The role of IT is undergoing transformation due to disruptive trends. With IT decisions shifting to business units and the rise of new service delivery models like cloud and automation, organizations are compelled to adopt significantly different IT strategies and operating models. The new mandate for IT is to function as a cost-effective entity, focused on delivering business value.
Aligned with this evolving focus, IT systems are required to undergo modernization, digital channels must be optimized, new data and analytical platforms need to be developed for direct impact on business outcomes, and a heightened emphasis on digitally enhanced customer experiences is essential. These imperatives pose challenges for IT organizations that have traditionally been concentrated on “keeping the lights on.”
Thinkwgroup consultants are well-versed in navigating this changing landscape, understanding the complexities of balancing these new objectives with traditional IT performance and stability. Having led and transformed numerous IT organizations, we offer guidance to clients in developing tailored IT strategies that align with their unique business requirements, competitive environments, and technology needs.
Our approach to IT strategy involves a 360° view of the IT function, focusing on evaluating opportunities for scale and value. Two critical questions guide our strategy development:
- Are we doing the right things?
- How do we optimize?
Our IT Strategy development encompasses a comprehensive evaluation across six key dimensions:
- Strategic Alignment:
- Review the effectiveness of mechanisms ensuring IT strategies align with the business.
- Examine the strategic relevance of ongoing projects.
- Processes:
- Assess IT processes for suitability, comprehensiveness, maturity, and efficiency.
- Identify process gaps and redundancies against future-state requirements.
- Infrastructure & Apps:
- Determine the suitability, scalability, cost, risk, and security of applications and infrastructure portfolios.
- Compare operations against industry best practices relevant to each company’s strategy.
- People & Organization:
- Evaluate the level of skills, capabilities, and appropriateness of the organization structure.
- Sourcing & Contracts:
- Assess the balance between internal and external sourcing.
- Evaluate the value potential of leveraging third parties and global service delivery models.
- Compare current practices with industry best practices and provide strategic sourcing recommendations.
- Financials:
- Perform a detailed cost analysis across IT functions and activities.
- Compare staffing levels, internal labor costs, third-party contracts, and pricing against market benchmarks.
- Provide specific cost improvement recommendations.
Thinkwgroup consolidates recommendations across all dimensions to create a prioritized and actionable implementation roadmap, including key initiatives, priority-based cost savings impact, recommended implementation resources, requirements, costs, dependencies, risks, barriers to execution, and proposed timetables.
Once the IT strategy is defined and documented, along with the implementation roadmap, Thinkwgroup can further assist clients in executing various or all implementation initiatives, ensuring the realization of strategic benefits.