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Strategic Information System: Planning and Examples

information systems strategic plan example

A Strategic Information System (SIS) is a type of information system developed in response to corporate business initiatives. These systems play an integral role in an organization’s strategic planning, allowing it to gain a competitive advantage by effectively aggregating, processing, and managing data to inform decision-making.

Here are some key characteristics of SIS:

  • Support for Decision Making:  SIS is specifically designed to support the decision-making process in an organization. It provides useful information to executives and managers who need data to make strategic decisions.
  • Competitive Advantage:  SIS can give a company a competitive edge by providing unique and valuable insights. It can help identify opportunities and threats in the market, giving the company a strategic advantage over its competitors.
  • Alignment with Strategy:  A strategic information system should be closely aligned with an organization’s business strategy. It should help in achieving the long-term goals and objectives of the company.
  • High-level Management:  SIS is typically used by high-level management as it helps in strategic planning and decision-making.
  • Integration of Data:  SIS can integrate data from various sources, both internal and external, to provide a holistic view of the organization’s performance and the market.

Strategic Control: Types | Examples | Systems

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Strategic information system planning

Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) is the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals. SISP is one of the most important IS practices, linking strategic business planning and IS planning.

The purpose of SISP is to ensure that technology and information systems are fully aligned with the strategic objectives and priorities of the organization. It involves analyzing the current state of the organization’s systems, defining the future state of these systems, and developing a plan to achieve this future state.

Here are the key steps often involved in SISP:

  • Identification of Strategic Business Objectives:  The first step is to understand the business’s strategic goals. This involves discussions with senior leadership and analyzing the business’s strategic plan.
  • Current Systems Assessment:  The organization’s existing information systems are evaluated to determine their effectiveness in meeting current and future business needs.
  • Information Requirements Analysis:  The business’s information needs are analyzed. This step involves understanding what information is required, who needs it when they need it, and how it should be delivered.
  • Gap Analysis:  The gap between the current state of the organization’s systems and the desired future state is identified.
  • Development of the SISP:  The Strategic Information Systems Plan is developed, outlining the initiatives that will be taken to close the gap identified in the previous step.
  • Implementation of the SISP:  The plan is put into action, often involving the acquisition of new systems, modification of existing systems, and changes to business processes.
  • Review and Update:  The SISP is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it remains aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and to account for changes in technology and the business environment.

SISP can provide several benefits, including improved alignment between IT and business strategy, better communication and understanding between IT and business stakeholders, and a clear roadmap for developing and acquiring information systems.

Example of strategic information system planning

Let’s use the example of a manufacturing company implementing Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) to improve its operational efficiency and market competitiveness.

  • Identification of Strategic Business Objectives:  The company’s strategic business objectives are to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve product quality to gain a larger market share.
  • Current Systems Assessment:  The current information systems are assessed, and the company finds that its existing systems need to be updated, resulting in inefficiencies, high error rates, and a lack of real-time data for decision-making.
  • Information Requirements Analysis:  The company determines that it needs real-time information on production, inventory, and sales data to improve decision-making. The organization also requires better quality control, forecasting, and strategic planning analytics.
  • Gap Analysis:  There’s a significant gap between the company’s IT capabilities and needs. The outdated systems can’t provide real-time data or sophisticated analytics, and they’re not well integrated, leading to data silos and inefficiencies.
  • Development of the SISP:  The company develops a Strategic Information Systems Plan to bridge the gap. This plan involves implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to integrate different business processes, a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for real-time production monitoring, and a Business Intelligence (BI) system for advanced analytics. The plan also includes data migration, system integration, staff training, and change management steps.
  • Implementation of the SISP:  The company implements the SISP over a multi-year period, taking a phased approach to minimize disruption. The new systems are implemented, staff is trained, and changes are managed carefully to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Review and Update:  Once the new systems are in place, they’re continually monitored to ensure they deliver the expected benefits. The SISP is also reviewed and updated regularly to accommodate changes in business strategy or technology trends.

In this scenario, the company has used SISP to align its IT systems with its strategic business objectives, giving it the tools it needs to achieve its goals of improved efficiency, cost reduction, and enhanced product quality. The company can now make real-time data-driven decisions, improve its production process, and understand market trends better with advanced analytics, thereby gaining a competitive advantage.

Strategic Alignment: Explained with Examples

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Examples of strategic information system

Strategic Information Systems (SIS) help organizations gain a competitive advantage, improve performance, and achieve operational excellence. Here are a few examples of such systems:

  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems:  CRMs manage an organization’s interactions with current and potential customers. They use customer history data analysis to improve business relationships, focusing specifically on customer retention and driving sales growth. Salesforce and HubSpot are common examples of CRM systems.
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems:  ERPs are comprehensive systems that manage and integrate the organization’s major business processes. They can streamline processes, provide real-time reporting and analytics, and help increase efficiency and productivity. Common examples of ERP systems are SAP and Oracle.
  • Supply Chain Management (SCM) Systems:  These systems manage the flow of goods, data, and finances related to a product or service from the initial procurement of raw materials to the delivery of the product at its final destination. SCM systems like Oracle SCM Cloud and SAP SCM can provide a strategic edge by enhancing the efficiency of the supply chain and reducing costs.
  • Executive Information Systems (EIS):  EIS, also known as Executive Support Systems (ESS), provide various internal and external information to top executives and decision-makers, allowing them to track business performance and make strategic decisions. EIS platforms can pull data from numerous sources, offering a comprehensive view of business operations.
  • Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics Systems:  These systems analyze business data to provide actionable insights, helping an organization make informed decisions. They allow for trend analysis, forecasting, and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs). Examples of these systems include Tableau, Power BI, and Looker.
  • Knowledge Management Systems (KMS):  KMS help organizations capture, distribute, and effectively use their collective knowledge. They can enhance decision-making, foster innovation, and improve customer service. Examples include Atlassian Confluence and Microsoft SharePoint.

Remember, while these systems have strategic potential, their effectiveness depends on how well they align with the organization’s overall strategy and how well they’re implemented and used within the organization.

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IT Strategic Plans: 5 Great Examples

information systems strategic plan example

No two strategic plans are created equal, nor should they be. An organization’s IT Strategic plan should reflect the unique needs of the organization as well as the market in which it operates. Higher education is no different. While many universities share similar challenges, the solutions to those challenges must be considered in the overall context of each university individually.

This article is intended to provide some great examples of strategic plans to help make the creation of your plan a bit more insightful. While every university has their own take on the strategic planning, process, I tried to find examples that have unique approaches that can inspire thinking that is more creative in your strategic planning efforts.

Things to look for in strategic plans

There is no right or wrong way to write a strategic plan. Here are the some of the things that I believe contribute to a more effective strategic plan:

  • Technology Impact – Does the strategy recognize and acknowledge that changes in technology can have significant impact to the University as a whole?
  • Commitment to Investing in People – Does the strategy recognize a need to invest professional development to leverage modern technologies?
  • Representation from across the University – Does the development of the strategy include representation from the distributed units found on most campuses?
  • Update Mechanism – Does the strategy provide a mechanism for updating it?
  • Easy to Understand – Can the goals of the strategy be easily understood, and applied to daily operations within units?
  • Pathway to Success – Does the strategy include an assessment of the current state, a vision of the future, and a pathway for achieving the desired future state?
  • Tangible Outcomes – Does the strategy provide a clear picture of what success looks like with a defined outcome?
  • Understanding of the Influences – Does the strategy allow the reader to understand the influences and pressures on the university.
  • Descriptive not Prescriptive – Does the strategy provide a description of the outcomes without describing individual tasks that must be accomplished?

