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© FAO 2005

IMARK Investing in Information for Development

Information Strategy

Developing an Information Strategy

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Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

identify several options to deal with stakeholders when developing an Information Strategy;

be aware of the different stages in the process of developing an Information Strategy.

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A range of methods and tools exists for developing and implementing an Information Strategy.

We will look at some of them, together with some of the key issues involved.

IntroductionIntroduction

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Stakeholders in your Information StrategyStakeholders in your Information Strategy

When developing an Information Strategy, it is important to keep all the stakeholders in mind. They include:

Audiences/Customers

Management

Staff

Suppliers/Agents

Government

Financial institutions/Investors

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Stakeholders in your Information StrategyStakeholders in your Information Strategy

There are different approaches to involving the various stakeholders:

1. by yourself; 2. with a pool of management colleagues; (top-down) 3. through participatory approaches with staff and other stakeholders. (bottom-up)

It is best to use an element of both top-down and bottom-up approaches.

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Stakeholders in your Information StrategyStakeholders in your Information Strategy

What are the methods for consulting stakeholders?

They include:

interviews; questionnaires; focus or peer group discussion; observation.

Combinations of these methods can be developed to suit any organization.

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The objectives in your Information StrategyThe objectives in your Information Strategy

The first stage in the development of an Information Strategy is the definition of objectives.

They should be:

specific; measurable; realistic; and related to the overall corporate strategy.

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The process for developing your Information Strategy The process for developing your Information Strategy

1. Analysis 2. Identification

of Options

3. Selection of Options

Preparing the main body of the strategy should follow a series of stages:

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The first stage is the Analysis. It comprises the following steps:

SWOT Analysis

Information audit

Information Technology assessment

Financial assessment

The process for developing your Information Strategy: Analysis The process for developing your Information Strategy: Analysis

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The SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is a management tool which should be applied to all stakeholders, processes, and resources involved in or related to information activities.

SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITES THREATS

•e.g. What are your organization’s assets? What does your organization do well?

•e.g. What are your organization’s assets? What does your organization do well?

• e.g. What does your organization not do well? What resources does the organization lack?

• e.g. What does your organization not do well? What resources does the organization lack?

• e.g. What technology-related opportunities are there currently?

• e.g. What technology-related opportunities are there currently?

• e.g. What economic challenges do you face? What is your competition doing?

• e.g. What economic challenges do you face? What is your competition doing?

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Information audit Information audit

The next step is to analyze the existing Information Management processes in your organization. Some of the issues relate to:

2.What happens to information withinyour organization.

2.What happens to information withinyour organization.

3.How and to whom it disseminates

information.

3.How and to whom it disseminates

information.

1.Where your organization gets its

information from.

1.Where your organization gets its

information from.

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Information Technology AssessmentInformation Technology Assessment

How do you know if your organisation uses Information Technology effectively?

Consider the issues from four perspectives:

2. Learn from experience2. Learn from experience

3. Concentrate on “who” and “why”3. Concentrate on “who” and “why”

4. Find new ways of using IT4. Find new ways of using IT

1. Make IT development efficient1. Make IT development efficient

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Financial assessmentFinancial assessment

The financial analysis for the Information Strategy has to examine expenditure (or costs) and income (or revenues). Costs can include:

Acquisition costsAcquisition costs

Establishment costsEstablishment costs

Training costsTraining costs

Production costsProduction costs

Maintenance costsMaintenance costs

Staff costsStaff costs

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The second stage in the process of developing an Information Strategy is the identification of options.

It involves recognizing:

The information products and/or services that could be acquired for internal use; and

The information products and/or services that could be offered to external audience(s).

Identification of optionsIdentification of options

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Each of the products or services to be acquired or offered should have a full profile based on the analysis conducted during the preparation of the strategy.

Identification of optionsIdentification of options

PRODUCTPROFILE

Results of SWOTanalysis

Results ofInformation

Audit

Findings of the IT

assessment

Results ofEconomic

Assessment

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Selection of optionsSelection of options

The third stage in the process of developing an Information Strategy is the selection of options.

To choose among different options, you should take into account possible risks and benefits, and consider how to deal with them.

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Selection of optionsSelection of options

1.Identifying possible benefit

1.Identifying possible benefit

2. Assessing the likelihood

of it occurring.

2. Assessing the likelihood

of it occurring.

3. Assessing the probable impact if it does occur.

3. Assessing the probable impact if it does occur.

4.Foreseeing measures to best take advantage of it.4.Foreseeing measures to best take advantage of it.

5. Knowing what to do to

sustain the benefits.

5. Knowing what to do to

sustain the benefits.

BENEFIT ANALYSISBENEFIT ANALYSIS

1.Identifying possible risk

1.Identifying possible risk

2. Assessing the likelihood of it occurring.

2. Assessing the likelihood of it occurring.

4. Foreseeing measures to avoid it.

4. Foreseeing measures to avoid it.

5. Knowing what to do if it still happens.

5. Knowing what to do if it still happens.

RISKS ANALYSISRISKS ANALYSIS

Here is a process for identifying and considering how you would respond to risks and benefits of all the options.

3. Assessing the probable

impact if it does occur.

3. Assessing the probable

impact if it does occur.

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Selection of optionsSelection of options

There are various types of risks and benefits. We can group them under four different categories:

POLITICALPOLITICAL

ORGANIZATIONALORGANIZATIONAL

TECHNICALTECHNICAL

FINANCIALFINANCIAL

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Selection of optionsSelection of options

The value of a strategic option has to be described with a range of indicators, since you need some consistent criteria as a basis for making choices. Here is how you could proceed:

Step 1.Find alternative

indicators to express “value”

Step 1.Find alternative

indicators to express “value”

Step 2.Create a basis

for more consistent decision making

Step 2.Create a basis

for more consistent decision making

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ConclusionsConclusions

After completing these stages you should be able to choose between possible, tangible options.

The strategic alternatives will be prioritized according to institutional objectives and requirements, rather than on personal perceptions.

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Summary

It is important to develop an organization’ s Information Strategy with all the stakeholders in mind.

The main approaches to involve stakeholders are: top-down and bottom-up. A combination of elements of both approaches in advisable.

The stages for developing your organization’ s Information Strategy are:1) Analysis; 2) Identification of Options; 3) Selection of Options.

The analysis comprises several steps: 1) SWOT Analysis; 2) Information audit; 3) Information Technology assessment; and 4) Financial assessment.