Helping Management Understand IT Planning

Here's an online report worthy of recommending to senior management. Entitled "Managing Information Technology for Business Impact", it's an executive-level guideline developed by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

In addition to providing an approach to developing effective information technology plans, the report also provides an understanding of the nature and importance of IT planning. Perhaps its most attractive feature, however, is that it's written for senior management and provides a plain-language description of IT planning. It correctly highlights the absolute requirement of focusing on business needs - to deliver high-impact business results.

The paper includes operating principles, objectives, goals, benefits of IT planning, and a recommended planning process (all in less than 40 pages). It will make an excellent hand-out to all members of your strategic-planning management committee.

The full guideline is available at www.ifac.org/StandardsAndGuidance/InformationTechnology.html.

While you're downloading it, consider adding IFAC's recent Managing Security of Information guideline to your collection. They are both found in the Information Technology section of the IFAC site.

WEB SITE OF THE MONTH

I've also chosen IFAC's comprehensive www.ifac.org as this month's featured Web site.

IFAC is a worldwide organization that supports the accountancy profession. Its mission is to develop and enhance the profession to enable it to provide services of consistently high quality in the public interest. IFAC's current membership consists of 142 professional accountancy bodies in 103 countries, representing more than two million accountants in public practice, education, government and industry.

While IFAC is understandably focused on supporting financial and management accountants, much of their material relates to the information technology profession and can be directly applied to various IT Initiatives and IT management practices.

The site features downloadable publications on various topics such as:

Guidance is available on the site for:

Dan Swanson is a management consultant with LGS Group in Winnipeg. He specializes in audit and management consulting and can be reached at dswanson@lgs.ca