University of Oregon

Why you should read it.

The University of Oregon is taking a rather unique approach to strategic planning. They are focusing on transforming IT to support their president’s initiatives to “improve academic and research excellence.” If you are part of an institution in the middle or considering a major change to how IT services are provided, you should definitely read about what the University of Oregon is doing.

It can be found here: https://provost.uoregon.edu/content/it-strategic-plan

Oregon’s approach to IT strategic planning is directly aligned to the University’s top institutional priorities. Specifically, priority #4 is to “Enhance physical, administrative and IT infrastructure to ensure academic excellence.”

UO’s strategic planning work is definitely not a quick read. However, it is well worth the time spent to read through the steps they have taken to transform their IT organization.

UO’s unique approach has 4 sections:

Governance ( https://provost.uoregon.edu/it-strategic-plan-governance ) focuses on creating the new governance structure that will make recommendations to the provost. Their proposed governance structure provides a great model for consolidation while addressing the needs of individual academic areas as well as individual IT staff members.

Leveraging Resources ( https://provost.uoregon.edu/it-strategic-plan-leveraging-resources ) recognizes that IT resources are limited and provides a few short-term initiatives to help conserve those resources.

Investments University of Oregon’s IT Strategic Plan – Investments (Archive.org version) are part of the overall transforming IT process an UO. They understand that although there are efficiencies to be gained, significant investments are also needed to ensure the new IT organization is successful.

Next Steps – Transform IT ( https://provost.uoregon.edu/content/transform-it ) is the section of their planning process that focuses on implementation. It contains updates on where UO is in the transformation process of building the new IT organization. It contains all of the initial data and reports on what created the need for transformation. It also has updates on where they are in the process.

Other Thoughts

As I mentioned previous UO doesn’t have your typical strategic plan document. What they have created is a strategic planning process for IT that allows for continual update and evolution as new challenges develop. If you are required by leadership to create a specific strategic planning document, UO provides a great example on what to consider even if it doesn’t have a single document that represents the plan.

University of Michigan

University of Michigan has created a very easy to read strategic plan focused on 5 goal areas of the university. Specific initiatives are then aligned to each (and sometimes multiple) goal areas. If you are looking for a strategic plan that provides a good framework for strategic planning across the university, then the University of Michigan provides a great example.

It can be found here: http://cio.umich.edu/it-strategy/strategic-plan

U-M’s strategic plan is a great example of an easy to read strategic plan. It is very short at only 5 pages and uses graphical elements to communicate goal alignment. The reader can very quickly get an understanding of what initiatives have impact across the university while at the same time understand how individual initiatives apply to a specific goal area.

The U-M strategic plan is a great example of being very descriptive in a strategic plan without being prescriptive. Each of the goal areas provide a high level of overview of the desired end state. The initiatives also provide tangible outcomes describing “what” must be done while still letting the operational teams decide the “How.”

Other Comments

U-M provides a very unique high level strategic plan without all of the ancillary analysis that typically accompanies a strategic plan. U-M also does a really good job of using graphical elements to communicate meaning.

University of Alabama Birmingham

UAB’s IT Strategic Plan is a great balance of traditional strategic planning combined with a modern approach. If you are looking for a strategic plan that contains a traditional SWOT and Gap analysis with a modern easy to read “flare” then look no further than UAB.

It was previously found here (no longer available as of 8/24/2020): https://www.uab.edu/it/home/images/IT_StrategicPlan_2016_FINAL.pdf

UAB provides one of the most innovative approaches to IT strategy summaries that I have ever seen. For each of their 7 goals, there is a one-page graphic with interconnected hexagons that provide a great “at a glance” view of what each of the goals mean.

UAB’s strategic plan is a great example of being descriptive while avoiding being overly prescriptive. Each goal summary page provides an overview with an accompanying appendix for each imperative (goal). Within the appendix for each goal are tactics and actions to be taken that will address each imperative. While some are very specific, UAB does a good job of striking a balance between prescriptive and descriptive.

I really like how UAB separated out the detailed tactics and actions from the goal summary pages. In my experience, most people reading strategic plans look for a good “bottom line up front”. UAB’s IT strategic plan does a great job of this. It starts off high level, and slowly progresses into providing more and more detail. At forty-five pages it’s certainly not the shortest strategic plan, however the presentation and style make this document feel like a very short read.

University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass’ strategic plan is longer than most. However, this length allows UMass to implement a strategic plan that is easily connected to all levels of the organization. If you are interested in creating a very detailed strategic plan, and willing to put in the work. UMass’s IT Strategic Plan provides an excellent example of what can be accomplished.

It can be found here: https://www.umass.edu/it/strategicplan_res/

In the Executive Summary, UMass’s IT strategy has three guiding principles (pg.6). All three of these principles relate to the impact the technology can have on the teaching, research and outreach mission of the university. These principles recognize the “transformative nature of information technology” as well as the vital role of IT in achieving the non-IT goals of the university.

UMass does an excellent job describing what success looks like. UMass defined 10 goals that make up their strategic plan. Each of these ten goals are further broken down into 5 sections:

  • Action Items – Easily understood actions that can be accomplished or supported by staff and faculty at any level within the organization.
  • Metrics – Define clearly what success in each goal looks like. There are separate metrics for each year of the strategic plan.
  • Risks – Defines clearly what failure to accomplish each goal looks like.
  • Recommendations – Provides context for the action items and the goal. Gives general guidance on how goal should be accomplished.
  • Costs – Established what level of investment is required for each goal.

While most of these sections are typical in strategic plans, you don’t often see a section for risks. I really like the idea of having a risk section for each of the strategy goals. I see two main benefits of including a risk section. First, knowing the risks of not accomplishing a goal is in important step for setting priorities and understanding importance. Second, strategic plans (should) change. Oftentimes as an organization moves forward implementing a strategic plan, goals need to be removed or modified. By year two most of the planning process is a distant memory. By having the risks included the organizations senior leadership can quickly see if any proposed changes are worth the risk.

Harvard University

Why you should read it.

As the saying goes, “save the best for last.” Harvard University has developed a great IT Strategy that is nothing less than what you would expect from an elite Ivy League school. If you are looking for a strategy that is a quick, easy, read, that contains input from all levels of the organization, Harvard provides one of the best examples I’ve seen.

It can be found here:

https://huit.harvard.edu/files/huit/files/april2015_cio_council_strategic_plan_update_final_0.pdf

The first thing you see when you open the document is a list of people involved in the development of the Harvard IT Strategy as well as what unit they are from. It is very clear from the beginning that the Harvard CIO council developed this strategic plan and that there is broad representation from across the university.

Harvard’s strategy is only seven pages long and is a very quick read. Even a “quick skim” of the strategy can give the reader a very good understanding of what they are trying to accomplish.

