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Information Technology Should B a Benefit, Not a Burden
by Nelson Shadle
In order to gain the maximum benefits from information technology, CEOs should develop a strategic plan for the company’s future IT needs. Unfortunately, many IT infrastructures grow in small increments as a reactive measure, rather than through a carefully planned approach. ‘Reactive’ leads to a “we have to have it now” mode, which doesn’t fully incorporate the company’s mission and strategic vision. It can also create an IT infrastructure that on the surface may be performing well, but is headed for an ultimate melt down. As servers, workstations, and software are added in a daisy chain approach with no plan, there will come a day when it is painfully obvious that your information management is not supporting your overall business plan.
An IT “plan for tomorrow” approach is much better for companies in the long-term, and CEOs should include their IT department in their strategic planning process. Participating with senior management in a ‘Q&A’ session could be a good start. The goal is to better understand how information technology can enhance the company’s overall business plan to maximize return on investment.
The next step is to capture your plan on paper. Have a specific goal in mind - include documentation of what IT looks like now and what you want it to look like in the future. Click here and here for some sample documentation of this exercise.
EDI recommends developing a long-term IT strategy that advances your company’s mission and vision as well as meeting current and anticipated IT needs. It will keep you from feeling like you are shoving your money down a black hole and change the IT investment from a burden to a benefit..
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