sheryl, mariechelle, rosinni, and i in action with sir al at imageworld...:-)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
a day with sir al and his company
sheryl, mariechelle, rosinni, and i in action with sir al at imageworld...:-)
Why God created woman from man’s rib?
When I created the heavens, and the earth, I spoke them into being. When I created man, I formed him from dust of the earth and breathed life into his nostrils. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man was put to sleep so that h could not interfere with the creativity. I created you perfectly and beautifully. Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in a man, his heart.
His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man as the rib cage supports the body. You were not taken from his feet to be under him, nor were u taken from his head to be above him. You were taken from his side to stand beside him and be held close to his side. You are my perfect angel. You are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes feel when I see the virtue in your heart.
Your eyes: don’t change them.
Your lips: how lovely when they part in prayer.
Your nose so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to touch. I’ve caressed your face in your deepest sleep; I’ve held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives and breathes, you are the most like me. You are special because you are the extension of Me.
Man represents my image. WOMAN—my emotion.
Together, you represent the totality of God.
His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man as the rib cage supports the body. You were not taken from his feet to be under him, nor were u taken from his head to be above him. You were taken from his side to stand beside him and be held close to his side. You are my perfect angel. You are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes feel when I see the virtue in your heart.
Your eyes: don’t change them.
Your lips: how lovely when they part in prayer.
Your nose so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to touch. I’ve caressed your face in your deepest sleep; I’ve held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives and breathes, you are the most like me. You are special because you are the extension of Me.
Man represents my image. WOMAN—my emotion.
Together, you represent the totality of God.
analysis strategy and plan
Analysis Strategy
As our group has evaluated, we have agreed to pursue some procedures on how to acquire information for our analysis. The information that will be gathered will become the basis for the thorough development of our system. A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal (Wikipedia.org). These strategies will help us lead to attain our primary target, that is, to create a system that will somehow eventually be a help for the university’s own benefit.
In order for the group to acquire the necessary information, we first analyzed to whom we will address our concerns. With our discussion and brainstorming activity, we have seen that the primary variables involved are the people behind the university publication and some of the college publications as well. They are the ones well versed regarding the operations that will be the basis for us to come up with the As-Is and To-Be System. With this setting, the group will perform some information gathering techniques that will make way for us to gather the necessary data that we need. This approach will be of great contribution for the in-depth and thorough analysis and development of our proposed system. The procedures to be used are:
Interviews – these will inquire the respondents about the processes and other essential details about the services that they have.
Record Assessment – review of the recorded discussion with the person we have interviewed for our basis in picking up the required fine points for our system.
Analysis Plan
Planning for the analysis is critical since it will be a great factor for the success of the development of the stand-alone system and as an integrated system as well. With proper analysis plan, efficient system will be produced based from the data that will be collected through the various approaches in information gathering. Analysis plan has something to do with the analysis strategy. In short, they are much related. Conducting interviews for the university and college publication staffs will be the best tools in obtaining information. This activity is much vital for the conception of the system. Their knowledge is much needed for us to know and give us an idea to what the possible outcome of our system will be.
We have chosen to adopt the Interview scheme in information gathering. Through these interviews, we can simply have the information that we want from our respondents. The key people to be interviewed are the Editors-In-Chief of the existing publications of the University of Southeastern Philippines, including the departmental ones, since they have the potential to answer all of the queries that we have formulated for the system’s study. The organizations that would be interviewed are the “The Collegiate Headlight”, the official student publication of the University of Southeastern Philippines; “CT Signs ‘09”, the college publication of the College of Technology, and “The Eagle”, College of Education’s publication.
As our group has evaluated, we have agreed to pursue some procedures on how to acquire information for our analysis. The information that will be gathered will become the basis for the thorough development of our system. A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal (Wikipedia.org). These strategies will help us lead to attain our primary target, that is, to create a system that will somehow eventually be a help for the university’s own benefit.
In order for the group to acquire the necessary information, we first analyzed to whom we will address our concerns. With our discussion and brainstorming activity, we have seen that the primary variables involved are the people behind the university publication and some of the college publications as well. They are the ones well versed regarding the operations that will be the basis for us to come up with the As-Is and To-Be System. With this setting, the group will perform some information gathering techniques that will make way for us to gather the necessary data that we need. This approach will be of great contribution for the in-depth and thorough analysis and development of our proposed system. The procedures to be used are:
Interviews – these will inquire the respondents about the processes and other essential details about the services that they have.
