Strategy is essential

Without a strategy it is like going on an unfamiliar journey without a map (or Sat Nav!).
I believe an IT strategy is essential and that it must be understood and agreed by the senior executives of the business. It provides the road map and directional statements for the use of Information Technology within the business.
The other key thing about the IT Strategy is that it must be aligned to the business.
It should cover a 3 to 5 year period with the first year described in some detail and the 2nd year onwards providing some likely directional or review statements. This is because the further you go out in years the more difficult it becomes to predict directions in a business world that is constantly changing.
That means that the strategy must be a living document and reviewed, updated and agreed annually. It will also be an input document to the budget and any programme planning plus a communication document within the IT team so everybody knows the plan.
You should include the following:-
Executive summary
Recommendations
1st year plan
Subsequent years
Costs for 1st year(illustrative - It is not a budget)
Alignment- how it aligns to the business
Appendices - any supporting documents

Now you know that it is essential, in a later post I will talk about how you go about creating one.