- Management Reference Guide
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Strategic Management
- Establishing Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
- Aligning IT Goals with Corporate Business Goals
- Utilizing Effective Planning Techniques
- Developing Worthwhile Mission Statements
- Developing Worthwhile Vision Statements
- Instituting Practical Corporate Values
- Budgeting Considerations in an IT Environment
- Introduction to Conducting an Effective SWOT Analysis
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part One
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part Two
- Customer Management
- Identifying Key External Customers
- Identifying Key Internal Customers
- Negotiating with Customers and Suppliers—Part 1: An Introduction
- Negotiating With Customers and Suppliers—Part 2: Reaching Agreement
- Negotiating and Managing Realistic Customer Expectations
- Service Management
- Identifying Key Services for Business Users
- Service-Level Agreements That Really Work
- How IT Evolved into a Service Organization
- FAQs About Systems Management (SM)
- FAQs About Availability (AV)
- FAQs About Performance and Tuning (PT)
- FAQs About Service Desk (SD)
- FAQs About Change Management (CM)
- FAQs About Configuration Management (CF)
- FAQs About Capacity Planning (CP)
- FAQs About Network Management
- FAQs About Storage Management (SM)
- FAQs About Production Acceptance (PA)
- FAQs About Release Management (RM)
- FAQs About Disaster Recovery (DR)
- FAQs About Business Continuity (BC)
- FAQs About Security (SE)
- FAQs About Service Level Management (SL)
- FAQs About Financial Management (FN)
- FAQs About Problem Management (PM)
- FAQs About Facilities Management (FM)
- Process Management
- Developing Robust Processes
- Establishing Mutually Beneficial Process Metrics
- Change Management—Part 1
- Change Management—Part 2
- Change Management—Part 3
- Audit Reconnaissance: Releasing Resources Through the IT Audit
- Problem Management
- Problem Management–Part 2: Process Design
- Problem Management–Part 3: Process Implementation
- Business Continuity Emergency Communications Plan
- Capacity Planning – Part One: Why It is Seldom Done Well
- Capacity Planning – Part Two: Developing a Capacity Planning Process
- Capacity Planning — Part Three: Benefits and Helpful Tips
- Capacity Planning – Part Four: Hidden Upgrade Costs and
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 1
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 2
- 20 Major Elements of Facilities Management
- Major Physical Exposures Common to a Data Center
- Evaluating the Physical Environment
- Nightmare Incidents with Disaster Recovery Plans
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process – Part Two
- Automating a Robust Infrastructure Process
- Improving High Availability — Part One: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Two: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Three: The Seven R's of High Availability
- Improving High Availability — Part Four: Assessing an Availability Process
- Methods for Brainstorming and Prioritizing Requirements
- Introduction to Disk Storage Management — Part One
- Storage Management—Part Two: Performance
- Storage Management—Part Three: Reliability
- Storage Management—Part Four: Recoverability
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part One
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part Two
- Meeting Today's Cooling Challenges of Data Centers
- Strategic Security, Part One: Assessment
- Strategic Security, Part Two: Development
- Strategic Security, Part Three: Implementation
- Strategic Security, Part Four: ITIL Implications
- Production Acceptance Part One – Definition and Benefits
- Production Acceptance Part Two – Initial Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Three – Middle Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Four – Ongoing Steps
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part One – Objectives
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part Two – SWOT
- Case Study: Implementing an ITIL Service Desk – Part One
- Case Study: Implementing a Service Desk Part Two – Tool Selection
- Ethics, Scandals and Legislation
- Outsourcing in Response to Legislation
- Supplier Management
- Identifying Key External Suppliers
- Identifying Key Internal Suppliers
- Integrating the Four Key Elements of Good Customer Service
- Enhancing the Customer/Supplier Matrix
- Voice Over IP, Part One — What VoIP Is, and Is Not
- Voice Over IP, Part Two — Benefits, Cost Savings and Features of VoIP
- Application Management
- Production Acceptance
- Distinguishing New Applications from New Versions of Existing Applications
- Assessing a Production Acceptance Process
- Effective Use of a Software Development Life Cycle
- The Role of Project Management in SDLC— Part 2
- Communication in Project Management – Part One: Barriers to Effective Communication
- Communication in Project Management – Part Two: Examples of Effective Communication
- Safeguarding Personal Information in the Workplace: A Case Study
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 1: Building a Manageable Schedule
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 2: Tracking and Reporting Availability
- References
- Developing an ITIL Feasibility Analysis
- Organization and Personnel Management
- Optimizing IT Organizational Structures
- Factors That Influence Restructuring Decisions
- Alternative Locations for the Help Desk
- Alternative Locations for Database Administration
- Alternative Locations for Network Operations
- Alternative Locations for Web Design
- Alternative Locations for Risk Management
- Alternative Locations for Systems Management
- Practical Tips To Retaining Key Personnel
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Using IT Consultants and Contractors
- Deciding Between the Use of Contractors versus Consultants
- Managing Employee Skill Sets and Skill Levels
- Assessing Skill Levels of Current Onboard Staff
- Recruiting Infrastructure Staff from the Outside
- Selecting the Most Qualified Candidate
- 7 Tips for Managing the Use of Mobile Devices
- Useful Websites for IT Managers
- References
- Automating Robust Processes
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part One: Quality and Value
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part Two: Benefits and Use of a Quality-Value Matrix
- When Should You Integrate or Segregate Service Desks?
