Purpose of Information Systems Planning (ISP) and its major challenges

Before I tell you my perception on the purpose of information systems planning (ISP) and its major challenges, I would like to share with you a short story that had happened to me last Thursday – December 11, 2008. While waiting for a bus, a woman moved toward me. She asked for my name and we had a little talk. Then she gave me a journal that entitled “SUCCESS, how can you achieve it?” While traveling, I was also reading the journal. It was really an awakening and it gave me the encouragement to continue in spite of this crucial environment.

Let me link the story to the question concerning the success of the organizations. Why organizations need to plan for their information system (IS) and why they continue developing it? Moreover, why do they have to invest a large amount in IS and information technology (IT)? If I were to identify the goal of those organizations taken as a whole, of course, as we all know, they really wanted to succeed (who does not?) Even us individuals want the same thing. So to answer the question, first, we need to know what is meant by IS and planning.

From the previous assignment, I had discussed the term information system and information systems plan (ISP) and was able to compare it with business planning, their relationship and the frequently experienced causes of frustration in IS professionals and users while working on an IS plan. This time, I need to restate the meaning of IS. Here we have the IS resources: including people, hardware and software. So for what are the resources? People – they are working on the data. Hardware – tools (e.g. computers) used by persons working in an organization in processing the data. Then we have software – computer programs or databases that are used to store or process data. All of them are working on the organization’s data and information. As what has been stated in Wikipedia – the term refers to a system of persons, data records and activities that process the data and information in an organization, and it includes organization’s manual and automated processes. Next, we have planning. Planning involves thinking ahead and designing future action. It provides us a scheme of our action.

After defining the two terms, let me now discuss about IS planning. It is the planning of IS for an organization. Assessing the information needs of an organization and defining the systems, databases and technologies that best satisfy those needs. It contains the goals, objectives and priorities of the organization and the strategies of improving the organization’s IS. What are the expected changes three or five years from now? What are the developments that the organization should have? Any improvement in the IS, it is expected that it would cater the needs in achieving the organization’s goals and as what I have learned from the previous assignment, it should be in accordance with business plan.

In developing an IS plan, there are several factors should take into consideration. Each of which should not be taken for granted and should be well analyzed and planned. First we have the IS resources such as the people, hardware and software. The people or the users should be able to understand and use the implemented system. It is one clear opportunity and it would benefit many users if user interface design were improved. To build better interfaces, more user involvement is needed in the interface design process. Designers should follow the interface guidelines that exist. User training will also help, especially if it addresses problem solving strategies that will help build self-efficacy. Even small changes in the interface can make a big impact on user satisfaction. Specific hardware and software products should always be evaluated. Does an organization need to change its hardware and/or the software they are using? Do they need an additional of it? What are the suitable hardware and software that would best cater the needs of the organization? How much are they needed? These are some of the questions that an IS professional must have in mind.

How could I able come up with those questions? Of course, after reading many articles about information system and information systems plan, I have now my ideas and there is no reason for me not to be able to construct those. Next is the financial statement of the organization. How much an organization needs? What are the alternatives that would help the organization supplement the insufficiency? Then we have the IS professionals. They should have the skills and the personality of a real IS professional and worthy to be called as IS professional. They should have patience, perseverance, and the knowledge, of course. For what they are called IS professional?

Why need IS plan? What is the purpose of IS planning? Organizations need to plan for their IS to make sure that it both complements and assists in the achievement of their business goals and that the use of scarce resources are maximized within a business. Other reason is to maximize the benefits of changing technology and to take account of the different viewpoints of business professionals and IT professionals. IS planning is never an easy task. That is why there are methods that IS professionals try to follow and standards they try to reach out in order to have a good outcome and that it should serve the company and the users the way it was expected.

It should support and control the technical system in which it should be maintained to avoid failures and degradation. The people that are involved should be committed by actively participating. It must be constructed and documented carefully. It should also consider the life span of the IS and not just the acquisition costs. It should support the organization’s goal, strategies, and a sense of balance between centralized and decentralized decision.

We should always look out for the desirable characteristics of an IS plan including the shortcomings of the organization and the solutions to those problems which should be for a long term and the proposals in order to have quality in the product. It should be well planned because together with business plan, they both have a significant impact and both working for the success of the organization.

