* Collaborating within a public sector organization can be a challenge, but has its benefits
Collaborating within a public sector organization can be a challenge, but research shows the business value created by collaboration between the CIO and CFO.
The Industry Advisory Council, a public-private partnership for industry and government executives, recently released a white paper examining how CIO and CFOs work together in the public sector to smooth implementation and mitigate risks.
“No technology project can be successfully completed without a clear budget and understanding of financial constraints, and no financial officer can develop realistic plans without an understanding of the business impact of a project,” says Gene Zapfel, chair of the IAC Collaboration and Transformation Shared Interest Group. “By including both the CFO and CIO in the project initiation through execution, the perspectives of both of these roles can inform each other and lead to greater accomplishments overall.”
Here are some of the findings:
* CFOs and CIOs must work to understand each other’s responsibilities and areas of expertise and meet regularly.
* Small projects can deliver benefits that help you generate further support of larger programs.
* Collaboration can occur in projects of various sizes where the CFO is the business driver or main beneficiary and financial considerations were a main factor in the decision-making process.
* Working with the CFO helps federal CIOs in the Capital Planning for Investment Control process. Likewise, IT executives can aid CFOs in meeting regulatory requirements and tapping existing IT investments.
Examples of successful federal projects cited in the white paper include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Enterprise Income Validation, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s Internet Payment Platform, the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Defense Agencies Initiative, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Phoenix Project, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Capital Planning Process.
The white paper is available for download.
