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IT Planning and Consulting

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LTS possesses significant expertise and experience in information technology (IT) planning, design, implementation, and support.  Since its inception, LTS has built databases for academic advising, client/server applications for registration and advising, supervised testing systems, planning and budgeting systems, virtual training environments (Second Live MUVE), office automation systems, and job costing systems.  We believe in tailoring and customizing solutions to your unique needs. 

Systems Analysis and Design

Barry Boehm's Spiral Model of IT Planning

LTS analysts and programmers employ an application development methodology similar to one articulated by Barry Boehm. The model uses prototyping techniques that iteratively approximate a solution based on close regular communications between the client and the developer.  The early prototypes enable the developer (us) to engage with the client (you) to view and test the solution and direct its evolution to the next prototype. This process can dramatically improve our ability to jointly meet your needs. 

Strategic and Tactical IT Planning

Strategic IT planning is intended to provide the “big picture” of information technology at your institution. That is, it provides a high-level set of guidelines for IT decision making and tactical planning. Strategic plans typically look up to five years ahead to lay the foundations to fill anticipated IT needs. The view is high-level, without sufficient detail to deal with every nuance of the future, yet with enough detail to clarify intent.  A strategic IT plan should accomplish three things: 
  1. Snapshot: Delineate the status of information technology at the inception of the planning period. That is, it should answer the question “Where are we now?” 
  2. Vision: Delineate the range of possible directions across the domain of information technology, i.e., “Where can we go?” and select a path for the planning period, i.e., “Where do we want to go?” 
  3. Path: Outline the steps to achieve the planning goals, i.e., “How will we get there?” and clarify the relationship between IT plans and institutional plans, i.e., “Why are we proposing these initiatives?” 
LTS IT Strategic Planning Model includes specifying Snapshot, Vision, and Path

The three-to-five-year strategic plan should align closely with the institutional strategic vision, mission, and goals and should drive similarly-aligned annual tactical/operational plans. These one-year tactical/operational plans contain the implementation details required to realize the goals of the strategic plan. They also inform and update the initiatives outlined in the strategic plan. 

With our broad understanding and experience with information systems, LTS can help create a forward-looking plan to evolve your information systems in an effective and efficient direction.