The Next Leap in Productivity: What Top Managers Really Need to Know about Information Technology

6.3. Fundamental Paradox of IT Process Improvement

If I were to write what I have stated in this book so far as an equation, it might look something like this:

Developer Leap in productivity + SOA + Correct IT Governance = Potential Enterprise Leap in productivity

Notice the word potential in the above equation. What I am trying to get across here is that even if your CIO and your IT group do everything right ("right" according to the Book of Kolawa, that is!), there is still no guarantee that you will see the kind of productivity gains that you should.

That is because it is up to you, the CEO, and to the rest of the organization, to make sure that your brand-new, highly productive IT engine is put to good use. So a good place to start is to make sure that you really understand that equation.

We have already covered the Developer Leap in productivity and SOA in some depth, but I think we need to take a closer look at what I mean by "correct IT governance."

After all, I have said that ensuring correct IT governance will become the CIO's most important job. This is a tricky assignment that requires a rare combination of technical savvy and leadership skills.

Correct IT governance requires managing the natural tension between adhering to standards and allowing for creativity. It requires absolute enforcement of the rules, while creating a climate in which people can come up with new and better ways to do things and create new rules.

In Chapter 4, I explained that ADP is what geeks ...