IS Strategic Plan - Case Study Example

Lindisfarne Rowing Club IS Strategic Plan Version 0 (27/5 Table of Contents Introduction 4 IS Strategy Assumptions 4 2. Vision 4 3. Mission 4 4. Goals 5 5. Guiding Principles 5 6. Governance 5 7. Current Environment 6 7.1. Information Management and Data 6 7.2. Systems 6 7.3. People and Culture 6 8. Analysis 7 8.1. Management Area’s 7 Members Management 7 New Members Management 8 Committee Members Management 8 Competitor Management 8 Dragon Abreast Management 8 Community Management 8 Document and Records Management 8 Function Room Management 8 Gym Management 8 9.

Key Findings 8 10. User Strategic Themes 9 Improve Service Access for its Members 9 Improve Service Access for the Community 9 Access to Information 9 Hiring of Facilities 10 ??? 10 11. IS Strategic Technology Themes 10 Updating Website 10 Reduce Paper Based Membership Applications 10 Maintain Security and Integrity of Information 10 Improve Document and Record Management 10 Adherence to Regulatory Requirements 10 News 10 Engage New and Current Members 10 12. Strategic Direction 11 13. Expenditure 11 14.

Roadmap and Project Descriptions 12 14.1. Members Management 12 14.2. New Members Management 12 14.3. Committee Members Management 13 14.4. Competitors Members Management 13 14.5. Dragon Abreast Members Management 14 14.6. Community Management 14 14.7. Document and Records Management 15 14.8. Function Room Management 15 14.9. Gym Management 16 14.10. Community Management 17 14.11. Documentation Management 17 14.12. Minutes and Agenda Management 18 14.13. Gym Management 18 14.14. Function Room Management 19 14.15. Regulatory Management 19 15.

Continuous Improvement 19 16. Program review 19 17. Appendix 1 – SWOT Analysis 20 Introduction This IS Strategy will outline key goals based on the defined assumptions. It will highlight area’s that require improvement and a solution that will assist LRC to develop and grow their organisation for many years to come. The use of technology has become a cornerstone to the success of many businesses; this includes sporting clubs fighting for increased membership, increase revenue offering potential for growth to their organisation.

This Strategic Plan will highlight areas for consideration by the LRC Committee for future investment into their organisation ensuring growth and prosperity for generations to come. 1. IS Strategy Assumptions In the absence of an organisational strategy the following assumptions have been made in respect to this IS Strategy: Assumption 1: Increase efficiency in capturing and dissimulating data and information more effectively and efficiently. Assumption 2: Increase committee member’s ability to adhere to the organisations constitution and any legal/regulatory requirements.

Assumption 3: Increase revenue to ensure ongoing viability and growth within the LRC Assumption 4: Has no budget, but if it makes business sense they are possibly open to new ideas and changes that might result in a budget being developed for funding IS initiatives. 2. Vision A vision statement is something Lindisfarne Rowing Club need to develop. A vision statement is extremely important to any organisation and should act as a trigger in the minds of those that read it as to what they visualise the club to be in the future.

Example of a Vision statement might be something like: 3. Mission A Mission statement is something Lindisfarne Rowing Club need to develop. A mission statement is a reminder to all club members as why LRC exist. Example of a Mission statement might be something like: 4. Goals Based on assumptions above the following objectives were created for the development of a IS Stategic for Lindisfarne Rowing Club: Goal 1: Increase efficiency in capturing, managing, maintaining, reuse data and information and dissimulating more effectively.

Goal 2: Improve Lindisfarne Rowing Club ability to adhere to the organisations constitution and any legal/regulatory requirements. Goal 3: Increase revenue potential for Lindisfarne Rowing Club. Goal 4: Decrease administrative tasks performed by volunteers and committee members. 5. Guiding Principles LRC will work with its community to develop a Rowing Club that is inviting and welcoming to its members. LRC will ensure the protection of its environment and safety to the public and its members at all times.

It will ensure all legal and regulatory requirements are met ensuring integrity and trust is developed within its environment. The following principles have been developed: Leverage technology to its competitive advantage Standardise processes with the use of technology Ensure information integrity Utilise industry standards Manage IT as an investment for future growth Focus on its members and community needs 6. Governance The IS Strategic Plan requires explicit support through: Ongoing commitment to the guiding principles and resulting project initiatives from all members.

