1 / 24

Managing Information: Information Technology Architecture

Managing Information: Information Technology Architecture. Infsy 540 Dr. R. Ocker. Strategy. What is a business strategy?. Strategy. What is the relationship between IT and the business strategy?. managers’ dilemma. managers’ dilemma:

ljude
Download Presentation

Managing Information: Information Technology Architecture

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Managing Information:Information Technology Architecture Infsy 540 Dr. R. Ocker

  2. Strategy • What is a business strategy?

  3. Strategy • What is the relationship between IT and the business strategy?

  4. managers’ dilemma managers’ dilemma: • cannot leave important IT decisions to computer professionals to make alone, but managers are not technically competent to make the “right” decisions without technologists

  5. managers’ dilemma • dilemma resolved by developing an information technology architecture • bridge between strategy and technology • defines a company’s IT infrastructure • includes policies and guidelines that govern the IT resources • computers, data, software, communications facilities

  6. Link IS plan to business plan • Linkage achieved if • corporate business plan states information needs • IS plan refers to requirements of business plan & is checked against plan • non-IS managers participate in IS planning process and vice versa • corporate & IS planning calendars are in synch

  7. Strategy • IT must support the business strategy • 3 dimensions of support • content • timing • people involved in planning process

  8. Information Technology Architecture • provides a structure to facilitate decision making about technology investment and use

  9. Architecture is the metaphor • Architecture is the metaphor - building IT infrastructure • to build a skyscraper: • owner starts with vision of building • works with architect who translates vision into a plan

  10. Architecture is the metaphor • builders uses plan to construct building • owner does not have expertise in structural engineering, but must have clear ideas of what and how the building will be used. • Must understand some basics of design in order to communicate vision to the architect.

  11. Architecture is the metaphor • to build an IT architecture: • executives start with a vision of “doing business” • vision has certain implications for information requirements • don’t have technical computer expertise • do have clear idea of business strategy • must communicate this to IT architect/planner

  12. Architecture is the metaphor • general managers must be able to effectively integrate IT into their vision for the organization’s competitive strategy

  13. Components of an IT Architecture • 1. Information technology inventory • 2. Functional use of the IT • 3. Strategic plan for the IT

  14. 1. Information technology inventory • answers the question “what do we have?” • basic building blocks of an IT architecture • hardware • software • data • communications links

  15. 1.Information technology inventory • this level is the “hard” technology from which most general managers are far removed • general manager should have a basic familiarity with computer systems to bridge the gap between his/her world and that of the IT architect; • IT architect must have a good understanding of the business and the organization

  16. 2. Functional use of the IT • answers the question “how do we use it?” • baseline blueprint - IT components and functions already in place • planned blueprint - prescription for future IT investments and designs • general manager and IT architect communicate on this conceptual level • 3 functional categories: applications, data and communications

  17. 3. Strategic plan for the IT • past - general managers were unfamiliar with technology and delegated IT architecture decisions to “gurus” • however, these experts in technology often had little knowledge of business strategies • now - can’t afford this approach; technology too expensive and too important • business strategy must drive IT architecture strategy

  18. Developing an IT Architecture • designing and building an architecture is an ongoing business process • goal - to reach consensus between the IS organization and the business leaders - not easy to do

  19. Developing an IT ArchitectureSteps: • 1. articulate business strategy and implications for IT architecture • start from the top with the overall business strategy and its functional IT requirements • 2. baseline the company architecture • baseline blueprint - assess existing IT • bottom-up approach

  20. Developing an IT ArchitectureSteps: • 3. determine key architecture questions • outline set of questions to be answered, such as: • what technologies do we have? • are these the right technologies? • how does the current architecture support our business? • are we getting a strategic advantage from our architecture?

  21. Developing an IT ArchitectureSteps: • then look into the future to the planned blueprint: • in what technologies should we invest? • how should it be structured? • how will it give us a competitive advantage? • should we outsource any functions? • etc.

  22. Developing an IT ArchitectureSteps: • 4. design a planned architecture blueprint • decide what the architecture should be

  23. Developing an IT ArchitectureSteps: • 5. initiate the architecture plan • two approaches - revolutionary vs. evolutionary • revolution - radical replacement of old technology • evolution - new technology layered on top of existing infrastructure; old systems gradually replaced over time

  24. Understand?Questions?

More Related