What is a Strategic IT Plan?
A strategic IT plan outlines the ways in which an organization’s IT strategy is aligned to their business strategy. It is a comprehensive plan that considers the current state of the organization’s IT capabilities and outlines a series of objectives, actions, and measures to be taken in order to achieve the desired outcomes. The strategic IT plan should also consider the organization’s goals, resources, and budget in order to ensure that the plan is realistic and achievable.
What's included in this Strategic IT Plan template?
- 3 focus areas
- 6 objectives
- 6 projects
- 6 KPIs
Each focus area has its own objectives, projects, and KPIs to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive and effective.
Who is the Strategic IT Plan template for?
This strategic IT plan template is for IT teams who are looking to align their IT strategy with the business strategy. It provides a step-by-step guide to defining a clear plan and setting measurable targets in order to achieve the desired outcomes. The template includes guidance on how to define focus areas, objectives, KPIs, and projects in order to effectively implement a strategy.
1. Define clear examples of your focus areas
Focus areas are broad categories that encompass the goals of the organization. They should reflect the overall objectives of the organization and provide a high-level view of the strategy that is to be implemented. A focus area should be defined in order to provide structure and direction to the strategy.
Examples of strategic focus areas that could fall under a Strategic IT Plan could be: Aligning IT to Business Strategy, Enhancing Operational Performance, and Enhancing User Experience.
2. Think about the objectives that could fall under that focus area
Objectives are the specific goals that are to be accomplished in order to achieve the focus areas. They are the measurable targets that need to be met in order to successfully implement the strategy. Objectives should be measurable and attainable.
Examples of some objectives for the focus area of Aligning IT to Business Strategy could be: Increase Operational Efficiency, and Improve Security.
3. Set measurable targets (KPIs) to tackle the objective
KPIs are the specific metrics that will be used to measure the success of the objectives. They should be measurable, achievable, and relevant to the objectives. KPIs should be monitored regularly in order to ensure that the objectives are being met.
An example of a KPI for the focus area of Aligning IT to Business Strategy could be: Decrease Avg Process Execution Time.
4. Implement related projects to achieve the KPIs
Projects are the specific initiatives that need to be completed in order to meet the KPIs. Projects should be well-defined with measurable outcomes in order to ensure that the objectives are being met. Projects should be broken down into smaller actions in order to ensure that they are achievable.
An example of a project related to Aligning IT to Business Strategy could be: Automate Operational Processes.
5. Utilize Cascade Strategy Execution Platform to see faster results from your strategy
Cascade is a strategy execution platform that provides organizations with the tools they need to effectively manage and implement their strategic plans. It provides analytics, and reporting capabilities that make it easier to track progress, measure results, and identify areas for improvement. Cascade is designed to help organizations efficiently and effectively manage their strategic plans in order to see faster results.