IT Blueprint and School

Transcription

1 IT Blueprint and School MARIA SERAPHINA ASTRIANI, S.KOM., M.T.I. Department of Computer Science Bina Nusantara University West Jakarta INDONESIA SATRIO PRADONO, S. KOM., M.T.I. Department of Computer Science Bina Nusantara International University South Jakarta INDONESIA Abstract: - Nowadays, computer is already a common and important device that uses in all institution and use ICT for supporting the business or even as a business enabler. They always keep expanding their ICT to supporting their business in more ways. People need to differentiate what is nice to have and must have ICT system, to avoid the risk of implementing ICT system. Many schools only have basic ICT system. This current condition makes all teachers and staff found a lot of difficulties and wasting a lot of time for doing most tasks. Academic community needs IT Blueprint as guidance for expanding ICT system and meet with vision, needs, and curriculum requirements. These IT Blueprint is based on best practices and literature study. Key-Words: - IT blueprint, information flow, IT initiative, 5 pillars IT blueprint, transition matrix, progress report. 1 Introduction Information Technology (IT) has significant impacts to modern organizations especially in assisting daily operations and meeting business targets. Main contributions of IT to organizations are increased efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness [1]. Academic community realized that IT has important roles for supporting the business. Implementing the right IT will increase their productivity, work effectiveness, and will reducing monthly expenses cost. They want their IT not a cost center, but become a business enabler in the company. They also need guidance for the next 3-5 years for their IT evolution based on their vision, mission, goals, and needs. This guidance called IT Blueprint. 2 Problem Statement Information Technology (IT) project implementation is stills a grey area. IT literature does not exhibit serious attempts in studying the implementation aspects of IT projects [2]. Around 50-80% of all major IT projects fail they are over budget, late, missing requirements or have poor user acceptance. Failures are often blamed on insufficient time or money, bad requirements, bad technology, poor governance, not enough testing or poor project management. The standard solution has been to throw more and more time, money and technology at it all to no avail. These issues are merely symptoms, not the real problems. Why? IT is the only engineering discipline that operates without a complete and unambiguous Blueprint [3]. The one fundamental difference between IT and all other engineering projects is that the lack of the Blueprint means that no-one, from the organization, to the project owner, to the project manager, to the coder or to the tester shares the same vision of the end goal let alone the end user. In all other engineering disciplines, there is a clear and unambiguous visual representation of the final product that everyone can relate to so they all know what they ll get at the end of the project [3]. ISBN:

2 Traditional development is characterized by the following [3]: Requirements continuously change, adding time and cost Multiple versions, are required to deliver all requirements, taking years to deliver the final product The user interface inevitably does not work as people work, requiring constant tweaks and enhancements to get it right The business is forced to change its business practices to suit the technology, not the other way around. The IT Blueprint fits into traditional development lifecycles and methodologies and also works equally well with new and existing applications. IT Blueprint can deliver [3]: Communication of functional and nonfunctional requirements A clear line of sight between strategy and application behavior Choice of the right technology solution Vendor accountability to the IT Blueprint Certainty of outcome On budget, on time and usable technology The application works properly, the first time Currently, many education institutions don t have any ICT system to support their teaching and learning process. Usually, they only have a website to promoting over the internet, but actually many schools need a system to bridging the communication between parents and school through the website to school s intranet system which they don t have. By not having this system is difficult to all the teachers to maximize and optimize the teaching and learning process. Because without the intranet system, most of the process still be done manually and paper based, for examples, teacher wants to see their student information and academic history, the teacher need to ask the administrative department verbally. As well as the library and other processes. And also they don t have any backup system to backup their important files. Many education institutions want expand their IT and change the IT culture from business support to business enabler. But the problem that they have is they do not know how to do it, what should be done to achieve their goal. They do not want to invest something expensive that only can be last for a year but they want to invest in IT which can align with their vision, future situation and an IT become the business enabler. What education institutions need are guidance / roadmap for expanding the IT that will align with their vision, or what the world called an IT Blueprint. Part of developing the IT Blueprint, we a must analyze business processes to supporting their teaching and learning activities. In the current situation the impact will not appear, but in the future, follows with increasing the number of students, the situation will be catastrophic. For avoiding those kinds of situations, they need to have an IT Blueprint and expand their IT by following it. THE BUSINESS INFORMATION FLOW What is the vision? Where are we now? Where are we going to be? APPLICATION INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATION GOVERNANCE SECURITY How do we get there? Fig. 1 IT Blueprint Framework How will you know when you get where you want to be? Even though IT Blueprint based on best practises, developing an IT Blueprint need some basic methodologies which consist of 5 aspects (Fig.2). What is the vision? Where are we now? Where are we going to be? How do we get there? Fig. 2 Basic Methodologies [5] THE TECHNOLOGY PROGRESS REPORT How will you know when you get where you want to be? These are the explanation how develop an IT Blueprint [4][5]: a. Define vision Vision is the key for developing an IT Blueprint. The key points of Vision: Understand business situation and vision Define and understand the objectives, goals and scopes Identify resources, roles and responsibilities, interview all important staffs Identify the business trends, business and customer requirements b. Define current The steps to define current IT situation: ISBN:

