Case Study for IT Priorities IVK - myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theCase Study for IT Priorities IVK. Answer: Slush fund slack had been created by the previous CIO Davies just in case when the very vital projects at IVK could not be approved. The slush funds had been developed at IVK in order to get the IT project funds approved. The IT projects were not considered to be the primary functions rather they were just the supporting functions which faced trouble to get budgetary approvals from the department. To get budget approval for the IT projects that were very technical and did not deliver direct customer benefits were really tough to get approved in IVK. Moreover the IT projects were supposed to be very technical and the other departments were simply unable to understand, rather in some cases the approach that the company IVK adopted for funding the IT projects was that of preventive maintenance. This is the reason why Davies created slush funds to get these security related risks handled effectively (Wysocki, 2010). Davies being a technical person knew very well the kind of security risks might generate if the IT projects do not get implemented. He realised the importance and gravity of neglecting of IT projects in IVK that is why he thought of this idea of creating slush fund slack to get budgetary approval for the IT projects. During the IT project approval in which Barton made fun when he started criticising the way the project was presented Davies simply returned back in his shell during conflicts. This indicates that Davies, not being the one ready to take sole responsibility, will result in noose around everyones neck as everyone would get involved while decision making for the IT projects (Austin, Nolan, O'Donnell, 2016). The approach adopted by Davies was typically IT-based approach and not a management based approach. The approach adopted by Davies was technology oriented as he along with John both believed that there exists a security issue with the technology that was being used by Peoples. He believed that if there is any security risk that must be handled by receiving funds from IVK. But his approach being too much IT related which was simply did not go very well with other business units. He laid more emphasis on the security risks that might arise in totally IT language. Thus the way of communication of the security risks adopted by Davies did not clarify or show what adverse impact the security risks that are generated in IVK can have on the company as well as the customers. Thus the approach adopted by Barton that the IT spending needs to be in proper alignment with the IVK strategy and dividing the IT projects on the following basis is a better approach. The projects will be divided into categories like: Mandatory (for example security) Return on Investment (for example incremental) OCI (option creating investment). Barton has adopted a consensus approach according to which IT is important aspect that assists the process implementation and the business units are the ones who decide the priorities. The approach followed by Barton does not suggest that it should take full control over the IT budget rather it believes in putting forth the IT point of view along with the business point of view. By adopting this approach all necks will be in the noose and in case any decision goes wrong everyone who is part of decision can be blamed and held responsible (Austin, Nolan, O'Donnell, 2016). Barton needs to act smart and should not take the entire budgetary control in his hands as suggested by Maggie as well as it will make him responsible for anything that goes wrong in the company. He should come up with a brilliant idea of getting fixed the whole decision making committee which should also engage the Board of Directors. Rather he should try to create a completely new IT budgeting process by proposing certain percentage of the total budget that needs to be allocated to the IT projects that belong to the mandatory category (Wysocki, 2010). The IT committee that he needs to propose should be of board level because demanding certain percentage of budget to be taken into control of IT is not a good idea. In this case again if anything goes wrong then only Barton will be held responsible because the noose would be around his neck only, being the sole person to make budgetary decisions. What he needs to do is support the formation of an IT Security Project which should empha size on the critical factors as well as the benefits that it will draw. IT Committee with board involvement will help in promoting the say of IT within the business units which will in turn help the organization also. Thus the risks associated with IT infrastructure will be decreased and will also make decision making simple and easy (Austin, Nolan, O'Donnell, 2016). Bibliography Austin, R., Nolan, R., O'Donnell, S. (2016). The Adventures of an IT Leader. Harvard Busines Press. Wysocki, R. K. (2010). Effective Project Management: Traditional, Adaptive, Extreme. Wiley Publishing INc.