SA releases technical guide for managing IT investments

Standards Australia (SA) has released a new technical specification to guide governance bodies and executive management with their IT-enabled investments.

The publication, SA/SNZ 8019, is designed to help governing bodies ask the right questions and promote the culture of accountability on benefits realisation.

According to SA, a recent Project Management Institute survey revealed a large number of both public and private organisations have difficulty showing that IT-enabled investments actually delivered the intended value.

“The executive leadership in today’s digital age must focus on the benefits being delivered, not just on the delivery of new capabilities,” said Dr Bronwyn Evans, chief executive officer, Standards Australia.

“Having effective governance will enable realisation of intended business outcomes, benefits and value throughout the business life cycle of the investment.”

While the standard AS/NZS 8016:2013, Governance of IT enabled projects, sets out wider governance for IT projects, this specification primarily focuses on outcomes and proposes a framework for governance incorporating definitions, principles and a model.

The publication is also expected to reduce wastage, which is prevalent in IT-enabled investments in a large number of organisations.

Technical Committee IT-030, ICT Governance and Management, was responsible for the development of the standard.

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