Validating a Practical Method for Planning Co-Evolution of Business and IT in a Public Sector Organisation

Background Business-IT alignment (BITA) remains a top management concern. A method for business-driven planning of changes in information systems was proposed by Nodehi et al., and evaluated in a limited way through an educational pilot and expert interviews. Aim We want to evaluate the proposed method in the public sector and identify possible improvements. Method We conducted a case study, involving four evolution projects in a local government organisation. We identified BITA challenges in the case organisation, then moderated the application of the method by participants, and finally studied the usefulness of the method through surveys and interviews. Results We identified 14 categories of BITA challenges in our public sector case organisation that largely match the challenges identified by Nodeehi et al. in the private sector. Overall, the method was well-accepted and highly appreciated by all participants. Several improvement points were identified. Clear links were found between identified BITA challenges and specific elements of the method. Conclusion The proposed planning method was found to be beneficial for improving BITA in the public sector. Additionally, the links found between BITA challenges and method elements provide insight in how the method helps achieve alignment.