Information Systems Planning and Alignment: A Progress Assessment

Abstract

This paper examines the ways in which to conduct planning for information services (IS) so that both computing and business problems may be addressed in an integrated fashion. It traces the evolution of IS planning from a more reactive mode, with a steering committee deciding on future directions, to a value-added approach where incremental components of a total IS product are offered to user managers for consideration. This helps overcome problems with the strategic planning process itself which is both incremental and cyclical. The organisation often focuses on a direction, only to change as the economic environment or market conditions change. The IS function consequently must move away from plans set in concrete in spite of implementation difficulties associated with that approach. The problem is one of aligning the IS plan with an often mobile corporate plan. In order to respond to this situation, there has been a move towards a marketing of IS services, so organisations can avail themselves of IS opportunities that are within the capabilities of the IS function to deliver.