What is business-IT alignment? How does IT align itself with the business when the business itself is not aligned? While enterprise architecture originated in the IT organization, its scope must expand beyond IT to maximize its benefit to the organization. SOA and BPM have both refocused their attention on “business architecture”, but what does the term really mean?

Whenever business undergoes a change of focus, there is a resurgence of interest in the topic of “business-IT alignment.” Whether we transition into a period of economic uncertainty with greater attention to costs, into an opportunistic period of market repositioning through M&A, or into a period of competitive differentiation through innovation, there is a renewed focus on IT and its performance in serving the business—that “alignment” thing.

Aligning business and IT priorities through the annual budgeting process

Every successful couple eventually faces the need to take steps to balance individual priorities with joint goals and short- and long-term financial objectives. Since today’s new television comes at the expense of the down payment on tomorrow’s new home, couples must strike a balance appropriate to their lives.