- Five Instructive Ideas for Interviewing
- Eight Surefire Tips to Use When Being Interviewed
- 12 Helpful Hints To Make Meetings More Productive
- Eight Uncommon Tips To Improve Your Writing
- Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Fire Drills
- Sorting Out Today’s Various Training Options
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 1
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 2
- 12 Tips for More Effective Emails
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part One
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Two
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Three
- Asset Management
- Managing Hardware Inventories
- Introduction to Hardware Inventories
- Processes To Manage Hardware Inventories
- Use of a Hardware Inventory Database
- References
- Managing Software Inventories
- Business Continuity Management
- Ten Lessons Learned from Real-Life Disasters
- Ten Lessons Learned From Real-Life Disasters, Part 2
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 1
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 2
- 15 Common Terms and Definitions of Business Continuity
- The Federal Government’s Role in Disaster Recovery
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 1
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 2
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 3
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 4
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 1
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 2
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 3
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 4
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part One
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Two
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Three
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Four
- The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- The Origins of ITIL
- The Foundation of ITIL: Service Management
- Five Reasons for Revising ITIL
- The Relationship of Service Delivery and Service Support to All of ITIL
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part One
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part Two
- Characteristics of ITIL Version 3
- Ten Benefits of itSMF and its IIL Pocket Guide
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Delivery Processes
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Support Processes
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part One: Service Delivery Processes
- Case Study: Recovery Reactions to a Renegade Rodent
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part Two: Service Support
- Case Studies
- Case Study — Preparing for Hurricane Charley
- Case Study — The Linux Decision
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at an Aerospace Firm
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at a Defense Contractor
- Case Study — Evaluating Mainframe Processes
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part One: Quantitative Comparisons/Natural Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Two: Quantitative Comparisons/Man-made Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Three: Qualitative Comparisons
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Four: Take-Aways
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part One: Planning
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Two: Planning and Walk-Through
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Three: Execution
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Four: Follow-Up
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part One: Qualitative Measures
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part Two: Quantitative Measures
- Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part One: What Did the Team Do Well
- (d) Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part Two
Many companies use a vision statement as a companion proclamation to their mission statements. This section begins with an introductory discussion of what a vision statement is, how it differs from a mission statement, some of the benefits a vision statement can provide, and some common characteristics of a worthwhile vision statement. I follow this up with an explanation of the steps that managers can use to develop an effective vision statement. The final portion shows several examples of vision statements used by a variety of organizations.
(This section should be inserted in 'Strategic Management'. It is an extension of the original section on Vision Statements. The first two parts (1.5.1 and 1.5.2 are the same as before. The part in 1.5.3 has been extended.)
Introduction To Vision Statements
A vision statement usually addresses one or more of the following three questions: where an organization wants to go; what an organization wants to become; or what an organization wants to accomplish. It differs from a mission statement in that a mission statement focuses on what an organization does, what business it is in, and what product or service it offers. A mission statement emphasizes the here and now, whereas a vision statement points to the future. The primary benefit of a vision statement is that it can focus an entire organization on a common goal, a worthwhile achievement, and the means of measuring when the objective has been reached.
