain valuable insights into the strengths and areas of improvement related to IT governance practices.

Utilizing visual aids and tools is indispensable for effectively communicating the value and benefits of IT governance. Through charts, graphs, diagrams, and dashboards, complex information about IT governance structure, processes, and outcomes can be simplified for stakeholders. Additionally, frameworks, models, and maturity assessments visually represent the current state of IT governance, guiding improvement efforts. Surveys, feedback mechanisms, and audits provide valuable insights into governance effectiveness, facilitating informed decision-making. Overall, leveraging visual aids enhances communication, engagement, and continuous improvement in IT governance practices within organizations.

Harness the power of visuals to simplify complex concepts. Flowcharts, infographics, and dashboards can help convey the structure and impact of IT governance in a digestible format.

Building trust, rapport, and collaboration through effective communication lays the foundation for productive interactions and mutual understanding. By establishing a transparent and supportive dialogue, you enhance relationships with senior management and board members, fostering a conducive environment for driving IT governance success. Additionally, utilizing communication to provide updates, progress reports, and outcomes of IT governance initiatives demonstrates accountability and transparency. Keeping stakeholders informed about the impact and benefits of IT governance efforts reinforces their commitment and involvement in driving organizational success through effective governance practices.

Foster a two-way communication channel. Encourage questions, actively listen to concerns, and provide clear and concise responses. This dialogue builds understanding and trust.

ISACA has published an entire guide on implementing the COBIT 2019 framework, which includes sections on influencing senior leadership and driving change.

To effectively communicate the value and benefits of IT governance to senior management and board members, consider areas where gaps might exist. Here are the key gaps and their solutions: 1️⃣ Communication: 🔴Gap: Lack of Customization. 🟢Solution: Tailor messages for each stakeholder role and provide specific examples. 2️⃣ Evidence and Metrics: 🔴Gap: Lack of Quantitative Evidence. 🟢Solution: Include precise data and case studies that demonstrate successful IT governance implementations. 3️⃣ Stakeholder Engagement: 🔴Gap: Lack of Continuous Engagement. 🟢Solution: Establish an ongoing communication plan with regular updates and feedback loops. 💡These solutions will make the communication strategy more effective and persuasive.

The overall article seems too generic to be of any application for specific IT Governance matters. The recommendations in the sections above are correct but could be applied to any interactions with senior management or board members.

In your communication strategy, consider the context of your organization, the unique challenges it faces, and the language that resonates with decision-makers. Adapting your approach ensures that the message is not just heard but genuinely understood. Craft your communication like a compelling story, weaving together the narrative of how IT governance transforms challenges into opportunities.