LESSON 17
Planning for System Development
The management should prefer to have a plan for IT development so as to help it to take various software
development projects in a structured way. At the very start, planning is done by the management regarding
following issues
•Scope of software development – certain selected areas or the entire organization.
•How to get the project done – in-house committee or hired consultants.
•How much resource and time commitment can be made.
•Any written policy on which model is needed to be followed for software development.
IT planning provides a structured means of addressing the impact of technologies, including emerging
technologies, on an organization. Through the planning process, relevant technologies are identified and
evaluated in the context of broader business goals and targets. Based on a comparative assessment of
relevant technologies, the direction for the organization can be established. Business planning is an accepted
responsibility of management. Plans provide a direction and framework for action. Plans enunciate
business goals and the actions that need to be initiated to achieve those goals including related benefits,
resources and timeframes.
Increasingly, information technologies not only support but, also may drive or enable business strategies. In
this context information technologies are an integral part of the business planning process itself. If such
potential is evident after the completion of the business plan, then the business plan must be revisited and,
if appropriate, revised.
17.1 Phases of IT planning
Although information technology plans are unique, the planning process and the underlying activities are
similar.
•Orientation -- This start-up phase is required to establish the scope of the plan and the methodology
and techniques to be applied
•Assessment -- Major steps in this phase are
•Confirm business direction and drivers;
•Review technology trends; outline future requirements;
•Inventory existing information systems; and
•Develop an assessment of what is needed.
•In the concluding step of this phase there should be a well-developed assessment of the current and
future business needs,
•Strategic Plan -- This phase commences with developing the vision and desired future positioning of
information technology within the organization.
•Tactical Plan -- The selected strategies are divided into a series of projects which are scheduled for
implementation depending upon relative priorities and resource availability. The planning process is
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