Regardless of size, nearly every organization's demands for technology outstrip the ability of its information technology department to deliver. This backlog of work may be priortized in any number of ways:

• return on investment (ROI)
• first come, first serve
• letting the information technology organization or the Chief Information Officer decide based upon either the squeaky-wheel principle, favoritism, or some other equally indefensible process

The first of these, ROI, makes the most sense in that it correlates directly with the bottom line and mission of a business. But return on investment often does not translate well to the educational or not-for-profit enterprise whose missions may lie elsewhere. Regardless, to derive maximum value from their information technology investments, these institutions must ensure their backlogs are also prioritized in alignment with their missions. An information technology advisory structure can provide that alignment.