Additionally, it has sections for the following:

  • Trends in higher education
  • University priorities
  • Strengths/weaknesses

Harvard’s strategy first addresses “Emerging Trends in Higher Education and Technology.” The narrative in this section recognizes the “disruptive change” that technology has enabled in higher education. The strategy then goes on to apply those emerging trends to the university by examining the university priorities. The authors do an excellent job of providing the context in which the Harvard IT Strategy will operate.

Unique in Harvard’s strategy is a section on “Organizational Enablers and Barriers.” By including this section, the non-IT staff of Harvard can quickly get an understanding of what can be leveraged to help the strategy succeed as well as what stands in the way of implementation. This is a slightly different approach than the typical strengths and weaknesses. I think it provides an excellent way of framing what will help and what will hinder implementation of the strategic plan within the Harvard context.

Additional Resources

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information systems strategic plan example

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Well-Developed IT Strategic Plan Example

  • January 6, 2020
  • By: Colton De Vos
  • Business Strategy , IT Consulting

In years past, many companies viewed the IT organization as a reactionary cost centre. If someone in the company needed a computer, server, piece of software, or anything in between, the IT department went out and bought it, and that was that. Over time, the IT landscape became a patchworked hodgepodge that was difficult to manage, maintain, support, and keep secure.  

Under these circumstances, the IT department is part of the problem, not part of the solution, because what it was missing was an  IT strategy plan . Software that doesn’t meet business requirements, obsolete hardware, and isolated systems become the glaring evidence of money wasted and an IT structure that is disconnected from the company’s mission and goals.  

Let’s look at an  IT strategy plan example  and its essential components.  

Learn How To Develop an Effective IT Strategy Plan

Get this blog as a pdf sent straight to your inbox., what is an it business strategy plan.

An IT strategy plan is a guiding document for a company’s IT organization. It defines the overall goals, the strategies that support those goals, and the tactics that are needed to execute those strategies.  

Each section of the IT strategy plan focuses on one strategy and describes specific activities needed to implement that strategy. Think of it as a high-level project plan for realizing a strategy.  

IT Strategy Plan vs an actual IT Strategy: The plan is like a large schedule to address all gaps between the current state of IT and meeting best practices. It will address all initiatives that lead to business outcomes and goals. Initiatives that require time and resources from IT department to be able to execute such as:

  • Better IT support response times
  • Enhancing digital experience
  • Offering new products digitally
  • Expanding globally
  • Cutting costs
  • Better workflow
  • Leveraging automation
  • Increasing sales
  • Opening new offices

Example of an IT Strategy Plan chart

The scope and format of an IT strategy plan varies from company to company, but one thing remains constant: The IT strategy plan must be aligned with, and support, the company’s overall business vision. IT cannot work in a vacuum; every initiative  pursued,  and every dollar spent must support the goals and mission of the company.  

With a solid strategy plan, IT becomes a partner in the business: a part of the solution.  

Components of an IT Strategy Plan Template

So what does an  IT strategy example  look like? Let’s start with some of the core components. This  IT strategy document example  can be modified to meet the specific needs of a given business.  

Alignment with business strategy and objectives:  The IT strategy plan should demonstrate an understanding of alignment with the business strategy, so that the IT strategies support the business strategies. Business strategies that require large investments in IT infrastructure or software solutions should be specifically called out. It’s easy to misinterpret or misunderstand company goals if you’re getting them through the grapevine; this is why it’s essential for IT leadership to have a seat at the table for every business strategic planning meeting.  

Long-term initiatives:  Closely related to the previous point, any good  IT strategy map example  should include long-term initiatives (defined as those that will take three to five years to implement). For example, if one of the business strategies is to have a better customer digital experience , you may want to develop a suite of mobile apps over the next few years. If the company has no in-house development resources, the related IT initiative might be to build a mobile app development team and outfit it with the proper tools, processes, and training. Or partner with an IT service provider with the necessary skills to see your project through to completion. Again, it’s essential to keep these initiatives aligned with company goals and desired outcomes.  

Technology roadmap:  Technology naturally evolves over time, constantly providing opportunities to provide better, faster, cheaper service. When reviewing  IT strategy examples, technology  should take  centre  stage considering its role in IT.  

Image source:  https://www.itonics-innovation.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-roadmapping-innovation/  

For example, many companies are seeing the advantages of moving their on-premise data centres to cloud service providers such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The  IT strategy roadmap example  section should describe the technology directions that will best support the business and a high-level plan for getting there from the current state. Because it can be difficult to foresee what new technology developments would benefit a given business, it’s sometimes easy to go in a direction that ends up being wrong. Therefore, an IT strategy often covers a set of principles to govern the appropriate level of diligence or risk taking on new technology trends for different business goals.   

Best practices:  A key component in the IT organization’s ability to support the business is its adherence to best practices, such as the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). This section should identify the gaps in the organization’s adherence to best practices and how those gaps will be filled. Getting this right requires expertise in IT best practices. No IT organization adopts these best practices overnight; it’s a journey that often takes many years. But the best  IT business strategy examples  take heed of best practices.  

IT governance:  Related to IT best practices is IT governance , the policies and procedures that define how the IT organization accepts, evaluates, launches, and controls new initiatives, quality and budget. Like best practices, these  IT strategy example documents  in many organizations have room for improvement. This section discusses identifies the IT governance gaps and plans for improvement.  

IT service catalog:  Supporting the business means implementing a standard catalog of IT services that is aligned with the needs of the business. This section should describe any gaps in the current IT service catalog and the plan for filling those gaps. However, some gaps are harder (or more expensive) to fill than others, and it’s easy to be too ambitious here.  

Communication plan:  One key to success in any organization is transparency: Clear communication on the current state, upcoming changes, the reasons for those changes, and the status of in-flight initiatives. If the IT organization does not have a working communications apparatus to keep its customers informed, this section outlines how it intends to get there. IT organizations need to be careful not to over-message, however, because too much just becomes so much ignored spam.  

IT principles, metrics, and financials:   This section answers questions such as: What is IT’s guiding principles? How does the IT organization measure its success? What key performance indicators will guide the organization to continuously improve? What is the budgetary model for capital investments, operational expenses, and chargebacks? These  IT strategy statement examples  need to be carefully aligned with the rest of the business and work with the company’s overall financial model.  

Holistic design:   This section describes the design principles to be adopted or refined for use in every IT solution, and should include the  IT test strategy. For example , a holistic design  approach to IT strategic planning  considers people, processes, and technology. The tricky part is sticking with the chosen principles and not backsliding into suboptimal but familiar ways of operating.  

Developing an IT Strategy Plan  

Developing a solid, comprehensive IT strategy plan can be hard work, because the team’s ambitions have to be balanced against the resources available to bring them to life. There will be several cycles of draft and review with business leadership to settle on a strategy plan that works for both IT and the rest of the business.  

Click Here to see a breakdown of the planning process for an IT strategy.

Many organizations find the task too daunting, and too easy to get wrong, to build an IT strategy plan on their own. It’s too important, however, to ignore it or give it short shrift. If needed, engage with outside expert resources to help. It’s the one thing that will transform IT from a reputation as a necessary evil to an essential part of the business.  

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Home » Change Management » Creating an IT Strategic Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for CIOs and IT Leaders

Creating an IT Strategic Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for CIOs and IT Leaders

Creating an IT Strategic Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for CIOs and IT Leaders

According to a McKinsey survey, the proliferation of disruptive technologies emerging as a response to the pandemic “ speeded the adoption of digital technologies by several years—and many of these changes could be here for the long haul .” 

