The Realities of Technology Today Part 2

Blue Ocean Global Technology Approach

The Blue Ocean Global Technology client experience is collaborative, transparent, and innovative. Some believe that more data and technology is vital to a company’s success, but the truth is you need to curate the technology that’s relevant to your company. Judicious technology planning underpins missions, values, and visions—the critical factors that influence where and how to allocate resources. To be truly innovative, mitigate the stress of technology, and realize return on investment (ROI), it is vital to develop technology assets. Take a step back when making technology decisions—evaluate what you have, identify gaps, and consult with a trusted technology partner who can take an objective view of your situation.

Model your data and organization before you implement systems and technology solutions. Foster collaboration with activity diagrams, obtain feedback from different departments and listen to key leaders before finalizing decisions. Technology planning requires time and effort and is exactly what successful organizations rely upon to drive sustainable progress.

What Is the Technology Planning Process?

To develop a solid technology plan, it’s important to cover all your bases, including examining your current situation, establishing technology goals, and measuring your progress. Throughout the entire technology planning process, the professionals at Blue Ocean Global Technology will help you achieve your organizational goals. This process entails gathering information, establishing goals, evaluating your current technology status, and developing a strategy.

The Six Technology Planning Steps

1. Establish and define the professional relationship. Healthy planning relationships begin with a conceptual understanding of the importance of technology planning. Technology planning is a clearly defined process that coordinates your organization’s mission, values, and vision.
2. Gather client data and discuss technology goals. The technology partner will need qualitative and quantitative information to understand your situation. To assess your current technology position, your partner will take inventory on where your organization is today. Together, you will identify your technology goals, as well as key areas of concern. You will also discuss your time horizon and capacity for risk. Effective planning is predicated upon the prioritization of realistic, challenging, and obtainable goals.
3. Analyze and evaluate your technology status. Review all subjective data to provide the facts greater context and direction. The right technology partner will evaluate if you can meet your goals, needs, and priorities with the current course of action. Objectivity is critical.
4. Develop and present recommendations. Consider the various alternatives available to meet objectives, given your strategic plan, technology position, and budget constraints. The technology planning process is client-dependent: options may be numerous and complex or few and simplistic. Effective presentation of recommendations helps you adopt an integrated approach to your technology assets and understand how a change in one instance can affect other areas of your organization. At this stage, our team listens to concerns and revises recommendations accordingly.
5. Implement the technology plan. This step necessitates mutual clarity and understanding. Together, we determine how to implement the recommendations. The written technology plan provides a documented working framework. Implementation may include coordination across departments and with professionals such as attorneys or accountants.
6. Monitor recommendations. Sound technology advice provides direction and guidance. Ongoing technology advice and goal tracking require client engagement and interaction. Therefore, the final step of the technology planning process is to review progress and update the technology plan. It is important to adjust your plan on a periodic basis.

Conclusion

The financial planning process involves meeting life goals through the proper management of financial resources. Just as investment planning in isolation does not constitute financial planning, piecemeal or patchwork solutions for technology challenges detract from organizational efficiency and progress. Technology planning is the process of meeting your organizational goals with a prudent allocation of your technological resources. Technology planning is not a transaction. An integrated technology plan allows an organization to continuously build upon a foundation. Efficient and effective technology planning integrates strategy, branding, and execution across an organization. With a cohesive plan, an organization’s true mission can be realized.