You’re answering IT strategy questions. Are you making these common mistakes?

Navigating IT strategy questions without understanding the context is akin to sailing without a compass. Dive deep into the currents of the situation, embracing its nuances like a seasoned sailor studying the seas. Only then can you chart a course towards success, avoiding the common mistake of sailing blindly into unknown waters. Remember, context is your guiding star, illuminating the path to informed decisions and strategic triumphs in the ever-evolving landscape of technology.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "IT STRATEGY"! This is just some confused mess originating from some IT guys wanting to show off how important their jobs are. The IT function in any organisation doesn't generate a "strategy" of its own. It only contributes through HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT to the achievement of the organization's core Business Units' Strategic Objectives. These units are their INTERNAL CUSTOMERS that are VERTICALLY ALIGNED to the organizational Business Strategy. To do this, they require their INTERNAL SUPPLIERS (HR, IT, Finance, Admin, etc.), which are resources managers (human, IT, financing, facilities, etc.), to support them through some corresponding aligned objectives. This the "IT strategy", in the case of the IT function.

I like to plough forward led by my Id. No thinking. All body. Give me anything. I can break it. Deconstruction expertise studying Derrida. Power of poetry to confuse and reduce imbeciles to heroine's dreams of a glen where glinting tensions belie our tremendous grief of a lonelier transition to dark. The strategy is a dream deferred. See through these poetical eyes, and all pathways reveal. Ascend without another's hand, look towards the warmth of embodied knowing.

As we speak, we were requested to make an "AI strategy". Things moves so fast that an AI strategy created using a typical "heavy" process would be outdated long before our first draft version. What we have done instead is that we have created 4 simple principles and a reference model, thus being able to get started. And we even have the first (minor) results after just a few weeks. When creating a strategy, one should keep in mind that the very concept of a strategy is very wide and according to Porter "....means performing different activities from rivals’ ....". With that definition in mind, there is no one process for creating a strategy, and you should avoid getting locked into a specific process or tool when creating a strategy.

When i started IT Strategy project, first thing to do was to study the client business , their strategy and financial results through investor relations, and the market trends impacting their business. Then, i started with interviews with top management , asking for “must lnow” documents such us the business plan, the previous it strategy, the achieved results and actual processes. Don’t forget to understand IT organization mapping with business organization and IT drivers/constraints, such as budget, IT spending trends, etc. Usually, if you work in big consulting firms, you can easily access benchmark info and data regarding the industry and related best practices/success stories, that can be a good starting point for the ?? T strategy.

I believe that honing the skill of presenting and communicating ideas effectively is essential, and it's an area where I'm continuously working to improve. It's vital to be able to articulate your ideas in a way that highlights their value and resonates with others. However, there are numerous challenges to navigate, such as encountering individuals with a dismissive attitude towards new ideas, using terminology that may not be clear to everyone, or experiencing misunderstandings due to a poorly delivered pitch. Improvement in this area often comes with practice and experience. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly agree that mastering effective communication is crucial for successfully implementing strategies.

Two very specific ways to help clarify your communication. First always repeat the question that is posed. Second always ask if you have answered the question posed and pause for the response.

I learned that to me these 2 things help to avoid not communicating clearly Visual Clarity: Utilize Wardley Maps to communicate IT strategy clearly by visually representing the components, dependencies, and evolution stages. This ensures stakeholders understand the strategy comprehensively, reducing misinterpretations. Language Alignment: Wardley Maps facilitate aligning language across stakeholders, ensuring consistent understanding and minimizing communication barriers. This fosters effective collaboration and ensures everyone is on the same page regarding IT strategy objectives and decisions.

As the whole realm of IT strategy is tightly coupled with the business strategy, one main recipient/stakeholder is the business. In result your communication needs to be meeting their reception level - in therms of clearness/precision as well as making technology terms/matters understandable to business stakeholders. Aside that and speaking from experience, clear communication in the context of strategies begins with simple, bold, brief and short statements - hereby you ensure that your strategic messages are being understood.