From shifting to remote work to implementing safety protocols, the pandemic has disrupted how businesses operate and interact with their customers at every level. The rise of virtual events, contactless payments, and online shopping has challenged traditional business models and forced companies to innovate.

Despite being a few years removed from the unprecedented events of COVID-19, major industries worldwide are still figuring out how to adapt and transform to the new normal. 

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63% of firms are still experiencing revenue levels below what they were before the pandemic, while 76% of firms have either reduced their workforce or put a hold on hiring, according to the Federal Reserves SCBS 2022 survey.

63% of firms are still experiencing revenue levels below what they were before the pandemic

As such, enterprises must rapidly accelerate digital transformation efforts to become future-ready and remain viable in their respective markets. CIOs must avoid deploying short-sighted IT strategies and solutions that only remedy immediate needs and instead align with those that facilitate overall organizational development .

Siloed tech investments that barely scratch the surface of true transformation are no longer enough.

CIOs and IT leaders need to deploy an IT strategic plan that provides a holistic view of the entire IT ecosystem, and that aligns with the ITIL framework – along with the provision of change management efforts that expedite this process.

This article discusses creating an IT strategic plan and provides a step-by-step guide for CIOs and IT leaders. We define an IT strategic plan, who’s responsible for developing it, and the benefits of having one. We cover the essential pillars of a successful IT strategic plan and provide practical examples from various industries. By the end of this guide, we’ll have equipped readers with the tools and knowledge necessary to help create a comprehensive IT strategic plan.

What is an IT Strategic Plan?

An IT strategic plan (Information Technology strategic plan) is a comprehensive roadmap that outlines an organization’s approach to using technology to achieve long-term goals and objectives. It provides a framework for aligning technology investments with business goals and helps guide decision-making around IT initiatives and projects.

SWZD states that “ adoption plans have grown significantly YoY for newer technologies such as 5G, edge computing, serverless computing, 3D printing, VR, and blockchain .” 

A well-crafted plan considers an organization’s current and future technology needs, as well as its budget, resources, and constraints. It identifies critical systems and applications that support business operations and outlines strategies for managing those systems over time, including upgrades, maintenance, and security measures.

An effective IT strategic plan also includes a clear vision for how technology can drive innovation and growth for the organization.

It explores emerging technologies and trends and assesses their potential impact on the business. It also includes a plan for training and developing IT staff and ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to effectively manage and support technology systems.

Companies that invest in Information Technology (IT) tend to experience higher productivity levels than those that don’t.

Overall, an IT Strategic Plan is a crucial tool for organizations that wish to leverage technology to stay competitive and achieve their goals. It provides a roadmap for aligning technology investments with business objectives and helps ensure that technology initiatives are properly managed and executed to achieve optimal results.

Who’s Responsible for Developing an IT Strategic Plan?

Developing an IT strategic plan is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. 

As such, organizations must assign responsibility to a capable team or individual who can deliver a comprehensive plan that aligns with the company’s goals.

Generally speaking, the responsibility of developing an IT strategic plan falls on senior management or IT leaders, such as a Chief Information Officer (CIO) or Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This is because creating an IT strategic plan involves technical expertise and a keen understanding of business objectives and budget constraints.

A new study from CIO found that IT leaders spent most of their time on practical and transformational work this year, similar to the previous year of 2022.

The IT strategic planning process also requires input from different departments of an organization, including finance, marketing, and operations. IT leaders can collaborate with these teams to gather relevant information, identify gaps and opportunities, and create a prioritized roadmap.

It’s also important for IT leaders to engage with the broader organization and stakeholders to ensure that the strategic plan aligns with the company’s overall mission and vision. This helps to ensure that the IT strategic plan is not isolated and contributes to the organization’s success.

The Benefits of an IT Strategic Plan

The Benefits of an IT Strategic Plan

An IT strategic plan offers a multitude of benefits to an organization. At its core, such a plan provides a roadmap for successful and sustainable IT operations; it aligns IT initiatives and resources with business strategy, identifying opportunities for innovation, growth, and improvement across the enterprise.

Consequently, a sound strategic plan can enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve IT performance, thereby improving overall business performance. 

By laying out clear goals, timelines, budgets, and performance metrics, an IT strategic plan can help a company prioritize and allocate resources more effectively; this leads to greater operational agility and responsiveness, increased innovation, and a more competitive market position in the long run.

Moreover, an IT strategic plan supports organizational decision-making and governance while enhancing risk management and security practices. By identifying potential risks and establishing mitigation strategies, a strategic plan anticipates and addresses potential cybersecurity threats, disaster recovery, competitive pressures, and changing market conditions.

Ultimately, implementing and executing a well-designed IT strategic plan can lead to long-term benefits such as increased growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction, while also enhancing organizational agility and competitiveness. 

According to Gartner’s forecast, IT spending is expected to increase in all regions worldwide despite global economic turbulence. The report estimates that by 2023, worldwide IT spending will reach $4.6 trillion in total value, representing a 5.5% increase from the previous year.

5 Vital Steps of the IT Strategic Planning Process

5 Vital Steps of the IT Strategic Planning Process

Developing a strategic IT plan is fundamental to the success of any modern business. Effective planning and execution require a methodical, well-structured approach. 

By following these five key steps, CIOs and IT leaders can develop a comprehensive strategy designed to meet your organization’s current and future needs and help achieve your business objectives.

Step 1: Identify Your Strategic Objectives

The first step in developing your IT strategy involves identifying your goals and desired outcomes.  

To accomplish this, you must understand your organization’s current state and what you hope to achieve through your IT strategy. This clarity will help you determine what success looks like, allowing you to measure your progress over time.

Step 2: Craft a Vision Statement

Once you have identified your strategic objectives, the next step is to create a vision statement that reflects your IT strategy’s aspirations. 

This statement should outline the purpose of your IT plan and explain how it will achieve your organization’s goals. By aligning your IT leaders and team members to your cause, your vision statement will inspire them to work towards a common set of objectives.

Step 3: Assess Your Current IT Resources and Capabilities

In order to create an effective IT strategy, you must assess your current IT resources and capabilities. This includes evaluating your existing technology to identify any gaps or opportunities for improvement. 

By understanding your IT department’s strengths and weaknesses, you can identify specific areas for improvement and ensure that your IT strategy is designed to address your organization’s unique needs.

Step 4: Create an Actionable Plan

In this penultimate step, you must create an actionable plan to achieve your IT strategy’s goals. This involves creating an IT roadmap that outlines the tasks, resources, and timelines required to achieve your desired outcomes. 

By focusing on specific initiatives and tracking progress over time, you can adjust your IT strategy as necessary to ensure it remains aligned with your organization’s evolving needs.

Step 5: Implement the Strategy and Measure Results

Implementing your IT strategy involves setting up the necessary systems and processes to execute your plan effectively. 

You’ll need to allocate resources, manage projects, and maintain governance. After implementation, regularly monitor progress, measure results against KPIs, and adjust your approach accordingly. Change management tools can help you gain insights into the effectiveness of your IT strategy and identify opportunities for further technology investment.

