1. Policies – Clearly defined policies should link your business and technological arms. It includes written agreements, and provides a flow for standardization of business procedures.

All assets are not created equal. One asset may only contribute 5 percent towards revenue, whereas another may have the capability to contribute 85 percent if utilized correctly. Analysis of each asset allows management to increase profitability and improve efficiency.

3. Application Inventory – Application inventory takes a detailed view at all the available functions of each application. This step involves communication between the IT department and business managers on the full capability of each function used by your company.

Many business managers are not adept in the full functionality of each application. By taking inventory and reviewing the assets and applications, business drivers have a better understanding of the interconnectedness between applications.

4. Correlate Business Requirements With Available/Implemented Technology – By initiating communication between the IT department and the leadership team, your company has the capability to capitalize and maximize the technological tools already in use.

If you take a holistic view of the drivers needed to perform at full capacity, a discussion can be initiated on what additional technology is needed to keep your business operational in the event of a catastrophic event — whether it be forces of nature or a malware attack. This holistic approach makes your company more efficient and increases productivity. It also protects the reputation of your company because customers are not forced to endure a disruption in services.

6. Defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – KPIs are necessary for setting benchmarks for success. When information technology is maximized, it provides a strategic advantage to companies that integrate it into their daily operations. Understanding the outputs allows your management team to isolate problem areas and make the needed adjustments.

Executing the six-point life cycle above will result in a streamlined approach with predictable output based on the collected data. This can be integrated into an existing environment where the current data is collected without context on how to implement it into the business workflow.