My recommendation to enhance clarity in IT strategy communication: Practice Regularly: Sharpen both verbal and written communication skills. Simplify Language: Use straightforward and precise terms. Structure Ideas: Present thoughts logically and concisely. Provide Evidence: Support arguments with clear examples and data. Seek Feedback: Continuously improve by seeking constructive criticism. Conclusively, clear and effective communication is key to successfully conveying IT strategy solutions and ensuring they are understood and accepted.

Aside the usage of the aforementioned frameworks (side note: think of COBIT when using a Balanced Scorecard!), I advocate for putting yourself in the perspective of the business. IT strategy is often associated with writing down how to adopt fancy, emerging technologies. However, this - in my opinion - is not only to narrow, it also sets the wrong focus: IT strategy is not about technology, it’s about how the business can be improved/helped on the basis of technology. Thus, the business requirements or problems need to be in the focus and how technology can provide a measurable benefit to the business. All in all, thinking strategic requires someone in charge of IT strategy (questions) to start from the enterprise‘s strategy or problems.

One thing that I see quite often with companies is the fact that many enterprises turn their IT Goals into their strategy. Things like "we have to move to the cloud" or "we need to adopt AI solutions" are not good methods for ensuring that your IT Strategy supports your overall strategic goals of the enterprise. Just because there are new technologies out there that have the ability to disrupt, ensure that you are evaluating how it either supports initiatives around cost savings (and then do a complete ROI assessment) and/or how it connects with customers in an innovative fashion.

Strategic Visualization: Wardley Maps encourage strategic thinking by visualizing the IT landscape, highlighting dependencies, and identifying areas for improvement. This visual approach helps avoid the mistake of not thinking strategically, as it prompts consideration of long-term goals and their alignment with business objectives. Scenario Planning: Using Wardley Maps allows for scenario planning, helping to anticipate potential outcomes and adapt IT strategies accordingly. By exploring various scenarios and their implications, IT leaders can make informed decisions and avoid the mistake of not thinking strategically about future challenges and opportunities.

Common mistakes to avoid when answering IT strategy questions include: Providing vague or unclear responses lacking specificity. Focusing too much on theoretical concepts rather than practical application. Neglecting to tailor responses to the specific context or needs of the organization. Overlooking the importance of stakeholder engagement and alignment with business objectives. Failing to acknowledge limitations or uncertainties in the proposed strategies. Not providing evidence or examples to support recommendations.

My recommendation to foster strategic thinking in IT strategy: Big Picture Focus: Always consider the long-term impact and the overall goals. Use Frameworks: Apply SWOT, Porter's Five Forces, or Balanced Scorecard for structured analysis. Innovate: Encourage creativity in developing solutions. Adaptability: Be ready to adjust to changing circumstances. Evaluate Implications: Assess the broader consequences of your solutions. In conclusion, strategic thinking, guided by analytical frameworks and creativity, ensures solutions are comprehensive and future-proof.

This is the most common mistake I come across when helping clients. Due to the market forces, clients are usually looking for problems that fit the specific solution, in my field, a particular technology. What should be done instead is to learn the capabilities of the technology to understand the value it can bring to the business and then an exercise needs to eb done internally without any external output as to how this tech can bring business value. This will then lay the ground for the roadmap for the journey that the business needs to embark on (or not). It is imperative to be open minded as sometimes the technology may not bring enough business value that justifies the spend. In a nutshell, beware of convincing sales people.

This is a critical issue nowadays in many organizations. It's very hard to estimate how much value the IT strategy will deliver or enable, but there are some tips that can help: 1) Partner with product/business areas: they can share valuable insights of the key strategic objectives they want to achieve and how technology can help. 2) Look for cost optimization opportunities: the best mix of cloud and on-premise infrastructure or system architecture review can drive relevant cost savings. 3) Improve performance and solve critical issues: as the business grows, performance can become an issue that may affect customer satisfaction. Solving these issues creates value for customers.