Record Assessment – review of the recorded discussion with the person we have interviewed for our basis in picking up the required fine points for our system.
Analysis Plan
Planning for the analysis is critical since it will be a great factor for the success of the development of the stand-alone system and as an integrated system as well. With proper analysis plan, efficient system will be produced based from the data that will be collected through the various approaches in information gathering. Analysis plan has something to do with the analysis strategy. In short, they are much related. Conducting interviews for the university and college publication staffs will be the best tools in obtaining information. This activity is much vital for the conception of the system. Their knowledge is much needed for us to know and give us an idea to what the possible outcome of our system will be.
We have chosen to adopt the Interview scheme in information gathering. Through these interviews, we can simply have the information that we want from our respondents. The key people to be interviewed are the Editors-In-Chief of the existing publications of the University of Southeastern Philippines, including the departmental ones, since they have the potential to answer all of the queries that we have formulated for the system’s study. The organizations that would be interviewed are the “The Collegiate Headlight”, the official student publication of the University of Southeastern Philippines; “CT Signs ‘09”, the college publication of the College of Technology, and “The Eagle”, College of Education’s publication.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Which of them?
Analyzing a particular system will surely require detailed information about it so that it will be improved and developed further. Apparently, a person, team, or department who has the knowledge about the system will be approached for the purpose of inquiring or to gather data and for the system to be understood. Therefore, communication is essential for achieving these data—both for the client or user and the developer of the system.
In systems analysis, there are some identified techniques used in gathering data: Interviewing, Document review, Observation and the Use of Questionnaires. If I will be asked to categorize these techniques from what I am most comfy to make use of to the least one, it would be: Interviewing, Use of Questionnaires, Document Review, and lastly, Observation
I have ranked first the Interviewing scheme for the reason that it is what I believe the very efficient method if we want to make more clarification or we need to get a deeper explanation, or understanding about the system we are studying with. It may not seem that I am a chatty person as others might think of but actually I am just putting and using it at the proper time, place and person. As what I have experienced from my previous enrolled subjects which require visiting some establishments or companies, and involves a sort of interviewing with the responsible people, I realized that it was fun. I cannot say that I am a good conversationalist, but I can say that I have the confidence to talk with them in the best I can. Through Interviewing, we can possibly get even the most detailed information as we want to because we can make follow-up questions after the other and when we are being confused, we can ask until such time our queries are being responded. Use of Questionnaires is not that reliable for me. Unlike interviewing, having questionnaires is just limited.
Document Review will be strenuous, I think. You have to review, examine, and evaluate the lengthy document about a certain system. Although, the necessary information about the system is being written and presented on the document, there is no full assurance that you will completely comprehend the entire system right after reading it. It is likely to have questions after reviewing the document.
It would be difficult for me and for sure I will have a hard time if I am to use the Observation technique. Observing is very limited—it just depends on our five senses. If we have questions in us, it would be that we will or will never answer our own questions. There is also a big chance that if there is what we thought was the answer to our personal question, will be very far from the reality.
These techniques are all significant in gathering data specially in studying a system knowing that it is not that easy to fully understand them. Each of these techniques is applicable depending on a given situation. As far as I believe, they are all substantial in getting to know deeper in dealing with systems analysis.
In systems analysis, there are some identified techniques used in gathering data: Interviewing, Document review, Observation and the Use of Questionnaires. If I will be asked to categorize these techniques from what I am most comfy to make use of to the least one, it would be: Interviewing, Use of Questionnaires, Document Review, and lastly, Observation
I have ranked first the Interviewing scheme for the reason that it is what I believe the very efficient method if we want to make more clarification or we need to get a deeper explanation, or understanding about the system we are studying with. It may not seem that I am a chatty person as others might think of but actually I am just putting and using it at the proper time, place and person. As what I have experienced from my previous enrolled subjects which require visiting some establishments or companies, and involves a sort of interviewing with the responsible people, I realized that it was fun. I cannot say that I am a good conversationalist, but I can say that I have the confidence to talk with them in the best I can. Through Interviewing, we can possibly get even the most detailed information as we want to because we can make follow-up questions after the other and when we are being confused, we can ask until such time our queries are being responded. Use of Questionnaires is not that reliable for me. Unlike interviewing, having questionnaires is just limited.
