From Business Strategy to IT Action

1. From Business Strategy to IT Action Chapter 7 Tackle the Right Problems

2. A Practical Perspective • in this chapter the authors are going to reiterate issues such ac alignment of IS/IT with corporate goals, prioritization if IS/IT goals, measuring performance such as return on investment • begin viewing your Learning Alliance company through the text’s perspective

3. Learning Alliance Companies • Classic Finds • Electronic Installations • Families in Motion • Java Estate Roastery • Linprint • Priddyboys • Provis Media • Silver Coast Winery

4. Tie to 10 Point Disaster Plan • the chapter should get you started towards your “disaster plan” for this course • nothing elaborate, something practical • format • executive summary (1 page) followed by no more than 4 more pages – complete but succinct • what is the problem, why is it important (money, critical to ongoing operations, etc. – may be more than one) • how will the disaster “trigger” be recognized and by whom • how will success be measured (lower losses, a profit out of the disaster, something else) and by whom • who is responsible to formulate the plan, recognize the disaster trigger, operate during and after the disaster, measure the response, etc [see Exhibit at bottom of page 113 in the text and start with the big arrow containing “Effective Planning”]

5. Practical Problems Revolve Around People • a plan (good or bad) will fail if senior decision-makers don’t accept it – what will make your Learning Alliance company accept your plan? • drill down to the next level, people likely to implement the plan – what will make them accept your plan?

6. In Many Organizations the IT Plan Does Not Effectively Tie to the Organization’s Business Strategy • I realize this is said in every chapter, but repetition of this fact is important • what can be done to tie IS/IT plans to the organization’s plans • have a tactical (if not strategic) plan for IS/IT and explicitly show where it ties to the organization’s strategic plan • have a member of IS/IT on the organization’s planning committee (text calls this the “right person”) • some companies tie this to the budgeting process – mixed success/failure [don’t let IS/IT budget in a different way from the rest of the organization]

7. Legacies & Entitlements • “disasters” can be a way of forcing organizations to deal with • “dead wood” expenditures • non-essential applications • in prioritization exercises, you must be willing to set a priority of zero – IS/IT cannot be allowed to say that they have to “give the users what they want”, IS/IT needs to influence users to help them understand what they need

8. Caveat • page 117 – 118, IT Impact Management Approach to “Legacy and Entitlement Mentality” • a great section, read it to understand its deeper meaning • be prepared that if you are the proponent of this and do not have the support of the senior managers in the areas being affected then you are committing suicide

9. Management Expectations • can be distorted by • previous systems that do not compare with current systems • claims by vendors and/or colleagues in other companies • inaccurate metrics • the desire by senior management to want “a simple solution” • notice the bottom third of page 123 and top of page 124 – the authors (usually so ready to demand tangible measurements of IS/IT) waffle and say link IS/IT to company strategic goals is better

10. “It Ain’t Broke” is No Way to Measure IS/IT Projects • why • rapid change in IS/IT capabilities • “broken” applications can be masked • does not plan, only looks at current and past