1. Build an IT Strategy for the Small Enterprise
Infrastructure
Applications
Security
For small and medium enterprises
Build an IT Strategy for the Small Enterprise
Get IT and the business on the same page.
Info-Tech's products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns.© 1997–2017 Info-Tech Research Group

2. It’s important for IT to have a longer-term and holistic IT plan
It’s important for IT to have a longer-term and holistic IT plan. With this plan, IT will be able to get support for significant necessary initiatives. Without one, IT will be challenged to make intelligent choices from a torrent of unrelated requests for service.
Andy Woyzbun
Senior Executive Advisor
Info-Tech Research Group

3. IT STRATEGY Get IT and the business on the same page.
Situation
IT directors and CIOs in small enterprise (SE) IT shops are generalists who provide a full suite of IT services with limited resources.
Most of these small enterprise organizations have a technology roadmap but no true IT strategy with an overarching theme or set of objectives.
Complication
The energy and resources of SE IT shops are consumed providing everyday IT services. To make matters worse, the corporate strategy on which IT’s own strategic planning relies may only be an informal scheme in the mind of the entrepreneur-owner.
IT must learn how to properly say “no” to the business when the project pipeline becomes too much to handle.
Resolution
Articulating a clear IT strategy that aligns with business objectives is the most important activity a CIO can do for the IT department and organization.
The key is to identify the business capabilities required to execute the corporate strategy. Supporting these business capabilities will drive the IT strategy and focus its efforts on achieving the strategic goals of the organization.
Above all else, know your business goals and challenges, connect goals and initiatives, and identify owners. Acknowledge and accept the fact that all of this might actually take a few years to get through.

4. WALK AWAY FROM THIS BLUEPRINT WITH:
An understanding of the critical steps and key players in the strategy planning process.
Clear expectations of what the business expects of IT.
An effective short- and long-term IT strategy.
Use this research to formalize your IT strategy
Intended Audience
Small enterprise IT departments.
IT managers, directors, and CIOs looking to develop a strategic plan.
IT departments that are ready to move out of firefighting mode and begin planning their strategic direction.
IT departments that want a time-and resource-efficient process to carry out IT strategic planning.
Mature IT departments looking to optimize their process.
This Research Includes
IT maturity assessment
SWOT and PESTLE analyses
Goals cascade
Project prioritization and roadmap development tools
Expected Benefits
Long-term funding for multi-year initiatives
Greater IT involvement in strategic decisions
IT–business alignment 2 3 1

5. Is this research right for you?
Research Navigation
Formalizing an IT strategy is an essential step in satisfying and supporting the business. Each organization needs an IT strategy to ensure alignment between what the business wants and what IT does. Use the questions below to help guide you to the right Info-Tech resources that best align with the outcomes you want to achieve..
Question
If you answered no
If you answered yes
Do you have less than 15 employees in IT?
Review Info-Tech’s archive of research for mid-sized and large enterprise clients.
Follow the guidance in this blueprint.
Do you need to better understand the internal and external factors impacting IT and the business to formalize your IT strategy?
Small enterprises – Follow the guidance in this blueprint.
Large enterprises – Review Info-Tech’s blueprint Define an IT Strategy and Roadmap.
We recommend you evaluate launching Info-Tech’s CIO Business Vision diagnostic.
Do you still need to determine which IT processes should be targeted for improvement prior to launching your IT strategy?
We recommend you evaluate IT’s core services with the Management & Governance diagnostic.
Do you have an understanding of how well you’re end users perceive IT?
We recommend you find out what users really think of IT services with Info-Tech’s End User Satisfaction diagnostic.

6. Table of contents Streamline your search
Use these navigation shortcuts to find the guidance that best aligns with your strategic needs.
Section 1: Assess the current state of IT
Activity 1.1 Assess the results of the CIO Business Vision diagnostic
Activity 1.2 Assess the results of the Management & Governance diagnostic
Activity 1.3 Prioritize projects that matter most to the business
Activity 1.4 Perform a SWOT analysis for the business
Activity 1.5 Perform an IT SWOT analysis
Activity 1.6 Perform PESTLE analysis
Section 2: Design the target state of IT
Activity 2.1 Complete a goals cascade
Activity 2.2 Assess risks and dependencies of IT initiatives to anticipate challenges
Activity 2.3 Create the high-level strategic roadmap
Section 3: Communicate the IT strategy
Activity 3.1 Create the communication plan
Activity 3.2 Prepare a refresh plan for the IT strategy
Appendix
Info-Tech Research Group Company Overview
Guided Implementation Outline
Bibliography
Looking for industry-specific advice to perform your SWOT, PESTLE, and goals cascade?
See the Appendices
Want to learn how to prioritize IT projects?
Work through Activity 1.3
Need to create a communication plan and roll out?
Leverage Activity 3.1
Want to create metrics to help align initiatives with the greater IT strategy?
Leverage our set of recommended metrics

8. Table of Contents
Appendix A-31 – Manufacturing
Appendix B-52 – Finance and Insurance
Appendix C-61 – Educational Services
Appendix D-80 – Healthcare and Health Services
Appendix E-91 – Public Administration
Guided Implementation Outline

9. Build an IT Strategy for the Small Enterprise 31 - Manufacturing
Infrastructure
Applications
Security
For small and medium enterprises
Build an IT Strategy for the Small Enterprise
31 - Manufacturing

10. Manufacturing Industry – General Overview
Appendix A - 31
Manufacturing Industry – General Overview
Top IT Goals
Achieve IT–business alignment
68% of CIOs
vs.
74% of CEOs are satisfied with IT’s performance as a business partner. 1 2
Optimize IT service delivery 3
Manage IT-related security 4
Implement agile IT 5
Manage IT-related risk
IT Budget Projections
Role
Decrease > 30%
Decrease 16-30%
Decrease
6-15%
Decrease 1-5%
No change
Increase 1-5%
Increase 6-15%
Increase 16-30%
Increase >30%
CEO 6% 9% 0% 3%
14%
17%
40%
CIO 5%
20%
25%
30%
15%
Source: Info-Tech’s CEO-CIO Alignment Diagnostic 2017, N=20

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Make the right technology purchasing decisions – fast
Deliver critical IT projects, on time and within budget
Manage business expectations
Justify IT spending and prove the value of IT
Train IT staff and effectively manage an IT department
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