Module 7 – Strategic Choices
Why IT strategy is necessary
With technology becoming the norm rather than the exception, organizations cannot afford to simply have a basic Information Technology strategy and instead, must actualize a comprehensive IT strategy that is aligned to their business and corporate strategies.
With the rapid spread of IT and the increasing interconnection and connectivity in the contemporary world, having an IT strategy is no longer a luxury for organizations and indeed, it has become the very necessity for survival.
Identify the priority
At this stage, your plan should be more detailed. All the needs were expressed and gathered in the same document which will be given to the high management level. It is time to prioritize the requests expressed by the various departments.
Sometimes the strategic choices will be made by a very small group, normally those who have developed the strategic plan of the organization. The plan is drawn up over 5 years but could be aligned over the same periods as the strategic plan of the company.
When priorities are given, they will be presented to all departments for discussion and debate. As the leader of the ISSP, you must understand the organization, build consensus and synergy among factions, break down the information silos and prioritize IT initiatives to benefit the entire organization.
To succeed with this ISSP plan, you must have the support and commitment of high level management and the financial resources to make the changes. There is a definite cost to implementing a successful IT Strategy. But the real question you need to ask is “What is the cost to your organization if you don’t?” You must weigh and balance many factors that drive your IT decisions.
