♥♥Steps of Information Systems Planning♥♥

ISP is the planning of information systems for an organization. Information system planning is assessing the information needs of an organization and defining the systems, databases and technologies that best satisfy those needs.

Information systems planning
Planning terminology
•mission: it is a broad enduring statement giving the organizations “reason for being”.
•objectives-: are desired future positions and destinations the organizations intend to reach in order to fulfill its mission
•Strategies-it’s a general direction in which an objective is to be sought
•Policies-is a general guideline that directs and constraints decision –making within an organization.

ISP essentially involves
•I) Identification of the stage of IS in the org.
•ii) Identification of the applications of organizational ISs,
•iii) Evaluation of each of these applications, based on established evaluation criteria
•iv) Establishing a priority ranking for these application, and
•V) Determining the’optimum’architectutre of IS for serving the top priority applications

THE NOLAN STAGE MODEL
•Stage 1-initiation stage-in this, the technology is placed in the organization's
• Few applications in the organization are computerized

•Stage-2 expansion stage-rapid and uncontrolled growth in the number and variety of IT applications takes place

•Stage-3 formalization or control stage because in this stage organizations gain control over the technology’s resources by implementing formal control processes and standards.

Stage-4
•Nolan has described this growth stage as maturity or integration stage as by this stage organizations gain sufficient experience and maturity in IS/IT applications.
•In this stage, applications are integrated, controls are adjusted.
•Planning is well established and so, we call this stage as the stage of perfection also.

Stage 5-integration stage
•In this the use of new technology increases rapidly, providing new benefits.

•Stage 6-data administration, in this controls are further lowered to encourage development of systems which contribute to strategic advantage of the organization.

•Stage 7-in the enhance growth model this stage is termed as the maturity stage which indicates the application portfolio is complete and matches the objectives of the org.

4 stage model of IS planning
1. Strategic planning
•A) derivation from the organizational plan
•B) Strategic fit with organizational culture
•C) Strategy set transformation

2. Information requirement analysis
•A) Define underlying organizational requirements
•B) Develop sub system matrix
•C) Define and evaluate information requirements for organizational sub-systems

3. Resource allocation
•A) Return on investment
•B) Charge out
•C) Portfolio approach
•D) Steering committees

4. Project planning
•A) milestones
•B) critical path method
•C) Gantt chart

Organization structure of MIS
•Should be located in the overall structure of the organization
•A) as a part of financial department
•B) MIS under direct control of chairman
•C) MIS is a distinct function.

Information Systems (IS) are those systems which employ some form(s) of
information technology in the handling and processing of specific collections of
information (eg student enrolment information).

• Why plan?

– To obtain resources
•Financial
•Facilities – “Capacity planning”
•Staff
–To align I/S with the business
–To identify needed applications
–To establish goals, schedules, and milestones in order to track progress
–To provide an opportunity for communication with top management and user management
•Outcomes vs. process?
•Reactive vs. proactive?
•Planning vs. forecasting?

–Forecasting is predicting the future
–Planning is being prepared for that future

•Establish a mission statement
•Assess the environment
•Set goals and objectives
•Derive strategies and policies
•Develop long-, medium-, and short-range plans
•Implement plans and monitor results

Establish a mission statement
•These are the services that you are responsible for; it is your place in the organization
•It is not what you are supposed to achieve, it is who you are and what you do in the company
Assess the environment(s) . . .
1.The capabilities of the IT department
2.The readiness of the company to use IT
3.The status of our customers, our industry
4.The status of the economy, government regulations, environment, society, etc.
5.Technology

This is similar to a SWOT analysis – Strengths and Weakness – items no. 1 & 2; and Opportunities and Threats – items no. 3, 4, & 5

Goals and Objectives
• Set goals – what do you want to achieve?
• Set objectives – what are your specific, measurable targets?
Derive strategies and policies
• Strategies for
– Technology focus
– Personnel and career development
– Aligning with the company
– Others . . .
• Policies for
– Funding criteria; how much to spend on IT?
– Allocation criteria; priority setting
– Organizational arrangements
– Use of outside IT services, outsourcing
– Selling IT services to outside organizations
– Others . . .
Short-, medium-, and long-range plans
• Short-range – the next year, the next budget period; developing and operating current systems
• Medium-range – committing to development efforts for applications that will take more than one year to complete; meeting management’s current information needs, projected into the future for as many years as needed to complete them. This is what most organizations call “Long-Range Planning.”
• Long-range planning – preparing for management’s future information needs. These are not application specific; they are investments in infrastructure; it is creating an information architecture.

