STRATEGIC CONSULTANCY
Technology and IT services have the potential to be strategic business capabilities enabling business growth and allowing smaller organisations to compete with their larger rivals.
However, this potential can only be realized through prioritisation of and investment in an effective IT Strategy.
For an IT Strategy to be effective, it must:
- Include a flexibly designed IT infrastructure that is able to accommodate evolving business capability requirements;
- Focus investment on delivering capabilities that generate business value;
- Be appropriately managed to ensure successful execution and ongoing review.
IT INVESTMENT RELUCTANCE
A product of lost confidence and shortage of information.
LOST CONFIDENCE
FACT: SMBs have financial constraints which translate into IT resource limitations.
This is true for all SMBs which is why, to varying degrees, they all experience IT challenges stemming from in-house capacity and/or capability limitations, such as:
- Poor service delivery
- Unfulfilled business requirements
- Impeded business objectives
- Unpredictable investment requirements
- Budget forecasting challenges
- Largely reactive investment in disjointed IT requirements
The trick is to identify what is needed (capacity, capability, or both) and put measures in place to address the gaps as part of the larger IT Service Strategy.
Unfortunately, Executives and Board Members can sometimes lose confidence in the IT Service Strategy or its management (for a multitude of reasons) and this can ultimately result in a reluctance to invest in IT.
TECHNICAL - COMMERCIAL GAPS
Developing and managing an IT Service Strategy is a collaborative undertaking between IT heads/MSPs and Executives/Board Members. Defining business requirements and then designing, executing, and managing the underpinning technologies and services requires the parties communicate a great deal of information, such as:
- Business objectives, timelines, and priorities
- Clear business capability requirements
- IT service delivery requirements
- The effectiveness of the existing or proposed IT Strategy in fulfiling identified objectives, capabilities, and IT requirements
- Service valuations (or business justifications) for new or continued investment in services, technologies, or projects
- Cost-benefit analyses of IT investment recommendations
Technically-inclined IT members and commercially-inclined Executive members can sometimes struggle to effectively communicate this information in a way that is accessible to the other party. This presents a challenge we call the Technical-Commercial Gap.
When there is a Technical-Commerical Gap:
- IT Teams may feel unsupported, and impeded in their attempts to address identified IT challenges and improve service delivery.
- Executives/Board Members may lose confidence in their internal IT Teams or MSPs and become increasingly reluctant to invest in IT further.
Before you Invest, Get Answers
- Is our existing IT Strategy effectively aligned with our business objectives and requirements?
If not, what are the current constraints? What are the potential opportunities? - Are our available IT resources and infrastructure adequately meeting our current business requirements in a cost-effective manner?
- Will our existing IT infrastructure and service levels be able to meet the demands of our evolving requirements?
- Could our organisation be making better use of available technologies and services?
- Are there opportunities to increase operational efficiency and reduce cost?
- Are there innovative technologies we could be implementing to benefit our organisation and clients?
- Does our organisation have the required knowledge, skills, and experience in-house to effectively deliver against our IT service delivery requirements?
- In what areas should we invest in staff training and development to improve service levels and service management?
- Is our current Managed Service Provider delivering against their Service Level targets and fulfilling all of the elements of our IT Service Agreement?
- Should we renew our Managed Service Agreement in its existing form?
- What makes the most sense for our organisation: delivering our IT Services internally, externally, or both?
- What is the source of the performance/service related issues we are experiencing?
STRATEGIC CONSULTANCY BENEFITS
Often, it is not financially viable for SMBs to bring on a CIO or CTO to represent IT strategically at Board Level.
Our Strategic Guidance Solutions are a cost-effective way of getting the expertise and benefits of a CIO for a fraction of the cost.
