Business-Driven IT Integration and Realignment

by William M. Ulrich

Integration may mean many things to various stakeholders within an enterprise. To IT, it may mean connecting Web-based front ends to legacy systems. To business analysts, it may mean getting the same answer to the same inquiry across multiple business units. To customers, it may mean not getting three invoices for three different products from the same company. To executives, it may mean assimilating the latest corporate acquisition. To your supply chain, it may mean interfacing at one point with your company instead of a dozen. Each of these perspectives is valid, and any enterprise wishing to thrive in the Information Age must examine and address these challenges under a comprehensive approach.