IT Strategy and Architecture
The Information Technology Architecture serves as the
common thread to ensure all components of today's highly complex distributed systems work
together seamlessly to achieve the business objectives for the enterprise. Driven by
market dynamics, one of the key drivers that will propel successful organisations will
focus on the ability of the enterprise to adapt and leverage new and emerging
technologies. The onset of these changes and events typically impose new requirements
which may strain the current IT Architecture and in many cases require new and redesigned
Information Technology Architectures.
Our objective is to develop an integrated technology
vision which supports seamless integration of the enterprise distributed systems,
applications, data, and technology to maximise information utility which support business
drivers and objectives.
Migrating from the present to the future architecture requires a Master Information
Systems Plan, including the prioritisation and development of appropriate cost estimates
and project plans.
In addition to Enterprise modelling, Existing IT Review,
and Candidate Systems Definition, we develop a Strategic Migration Plan to prioritise and
guide implementation efforts to gain maximum efficiencies in minimum time frames.
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World Class Information Technology (WCIT)
Businesses world-wide are under increasing pressure to
improve performance. Managers are asking questions about whether or not their Information
Systems providers, usually in-house, are delivering measurable benefits and value for
money.
KPMG has formed an international team of consultants who
specialise in taking a customer-led approach to diagnosing, planning, designing,
implementing and sustaining measurable improvements within IS organisations.
World Class IT is a packaged set of services focused at
improving the performance of an IT organisation, also known as IT Reengineering or IT
Functional Transformation.
WCIT services include : WCIT Assessment - End to end assessment of the client's IT
organisation including benchmarks of all component functions
IT Transformation - Implementation assistance required to restructure, align, measure and
improve IT performance
Outsourcing - Facilitation in determining outsourcing strategies, e.g. requirements,
Request For Proposal development, supplier evaluation and selection
Year 2000 - Application portfolio renovation strategies and implementation Services
dealing with the Year 2000 issue
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IT Assessment and IT Transformation
Although usually part of WCIT, these services can be
delivered in isolation. They focus on the need for Information Systems providers to
transform their performance in order to survive the increased demand from managers.
IT Assessment focuses mainly on the review and benchmark
of the : current IT infrastructure, IT structure and staff, IT spending, maturity of IT
management processes, functional fit and coverage of present application systems, IT's
ability to deliver business systems, Security and controls. IT Transformation is
introduced once performance targets are agreed. These must be clearly communicated across
the business and IT, along with the nature and shape of the improvement programme being
embarked upon. Building on the experience of Nolan Norton, we have grown a global team in
excess of 160 consultants, all specialising in IT performance improvement.
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Package Selection and Implementation
This core service comprises identifying and evaluating
candidate packages against a set of well defined business and technical requirements, and
selecting the product which provides the best fit. It may include the definition of user
requirements, the development of a Request For Proposal and evaluating responses, checking
references, and organising and participating in product demonstrations. The service
applies primarily to business applications, and it draws together up-to-date knowledge of
software and technology solutions, proven and effective methods and tools, and highly
skilled experts in the selection of systems.
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Project and Programme Management
Poor management is a primary cause of IT project failure.
KPMG recognises that IT projects require special management techniques. KPMG remains
committed to the successful delivery of effective IT systems, on time and to budget. Our
consultants are trained in our own proven methodology - IT Project Management (ITPM) which
represents the consolidated experience of all our project managers and previous projects.
Emphasis is placed both on soft project management issues such as management of project
staff and change management in the organisation, and the harder issues such as project
planning, control, and risk management.
Programme management entails the management of
interrelated projects to deliver real benefits. Such comprehensive undertakings may affect
not just a single part of the business, but impact all its activities and change the
strategic direction of the organisation. While project management and techniques will help
to control cost, time and quality, programmes demand an approach that is broader and more
far reaching in nature. KPMG have developed a set of related methodologies that enable
senior management to address the issues raised during programme delivery.