Sound financial management that fully identifies and manages the technology and associated costs. Sound and disciplined project management with clearly defined roles. IS Advisory Board The IS Advisory Board (ISAB) role is to monitor major IS initiatives from a business context, including their interrelationships with projects. ISAB should comprise of a group of Executive Committee members, supplemented by external experts when required. Financial Management Formal policies are in place, providing the mandate and processes for financial management, including budgetary requirements and expenditure approvals.

Project Governance Governance of IS projects with LRC will follow the guiding principles of this IS Strategic Plan and ensure that: 1. Planning is addressed in an integrated business focused way 2. IS projects and acquisitions follow an approved process to support strategic business initiatives, and 3. Develop business initiatives leveraging leading edge technology. 7. Current Environment 7.1. Information Management and Data The LRC’s website is hosted by Quill Consulting at www.quill.com.au/lrc.

This site offers a static based website which is managed and updated by a past Committee member of the club. This site has links to the Rowing Tasmania website enabling the community to view calendar and regatta events and results. In addition, the website provides information about membership registration and hiring the club house for private functions along with general news, contact details and links to other relevant websites. 7.2. Systems LRC have no IT infrastructure and no domain address space for their website. 7.3.

People and Culture Members of LRC consist of all classes of rowers from the youngest juniors, National to Olympic representatives. The club has a strong but dwindling Masters group that make a significant contribution to the club. They also have an affiliated group called the Dragon Abreast whom house their boat in the club boat shed and have the use of the club facilities. The club is also fortunate to have a group of social members who enjoy supporting the club and its members. The club offers facilities to house boats at a fee and have trainers and coaches for social and competing groups.

These roles are completely volunteering roles and play a significant contribution to the success of the club. The club boasts significant achievements made by is competing members, they include: Sam Beltz and Nick Baker received medals at the World Rowing Championship in New Zealand. Darren Balmforth was considered to be in the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame. Scott Brennan received a Gold Medal at the World Cup in Switzerland. These people are an inspiration for the next generation of rowers and their achievements should be celebrated by all. 8. Analysis 8.1. Management Area’s Members Management The club offers a vast range of membership types to suit different interest area’s from social rowers to the more serious competitive groups.

Memberships are renewed yearly with the 30th September being the cut off date for full year memberships. Members wanting to renew their membership are required to complete a form that is downloadable from their website. There are three options for this process: Complete hardcopy form and send with payment to a designated address. Complete hardcopy form and take it along with payment to the Thursday night social nights, or Complete hardcopy form and drop it into the letterbox provided at the club rooms with payment.

All members may use the club facilities, but there needs to be two members present at all times. New Members Management New members wanting to join the club also have the three options mentioned above. New members are also required to attach a copy of their birth certificate to validate their age. All members have full access to all club facilities. Committee Members Management Committee member are voted on by members at the Annual General Meeting that is held yearly. Members of the committee an voting members must be paid up members.

It is noted, some members do not carry that voting right. Competitor Management The club offers a range of competitor’s memberships from junior rowing memberships through to Masters Competitions. Membership to the club does not include fees for events and competitions. This is managed by Rowing Tasmania. Forms are available on the LRC website, where they can be downloaded, completed and mailed in with payment. Dragon Abreast Management Dragon Abreast is an affiliated membership and can include voting rights if members choose to do so.

Membership forms are downloadable from the website and payment is as per Members Management section above. Community Management The club is a community enabled club with non-rowing or non-competing members along with resident within the region. These groups can play a vital role in the success of the club through talking to friend and relatives about the clubs facilities, achievements and successes. Document and Records Management Documents and records are stored on member’s hard-drive at work and in their homes along with hard-copy files stored by members and at the LRC club.

Function Room Management The function room is the biggest revenue raiser for the club. To book or enquire about hiring of the function room the public is to contact the person mentioned on LRC website. Gym Management The club has a small gym available for use by members. On completing a membership form the person can nominate to use the facilities. Once the membership has been approved the member will be issued a key to the gym. 9. Key Findings The clubs website is a static designed site hosted and up dated by a club member from Quill Consulting.

It offers great information for members, but lacks a variety of communication channels that could really enhance and embrace its members and local community. Updating of the site is solely dependent on one person with website development knowledge, meaning LRC are fully dependant one person which results in a very static and non-interactive site. The website has no capability for members or potential members to join the club through electronic means. This makes it difficult for members to renew their membership each year effectively.

Websites today need to be fun, spontaneous and interesting to draw attention from members, potential members and the community, in particular the younger Gen Y and Gen X groups. These groups are the future of the club, therefore the club needs to attract and hold these members ensuring future growth and development of the club in years to come. Technology is one way to assist the club to interact and communicate with this younger generation and them to communicate and feel involved in what is going on in the club.

