A presentation outlining the differences in perception of what an IT Strategy is, and how a truly business-aligned IT Strategy might be developed.

1. BUSINESS-ALIGNMENT
& TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY
‘Our plans miscarry because they have no aim.
When a man does not know what harbour he is making for, no wind is the right wind.’
Seneca
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2. WHY AN IT STRATEGY?
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3. WHY AN IT STRATEGY?
Business strategies are the basis of direction-setting and
good management. They inform decisions at all levels.
They form the origin of high-level and detailed plans,
programmes and projects, and the yardstick against
which success will be judged. Strategic thought is about
taking a long-term view and defining what the
organisation should be doing, where it needs to go and
how to get there.
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5. A question of definition...
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6. A question of definition...
The matter of ‘ownership’...
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7. A question of definition... A lack of clarity about what a strategy is.
The matter of ‘ownership’...
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8. A question of definition... A lack of clarity about what a strategy is.
The matter of ‘ownership’... Who should lead the development process?
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9. A question of definition... A lack of clarity about what a strategy is.
There seems to be confusion about the difference between Strategic,
Tactical and Operational Management. Technical teams view ‘strategy’ a
a documented programme of operational aspirations - essentially a
tactical work plan
The matter of ‘ownership’... Who should lead the development process?
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10. A question of definition... A lack of clarity about what a strategy is.
There seems to be confusion about the difference between Strategic,
Tactical and Operational Management. Technical teams view ‘strategy’ a
a documented programme of operational aspirations - essentially a
tactical work plan
The matter of ‘ownership’... Who should lead the development process?
Technical teams often believe that they should lead the development
process; Senior Management thinks otherwise.
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12. WHAT CHARACTERISES
STRATEGIC THINKING?
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13. WHAT CHARACTERISES
STRATEGIC THINKING?
The ability to see the ‘whole picture’
Creativity
Scenario generation and evaluation
Ability to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty
Identification of strategic issues
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15. HOW MIGHT A BUSINESS-ALIGNED
IT STRATEGY BE DEVELOPED?
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16. HOW MIGHT A BUSINESS-ALIGNED
IT STRATEGY BE DEVELOPED?
Approach is based on guidance by HM Government, outlined in
OGC. 2002. How to Manage Business and IT Strategies
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18. A THREE-PART APPROACH
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19. A THREE-PART APPROACH
Stage One: Business Analysis
Stage Two: Identifying the directions for the future
Stage Three High-level Planning
(all wrapped-up in a sound project management method)
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21. STAGE ONE: BUSINESS ANALYSIS
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22. STAGE ONE: BUSINESS ANALYSIS
Aim is to understand the business environment
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23. STAGE ONE: BUSINESS ANALYSIS
Aim is to understand the business environment
Objectives are:
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24. STAGE ONE: BUSINESS ANALYSIS
Aim is to understand the business environment
Objectives are:
to determine the objectives & priorities of the business
to understand the current & future business and the policies of the organisation
to establish the scope for change as a result of strategic thought
to determine the strategic issues that must be addressed
to think in a divergent & radical way about how things could be done
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26. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
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27. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
A business analysis document, which identifies specific strategic issues such as:
products and services provided
structure & management
business functions and processes
relationships (with partners, customers and service-providers)
external issues facing the organisation (economy, compliance etc.)
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28. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
A business analysis document, which identifies specific strategic issues such as:
products and services provided
structure & management
business functions and processes
relationships (with partners, customers and service-providers)
external issues facing the organisation (economy, compliance etc.)
This document might address strategic issues such as:
requirements & opportunities for joined-up working
new business models
remote working
making best use of data resources
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30. STAGE TWO: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
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31. STAGE TWO: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Aim is to identify the direction for the organisation’s future plans for business change
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32. STAGE TWO: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Aim is to identify the direction for the organisation’s future plans for business change
Objectives are:
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33. STAGE TWO: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Aim is to identify the direction for the organisation’s future plans for business change
Objectives are:
to explore possible new ways of doing things & changing business processes
to identify strategic themes to address the strategic issues addressed in stage one
to consider the implications for IS architecture and IT provision of the new direction
to define a strategic vision expressing the future state of the organisation
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35. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
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36. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
A ‘Future Directions’ document, which examines each of the strategic issues,
and draws out themes from them.
A strategic theme being a significant topic, related to strategic change that is
of concern to the business management of the organisation.
This might identify themes such as:
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37. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
A ‘Future Directions’ document, which examines each of the strategic issues,
and draws out themes from them.
A strategic theme being a significant topic, related to strategic change that is
of concern to the business management of the organisation.
This might identify themes such as:
external communications and interworking
information sharing
‘virtual’ services
shared services
managing the information resource of the organisation
IT support for redesigned business processes
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39. STAGE THREE: HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING
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40. STAGE THREE: HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING
Aim is to map-out the future in the form of high-level plans
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41. STAGE THREE: HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING
Aim is to map-out the future in the form of high-level plans
Objectives are:
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42. STAGE THREE: HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING
Aim is to map-out the future in the form of high-level plans
Objectives are:
to identify candidate projects (or programmes) to realise each strategic theme
select, reject & prioritise ‘candidates for action’
finalise the strategy statement
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44. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
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45. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
A ‘high-level’ planning document, which examines each of the strategic themes,
and draws out threads and ultimately ‘candidates for action’ from them.
This might identify threads and candidates such as:
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46. OUTPUTS FROM THIS STAGE
A ‘high-level’ planning document, which examines each of the strategic themes,
and draws out threads and ultimately ‘candidates for action’ from them.
This might identify threads and candidates such as:
integrating process improvement & IS implementation
developing and maintaining user skills
sharing developments amongst units of the organisation
ongoing support and maintenance of facilities
developments to satisfy new statutory requirements
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47. FINALISING THE STRATEGY
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48. FINALISING THE STRATEGY
The high-level planning document represents the output from the final stage
of the process. Once approval & buy-in for its contents has been gained, the
three documents would be assembled to form the final IT strategy.
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49. SUMMARY
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50. SUMMARY
Publishable
Senior Management Team strategy overview
Project Mandate
IT Strategy Document
Planning Statement
Project Initiation
Business Analysis
Approval
Approval
Approval
Approval
Future Directions
Document
Statement
Project Stage 1: Stage 2: Statement Stage 3: High Project
Initiation Business Analysis Future Direction Level Planning Completion
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