Chapter 8 The Information Systems Planning Process

1. Chapter 8The Information Systems Planning Process Meeting the Challenges of Information Systems Planning Charles Cohen Presented by: Pablo De Luca

2. Agenda • Describe SISP • Review results of an academic survey of SISP • Examine issues uncovered and potential resolutions • Implications of the research • Conclusions from the research • Some Solid Advice • Questions

3. What is SISP? Strategic Information Systems Planning • Identify strategic IS applications (IMPACT) • Development of organization-wide information architecture (ALIGN)

4. Key Aspects • Quality of planning process influences contribution of IS to organization’s performance • Organizations conventionally apply one of several methodologies; carrying out process presenting problems • Tendency to let computer experts handle SISP due to complex technical issues • Increasing involvement of non-technical business planners • SISP complicated by need to build org-wide information architecture; often FAIL to build it.

5. 2 Approaches IMPACT • search for high-impact applications • build barriers, change basis of competition, generate new products • promote innovation & creativity

6. 2 Approaches (cont.) ALIGN • Identify applications to help execute current business plans, realize current business goals • Choice of applications guides creation of org-wide information architecture

7. Carrying Out SISP • Choose Methodology • Business Systems Planning (BSP) • PROplanner • Information Engineering • Method/1 • Embark on major, intensive study • Identify and prioritize portfolio of applications • Define databases, data elements, supporting network • Define databases, data elements, supporting network • Prepareschedule for developing and installing

8. A Survey of Strategic Information Systems Planners PART 1: Type of Methodology & Extent of Problems • Problems tied to RESOURCES, PROCESS, or OUTPUT PART 2: Implementation of Plans • Extent to which the final plan guides the strategic direction of the organization • Level of satisfaction with SISP experience Time, money, personnel, top management support Limitations of the analysis Comprehensive and appropriateness of final plan

9. A Survey of Strategic Information Systems Planners • How was the survey carried out? • Questionnaire with two parts: first part, identify the SISP methodology used; second part, implementation of plans. • 251 organizations, divided into two groups, received the questionnaire in the mail. • 163 organizations returned the questionnaire, 80 had carried out an SISP.

10. Overall Satisfaction with SISP This is on a scale of 0-6. People are NOT too pleased with anything. 53%! After all that time and money spent on the planning process…

11. 3 Categories of Issues • Leadership • Implementation • Resources

12. Issues Metrics

13. Leadership Issues • #1 - It is difficult to secure top management commitment for implementing the plan • #3 - The success of the methodology is greatly dependent on the team leader • #4 - It is difficult to find a team leader who meets the criteria specified by the methodology • #8 - It is difficult to convince top management to approve the methodology

14. Implementation Issues • #2 - Implementing the projects and the data architecture identified in the plan requires substantial further analysis • #7 – The methodology fails to take into account issues related to plan implementation • #12 – The documentation does not adequately describe the steps that should be followed for implementing the methodology • #13 – The SISP fails to provide priorities for developing specific databases • #14 – The SISP fails to determine an overall data architecture for the organization • #18 – The SISP fails to sufficiently address the need for data administration in the organization

15. Resource Issues • #5 - The methodology lacks sufficient computer support • #6 - The planning exercise takes very long • #8 – The SISP fails to include an overall personnel and training plan for the MIS department • #10 – It is difficult to find team members who meet the criteria specified by the methodology • #11 – The SISP fails to include an overall financial plan for the MIS department • #15 – The planning exercise is very expensive • #16 – The SISP fails to address the role of a permanent MIS planning group • #17 – Many support personnel are required for data gathering and analysis during the study

16. Leadership Problems • Has the #1 problem! • It is difficult to secure top management commitment for implementing the plan • #3 problem • The success of the methodology is greatly dependent on the team leader • #4 problem • It is difficult to find a team leader who meets the criteria specified by the methodology

17. Leadership Solutions • Difficult to secure top management commitment for implementing the plan Top management needs to carefully consider its commitment before authorizing the preparation of a plan • The success of the methodology is greatly dependent on the team leader Get top management support beforehand; reduce dependency on team leader by, for example, making the team leader a project manager rather than a team leader • Difficult to find a team leader who meets the criteria specified by the methodology Look hard and choose carefully. Not much else to it. Problem #8 – It is difficult to convince top management to approve the methodology From Resource Issues: #10 – It is difficult to find team members who meet the criteria specified by the methodology

18. Implementation Problems • Has the #2 problem! • Implementing the projects and the data architecture identified in the plan requires substantial further analysis #12 – The documentation does not adequately describe the steps that should be followed for implementing the methodology #13 – The SISP fails to provide priorities for developing specific databases #14 – The SISP fails to determine an overall data architecture for the organization

19. Implementation Solutions • Implementing the projects and the data architecture identified in the plan requires substantial further analysis Choose a vendor who provides features that guide into implementation

20. Resources Problems • #5 Problem • The methodology lacks sufficient computer support

21. Resources Solution • The methodology lacks sufficient computer support Don’t underestimate the need of computer support Scrutinize vendor’s computer support for applicability

22. Methodology lacks sufficient computer support Planning exercise takes very long No overall personnel and training plan for the MIS department Difficult to find team members who meet the methodology’s criteria No overall financial plan for the MIS department Very expensive No permanent MIS planning group Many support personnel are required Difficult to secure top management commitment for implementing the plan Success of the methodology is greatly dependent on the team leader Difficult to find a team leader who meets the criteria specified by the methodology Difficult to convince top management to approve the methodology Requires substantial further analysis Methodology fails to take into account issues related to plan implementation Documentation is inadequate for implementation No priorities for developing specific databases No overall data architecture is determined No data administration need addressed Implications

23. Conclusions from the Research • Planners not satisfied with SISP • Even when SISP is ‘complete’, further analysis often required • Plans often poorly executed, if at all • Top management and business planners must be involved

24. Strategic Awareness Situation Analysis Strategy Conception Strategy Formulation Strategy Implementation Planning Planning issues & objectives, organizing teams, obtaining top management commitment Analyzing current business, organizational, & information systems; analyzing external business & IT environments Identifying major IT objectives, opportunities for improvement, high level IT strategies Identifying new business processes, new IT architectures, specific new projects, & priorities for new projects Defining change management approach & action plan, evaluating action plan, and defining follow-up & control procedure Some Solid Advice Newkirk, H.E. & Lederer, A.L, 2006

25. Some Solid Advice (cont.) From a recent study (Newkirk & Lederer, 2006): • Strategy formulation uniformly predicted successful planning in more but not less uncertain [environments]; • Strategic awareness generally predicted it in less but not more uncertain [environments]; • Strategy conception did not predict it in either.

26. Some Solid Advice (cont.) From the same study: “…planners put their greatest effort into strategy conception although it had the least impact on planning effectiveness, while they put their least effort into strategy implementation planning which [has] the greatest impact.”

27. Some Solid Advice (cont.) • Know your environment • Know your goals (impact / align) • Stop fooling around with conception and PLAN FOR THE DELIVERY

28. Questions?