With technology moving so quickly it can be tempting to believe that the organisation doesn’t need an IT strategy. However as Gartner predict, ‘90% of all applications in use today will still be in use in 2023’. I would add ‘…and will still need to be maintained and potentially lifecycled’.
An IT strategy will also create a sense of direction for the IT department and will help contribute to board confidence in the CIO.
We at Lentium can support in development and articulation of the overall IT strategy, but can also help with smaller assignments working on roadmaps for particular applications. We have supported a number of CIOs across IT consultancy, B2B retail and Logistics & supply chain sectors to develop an IT Strategy. To be clear, the IT Strategy is always owned by the CIO, we do the legwork to develop and support the story the CIO wants to tell.
Many of the tools and techniques used are based on Enterprise Architecture basics but also leverage ITIL and other hands on experience of both developing and delivering strategy. Some typical analysis includes:
- Capability analysis to identify complexity and duplication;
- Quality Attribute Workshops to help quantify non-functional factors that define architecture;
- Executive interviews and briefings to understand and align sector and commercial strategies;
- Lifecycle analysis to identify unsupported applications;
Other ‘lenses’ we apply will look at geographical location, latency, cultural issues, financial / business case, client focus and appetite, political dimensions and of course innovation.
As with all our assignments and engagements, we bring a level of energy and enthusiasm to the table that is often infectious.
Drop James an email on webcontact@lentiumconsulting.com or give us a call on +44 7966 40 2650 to see how we can help with your IT strategy.