Document Review will be strenuous, I think. You have to review, examine, and evaluate the lengthy document about a certain system. Although, the necessary information about the system is being written and presented on the document, there is no full assurance that you will completely comprehend the entire system right after reading it. It is likely to have questions after reviewing the document.
It would be difficult for me and for sure I will have a hard time if I am to use the Observation technique. Observing is very limited—it just depends on our five senses. If we have questions in us, it would be that we will or will never answer our own questions. There is also a big chance that if there is what we thought was the answer to our personal question, will be very far from the reality.
These techniques are all significant in gathering data specially in studying a system knowing that it is not that easy to fully understand them. Each of these techniques is applicable depending on a given situation. As far as I believe, they are all substantial in getting to know deeper in dealing with systems analysis.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Moverzz Proposed System -- E-Publication System
Situational Analysis:
The Collegiate Headlight, the official publication of the University of Southeastern Philippines, showcases the literary talents of the USePians. The staff of the organization (Collegiate Headlight) creates entries that show the current issues inside the university and the appeals of the mass.
The university is composed of several colleges namely: the College of Technology, College of Engineering, Institute of Computing, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, School of Applied Economics, and the College of Governance and Business Economics. The Collegiate Headlight allows the students from these different departments to submit their own literary entries by dropping them at the entry boxes placed at the Collegiate Headlight office. With this scenario, our group has observed that this becomes inconvenient for the part of the students, who wish to submit their works because they have to intentionally go to the office and drop their entries. Moreover, it also adds to the task of the Collegiate Headlight staff because they have to check from time to time if there are some literary works being submitted so they can start organizing and preparing their draft for the publication release. On the other hand, it is also a burden for the student’s side to pay every semester to avail for the said publication.
E-Publication System
Our group proposes to have a system that will make use of the technology and incorporate it in the university’s publication. An online publication (Collegiate Headlight) system is viewable by the users where they can read the entries within it. It will also have features that will allow the contributors to submit their literary works online instead of the traditional submission which is by dropping them off at the entry boxes.
The system goes like this: On the main page, there will be links for the contributor’s area, archive, comments and suggestions, and a link for the current release of the Collegiate Headlight. This system will be called the E-Publication System which will simplify the uploading and downloading of the literary entries through the aid of the Internet.
On the contributor’s area, students from the different departments of the university are free to submit and edit their works. The archive link is for the students who wish to read the previous releases of the Collegiate Headlight. The comments and suggestions link’s purpose is for the betterment of the online publication. A link for the current release of the Collegiate Headlight is provided for the students to read. Furthermore, the files are downloadable.
Benefits:
1.The E-Publication System will lessen the semestral enrollment fees of the students and as well as for the part of the organization (The Collegiate Headlight), in terms of their printing charges for the massive production of the school publication to be issued to the USePians.
2.There is an update for every USePian so as to announce when will be the submission and deadline for their literary works and also for the announcement of its release.
3.This system will minimize the works of the publication staff and as well as for the students who wish to be part of the literary folio by submitting their own made entries.
The Collegiate Headlight, the official publication of the University of Southeastern Philippines, showcases the literary talents of the USePians. The staff of the organization (Collegiate Headlight) creates entries that show the current issues inside the university and the appeals of the mass.
The university is composed of several colleges namely: the College of Technology, College of Engineering, Institute of Computing, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, School of Applied Economics, and the College of Governance and Business Economics. The Collegiate Headlight allows the students from these different departments to submit their own literary entries by dropping them at the entry boxes placed at the Collegiate Headlight office. With this scenario, our group has observed that this becomes inconvenient for the part of the students, who wish to submit their works because they have to intentionally go to the office and drop their entries. Moreover, it also adds to the task of the Collegiate Headlight staff because they have to check from time to time if there are some literary works being submitted so they can start organizing and preparing their draft for the publication release. On the other hand, it is also a burden for the student’s side to pay every semester to avail for the said publication.
E-Publication System
Our group proposes to have a system that will make use of the technology and incorporate it in the university’s publication. An online publication (Collegiate Headlight) system is viewable by the users where they can read the entries within it. It will also have features that will allow the contributors to submit their literary works online instead of the traditional submission which is by dropping them off at the entry boxes.
