IT strategic planning can make or break IT’s ability to function effectively but only 23% of business partners believe the process is effective. What should be a focused, creative effort to set the direction for the coming year all too often becomes a bureaucratic waste of time for the IT leadership team. The graphic below shows where most IT strategic plans fall short and three guiding principles senior IT managers should use to avoid wasted effort this strategic planning season.

1. WHY YOUR
IT Strategic
Plan Is Failing
(AND WHAT IT’S COSTING YOU)
93% of your business partners think IT
strategic planning is important,
but only 23% believe it's eff ective.
Most IT organizations struggle to advance strategic plans from a technology-centric
to-do list to a truly strategic plan that drives business outcomes.
Where your IT s trategic
plan comes up short:
1 TECHNOLOGY-CENTRIC:
STRATEGY IN
A VACUUM:
Minimal or no
alignment with
changing business
objectives
2 3
Emphasizes tactical
initiatives and
technologies rather
than business
capabilities
4
ABSENCE OF
METRICS:
Unclear metrics
to measure IT’s
progress
on planned
objectives
NO LINK T O
EXECUTION:
IT budgets and
roadmaps that do
not reflect IT or
business strategy
?
UNCLEAR
ACCOUNTABILITY:
Lack of clarity on
responsibility for
accomplishing planned
objectives
5
? ?
Organizations that fail to get
strategic planning right risk up t o
37% of unrealized value.
THE BEST STRATEGIC PLANS S TART WITH
THE BUSINESS, NOT THE TECHNOLOGY.
Why? Changes in business priorities, the competitive landscape, and the regulatory
environment can all quickly disrupt y our IT strategy. You need to know where your
business is headed to ensure your plans stay relevant.
CEB WILL HELP Y OU BUILD A BETTER
STRATEGIC PLAN USING THE THREE C'S OF
STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFECTIVENES S.
CONTEXT ALIGN THE IT STRATEGY TO BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
of business partners think IT is ineff ective at understanding
Why CEB?
CEB has the most comprehensive view into
the drivers of strategic planning effectiveness.
Our unique vantage point at the center of the
C-suite and work with hundreds of IT leaders
provides proven solutions to fast-cycle
development, practical guidance to avoid false
starts, and confidence that your plan will drive
successful business outcomes.
INSIGHTS FROM STRATEGY
PRACTITIONERS ACROSS THE C-SUITE
PRACTICAL STRATEGIC PLANNING
GUIDANCE FROM PEERS
PROVEN BEST PRACTICES, TOOLS &
TEMPLATES FOR FASTER EXECUTION
74% business strategy and needs.
CREATIVITY INFUSE EMERGING TRENDS AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS IN THE PLANNING PROCES S
of corporate strategists fail to uncover stakeholder biases in
58% the planning process.
CASCADE BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN S TRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTION
of leaders are somewhat or not very confident in their
69% organization’s ability to execute strategy.
Visit CEBGLOBAL.COM/IT-STRATEGIC-PLANNING to learn mor e.