Your IT projects and long term IT strategy don't happen in a vacuum. In fact, they have to succeed within-and despite-a complex system of external and internal forces. While some consultants look at these forces as unexpected roadblocks, Bardsley Associates identifies them before the project even starts and builds them into the plan from the beginning. The result is a realistic picture of the future, improving the likelihood that your project will succeed. And if it won't? We'll help you evaluate your alternatives and mitigate your risks.
What are your variables?
People and organizational dynamics: Who is involved at the executive leadership level of the company? Who else should be involved in the decision-making process? What interdivisional issues have to be resolved before a technology solution will work?
Policies and regulations: FDA? HIPAA? Sarbanes-Oxley? FAA? What does your organization need to know to comply with industry or governmental regulations?
Workflow: Are your workflows and processes dependent on your technology or the other way around? How do you build a system that is flexible enough to withstand changes in workflow? Are there new workflows or changes to existing workflows that could inject productivity into the system? What part of your workflow is tradition- versus need-based?
Business goals and priorities: Where are you going in the next few years? The next 10 years? How will your technology systems help, or prevent you from, getting there? Are you clear about what benefits you need your technology systems to deliver? Have you prioritized them?
Technology: Are your previous technology decisions haunting you? How can you plan for systems that will avoid these problems in the future? Are you facing integration issues? Are you making technology choices that will both meet your business goals and maintain your flexibility going forward?
Competitive forces: Is there an opportunity for your technology to differentiate your business from competitors? Do you need to catch up? What is the industry standard?
Financial: What percentage of your revenue and profits will you want to reinvest in your technology? What budget do you have set aside for maintaining your systems? How long are you willing to wait to see ROI? Are you charting your total cost of ownership for your technology systems?
Regardless of which of these variables apply to you, we can help you better plan for and manage any or all of them.