Alignment Goals

COBIT 2019 Foundation: Alignment Goals - Complete Guide

Understanding Alignment Goals in COBIT 2019

Why Alignment Goals Are Important

Alignment Goals form a critical component of the COBIT 2019 framework, serving as the bridge between organizational objectives and IT governance. Their importance lies in several key areas:

• Strategic Connection: Alignment Goals link enterprise goals to IT-related goals, ensuring that IT initiatives directly support business objectives
• Governance Foundation: They provide the basis for establishing governance and management objectives that drive IT decision-making
• Performance Measurement: They enable organizations to measure whether IT is truly delivering value aligned with business needs
• Risk Management: Alignment Goals help identify and mitigate risks where IT performance diverges from business expectations
• Resource Optimization: They justify IT investments by demonstrating clear business value and return on investment

What Are Alignment Goals?

Alignment Goals are IT-related goals that directly correspond to and support enterprise goals. In the COBIT 2019 framework, they represent the second level in the goals cascade hierarchy.

Key Characteristics:

• They translate enterprise objectives into IT-specific language and targets
• There are typically 17 Alignment Goals in COBIT 2019
• Each Alignment Goal maps to one or more enterprise goals
• They focus on how IT should be positioned and managed to support the business
• They address areas such as IT strategy, IT value delivery, IT risk management, and IT resource management

The Goals Cascade Structure:

The goals cascade in COBIT 2019 flows from top to bottom as follows:

1. Enterprise Goals (Top Level): Business-focused outcomes that the organization wants to achieve
2. Alignment Goals (Middle Level): IT-related goals that support enterprise goals
3. Governance and Management Objectives (Bottom Level): Specific COBIT processes and practices that enable alignment goals

How Alignment Goals Work

The Mapping Mechanism:

Alignment Goals work through a systematic mapping process:

1. Enterprise Goals Definition: The organization identifies what it wants to achieve from a business perspective (e.g., 'Competitive products and services', 'Digital innovation', 'Stakeholder value')
2. Alignment Goals Translation: For each enterprise goal, corresponding IT-related goals are identified. For example, if an enterprise goal is 'Digital innovation', an alignment goal might be 'Managed IT-enabled transformation'
3. Objectives Identification: Each Alignment Goal then maps to specific governance and management objectives (COBIT processes) that must be implemented
4. Implementation: Organizations execute the processes and practices defined by the governance and management objectives
5. Measurement: Performance metrics track whether the alignment goals are being achieved

Key Alignment Goals (Examples):

• Portfolio of prioritized and managed IT services
• Managed IT-enabled transformation
• Optimized IT assets and resources
• Managed IT risk and resilience
• Managed IT-related compliance
• Realized IT value
• IT-supported business processes and services

The Bidirectional Flow:

A crucial aspect of how Alignment Goals work is that they function in both directions:

• Top-Down: Enterprise goals drive the definition and prioritization of alignment goals
• Bottom-Up: The capabilities and constraints of IT governance and management objectives inform what alignment goals are realistic and achievable

How to Answer Questions Regarding Alignment Goals in an Exam

Question Type 1: Definition and Purpose Questions

Example: 'What is the primary purpose of Alignment Goals in COBIT 2019?'

Approach:

• Define Alignment Goals as IT-related goals that support enterprise goals
• Emphasize the translation/bridge function between business and IT
• Mention they are the second level in the goals cascade
• Connect to overall value delivery and governance

Answer Example: 'Alignment Goals are IT-focused objectives that translate enterprise goals into IT-specific targets and outcomes. They serve as a bridge between what the business wants to achieve (enterprise goals) and how IT should be organized and managed (governance and management objectives) to support those business outcomes.'

Question Type 2: Cascade and Relationship Questions

Example: 'How do Alignment Goals relate to Enterprise Goals and Governance Objectives?'

Approach:

• Describe the three-level cascade structure
• Explain that Alignment Goals sit in the middle, receiving direction from above and providing direction below
• Use directional language (supports, enables, implements)
• Provide a concrete example showing the flow

Answer Example: 'Enterprise Goals set the business direction. Alignment Goals translate these into IT-specific objectives that explain how IT should contribute to business success. Governance and Management Objectives are then the specific COBIT processes that implement and enable the Alignment Goals. For instance: Enterprise Goal (be competitive) → Alignment Goal (provide IT services that differentiate us) → Governance Objective (manage IT service portfolio).'

Question Type 3: Mapping and Application Questions

Example: 'An enterprise goal is to reduce operational costs. Which Alignment Goal would primarily support this?'

Approach:

• Identify the business intent behind the enterprise goal
• Think about which Alignment Goal addresses that business need from an IT perspective
• Consider Alignment Goals related to optimization, efficiency, and value
• Provide reasoning for your selection

Answer Example: 'The Alignment Goal 'Optimized IT assets and resources' would primarily support this enterprise goal. This Alignment Goal focuses on ensuring IT resources are used efficiently and effectively, minimizing waste and operational costs, which directly supports the enterprise goal of cost reduction.'

Question Type 4: Scenario-Based Questions

Example: 'A company wants to improve customer experience through digital channels. What Alignment Goals should guide this initiative?'

Approach:

• Identify the core business objective (customer experience, digital transformation)
• Map this to relevant Alignment Goals
• Consider multiple Alignment Goals that might apply
• Explain how each supports the stated objective

Answer Example: 'Two key Alignment Goals apply here: First, 'Managed IT-enabled transformation' supports the digital channel initiative by ensuring IT investments drive business change. Second, 'IT-supported business processes and services' ensures the digital channels effectively support customer-facing processes. Together, these goals ensure IT investments in digital channels align with and support the enterprise goal of improved customer experience.'

