Brief Introduction to IT Planning and Project Management

Kikuyu Daniels

Strategic IT Planning

IT Project Management

How they are related

Ways to help

“Clarifying an organization's main purpose, aligning its priorities and resources with that purpose, and identifying how to judge success in fulfilling that purpose”

Leads to: the definition of the IT organization's mission, the formulation of IT-specific goals, and the development of actions that will be

implemented to meet those goals

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Structured process for evaluation of IT application

Foundation for task-oriented and operational plans

Recognized best practice for achieving long-term objectives

Support for IT budget initiatives Improvement of IT management

Time: 3 to 5 years outMedium: Presentation or documentContents:

Executive summary Scope Business Context Principles Metrics

Connects IT strategy with the business strategy

Need not wait on business strategy

"The purpose of the IT strategic plan is to improve the business-IT relationship. A CIO needs it to communicate with the business, to tell them that he understands the company's needs and to set expectations." - Allex Cullen, vice president and research director at Forrester Research

Justifies information technology direction

Helps IT staff be less reactionary

"People in the business are very focused on operations or other minutiae. IT can help the business articulate what will help it win and how IT fits into that. Then you go from just being an order taker to actually influencing overall strategy.“ – Dave Aron, vice president and research director for Gartner Executive Programs.

Failure to review and update

Inflexibility (Scenario: We-agreed-to-this-and-we-won’t-change)

Too much detail or too lengthy in pages

Jargon heavy or failure to consider audience




Ways to help

“A methodical approach to planning and guiding project processes from start to finish.”

Five stages of project, according to PMI: Initiation Planning Executing Controlling Closing

Sources: SearchCIO-Midmarket.com , Project Management Institute, Wikipedia

Short-term efforts to create a unique product, service or environment

Common examples: Network infrastructure Servers e-Commerce site Desktop images Databases

Sequential – “Common language” Traditional 5 step PRINCE2

Mathematical – “Resource allocation” Critical Chain or path Event chain (beyond critical chain)

Function / process – “High complexity & uncertainty” Extreme * Process-based * Rational Unified Process (RUP) *

* = Used mainly for software or product development

PMs are: Professionals in the field of project

management Responsible for planning, execution and

closing of projects Accountable for managing the “triple

constraint” (cost, time, scope) PMI is a not-for-profit organization

Research, standards, credentials PMBOK Guide

Inadequate planning and communication Wrong people on project Misuse of resources Project managers not certified Scope creep No change management Unreasonable deadlines

According to The Standish Group, “…only 29 percent of IT projects conducted in 2004 were completed successfully. “




Ways to help

STRATEGIC IT PLANNING

Long term, continuous

Sets direction

Uses toolkits and templates

IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Shorter term, finite

Manages action

Uses methodologies and software

Think of it like a 401K plan.

STRATEGIC IT PLANNING

Executives: CIOs CEOs COOs

Business Directors HR Operations Legal IT

Management Consultants

IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Project Managers (internal or external)

IT staff: Developers, Network Admin, Architects, DBA, Analysts

Other, Managers and Senior Business Staff in: HR Operations Legal IT




Ways to help

Read the strategic IT planHelp with the selection of project

staffAllow flexible work schedules Stay abreast of daily operationsPrepare for change

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/nhsitrc/it_planning/strategic_planning/back.html

http://ocio.os.doc.gov/ITPolicyandPrograms/Policy___Standards/dev01_002674

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management http://www.pmi.org/Resources/Pages/Library-of-PMI-Global-Standa

rds-Projects.aspx http://www.cio.com/article/40342/

ABC_An_Introduction_to_IT_Project_Management http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/sDefinition/

0,,sid183_gci951200,00.html# http://www.cio.com/article/174253/

Anatomy_of_an_IT_Strategic_Plan http://www.cio.com/article/173600/

How_to_Get_Real_About_Strategic_Planning http://www.cio.com/article/174251/

Tales_from_the_Darkside_IT_Strategic_Planning_Mistakes_to_Avoid

Brief Introduction to IT Planning and Project Management

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