Many businesses struggle with implementing technology. IT systems don’t work how they want them to, IT projects cost more than they anticipate, or they spend their time constantly fighting issues and unreliable IT systems, impacting the profitability of the business. One of the main reasons for this is that businesses focus on the what rather than the why.
In order to help you with these challenges and frustrations, we’ve put together seven steps to developing a IT strategy to ensure your technology implementations are a success.
Seven Steps to Developing a Technology Strategy
1. Build a team
Put together an internal team that consists of business stakeholders both executive and operational managers that know the business. Not all of your stakeholders have to technology minded, but they need to know the processes and have an understanding of the business. If you don’t have the internal skills to create and develop a technology strategy then look to engage an external expert who can assist through outsourced IT support.
2. Align with business objectives
Review your business strategy and ensure that the technology strategy fits with what the business strategy and objectives are. Where does the technology strategy fit in? What are the priorities?
3. Align with the existing situation
Review and understand what you’ve already got in terms of technology. Are there any constraints in place? What’s the current End of Life of equipment and how will that impact what’s in the strategy?
4. Create a Plan
Create a plan that maps out what exactly needs to happen during the next two to three years. Develop a roadmap so you know how to get there and what projects need to be delivered along the way. Allocate budgets so that there are no large unexpected expenses and prioritise.
5. Create a framework
Put controls around the strategy. Some questions you will need to address are:
- How is it going to be implemented?
- What is the decision making process for future technology?
- What if other priorities, challenges, and changes arise?
- How will they be dealt with?
- How is success measured?
6. Manage IT
Manage the different parts of the process and individual projects that make up the strategy and whether or not you need managed IT services Brisbane wide.
- Who is responsible for delivering the overall strategy?
- Is that person internal or external?
- Who is responsible for delivering the different parts of the strategy?
- What resources are going to be required for delivering it?
- Do you have the skills internally?
- How will the strategy the implemented?
7. Refine IT
A technology strategy is not a ‘set and forget’ document, it needs to be reviewed regularly to ensure that the strategy is current, is still in line with business objectives and will still deliver what the business needs.
If you’d like any further information, assistance with IT support for business or technology or you don’t know where to start please Contact Us.
