7. Case Study 3: DSTA
According to Singapore’s Defence Science & Technology Agency’s (DSTA) Leow Aik Siang, project manager in the CIO Office, the DSTA has several reasons to adopt enterprise architecture. It would focus on the enterprise as a whole, rather than on individual systems or silos, achieve better business-IT alignment; reduce re-inventing the wheel; address interoperability issues at the business, information and technology levels; provide a consistent framework for project and investment decision processes as well as improve visibility and control for business and IT.Leow said that IT governance, the third cycle within DSTA’s enterprise architecture framework that comes after evolution and transformation of business and evolution of technical infrastructure have been completed, is one of the core components of enterprise architecture.
The DSTA also has a complementary governance structure and processes meant to drive accountability and maximise portfolio value. Projects would be scrutinized as they enter the portfolio management governance process of budgeting, approval and agreement, execution as well as benefits realisation and validation. The DSTA has five governance structures: the eDSTA steering committee and Architecture Review Board, which are higher-level structures supported by portfolio managers and segment managers, the Programme management office and the IT configuration control committee.
The third and fourth review–design review and deployment control–arise during project execution. Enterprise architecture has definitely given the DSTA tangible benefits, said Leow. It was instrumental in improving clarity on alignment of projects to the IT strategy, transparency on the investment portfolio, consistency in investment decisions, budgeting discipline as well as visibility for better decision-making. Measuring alignment is a key aspect of portfolio management.
In some organisations, battle lines are drawn in the sand between IT and business. The question then shifts to how to sell the concept of IT governance
It is important, to communicate the importance of running IT as a business. It’s strategic, mission critical and it’s not a cost-centre anymore.
While most were concerned about staff needing to learn new systems–which are necessary, it is more important to consider the need to change mindsets. Resistance is to be expected as people are shaken out of their comfort zones.
posted by zeSt @ 5:11 AM
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