And finally, implement plans and monitor results!

Key Elements of the Strategic Plan
With the above in mind, the following elements constitute this revised IT/IS Strategic Plan. The
key imperatives are identified as:
a. Teaching and Learning. A teaching and learning environment enriched by
imaginative and effective employment of IT
b. Research. Research activity which is facilitated and empowered by enriched IT/IS
capabilities, and an e-Research strategy which enhances international research capabilities.
c. Management. Improvement to the management processes, structures and funding for
IT/IS to allow the University to achieve a consistently high-quality IT/IS environment
in the most cost-effective fashion.
d. Service Quality. Adoption of a “service quality” approach, supported by more
obvious delineation of central/decentralised services, accountabilities and performance
standards.
e. Infrastructure. Realisation of opportunities to achieve scale benefits from a more
consistent and comprehensive IT/IS infrastructure employing appropriate standards.
f. Applications. The integration of core administrative applications providing shared
access to reliable corporate information.

1. Technologies Supporting Teaching and Learning

In this collaborative context the Teaching & Learning Committee will develop an eLearning
policy, and associated educationally sound good practice guidelines for online learning in areas
such as:
_ developing content for online environments
_ providing lecture content on line
_ online assessment
_ provision of lab material online
_ help desk functions for student users

2. Access to IT Facilities & Services


Students will be provided with those IT facilities, services and resources deemed necessary to improve their learning experiences. These facilities may include for example, Internet access, Wireless LAN, dedicated or laboratory computers, printing, basic productivity and specialized application software, electronic learning material, Help Desk support. Access will be free wherever it is considered essential to students’ studies, and will take into account those with special needs. Where quotas for IT facilities or services are necessary, they will be adequate to meet student needs. They will be reviewed annually. Provision will be made to encourage and support students’ ability to access electronic resources across the University campuses, and off-campus as far as this is practicable. Research students will be provided with adequate dedicated access to network-connected computers.


3. Communications
A communications environment will be developed which encourages a rich exchange between staff and students and students with each other, employing a wide variety of media in both synchronous and asynchronous modes.

4. Partnerships
color=green]Recognizing the size of investment which may be necessary to fully exploit the capabilities of learning technology, the University will seek to enter into appropriate strategic partnerships and alliances, nationally and internationally, to enable it to benefit from the combined efforts of a group of similar universities or other organizations.

The University has a reputation for high quality research which it intends to extend, especially in the context of major national and international shifts towards collaborative, IT- and communications-enabled research programmes. It intends to position itself to engage in this global e-research environment, and to attract and retain national and international researchers. This necessitates the provision of high performance computing resources and networks which enable the development and transfer of large, complex databases, access to remote high-performance research equipment, and seamless online collaboration.

5. e-Research Strategy

A strategy will be developed for enabling researchers within the University to engage in national and international e-research; collaborating with researchers elsewhere in the use of major network-accessible high-performance research facilities, such as supercomputers, telescopes, high-energy physics equipment, major data resources, etc.

6. Research Resources
Research staff and research students will be given access to a range of IT-based research resources, including high-performance computing, high volume secure data storage, reliable high-speed campus, national and international networks, access grids (providing semi immersive videoconferencing).

7. Research Infrastructure Support

The University will identify and facilitate the development of generic research resources and requirements which can be shared across the University. In order to realize the full potential of its investment in technology, the University will refresh a range of structures, systems and services. The strategic management of technology will necessitate clearer definition of roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders which involved in planning, implementation and assessment of IT/IS services. It will also introduce management strategies, processes and project management controls that may reduce the total cost of ownership and limit risk to the IT/IS environment. The ultimate aim is to establish a clearly defined governance structure that effectively delivers quality services, eliminates duplication and ensures all stakeholders benefit from the provision of IT/IS services.

8. Governance
Establish a clearly defined IT/IS governance structure with clear terms of reference for IT/IS committees, in which relevant stakeholders are represented and which make decisions which reflect University-wide interests.

9. Strategy
Develop University-wide IT/IS strategy, plans, policies and standards in collaboration with relevant key stakeholders (particularly learning, teaching and research) and review regularly to ensure currency

10. Policy
Build and communicate university-wide IT/IS policies and standards for core services, ensuring that appropriate local innovation is encouraged, that it works to support the overall good of the
University and means are found to institutionalized innovations of general value.


