IT and Enterprise Architecture Metrics: Managing in Tough Economic Times

How can IT demonstrate its value to the CFO in this times of economic downturn? How can IT make the case for funding for new projects? Lately I have seen this type of questions asked more often. The answer is that IT must have metrics that are directly connected to corporate revenues, expenditures, and profitability. In order to develop this metrics IT must partner with the business units. For example, if a business department wants a more efficeint application so that workers spend less time manually completing reports IT must ask to that department: how is the improvement in the application going to affect revenues, expenditures, or profitability. IT and business departments should be sitting down and making project-specific economic forecasts that are measurable in terms of the economic health of a company. If you need assistance in making these forecasts and its accompanying metrics let me know and I will assist you in this area.