Evolving your IT strategy into business strategy

As technology advanced through the late 20th century, businesses placed more and more of their operations in the hands of dedicated IT departments. Starting as a small part of the organisation dedicated to keeping computers and associated equipment running smoothly, IT grew to be threaded through every area of a modern company.

Given the prevalence of digital technology and the value of tools such as business intelligence solutions, having an effective IT strategy in place is crucial. Yet with so much of our operations now being managed through technology, the notion of separate IT strategy and overall business strategy is falling away.

IT strategy’s importance to the business

The pace of change in the digital world has increased exponentially from the time of early IT strategy. Innovation is happening so swiftly that a traditional three-to-five year plan is unable to keep up; businesses now have to think in much shorter timelines.

Speed and agility are the key – allowing organisations to read the landscape and quickly adapt their strategy to keep up with the market. According to Barry Brunsman, principal in KPMG LLP’s CIO Advisory, the fundamentals of IT departments must also adapt to unlock critical benefits.

“IT has moved from developing and providing siloed solutions to providing enterprise applications and connections to the outside world through cloud solutions, software and service providers, and external outsourced providers.”

Driving IT capabilities with business intelligence

The challenge for many organisations is shaking the notion of IT as a singular aspect of strategy, and providing the tools that deliver agility right across the business. Writing for CIO, Home Office CTO Sarah Wilkinson outlined three vital aspects of effective modern strategy:

• An over-arching view of business goals.
• Tools and techniques for ensuring a continuous understanding of the business environment.
• A framework guiding ongoing planning and strategy.

BI solutions are designed to offer precisely the type of oversight Wilkinson describes, delivering the productivity and efficiency benefits required to achieve goals and drive performance. Stellar Consulting Group works with your business to tailor a suitable BI strategy – from a technology assessment through to ongoing planning and support services.

Our four-stage BI Development Process ensures your organisation’s IT and business strategy are aligned, enabling your team to get the most out of modern data analysis and plan effectively for the future. Get in touch with the team at Stellar Consulting today, or take a look at our infographic “Seven Essentials for Business Intelligence Success” for more about how we can help your team thrive.