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“ The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. ”
IT Strategic Planning is the process of developing a meaningful and actionable blueprint for accomplishing a number of organisational goals over a defined period of time. The core component for effective IT management is a well-documented, widely-recognized, pragmatic IT strategy. The strategic planning process evaluates how an organisation will focus its energy and resources over the course of several years to ensure that its activities will be strictly aligned with the needs of the business including the internal and external influences that directly affect them.
Establishing a clear, concise and actionable strategic plan is not just an exercise of describing the expected future state of an organisation. It is a process that involves a strong commitment from the organisation's stakeholders to critically evaluate both the political and strategic dimensions of the business direction. Without an IT Strategic plan, organisations often suffer from a lack of focus and the essential foundation required for the informed management and execution of strategic IT initiatives. Consequently, the lack of clarity with respect to assigning the appropriate prioritisation of projects, resources and governance structures substantially adds stress and introduces inefficiency.
The strategic planning process itself contributes greatly to an organisation's ability to anticipate change and enhance responsiveness by linking action, accountability and decision making structures tailored to the specifics of the business environment. An IT strategic plan formulates a detailed description of where a business will be considering the impact of ever-changing external factors such as regulation, competition, advances in technology and changing customer preferences. The model that is developed based on this understanding then serves to define the precise activities and deployment of resources to successfully carry out the competitive strategy. Nearly every organisation that employs information technologies to support their business needs should ensure they have an IT Strategy in place.
I serve as an independent facilitator that helps organisations match their vision for the future with the appropriate IT resources and requirements to get the job done. I've assisted companies both large and small, by delivering proven, viable approaches to the IT strategic planning process.
I work closely with clients to develop a business services-based view of IT activities and establish a clear direction for IT investments based on key business objectives, strategies and drivers. This methodology significantly reduces the burdens business leaders and administrators face during the process and the challenges associated with change. IT Strategic Planning engagements emphasize collaborative and iterative facilitation approaches combined with focused workshops that excite, motivate and bring together business and IT stakeholders.
A strategic planning engagement ensures the direct alignment of all relevant facets of IT within an organisation are supported by the appropriate governance structure, performance and quality metrics, and project planning and prioritisation objectives to meet business needs. The end result is the production of measurable goals that encourage the widespread adoption and utilisation of principle driven governance structures that are in lock-step with your company's mission, vision and values.
By focusing squarely on delivering greater value out of IT investments, your company will be better positioned to balance risk versus return relative to IT spend and more fully leverage existing IT resources for maximum effectiveness and efficiency. The strategic planning process typically exposes genuine opportunities for cost optimisation and reduction that can boost your organization's bottom line.
Strategic planning and IT advisory services can help your organisation create an environment that better allows for informed and effective decision making, improved accountability, drive enhanced execution and deliver greater transparency into the operations of your business. Here's how:
I can help your company achieve tomorrow's success through steadfast preparation today. I've had the privilege of working with some of North America's finest CIOs and IT leaders and I can bring that experience to your organisation.