AWWA JOINT53607

Information Technology (IT) Strategic Planning has become somewhat common in the utility industry. With a focus on competitiveness, many utilities have sought to increase their reliance on automation and information technology. The IT Strategic Planis typically the basis and beginning of such efforts. Much like a compass, the strategic plan establishes a direction and generally offers to mobilize everyone in a commondirection. The difficulty is that in that direction are twists and turns, bumps in the road, and the distinct possibility of heading into oncoming traffic. This is not to imply that Strategic Plans are ineffective tools or unwarranted; theyare certainly a necessary step in the progression of a successful utility to demonstrate proactivity, foster communication, and establish fiscal responsibility with regards to technology spending. This paper focuses on a number of issues often misleading or under-represented in IT Strategic Planning.