INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY
DEPLOYMENT
RISKS
PREPARED BY :
I.S. TAN
LECTURE OUTLINE
• Developing Strategic Plans
• Professional Guidance
• IT function Scorecard

• Managing Development Projects

DEVELOPING
STRATEGIC PLANS
“Business Vision is the platform for all
Information Technology Strategic planning.”

“Technology without business application has

no value.”
-Thomas S. Ireland
STRATEGIC PLANS

 Serves as primary guideline for allocating

resources throughout the firm.

 Keeps the organization headed in a

profitable direction.
LONG TERM
PLANNING
• one of the effective means of
minimizing the risk that
organizational resources will be
used in ways that are incongruent
with the company's overall goals
and objectives.
Mission Objectives Strategy Policies

Information
Technology Plans
Must Complement &
Support Company
Plans

Objectives Strategy Policies

VISION
• represents what "might be' based
on a set of goals and objectives the
organization would like to achieve.
MISSION STATEMENT
• Becomes the catalyst for strategic
planning within functional areas of the
firm, as the goals and objectives of each
area must support and promote the
overall mission.
OBJECTIVES
• Serve as the foundation for setting an explicit IT strategy.

1. Create an atmosphere that embraces innovation and

change.
2. Apply computer hardware and software technologies to
opportunities that promote prosperity.

3. Incorporate an enterprise-wide information system to

facilitate the intracompany coordination of business
activities.

4. Develop a technology-based communications network

capable of linking suppliers, customers, and employees into
a seamless, virtual and extended enterprise.
STRATEGY
• Details how IT function will achieve its
objectives through its organizational structure,
relationships with others and IT configurations

POLICIES
• Designed to enact the realization of the strategy.
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
1. Planning Policies
a. Responsibility
b. Timing
c. Process
d. Deliverables
e. Priorities
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR
IT FUNCTIONS
2. Organizational Policies
a. Structure
b. Information Architecture
c. Communication
d. Compliance
e. Risk assessment
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
3. Human Resource Policies
a. Training
b. Travel
c. Hiring
d. Promotion
e. Termination
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
4. Software Policies
a. Acquisition
b. Standards
c. Outside contractors
d. Changes
e. Implementation
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
5. Hardware Policies
a. Acquisition
b. Standards
c. Performance
d. Configuration
e. Service Providers
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
6. Network Policies
a. Acquisition
b. Standards
c. Performance
d. Configuration
e. Adaptability
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
7. Security Policies
a. Testing
b. Access
c. Monitoring
d. Firewalls
e. Violations
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
8. Operations Policies
a. Structure
b. Responsibilities
c. Input
d. Processing
e. Error Handling
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
9. Contingency Policies
a) Backup
b) Recovery
c) Disasters
d) Alternate Sites
IMPORTANT POLICY AREAS FOR IT
FUNCTIONS
10. Financial and Accounting Policies
a) Project Management
b) Revenue Generation
c) Technology Investments
d) Funding Priorities
e) Budgets
“RED FLAGS” FOR IT AUDITORS

1. A strategic planning process is not used.

2. Information technology risks are not
assessed.
3. Investment analyses are not performed.
4. Quality assurance reviews are not
conducted.
5. Plans and goals are not communicated.
6. Information technology personnel are
disgruntled.
7. Software applications do not support
business processes.
8. The technology infrastructure is
inadequate.
9. The user community is unhappy with the
level of support.
10.Management’s information needs are not
met.
BALANCE SCORECARD
CONCEPT
• Introduced by Kaplan and Norton (1996)
• is a tool designed to assist management by measuring a
variety of critical success factors.
• traditional financial metrics
• nonfinancial indicators

 Kaplan and Norton devised 3-layer structure for

each of four perspectives:

• Mission
• Objectives
• Measures
IT FUNCTION SCORECARD
-Balance scorecard concept that can be
used to plan and monitor the performance
of the IT function.
MANAGING
DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS

- APPLICATION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

TECHNIQUES TO MINIMIZE PROJECT
RELATED RISK.
WHY MANAGE PROJECTS?
Using structured methodology minimizes risk of failure:

• Late delivery
• Cost overrun
• Lack of functions
• Poor quality
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
 the practice of initiating, planning,
executing, controlling, and closing the
work of a team to achieve specific goals
and meet specific success criteria at the
specified time.
 The primary challenge of project
management is to achieve all of the
project goals within the given
constraints.
SKILLS OF A PROJECT MANAGER
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 PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIFE CYCLE

Team
Members
PLANNING
• Setting time, scope and cost
• Identify the project resources and the project
outcome
• Determine the work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Who is responsible?
• What resources are available?
• How the work will proceed?
• What are the deliverables?
• What are the constraining parameters?
PROJECT CHARTER
SCHEDULING
• Gantt Charts
• Critical Path Analysis
• Critical path Method
• Microsoft Project
GANTT CHART
CRITICAL PATH ANALYSIS
MICROSOFT PROJECT
MONITORING
• Use benchmarks, milestones, and
deliverables (which includes quality
assessment) to track progress

• Project manager must monitor the time

schedule and the activities
CONTROLLING
• Concerns the development of specific
actions aimed at keeping a project
moving forward in the most efficient
and effective manner possible –
unexpected issues, delays, and
problems.
CLOSING
• Project Manager needs to properly close
out the project
• Obtain client acceptance (in writing)
• Release and evaluate project personnel
• Identify and reassign remaining project
assets
• Conduct a post-project evaluation
• Chronicle the history of the project
KEY PROJECT RISK INDICATORS
1. Management does not use a formal project
management methodology.
2. Project leaders are not adequately experienced
at managing projects.
3. Project leaders have insufficient domain
expertise.
4. Project teams are unqualified to handle the
project size/complexity.
5. Project team members are dissatisfied and
frustrated.

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 KEY PROJECT RISK INDICATORS
6. Projects do not have senior-level executive
support.
7. Projects do not include input from all
affected parties.
8. Project recipients are dissatisfied with
project outcomes.
9. Projects are taking longer to develop than
planned.
10. Projects are costing more than budgeted.