Strategic Planning for IT

Iain Pritchard

6 April 2011

About Sayer Vincent

Sayer Vincent is a specialist firm of consultants and auditors working exclusively with organisations in the not-for-profit sector.

Our information systems consultants and associates have all held senior positions in the sector.

We guide and support charities through the process of strategic planning, systems design, procurement, implementation and change management.

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What we will cover

• Why strategic planning for IT is so hard

• Why strategic planning for IT is so important

• Some useful tools and techniques

• Discussion

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Is planning for IT really that hard?

…apparently it is:

Standish Group – Chaos Report 2009

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What does unsuccessful look like?

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What does unsuccessful look like?

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Why do IT projects go wrong?

• Not enough time• Insufficient budget• Poor communication• Inadequate testing• No project management• Lack of senior sponsorship/engagement

• Organisational over-confidence• Personal inexperience• Poor decision-making• No clear strategy

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Why do IT projects go wrong?

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Another four reasons….

Reason #1

Moore’s law:

The number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years.

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Reason #2

Hofstadter’s law:

It always takes longer than you think….even when you apply Hofstadter’s law

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Reason #3

Murphy’s (computer) laws:

• If anything can go wrong, it will• Program complexity grows until it exceeds the

capability of the programmer who must maintain it

• Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later

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Reason #4

The problem of group decision-making:

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Why IT planning is important

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Roles and responsibilities

IT systems and software

How we get things done – processes and workflow

The questions an ICT strategy should answer

• Will you buy standard packaged software or build your own systems?

• What levels of IT service do you need? Do any applications need to be supported 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

• Which IT services and support will you outsource to third parties?• What resources and skills do you need in your in-house IT team?• What are your standards for equipment and software? What are

your policies for replacement and upgrade?• Are there areas where you are happy to take risks with new

technology in order to gain advantage? Are there areas where it is important that IT is kept ‘safe’?

• How will you manage IT projects, and who will manage them?

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When to carry out an ICT strategy

• Generally, producing an IT strategy is more straightforward if:• your corporate strategy and priorities are already clear and

understood by the managers, staff and other stakeholders who will need to take part

• the stakeholders who need to be involved will have time to focus on the IT strategy and will not be significantly distracted by other projects or programmes of work going on at the same time

• the senior managers in your charity are supportive and will actively encourage staff and colleagues to take part as necessary.

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In summary, the IT strategy needs to say…• Where the organisation is going• What help the organisation needs from IT

to get there and what that will look like• What needs to change (and in what order)• What it will involve (including what it’s all

likely to cost)• How long it might take

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How to go about it…

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Roles and responsibilities

IT systems and software

How we get things done – processes and workflow

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Start with the organisation’s aims and priorities

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Some possible approaches

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Interviews

Lecture

Group sessions

Work on your own

SWOT

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

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Areas for change and development that will address…

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

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Prioritisation

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Easy

High benefit

Prioritisation

Strategic projects Quick wins

Waste of time…? Distraction…?

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Easy/Cheap

High benefit

MoSCoW

Must have = critical to the survival of the organisation

Could have = critical to the success of the organisation

Should have = important to the success of the organisation

Would be nice = useful to the organisation

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Moscow prioritisation #1

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Project Must have

Project Should have Must have

Project Must have

Project Should have

Project Should have

Project Should have

Project Should have

Project Should have

Project Could have

Project Could have

Project Could have

Project Could have Should have

Project Nice to have

Project Nice to have

Project Nice to have Should have

Project Nice to have Should have

Project Nice to have

Must have Could have Should have Would be nice

Moscow prioritisation #2

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One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Eight

Jan 201

2

Jan 201

3

Jan 201

4

Jan 201

5

Jan 201

5

Apr 201

1

Jan 2016

Six

Seven

ProjectsCost

(excl. on goings)

Projects Cost (£)

Must have Could have Should have Would be nice

Discussion

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Thank you

Iain Pritchard

Sayer Vincent

020 7841 6360

iain@sayervincent.co.uk

www.sayervincent.co.uk