[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]According to some sources, only 10% of any business strategy plans are ever effectively implemented.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4840″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” image_hovers=”false” lazy_loading=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With IT becoming more closely aligned with business, it seems that statistic might apply to IT strategy too. If this prediction sounds just too gloomy, chin up because there could be a silver lining to the cloud of despondency that is fast settling upon you.
You can increase your chances of getting into that fortunate 10% (those whose strategy plans give results), by avoiding the IT planning mistakes that follow.
1. Poor integration. While relevant to business generally, this one is also right up IT’s street. An IT strategy is only effective if it maps properly onto the business objectives for the organisation.
2. Incompleteness. In other words, you’re missing a chunk of what the business needs, or you’ve neglected to take into account a key dimension – like people and whether they’ll want to support your IT strategy or sabotage it.
3. Tiny-minded. Back to business objectives again – IT should propel the organisation to sustainable success, contributing innovation and competitive differentiation, not just a discount of next year’s server maintenance.
4. Stuck in “what is”. Where you really want to be headed is “what could be”. Whether it’s a matter of driving hyper convergence, setting up complete hot standby systems in the cloud, or getting real, useful insights out of all the data you’ve been collecting, make your own IT future, instead of being trapped in your IT present (or past).
5. Ignoring major stakeholders. They could be key employees, senior management, department heads, strategic partners, or even large customers.
6. Deforming data. If several reputable research companies say organisations like yours need robust SIEM (security information and event management) systems, then ignore them at your peril.
7. No follow-up measurement. IT strategy good, business results better. You’ll only know if your IT strategy is worth anything if you measure your progress towards meaningful objectives afterwards.
Has one of these in particular been a challenge for your IT department in the past? Write a comment in the space below and tell us about it![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]