11. IT Organization
Develop an IT/IS organization structure and approval and funding processes which best aligns policy development with implementation capability. Establish coordinated support for University-wide common applications, processes, systems and user servicing, enabling faculties and business units to leverage the core infrastructure without duplication. Implement formal project and process management and ensure major IT initiatives are supported by business cases which are aligned to university objectives. Ensure business cases are adequately evaluated to ensure University-wide benefits will take precedence over benefits to individual business units.
Manage risk to the IT/IS environment by developing and implementing and testing common, co coordinated Disaster Recovery and Continuity Plans for all key items of infrastructure for the whole University. The University intends to provide high quality, responsive services and support to its diverse community operating in multiple locations. The provision of a coordinated, efficient and professional IT services, which offer staff and students the requisite level of support, is one of the main goals of this strategic plan. This model recognizes the need to combine central and devolved support in a seamless fashion. Support activities in all locations will be underpinned by a consistent set of service standards, clearly delineated roles, effective escalation systems, and well coordinated processes. Support staff will be provided with a supportive framework enabling them to be fully competent, professional and efficient in assisting users to become self reliant.

12. Help Desk
Establish a University-wide Help Desk which operates as a “One Stop Shop” for all major IT/IS enquiries, accessible 24x7, supported by Help Desk software which formalizes escalation procedures, coordinates responses (central and local), and integrated seamlessly with any continuing local Help Desks and with local IT/IS support, ensuring responses are to a consistently high quality across the University.
13. Hardware and Software Provisioning
Ensure economies of scale and improved efficiencies are gained by rationalizing procurement arrangements for equipment and software.

Provide online streamlined ordering, approval and status of provisioning cycle. Establish an asset management and equipment replacement program that recognizes the total costs of ownership and addresses lifecycle replacement requirements and achieves a uniform capability of deploying emerging applications and technologies. Establish formal license management standards and processes for distribution, auditing and management of software licenses, so that more effective use is made of centralized software acquisition.

14. Service Level Agreements
Develop service level agreements which define University-wide, consistent standards for service provision and user support, and measure performance against those standards.

15. Staff and Student IT skills
Establish a baseline set of IT literacy skills for staff and students which are the minimum necessary to make optimal use of Universities’ IT infrastructure. Provide comprehensive and appropriate opportunities for staff and students to recognize their skill levels and the benefits of enhanced skills and to improve their IT skills accordingly. The University community will be given an IT/IS infrastructure which enables seamless communication and facilitates mobility, but which is also flexible enough to support specialized computing requirements. In response, a key strategy is to provide university-wide, common software and hardware platform (with a standard software suite of productivity tools), which will support the immediate need for improved information sharing, but also address the increasing requirements for data storage, computing power and total system security. The infrastructure will be appropriately flexible to respond to, and support, users with specialized needs. An increasingly mobile user community requires an enterprise wide network infrastructure which supports multimedia delivery off-campus. This will necessitate the provision of highly functional web and portal systems, integrated voice, data and video services and broadband capabilities.

16. Standardized Core Infrastructure
Establish a University-wide consistent and common infrastructure consisting of a secure, reliable and fast universal network, along with individual personal computers with a common suite of office-productivity software connected to the network, and network-accessible electronic resources and application systems.
Ensure these core services are managed and supported in accordance with common guidelines for development and deployment of specific applications and services.
Deploy a very limited number of Standard Operating Environments with core basic components to all University computers used by staff and students, to enable improved asset lifecycle management, reduced administrative overheads associated with supporting various operating systems, and ready deployment of security and productivity-enhancing software. Ensure appropriate allowance is made for certain specialized requirements for Research or for Teaching and Learning.

17. Web Capabilities
Develop a Web environment which is user friendly, easily managed and maintained, consistent across all web sites, up to date and readily navigable. Recognize the Web as a primary facility to
Support teaching and learning, research, administrative and marketing activities of UWA.
Provide portals for all student and staff applications.
Support, extend and improve the provision of Website content management.
Establish simple, consolidated Web access to all repositories for electronic resources used for teaching and research.

18. Communications
Improve consistency and functionality of primary electronic communications capabilities, including email, address lists, document sharing and calendaring, integrated with each other.

Enable integrated communications, with voice, video and data communications accessible from anywhere within the University, from fixed and mobile locations, utilizing a variety of devices and platforms. Examples could include the provision of common email, Voice over IP, videoconferencing, SMS and instant messaging, where it is cost effective to do so.

19. Computers
Provide local and shared computational resources for teaching and learning and for research (including e-Research) needs. Coordinate the provision of student computer labs recognizing the increasing use of mobile computing platforms to support comprehensive provision of student computing resources.

