Harmonisation: the starting point for coherent ICT governance
Introduction
When organisations aim to improve ICT governance, the first reaction is often to act on:
- tools
- processes
- management systems
In practice, these approaches rarely deliver the expected results.
The reason is straightforward:
governance cannot be coherent without prior harmonisation.
Within MS4ICT, harmonisation is the true starting point of any desiloing effort.
Fragmented governance by design
In many organisations, functions, responsibilities and frameworks have evolved:
- progressively
- in parallel
- independently
This leads to a situation where:
- the same function is defined differently depending on the context
- responsibilities are not interpreted consistently
- frameworks are not aligned with one another
“Who is who”: a structuring question
Let us consider a simple example: the Risk Manager.
Depending on the perspective:
- the role may be associated with finance
- perceived as a control function
- partially defined by HR
- or weakly connected to regulatory obligations
The result is often the same:
- the function exists, but without a shared definition
- responsibilities are fragmented
- governance becomes difficult to read and manage
Harmonising roles and responsibilities
In MS4ICT, the first step is to harmonise roles and responsibilities, before any other action is taken.
Harmonisation means:
- clearly identifying each function
- defining responsibilities in a coherent way
- linking responsibilities to applicable obligations
- ensuring consistent recognition across the organisation
This step helps restore a common language across disciplines.
Harmonising frameworks
Harmonisation does not only apply to roles.
It also concerns the frameworks used within the organisation.
In most environments, multiple frameworks coexist:
- ISO standards
- regulatory requirements
- risk taxonomies
- internal reference models
Without harmonisation:
- definitions diverge
- analyses are duplicated
- results become difficult to compare
Aligning with external standards
MS4ICT promotes an approach based on:
aligning with existing external standards
rather than creating isolated internal structures.
Examples include:
- adopting recognised risk taxonomies
- aligning with established governance frameworks
This enables:
- reduced duplication
- improved comparability
- stronger long-term coherence
Harmonising management systems
In many organisations, management systems (such as ISMS, AIMS, etc.) are:
- managed separately
- based on different logic
- not explicitly connected
MS4ICT does not aim to merge them but to make their relationships explicit
Why harmonisation is essential
Without harmonisation:
- desiloing remains theoretical
- responsibilities overlap
- information is duplicated
- governance is difficult to explain
With harmonisation:
- roles become clear
- frameworks are aligned
- systems can be connected
- governance becomes understandable
Harmonisation as a foundation
Within MS4ICT:
- harmonisation is not optional
- it is the foundation of the entire system
Without harmonisation, the coherence engine cannot operate effectively.
Conclusion
Before attempting to improve governance through:
- tools
- processes
- or projects
it is essential to desilo through meaning.
Harmonising roles, responsibilities and frameworks is the first building block of coherent ICT governance.