Consequently, disalignment is a state in which the implemented IT solution doesn't suit the business. It creates issues and hampers the business actvities an evolution.

There are various possible causes that may lead to a Business-IT disalignment:

• Disalignment objectives
• Lack of integration of plans
• Weakly organised or formalised business environment
• Issues in needs gathering (late detection of needs; incomplete and unsufficiently understood needs, wrong prioritisation)
• Communication issues between business and IT
• Very dynamic business environment (frequent/ad hoc changes)
  IT is dependent of business and may be slower to be adapted.
• Lack of IT resources, budgets,..
• Inappropriate foundation of the existing company's IT solution
• Weak organisation of the IT department
• Insufficient or inappropriately exploited competencies of the IT community
• Business-IT collaboration gap (barriers and weak relation between both communities) (more here)
• ...

If the IT reaches the objective of suiting the business needs by supporting its activities, then only a part of the potential of IT is exploited. Indeed, IT can play a greater role in business. New products embedding IT concepts and technologies can be developed. New services based on IT technologies capabilities can be proposed to customers. IT may lead to new business models and to new ways of doing business. It may influence the internal organisation of the company, its functioning and its activities increasing its efficiency, its effectiveness and its capabilites. IT can be a source of innovation. It can increase and even generate business volume and create new business opportunities. IT can be a driving force for IT. This goes well beyond an alignment. It is about a maximal exploitation of the real capabilities and power of IT.

• Identification of (potential) gaps, weaknesses and risks
• Proposing solutions & improvements to the enterprise-wide IT solution

• Identification of root causes in the organisation and processes
• Analysing and clarifying the whole process and mechanism and shed the light on the weaknesses and consequences
• Proposing solutions and improvements to ensure the organisation can keep the IS aligned with the business
• Proposing other improvements to strengthen the IT capabilities of the company