Blog #2.

Blog #2.
This week you will make your second weekly blog post. The blog will serve as a chronological accounting for your activities in this course, but more specifically, it should highlight your experiences related to performing the mini projects and the main final project for this course. As such, within your post you should include the following recap for the third week:

Last week’s Cap:

Last week we learned the importance of the word strategy and the definition which is a global level of thinking. We learned the different models of strategic planning and which organization may work for each model. We choose one site that we shall facilitate their strategic plan, and I am excited!

1. Briefly describe the main points of what you learned from the readings for the week.

• The main points that I learned from the readings for the week begins with the Cassidy book. The IS governance plays a vital role in strategic planning, for example, I learned that according to Cassidy, governance is a fundamental framework in place for an IS strategic planning process to be successful, the purpose is to define and identify the “what” decisions, by whom, and define activities to be monitored against the plan. It is a very important component to effective governance which ensures that decisions are to be made about time, money, staffing levels, allocations, standards, policies, and desired behavior. It is also used to manage other company/organization assets. It is a tool that implements the strategic planning process and improves the IS efficiency, creating a more effective strategic planning process, and overall success in a company. Governance is vital to a strategic planning process because it provides a clear and effective view to manage resources and allow a company to function at a cross-level capacity.

• The second main point is from the online readings: I learned that a strategic planner is a researcher, educator, facilitator, system integrator and coordinator. To monitor strategy, be a muse to the CEO/ president, and have the qualities of a strategic planner. I learned the executive board is involved in the strategic planning process, and I learned how to define a stakeholder and the importance of his or her role and position in an organization and how it contributes to strategic planning. I now understand the importance of completing a stakeholder analysis, and the power/interest grid for the stakeholder prioritization.



2. Identify areas that were a little confusing from the readings

• The areas that were confusing in the readings were not the Cassidy book, and I understand it and it made perfect sense, I had those light bulb moments throughout the reading! :-) The only confusion I had was the power/interest grid for the stakeholder prioritization. My question is, what is the person who “is in the red” is the organization’s naysayer? What is they do not accept the strategic plan, how do I proceed?

3. Discuss your work on your mini projects and overall technology strategic planning project including successes and setbacks.

• Tuesday evening I met with the organization's chapter president and the computer project manager. They are as excited as I and are prepared to begin and looking forward to the ending result, a technology-based strategic plan!
• The meeting was wonderful and I learned more about the stakeholders in this organization. The computer project manager was elated to learn that they were creating a technology-based strategic plan. She commented that it is essential to add technology because our world is more technologically advanced and more global today. She feels the organization will increase their knowledge and grow as they add more technology related needs to the organization. For example, I learned the chapter wants to add technology to add a organization website with digital organization materials, training, and files.

• I would say my success this week was meeting the some of the members of the executive board and learning more about the organization as a whole. I am excited and eager to begin!!!