The Stakes and Challenges
49
Getting involved in digital governance
Digital technology is not solely the domain of IT, nor can it be reduced to
e-business, digital marketing and/or digital clients. Digital technology
covers the business as a whole, concerning business and support
functions alike.
The question of digital governance is important, and there are many
possible structures, from the creation of a separate entity (a Joint
Venture between the IT and Marketing departments) led by a Chief
Digital Officer, to the creation of a new position, Business Information
Officer or Chief Data Officer, whose aim is to ensure the company
benefits from its information capital.
Whatever the model, the IS function is systematically present in
all projects with a digital component. The essence of
governance is not defining the boundaries (what belongs
towhom?), but rather forginganalliancebetweendifferent
business sectors, and sharing responsibilities equally.
Taking into account the transverse character of digital
technology, this is the only way the company’s digital transformation
can take place correctly.
IT departments need to be proactive in initiating and maintaining
dialogue with directors. The CIO has the social responsibility to
assimilate all the challenges of digital technology; they are less
“
technical engineers” and more “business engineers”.
Presence
of the
IS Function
