System governance
System governance is a framework for managing the quality and characteristics of IT. It focuses on ensuring the continuing quality, viability and compliance of IT systems for the long term.
System governance is part of IT governance. Most IT governance focusses on the processes used by the IT organisation. System governance complements this by focusing on the outcome of those processes as demonstrated in the qualities and characteristics of IT systems and services. This completes a feedback loop which ensures that the organisation continues to maintain the quality, viability and compliance of IT.
Organisations that have not adopted IT governance will find system governance valuable. It provides a cost-reducing framework for many aspects of IT service and quality management. It delivers many of the benefits of large-scale IT governance initiatives, at a fraction of the cost and disruption.
System governance is based on periodic assessments of IT systems against criteria that represent the organisation's priorities and policies for IT.
System governance is comprehensive. It monitors systems from proposal, through development, use and decommissioning. It covers all aspects of IT systems, such as technology, development, risk, operation and business fit. It can be used for discrete business systems and for more general IT services such as "corporate email".
System governance is a relatively lightweight framework that can be fit around change management approaches such as project portfolio management and service management approaches such as ITIL.
Metrici provide materials, tools and services for system governance.
Other system governance resources are available on this site:
- The System Governance Handbook provides detailed guidance on the implementation and execution of system governance within the organisation.
See
Metrici white paper on system governance in context of IT governance
Application Portfolio Management
Minimal IT - System governance newsletters