20. Network
Maintain a high performance network, with local and global high speed links. Provide a wireless infrastructure. Provide a Virtual Private Network (VPN) capability for secure access from off-campus and Wireless locations.

21. Security
Develop university-wide standards, processes and resources for proactive and reactive management of all security threats including hacking, viruses, denial-of-service attacks, spam and inappropriate or illegal use of IT facilities including physical and electronic security.
Enable consistent access to key applications and electronic resources by use of a common account name and password, with appropriate user authentication and authorization where appropriate.

22. Data Storage
Provide shared and local facilities for data storage needs of staff and students, involving (where cost-effective) the deployment of network-attached storage, extended use of portable storage devices, etc.
Formulate and implement policies for data storage including back ups, archives, disaster recovery, data protection and privacy.

23. Disaster Recovery and Contingency
Establish tested disaster recovery and contingency plans for all major IT/IS systems, applications and infrastructure.

The University will ensure that data which is sourced from core systems is reliable, consistent and easy to access. It intends to redress current shortcomings which see duplication of data entry and limitations in reporting compromising the reliability of information extracted from corporate systems. The aim will be to improve support for decision making by providing consistent information, achieved through closer integration of core administrative applications.
The development of innovative applications to support specific administrative, teaching and research needs has been an important element of local technical support for many years. The university will aim to leverage local innovation and deploy widely to common benefit. The development of applications will be supported by formal procedures and standards.

24. Data Integration
Provide central aggregation points for administrative information such as staff and student information. Provide integration of current major administrative applications to enable UWA to continue to acquire and integrate new application technologies, utilizing real-time sharing of data between applications where appropriate. Ensure corporate information systems and data collections are owned, developed, managed and operated for the benefit of the whole University.
25. Electronic Resource Management
Establish appropriate mechanisms to enable proper management of electronic material used for teaching and research purposes, to ensure it is reliable, discoverable, re-usable, and can be integrated into existing or new teaching and research electronic environments, such as learning management systems and e-Research applications; also so that Copyright and other IP requirements are satisfied.

26. Application Development
Establish an effective development capability, adequately resourced and accessible to all sections of the University, which is responsive to local requirements for new application development and which broadly deploys innovative solutions for University-wide benefit.

27. Application Deployment
Establish consistent desktop software configurations and implement software distribution tools to reduce the support tasks of installing, maintaining and updating desktop software environments and to ensure corporate information systems are accessible on the standard desktop environments with a minimum of effort.

Quality ISP

A quality ISP must exhibit five distinct characteristics before it is useful. These five are presented in the table that follows.

1. Timely - An ISP that is created long after it is needed is useless. In almost all cases, it makes no sense to take longer to plan work than to perform the work planned.

2. Useable - It must be so for all the projects as well as for each project. The ISP should exist in sections that once adopted can be parceled out to project managers and immediately started.

3. Maintainable - New business opportunities, new computers, business mergers, etc. all affect the ISP. The ISP must support quick changes to the estimates; technologies employed, and possibly even to the fundamental project sequences. Once these changes are accomplished, the new ISP should be just a few computer program executions away.

4. Quality - While the ISP must be a quality product, no ISP is ever perfect on the first try. As the ISP is executed, the metrics employed to derive the individual project estimates become refined as a consequence of new hardware technologies, code generators, techniques, or faster working staff. As these changes occur, their effects should be installable into the data that supports ISP computation. In short, the ISP is a living document. It should be updated with every technology event, and certainly no less often than quarterly.

5. Reproducible - That is, when its development activities are performed by any other staff, the ISP produced should essentially be the same. The ISP should not significantly vary by staff assigned.

Benefits of Strategic Systems Planning
• The strategic systems planning process provides many benefits to the organization. The process:
• Enables senior management to view the enterprise in terms of key business functions and data.
• Identifies information and systems needed to support the business priorities.
• Establishes a technology platform and a framework for information systems development.
• Anchors system development to business plans.
• Sets priorities and expectations for systems projects.

Reference:
http://www.its.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/130001/IT_Strategic_Plan.pdf
http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf
http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CA4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cis.gsu.edu%2F~emclean%2FIS%2520Strategic%2520Planning.ppt&rct=j&q=what+is+information+system+strategic+planning&ei=uf5ES47sE4K0NuLK5bIB&usg=AFQjCNHN-eCGwVXRbUO6UcjoDFmZlqVq7Q
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9651267/Information-Systems-Planning