Page 24 - DCAP307_PLANNING_AND_MANAGING_IT_INFRASTRUCTURE

Planning and Managing IT Infrastructure Avinash Bhagat, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 2: Strategic Planning

CONTENTS
Objectives

Introduction
2.1 Understanding Strategic Planning and its Relationship with IT
2.2 Strategic Planning Process
2.2.1 Steps in Strategic Planning Process
2.2.2 Components of an IT Strategic Plan
2.2.3 Strategic Planning Process Problems
2.3 Summary
2.4 Keywords
2.5 Review Questions
2.6 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you should be able to:

Define the concept of strategic planning
Discuss the relationship of strategic planning with IT
Explain strategic planning process
Describe the steps included in strategic planning process
Discuss the components of IT strategic plan
Introduction

Strategic planning determines where an organisation is going over the next year or more, how
it’s going to get there and how it’ll know if it got there or not. The focus of a strategic plan is
usually on the entire organisation, while the focus of a business plan is usually on a particular
product, service or program. There are a variety of perspectives, models and approaches used in
strategic planning. The way that a strategic plan is developed depends on the nature of the
organisation’s leadership, culture of the organisation, complexity of the organisation’s
environment, size of the organisation and expertise of planners. Strategic IT planning for your
small or medium sized business is important if you want your business to be successful. The
right plan for your business should reduce operational costs, speed time to market, improve
overall customer service, and be a budget-able investment that will grow with your business.
Traditionally, larger companies hire CIOs to create a strategic IT plan, but that is typically too
expensive for small and medium businesses.

2.1 Understanding Strategic Planning and its Relationship with IT

There is an old saying that states, “How will you know when you get there if you don’t know
where you are going?” All successful organisations must clearly articulate their vision, goals,
and objectives as a function of their organisational mission. IT strategic planning is important
to ensure the technology infrastructure and services support the mission of the business unit or
organisation.

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