Value Chain Analysis: Wardley Maps facilitate value chain analysis, enabling IT strategists to identify and prioritize activities that deliver the most value to the organization. By visualizing the evolution of components and their value to users, teams can avoid the mistake of not focusing on value and ensure alignment with business objectives. Continuous Improvement: Wardley Maps encourage continuous improvement by highlighting areas where value can be maximized. Through iterative refinement of the map and strategic decisions based on evolving needs, IT teams can ensure that their efforts contribute to overall value creation, avoiding the mistake of neglecting value in their strategy.

I highly advocate to get you head around the main concepts of COBIT, as it gives a holistic view on how IT in the business context is required to provide value. Regardless of what your project or case is, understanding the relation between business operations, technology and value creation is key. COBIT not only explains these concepts, it also provides you very specific and highly helpful tools (e.g. Design Factors toolkit) to analyze, document or create strategy or governance related work results you can use right away.

Another common mistake is failing to articulate the value proposition of your IT strategy. Throughout my career, I've seen that strategies that clearly demonstrate a return on investment, whether through cost savings, revenue generation, or competitive advantage, are the ones that gain traction. It's not enough to propose a technology solution; you must also highlight its potential impact on the business's bottom line and strategic objectives.

My recommendation to avoid unpreparedness in IT strategy: Study Concepts: Master IT strategy frameworks and concepts. Practice Regularly: Engage with real or simulated strategy questions. Seek Feedback: Use feedback for continuous improvement. Structured Approach: Adopt a systematic method for problem-solving. Build Confidence: Gain confidence through knowledge and practice. In conclusion, thorough preparation, grounded in study, practice, and feedback, ensures competence and confidence in addressing IT strategy questions.

two great tricks: Preparation with Wardley Maps: Wardley Maps encourage thorough preparation by providing a structured framework for understanding the landscape of IT systems and their interdependencies. By visualizing components and their evolution, strategists can anticipate questions and address potential gaps, avoiding the mistake of not being adequately prepared. Scenario Planning: Using Wardley Maps, teams can conduct scenario planning to anticipate various outcomes and prepare appropriate responses. This proactive approach helps avoid the mistake of not being prepared for unforeseen challenges or opportunities in IT strategy discussions.

Finally, underestimating the importance of preparation can significantly undermine your ability to provide sound strategic advice. My approach has always been to stay well-informed about the latest technological trends, best practices, and case studies. This preparation enables me to draw on a rich repository of knowledge and examples, making my strategic recommendations more compelling and grounded in reality.

El no estar preparado, tambien implica el resistirse al cambio, seguir confiando en herramientas obsoletas que solo demoran los procesos y la eficiencia.

In the rapidly evolving IT landscape, being prepared is not just about knowing the current trends but also anticipating future challenges. With my background in Salesforce, I've seen how critical it is to stay updated with the platform's updates and how they can impact strategy. For instance, Salesforce's regular releases can introduce new features that may alter the strategic approach to CRM implementation. As a professional who shares insights regularly, I stress the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in IT strategy, ensuring that one's knowledge base and problem-solving skills are always aligned with the latest technological advancements and business needs.

Always seek or consider advice by COBIT 2019 Framework and its Design Factors Toolkit. I can not state this often enough. Regardless of your years of experience the Framework will always provide you with at least some kind of valuable advice.

Let's examine some common pitfalls 1. Not Understanding the Context ? The Mistake: Diving into solutions without a deep grasp business goals & priorities. ? Example: A bank decides to roll out fancy new AI-powered chatbots for customer service. However, without analyzing customer demographics, they find that a large portion of their clientele prefers phone or in-person support. The chatbots don't address the core needs. 2. Not Communicating Clearly ? The Mistake: Not effectively translating solutions into business benefits. ? Example: An IT department proposes a complex blockchain initiative but fails to articulate how this technology will reduce fraud, increase efficiency, or improve customer experience. This leads to a lack of buy-in

Showcase your expertise while being open to other perspectives and ideas. Emphasize how IT can partner effectively with other departments to achieve shared goals.