Journal of Soft Computing Exploration
Vol. 7 No. 3 (2026): September 2026

Strengthening digital governance through it governance capability assessment using COBIT 2019

Aan Erlansari (Department of Information System, Bengkulu University, Indonesia)
Andang Wijanarko (Department of Information System, Bengkulu University, Indonesia)
Funny Farady Coastera (Department of Information System, Bengkulu University, Indonesia)
Yusran Panca Putra (Department of Information System, Bengkulu University, Indonesia)
Willy Novrian (Department of Information System, Bengkulu University, Indonesia)
Yudi Setiawan (Department of Information System, Bengkulu University, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
21 Sep 2026

Abstract

Digital transformation has become a strategic priority for public sector organizations; however, many initiatives fail to deliver sustainable benefits because IT governance capabilities have not evolved at the same pace as technological advancement. Although the COBIT 2019 framework has been widely adopted to assess IT governance capability, existing studies primarily emphasize capability measurement while providing limited guidance for governance improvement. This study aims to assess the capability level of selected IT Governance Objective using the COBIT 2019 Process Capability Model, identify governance gaps, and establish improvement priorities that support sustainable digital transformation. A mixed-method case study was conducted using interviews, observations, document reviews, and questionnaires involving organizational stakeholders. After data collection, the evidence was triangulated and then mapped through the COBIT 2019 Goals Cascade to identify the governance objectives included in the assessment. Capability levels were evaluated using the COBIT 2019 Process Capability Model and compared with organizational targets through gap analysis. The capability analysis suggests that although IT governance practices have been implemented, most processes remain at Capability Level 1 (Performed Process) because governance activities are not yet systematically formalized. Only EDM04 achieved Capability Level 2, while governance weaknesses were concentrated in workforce management, asset management, operational control, documentation, and performance monitoring. These findings demonstrate that governance capability, rather than technological limitations, remains the primary challenge for sustainable digital transformation and provide an evidence-based foundation for governance improvement.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

journal

Publisher

Subject

Computer Science & IT Control & Systems Engineering Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Description

The journal focuses on publishing high-quality, original research and review articles in the field of Soft Computing, Informatics and Computer Science, emphasizing the development, application, and rigorous evaluation of Advanced Computational Methods, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning ...