| Businesses must develop a written Business Plan to | | | | your business, and also incorporates the overall |
| succeed in today's competitive business environment. | | | | network infrastructure and architecture to support |
| A Business Plan defines the strategies and tactics for | | | | the business software. |
| the business and provides a roadmap to success. | | | | The people element consists of all internal IT staff |
| The same concept also applies to your Information | | | | and external IT resources you utilize. In addition, you |
| Technology (IT). If your business does not have a | | | | must include all resources that contribute time and |
| documented IT plan - or strategy, your technology | | | | effort to IT functions. All direct and indirect costs are |
| investments are likely considered a necessary cost of | | | | included. |
| doing business instead of an investment that | | | | Processes must include all business processes |
| provides optimum business value. | | | | supported by IT - or that could be supported by IT. |
| Developing an IT strategy is a vital requirement for | | | | IT processes include all operational activities such as |
| any size business. An effective IT Strategy defines | | | | procurement, configuration management, change |
| the technology, people and processes necessary to | | | | management, service and support. |
| meet business requirements. | | | | There are several questions to consider in the early |
| More importantly, an IT strategy directly connects IT | | | | stages of evaluating and formulating a plan to |
| services with business processes, providing a | | | | develop an IT strategy: |
| framework that enables effective metric-based | | | | Is your technology meeting current business |
| technology decisions in support of business goals and | | | | needs? |
| objectives. | | | | Can your technology scale to meet the changing |
| In a previous article, I discussed key elements IT | | | | demands of the business? |
| must provide to recognize value from your business | | | | What are the key integration points and will they |
| investment: | | | | adapt and grow effectively? |
| Align IT with business goals | | | | What is the most effective sourcing strategy for |
| Provide critical business functions at high quality | | | | people and technology? |
| Deliver specified and measurable service levels | | | | What is the most cost effective means to |
| Provide recommended risk mitigation tactics | | | | deliver the quality and service levels required by the |
| Maintain cost effectiveness. | | | | business? |
| Align IT with business goals. This is the most | | | | Are your processes fine tuned in all areas of IT |
| important element and becomes an impetus for an | | | | operations? |
| IT strategy that directly supports the business | | | | Are all technology and IT Governance risks |
| strategy. | | | | accounted for? |
| An effective IT strategy clearly defines how all IT | | | | Once you provide preliminary answers to these |
| services and processes to deliver the services align | | | | questions, you are better prepared to begin the |
| with business goals. It also outlines a future state | | | | strategy development process. |
| where your IT services directly contribute to the | | | | IT strategy development can be accomplished |
| business sustainability and growth. | | | | through the use of a four-step process: |
| The strategy sets the foundation for aligning IT with | | | | 1. Discovery - document the current state of |
| the business, addresses the delivery of technology | | | | technology, people and processes - including business |
| services and describes the costs associated with the | | | | processes |
| delivery of those services. In summary, it provides a | | | | 2. Assessment - assess technology, people and IT |
| roadmap or blueprint for direct contribution to the | | | | processes, establish and map out if/how each |
| success of the business. | | | | enables the business processes |
| There are several key issues to recognize and | | | | 3. Analysis - analyze the current state and potential |
| questions to address when considering a well defined | | | | desired future states |
| IT strategy: | | | | 4. Formulation - develop solutions to reach desired |
| How do we know if our IT services are aligned | | | | future state |
| with the business? | | | | Implementation of the IT strategy requires |
| If IT is not aligned with the business, what is it | | | | substantial planning and depends on the size of the |
| costing us? | | | | business, urgency and costs. The strategy is generally |
| How do we align our IT plans so that they | | | | implemented over long periods of time on a priority |
| directly support business objectives? | | | | benefit basis. |
| How much will it cost? | | | | The goal is to recognize incremental improvement. It |
| How will the IT strategy contribute to revenue | | | | is recommended to use a standard project delivery |
| goals? | | | | methodology to develop a plan and to manage the |
| How do we know when our IT is aligned? | | | | implementation of the IT strategy. |
| How will we maintain alignment? | | | | Developing and implementing an IT strategy will |
| To develop an IT strategy, a comprehensive view of | | | | provide substantial business benefits. Maintaining a |
| technology, people and processes will provide the | | | | dynamic plan will help ensure your IT stays aligned |
| greatest benefit. | | | | with your business as your business grows. |
| Technology includes all business software required for | | | | |