IT Strategic Plan Examples

Strategic IT planning is a critical activity that ensures the effective use of technology to achieve a company’s goals and objectives. However, given that companies have varying objectives, strategic IT plans can take on many forms. 

Depending on an organization’s nature, scope, and size, the format of strategic IT plans can differ significantly. For instance, a small business might have a basic plan that outlines its technology requirements. At the same time, a larger conglomerate may require a more comprehensive plan that covers various departments and business units.

To provide a clearer picture of the variations that exist among strategic IT plans, here are four examples for your consideration:

Harvard University IT Strategic Plan Template:

Harvard University IT Strategic Plan Template

IMAGE – Can the graphic design team please save and input the image from PAGE 6 from this link?

Resolute Technology Solutions IT Strategic Plan Template:

Resolute Technology Solutions IT Strategic Plan Template

Gartner’s IT Strategic Plan Example Template:

Gartner's IT Strategic Plan Example Template

Cascade’s IT Strategic Plan Template:

City of cambridge’s 180-day it strategic plan:.

City of CambridgeΓÇÖs 180-day IT Strategic Plan

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The Best Piece of Strategic Planning Advice We Can Offer

Kirk Reickhoff , Senior Partner at McKinsey, states that a great leader provides a rough outline for the team to figure out the rest. An IT strategic plan is the foundation of your IT transformation journey, guiding your progress and ensuring continuity. It is an iterative process that requires regular updates to stay up-to-date.

However, your employees are the driving force behind your success. They are the meat and muscle of your IT organization, pushing you forward and keeping you going. An IT strategic plan can guide you, but it’s ultimately up to your team to execute it successfully.

For an IT strategic plan to be effective, it must align with and reinforce the overall business vision. It is critical to avoid siloed thinking and ensure that all technology-related investments and initiatives are fully integrated and help advance the organization’s broader mission and objectives. 

Every dollar spent on IT must be fully accounted for and justified based on its contribution to achieving the company’s overall goals. 

McKinsey reports that as CIOs face budgets of

McKinsey reports that as CIOs face budgets of $500 million or more, they’re increasingly seeking IT providers to help support and strengthen their internal talent’s ability to innovate and drive the company’s digital strategy. This is partly due to a desire to sustain innovation in critical business areas and those that interact directly with customers. 

As a CIO or IT leader, it is imperative to clearly understand the business goals and how IT can aid in achieving them. By following the steps in this article, CIOs and IT leaders can begin to create a strategic plan that cultivates a collaborative process between IT and business leaders, focusing on aligning IT initiatives with the company’s overall objectives.

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Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP)

What is strategic information systems planning (sisp).

Strategic Information Systems Planning or SISP at the most basic can be defined as “the process of determining an organization’s portfolio of computer-based applications that will help it achieve its business objectives.” (Newkirk & Lederer, 2007, p. 34).

The definition of strategic information system planning has many variations. For example Lederer and Sethi (1988) state that “(SISP) is the process of deciding the objectives for organizational computing and identifying potential computer application which the organization should implement” (p.445). Hevner, Bernt, and Studnicki (2000) state that “(SISP) is the process of aligning an organization’s business strategy with effective computer-based information systems to achieve critical business objectives” (p. 1). Doherty et al. (1999) offer a composite definition from different sources and state that SISP is “the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications to be implemented, which is both highly aligned with corporate strategy and has the ability to create an advantage over competitors” (p. 265). Each of these definitions states that there is a process to strategic information system planning.

SISP is needed in order to align IT with the strategic goals of an organization in order to identify new opportunities, and that organizations miss opportunities and fail to implement new business strategies without SISP (Kearns, 2006, p. 237; Lederer & Sethi, 1988, p. 445). The general consensus is that: (a) there is an ongoing need for strategic information systems planning (Henderson & Sifonis, 1988), and (b) that SISP has a direct impact in an organizations ability to execute its strategic business strategy, maximize its performance, and leverage IT investments for competitive advantage (Johnson & Lederer, 2010).

Strategic information systems planning is based on two core arguments:

  • The first is that, at a minimum, a firm’s information systems investments should be aligned with the overall business strategy, and in some cases may even become an emerging source of competitive advantage. While no one disagrees with this, operations management researchers are just starting to study how this alignment takes place and what the measurable benefits are.
  • The second core argument behind SISP is that companies can best achieve IS-based alignment or competitive advantage by following a proactive, formal and comprehensive process that includes the development of broad organizational information requirements. This is in contrast to a “reactive” strategy, in which the IS group sits back and responds to other areas of the business only when a need arises. [1]

What SISP is Not [2]

  • SISP is unlikely to lead to fundamental changes in strategy. Situations rarely call for dramatic shifts in course. SISP should not lead to change for the sake of change, nor is it a rubber-stamp for current directions, past actions, or preconceived notions of how things should be.
  • SISP is not the final written document, a detailed implementation plan, or a budgeting exercise. It is a learning process that should result in an improved, shared vision of the IS/IT function among senior managers and identification of a select group of potential business initiatives which, after further review, may afford opportunities for high returns on investment .
  • SISP is not something that can be contracted out to external consultants. The strategic plan must be “owned” company executives, critical stakeholders, senior managers, and senior IT staff. A consultant’s report should be (and often is) rejected by company executives and critical stakeholders. Although consultants may provide useful assistance at various points in the planning process, extreme care must be exercised lest the result be theirs and not yours.
  • SISP is not a technical exercise to create a unified data architecture or extensive, explicit models of all business processes.

SISP Phases [3] While much has been written about SISP, the important aspect that has been underemphasized is the planning process or how planning is accomplished. SISP planners have to consider the preparatory steps that ensure that business, organizational and information strategies are aligned in a complementary fashion. The overall role of technology and information systems within the organization must be determined, and the internal and external assessments need to be addressed. The most important point to remember is that the SISP process must be part of the overall organization plan. SISP has been described in terms of phases and the specific tasks within them. The phases and tasks represent the components of the planning process, with each having its own objectives, participants, preconditions, products, and techniques. The phases and tasks can be used to describe an organization’s attempts to be comprehensive in its strategic planning process. SISP unfolds in five phases (summarized graphically in figure below)

SISP Phases

The overall five phase breakdown is as follows:

  • It outlines an organization’s overall direction, philosophy, and purpose.
  • It examines its current status in terms of its strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats.
  • It sets long-term objectives.
  • It formulates short-term tactics to reach them.
  • Information Systems Assessment: Evaluation of the system to assess its status (current information systems resources) in terms of original or current expectations and how they are serving the organization.
  • Information Systems Vision: Ideal role that should be pursued for use of information systems resources
  • Information Systems Guidelines: Set of statements that clarify use of organization’s technical and information systems resources.
  • Strategic Initiatives: Three to five year long-term proposals that specify new initiatives for information systems organization.

SISP Methodologies [4] There are a number of SISP methodologies to choose from. Pita et al. (2008) provide a list of a number of SISP methodologies, which is reproduced in the Table below. While this list is by no means exhaustive, it shows the range of methodologies and provide a means for those interested in further study. An attempt to determine the most used methodology does not yield definitive results; however, Pita et al. (2008) list the top methodologies used in Australia and suggest that the most popular methodologies are alignment methodologies (p. 754).