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IT Management support
Typically many computer departments are set up to handle
day-to-day operations. When uncommon events require additional resources, professional
assistance is often sought to resolve these issues timeously and effectively. Such matters
could include : Systems documentation, Human resource skills assessment, Contract review
and negotiation, Recruitment advice, and Organisational Change Management. Because of its
broad base, the KPMG IT practice has personnel experienced in each of the named
disciplines, as well as the management of computer and IT departments. These services are
invaluable when unexpected events occur.
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Enabling Technologies
Information Technology is a critical enabler for today's
business, particularly for those operating on a global basis. New technologies create
tremendous opportunities to exploit existing or new markets, but can also introduce
significant risk if not properly assessed or managed. KPMG's Enabling Technologies service
assists clients by providing consultants who understand business needs and who are also at
the leading edge of current technology thinking.
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IT Outsourcing
As businesses increasingly look for efficiency
improvements and seek to eliminate non-core activities, IT outsourcing - switching from an
internal to an external supplier of IT services - is increasingly becoming popular. For
some the switch has had major benefits, while for others the experience has proved
unsatisfactory. KPMG's world-wide experience in this market, coupled with our policy of
remaining independent of outsource service suppliers, can help you avoid the pitfalls and
exploit the market to obtain the best deal.
Outsourcing IT is something an organisation normally only
does once. The sums of money involved are substantial. Using the support of people who
have handled the whole process before has to make sense and generally save time and money.
Our experience and expertise is brought to bear using a proven management approach that
allows us to address, in a structured manner, critical outsourcing questions such as :
Where and when not to outsource ? Where will it generate benefits and where will it create
more problems ? What are the costs and risks ? How do we achieve the best possible deal ?
What are the potential performance improvements ?
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Year 2000
So you've heard about the Year 2000 date change problem,
you've read the tabloids, surfed the Net, listened to the auditors, glanced at the
calendar and saw 2000 is a leap year too, Jan 1st is a Saturday, and you need to know : Do
I have a problem in my organisation, and if so, how do I go about solving it ?
What are the not-so-obvious key issues ?
Project Management
Year 200 conversion projects will have technical
challenges, but the biggest challenge will be co-ordinating the activities of converting
multiple applications, with their corresponding data, in a short time period.
Computer Resources
The IT department may require additional computer
resources for the extensive testing and analysis of the affected applications. There will
also be a short-term need for additional DASD for system backups of source and data.
Test Data
The testing phases of the project will be the most time
consuming. Having the necessary test data available for unit testing and regression
testing is critical to the success of the project. This includes data that will test for
Year 2000 (and beyond) conditions.
Distributed applications and data
Identifying all the distributed components of an
application is critical for a complete solution. This includes the application source code
and data which is passed to end users around the world.
Should I only worry about application systems ?
The problem affects all parts of the IT platform and
services i.e. in-house applications, vendor applications, utilities, database management
systems, operating systems, the hardware platform, EDI and EFT. In addition, should costs
for rectification not be budgeted for, significant strain may be placed on financial
resources of the organisation.
KPMG South Africa focuses on the advisory aspect of
solving the problem, being organisational impact analysis, project management and
programme management. We suggest the 3-phased approach :
Phase 1 - Environment Evaluation and Assessment : The assessment of the size of the Year
2000 problem and its impact on the organisation and its external parties, according to a
predefined checklist and methodology.
Phase 2 - Conversion : Options for applications include : Retire, Replace, or Renovate.
Detailed systems analysis, conversion planning, and application conversion needs to be
scheduled.
Phase 3 - Testing and Implementation : Detailed testing of applications (up to 2003
recommended) and product implementation.
Should you require any Year 2000 Risk Management
assistance from our Information Risk Management Division, contact Gavin Maile or Arvind
Hari at tel. (011) 647 7111. For further information, click here to send an email to Gavin
Maile, partner in charge of KPMG's IT Audit and Consulting division in South Africa.
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