Governing Shadows: Governance Mechanisms for Autonomous It Solutions

Shadow IT encompasses solutions deployed by users, outside the formal structure of IT management. The dissatisfaction with official systems is often the main motivation for the adoption of Shadow IT. Through it, users expect to streamline business processes and improve the user experience. In terms of IT governance, however, Shadow IT means a challenge. The classic IT governance approach addresses issues of control and compliance. However, in a context where solutions are not endorsed by experts, how can these governance elements can be implemented is a question without a clear answer. In this essay, it is suggested that a possible path to achieved higher levels of IT governance is to bring IT closer to end users, making Shadow IT a source of organizational innovation. To do so, it is necessary to expand the view on IT governance and to extend the use of mechanisms related to the informal dimension of governance, specifically the self-control mechanisms. The self-control mechanisms are implemented, primarily, by the controlled. However, the controller may stablish the formal mechanisms of control, so encouraging or enabling the controlled to exercise self-control.