The Role of the Board of Management

The board needs to accept responsibility for developing an ICT governance strategy.

The following elements should be included in the strategy.

• Creation of an ICT strategy committee to ensure continuing board input into ICT use in the organisation.
• Inclusion of ICT as an agenda item for each board meeting.
• Establishment of an ICT strategy aligned with the organisation’s mission.
• Review of the IT hardware, and software applications portfolio.
• Establishment of an ICT skill focused professional development program for all staff.
• Establishment of measurement criteria for digital proficiency.
• Supervision of the level of security required in ICT systems, particularly in relation to privacy law.

The board should seek the submission of initial and then regular reports from operational management on the following subjects.

• Hardware and software portfolio.
• Digital proficiency monitoring and measurement.
• Digital proficiency development activities and programs.
• Risk management responsibilities within the organisation.
• Staff responsibility for new ICT projects.
• Progress of current and projected ICT projects.
• Assessment of current ICT capability and identification of deficiencies.
• Problems, progress and development of ICT strategy in relation to the organisation’s mission and, particularly, in relation to the provision of client services.
• ICT policy reviews

Board ICT oversight and accountability will

• ensure more effective and ethical management;
• improve planning;
• develop integration and communication between the organisation’s operational activities;
• improve financial management;
• improve reporting timeliness and quality
• expedite audit and compliance requirements.

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