This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.
In an organization's vast information technology landscape, an IT shared services function acts as the metropolis that provides essential services to the rest of IT, business units and other functions.
Just as a metropolis ensures the well-being of its constituent cities, shared services play a vital role in enabling and safeguarding a company's digital ecosystem, enabling seamless business operations, and powering the digital transformation journey.
By consolidating resources and streamlining processes, shared services can help companies scale operations, reduce costs, increase efficiency and drive innovation. As digital transformation continues to accelerate, shared services will continue to be a valuable tool for businesses looking to stay competitive and agile in the face of change.
While companies have different organizational models, IT shared services functions typically include security, infrastructure and operations, architecture, project and portfolio management, compliance, sourcing, and vendor management. Some services may be decentralized and other services shared.
Despite their importance, IT shared services are often not fully understood or appreciated within organizations. Their impact on the company's digital ecosystem and transformation journey is immense, yet their value may go unnoticed. It is crucial for organizations to recognize and appreciate the vital role played by IT shared services to leverage their full potential and achieve digital success.
Similar to a metropolis deploying robust security measures to maintain order and protect its citizens, the security team tirelessly protects assets, data, and systems. The team implements cutting-edge protocols, develops policies, and ensures compliance to secure an organization in the face of sophisticated cyber threats.
As the backbone of a company's technological landscape, infrastructure and operations (I&O) ensures high availability, reliability, and performance of data, networks, servers, and endpoints. Like the infrastructure that connects and supports various cities within a metropolis, I&O manages the day-to-day operations, troubleshoots issues, and optimizes the digital infrastructure, enabling seamless business operations across departments.
Enterprise architecture (EA) is the visionary force that aligns technology capabilities with strategic business objectives. Similar to how a metropolis relies on a well-defined architectural plan, an EA team establishes standards, guidelines, and roadmaps to ensure coherence, scalability, and interoperability in the technology landscape.