3 APPLICATION Define current IT situation on application, infrastructure, operation, governance, and security Understand and analyze current IT situation c. Define future Based on the vision and objectives from any education institutions, it needs to decide what the best future for IT to support teaching and learning process. d. Analyze the Business Process Analyze education institutions business processes is one of important step for developing an IT Blueprint. e. Define information flow Analyzing the business processes will result the information flow diagram. This information flow diagram supports application and infrastructure pillars. f. IT Initiatives Analyze from Community Colleges Computer Services [6], Orange County Community College [7], M. de Vries and A.C.J. van Rensburg statements [8], the application, infrastructure, operation, governance, and security aspects are essential (like a roadmap) for developing an IT Blueprint to help achieve company goals. These aspects can be included in IT initiative. INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATION GOVERNANCE SECURITY Based on this IT Blueprint, they will know which one they should implement first, if they have the budget. As the result, they will have several IT Initiatives based on [9]: a. Application and Infrastructure pillars Why infrastructure? Imagine if the city does not have a proper infrastructure such as roads, electricity, dam, water, etc. at some point; the city will be collapsed if the city is growing. How does the system work if we do not have the best network topology for data flowing? Same analogy for the application aspect, we need to build application that aligns with company vision and mission, to support the business, or become a business enabler. b. Operation pillar There is only 1 IT initiatives for operation pillars will focus on the how the people should operates the system, and what should education institutions do to have people that can support the future IT. c. Governance pillar The governance pillar is basically for auditing purposes. d. Security pillar Security pillars is more concentrate on how the security should be implement that can be support the future IT. This IT initiatives are still involves the people, process, and tools. e. Transition matrix The transition matrix will show where does the education institutions IT current position and where is the ending position. f. Progress Report The progress report is fulfilling the are we there yet? question. This progress report is always changing every time we implement something based on the IT Blueprint, weather it is in progress or completed. Fig. 3 5 Pillars, Aspect in IT Initiatives Define vision Define current Define future Define the business process Define information flow IT initiatives 3 IT Initiatives IT initiatives are like a roadmap. A roadmap of what should education institutions implement for meet the future IT. The Each IT initiatives are sort based on urgency, important, cost, and time, and categorized by people, process, and tools. This is the final result for IT Blueprint. Application and Governance Transition infrastructure Operation pillar Security pillar pillar matrix pillars Fig. 4. IT Blueprint Sequence Progress report ISBN:

4 4 Results Table 1 IFAS Table Internal Factors Strategy Weight Rating Weight x Rating Strength: New Building Customer Oriented IB for Primary and Cambridge for Secondary Reasonable Price Total Strength Weaknesses Still building Reputation Adjusting with Still adding more facilities Total Weakness: (0.99) Total IFAS Table 2 EFAS Table External Factor Strategy Weight Rating Weight x Rating Opportunity: Increased number of expatriate Few international school Total Opportunity Threat: Many international school that already have reputation New school located in more strategic places Total Threat: (1.36) Total EFAS Internal Weaknesses Quadrant 4 Quadrant 3 Opportunities Threats Quadrant 1 Quadrant 2 Internal Strenght Fig. 5 Critical Success Factor (CSF) Internal Perspective Well Management High Experience Teachers Technology Supported High Facilities External Perspective Customer Experience Excellence Knowledge and Learning Perspective is implemented well Finance Perspective Positive Cash Flow IFAS is to identify the education institution internal conditions and will cover strength and weaknesses; EFAS on the other hand is to identify external condition which will covered opportunity and threat. After we identify, analyze and calculate them we will get CSF. In this case, this education institution is in 2 nd quadrant, which means they have great internal strength and also they have threats from other education institution. ISBN:

5 Table 3 SWOT Matrix Strength: New Building Customer Oriented IB for Primary and Cambridge for Secondary Reasonable Price Weaknesses: Still Reputatio n Adjusting with Curriculu m Still adding more facilities Target # of Students Fig. 6. Student Projection Student projection is their number of students target for the next three years; this target will has effect on financial conditions and technology aspects. Opportunity: Increased number of foreign people Few international school Threat: Many international school that already have reputation New school located in more strategic places SO Strategy Organize open house Advertising Increase marketing performanc es Participate exhibitions ST Strategy Increase Quality Increase school facilities Customer service experience WO Strategy Discount Improve customer benefit Keep developin g technolog y to decrease cost WT Strategy improve customer benefit cut unnecess ary cost Lab PC Teachers PC Staffs PC Lab PC Teachers PC Staffs PC File Fig. 7 Current Topology SAN Active Directory Print Proxy Fax Database Application Fig. 8 Future Topology ICT LAB PUBLIC PUBLIC SWOT matrix is to defining what strategy should they have; if they have they have such condition from IFAS and EFAS. The differences from current and future topology are they will add several computer devices such as, SAN server, AD, print server, backup server, application server, fax server, database server, proxy server, and 2 fast and reliable internet connections. ISBN:

