The vision and mission statements encapsulate the basic driving principles behind the strategic objectives of any organization. To determine your strategic objectives, you must first complete the following activities:
- Determine the core values of the IT department. IT core values represent the standard axioms by which the IT department operates. Similar to the core values of the organization as a whole, IT’s core values are the set of beliefs or philosophies that guide its strategic actions.
- Create a vision statement that captures the core values you have listed in the step above. Remember that the vision statement sets out what the IT organization wants to be known for now and into the future.
- Create a mission statement that IT is to carry out. This statement describes the needs which IT was created to meet and answers the basic question of why IT exists.
To set a clear and business-aligned strategy, it’s essential that the IT department knows what it stands for within the context of the enterprise as a whole.