For several years now, research organizations have been faced with tight budgets and many of use have been asked, repeatedly, to do more with less. Yet the demand for IT services continues to grow at an accelerating pace. We are all facing the need for some of the largest IT upgrades in our institution's history, and yet we are also expected to be doing more with less — to be doing our part to hold down costs.

This kind of mismatch among needs, expectations, and resources cannot go on indefinitely.

If something cannot go on indefinitely, at some point it will stop. It may slow and stop gracefully, or it may stop with a crash, but it will stop.

In the case of run-away demand for IT services, the path to a graceful deceleration involves the alignment of expectations and resources. IT leaders must understand the true institutional priorities (and constraints). Instituional leaders must understand the true value, and the true cost, of IT services.

So, what's the trick? How to achieve this critical alignment?

Unfortunately, there is no simple trick. Some organizations have addressed the problem by developing new approaches to IT decision making — that is, formalizing IT governance. Others have relied upon their well established, solid working relationships between IT management and institutional leaders. Others are trying to make do with procedures that were successful in the past (but which may be showing signs of strain now).