IT Strategy and Planning Step 1: Assemble a Cross-Functional Team

🎯 Objective:

Build a high-impact team that brings together diverse perspectives from across IT and the business to ensure the IT strategy is comprehensive, feasible, and aligned with enterprise goals.

📌 Why It Matters:

IT strategy is not just about systems—it intersects with business vision, data flows, user experience, governance, and delivery.
A cross-functional team ensures:
- Strategic alignment
- Practical feasibility
- Broader stakeholder buy-in
- Better long-term execution support

🧩 Key Roles and Responsibilities

Role / Area	Representation & Contribution
Technology Leadership	CIO or CTO (or delegate) – sets the strategic tone, ensures alignment with enterprise vision
Enterprise Architecture	Chief Architect or EA Lead – brings structured frameworks, integration views, and standards
Data & Information Management	Chief Data Officer or Data Strategy Lead – ensures data infrastructure, analytics, and governance are considered
Application Development	Head of Engineering, Dev Managers – provide insight into delivery realities, dependencies, and system evolution
IT Program/Project Management	PMO Lead – contributes execution feasibility, project tracking, and resourcing perspectives
IT Methods & Practices	DevOps/Agile Coaches or SDLC Governance – ensure best practices, automation, CI/CD, toolchains are included
Business Stakeholders	Product Owners, BU Heads, or Strategy Partners – ensure strategy solves real business needs and is supported at the ground level

🧭 How to Do It

Step 1: Identify Candidates

Select individuals who are not only leaders but strategically minded and open to change.
Include regional or functional diversity if your organization is global or matrixed.

Step 2: Define Roles and Expectations

Create a RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed).
Set expectations on time commitment (e.g., weekly workshops, async contributions).

Step 3: Kickoff & Charter

Host a strategy kickoff meeting to:
- Clarify purpose and scope of the IT strategy
- Align on deliverables and timeline
- Build team rapport
Establish communication tools (Slack, Teams), collaboration platforms (Confluence, Notion), and a shared project tracker (e.g., Jira, Asana).

Step 4: Create Workstreams (if needed)

Divide the team into focus groups or workstreams based on topic areas:

Architecture & Infrastructure
Data & Analytics
Security & Risk
Business Capabilities / Use Cases
Emerging Technologies
Financial Planning

🎯 Best Practices

Balance strategic thinkers and execution experts to avoid an over-theoretical strategy.
Use “strategy sprints” (1–2 week focused work cycles) to accelerate alignment.
Ensure business stakeholders aren’t passive—engage them in shaping and challenging assumptions.
Consider including external advisors or consultants for market and trend perspective (optional).