The Challenge:
The client, a national staffing firm with a high-growth business unit, operated separate IT functions, one serving enterprise needs and another embedded in the growth division. As the business scaled, the lack of clarity around ownership, risk, and integration posed increasing challenges for the CIO.
To better manage enterprise risk and ensure technology investments supported both growth and stability, the organization needed to:
- Gain visibility into the business unit’s existing IT capabilities
- Assess the risk posed by operating outside centralized governance
- Determine which functions should remain independent, be governed, or be integrated
- Improve collaboration and decision-making across the two IT organizations
Without a structured evaluation, the client risked compounding inefficiencies, undermining security and compliance, and stalling the business unit’s momentum.
The Strategy:
Jabian partnered with technology leaders from both organizations to perform a comprehensive IT capability assessment, leveraging its CIO Framework to evaluate risk, maturity, and integration readiness. The team:
- Analyzed current-state IT operations across people, process, and technology
- Assessed risk exposure across customer-facing and internal systems
- Categorized each capability into three options: integrate, govern, or remain independent
- Led self-assessments and cross-functional workshops to ensure alignment and accountability
The approach provided the CIO with clear, actionable insights for aligning IT strategy with enterprise goals—without stifling innovation in the growth business unit.
The Outcome:
The client gained a transparent view of the business unit’s IT landscape and its associated risks. With Jabian’s guidance, leadership was able to:
- Identify key areas requiring immediate governance or integration
- Understand the downstream impact of IT transitions on both internal and external systems
- Develop a risk-mitigated roadmap for integration and governance
- Build consensus and support from the board through clear communication of risk and rationale
This engagement showcased Jabian’s strength in Technology Enablement, equipping the CIO with the frameworks, insights, and confidence to govern IT at scale while supporting innovation where it mattered most.