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What is a Strategy?
From the New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary:
The art of a commander-in-chief; the planning and directionofthe larger military movements and overall operations of a
campaign; an instance or variety of this;
The art or skill of careful planning towards and advantage or adesired end; an instance of this, a stratagem;
In game theory, business theory, etc., a plan for successfulactionbased on the rationality and interdependence of the
moves of opposing or competingparticipants.
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Why develop a Strategy?
GIFT scenarios
Getting requiredSPACE
Approval forSTAFFING and otherRESOURCES
Getting required
FUNDING
Getting SUPPORT
from management
FINGER POINTING
scenarios
Setting a DIRECTIONfor IT in your unitSetting a DIRECTIONfor IT in your unit
Getting requiredSPACE
GIFT scenarios
FINGER POINTING
scenarios
Approval forSTAFFING and otherRESOURCES
Getting required
FUNDING
Getting SUPPORT
from management
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Environmental Features
You may need toconsider...
But sometimes you willfind...
Overall strategy of the organisation Poorly defined
Management structure Often no complete formal structure,or many small caveats
Financial / budgetary model Cloaked approach / hoarding ofauthority
Existing IT strategy Systems have usually evolved on aneeds must basis rather than byplan
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First draft 5. Write the first draft
Skeleton 4. Sketch out a skeleton document
Research 3. Gather all required information
Context 2. Relate to existing environment
Goals 1. Identify purpose of your strategy
How to develop a strategy
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Who to involve
Who is on your side? Get themonboard;
Find people who are respectedwithin your organisation;
Potentially difficult people involvement early on can defuse
trouble later
but be aware of dynamics
Consider who the strategy willbe presented to. Whose support
will count?
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What to include: content
Skills / training
Printing
User services Servers / software
Workstations /software
Research staff
Students
CD-RW /scanners / etc
Administration
Conferences /guests
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What to include: content (2)
Finances
budgets
schedule of expenditure
mechanism of funding
Service levels
core services?
additional services?
Links to otherdocumentation
IT policies eg. AUP,
SITSAP
Code of practice
Disciplinary procedures
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Potential Pitfalls and Gotchas
too much
detail
boring
too littledetail
obscureterminology
personal
hobby-horse
fixedorganisational
policies
the
wreck
er
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How to layout: BME
A
D
G H J
E F
CB
BEGINNING
MIDDLE
END
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How to layout: client groups
A
D
G H J
E F
CB
STUDENTS ACADEMICS ADMIN.
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How to layout: crisis topics
A
D
G H J
E F
CB
CRISIS
CRISIS
CRISIS
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Tips and Wrinkles
Use the word DRAFT!
Bounce the first draft offsomeone outside the
organisation (eg. a friend);
Be willing to amend the firstdraft;
Allow people to make an input
(or at least think they can);
He who wants to get his own way prepares the first draftHarold Wilson
It was Harold Wilsons doctrine that you should always write the first draftbecause that gave you control of what came out in the end;
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Tips and Wrinkles (2)
Put tables, figures, charts in
an appendix, and include aglossary;
If possible, provide a 1 pageexecutive summary;
Use pictures where theyexplain better than words;
Keep it focussed: use the
SMART1 target paradigm;
Speak with accountant etc
beforehand;
Carve out time (4 days of
elapsed time?);
Be persistent.
1 SMART: Specified, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based
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Useful References
University IT strategy: http://www.ox.ac.uk/it/strategy/
IT Strategic Framework 2000 (Appendix III) Suggested
guidelines for divisional / departmental IT Strategieshttp://www.ox.ac.uk/it/strategy/2000/it014.htm
IT Strategic Framework 2000 (Appendix V) College IT Services
and Facilities (really a policy document!)http://www.ox.ac.uk/it/strategy/2000/it016.htm
Advice on writing a strategy
http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/aa/landt/ltcom/advice.htm
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Making a resolution
Please turn back to the person you spoke to at the start of this
session, and let them know:
1) Do you intend to put together a strategy?
2) If so, then what steps are you going to take?
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What am I going to do now?
TARGET: write down
one important thing youwant to get out of a
strategy;
SPEAK: with someone
on your side aboutwishing to draw up an
IT strategy;
HEADINGS: List themain headings you
want to use;
TIME: be sure to setaside some time
book it in your diary.
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