The system goes like this: On the main page, there will be links for the contributor’s area, archive, comments and suggestions, and a link for the current release of the Collegiate Headlight. This system will be called the E-Publication System which will simplify the uploading and downloading of the literary entries through the aid of the Internet.
On the contributor’s area, students from the different departments of the university are free to submit and edit their works. The archive link is for the students who wish to read the previous releases of the Collegiate Headlight. The comments and suggestions link’s purpose is for the betterment of the online publication. A link for the current release of the Collegiate Headlight is provided for the students to read. Furthermore, the files are downloadable.
Benefits:
1.The E-Publication System will lessen the semestral enrollment fees of the students and as well as for the part of the organization (The Collegiate Headlight), in terms of their printing charges for the massive production of the school publication to be issued to the USePians.
2.There is an update for every USePian so as to announce when will be the submission and deadline for their literary works and also for the announcement of its release.
3.This system will minimize the works of the publication staff and as well as for the students who wish to be part of the literary folio by submitting their own made entries.
What are the two most frequently experienced causes of frustration in IS Professionals and users while working on an IS plan?
Problems will naturally arise in an organization due to some factors. Apparently, frustrations will come and blow out the minds of the people working in the organization specially between the IS professionals and the users. Like any other activity, planning is so much vital to achieve the desirable results being forecasted. Normally, any business or organization has their own corresponding strategies on how to make their own company expand and at the same time attain their goals being set. Any business involves various risks—it is natural and inevitable. That is why planning is essential to make an organization survive and still compete in the industry knowing that they are involved in the survival of the fittest manner.
As defined, Strategic Information System Planning is the analysis of a corporation’s information and processes using business information models together with the evaluation of risk, current needs and requirements. The result is an action plan showing the desired course of events necessary to align information use and needs with the strategic direction of the company (Battaglia, 1991).
Lederer and Sethi (1988) surveyed 80 organizations to examine the problems faced by information systems managers when they attempt to implement one of three alignment methodologies, BSP, SSP or IE. Barlow (1990) has also examined the SISP methodologies and
has provided some insights into their structure and implementation problems. Bergeron et al. (1991)
examined the issue of application of two ‘impact’ methodologies, Porter’s Value Chain Analysis and
Wiseman’s Strategic Thrust Methodology. These studies and the insights developed by us form the basis of this section which provides a critique of the existing methodologies. The detailed list of problems in implementing SISP methodologies has been classified by Lederer and Sethi as resource, planning process, or output related problem associated with the three methodologies.
According to this survey, the most severe problem identified by IS managers is the failure to secure top management commitment for carrying out the final plan.
Normally, IS managers will somehow feel and experience the burden brought by the various problems, ongoing changes and the inconsistencies of the IS plan of a particular organization. This would really make them feel frustrated. Due to these factors, the plan would not be hundred percent sure that what is thought to be the final plan will be pursued. As the day goes by, changes will come, developments and greater and brighter ideas will arise. This means that the top management which is accountable and responsible for carrying out the goals and plans of the organization will expect to have not-so-good feedbacks from their subordinates. For sure, this would affect the people behind the IS planning and as well as the users. Integrity is diminished because of the inconsistencies and changes.
The second most severe problem identified is the requirement for substantial further analysis after the completion of the IS plan.
Analysis is a critical part of having the planning. After the Information System plan is established, supplementary and advanced study is needed to facilitate and manage the plan; study that would integrate the best propositions being set for the expansion and growth of the organization. Since many ideas are coming from the planning team, the salient things and the detailed fine points necessary to be dealt with will bring confusion to the IS managers—another frustration that needs to be answered.
Both these problems are related to the output of the planning process. Besides these top two, six of the next top eight problems are related to the resources required to carry out the strategic information systems planning (success of the plan depends on the team leader, difficulty in finding the team leader meeting the criteria specified in the study, methodology lacking computer support, planning exercise taking long time, etc.). Among the top ten problems encountered while
implementing one of these methodologies (or, even while implementing an in-house methodology), three are common: difficulty in obtaining top management commitment for implementing the outputs, the requirement of substantial further analysis and difficulty in finding a good team leader.
The results of this survey suggest that IS planners are not particularly satisfied with their methodologies. If the objective of the SISP exercise is to align IS objectives with business goals, then detailed, lengthy and complex SISP may be of limited value. Where the objective is to use IT to impact a business strategy, these methodologies may not generate useful ideas for that purpose.
