Business Process Analysis/Redesign
A Business Process Analysis or Reengineering is typically aimed at delivering a number of objectives for the organization. Some of these include:
Standardized the processes with a view to make them run more efficiently at great savings in time, cost and quality.
Cut process that does not add value and make internal processes more effective
Improve jobs of employees, giving them more authority and clearer view of how their work fits into the operations of the company as a whole.
Reward customers with high quality and more responsive services.
Commence the process for ISO 9000 series certification or meet expectations of ISO certification
Information Systems Strategy (ISS) Formulation and Implementation
A popular approach (Galliers, 1993) to defining ISS is to see ISS as comprising of:
Information Strategy: Pieces of data and information that are of critical essence to the company that must be collected, collated and managed to achieve the business aim of the organization. Information strategy acts as the connector between the business strategy and the ISS
Information Technology Strategy (IT): IT strategy is concerned with the technological infrastructure, applications and platforms (networks) necessary to fulfill the requirements of the information strategy. They are often referred to as the ‘nuts and bolts’ of providing the business information
Information Management Strategy: This subset of ISS comprises of how the various information are organized, dealing with questions like who gets access to what information and IT resources, management responsibilities and control, performance measurement issues etc
Change Management (Implementation) Strategy: This specifies when the ISS will be implemented and by whom, what organizational changes are required for the strategy to be successful etc.
The importance of using this holistic approach to crafting an IS strategy is to ensure that all required components are captured and addressed in the strategy document. For example, using this broad based IS strategy formulation approach for an Internet Service Provider in Nigeria, we recommended under the information strategy that the company keep its vital information in an intranet that is capable of delivering any piece of information to any member of staff with the click of a button. This worked well when the strategy was implemented as it resulted in reduced time to service customers (internal and external) as well as identifying the bedrock upon which the IT strategy was built.
The objectives of an IS Strategy is to appraise the extent to which the IS function is supporting or can or will be able to support the business strategy of the organisation. The proposed IS strategy will critically analyze gaps in the ability of the current IS strategy (if one exists) to deliver on the business objectives as well as derive new information systems and technologies that bests delivers on the organization’s vision and mission. It will propose ways in which IS/IT can be strategically utilized in the company to out-compete rivals and presents a high level implementation plan. Lastly, it will propose an alignment framework to enable us determine the extent to which the new IS strategy will support the company’s business objectives.
IS Planning and Implementation
Huge investments in IT without a commensurate impact on business performance are one of the many challenges facing manufacturing companies’ world over. Given the myriads of problems facing companies in Nigeria, the concern of investment justification in IT seems escalated and is currently manifesting in reversals of some management decisions taken in the hype of IT era. From our experience in consulting for manufacturing companies in Nigeria, information technology applications have been introduced in some manufacturing companies, but mostly in an uncoordinated way without long-term integration plans. It is also believed that in these companies where ICT have been introduced, individual departments introduced computers and purchased/developed software to support their own departmental operations. This fragmented approach perhaps divided the company into small and almost autonomous enterprises, each with the goal to deploy ICT to make their departments and its associated activities work more efficiently. It soon become clear that the smooth transfer of information among platforms and across functions in the organization was difficult, if at all possible.
Our consulting exercise will enable you plan your investments in IT and ensure successful implementation in order to deliver your business objectives. We are confident that you will not regret giving us the challenge of advising and planning your information systems acquisition and use.
Testimonial
Since Atlas Systems first came to Punch, in April 2006, to make a presentation for the re-design of the Punch website, they have proved themselves as thorough professionals.
They won the job, on merit, and delivered on schedule.
Punch insists on the highest standards, but despite the strain we have continuously put on them, Atlas Systems' managers and technical support personnel have maintained the site's exacting quality, permitting Punch to easily beat its competitors within a few months.
I'm impressed by Atlas Systems' commitment, responsiveness, and passion for customer satisfaction. Especially, I commend their creativity and resourcefulness in problem solving. They are a worthy firm to partner with for success.
