Method for Measuring the Alignment Between Information Technology Strategic Planning and Actions of Information Technology Governance

Lucio Melre Da Silva,Joao Souza Neto

doi:10.4301/s1807-17752014000100008

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to present a method for measuring the degree of alignment between Strategic Planning and Information Technology Management practices and Information Technology Governance. A survey of IT governance maturity at the High Courts and the Supreme Court was carried out in order to reach this aim. The Attribute Table of the COBIT 4.1 was used both as a model for maturity analysis as for the degree of alignment of IT strategic plans of these bodies with the IT Strategic Planning established by the National Judiciary Council (CNJ). It was assessed the maturity of thirty four processes, according to six attributes, in the four COBIT domains. The proposed method, named COMPLAN-GTI, allows the linking of the guidelines of the strategic planning to the COBIT processes. The field research above mentioned shows that the alignment between the planning established by the CNJ and those established by the High Courts and Supreme Court is around 68%, leading to the conclusion that the policies and actions established by the National Council of Justice for the Judiciary are being followed. The application of the method is also used to confirm whether the management practices and the IT Governance are consistent with the strategic plan established by the organization. It was observed in the research carried out in the Courts that the average convergence between PETIs and management practices and Governance lies around 70%, leading to the conclusion that the strategic plans exerted influence on the action planning of these organizations.

Highlights

The Brazilian Constitution, in its Second Article, states that the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary are branches of the government, independent and harmonious among themselves
One of the innovations introduced by the reform of the Brazilian Constitution was the creation of the National Council of Justice – CNJ (Conselho Nacional de Justiça), whose mission is to contribute to a decision made with morality, efficiency and effectiveness, for the benefit of justice
This study identified four scenarios in the relationship between the strategic planning of the CNJ and the nth Court being analysed (TRIBUNALn): i) COBIT process present in PETI - CNJ and present in PETI - TRIBUNALn (Scenario 1), ii) COBIT process present in PETI - CNJ and absent in PETI - TRIBUNALn (Scenario 2), iii) COBIT process present in PETI - TRIBUNALn and absent in PETI - CNJ (Scenario 3) and iv) COBIT process absent in both strategic planning (Scenario 4)

Summary

Introduction

The Brazilian Constitution, in its Second Article, states that the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary are branches of the government, independent and harmonious among themselves. The CNJ is an agency focused on the reformulation of the Judiciary’s officials and the judicial procedures, especially regarding the administrative and procedural control and transparency, and it was set up in conformance with the Federal Constitution, in particular pursuant to article 103-B. It has a Standing Committee of Information Technology and Infrastructure, which proposes actions to: Implement adequate infrastructure for the intended operation of the Judiciary; Create the Information Technology Strategic Planning to ensure the appropriate technology for the proper performance of the activities of the Courts, the interoperability between different systems, and the improvement and implementation of the electronic judicial process, and Deploy the electronic judicial process.

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion