Transform or Wither!!

The time to market must also consider how long before the technology that you are about to use becomes redundant. With the current pace of change, this time to market could be as short as six months. This places considerable pressure on the ability to deliver. As technology is the common thread, then the pressure is on the information services group.

If you have not already undertaken this action, then it is time to make that fundamental step change in the operating and delivery model of your institutional information technology services group. Present operating models are characterised by a variety of traits, and just as in my own institution, a subset of these may well apply to your services group. The group may well have project-driven delivery that is low risk but drives low agility and flexibility in service evolution. You may be utilising a functional team structure that drives efficiencies but does this at the cost of siloed culture, communication and outcomes, which in turn may underpin piecemeal change. Alongside this, consolidated decision encourages delays that reduce agility. Is your enterprise architecture driven from the bottom up and thus solutions are based on technology drivers not business? I have found that a risk adverse culture supports slow decision making that not only restrains innovation but delivers solutions that are expensive and time-consuming. Finally, there is the potential that in-house services operate within a culture which reinforces a “control of your destiny” scenario, thereby challenging agility and reinforcing the creation of technical debt.

In my own institution, there needed to be a distinct change in the ICT services model in order to align with and support a digital transformation. Therefore, I pro-posed building a new operating model that was based on the core characteristics of continuous service enhancement; service-aligned resources; distributed decision making; business outcome alignment; holistic operating model approach; and delivery in a two speed operation that retains a predictable outcome for core IT infrastructure services, while providing more flexible, client-driven, client-facing services.

In my travels and talking with my peers, I find that many of us are in the process of, or are faced with, transforming our service delivery groups, in an environment characterised by heavy time pressures. There is no time to stop everything and transform the service group; our Vice Chancellors and Presidents will not wait. This is similar to the old adage of building the aircraft while flying toward your destination.

So, consider a four component transformative framework. Look at the culture that needs to encourage innovation (reward ideas and solutions), acceptance of change (staff who willingly move between teams), and trust(upfront communication and engagement). To enable the business, utilise strategic partnerships to reduce in-house practices and processes, while retaining vital aspects, such as cybersecurity. Agility and service evolution can be achieved through embracing IT services and solutions built around as-a-Service models, along with a balance of cloud and in-house that maximises flexibility while minimising technical debt. Finally, adopt these components of an operating model into an organisational design that has supportive governance structures.

A planned, iterative approach, which is based on an enterprise-wide digital strategy and which involves all stakeholders, can help move your organisation from its current state to a desired future state. This approach, which is underpinned by an aligned information technology service model, will be a key component in driving digital transformation, thus supporting growth and evolution.