SISP Methodologies

Strategic information systems planning is considered a complex activity with a potential for problems, thus it’s important for the organization to choose the methodology with the best fit (Lederer & Sethi, 1988, p. 448). As noted by Lederer and Sethi (1988) organizations may choose to adopt a specific SISP methodology or modify an existing strategic management planning strategy and incorporate information technology (p. 448). An organization may also choose to combine a number of SISP methodologies into a SISP approach (Doherty et al., 1999, p. 265). According to Pita et al. (2008), “one of the major issues on the IS planning agenda is choosing the right methodology” and that the use of more than one methodology is preferred (p. 752). Additionally, Pita et al. (2008) note that the selection of a wrong SISP methodology can significantly contribute to SISP failure (p. 752).

Benefits of SISP [5] SISP has been increasingly becoming essential for organizations to enhance their performance. It provides a wide range of benefits to an organization including improvements in terms of business activities and information flow. Furthermore, SISP enhances the organization’s competitive advantages. Essential benefits of SISP have been identified as: (i) Align information technology with business needs. (ii) Integrating IT into an organization, and promote organizational competitiveness (iii) Effectiveness of IT implementation (iv) Helping to identify strategic applications by information executives and top management (v) Justify IT investments by addressing the expectation out of such investments

Studies have shown that SISP assists managers in determining the new information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) strategies, allocating resources, positioning suitable applications and gaining competitive advantages. It is essential for an organization as the measurement of organization's success is based on the return on the money invested in IT. Thus, it plays an important role in management functions. Moreover, it can help organizations to use IT more competitively, identify new higher payback applications and better forecast on IT resource requirement. The picture that emerges from previous studies indicates that SISP is a relatively successful management process. For example, there is consistency across the studies and most of IS managements are reported being satisfied with SISP implementation for organization performance. Galliers et al. also found that the perceptions of the management improved as the organization moves from its first SISP exercise into subsequent SISP exercises. Lederer et al. broke down the SISP process into a number of component parts and measured the satisfaction of the IS planners they surveyed with each component part individually. They found considerable differences in satisfaction. Whilst over half were satisfied with the SISP methodology used, this fell to less than one third for SISP implementation.

Finnegan et al. also identified the following benefits from SISP in their study of Irish companies:

  • New projects justified to provide a basis for IS budgets in the performance of the IS department can be judged more fairly. A strategy for technology selection is set. Business managers become better informed and more involved in IT Scarce. IT resources are allocated more wisely Emergency IS projects are avoided Business programmers are more assured of IT requirements Both et al. demonstrated that SISP success varies according to SISP approach with the administrative and technological approaches being the least successful and the organizational approach being the most successful.
  • Obviously SISP brings about strategic benefits to the organization in such matters as effectiveness of IT implementation. However, the effectiveness implies addressing issues associated with IT implementation at the planning level.
  • IT Strategy
  • ↑ What is Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) NC State University
  • ↑ What SISP is Not Michelle Lombardo et al.
  • ↑ SISP Phases Arwa A. Altameem et al.
  • ↑ SISP Methodologies Brian Fergerson
  • ↑ Benefits of SISP Muneer Alsurori, Juhana Salim

Service desk

Creating an information systems strategy

Creating an effective Information Systems Strategy to manage business information needs.

information systems strategic plan example

Helen Fawcett

Executive Consultant

What is an information systems strategy? 

No matter what kind of organisation you are, you'll have some form of business system (usually multiple) – it may just be a set of macro enabled spreadsheets, it could be a  cloud based software solution  or it could be a monolithic ERP solution.

Businesses need data to run. Data needs to be stored somewhere, shared and manipulated in order to turn it into information. Every business system, bespoke or otherwise, is purely a mechanism for pushing data from A to B via C, for showing information, for sharing information, for using raw data to calculate information or for auditing information. Portals, websites, ERP systems, planning systems, data warehouses, transactional systems – they are all 'Information Systems' – their purpose being to share information with the relevant people who need it, at the points they need it to cause action, which allow decisions to be made and for the business to function as it needs to. 

Why do I need an effective information system strategy? 

Managing information needs in a business can be problematic. It's almost unheard of to come across an organisation that has no systems in place. The majority of organisations have many; all performing a particular function, with duplicated data which doesn’t always stay in sync, which invariably don’t integrate together and which causes reporting inconsistencies, manual effort and regulatory nightmares. It's often the case that new systems are implemented in isolation to the rest of the business systems because of pressure from the executive board to ‘get something in’. Often you see interim solutions that’ve been implemented as ‘we didn’t have enough time to do the proper solution’ and 5 years later the ‘interim’ solution is still in place. Or where people in the core of the business have implemented a solution because ‘IT were never getting round to doing anything about it.’ 

What does this all lead to? A massive mish-mash of systems which don’t speak to one another, that can create more problems than existed before they were implemented (along with lots of wasted money, time, blood, sweat and tears!). Sound familiar? 

So where does it all go wrong? Organisations have to respond to the market they're operating in, they have to be agile, and they have to be able to act on regulatory changes to survive. External influences make organisations reactive – and inevitably (it seems) with reactivity comes disparity of information. Whilst it would be impossible to remove the reactive nature of organisations trying to survive in a difficult economic environment, and whilst pragmatism is required to meet the pressing requirement for businesses to be agile; there is a need to take a more strategic view to ensure that the information needs of the organisation can be fulfilled. 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a silver bullet to fix the problem (sorry to disappoint!); however going through a process of understanding the information needs of the business, having a vision of the systems architecture that has to be in place to support those needs, and ultimately delivering an architecture that provides an overall structure, should help an organisation ensure that they can react, whilst maintaining the integrity of their information. The following roadmap is one that we regularly follow when helping our clients get from their current state and derive a vision of where they need to get to. 

Step 1: Understand what the business is trying to achieve

The first step is to really understand the business strategy and key drivers for the organisation. It's an essential starting point to ensure that an organisation has a clear idea of what financial targets it's aiming to achieve and what customer centred initiatives are required to meet those aims. Once those are understood, it's possible to define/understand the internal processes and people related issues to correctly align them within the overall strategy. 

As a business we use several tools to help us to do this including the Discipline Driver model of Treacey and Wiersema (1) which defines the core driver for the business – a product leader, a customer intimate organisation or an operationally efficient organisation. The Hedgehog concept derived by Collins(2) which defines the core values and purpose of the organisation. And the Balanced Score Card (3) and associated Strategy Map (4) defined by Kaplan and Norton which allows an organisation to understand the financial, customer, internal, and learning and growth perspectives for the organisation. 

This stage of the process is required to establish the context for the Information System needs, and provides the understanding for why certain information is required and ultimately the impact on the aims of the business if those needs are not adequately fulfilled. 

Step 2: Understand what the information needs of the business are 

Once a clear definition of what the business is trying to achieve is outlined, the next steps are to ensure that the information needs of the business are understood. 

This is carried out by identifying and understanding the main functional areas of the business and the major business processes that are needed for the business to operate. Through understanding the broad processes and functions within an organisation, it helps to identify key stakeholders who have a vested interest in the information and enables further detailed discussions as to what the information is used for. 

