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Summary 39

much less challenging information and content needs. This is not a coincidence. If business drivers and
goals are endemic, how hard is it really to match up the applications portfolio and business intelligence
efforts with the business direction?

HELPFUL HINT
Business Alignment
Any formal business alignment exercise will demonstrate how business and information/content usage is con-
nected. This is what positions the organization for a formal business case. It means taking any business alignment
material that you have already prepared and starting to use it.
It is at this point that organizations that have not done business alignment stop, hire a consultant, and then do
an alignment exercise. Let us then reinforce the importance of business alignmentdit will be done. The issue is to
do it early on and in full understanding of the relationship of EIM as a business program within your enterprise.
The typical scenario is that once the business plan has been developed, it is considered “top secret.” This is
also misdirection from management. Obviously, you can have secret strategies and still give middle and lower
management enough to discern business alignment. It is already in their performance objectives, isn’t it?
The plain and simple fact is thisdif everyone knew where the business was headed, many of the information-
management issues we have covered would be minimized or eliminated.

SUMMARY

Even if a business leader clearly trumpets the need for “better data,” and is willing to push hard and use
political capital to get it, you do not go forth without a business case, otherwise you run the risk of
falling into the waste can of failed initiatives. Therefore, there are some business considerations for the
business case as well:
1. The business case must feature accountability. If the goals are not met, who is responsible?
Historically, it has been very easy to blame IT for a failure to communicate. A clear business
case will use business terminology and point out where the business accountability is.
2. Business leaders are poorly incented to do well at information-type projects. The business case for
DG must support business accountability and be built into the sponsors’ objectives and personal
targets.
3. Once IT projects “happen,” there is a tendency for interest to wane, and even return to the old
alternative. Business areas need to understand that the investment continues beyond deployment,
and some effort and willpower are required to sustain the project’s goals. The business case
must acknowledge the cultural impact and even accommodate the costs and benefits of
sustaining the effort while ensuring changes are fully adopted and integrated into the fabric of
the culture.

HELPFUL HINT
It is a common statement that a “good business sponsor” is the key to the success of a critical effort. This is only
partially true. The business sponsor can be as excited and supportive as imaginable, but if at the end of the year