Without a doubt, Information Technology is present in every company today. Digital systems and processes automate demands and facilitate work when present in a well-prepared IT department. Good IT planning provides the evolution and security that the company needs.
In this article, you will see some of the most important points to consider when developing an IT strategic plan for the following year, plus a special bonus at the end of the article.
How important is IT strategic planning in a company?
A good IT plan is useless if it's not aligned with the company's overall plan. Don't think this is a task that should be done individually, separate from other departments or management. Developing an IT plan requires strategic vision that mirrors corporate plans.
When aligned with the company's other strategies, a well-structured IT department offers an optimized, more efficient, and productive infrastructure.
The opposite perspective can also be analyzed by considering the importance of the topic. A good business plan is useless if its implementation in the following year requires actions from an IT department that lacks the necessary resources.
Therefore, developing a strategic IT plan means not only structuring IT, but also optimizing the processes and tasks of the entire company.
How to prepare for the challenges of the coming year?
Several factors, always aligned with the company's capabilities of course, can be cited to determine what changes and preparations will be made so that the company's IT sector is ready for the entire year.
A well-developed and clear plan, successfully implemented, will result in numerous benefits for the entire company.
Next, we will look at some of the most effective and important actions for IT planning.
Mapping the company's technological structure
In order to implement the planned improvements, it is important to conduct a broad and comprehensive analysis of the current environment, identifying potential issues that could hinder the progress of the plan and the need for immediate correction.
At this point, the responsible IT professional should map all the resources that are being used and those that are no longer useful, identify bottlenecks and demands in each department, and explore opportunities for improvement.
This mapping covers all types of resources such as equipment, staff, budgets, and average expenses.
Establish priorities
Business priorities should be identified soon after mapping the company's technological structure. With a broad and systemic view of the entire scenario, IT, together with other departments and management, should define which points require urgent action or have a higher level of importance than others.
Without prioritizing actions, it is common to make uncoordinated, unintelligent investments, which in some cases may bring less benefit than other actions that would bring a more significant benefit.
Automate processes
An important factor in enabling the IT sector to implement everything planned for the year is to reduce production and increase productivity, ensuring that time is best allocated to the most effective and important tasks. We know that minor computer maintenance issues or a lack of employee knowledge can significantly impact an IT professional's working time.
Therefore, using tools, solutions, and processes to make everything more automated aligns with the goal of implementing all the actions planned in the IT plan for the year.
Reduce costs
Good IT strategic planning anticipates maintenance costs, investments in innovation, and equipment replacement according to its lifecycle. However, reducing costs is also important.
However, there is a catch: cost reductions must always be done intelligently, without affecting company productivity or overburdening departments with excessive workload, for example.
Reducing costs in a company's IT sector says more about the more efficient use of available capital than about the ignorant cancellation or reduction of a work tool.
Increased productivity
As we mentioned earlier, technology emerged to facilitate human work, accelerating processes and increasing productivity. Seeking solutions that increase team productivity and, consequently, company output, is a very important strategy for the IT sector in its annual planning.
Seeking technological solutions that increase company productivity is an action that brings significant benefits.
Improve the company's internet security.
While reducing costs is important, protecting yourself from unplanned costs and problems may be just as important.
Failing to protect company data and internet users can indeed lead to significant financial costs for the company. This is because, in the event of a breach in the company's internet security, the costs of repairing lost data or the "bail" for data recovery by hackers will be substantial.
Security systems and cyberattack prevention are an action that should be on the IT planning list of every responsible professional within companies.
Adapting to the new laws
Laws were made to be obeyed. Companies that disregard compliance with the law suffer fines, restrictions, and in some cases, bankruptcy. The General Data Protection Law (LGPD), implemented in the country this year (2020), already provides for severe fines for companies that are not in compliance.
Keep your company compliant with all applicable technology system laws to avoid surprises and extra costs disrupting your planning.
[Kit] IT Planning for Businesses in 2021
Throughout the year we developed various materials that address the needs of IT professionals, managers, and business owners concerned with improving technology processes within their companies. Therefore, we developed a 2021 IT Planning Kit for Businesses, which includes the following materials:
- IT Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
- Sample Document Regarding Internet Usage Policy in Companies
- A Guide to Safe Internet Use for Professionals and Businesses
- Consent Form for the Processing of Personal Data, in accordance with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law).
- Home Office Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
- Internet Security Checklist
You can access the materials whenever you want, they're all free!
We hope that in this way, we can help IT professionals develop an IT plan for their company in 2021, improving processes and services.
If you have anything to contribute, feel free to leave it in the comments.
To the next!
