We have been compiling the results of one facet of our multi-company research into business-IT maturity - the maturity assessment that companies took as part of participation in the research project.

The purpose of the surveywas to provide an assessment of business-IT capability in a corporation or business unit. We asked that the survey be completed by an executive familiar with the business strategy for technology use, the roles and work of the IT organization, and the relationship between IT and the rest of the business. The survey consisted of 50 sets of statements, grouped into 10 categories of 5 sets each. Each set had three statements, and respondents were asked to choose the statement (corresponding to capability level 1, 2 or 3) that most closely matched the current state of capability or focus in the business and its IT organization. If the capability is in transition, or split between two of the choices, the respondent could choose 1.5 or 2.5.

The average of results was interesting, with delivering business solutions and managing enterprise architecture showing as the lowest maturity, and the highest maturity in overall focus and overarching goals (indicated perhaps thatthe spirit is willing but the body is weak?) More interesting than the averages, however, are the individual company results. I know severalof the companies that participated in the research quite well, and was pleased at how well the survey instrument results reflected the business-IT maturity realities at those companies. The really big surprise for me, however, was the fact that the gap between the lower maturity and higher maturity environments is so wide, and my sense (based upon my consulting activities) is that the gap between the high and low maturity organizations is widening quickly.

My hypothesis about this is that once an IT organization embarks on an IT transformation (sometimes they call it that, other times the “t” word is avoided and replaced by some sort of euphemism), they keep transforming, at least to some degree - i.e., they gradually master organization change and continuous improvement, and are able to continue evolving as the business matures and as information technology evolves. Those organizations that never embark on a transformation program become almost literally frozen in time - a sea of legacy systems, legacy skills, and a hodgepodge of ancient practices - none of them consistently followed.

Of course, in these neolithic organizations it is not just IT that is stuck in the dark ages - it is business leadership who’s mental models about IT are stuck in the same dark place - i.e., low business demand maturity begets low IT supply maturity. As had been said before, “businesses get the IT they deserve.” Some companies survive like this for quite a while - there are attributes of their business model that insulate them from the march of technology. Obscene margins and a rarefied competitive environment in businesses that are not information intensive are such attributes. However, I am convinced that in the current day and age, every business is quickly becoming information intensive, all margins are threatened, and new forms of competition are ready to strike. The global forces, changing demographics and shifting economic and environmental environment will drive companies out of business if they aren’t able to cost-effectively leverage IT.

The other side of this coin is that low IT supply maturity dampens and constrains business demand maturity. I firmly believe that IT leadership must have and use the competencies to be “working the crowd” of business leadership, demonstrating improvement in IT supply, and enlightening business leadership to foster higher IT literacy. They have to take the lead in turning the vicious cycle of low supply capability limiting business demand, and low business demand constraining IT supply into a virtuous cycle where IT supply increases business demand maturity which in turn leads to increasing supply maturity.