The Dos and Don’ts of Developing an IT Strategy
Having a well-planned IT strategy makes it easier to stay on track and under budget. Due to information technology being at the core of your business, investing more
in it has a knock-on impact throughout your organization, helping your company thrive with the proper technology. However, where do you even start? We’ve compiled
a list of the top 5 actions you should take when organizing your IT strategy, as well as what you shouldn’t do.
Step 1: What are your company’s objectives?
Before you begin developing your IT strategy, you should consider what you want from your company and where you want it to be in the following year or even 5 years.
Do you desire greater flexibility, a better corporation, or increased security? Knowing your company’s objectives allows you to determine what needs to be changed or
implemented in your company.
If you need to increase your security right now, you’ll know that’s what you should focus on rather than another project that can wait until later. Having a clear vision of
where you want your firm to go makes it simple to focus on your present objectives.
Step 2: Create a budget
Assign a budget: Having a budget for your IT allows you to guarantee that you execute the initiatives you want, not simply the ones you can afford at the time. When
organizing your budget, be sure to include resource expenditures as well as the money required for your planned initiatives.
Always budget for more than you think you’ll need because you never know what you’ll forget or whether specific technologies will need to be upgraded.
Step 3: Develop a Technology Roadmap
Your Technology Roadmap is your IT Strategy’s guide: it keeps you on track and helps you reach your objectives. A Technology Roadmap assists you in aligning your IT
with your company goals; it is useful guidance for your IT staff, whether you outsource or have an internal workforce.
Step 4: Resources
So, now that you’ve set your company goals and your technological roadmap, do you have the resources to put your new technology into action?
Do you have the resources on hand to carry out your plans? Is it necessary to outsource? Are your IT engineers qualified to effectively integrate your new technology?
When considering your resource, consider how long it may take to make your modifications and whether this will have an impact on your IT team’s overall day-to-day
operations. Outsourcing projects reduces disturbance to your organization by enabling your internal staff to focus on their daily work and protecting your internal resources
from being used.
Step 5: Plan and Implement
You may begin scheduling your implementation now that you have your goals, budget, resources, and Technology Roadmap in place.
When will the projects start? How much time will each take? Consider any other projects or ad hoc tasks you may be working on at the same time, and if one will influence
the other. Don’t forget to consider if work can be fulfilled on weekends or evenings, especially when moving to new operating systems or email servers.
Your IT Strategy is complete when your timeline is complete and aligned with your Technology Roadmap, and you are ready to begin executing.
What to Avoid When Creating an IT Strategy
1. Act in the present moment
Most SMBs prefer to act in the moment rather than plan ahead with their IT, adopting a reactive rather than proactive approach to IT. However, failing to plan ahead typically
means that when it comes time to deploy anything like disaster recovery, software updates, or a new operating system, you won’t have the funds or time available to do so.
2. There is no IT budget
Keeping your business at the forefront of technology is critical in this day and age, thus failing to budget for IT puts you behind your competition. Furthermore, failing to plan
a budget may result in overpaying for solutions, initiatives, and software.
3. Implement technology that is inappropriate for your company
If you don’t prepare your IT strategy, you can wind up pursuing technology that isn’t right for your company. It may be the next greatest thing in one field, but would it be a
game changer in another?
Just because something appears to be a good idea does not always imply that it will work for you. Not planning your IT might drive you to worry and rush into new technology
without first considering how it will fit into your company.
Therefore, if you’re planning to install new technology, make sure you do your study and get guidance from our ACM specialists because one solution does not fit all in IT.
Contact us today via the hotline at 6295 5962 or drop us an email at
info@achievement.com.sg if you need assistance developing your IT strategy. We can assist you in
aligning your IT with your business goals by offering IT consulting service and direction on the kind of technology that might benefit your company.
