IT project portfolio governance

Today's organizations are driven by technology. To ensure that information technology (IT) teams function optimally when implementing projects, organizations have been increasingly establishing IT governance systems based on such industry standards as the IT Infrastructure Library(ITIL) and the Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT). As a result, the role played by IT operations managers is also shifting. This article examines the competencies that IT operations managers need to develop to perform well in today's projectized business environment. In doing so, it overviews why organizations need conceptual frameworks. It then details the competencies that contemporary operations managers need to develop so that they can perform their roles successfully, competencies that are explained in relation to three dimensions: know how to be, how what, and know how. It also defines eight sub-activities performed by operations managers.