Effective IT governance ensures that the IT plan is consistent with what organizational aspect?

Effective IT governance plays a crucial role in aligning IT strategy with the overall goals and objectives of an organization. By ensuring that the IT plan is consistent with the business plan, organizations can guarantee that IT initiatives support the desired business outcomes. The business plan outlines the organization's strategic direction, including its vision, mission, and objectives, which should be reflected in the IT strategy.

When IT governance is aligned with the business plan, it enables the IT department to prioritize projects and allocate resources in a manner that directly contributes to achieving the business’s strategic goals. This fosters an environment where technology investments are justified, measured, and adjusted as necessary to improve organizational performance.

In contrast, while an audit plan, security plan, and investment plan are important to the overall management and performance of IT, they serve more specific purposes and do not provide the overarching framework that aligns IT with the organization's strategic objectives. The audit plan focuses on compliance, the security plan addresses risks, and the investment plan deals with financial allocation, but none of these replace the necessity of having the IT plan aligned with the broader business plan.