IS strategy - Information System

As an operations manager when attempting to navigate your organisation through the information landscape and make best use of the available systems you must develop a strategy in the same way as you would for marketing, product development or human resource management. The information system is no longer only a support to the business but a major force enabling business performance. The focus is no longer on the technical attributes of the IS but on its place as part of the provision of customer solutions.

• When developing an IS strategy there are a number of questions to answer. The main ones being:
• What is the overall context of the company and the position of IS within it? This is illustrated in the diagram above.
• What level of IS support and integration does the organisation require (Stages 1 to 5)? Remember it needs to add value and still be cost effective.
• What information does the organisation need to collect and what will it be used for?
• How should the IS be provisioned? Is it a custom or off-the-shelf solution, what type of vendor, installation and support service do you want?
• What approach should be taken to keep the IS in-line with upgrades in technology and changes in business needs? Remember the technology will continue to progress long after your system has been installed.

Before these questions can be answered it is necessary to understand the following basics. Firstly the nature of information, secondly the processes use by the IS in managing the information and thirdly how organisations use information to add value.