- Improved Service Alignment With Business Requirements
- Reduced Total Cost of Ownership
- Improved Quality and Consistency of Services
- Improved IT Governance
- Improved Measurement and Reporting of Service Effectiveness
- Simplified Service Changes and Transitions
strategic CONSULTANCY OFFERINGS
The Expertise and Benefits of a CIO…Without the Hefty Salary
REVIEW
HIGH LEVEL ENGAGEMENT
(3-6 DAY PROJECT)
Service Catalogue Review
- IT Services Currently Provided
Service Strategy Review
- IT Organisational Structure
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Service Operation Functions and Processes
- Service Transition Processes
- Continual Service Improvement Processes
Service Experience Review
- Customer Satisfaction / User Experience Review
Service Management Review
- IT Governance and Reporting Processes
- IT Service Management Processes
- Measured Performance Monitoring Systems and Metrics
- Technology Metrics
- Process Metrics
- Service Metrics
Technology In-Situ Review
- RAG Assessments of key infrastructure and applications (i.e. a review of risk against industry best-practices for similarly sized organisations)
Business Analysis
- Business Background
- Core Activities
- Organizational Structure
- Business Functions
- Functional Capabilities and Resources
- Business Model Analysis
- Business Strategy Analysis (Goals, SWOT)
Business Requirement Assessment
- Perceived Value from IT
- IT Service Quality Requirements
- Business Continuity Requirements
- IT Service Demand Modeling
- IT Flexibility / Scalability Requirements
- Growth/Major Change Considerations
Recommendations based on assessed strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities related to:
- In Situ Technologies
- IT Service Delivery Processes
- IT Service Delivery Performance
- IT Management and Governance
- IT Strategy
EXECUTE
DETAILED REVIEW, PLANNING AND EXECUTION
(10-30 DAY PROJECT)
Service Catalogue Review
- IT Services Currently Provided
Service Strategy Review
- IT Organisational Structure
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Service Operation Functions and Processes
- Service Transition Processes
- Continual Service Improvement Processes
Service Experience Review
- Customer Satisfaction / User Experience Review
Service Management Review
- IT Governance and Reporting Processes
- IT Service Management Processes
- Measured Performance Monitoring Systems and Metrics
- Technology Metrics
- Process Metrics
- Service Metrics
Technology In-Situ Review
- RAG Assessments of key infrastructure and applications (i.e. a review of risk against industry best-practices for similarly sized organisations)
Business Analysis
- Business Background
- Core Activities
- Organizational Structure
- Business Functions
- Functional Capabilities and Resources
- Business Model Analysis
- Business Strategy Analysis (Goals, SWOT)
Business Requirement Assessment
- Perceived Value from IT
- IT Service Quality Requirements
- Business Continuity Requirements
- IT Service Demand Modeling
- IT Flexibility / Scalability Requirements
- Growth/Major Change Considerations
Recommendations based on assessed strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities related to:
- In Situ Technologies
- IT Service Delivery Processes
- IT Service Delivery Performance
- IT Management and Governance
- IT Strategy
The financial impact of the IT Service Assessment recommendations must be analysed and evaluated to enable effective financial planning and decision-making at Board Level.
Improved understanding of the worth of new/continued investment in technologies, applications, and services improves the capability of the Executive to make the necessary investment decisions.
The various activities carried out which foster this understanding include:
- Service Valuations (Business Justifications)
- Cost-Benefit Analyses
- Fixed Cost vs Variable Cost Modeling
Scope of Work can be agreed upon after the financial impact of recommended activities is evaluated, actions prioritised, and investment decisions finalised. Planning can then proceed against the scope of work.
Service Strategy Planning
- Designing/modifying service solutions to effectively align with identified business requirements
- Designing the tools needed to manage, control, and support new/modified services
- Designing the technology and architecture needed to provide services
- Designing the service transition, service operation, and continual service improvement processes necessary for efficient service delivery
- Designing the measurement systems, methods, and metrics necessary to effectively inform ongoing technology, process, and service improvements.
Strategic Action Planning
Planning the steps necessary to implement solutions and changes.
