best practices of IT

Based on what I’ve researched, BEST PRACTICES are those strategies, activities, or approaches that have been shown through research and evaluation to be effective in a given discipline, area of study, or application (Tech, 2004).

These are some compiled guidelines for efficient and effective performance of IT systems/projects.

Strategic IT Alignment
-It guarantees to achieve its main objective with regards to business.
1 Use an IT advisory board to oversee IT strategy and policy decisions.
2 Base IT decisions on bureau and City-wide strategic plans.
3 Position the IT director as a strategist who resolves business issues with information technology.
4 Ensure that IT customer service managers possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
5 Inform bureau managers on the rationale behind IT policies and of emerging technologies.
6 Monitor and report on the progress of the IT strategic plan.

Value Delivery
-Compliance of the particular project requirement on time and within the resources provided defines the system’s value.
7 Focus on optimizing bureau business strategies and IT investments.
8 Wherever possible, standardize common applications across bureaus and use on-the-shelf software.
9 Use consistent and methodical processes when consolidating or re-engineering systems or services.
10 Make the Help Desk’s effectiveness a priority.
11 Ensure that IT costs and cost recovery methods are transparent and clearly communicated.
12 Use project management, change management and project review processes.
13 Consider service level agreements (SLAs) a formal contract between the IT department and the bureaus, and report on performance metrics specified in the SLA.

Risk Management
-Controls and organization manage risk threat in projects.
14 Apply principles found in IT best practices guides.
15 Use policies, procedures and clear authorities to manage change.
16 Clearly define the scope of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system

Resource Management
-Appropriate administration of resources (Staff, customers, vendors, hardware, software and relationships) is very crucial to enhance its value.
17 Develop strong and broad staff competencies.
18 Manage computing assets.
19 Recognize the customer as an important resource.

Performance Measurement
-It is an accomplishment basis that allows advance development and progress.
20 Measure performance and use the results to initiate improvements and change.

• Organizational Practices
• Team Practices
• Individual Practices

The main intent is to understand how a given skills set affects projects at various levels such that we can be aware of its effectiveness.
Hardware, software and peopleware may have diverse functions but they are all essential to the success of IS/IT system.
How well they are being managed defines how effective they can be. The key is management.
In accordance to the development and successful management of information technology resources, these practices are best implemented.

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