The Role of the TBM Council and Its Frameworks

Hey there, TBM enthusiasts! In our TBM series so far, we've unpacked quite a bit:

• What is Technology Business Management (TBM)? (The "what")

• TBM Taxonomy (The "how we organize it")

• Showback vs Chargeback (The "who pays" dilemma)

• How TBM Enables IT Financial Management (ITFM) (The financial superpower)

• TBM and Cloud Cost Management (Conquering the cloud spend)

• TBM Tools: Apptio, ServiceNow, and Others (Your tech toolkit)

But today, let's dive into something that often flies under the radar but is the bedrock of the TBM practice - the TBM Council.

So, what exactly is the TBM Council?

Imagine a global gathering, a vibrant community where CIOs, CTOs, CFOs, IT finance leaders, and business executives all come together. Their mission? To tackle a common, persistent question:

"How do we genuinely manage and communicate the value of IT in a way that truly resonates with business leaders?"

That, my friends, is the TBM Council in a nutshell!

It's a non-profit professional organization passionately focused on advancing TBM as a discipline. Think of it as the ultimate "think tank" and "standards body" for TBM practices worldwide. Pretty cool, right?

What have been the contributions of the TBM Council?

Here are some of the Council's most impactful contributions:

Developed the TBM Framework and Standards: The TBM Council didn't just talk the talk; they walked the walk! They created the comprehensive TBM Framework, which gives us:

• Structured, smart approaches to manage IT costs.

• A common, clear language for those crucial IT and business conversations.

• Best practices for budgeting, forecasting, and achieving true cost transparency.

Created and continue to maintain the TBM Taxonomy: Remember how we chatted about the TBM Taxonomy earlier in this series? Well, that brilliant standardization came straight from the Council! It was developed to:

• Standardize how IT costs are categorized (no more guessing games!).

• Enable genuine "apples-to-apples" comparisons across different organizations.

• Facilitate better insights and smarter decision-making.

Continue to drive Community and Knowledge Sharing: The TBM Council isn't just about documents; it's about people! They actively foster a vibrant community by hosting:

• Conferences and summits, like the highly annual TBM Conference.

• Insightful webinars and knowledge sessions featuring industry leaders.

• Active working groups that are dedicated to refining standards and practices. This ensures TBM isn't just a theoretical concept, but a living, evolving discipline backed by the real-world experiences of practitioners like us.

Introduction of the TBM Unified Model (TBMUM): The TBM Unified Model (TBMUM) builds on the TBM Taxonomy and provides:

• A standard data model for TBM tools and platforms, allowing seamless integration.

• Consistency in reporting, dashboards, and metrics across various tools.

• A simplified pathway for TBM implementation, even in the most complex organizations.

Why should all this matter to us?

If you are on your TBM implementation journey as part of your role at work, or are simply peripheral to those involved with TBM in your company, and want to learn what all the hulabaloo is all about, it helps to have context and know the lingo. You should check out the TBM Council Website.

https://www.tbmcouncil.org/

Who exactly participates in the TBM Council?

This isn't a niche club! The Council embraces a diverse group, including:

• CIOs and CTOs who are actively driving technology transformation.

• CFOs and IT Finance leaders focused on cost transparency and value realization.

• Business executives who are keen on aligning IT spend directly with strategic goals.

It's this multi-disciplinary community that truly makes its frameworks so practical, powerful, and widely adopted.

Simple Analogy Time!

Think of the TBM Council as the World Health Organization (WHO) for TBM.

• The WHO develops global health standards and best practices to keep us healthy.

• The TBM Council develops technology business management standards and best practices to keep our IT organizations healthy and aligned with business goals!

Both drive consistency, adoption, and continuous improvement in their respective fields.

Reflection

When I first heard about the TBM Council, I admit, I thought it was just another industry body.

But as I looked into its frameworks, explored its resources, and engaged with TBM practitioners, a deeper realization hit me:

• Technology Business Management isn't just about managing IT costs. It's about fundamentally changing the way technology and business leaders communicate, align, and collaboratively create immense value.

• This is done through the power of community and sharing of knowledge. It was a powerful reminder that while tools and models are crucial, it's the community behind them that truly drives monumental change.

Over to You!

Have you engaged with the TBM Council’s resources or events? What was your experience?

And broadly, how do you think industry-wide standards benefit both technology and finance functions in today's dynamic business world?

I'd genuinely love to hear your thoughts and insights in the comments below!

#TechnologyBusinessManagement #TBM #TBMCouncil #ITFinance #ITLeadership #CostTransparency #TechStrategy #DigitalTransformation #CIO #ITBM