To achieve optimum results, IT plans and services must be aligned with business needs.
Top Ten Ideas for Aligning Business Needs & IT Planning
What is IT alignment? IT alignment is achieved when IT services, policies, plans and projects are delivered and produced in accordance with business needs and objectives.
| more #1 Business Requirements. On face value, technology decisions should rest solely on requirements, technical parameters and sound financial reasoning. However, things are rarely that simple. | more #2 IT Standards. To each his own - except when it comes to technology in the workplace. Standards must set the stage for optimized support, but must also provide flexibility to suit multiple needs. |
| more #3 Policies and Procedures. Let's face the facts, policies and procedures are often seen through negative eyes, commonly viewed as an administrative burden, designed to limit creativity and impede the need to "just get things done". | more #4 Service Quality. As a business imperative, technology end-users are entitled to the highest quality of service that can be provided. But, in the IT services realm, quality expectations are often confused with substance expectations. |
| more #5 Email Policies. E-mail is a great tool for business communication - it's accessible, fast and relatively easy. But, under certain circumstances, e-mail can also be ineffective and inappropriate. | more #6 IT Strategies - Concepts. In the IT environment, results are often achieved by the 'fly by the seat of your pants' management methodology. It's understandable - but also avoidable. |
| more #7 IT Strategies - Steps. Are you ready to create your own manage by process program to cover projects, services and operations? | more #8 Do More with Less. When economic conditions or individual business circumstances take a turn for the worse, IT is a likely target for budget cuts. |
| more #9 Help Desk Marketing. An internal IT help desk is created to assist end-users with the use of installed hardware and software systems, and the application of current IT policies and procedures. | more #10 Customer Service Strategies. The customer must be served! That goes without saying, but in the context of internal IT support services, just who is the customer and how are they best served? |
