We define IT Governance as the direction set for an IT organization by the company’s board of directors.
The word governance is derived from the latin root gubernare which means to direct or steer. We believe that it is important to have a simple definition that can be remembered easily by all stakeholders of an organization. IT governance agendas flow out of strategic boardroom and C-suite discussions into the execution DNA of an organization where the mechanics of governance processes are implemented.
Some of the other commonly used definitions of IT governance that we like are as follows:
Weill and Ross define IT Governance as “Specifying the decision rights and accountability framework to encourage desirable behavior in the use of IT.”
The Information Technology Governance Institute (ITGI) describes IT Governance as the responsibility of the board of directors and executive management. It is an integral part of enterprise governance and consists of the leadership and organisational structures and processes that ensure that the organisation’s IT sustains and extends the organisation’s strategies and objectives.
A more detailed post on definitions of IT Governance can be found here.