The rest
Issue 7 - Should We Modernize Applications? If So, When?
Many mission-critical, high-risk business functions continue to rely on code developed decades ago by programmers and vendors who have long since left the company. Business applications, which run on hardware and other infrastructure that is reaching or past obsolescence, must be migrated. Strong drivers for modernization are offset by strong inhibitors, so the debate either rages on or is naively ignored. The decision on when to modernize will be strongly influenced by shareholder interests and investor confidence. Some applications may need to be replaced, while renovation may be sufficient for others, but the complexity and magnitude of the task far exceeds the ability to fund and manage such an effort with existing operating budgets and teams. A one-time restructuring-style budget set-aside will be necessary.
Issue 8 - To Whom Should Business Process Professionals Report?
Gartner recommends that business process experts be placed in a new ‘hybrid' organization such as a business process competency center that reports to a chief operating officer. In this scenario, the competency center would be made up of relatively few employees but would be joined by the business domain experts, process experts and IT professionals for the duration of a project, only to return to their respective departments upon completion of the project.
Issue 9 - How Much Formal Process is Needed for Program and Portfolio Management?
Many believe that increased levels of process and oversight will lessen an organization's agility to deliver projects. Those in favor of more formal process and oversight of project-related tasks take the position that such increased discipline will yield far-better results than experienced in the past. The future of Program and Portfolio Management (PPM) will actually take a different route than either of the opposing sides. In the future, changes in a project will become normal, expected and accepted. Consequently, PPM methods will adopt smaller and smaller units of work to allow such project "midcourse corrections" to take place.
"IT leaders should use this time, before obtaining new post financial crisis direction from CEOs, to resolve these issues," Mr. McGee said. "Resolving these issues will place IT leaders in a far better position to take on the challenges of the new future that lies ahead."
