IT alignment Intelligence: the role of emotional intelligence in business and IT alignment

Abstract

Above average analytical and mathematical ability are highly sought-after human attributes required from IT professionals at work in the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC). These attributes are perceived to be ingredients for a successful career in Information Technology (IT). When companies hire IT professionals, they often focus on the “hard” skills needed to perform the work (Joseph, Ang, Chang, & Slaughter, 2010). There is a growing awareness that technical skills alone are insufficient for success in IT. Technical skills and experience are becoming an entry-level requirement. Being technically competent is no longer enough. For IT professionals, to improve business, a wider set of skills are required. This research aimed to determine what the human attributes are that contribute most to the improvement of business, namely IT alignment. It was found that Emotional Intelligence (EI) of business analysts, systems analysts, and project managers does play a role in the non-delivery of business needs by the IT department. Further, human attributes found to contribute to business-IT alignment were experience, communication skills, professionalism, and collaboration skills. A taxonomy of IT alignment intelligence for business analysts, systems analysts, and project managers is proposed.