I85PREP
⌘ K
ICSAN MIS study materials
ICSAN MIS study resources

ICSAN MIS: Information Systems Strategy, Governance and Alignment with Corporate Objectives

ICSAN MIS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Information Systems Strategy, Governance and Alignment with Corporate Objectives

What the exam tests

This domain examines how information systems strategy is derived from corporate strategy and governed so that investment delivers value. Expect questions on IS versus IT strategy, alignment, portfolio management, decision rights, COBIT and benefits realisation.

Core rules and concepts

  • IS strategy is the demand side: the information and application capabilities the business needs. IT strategy is the supply side: infrastructure, standards, sourcing and technical services.
  • Alignment means IS priorities trace to corporate objectives and are governed, funded and measured. It is continuous, not a one-off project.
  • Useful lenses include Porter's five forces and value chain, the strategic grid (support, factory, turnaround, strategic) and the balanced scorecard.
  • Governance defines decision rights for principles, architecture, infrastructure, investment and prioritisation. COBIT separates governance from management and links IT objectives to enterprise goals.
  • A roadmap sequences initiatives; a business case states costs, benefits, risks and assumptions; benefits realisation tracks outcomes after delivery.

Worked example

A bank wants 20% faster loan approvals to improve customer retention. The corporate objective is retention. The IS strategy is a digital application, workflow and credit-scoring capability. The IT strategy supplies cloud hosting, APIs and identity management. A governance committee prioritises the investment and tracks approval time and default rate. Reasoning: alignment is not 'buy a system'; it links objective to capability to investment to measure. A list of technologies without this chain is not an IS strategy.

Traps that cost marks

Do not reduce IS strategy to a software wish list. Do not assume alignment is achieved once. Centralisation is not always right; it depends on standardisation versus local responsiveness. Pet projects that bypass governance signal weak portfolio control.

Key points

  • IS strategy is demand-side; IT strategy is supply-side.
  • Alignment links corporate objectives to capabilities, funding and measures.
  • Governance assigns decision rights and oversight.
  • The strategic grid helps classify current and future IT dependence.
  • Benefits realisation is part of strategy, not an afterthought.