The role of Business Integrated Governance in strategy delivery

BIG Framework
The BIG Framework provides a consistent model across all business areas, governing portfolios, programs, products, projects, and business-as-usual workstreams directed by a Main or Executive Board. It is designed to address the challenges of traditional hierarchical decision-making frameworks, which can struggle with cross-functional strategic objectives. The framework ensures that strategic priorities are managed effectively and not lost in the shuffle of local business targets1.
Key Concepts
• Accountability: Recognizing that accountability often spans across the organizational hierarchy, which can cause prioritization and dependency management difficulties.
• Collaboration: Assuming close collaboration with Commercial and Finance, and Assurance teams.
• Integration: Providing a way to integrate Models, Methods, Components, and Principles to enable a Company Culture.
Principles
• Strategy as a Necessity: Strategy is essential for achieving the organization’s purpose.
• Data as a Foundation: Data underpins information and should be treasured and managed effectively.
• Empowerment and Accountability: Individuals must be empowered and held accountable to achieve strategic objectives.
Components
• Organization: Structuring the organization to support BIG.
• Governance: Establishing clear governance processes and structures.
• Accountability: Defining roles and responsibilities clearly.
• Management Information and Data: Ensuring that data and information flow effectively throughout the organization.
• Business Support: Positioning a business support function correctly within the organization to orchestrate BIG.
• Leadership: to drive change and oversee operation
Challenges and Solutions
BIG addresses the challenge of moving from ad hoc governance processes to a holistic approach to governance and decision-making. It does so by creating a well-defined capability for communication, performance oversight, decision-making, re-steering, and course correction. The BIG Framework is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a toolbox to deliver solutions with1.
Governance in Practice
In practice, BIG is about embedding good governance throughout an organization. It’s not about control and compliance or replacing project management methodologies. Instead, it’s about ensuring that governance reflects the organization’s purpose at all levels and is agile enough to adapt to changes1.
Methodologies
The methodologies within BIG provide tools for delivering the necessary change to operate a more integrated form of governance. These include readiness assessments, standard agendas for governance bodies, and information models1.
What BIG is Not
• It’s not control and compliance gone mad.
• It’s not a replacement for project portfolio or program management.
• It’s not a complete set of tools you can just whip out-of-the-box.
• It’s not simple or easy.
BIG is a comprehensive approach that requires thoughtful implementation and a commitment to aligning governance with the organization’s strategic objectives and operations1234.
For further exploration and a deeper understanding of BIG, there are resources available, including a Body of Knowledge, which breaks down the framework into chapters and sub-chapters, providing rich content accessible to members2.
The discussion highlights the importance of aligning corporate governance with an organization’s purpose and decision-making processes. The key points emphasized include:
• Compliance vs. Purpose: There’s a concern that governance has become a compliance checkbox exercise rather than being aligned with the organization’s purpose.
• Strategy Integration: Corporate governance should be integrated with strategy at all levels of the organization, not just at the top.
• Clear Decision-Making: Decision-making should be clear and reflect the organization’s culture and purpose.
• Accountability and Measurement: There’s a need for accountability in actions and decisions, which can be challenging to measure, especially for intangible aspects.
• Agility: Organizations must be agile, adapting their governance and strategies to reflect changes and maintain alignment with their purpose.
• Avoiding Misrepresentation: It’s important to challenge misrepresentations and involve a wider range of talents in decision-making to ensure diverse perspectives and avoid errors.
The conversation suggests that Business Integrated Governance (BIG) should be a tool that helps embed good governance throughout the organization, ensuring that every action reflects the overarching purpose and is not limited to compliance or strategy layers alone. The methodologies discussed aim to provide a framework for achieving this integration and ensuring that governance is purpose-driven and grounded throughout the organization. The emphasis is on the need for a culture of aligned actions, clear decision-making, and accountability that ties back to the bigger picture.