The following list explains some common characteristics of a worthwhile vision statement. You may note that they are similar, but not identical, to those of an effective mission statement.
clear (no complex words; no awkward wording)
concise (the fewer words the better; less than 15 if possible)
catchy (snappy sounding without using slang or colloquialisms)
memorable (easy to recall; easy to explain)
Steps To Developing An Effective Vision Statement
The following steps are a proven method for developing an effective vision statement.
select a representative group to brainstorm an initial draft
concur on brainstorming ground rules
agree upon Where We Want To Go, What We Want To Accomplish, and How We Plan to Measure Its Completion
identify key phrases
draft an initial vision statement using most all of the key phrases
word-smith the initial draft to reduce words and redundancies
digest initial draft for a day or two
finalize the initial draft
submit to appropriate authority for final approval
Sample Vision Statements
The following are actual vision statements used currently or in the past. They are excellent examples of effective statements that clearly present where an organization wants to go, what it wants to accomplish, and how it will measure its results. These are all taken from a variety of well-known American institutions and individuals. How many of these do you recognize, or could identify based solely on their vision statements? The answers will be given next month.
Over a month has now gone by, so now it's time to reveal the companies who are the owners of the following vision statements. How many of these did you identify correctly? Just in case you want to try one final time to determine the identity of these companies, I will list the answers at the very bottom of this section. So don't scroll ahead. For each answer listed, I will offer a brief comment about characteristics of the vision statement and its relationship to the organization it describes.
To be widely recognized as the premiere provider of innovative financial products and services.
Within the next 3 years grow our company into a $40 million home products company specializing in manufacturing and distributing custom and replacement garden windows and skylights for the upscale home and baby-boomer markets.
Land a man on the moon and safely return him to earth by the end of this decade.
I have a dream that all men will be judged by the merit of their character, not by the color of their skin.
To become the premiere supplier of reliable, high-quality, complex military defense systems and commercial aerospace products.
To be the world's best in chemicals and electronic imaging.
To build the premiere financial services company in the U.S.
To be the lowest cost producer of aluminum & to outperform the average return on equity of the Standard & Poor's industrial stock index.
To become the most competitive enterprise in the world by being number one or number two in market share in every business the company is in.
To become a low-cost, medium-size gold producer, producing in excess of 125,000 ounces of gold a year and building gold reserves of 1,500,000.
To achieve return on equity at 20% or above, "real" earnings growth averaging 5% or better over time, be a leading marketer of strong consumer brands, and improve the profitability of low-return businesses or divest them.
The organizations or individuals who used the above entries as their vision statements are:
Option One Mortgage - The three adjectives of 'widely', 'premiere', and 'innovative' define this company's desired scope of recognition, its expected quality level as a provider, and how it hopes to delineate its products and services from its competitors.
Colorado Garden Windows Company - This is a good example of using very specific quantities in a vision statement. In this case it gives a precise timeframe, an exact sales level, and specific products and markets.
President John F. Kennedy - This is the famous challenge President Kennedy issues to NASA in 1961. Note the simple, specific task and timeframe.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King - This is an exerpt of the famous 'I Have a Dream' speech that Dr King gave at the conclusion of his Civil Rights march on Washington, D.C. While no timeframe is given, it is nonetheless very visionary in nature.
Northrop Grumman - The first part of this statement voices a common theme of wanting to become the premiere supplier of their products, but they distinguish themselves with their descriptors of 'reliable', 'high-quality', and 'complex'.
Eastman Kodak - Simple yet powerful vision to be the best. Compare 'to be the world's best' to just 'being recognized as being the world's best'.
Nations Bank - This company's statement is not 'to be the premiere company', or even to 'be recognized as the premiere company', but to 'build the premiere company' implying it is very much in a growth phase. This is an example of a company that will likely modify its vision statement in a few years after successful building has been accomplished.
Alcan - This statement has very specific financial visions, almost bordering on goals and objectives. Reducing average product costs, and improving on the average return on equity are easily measurable and understandable.
General Electric - This statement was the famous challenge that CEO Jack Welch issued to his division heads in the mid 1980s. Several divisions were shutdown as a result including the controversial RCA television division.
Atlas - This statement combines generic attributes as in 'low cost, medium-size' with specific goals for quantities of production and reserves.
Quaker Oats Company - This statement also combines specific financial goals for return on equity and average earnings growth, with the more generic characteristics of market leadership and improved profitability.
References
http://www.onepagebusinessplan.com, Writing a Great Vision Statement, 2003