1. Chapter 13: Setting a Direction for Information Resources

2. Direction-Setting: Major Steps
Information Resources Assessment - How well are our information resources meeting the needs of our organization?
Information Vision and Architecture - An ideal view of the future in terms of the use and management of information
Information Resources Plans - Long-run and short-run goals and initiatives to accomplish those goals

3. The Information Resources Planning Process

4. Information Resources Assessment
An information resources assessment includes inventorying and critically evaluating these resources in terms of how well they are meeting the business needs of the organization.

5. Assessing Current Resources
Measuring IS use and attitudes
Reviewing the IS organizational mission (especially the mission statement)
Assessing performance versus goals

6. Information Vision
A written expression of the desired future for information use and management in the organization
Creates a mental image
Typically prepared by the senior management of the organization

7. Information Vision (continued)
Must relate to the business vision
Provides input to the information systems organization to design an architecture that is consistent with this information vision

8. Information Technology Architecture
A set of guidelines that depicts the way an organization’s information technology resources should be deployed to deliver the information vision
Reflects the information vision developed earlier
Usually created by the information systems organization

9. Information Technology Architecture (continued)
Comprehensive rather than specific
Provides general rules by which daily decisions should be made
Part policy and part blueprint

10. Components of an IT Architecture
Human Component Personnel Values / Culture Management System
Technological Component Hardware Software Network Data

11. Value of a Vision and Architecture
Sets target for IT planning
Improves communication with top management
Helps vendors understand direction
Provides unifying concept for IT
Creates context for individual decisions
Helps achieve integration and decentralization

12. The Strategic IS Planning Process
Setting objectives establish goals for user satisfaction, network performance, etc.
Conducting internal and external analyses - often a SWOT analysis
Establishing strategic initiatives may use tools such as Critical Success Factors, Analysis of Competitive Forces, or Value Chain Analysis

13. The Long-Term and Short-Term Operational IS Plan
Long-term plan is for 3 to 5 years and focuses on project definition, selection, and prioritization
Should include balance in the portfolio of projects
Short-term plan is usually for 1 year and focuses on specific projects
Linked to business priorities of firm through annual budget

14. Guidelines for Effective Planning
Make sure everyone understands the purpose of the planning process
Planning effort should be iterative
Plan must reflect realistic expectations
User-managers MUST be involved!
Plans should incorporate all applications of IT, if possible
Plans must consider barriers, constraints

15. Benefits of Information Resources Planning
Better IS resource allocation
Communicating with top management
Communicating with vendors
Creating a context for decisions
Achieving integration and decentralization
Evaluating options
Meeting expectations of management