Agency and business buy-in is achieved when digital or ICT strategies are linked to tangible business benefits. A benefit is defined as a measure improvement from change, which is perceived as positive by one or more stakeholders, and which contributes to organisational (including strategic) objectives. Dis-benefits arise when the change in state detracts from the achievement of strategic objectives or is perceived as negative or by one or more stakeholders.
Though identifying benefits is desirable, defining outcomes may initially be easier, particularly in circumstances where the agency has a low level of maturity with respect to benefits identification and management. Outcomes are what is achieved as a result of projects or activities undertaken to effect the change (e.g., on the creation of capability that has been implemented into an operational context). Outcomes differ from benefits. Benefits are the measurable, financial, quantifiable, or observable difference between the initial state and the outcome.
The practices in this guideline should be conducted in collaboration with the stakeholders identified in the Sponsorship, scope and stakeholders guideline. These stakeholders may include:
- public stakeholders — service users and special interest or advocacy groups
- internal stakeholders—delivery teams of performance monitoring groups
- external stakeholder—potential delivery partners and subject matter experts
- government stakeholders — other agencies, potential partners and central agencies.
Audience
A practitioner in the context of this guideline can include one or more of the following roles:
- Digital and ICT strategic planners
- Agency and service strategic planners
- Workforce planners
- Business analysts
- Benefits specialists
- Information managers.