Life sciences: IT governance system

Challenge:

Separate IT groups tended to operate in silos, without understanding the interdependencies of their activities with other IT and business processes. The client needed to develop and implement a common IT Governance System that would provide the means for IT staff and teams to:

• Work effectively and efficiently, on a consistent basis
• Follow IT best practices across the entire organization
• Ensure compliance in a heavily regulated industry
• Maximize collaboration and innovation to better serve the needs of the business

Solution:

Mazars facilitated the selection of an IT framework and benchmarking model and the customization of the framework to fir the client’s operating model and culture. Mazars managed a phased implementation of the Governance System that included:

• Obtaining executive buy-in on the final Governance Framework
• Identifying process owners for all key IT processes and activities
• Developing a project plan, prioritizing the most critical IT processes
• Implementing a process development, training and change control methodology
• Working with process owners to develop and document processes, standards and procedures in a collaborative manner, accounting for interdependencies with other key processes
• Developing and implementing a portal for delivery of process and procedure information to IT and customers of IT

Results:

The Mazars team was able to develop and imbed an IT Governance System across the entire IT organization that provided the foundation for a “customer focused”, effective IT operating model and that:

• Established clear, unambiguous roles and responsibilities for IT quality and validation activities
• Improved productivity by providing easy access to the information IT staff needed to do their jobs and improved communications and training processes
• Facilitated a significant culture change, promoting collaboration and breaking down silos
• Generated business value through implementing stable, repeatable processes allowing management and employees to focus on process optimization and innovation
• Provided the means to monitor, control and capture changes that are made in processes thereby maintaining the operating knowledge of the IT organization