The use of new and exciting communication channels has far reaching benefits, attracting involvement by a diverse range of members of the community, young and old. The club has a great function room that is open for hire. This facility is a great fundraising element for the club, but the website does not capture the potential or entice people to want to hire it out. There are no photos of the function room or photo’s of events being held there, making it less assessable and interesting to potential members.

There is no online booking or calendaring capability or email address to enquire about hiring the function room from the venue page. There is a lot LRC can do to make their site more interactive, increase communication and engagement of its members and community through the use of technology. 10. User Strategic Themes Based on the analysis above and a SWOT analysis (see Appendix A) the follow strategic themes have been developed. Improve Service Access for its Members LRC want to enable more effective communication methods with its members.

This will focus on improving current communication channels together with providing alternatives for its members to communicate and engage with LRC. Improve Service Access for the Community LRC want to enable more effective communication methods with the community. This will focus on improving current methods together with providing alternatives for the community to communicate and engage with the LRC. Access to Information LRC want to have better access to past and present information and records.

This will focus on centralising information making it quickly accessible to those that need it, when they need it. Hiring of Facilities LRC main revenue raising function apart from memberships is the hiring of the function room. This will focus on improving the ability to book and manage the function room, making it more accessible easy to book and query function room availability. ??? 11. IS Strategic Technology Themes Updating Website LRC want to enable ease of updating information on their website.

This will focus on improving access to updating information on LRC website for its members and community. Reduce Paper Based Membership Applications LRC want to enable more effective ways for members and potential members to pay membership fees, track payments and store membership details. This will focus on improving current paper based methods and providing an electronic means in processing membership registration and managing membership details. Maintain Security and Integrity of Information LRC must ensure information in their care is true and appropriate to hold and that formal security of information is maintained and managed correctly.

These dictate appropriate storage and destruction of information must be adhered to. Improve Document and Record Management LRC want to have an electronic centralised system for managing and accessing important documents. This will focus on making the information available to members that need access to up to date information. Adherence to Regulatory Requirements LRC must ensure they comply with all constitutional and regulatory requirements. This will focus on improving the capture, storage and management of important information.

News LRC have a news section available to keep members and interested parties informed and up to date. This will focus on improving how that information is available, increasing interest and engaging members and interested parties. Engage New and Current Members LRC like all clubs rely on ensuring membership growth within their club grows. This will focus on engaging the Gen Y and Gen X technology driven groups through the use of technology. 12. Strategic Direction For LRC to meet or exceed its goals it is strongly recommended that LRC consider an online hosted environment, utilising the many cloud computing technologies currently available.

With these hosted environments they come with many tools directed at sporting clubs functions. These hosted systems will allow LRC to expand its capabilities to a broader market, attract and keep technological enabled generations engage with their members, community and associated bodies more effectively and efficiently. These sites have everything a club like LRC require to manage their club. They offer document management repository, member’s databases for storing member’s information and status, online forms and payment systems.

These sites are aimed at non technical people to design, update and manage all aspects of the site. They offer step by step instructions on how to design and manage their sites and for clubs that don’t have the time to design their sites to get them started, most offer these services at an additional cost. In conjunction with this other tools such as Facebook and twitter can be used to get people engaged and interacting, links can be created from the newly developed site to a LRC Facebook page, RSS feeds can be set up for people to get the latest news posted on the site.

These technologies are growing in popularity are easy to use and create interest in the club from a broader range of people. 13. Expenditure Affiliating with some other specialist organization that can address all the things that the club’s current site does not would be a better option for LRC to manage all aspects and activities of the sports club in an appropriate manner. At present, Quill Consulting, which is the current hosting website of the club, charges 20 dollars in case of activity based payment and 1000 dollars in case of per month.

Activity based payment means payment based on different activities, such as, form filling, event management, new members’ registration, or any other activity of the club hosted by the hosting organization. The problem is that the current hosting website does not have the abilities to fulfil all requirements of the club. Moreover, the financial budget of the club is not big enough to carry out all business activities properly. These factors raise the need to link to some professional organization’s website.

One of the greatest website belongs to SportingPulse Organization, which provides great assistance to the sporting organizations. The new hosting website, which will be SportingPulse Organization, will charge 15 dollars in case of activity based payment and 950 dollars in case of monthly charges. SportingPulse Organization assists sports clubs in different business activities, such as, managing competitions, running sports events, publishing results, managing sport related activities, communicating with members, and raising revenues for the clubs.