Bergeron et al. (1990), however, point out that the value chain analysis and Wiseman’s strategic
methodologies do help in achieving that purpose. Barlow (1990) suggests that the large number of
methodologies that have been developed can often ‘add confusion rather than clarity to the (IS)
planning process.’
Salient points which emerge from this and the preceding sections are:
• Although strategic information systems planning is a major concern, most organizations find
it difficult to undertake it. Besides their lack of experience with SISP, absence of a comprehensive, structured, easy to use methodology may also be a main reason for it. It is possible that the advances in Information Technology and their applicability in organizations has outpaced all formal methodologies evolved in the 70s and 80s or evolved in 90s as marginally modified versions of the earlier methodologies, which were largely dominated by IBM’s Business
Systems Planning.
• Further, as pointed out by Barlow (1990) also, the overall success of an integrated business/technology architecture depends upon the organizational structure, the level of IT experience within the company and the availability of information resources. Since these factors differ between firms, there may not be a single best way to view IT planning.
A comprehensive methodology for SISP will need to incorporate both the ‘impact’ and the ‘align’
views. Since it is vital to face the frustrations between the IS professionals and the users, with proper cooperation, and attitude for both parties, success will surely come.
As defined, Strategic Information System Planning is the analysis of a corporation’s information and processes using business information models together with the evaluation of risk, current needs and requirements. The result is an action plan showing the desired course of events necessary to align information use and needs with the strategic direction of the company (Battaglia, 1991).
Lederer and Sethi (1988) surveyed 80 organizations to examine the problems faced by information systems managers when they attempt to implement one of three alignment methodologies, BSP, SSP or IE. Barlow (1990) has also examined the SISP methodologies and
has provided some insights into their structure and implementation problems. Bergeron et al. (1991)
examined the issue of application of two ‘impact’ methodologies, Porter’s Value Chain Analysis and
Wiseman’s Strategic Thrust Methodology. These studies and the insights developed by us form the basis of this section which provides a critique of the existing methodologies. The detailed list of problems in implementing SISP methodologies has been classified by Lederer and Sethi as resource, planning process, or output related problem associated with the three methodologies.
According to this survey, the most severe problem identified by IS managers is the failure to secure top management commitment for carrying out the final plan.
Normally, IS managers will somehow feel and experience the burden brought by the various problems, ongoing changes and the inconsistencies of the IS plan of a particular organization. This would really make them feel frustrated. Due to these factors, the plan would not be hundred percent sure that what is thought to be the final plan will be pursued. As the day goes by, changes will come, developments and greater and brighter ideas will arise. This means that the top management which is accountable and responsible for carrying out the goals and plans of the organization will expect to have not-so-good feedbacks from their subordinates. For sure, this would affect the people behind the IS planning and as well as the users. Integrity is diminished because of the inconsistencies and changes.
The second most severe problem identified is the requirement for substantial further analysis after the completion of the IS plan.
Analysis is a critical part of having the planning. After the Information System plan is established, supplementary and advanced study is needed to facilitate and manage the plan; study that would integrate the best propositions being set for the expansion and growth of the organization. Since many ideas are coming from the planning team, the salient things and the detailed fine points necessary to be dealt with will bring confusion to the IS managers—another frustration that needs to be answered.
Both these problems are related to the output of the planning process. Besides these top two, six of the next top eight problems are related to the resources required to carry out the strategic information systems planning (success of the plan depends on the team leader, difficulty in finding the team leader meeting the criteria specified in the study, methodology lacking computer support, planning exercise taking long time, etc.). Among the top ten problems encountered while
implementing one of these methodologies (or, even while implementing an in-house methodology), three are common: difficulty in obtaining top management commitment for implementing the outputs, the requirement of substantial further analysis and difficulty in finding a good team leader.
The results of this survey suggest that IS planners are not particularly satisfied with their methodologies. If the objective of the SISP exercise is to align IS objectives with business goals, then detailed, lengthy and complex SISP may be of limited value. Where the objective is to use IT to impact a business strategy, these methodologies may not generate useful ideas for that purpose.
Bergeron et al. (1990), however, point out that the value chain analysis and Wiseman’s strategic
methodologies do help in achieving that purpose. Barlow (1990) suggests that the large number of
methodologies that have been developed can often ‘add confusion rather than clarity to the (IS)
planning process.’