6 Table 4 Table of comparison Before No guidance for expand ICT No school system (manual) Paper based Decentralized data No human resource development in ICT knowledge Data is public access No password policy No computer name policy Free internet access Collect data with verbally After Have ICT guidance that align with vision, teaching and learning process Have school system to help teaching and learning process (blueprint) Almost paperless Centralized data will be conducted every once a year Have data protection and privacy Have password policy Have computer name policy Have internet policy Can collect data independently Comparison table is to have clearer picture for what we don t have now and what will we have in the future. Table 5 Needs & Target INFRASTRUCTURE data Protect Hardware + Data during unexpected blackout Each student has space in server to save their works. Centralized system data To print students work on each class Prevent from unauthorized user connection for student Help teacher to delivering materials + Tape UPS (SAN, fax, print, application, database, antivirus, proxy, Active Directory, backup) Printers Firewall Hotspot Projector Video communication, conferencing, online presentation. Fast connection. APPLICATIONS Support backup data Software standardization licensing Prevent virus & Support database & centralized data security & policies Web for teacher, student & parents (ETL), Library catalogue online, Interactive website, that can provide information with a single access, OPERATION High Speed Connection Software Licensing for OS and applications Corporate Antivirus application + Antivirus Database Engine Software + SAN Serve Security & Policy Software Intranet (IS) OS security word processing Spreadsheet Presentation software JIS ISBN:

7 GOVERNANCE Increase data security Increase user security For auditing and security Standardization Standardization Security Access Data Protection and Privacy Password Policy Computer name Policy Standardize Client s Application Standardize Client s PC Policy The education institution will know each milestone for each IT initiatives period. And the education institution can see what the final state is. Table 6 IT Initiatives Period 1 Infrastructure!!! ^^^ $ ~ Tape!!! ^^^ $ ~ UPS for ICT!!! ^^^ $$ ~ Proxy!! ^^ $ ~ SECURITY Security security Real-time PC Protection Filtering This table is to the list of their needs and what is solution. Make sure the solution is to fulfill their needs/target Intranet Supporting Advance Hardware & Minor Application Basic ICT Security & Access February June 2010 Blade User Manager SAN Centralized Data July June 2011 Print Fax Antivirus Firewall July June 2012 Fig 9 Transition Matrix JIS / ETL Database Application July June 2013 Table 7 IT Initiatives Period 1 Application Software Licensing OS for License OS for Proxy Security Software!!! ^^^ $ ~!! Table 8 IT Initiatives Period 1 Governance Policy ~ Table 9 IT Initiatives Period 1 Operation OS!! ^^ $ ~!!! ^^^ $ ~ security word processing Spreadsheet Presentation software program ISBN:

8 Legend:! = Less Important!! = Important!!! = Very Important ^ = Not to Urgent ^^ = Urgent ^^^ = Highly Urgent $ = < $4999 $$ = $ $9999 $$$ = > $10000 ~ = less than 3 months ~~ = 3 months 6 months ~~~ = 6 months 1year In this period, education institution will have backup system which will backup all important files that stores in the server and it will implement proxy server to do a content, internet access policy. Other than that, education institutions will conduct trainings such as OS, security, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation software, and program to all staffs to increase their security awareness and has more knowledge about the programs 4 Conclusion Many schools want to expand their IT, and makes IT to help teaching and learning process. But, they do not know how to expand; what technology that suits them, and how to expand. We offer IT Blueprint as their best solution to solve their problem. By having the IT Blueprint, they will have IT Initiatives or IT roadmap to help them to have the appropriate technology. IT Blueprint will help developt ICT for the next 3 years. As application target, school will have their own Intranet called ETL to support all departments including teaching and learning to share information between departments, servers for technology target (backup, database, NAS, application, active directory, print server, fax server, and proxy server), and for organizational target school will be a Green School. References: [1] Fahmy, Syahrul et al. IT in Education Organization: A Strategic Planning Approach. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia. Informing Science, [2] PTG Global. About the IT Blueprint, [Online]. [3] Kuruppuarachchi, Palitha R. et al. IT project implementation strategies for effective changes : a critical review. Emerald, [4] Novell. A Blueprint for Better Management from the Desktop to the Data Center. Novell, [5] Cassidy, Anita. A Practical Guide to Information s Strategic Planning, 2nd Ed. Auerbach Publications, [6] Community Colleges Computer Services. Information Technology Master Plan. Community Colleges of Colorado, [7] Orange County Community College. SUNY Orange: IT Governance Information Technology Master Plan. SUNY Orange, [8] de Vries, M et al. Evaluating and Refining The Enterprise Architecture as Strategy Approach and Artefacts. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering vol 20(1), [9] Astriani, Maria Seraphina et al. IT Blueprint for Education Institution. Jakarta-Indonesia, Advances in Computing, Control and Telecommunication Technologies (ACT), 2010 Second International Conference, ISBN: