Aligning IT investments to key business needs is critically important. Doing so supports the mission, drives efficiency and can make organizations more secure – both literally and financially. Often, however, there is a disconnect between where an organization spends its IT dollars and where it sees returns.

“If you build it, they will come” worked well for Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, but it’s no IT strategy. Investing in tools without an understanding of how (or whether or why) the business will use them is a recipe for disaster. So, how can agencies avoid this predicament?

In my experience, there are at least four questions every agency IT leader should be asking before making major IT investments or overhauls.

How are IT business partners communicating with core business functions?

Do we even have IT dedicated IT business partners? It’s important for IT teams to work hand-in-hand with and to constantly take input from the business. Just as we at GDIT have an entire business built around collaborating with customers and deeply understanding their needs, our IT team has dedicated IT business partners who are each aligned to a core business function. Think: HR, Finance, Growth, etc. Our business partners meet regularly with the leadership of those functions to discuss their needs and challenges, and to get a feel for how they work and where there are opportunities for improvement. Then, the IT business partners and service owners come together to look at the full picture.

How are we prioritizing what the business is telling us it needs?

Even with a complete inventory of what the business says it needs, the toughest task confronting any CIO is prioritizing IT requests in line with what is of most business value. Looking at corporate strategy can help. If, for example, there is a major focus on retention, leaders should ask how IT can support that goal while also supporting what the core functions are asking for. My job as the IT leader within a client service organization is to ensure we’re enabling people to work anywhere, any time and any place without issue. With that as a North Star, our teams work very hard to make decisions and investments that make that happen for our colleagues while also balancing value, capabilities, security and risk. Additionally, being transparent with stakeholders about current limitations and what can be accomplished now helps build trust, while partnering to define realistic timelines for future implementations. In many cases, identifying existing IT capabilities that can address some of the needs today delivers immediate value and keeps momentum moving forward.

Are there efficiencies to be gained that will support multiple functions and drive down costs?

Examining where there is overlap in the requests of the business can identify efficiencies, yes, but also gaps. If all of your major functions are asking for the same thing, you likely have a red blinking-light need. In other cases, you can likely find some overlap in needs that enables you to gain efficiencies that drive down costs, which can either be reinvested or returned to the business, which are important levers to pull. Our view is that IT is a partner to the business in two ways: we deliver the solutions the business needs and we do so in a way that allows for cost savings that can, in turn, be invested back into the business. With this mindset, it becomes easier to see the importance of aligning with business partners and really understanding how to support what they do.

Have we considered the change management needs around a planned investment?

The success of every IT investment depends on truly understanding the user experience. How are people going to use this tool and what will need to change in order for them to get the most out of it? This will tell you when and how to communicate with people about it, and what training or transition period needs to be put in place. When we adopt new technology internally and when we work with clients, we look at the organizational change management that's needed to drive adoption and, ultimately, success.

When it comes to being strategic with resources that are nearly always limited and ensuring you can pinpoint the investments that will pay the greatest dividends for your agency, the intake process is just as important as the output. Ensure you’re listening to the business, set up a process to prioritize the business’s needs, look for efficiencies, be mindful of how a smart change management effort can drive adoption, and choose the right partner to help deliver the results you’re looking for.