In our discussion on Technology Strategy, we emphasized the significance of a concrete plan as a foundation for tech execs managing IT operations. This critical document outlines initiatives to achieve business objectives.
In this post, we’ll cover steps five and six: analyzing the current environment to understand existing elements and identifying strategic issues and outcomes for the Business team’s objectives.
5. Analyze Current IT Environment
Developing a technology strategy involves analyzing the current environment, assessing support for business needs, and understanding the influence of previous decisions on the present state.
- what debt do we have.
- can we untwine some things in order to improve and lower cost.
- what gaps do we have; and,
- how do we determine what’s needed in order to move forward?
The captured analytical data is combined with input acquired through various means:
- Interviews with business leaders
- Reviewing exiting documents (processes, policies, standards, organization structures, budgets, etc.,)
An IT architect could develop an Enterprise Architecture to facilitate informed technology decisions in the future.
6. Identify Strategic Issues and Outcomes
After analyzing the tech landscape, we must define and document strategic issues and outcomes. These issues should be discussed and refined with stakeholder leadership to prepare for the benchmarking exercise.