This organization can also minimize the operating costs of the club. LRC can join the SportingPulse Organization as one of the main governing bodies. The list of all governing bodies is there on the organization’s website. Another way for LRC is to associate with a governing body directly. This option can bring a number of benefits to the club. Some of those benefits include free website design and development, free registration of the domain name, reduced hosting fee, minimized application processing costs, and stabilized financial budget of the club. 14. Roadmap and Project Descriptions The following is a description of what LRC can do to better enable them to meet or exceed its goals using the recommended technology. 14.1.

Members Management Objective: To improve member’s management through the use of technology. Description: LRC do not have an electronic management mechanism for member to complete a membership form and make payment online. Tasks: • Implement an online form which generates an email to a designated person/s once person has made payment. • Implement an electronic payment system where the user completes the form online then moves onto the payment system. Develop online communities for members to interact and communicate with LRC and each other.

Responsibility: Committee members Key Task/Dependencies: Define and document member’s renewal management process, end to end. 14.2. New Members Management Objective: To improve awareness for potential members to join easily and effectively through the use of technology. Description: LRC do not have an electronic management mechanism for new members to join and process payment online. Tasks: • Implement an online form which generates an email to a designated person/s once payment has been made.

• Implement an electronic payment system where the user completes the form online then moves onto the payment system. Develop online communities for members to interact and communicate with LRC and each other. Responsibility: Committee members Key Task/Dependencies: Define and document new member’s management process, end to end. 14.3. Committee Members Management Objective: To improve Committee member’s management through the use of technology. Description: LRC do not have an electronic management mechanism for member to complete a membership form and make payment online.

Tasks: • Implement an online form which generates an email to a designated person/s once payment has been made. • Implement an electronic payment system where the user completes the form online then moves onto the payment system. Set-up a Twitter account for Committee members. Develop online communities for members to interact and communicate with LRC and each other Responsibility: Committee members Key Task/Dependencies: Define and document member’s management process, end to end. 14.4.

Competitors Members Management Objective: To improve Competitors member’s management through the use of technology. Description: LRC do not have RSS feeds to alert members and interested parties of the successes and achievements made by its competitors. Tasks: • Implement RSS Feed capabilities in the website. Set-up a Twitter account for Club captains. Implement log on access for club captains to update news feeds and site after each event. Set-up split payment system so competing members can join Rowing Tasmania from the same application and payment.

Responsibility: Club captains Key Task/Dependencies: Club captains ability to access the site to enter feeds items. 14.5. Dragon Abreast Members Management Objective: To improve Dragon Abreast membership through the use of technology. Description: LRC do not have a section on Dragon Abreast, what they do and how you can join. Tasks: • Implement a Dragon Abreast page on LRC website with information about the events the group part takes in. Post action pictures of the Dragon Abreast group and socials Responsibility: Dragon Abreast Committee members Key Task/Dependencies: Having a member that enjoys photography. 14.6.

Community Management Objective: To improve Community involvement in the club. Description: LRC do not have a Facebook profile. Tasks: • Implement a FaceBook site. Invite members to join the Facebook site. Assign responsibility to a Gen X or Y member for management of the site. Implement a community interactive page on the website for people to chat and post blogs to news items. Responsibility: Committee members to find a suitable person/s. Key Task/Dependencies: Clubs ability to involve the younger generation to become involved in the management of the site. 14.7.

Document and Records Management Objective: To improve the centralised capture of club information for all responsible persons. Description: LRC do not have a centralised document and record management system. Tasks: • Implement a document repository using the hosted site. Define and collate past and present information and records. Upload the information into the repository. Assign responsibility to a committee member for maintenance and disposal of information as per State Archives Act. Set security within the site.

Responsibility: Club Secretary Key Task/Dependencies: Define and document end to end process for the collection, management and disposal of all records. 14.8. Function Room Management Objective: To improve the management of the function room through the use of technology. Description: LRC do not have a calendaring or online booking system for people to book or enquire about a booking. Tasks: • Implement function room calendar. Enter dates booked into the calendar. Enter an online volunteering calendar, for members to mark the days they are available to work the bar.

Enter a booking and payment method in the site. Responsibility: Function room manager. Key Task/Dependencies: Define the end to end process for enquiring and booking the function room. 14.9. Gym Management Objective: To improve information about the gym facilities for potential and new members. Description: LRC do not have a any information about the gym on their site. This can be used to attract potential members. Tasks: • Implement a page showing the gym equipment and people using the gym.

