We hear a lot about the changing role of IT. The rapid changes in technology and its pervasiveness in everything we do require a sharp understanding of how technology aligns with the business needs of customers. IT providers generally have a unique perspective since they touch multiple facets of an organization, especially for directors and managers who work closely with agency executives in making strategic decisions. Through its enterprise perspective, DTS has a broad end-to-end view of agencies and organizations so it can provide the best IT services available.

Understanding an agency’s business is critical to providing effective IT services. These services are embedded within the business, where IT staff work alongside agency peers to understand an agency’s programs and services. Together, they work to improve services and gain efficiencies.

A true understanding of the business can create shifts in paradigms and mindsets which, in turn, lead to new innovations and improved services. IT providers that don’t participate and influence what the business is doing may only feed or incrementally improve the status quo. IT can provide insight into how services can make differences not readily apparent to the business, thus helping agencies leverage the maximum value from their technology investments.

This strategy is at the core of DTS’ enterprise approach to IT services. Our cost-based rates structure, discretionary and nondiscretionary resource allocations, enterprise project management, and our enterprise change management process all help to allocate resources efficiently and improve ways DTS can assist the business in improving its services to customers.

The divide between the business and IT is not a result of the business ignoring IT. Rather, it is a symptom of IT not articulating well enough to the business the strategic value of IT services. This requires competencies beyond just a technical capacity, but an understanding of the unique processes and environment in which each agency operates. All DTS employees play a critical role in helping DTS properly align to the business. While IT Service Directors and managers that oversee the allocation of resources must understand the business, all employees, whether they interact directly with customers or not, should also clearly understand the needs of the business.

The real value of our success is gained by understanding the environments and needs of our customers, the agencies, then aligning our resources and accurately measuring our performance against those business needs. All DTS employees are involved with the agencies. Therefore, we need to continually focus on adding value to the agencies.

IT has three functions:

• Operations


• Transformation (focusing on alignment to the business and change management)


• Business Strategy

CIO Magazine recently published 10 competencies that help IT service providers:

• Function Expertise


• Team Leadership


• People and Organizational Development


• Results Orientation


• Collaboration and Influence


• Change Leadership


• Strategic Orientation


• Commercial Orientation


• External Customer Focus


• Market Knowledge

DTS is an enterprise partner to agencies so that it can help agencies create improved services by understanding technologies, customer needs, and current trends.