Product: Business-IT programme

Strategic initiatives define the business and ICT changes that are required to achieve the targets set on operations. Between these initiatives there can be many dependencies and conflicting priorities. To handle this complexity and all the risks involved, we can setup a programme.

A programme contains all the artefacts needed to accomodate, plan and control the realization of strategic initiatives, such as:

the programme mandate, programme brief, vision statement, benefit profiles, management strategy and plan, communication strategy and plan, financial plan, programme organization structure, quality management strategy, risk log, risk management strategy, stakeholder map, programme plan, project portfolio, business cases, issue log, programme policies and procedures, programme support office functions and programme benefits review.

The programme is the umbrella for the projects by which all the business and ICT changes are realized. In conjunction with the programme project plans can be provided, that address the products to be delivered, pre-requisites, assumptions, project activities and resources with revision log, risks, control points, time and cost. Compliant with Prince2 or any other project management method you may use.

We recommend to first develop good business and information blueprints, because these reduce the complexity and risks to start with. Blueprints provide the programme with solid ground for risk and benefit management and the project portfolio. The architectural definitions (on which the blueprints are based) provide project engineers with the instruments and tools to elaborate the blueprints for the realization of the required business and ICT changes. This holistic product structure is the basis for an efficient and effective realization of business strategies into operation.

Engineering still needs to handle a lot of changes, because of the mutual influences between business and ICT. To manage the risks of these changes we advise an phased iterative planning of business, information and ICT engineering and development activities. The (Rational) Unified Process (RUP) method was developped for this purpose and has become a world standard. Since it's introduction we use the RUP to plan project activities and resources. It's as well the method for the application of the Unified Modeling Language, that we use for our architecture and engineering products. The combined application of the RUP, UML and Prince2 in project plans ensures that your projects are defined to further reduce complexity and risks through engineering, realization and implementation of changes in business operations and ICT services.

Interested?

Please feel free to contact HIT for more information and to help you with your specific business-IT issues. An orientating talk is free of obligations and can already clarify a lot of affairs.

The service of HIT is deliverd by means of solutions, products and services. HIT provides initial support too. The free Q&A support has been here since 1996. Take as well a look at the background-page and the specials (in left margin), to read more background information.