- Defining specific tasks
- Defining responsibilities
- Business risk mitigation
The execution of planning includes:
- Coordinating resources and activities across projects, suppliers, and service teams
- Managing risk during transition to minimize chances of failure
- Minimising disruption to IT service during the transition
- Performing testing and validation
- Managing knowledge through appropriate documentation
MANAGE
SERVICE STRATEGY MANAGEMENT
(CONTRACTED SERVICES)
Service Catalogue Review
- IT Services Currently Provided
Service Strategy Review
- IT Organisational Structure
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Service Operation Functions and Processes
- Service Transition Processes
- Continual Service Improvement Processes
Service Experience Review
- Customer Satisfaction / User Experience Review
Service Management Review
- IT Governance and Reporting Processes
- IT Service Management Processes
- Measured Performance Monitoring Systems and Metrics
- Technology Metrics
- Process Metrics
- Service Metrics
Technology In-Situ Review
- RAG Assessments of key infrastructure and applications (i.e. a review of risk against industry best-practices for similarly sized organisations)
Business Analysis
- Business Background
- Core Activities
- Organizational Structure
- Business Functions
- Functional Capabilities and Resources
- Business Model Analysis
- Business Strategy Analysis (Goals, SWOT)
Business Requirement Assessment
- Perceived Value from IT
- IT Service Quality Requirements
- Business Continuity Requirements
- IT Service Demand Modeling
- IT Flexibility / Scalability Requirements
- Growth/Major Change Considerations
Recommendations based on assessed strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities related to:
- In Situ Technologies
- IT Service Delivery Processes
- IT Service Delivery Performance
- IT Management and Governance
- IT Strategy
The financial impact of the IT Service Assessment recommendations must be analysed and evaluated to enable effective financial planning and decision-making at Board Level.
Improved understanding of the worth of new/continued investment in technologies, applications, and services improves the capability of the Executive to make the necessary investment decisions.
The various activities carried out which foster this understanding include:
- Service Valuations (Business Justifications)
- Cost-Benefit Analyses
- Fixed Cost vs Variable Cost Modeling
Scope of Work can be agreed upon after the financial impact of recommended activities is evaluated, actions prioritised, and investment decisions finalised. Planning can then proceed against the scope of work.
Service Strategy Planning
- Designing/modifying service solutions to effectively align with identified business requirements
- Designing the tools needed to manage, control, and support new/modified services
- Designing the technology and architecture needed to provide services
- Designing the service transition, service operation, and continual service improvement processes necessary for efficient service delivery
- Designing the measurement systems, methods, and metrics necessary to effectively inform ongoing technology, process, and service improvements.
Strategic Action Planning
Planning the steps necessary to implement solutions and changes.
- Defining specific tasks
- Defining responsibilities
- Business risk mitigation
The execution of planning includes:
- Coordinating resources and activities across projects, suppliers, and service teams
- Managing risk during transition to minimize chances of failure
- Minimising disruption to IT service during the transition
- Performing testing and validation
- Managing knowledge through appropriate documentation
Our Service Strategy Management option offers organisations a Virtual CIO (vCIO) to bridge the technical-commercial gap inherent to many SMB. The vCIO can represent IT strategically at Board Level and manage the numerous processes involved in effective IT Service Strategy management, including:
Service Catalogue Management
- Maintaining the accuracy of the IT Service Catalogue against operational services
Service Level Management
- Determining service level requirements and negotiating Service/Operational Level Agreements
- Monitoring and reviewing services to ensure agreed targets are being achieved
- Identifying service improvement opportunities for consideration in the improvement planning process
Capacity Management
- Maintaining a capacity plan aligned with the organisation’s strategic plans
- Ensuring resource and service capacity adequately meet current and future business requirements in a cost-effective manner
Supplier Management
- Ensuring supplier contracts align with business requirements
- Ensuring suppliers meet contractual commitments
Risk Management
- Ongoing identification, assessment, and control of risks
Compliance Management
- Ensuring compliance with organisation policies and legal requirements