Describe IT and IS governance.
IT governance involves the oversight, structure, and management processes ensuring the delivery of intended benefits of IT in an organization. It focuses on enhancing the long-term sustainable progress of the business. It involves the specification of rights, decisions, and accountability framework to facilitate desirable behaviors by employees in the utilization of IT (Brisebois, Boyd, & Shadid, n.d.).
IS governance is an integral component of corporate governance that involves the delivery of value, mitigation of risk, and management of performance. It is a strategy used by executives and board members in assigning accountability for performance and decisions. The governance process involves procedures, policies, performance metrics, management committees, and related management techniques operating collectively towards the achievement of common goals.
Compare and contrast each of these.
IT governance can help in establishing the guidelines needed to guide the employees on daily activities and acceptable resources use. Its objective is ensuring the effective management of information technology. It focuses on identifying and controlling risks associated with computer use, driving the projects, and effective management of the organization.
IS governance involves the control and optimization of information systems (ISGEC, n.d.). It enhances the acquisition, storage, and processing of data needed to guide employees and manage the organization. Its difference from IT governance is also evident in the fact that it seeks to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in achieving IT governance’s goals in the organization.
When would you use one over the other?
IS governance is better than IT governances in ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in operations. LSS is more likely to benefit from IS governance than IT governance. It is because IS governance can help in improving the organization’s existing IT structure. It occurs through the governance approach’s consideration of a variety of factors including regulations, legislation, corporate culture, and corporate structure among others (KPMG, 2008). It ensures employee activities align with organizational goals.
Both IT and IS governance can help the LSS’s management team in establishing the guidelines for ensuring the proper use of resources and direction of employees. However, the discussion depicts a preference of IS governance over IT governance.
References
Brisebois, R., Boyd, G., & Shadid, Z. (n.d.). What is IT Governance and Why is it Important for the IS Auditor? Retrieved from http://www.intosaiitaudit.org/intoit_articles/25_p30top35.pdf
Information Systems Governance European Club. (n.d.). The Importance of the Information Systems Approach for Governance Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.cegsi.eu/index.php/documents/l-importance-de-l-approche-par-les-systemes-d-information/the-importance-of-the-information-systems-approach-for-governance-organizations
KPMG. (2008). IT Advisory: IS Governance Services. Retrieved from https://www.kpmg.com/CN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/IS-Governance-Services-0804.pdf
