How to Integrate Information Systems and Business Strategies

Overview

This Short Course provides a complete and integrated methodology for performing strategic planning for information systems using the most modern techniques.  Beyond offering a complete analysis of the major trends impacting organisations, the Short Course focuses on contemporary strategy planning frameworks for understanding the steps required for aligning information systems with business strategies.

Much of the failure of systems and technologies (including anything “e”) is often due to an excessive technical focus and the delegation of decisions to technical specialists.  Therefore, this course intends to provide a structured framework and practical approach expressed primarily in the language of business management.  The approach can be adopted jointly by senior business management, line managers, and systems professionals so that systems strategy becomes an integral part of the business strategy planning process.

Topics Covered

• A strategic perspective of the evolving role of systems and technology in organisations
  o Early views and models of information systems in organisations
  o Lessons learned from the past
  o Strategic uses of information systems: classification, factors for success and management
     implications
  o What is an information systems strategy?
  o Building an organisational systems capability for the future

• An overview of business strategy concepts and the implications on systems and technologies
  o Strategy frameworks
  o Strategy implementation
  o Strategy tools and techniques

• Establishing an effective  process for developing a systems strategy
  o From technology focus to business focus
  o Approaches to systems strategy development
  o Establishing a systems strategy planning process
  o Strategy framework and approach
  o Deliverables from the systems strategy process

• Strategic analysis: assessing and understanding the current situation
  o Interpreting the business strategy
  o Examining the current systems situation
  o Use of critical success factors and balanced scorecard
  o Evaluating the gap between current and required systems environment

• Determining the business information systems strategy
  o Strategic planning techniques
  o Frameworks  in which the tools and techniques can be used effectively
  o Identifying how systems can impact the business strategy
  o Establishing systems priorities

• Strategic management of information systems: organising and resourcing
  o Organisational strategies of systems resources
  o Who should manage the systems function and where should it report?
  o Improving the contribution of the systems functions

• Managing investments in information systems and technology
  o Investment and priority setting policies
  o Evaluating systems investments
  o Benefit identifications

Who should attend

The course introduces the concepts necessary to establish an information systems strategy process and its relation to business strategy while searching for competitive opportunities to shape business strategy.  

The course will be of most value to people from disciplines and backgrounds who have responsibility for developing business strategy or information systems strategy.  Examples are:
• CEOs who are accountable for business strategies and investment decisions in systems and technologies
• Senior managers who are involved in business strategy development and who need to integrate systems and technologies in their strategy planning process
• Line managers who while not having an information systems background are accountable for information systems decisions

Outcomes

At the end of this Short Course, you will:

• Have a practical understanding of how to conduct the process of aligning business and systems strategies
• Know how to ensure that systems investments do support business objectives
• Know how to achieve an agreed direction between users, senior managers, and systems specialists
• Be able to integrate business and systems strategy planning processes
• Know how to consider the implications of systems and technologies trends in your organisation