Lessons Learned Key Success Factors in Strategic Technology Planning
Conduct a visioning exercise with the staff to understand how technology can help your organization. Getting feedback from the staff will help you to define your organizational needs.
Don’t just listen up, listen down as well. People in the field really know what the needs are. Getting feedback on what’s working, what’s failing and what’s missing can make stronger prioritization decisions in the strategic planning process…
Conduct a visioning exercise with the staff to understand how technology can help your organization. Getting feedback from the staff will help you to define your organizational needs.
Don’t just listen up, listen down as well. People in the field really know what the needs are. Getting feedback on what’s working, what’s failing and what’s missing can make stronger prioritization decisions in the strategic planning process.
Know what your long-term goals are for the organization and how you can achieve the goals by utilizing technology effectively.
Define concrete, measurable, specific, and achievable objectives to achieve your organizational goals. Identify approaches and strategies that can be used to achieve your organizational objectives.
Clearly document and plan a path to achieve your vision in your strategic technology plan.
Assess the organization’s current situation by conducting a technology audit.
Detail the resources required to maintain and support basic technological infrastructure, but don’t throw money at a problem that may be solved by streamlining your operations. New technology can’t enhance a process that is fundamentally flawed. Make sure that the process (e.g., client data entry, bookkeeping) are as streamlined as possible.
Clearly communicate intentions to external partners – including consultants and funders.
Integrate specific technology projects into your overall technology strategy
Revisit the plan every 2 to 3 years
Don’t sweat the details. The specifics of execution belong in the technology project plan so you don’t have to rewrite the strategic plan if implementation details change.
