I have just provided the following article to CIO magazine, which resulted in interviews with a number of others on how to promote ICT governance in organisations.

Click here to read it on the CIO NZ Magazine site

I am please to say that it has also been picked up by the following publications – proof that ICT governance is a topic which is of interest worldwide:

• Computerworld India
• IT World Canada
• Computerworld Norway

This half-day workshop is an introduction to the fundamentals of IT Governance, its relationship with Corporate Governance and its relevance in developing and sustaining organisations in the private and public sector.

The workshop will use a participative approach using case study material. Real world examples will be used from the real-world experience that your trainer brings. We will provide you with course notes, guides, templates and checklists as well as references for further reading.

The workshop covers the following:

* An introduction to IT Governance
* An overview of why organisations need IT Governance
* IT Governance as a subset of Corporate Governance
* An overview of the ISO/IEC 38500:2008 IT Governance Standard
* Discussion of the roles of the Board, and responsibilities of executive management and the CIO
* IT Governance Assessment and Maturity Model
* Identification of the steps involved in implementing IT Governance
* Challenges to be overcome in implementation
* Skills required of CIO’s, CEO’s and Board member
* Examples of current business/IT alignment and governance models and standards
* A Board IT Governance Checklist

Book Early – numbers are very limited

Duration: 1/2 Day

Trainer: Murray Wills

Click on the following link for a discussion on this topic by Murray Wills in the NZ Computer Society Newsline online magazine.

http://www.nzcs.org.nz/newsletter/article/40

Here is the latest CIO magazine contribution made by Murray Wills, Director of Maxsys:

http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/spot/D5BAA04AB448B64ACC2577BA008390A7

http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/depth/55A895CBBD4F4C8DCC25779F00738CA9

Murray Wills (aka the VirtualCIO) has been selected as one of three judges for this year’s Computerworld Excellence in the Use of ICT in Government Award. 

Computerworld, together with the support of Hewlett Packard New Zealand, will recognise Excellence in the Use of ICT in Government through a special award to be announced in Wellington on 27 October 2010.

Murray, who has extensive senior IT and business experience and is a NZCS IT Certified Professional (ITCP), acts as a senior consultant/advisor, and VirtualCIO to a number of private sector and government organisations. “I was a thrill to be asked, and I’m looking forward to getting together with the other judges, and assessing the applications for the award. This award is for government agencies, rather than vendors, and this is good in terms of recognising the IP and contribution that government agencies make to ICT projects” says Mr Wills.

Those companies who have been shortsighted and let staff go that they should have retained, or who have made the life of their IT contractors or staff uncomfortable during the last few months may be in for a few sleepless nights as they figure out how to retain and attract resources going forward.

This article in infotech today tells the story.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3621039/Shortage-in-Australian-IT-skills-threat-to-projects

For further reading on this topic, follow the links below:

The IT Skills Shortage – It’s Back!

http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/opin/9D32E090AA8FF940CC257702006B7F43

This article discusses the unhealthy situation of not considering information technology as a critical strategic enabler.   

Well, it doesn’t look like it!!

If the following article is correct, then it looks like some really old school thinking has crept into one of our newest and most strategic organisations.

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/CFBB5E92DDF95D40CC25766A006D37F1

I agree with Rob O’Neill here. What on earth are they thinking?

It is inappropriate, given the strategic nature of Information Technology and Information Management in this organisation for the role not to be one of Chief Information Officer, reporting to the CEO and on the same level as the CFO. 

If  the CIO is on par with the other functional areas of ATA; it sends a message that IT and IM is important, strategic and integral to ATA functions. If ATA is structured to have an IS Manager reporting to the CFO – a clear message is sent that technology is not part of the strategy of ATA – but rather a support function subordinate to financial concerns.

In a smaller organisation or Government Agency it may be appropriate because of the number of direct reports, to have a dotted line to the CEO and a direct reporting line to the Corporate Services Manager, but in these organisations the CIO is involved in strategic decisions and  discussions, is the recognised specialist in this area and has direct access to the CEO.

In my article  “Appalling News – Cost Focus Changes CIO Reporting Lines” I make the point that “The trend of CIOs not reporting to the CEO flies in the face of a strategic, IT enabled and future focused organisation, be it a company or government agency”. I also make the point that  a “Chief Information Officer”, possesses a senior information technology and management background and experience (including strategic planning and risk management in an IT context), business background and experience. ATA may well be faced with re-specifying the role from one of IS Manager to CIO so they get the right skills and experience.

Other articles relevant to this discussion are: CIO Background – Is IT Experience Mandatory? - The answer is “yes” by the way.

The second, and one that I suspect those responsible for Governance of ATA may wish to read is: IT Governance Skills on Boards

Of course none of what I have discussed here is new. Another excellent example of a requirement for professional development in this area. 

This is something that we are very happy to undertake, and if you are a CEO, Board Member or CIO and would like to discuss this further, please contact me.

Murray

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/mgmt/A4A67DD8661EC548CC25766500132991?opendocument&utm_source=topnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=topnews

It would be very interesting in those companies where CIOs are no longer reporting to the CEO if IDC were to research the IT competency of the CEO and Board. I would also be asking them what they consider to be the role of the CIO. I suspect that these organisations are ”organisations of the past” rather than “organisations of the future”!

Of course one possibility is that the incumbent CIO was not acting as a “Chief Information Officer”, possessing a senior information technology and management background and experience (including strategic planning and risk management in an IT context), business background and experience, but as an IT Operations Manager. If this is the case then an additional role of CIO reporting to the CEO should be put in place.

The trend of CIOs not reporting to the CEO flies in the face of a strategic, IT enabled and future focused organisation, be it a company or government agency, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the reasons why with any CEO, CIO, or board.