IT strategy: where do we start? Given everything we learned this semester, how do we formulate the change to take advantage of all the benefits EA has to offer? Sure, the deliverables and tools we've seen are great ways to organize the information regarding EA and explain it in layman's terms. But without a solid plan, how do we know we're truly making the most of every resource?
Planning and oversight, according to the readings this week, are grouped into three key areas: IT Strategic Plan, Enterprise Architecture, and Realizing the IT Strategy.
IT planning is typically in line with a company's strategic intent. This allows the plan to be developed in line with the company's goals, an often recurring theme in EA. An IT plan can include IT demand, as it will often change at various times throughout the year, and strategic planning, which allows a company to take a look at their current IT state to better understand what is needed to achieve the end goal. By examining the different routes a company can take to achieve its goals, it can minimize resource utilization and risk.
Developing the EA will help connect IT to the business goals of a company, since there is typically a bond between business strategy and technology implementation. Essentially, developing the EA is all about getting the most out of IT, as business alignment is optimized.
Realizing IT strategy is the final step, and perhaps the most difficult. That is because realizing a strategy ultimately requires oversight to make sure personnel are in agreement regarding the ultimate end goal. Unless proper communication is maintained, interdepartmental conflict can erupt and cause chaos.
Enterprise Architecture Improves IT Planning Synergies, Gartner.
IT strategy is often confused with EA itself...and the similarities between the two are the reason for this. Really...what's the difference? Maybe IT strategy is more concerned with lower level, more detailed oriented stuff while EA is for more strategic, higher level, abstract items?
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