Module 4: Managing IS Organizations

1
Module 4 Managing IS Organizations

• Topic 8. Infrastructure Planning

2
Application Portfolio Management

• A means of bringing together existing planned,
  and potential information systems and assessing
  the business contribution.
• See the composite matrix of IS/IT applications
  (figure 1.)

3
IS Applications Planning Approaches

• Support
• Traditional, decentralized, efficiency-focused,
  risk averse
• Key operational
• Top-down, centralized, effectiveness-focused,
  risk reduction
• High potential
• Opportunistic, decentralized, entrepreneurial,
  risk taking
• Strategic
• Complex, goal seeking, coalition, risk
  accomodating

4
Applications Portfolio Management

• Application portfolios found in different
  approaches are different.
• Therefore, they need to be managed differently.

5
Applications Portfolio Management Strategy
High Potential Free Marketeer
Strategic Central Planner
Support Scarce Resourcer
Key Operational Monopolist
6
Applications Portfolio Management Strategy

• Scarce Resourcer - Support
• Reactive and be a caretaker
• Monopolist - Key Operational
• Control and follow a standard procedure
• Free Marketeer High Potential
• Entrepreneurial and self-motivated
• Central Planner Strategic
• Acquire and allocate resources necessary to
  achieve the strategic objectives.

7
IT Infrastructure

• Physical infrastructure
• Hardware, software, telecom, networks
• Architecture
• A blueprint of a physical infrastructure
• Policies
• Determine how the infrastructure and its support
  services are managed.
• Management process and services
• Planning and management of the facilities,
  vendors, technical supports

8
Managing Issues

• Linking IT investment to business needs
• IT investments by others
• Technical implications and hype
• See Table 1 IT themes in the new paradigm
  (Lecture note p. 10)

9
IT Investment Justification

• Application specific
• Cost reduction in existing applications
• Replacement of obsolete IT
• IT as an enabler of overall business strategy
• Embracing business growth