Chapter © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

Good communication is essential for: Building trust & partnerships between business IT Helping IT to manage business perceptions of IT Understanding priorities & pressures of business Conveying the business value of IT 3-2

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 1. Communication effectiveness measured by outcomes 2. Communication is social behavior. 3. Shared knowledge improves communication 4. Mature organizations have better communication 3-3

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-4 Successful when achieves outcomes we desire Can get distorted through filters such as politics, culture, and personal points of view Transmits ideas AND negotiates relationships How you say it just as important as what you say Be aware of power of different linguistic styles More IT staff knows the business the better communication becomes Mature IT organizations embed appropriate communication at the operational & strategic level Shared knowledge, beginning of the “virtuous circle”

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-5 Shared Knowledge Increased Communication Mutual Understanding and “Common Sense” Implementation Success THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNICATION CYCLE

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-6 Changing nature of IT work: More complex over time Multiple cultures, different political contexts various times zones & virtual contacts Hiring practices: Skills becoming more consultative & collaborative ▪ rather than focused exclusively on technology Nature & frequency of communication: Should not exclusively occur in formal interactions Attitude: Desire to be right rather than good communicators

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-7 Translation: a four-step process Business Impact of Technology Issues Business Technology Issues IT Solutions Business Solutions IT Translation

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-8 Tailoring: adapt communication to audience Understanding needs, agendas & politics Choosing & suitable communication method (e.g., reports, face-to-face, s) Transparency: business needs to see what’s being done in IT & what it costs, meaning: Communication that is honest, accurate, ethical & respectful Getting the communication process flowing both ways Thinking, talking, and listening: IT staff needs to understand how & where to speak & how to listen: How one reaches a decision is as important to successful communication as the actual decision itself

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-9 Make the importance of effective communication visible Work with HR to develop new skill expectations & roles Develop communication skills both formally & informally Increase the nature and frequency of communication Spend more time on communication

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3-10 Effective communication can overcome misunderstandings dysfunctional behavior, and, above all, failures to deliver IT value Good communication has both social and organizational dimensions A “virtuous circle” of communication can improve IT performance and perceptions of IT value