Directors and government ministers across the world are increasingly being held accountable for failed IT systems, data loss and poor decisions about their organisation’s data. This valuable book is designed to bridge the gap between the governing body and CIOs/ IT managers. It will help the reader create a safe and robust governance framework for their organisation by applying the principles of the ISO Governance of IT Standard 38500 on directing, evaluating and monitoring IT activity.

"A fascinating take on what too many businesspeople - wrongly - think is a dry subject. Profoundly valuable for any business venture and also engaging and entertaining. I thoroughly recommend it." - Institute of Directors

"This well written and engaging book…provides thoughtful, practical solutions for managing IT in order to maximize its positive impact and minimize risks." - Google

"This book fills a void that has existed for at least 20 years. Boards now have the information and the tools this book provides to tackle the contemporary issues of IT governance. Alison Holt draws on practical experiences in IT, including as chair of the International Standards Organisation committee that wrote the standard on the governance of IT, at the coal face of corporate IT development contracts and as a company director herself, to explain, educate and inform directors on governance issues most companies face with IT. This includes managing the CEO and the CIO, whose technical knowledge usually exceeds that of most directors; yet the board is tasked with the responsibility to direct, evaluate and monitor IT management. With a deft touch, and more humour than expected, the author guides directors through complex issues by clear explanation and useful analogy. This is an easy but necessary read for anyone engaged in IT governance." - InternetNZ and ICANN