Put links to new members joining information and online form and payment system. Responsibility: Committee members Key Task/Dependencies: Clubs ability to attract an amateur or professional photographer to take the photos for uploading. Furthermore, online communities are interactive, dynamic features that allow members to share a common purpose, need or interest. which is now called “social networking”. photo or video of activities Chat room.pass comments Twitter, next meeting times.facebook notices . 14.10.

Community Management Besides of financial management, Sportingpulse Organization also provides other applications such as Sportzware and Smatersport to support club and community management in creating a functional part on the website. Alternatively, it also provides a method that builds a forum to get more interactive in the community. In addition, the organization has a new application called mySport Scoreboard, which keep users up to date all the information about the club and other sport on iPhone or iPod Touch.

That is an important part for LRC to put into their roadmap because more and more people have smart phone than ever. To provide existing and potential member and other users this way to get them closer to the club will bring loads of benefits that lead the club better achieve their goals. Users can also stay connected with their mySport friends by posting status updates, sharing photos and videos. The application has these feature that helps LRC in better managing community activities: Search for results and fixtures information across multiple sports Create your mySport profile and enter your current status Create photo galleries that you and your mySport friends can view Upload videos that capture all of your great sporting moments and share them with your friends Add teams that you are following and get their game results in one click Add friends from the mySport network, view their latest status updates, photos and videos 14.11. Documentation Management It also significant to manage documentations because creating a better information management (IM) is a key part in LRC’s strategy formulation.

Having a better IM will decide how much IT assist an organization’s business. Without controlling IM, organizations will fail in compliance, operational effectiveness and efficiency, and strategy implementation. Particularly, LRC needs to follow the steps to manage information: • Develop an IM Policy • Articulate Operational Components • Establish Information Stewardship • Build Information Standards 14.12. Minutes and Agenda Management This part belongs to the regulatory management.

LRC has limit management in these parts. It’s also vital to the club. The Sportingpulse Organization provides support in these areas as well. Part of event management functions will assist the club well manage the events and regulatory. An application called Sportzware Events not only manage minutes and agendas, also manage the event such as participant details, venue information, travel arrangements, and approval and status updates. Specifically, Gyms and function room in LRC will be well managed if the club implement Sportzware Events management tool.

It effectively and efficiently manages the events by enabling organizers to capture event entry information online. It allows users to completely configure their event, view and print pre-populated forms and cards and run reports, minutes, and agendas as well. 14.13. Gym Management The first task is the development of a scheduling priority. Since this will involve many groups and individuals, the pressure can be intense. A typical gym management priority list will include such as : In-season varsity games Practice sessions for in-season sports Intramurals Clubs and organizations Community recreation groups Other groups Rules also have to be developed to ensure safety and protect your investment – floor, bleachers, scoreboard, backboard, and wall padding.

Misuse of the facility can cause unnecessary damage and substantial costs for repair. A responsible person should be put in charge. He must be able to see all the athletes and be heard by them whenever necessary liability considerations make this essential. 14.14. Function Room Management The club also need to consider about the management of function rooms. The infrastructural facilities keeping in view the business conferences and seminars need due attention of the club’s planners. In addition, it is also essential that they keep in their mind the requirements of each function room because there would be a profitable opportunity for the booking of the rooms.

The club planners need to make provisions for the facilities so that the required equipments are installed without generating issues. 14.15. Regulatory Management The main objectives of regulatory management include: compliance with regulatory and legal norms, assessment of regulatory impacts and establishment of reactive strategies and external corporate representation in the regulatory process. Regulatory management can be divided into two groups: operational regulatory management dealing with operational tasks, and strategic regulatory management dealing with long-term and strategic tasks.

The establishment of a concept for regular reporting, information submission and publication duties are tasks of the strategic regulatory management, while the implementation of the relevant activities for fulfilling this concept belongs to operational regulatory management. Sportzware Events, which is provided by Sportingpulse Organization, will support LRC to help the club manage regulatory better. 15. Continuous Improvement 16. Program review 17. Appendix 1 – SWOT Analysis Strengths The reputation of LRC is in the good level.

LRC has website. The website of LRC links to several websites. This means that the website is known by other parties. Weaknesses LRC does not have its own server computer. LRC has to rely on the Quill Consultancy Pty Ltd. There is no IT staff in the club. Although there may be someone who knows about IT, especially website development and administration, it seems that the club requires IT people who are really specialized. In the membership and club house hiring sections, there is not any way for online register.

Opportunities LRC can attract people to join the club due to its reputation. LRC can promote itself via the website. Threats LRC needs someone who is specialized in website development and administration to enhance the website. LRC also needs considerable amount of funds to enhance its website. There are other rowing clubs which are the rivals.