Previously, IT strategy included a description of the IT objectives and, in addition to the technology orientations, also a basic description of the intended IT organisation and the positioning in relation to the business. As a rule, the strategy was defined for a time horizon of five years and it was taken for granted that the IT strategy would be oriented towards or derived from the business strategy. However, this definition has changed considerably over the years.
Is the IT strategy more a business strategy or a digitization strategy?
The question is easy to answer - it is both and more than that. In an increasingly networked world, where dependencies are becoming increasingly interdependent, IT cannot pursue a detached, specifically pure IT strategy. In many industries and companies, more and more IT is also becoming part of value creation or even the business model. To achieve this, IT not only needs a strategy, but also its own business model. What is the concrete value proposition of IT in a company? For which customers are the services provided and the necessary customer orientation achieved? How is the IT business model financed? If IT concentrates only on its own area, it becomes purely a vicarious agent and exchangeable. The business areas are gaining more and more autonomy through SaaS solutions, low-code approaches and cloud services. IT must create a reason for the business divisions not to operate without IT, but to become active together.
Why is a long-term IT strategy necessary in times of agility?
The long-term nature of the IT strategy can no longer be defined in concrete annual slices, individual measures and goals. Rather, it consists of a value and service model in which IT activities, services and initiatives are classified. Today it is no longer serious to make a technology decision for the next five years and strictly enforce it. In times of customer centricity and the divergence of business models, the standardization goals of corporate IT are rather utopian. Rather, it is not only the end customer of the company that is to be regarded as the target customer of IT, but also the creation of quasi-personas for the various business areas and the alignment of IT services to their problems and requirements.
How can a new view of the IT strategy be developed?
The definition of an IT strategy begins with the basic definition of the IT business model. The basic principle is to define the specific performance promise (value proposition) based on the actual, probably very different customers. Just as in the normal B2C environment, a "one fits all" will not suffice. Here, too, if you try to develop a solution for everyone, you don't build one for anyone. The more differentiation in the market progresses, the more flexible and multi-faceted IT must support this circumstance with its services and offerings. That's why it's more important than ever for IT to understand which different requirements the individual customer segments have and to create solutions for them.
Otherwise, there is a danger that the different customer segments will seek and use solutions themselves. These are often available in the cloud and are apparently easy to find at first. The challenge is then certainly the integration on the company side, but the business units do not see this when they make their decision, but only when facts have been created.
This makes it all the more important for IT to recognize, understand and accept this specific need at an early stage (!). This is the only way to prevent firefighting missions and to integrate solutions sensibly into the company. Because despite all the diversity of requirements and business models, it remains the task of IT to ensure the fulfilment of the comprehensive, integrated requirements of a company's IT, such as IT security, data protection, compliance and controllability.
Our consulting services - Why 4C?
We support you in translating IT requirements from a changed business context, changing working methods and new technological challenges into concrete objectives and an adequate IT strategy. In addition, we will assist you in the operationalisation and consolidation of your IT strategy as a temporary co-pilot and accompany you in the implementation and acceptance of your IT business model. We help you to overcome the hurdles on your way or to find another way that will bring you to your goal.
Our consulting services at a glance
The process for designing an IT strategy includes all necessary components from definition and operationalization to ensuring sustainable and continuous further development.
Consulting Project
As part of a consulting project, we support you in defining your IT strategy and the necessary components as well as in anchoring a continuous strategy process that ensures sustainability and makes IT capable of acting for the changes that occur in the company, the market or the technology.
Why 4C?
We have experts in the necessary topics for a holistic view of the CIO area and its anchoring in the company and its business models. The combination of strategy definition, positioning of IT, mobilisation for the necessary changes at all levels and the experience of the concrete challenges during implementation guarantee sustainable strategy development.
Experience - We advise our clients on a wide range of IT and digitization issues and accompany them from strategy to implementation.
4C GROUP offers its customers implementation success.
If you share our approaches and want to take your IT to a new level in order to meet the challenges of your business and the autonomy aspirations of your business, contact us.
