5 Steps to Building a Business-Aligned IT Plan

Thinking with the Big Picture in Mind

In all areas of life, it is important to think with the big picture in mind. Whenever we get too focused on one element of the whole, we invariably miss other critical elements. In business, success is dependent on how well you mesh the parts into a whole. Is each department working together, or do they operate independently? Each person and department must work to understand and involve other people and departments. No business can succeed if it isn’t unified.

5 Steps to Building a Business-Aligned IT Plan

As an IT veteran and leader, I’ve had the privilege of working with several world-class organizations to help IT departments create business-aligned IT plans. The following are five steps for you, as an IT department, to build an effective business-aligned IT plan:

Step 1: Define the Measure of Success Before any other action is taken, you need to understand how the business measures your success. You cannot move forward without understanding what your company values and what their expectations are for IT. Some examples are budget, systems reliability, systems security, customer satisfaction, and improving user efficiencies. Once you know what your company wants, you can proceed and set relevant goals.

Step 2: Get to Know Your Organization After you figure out expectations, you need to talk with executive leadership and department representatives about your organization’s short-term and long-term goals. The IT department is not a separate entity from the rest of the business. You want your priorities to support company goals and align with your company’s vision. The focus needs to be on how technology can help further company priorities.

Step 3: Understand Your Industry This step requires research into the current state of affairs in your industry and the technology industry in general. You need to decipher how to stay ahead of your competition. Where are your opportunities to gain a competitive advantage? You cannot be all things to all people. Therefore, you need to carefully analyze the market and focus on what you do better than everyone else. Trade shows and conferences are great ways to get plugged in to your industry. It is also wise to follow the right industry blogs and journals to stay up to date.

Step 4: What’s Important for the IT Department Now it’s time for some self-reflection. What are your goals as a department? Examples may include server upgrades, security assessments, cloud migrations, storage expansion, etc. If you know certain things need to change then this is the time to incorporate them into the plan. During this stage, it is critical to assess your department. There will always be necessary changes that only IT professionals are aware of.  

Step 5: Pull it All Together The last step is combining all of the elements to create a cohesive plan. Form a prioritized list of initiatives/projects that address the needs of the business (from Step 2), are reflective of the right industry trends/considerations (from Step 3), take into account the necessary system changes that you know need to be addressed (from Step 4), and produce the results that reflect an effective IT department (Step 1). At Afidence, we recommend cross-referencing each project/initiative to the specific company-wide and department priorities, industry considerations and IT focus areas that the project/initiative impacts. Once you compile this information, we suggest creating charts and graphs to highlight how IT is aligned to the business’ top priorities and goals.

Conclusion

Building a business-aligned IT plan takes time, but it’s time well-spent. Without a keen awareness and understanding of the entire business, it is virtually impossible for an IT department to have a direct and positive impact on company-wide performance. The way you approach the plan is vital to your organization’s future. A comprehensive plan will elevate your department and your business. 

Bryan Hogan

Bryan Hogan is the CEO & co-owner of Afidence. Bryan’s experience spans over 30 years in the IT industry and is seeded with a deep sense of integrity, strong business acumen, and industry leadership.

About Afidence

Afidence is a technology consulting and services firm launched in 2010 with a goal to earn trusted relationships by surrounding their clients with clear, transparent, and honest solutions unmatched in the IT Industry. Afidence serves over 80 active clients in the Cincinnati-Dayton region, extending into 30 states and 15 countries. Headquartered in Mason, Ohio, Afidence also maintains support offices in Miamisburg, Ohio. To learn more about Afidence, please visit our website.