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Alignment Goals

Tip 1: Master the Goals Cascade

You must be able to fluently explain the three-level cascade: Enterprise Goals → Alignment Goals → Governance Objectives. Practice drawing this structure and explaining each level's role. Many exam questions test your understanding of how these levels relate and interact.

Tip 2: Know the Direction of Flow

Remember that:

• Top-Down: Enterprise goals provide the direction and priorities for Alignment Goals
• Bottom-Up: Governance Objectives enable and implement Alignment Goals

Use this directional thinking to answer questions about relationships and dependencies.

Tip 3: Memorize Key Alignment Goals

While you don't need to memorize all 17 Alignment Goals word-for-word, familiarize yourself with the major categories:

• Goals related to IT strategy and planning
• Goals related to IT value delivery
• Goals related to IT risk management
• Goals related to IT resource and asset management
• Goals related to IT capability and compliance

This helps you match enterprise goals to appropriate Alignment Goals in scenario questions.

Tip 4: Look for Mapping Keywords

In mapping questions, look for keywords in the enterprise goal or scenario that hint at the corresponding Alignment Goal:

• 'Reduce costs' → Optimization, Resource Management
• 'Innovation' → Transformation, Value Delivery
• 'Risk' → Risk Management, Compliance
• 'Customer' → Service Delivery, Value Delivery
• 'Compliance' → Regulatory Management, Compliance Goals

Tip 5: Avoid Confusing Alignment Goals with Other Framework Elements

In multiple-choice questions, you may see distractors that confuse:

• Alignment Goals with Governance Objectives: Remember Alignment Goals are IT-focused outcomes, while Governance Objectives are the specific processes/practices
• Alignment Goals with Enterprise Goals: Remember Alignment Goals are IT-centric translations of business goals
• Alignment Goals with Enablers: Don't confuse goals (desired outcomes) with enablers (factors that help achieve them)

Tip 6: Practice Bidirectional Thinking

Exam questions often require you to think in both directions:

• Given an enterprise goal, identify supporting Alignment Goals (Top-Down)
• Given a Governance Objective, identify which Alignment Goal it enables (Bottom-Up)
• Given an Alignment Goal, identify which enterprise goals it supports (Top-Down)

Practice questions that ask you to trace the cascade in both directions.

Tip 7: Understand One-to-Many Relationships

Be aware that:

• One Enterprise Goal may be supported by multiple Alignment Goals
• One Alignment Goal may support multiple Enterprise Goals
• One Alignment Goal is enabled by multiple Governance Objectives

Questions may ask about these relationships, so understand that mapping is not always one-to-one.

Tip 8: Connect Goals to Business Context

Always ground your answers in business context. Rather than just stating 'This Alignment Goal applies,' explain why it applies to the business scenario. Use phrases like:

• 'This Alignment Goal supports the enterprise goal because...'
• 'This is important because it ensures IT aligns with...'
• 'This contributes to the organization's objective of...'

Tip 9: Use Process of Elimination in Multiple Choice

When uncertain about which Alignment Goal applies:

• Eliminate Governance Objectives (these are too detailed/operational)
• Eliminate Enterprise Goals (these are too business-focused, not IT-focused)
• Eliminate Alignment Goals that address unrelated business areas
• Select the Alignment Goal that most directly bridges the enterprise goal and IT implementation

Tip 10: Read Questions Carefully for Key Phrases

Pay attention to question wording:

• 'What IT goal should...' → They're asking for an Alignment Goal
• 'Which process should...' → They're likely asking for a Governance Objective
• 'What business outcome...' → They're asking for an Enterprise Goal
• 'How should these be connected...' → They want you to explain the cascade relationship

Tip 11: Create a Study Table

Build a reference table mapping major enterprise goals to corresponding Alignment Goals and example Governance Objectives. This visual aid helps reinforce the cascade relationships and speeds up your thinking during the exam.

Tip 12: Practice with Real Scenarios

Focus your practice on scenario-based questions that require you to:

• Analyze a business situation
• Identify relevant enterprise goals
• Map to appropriate Alignment Goals
• Trace down to governance objectives

These are the most common and challenging exam question types on this topic.

Common Exam Question Patterns

Pattern 1: Direct Definition

'Alignment Goals in COBIT 2019 are best described as...'

Expected Answer: IT-focused objectives that translate enterprise goals into specific targets for IT management

Pattern 2: Relationship Identification

'An enterprise goal cannot be achieved without...' or 'To implement an Alignment Goal, an organization must...'

Expected Answer: Reference to the level below (Governance Objectives) or above (Enterprise Goals) in the cascade

Pattern 3: Application and Matching

'Which Alignment Goal would be most critical for achieving...'

Expected Answer: Select the Alignment Goal that directly supports the stated business objective

Pattern 4: Consequence or Impact

'If an organization fails to align IT goals with enterprise goals, what would likely occur?'

Expected Answer: IT investments may not deliver business value, misalignment between IT and business, poor ROI on IT projects

Pattern 5: Implementation Understanding

'How do Alignment Goals guide IT governance and management?' or 'What is the practical benefit of establishing Alignment Goals?'

Expected Answer: They provide direction for process selection and implementation, enable measurement of IT effectiveness in supporting business, facilitate resource prioritization

Key Takeaway

Alignment Goals are the critical bridge in COBIT 2019 that ensures IT doesn't operate in isolation but instead directly supports business objectives. When answering exam questions on this topic, always maintain focus on this bridge function: how IT goals support business goals, and how specific IT governance processes enable those IT goals. Master the cascade, understand the mappings, and practice applying this framework to realistic business scenarios.