Step 3: Assess the status quo 

To know where you want to get to, it's always a good starting point to understand where you are now. An important part of the process is to understand what’s currently in place both from a systems perspective and a data perspective. It's crucial to gain an understanding of the current touch points between the different systems and between the data; whether those points are automated or manual; the key functions that are performed within the systems; and how the data is used. The aim of this part of the process is to produce a systems map and a data map which shows the current picture, highlighting data/information gaps, duplication, inefficiencies and potential areas for inaccuracies. 

Step 4: Review and consolidate 

This is the intellectual part of the process; taking the current picture, understanding the overlaps, the gaps and the current and future information needs of the business – using this information as a basis it's then possible to identify areas to consolidate, change and improve. This involves identifying areas where: 

  • Data is duplicated – to understand what can be done to ensure that the data no longer needs to be duplicated. 
  • Data is missing – to understand where within the process that data needs to be collated to ensure it's available for use by the relevant people. 
  • Data is inconsistent – to understand where data is being manipulated and changed in more than one place. 
  • Systems are not performing – to understand whether the systems need replacing or whether the core functions they are performing would be better achieved using another system or process. 
  • Manual processes are in place – to understand the ‘spreadsheet’ based systems and paper based processes in place to identify if they would be better achieved through automation. 
  • Location of integration points with third parties – to understand what data moves inside and outside of the organisation. 

The purpose of the step is to categorise the systems with regards to their main functions; identifying systems that should be kept within the overall architecture, the systems which need to be removed or replaced, the systems which need to be changed and the areas where the different systems should integrate. 

Step 5: Define an enterprise architecture 

The final step is bringing all that information together to define an overall conceptual enterprise architecture which identifies the core systems categorised by function. The mechanisms by which users will access the  data and analytics  in the systems, for example through portals, productivity suites, web based applications and business to business interfaces. Workflows to map the business processes. Data orchestration to maintain data integrity and greater   business intelligence suites to provide management information and operational reporting. The ultimate aim is to provide a conceptual future vision for an information systems structure to support the requirements of the organisation. 

So, following this process you'll have an idea of the information systems architecture you need in place to support your organisation – job done? Not really – now comes the arguably harder task of delivering that vision… 

Continue the conversation 

If you'd like help with your information systems strategy you can get in touch on 0345 094 0945 or via email at  [email protected]

Five Year Information Technology Strategic Plan Example

  • January 10, 2024

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Timothy Britt, CEO/Founder, Synoptek , Irvine, CA.

The new year marks the commencement of insightful dialogues surrounding emerging trends, innovative technologies, progressive business strategies and engaging interviews with esteemed industry leaders. To enable sustained growth, every organization will need to define its trajectory for business and technology progression. They will need to make crucial choices on technology adoption, how to ensure a seamless blend between bots and humans, enhance customer interactions and ensure strategic deployment of generative AI.

There is no better way to start a new calendar year than to sit down and pen down thoughts on growth plans and strategies. Here’s what I think the technology industry will be up against in the coming year.

Customer experience will be a key focus area for technology professionals in 2024.

Every situation is different. Every organization is different. One of the most essential things for technology professionals and consultants is to build a great customer experience. Often, technology professionals may be in the back of the corner, distancing themselves from the customer. That is not an ideal scenario.

You really need to understand the customer. Go out and talk to your customers. Get in the trenches with your customer. Understand how they’re interacting with your organization. Also, speak to business stakeholders interacting with your customers to get a better and deeper understanding of precisely what they want.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, successful alignment of technology investments with critical business strategies is the key..

The value of technology and successful technology investments depends on organizations. When we walk into organizations, we witness 40 to 50 different technology projects running simultaneously. When reviewing their extensive list of prioritized projects, it becomes evident that numerous initiatives lack the desired impact, often resulting in inefficiencies and suboptimal outcomes.

When I meet with customers and talk about the technology they're using to realize business results, I witness that there is more focus on ad-hoc implementation than strategic vision. Businesses should focus more on strategies. They should try to realize the business vision and achieve the intended results. Technology is just a tool that helps us do that.

The most crucial thing the technology department in a company—or the CIO or CTO—can do is ensure that all tech initiatives are attached to a key business strategy. Everyone should be aligned on what the most critical business strategies are. Technology initiatives should be aligned explicitly with prioritized business.

At my company, we are putting this into practice so that our customers can focus their resources on the more important things to achieve growth.

Lessons learned from the past year must influence decision-making in the coming year.

Last year, Synoptek replaced many of its systems and upgraded platforms to new ones, affecting everyone in the company. During this process, there are a few things we realized we need to keep in mind as we help our customers going forward.

First, the business and the people who own its processes must be fully engaged while partnering on the technology projects to be successful.

Second, there needs to be a structured methodology. We must paint a true picture of what the future will be in a clear way and, more specifically, why we are doing it.

Third, we often forget how people are affected by changing systems. They are trying to do their jobs effectively. Suddenly, we take all the systems and change how they work, introducing new processes, and things don't work as they initially thought. Setting their expectations, training them sufficiently and helping them through that transition is essential.

To ensure every stakeholder saw and agreed on the plan to make things happen, we found that the most effective way was to have "executive envision" workshops. These workshops helped our people talk openly and honestly about the business challenges and then design appropriate solutions. By spending a little bit of time in two or three sessions, we gathered information from everyone and outlined solutions that solved the big problems.

Organizations must brace for top tech and business challenges.

In today’s volatile world, companies will need to be agile and able to operate in the event of an unexpected outcome or need to build a pivot. They must set up a solid technology foundation in the cloud.

Next, whether companies are growing or pivoting, any change will bring vulnerability, which opens the door to many bad actors. So, they must chart out a risk and compliance framework to protect data and intellectual property and keep systems running.

We should all be grateful for the job we get to do.

For example, due to this role, I can talk to hundreds of our customers every year, and I get to witness first-hand in these interactions how technology is used to do legendary things.

The technology industry is constantly innovating, and seeing how our customers utilize these advancements to accomplish tasks that were once deemed impossible is truly exciting.

It’s also thrilling to be in this age of generative AI, intelligent automation and NLP models and witness their capabilities in fueling innovation and human interaction.

Closing Thoughts

In today’s technology landscape, the possibilities are truly remarkable. To drive strategic success, it's imperative to enhance tech initiatives that can tangibly transform and elevate your business.

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?

Timothy Britt

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Certification of Health IT

Health information technology advisory committee (hitac), health equity, hti-1 final rule, information blocking, interoperability, patient access to health records, clinical quality and safety, global health it efforts, health it and health information exchange basics, health it in health care settings, health it resources, laws, regulation, and policy, onc funding opportunities, onc hitech programs, privacy, security, and hipaa, scientific initiatives, standards & technology, usability and provider burden, 2020-2025 federal health it strategic plan.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the final 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan . The Plan outlines federal health IT goals and objectives, with a focus on individuals’ access to their electronic health information.

The Plan was developed by the ONC in collaboration with more than 25 federal organizations and informed by nearly 100 public comment submissions . The Plan demonstrates the federal government’s ongoing, coordinated focus on improving the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information.

Specifically, the Plan explains how the federal government intends to use health IT to:

  • Promote Health and Wellness;
  • Enhance the Delivery and Experience of Care;
  • Build a Secure, Data-Driven Ecosystem to Accelerate Research and Innovation; and
  • Connect Healthcare with Health Data.

