The document discusses IT strategy, processes, and standards. It notes that IT strategy needs to be translated into operational plans that define projects and service levels. It also discusses portfolio management and demand management processes to ensure effective resource use aligned with business objectives. Architecture and standards are important to guide technology investments and ensure a secure environment supporting organizational strategy.
The document discusses IT strategy, processes, and standards. It notes that IT strategy needs to be translated into operational plans that define projects and service levels. It also discusses portfolio management and demand management processes to ensure effective resource use aligned with business objectives. Architecture and standards are important to guide technology investments and ensure a secure environment supporting organizational strategy.
The document discusses IT strategy, processes, and standards. It notes that IT strategy needs to be translated into operational plans that define projects and service levels. It also discusses portfolio management and demand management processes to ensure effective resource use aligned with business objectives. Architecture and standards are important to guide technology investments and ensure a secure environment supporting organizational strategy.
“The pace of change is increasing in tempo and at the translated into operational plans. Operational plans will same time the global economy continues to diminish define the projects that will be initiated and the service the autonomy and independent stability of local levels expected of IT. markets.”
IT – become the critical ingredient in business strategies Portfolio Management Processes
as both enabler and enhancer of organization’s goals Are needed to ensure the effective use of resources and objectives. and alignment with business objectives. This includes processes to: initiate projects, design “Supporting the strategy, architectural standards and solutions, manage resources, provision services, technology planning ensure that investments in IT lead procure products, and control financial to efficient maintenance and a secure environment.” investments. Ensures that investments are made in alignment IT PROCESSES with organizational objectives. Strategy and architecture processes from COBIT are included in the Planning and Organization and Demand Management Process Delivery Domain. Help ensure that resources are devoted to projects that have a strong business case Planning and Organization Processes Help ensure that senior management has provided 1. Define a Strategic Plan conceptual approval to the project. 2. Define the Information Architecture It ensures that a project has business justification 3. Determine Technological Direction Provide a means to “weed out” nonessential projects. Strategic Planning Project Initiation Process IT Strategic Plan – a formal vision to guide in the Determines the total cost and benefit of a project acquisition, allocation and management of IT by defining high-level business requirements and a resources to fulfill the organization’s objectives. It conceptual solution. provides roadmap for operating plans and a framework for evaluating technology investments. Technical Review Process Main risk of not having an IT strategic plan: Increased Helps ensure that the right solution is selected, cost of technology that it integrates with other components of technology and that it can be supported with IT Management – involves combining technology, minimal investments in infrastructure. people and processes to provide solutions to Technical Steering Committee – provides a control organizational problems. mechanism for evaluating and approving new technology solutions. IT Steering Committee Composed of decision makers from the various Architecture and Standards constituencies in the organization to resolve Architecture group – establishes the standards and conflicting priorities. blueprint for the organization. Communication – effective communication is Advantages to Standardizing & Simplifying Systems: critical to coordinate the efforts of internal and 1. System reuse external resources to accomplish the organization’s 2. Faster implementation goals. It should occur at multiple levels. 3. Improved flexibility Enterprise Architecture – lays out a roadmap between Technology Standards current and future state of the organization’s Guide industries and organizations in selecting infrastructure and application platforms. It provides a hardware and software and developing new mechanism to communicate the essential elements and applications. functions of the enterprise within the organization. Top 3 obstacles with Customer Relationship The Open Group Architecture Framework Management (CRM) (TOGAF) – provides a tool to aid in the development of 1. Poor Performance enterprise architecture. 2. Difficult to navigate and access information The Enterprise Architecture encompasses the 3. Limited value Business Architecture, Application Architecture, Data Architecture and Infrastructure Architecture. COSO defines internal control as a process, influenced by an entity’s board of directors, management, and Business Architecture – defines the key other personnel that is designed to provide reasonable business processes and functions of an organization. assurance in the following categories: Ex: Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Effectiveness and efficiency of operations Document and Content Management, and Management Reliability of financial reporting Information. Compliance with applicable laws and Application Architecture – defines the regulations application framework and common components that can be used across the organization. It ensures Components of Internal Control alignment with organizational strategy and guides in the 1. Control Environment purchase, configuration, design and development of 2. Risk Assessment technology. 3. Control Activities Data Architecture – encompasses the source 4. Information and Communication and destination of information, formal and informal 5. Monitoring business rules for using that information, its flow through the organization, ownership, and mechanisms for ensuring persistence and security. Infrastructure Architecture – defines the hardware and software infrastructure that supports the applications. It guides in the acquisition and implementation of facilities and equipment, disaster recover, capacity planning, office automation, distributed systems, and network and communications. 1. Client Architecture 2. Server Architecture 3. Network Architecture
The Architecture Function
Serves as the owner and manager of architecture processes and standards. It provides leadership consulting role in decision-making process of present and future technology initiatives for strategic business advantage.