While working on an IS plan, sometimes inevitable problems could occur and could lead IS professionals to frustration. Even in our everyday life, we always face problems and challenges. But that is not a problem because it is just a matter of positive thinking and character.

In today’s competitive world, there is a need to attain a higher level of competence in order to be more profitable. We have to face the reality that the presence of information technology infrastructures in business can at times have a dehumanizing effect on people. As the old saying goes, “Life is a constant change”. Information is always evolving same as technology. This is one of the reasons why organizations need to have an IS plan and continue developing it, innovating and make large investments in information technology and in information systems in order not to be left behind and to cater the best services to their customers.. Another thing is for them to become globally competitive. The level of intensity gave business firms a motivation to work a lot harder and have a healthy competition among the organizations.

After having the purpose of IS plan, let me now identify its major challenges. What are those? While searching on the net, I fortunately found the article that discussed about ISP and its major challenges. After reading the article, I decided to have those and include here. Taken from the site: http://www.science.gmu.edu/~ahughes/MIS411f05Ch11Deborah.ppt

The following are the major challenges that were presented by Deborah Muckle:

• Difficulty Foreseeing and Accessing Opportunities
• Difficulty Assuring Consistency w/Organizational Plans & Objectives
• Difficulty Building Systems
• Difficulty Maintaining Information System Performance
• Difficulty Collaborating with IT Professionals

What can I say about the major challenges that were stated above? To start with, let me have the first one. A system needs to be evaluated sequentially to identify what are the portions of it that need improvement. Therefore, it has to be flexible and extendible for easy alteration, and it should be for long-term use.

For the second one, because of the fast changing environment and the level of competency in the business world, in order not to be left behind and to keep on pace, organizations dreadfully keep on planning and innovating that they forgot that they are not on the track anymore. Others intend to keep on changing their plans. Well, I can say that I have no right to disapprove of what they are doing because I am not an IS professional. I am still a student but I am in the process of becoming so why not practice criticizing others works? It is not only to find faults; it is for the better. I still remember the excerpt from a book that says, “Use criticisms constructively, never fear it. If it is good criticism, you will learn a valuable lesson. If it is untrue or unkind criticism then just forget all about it”. So let me now continue the discussion about the second part. If possible, organizations should be consistent with their organizational plans and objectives. To do that, as what I have always said, profound analysis is greatly needed.

Next is about the difficulty in building systems. Developing an information systems plan is not really an easy task, same as developing systems to be implemented by the organization. A system analyst or a developer should make sure that the system would really suit to the needs of the organization. Moreover, they need to make sure that users would understand and be able to use the designed system.

Let me start the next by saying “No one is perfect” and things could go wrong. Clouds might obscure the sun for days on end. Why did I say that? Even IS professionals are not perfect so as the ISP and designed systems. Let us say the system works as it was expected but in reality, there can still be problems like less productivity, less flexibility and dissatisfaction of the customers or the users. There might solutions to these problems but still it could lead to another problem that is more expense for the preventive maintenance. So, without a thorough understanding of the problem and the needs of the organization and without knowledge of the best practices for organizing the required data, the implemented IS plan becomes an unwieldy beast that requires constant attention.

For the last stated major challenge, I would like to start by saying, “No man is an island”. Sometimes we need somebody’s help for we are not perfect and we can’t do everything. That is why IT professionals need to work with business professionals and vice versa. IT professionals know the different types of systems, best approaches and the capabilities while business professionals direct experience with business problems but must appreciate need to build a maintainable system. Therefore, the two should work together as a team for it is essential for system success.

The challenge of developing the right IS plan is one of the most daunting challenges faced by the organizations today. But real success as a person is within the reach of all but then, there never was, and there never will be, an easy way to achievement. We must always pay the price.

After all the discussions about the purpose and major challenges of information systems planning, let me tell you this – the success of the organization not solely depends and not just because of the IS plan but we have to take into consideration the human resources or the people working in the organization. Without them, there is no information system. Even if we can say that there are hardware such as computers and software or programs that are used to store, modify and retrieve data, they can’t work alone. So for me, we have to give importance to those people who are working for the success of the organization. Since Christmas is fast approaching, I wish that workers would be given incentives.

References:

http://www.science.gmu.edu/~ahughes/MIS411f05Ch11Deborah.ppt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_systems