On behalf of all of the federal agencies involved in the development of the Plan, ONC would like to thank the individuals and organizations who contributed their comments. With your feedback, we created a plan that will promote modern health IT for all stakeholders and help to address barriers to the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information.

Download the draft 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan

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  1. Strategic Information System: Planning and Examples

    Example of strategic information system planning Let's use the example of a manufacturing company implementing Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) to improve its operational efficiency and market competitiveness.

  2. 8 free IT strategic planning templates and examples for CIOs

    These free IT strategic planning templates and examples of IT strategic plans will help CIOs develop strategies that become powerful tools for the business. What goes into IT strategic planning: Free templates and in-depth guides SOURCE #1: Gartner Inc. OFFERING: Build an IT Strategic Plan That You Will Actually Use

  3. IT Strategic Plans: 5 Great Examples

    IT Strategic Plans: 5 Great Examples September 22, 2017 7 minute read Joe Roush No two strategic plans are created equal, nor should they be. An organization's IT Strategic plan should reflect the unique needs of the organization as well as the market in which it operates. Higher education is no different.

  4. An Example of a Well-Developed IT Strategy Plan

    Resources Contact An IT strategy plan is a guiding document for a company's IT organization. It defines goals, strategies to support those goals, and tactics to execute...

  5. IT Strategy Template for a Successful Strategic Plan

    Create an IT strategy Cultivate commitment Craft an IT strategic plan Keep strategy on track Align the operating model An effective IT strategy details how IT will help the business meet its objectives A good business strategy clearly defines what success looks like for the enterprise and what priorities the enterprise will set to achieve it.

  6. Creating an IT Strategic Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for CIOs and IT Leaders

    An IT strategic plan (Information Technology strategic plan) is a comprehensive roadmap that outlines an organization's approach to using technology to achieve long-term goals and objectives. It provides a framework for aligning technology investments with business goals and helps guide decision-making around IT initiatives and projects.

  7. IT Strategic Planning: Examples, Tools, Free Templates (2024)

    For example, when employees began working remotely across geographies, organizations relied on IT departments to take charge of investment priorities, security policies, and the adoption of new virtual technologies to keep businesses afloat, all of which required intensive strategic IT planning.

  8. IT Strategy Template for a Successful Strategic Plan

    One-page IT strategy template to build a successful IT strategic plan & communicate your strategy effectively. Unlock your IT Strategic plan template now.

  9. PDF Information Systems Strategic Plan (ISSP)

    ISBN 978--477-10253-7 V2 Contents FOREWORD, INTRODUCTION THE MINISTRY'S OPERATING ENVIRONMENT — Our Purpose — Our Operating Model — Organisational Context — Government ICT Strategy — Our Strategic Intentions — Digitally Enabling MFAT's Global Workforce — IMD's Purpose STRATEGIC THEMES, FUTURE FOCUS AREAS, ENABLING CAPABILITIES FUTURE FOCUS AREAS

  10. PDF STRATEGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS PLANNING: A Template for Use in ...

    What follows is a "template" for strategic information system planning (SISP) in public sector (state and county) agencies. Because many of you are experienced planners it is with some ... The strategic plan must be "owned" by agency executives, critical stakeholders, senior agency managers, and senior IT staff. A consultant's report ...

  11. Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP)

    For example Lederer and Sethi (1988) state that " (SISP) is the process of deciding the objectives for organizational computing and identifying potential computer application which the organization should implement" (p.445).

  12. Creating an information systems strategy

    Not really - now comes the arguably harder task of delivering that vision…. If you'd like help with your information systems strategy you can get in touch on 0345 094 0945 or via email at [email protected] . Creating an effective Information Systems Strategy to manage business information needs.

  13. PDF HHS IT Strategic Plan FY 2021-2023

    Developed in collaboration with the HHS Operating Division (OpDiv) IT community and in coordination with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), the HHS IT Strategic Plan FY 2021-2023 represents the Department's future ambitions to deliver its core functions with greater agility, security, and effectiveness amidst an evolving public ...

  14. A Practical Guide to Information Systems Strategic Planning

    ABSTRACT. The foundation of a successful information systems strategic plan is the recognition that business direction and requirements must drive the IS strategy and computing architecture. A Practical Guide to Information Systems Strategic Planning, Second Edition outlines a systematic approach to guide you through the development of an ...

  15. Information Systems Strategic Plan Example: Portfolio Planning And Road

    Explore how strategic IT planning advances conservation missions. Learn from key themes, agile methodologies & stakeholder engagement in this example.

  16. Five Year Information Technology Strategic Plan Example

    Strategic Alignment: The IT strategic plan example emphasizes aligning IT initiatives with the broader organizational goals. CIOs can ensure that all IT projects support the organization's mission and strategic objectives, ensuring optimal use of resources and reinforcing the value of the IT department within the organization.

  17. PDF How to write a strategic plan

    Goals, Priorities and Strategies. Outlines the goals, priorities, and strategies to meet the mission. 3 -4 overarching goals aligned with mission. Priorities, activities, objectives, strategies are in more depth, have more specificity - each goal could have a few different objectives / strategies associated with it.

  18. Toward a theory of strategic information systems planning

    A final important resource for strategic information systems planning is the organization's business plan (McLean and Soden, 1977; Henderson and Sifonis, A.L. Lederer, H. Salmela/Journal of Strategic Information Systems S (1996) 237-253 245 Table 1 A typical strategic information planning process (Andersen Consulting's Method/1) 1.

  19. (PDF) Information System Strategic Plan

    The purpose of strategic planning for information systems (SPIS) is to provide a systematic process for developing a long-range plan for information systems on the basis of the organization's ...

  20. PDF ISSP Template

    Learn how the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) of the Philippines developed its Information Systems Strategic Plan (ISSP) for 2018-2020, covering its vision, mission, goals, and strategies. Download the ISSP template in PDF format.

  21. Strategic Information Systems

    Strategic Information Systems. Yehia Mortagy, in Encyclopedia of Information Systems, 2003. I.A. Definition of Strategic Information Systems Wiseman coined the term strategic information systems (SIS) to identify systems that shape or support the competitive strategy of an organization. He underscored the importance of viewing information technology utilization from a strategic perspective ...

  22. PDF Development of an Information Systems Strategic Plan for the ...

    Technology. The components that are used in the Information System Strategic Plan were based on the ISSP template given by the Information and Communication Technology Department (DICT). The ISSP covered the municipality's 3-year plan. Finally, the adoption and implementation of ISSP can transform the municipality into a more

  23. Demystifying Strategic Planning: Process and Benefits

    Measuring 30 economies' readiness and capacity to participate in the global trading system in a manner that supports the long-term goals of economic growth, environmental protection, and societal development. ... There are huge advantages to having a successful strategic plan. For example, strategic planning leads to improved decision-making ...

  24. CEO Vision 2024: Crafting A Strategic Roadmap For Business And

    Successful alignment of technology investments with critical business strategies is the key. The value of technology and successful technology investments depends on organizations.

  25. 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan

    Form Approved OMB# 0990-0379 Exp. Date 9/30/2025. Content last reviewed on August 31, 2021. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the final 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan. The Plan outlines federal health IT goals and objectives, with a focus on individuals' access to their electronic health information.