Salient points which emerge from this and the preceding sections are:
• Although strategic information systems planning is a major concern, most organizations find
it difficult to undertake it. Besides their lack of experience with SISP, absence of a comprehensive, structured, easy to use methodology may also be a main reason for it. It is possible that the advances in Information Technology and their applicability in organizations has outpaced all formal methodologies evolved in the 70s and 80s or evolved in 90s as marginally modified versions of the earlier methodologies, which were largely dominated by IBM’s Business
Systems Planning.
• Further, as pointed out by Barlow (1990) also, the overall success of an integrated business/technology architecture depends upon the organizational structure, the level of IT experience within the company and the availability of information resources. Since these factors differ between firms, there may not be a single best way to view IT planning.
A comprehensive methodology for SISP will need to incorporate both the ‘impact’ and the ‘align’
views. Since it is vital to face the frustrations between the IS professionals and the users, with proper cooperation, and attitude for both parties, success will surely come.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Critical Success Factors
Achieving success would definitely require a massive effort to attain it. The road towards it is not that smooth as others might think of. For some students like me, it would necessitate an assortment of pressures, sacrifices, challenges, failures, discouragements and many other negative things that are inevitable in one’s life. However, if there are goals and plans being set before them, triumph will then have its way. Like any organization or business, success means a big thing. Success would entail and depend on the strategic plans being made and how it is being implemented and managed. Having realistic expectations and timeframe are critical success factors for any project. Prior to the start of any project, the team must discuss all project plans and objectives of the project.
Critical success factors cannot be specifically defined for the masses because success can be defined quite differently by each individual, and for the goal at hand. Therefore, in order to identify critical success factors, it is first necessary to come to terms with your own personal definition of success. Each individual’s own definition of will be influenced by several key factors. Success is subject to individual interpretation based on upbringing, past experiences, role models, personal motivations and goals. Carefully contemplate your definition of success based on your values—not with what other people tell you what it is. Your own definition of personal success directly influences critical factors leading to that success. Your view of success will change at various times throughout your life. Your definition of success will continue to change, so don’t make the error of pursuing an outdated version of it. Success factors will change over time. Personal success is sometimes measurable and sometimes not. Very few people achieve success accidentally. Most people who achieve success first defined it then planned for it; they set a goal to achieve it. Critical success factors change with the goal. Once you have defined personal success for yourself, your next step is to set goals that will lead you to your definition of success. You must create realistic, viable plans to achieve those goals. Follow your plans, be flexible, and enjoy the process. Here are five success factors that will directly affect your success in achieving any goal:
Critical Success Factor # 1: Clearly Identify your Goal
Clearly determine what the goal is. Be specific.
This means that the goals should be precise and detailed so as to avoid any situations that would slow down or hinder the organization to attain success
Critical Success Factor # 2: Identify the Obstacles
List all the obstacles standing between you and the goal. Identify resources, assistance, information or anything else that might be needed to reach the goal. As you're writing, don’t get discouraged by the obstacles– they’re absolutely necessary to help you with the next step in completing your plan.
Critical Success Factor # 3: Know the Tasks Necessary to Overcome Each Obstacle
Taking each obstacle one at a time, write one or more ways the obstacle could be overcome. These are tasks that will comprise your to-do list. Expect to have several tasks per obstacle.
Critical Success Factor # 4: Assign Deadlines
Assign a start and completion date to each task in the plan. It’s ok to be working on several different tasks at the same time, but don’t over do it. Be realistic.
Critical Success Factor #5: Follow the Plan
If your success plan is too long or complicated, try breaking it into several smaller, more manageable plans. Don’t rely on luck or things outside your control as part of your success plan. Be flexible–expect your success plan to change before you complete it. Circumstances change, unexpected events occur, and your plan should be updated to adapt to changes.
Critical success factors, are key areas which you identify from conducting a SWOT, PEST and Porters Five Forces model, market research and competitor analysis. The basic logic is to look at the all the main results:
WEAKNESSES - What are your biggest business weaknesses that need addressing?
OPPORTUNITIES - What areas in the market need exploiting for your business to attain growth?
POLITICAL - Which political factors are important to your business, and need observing?, What is the current legislation?, Has your business achieved/aiming to achieve all the requirements?
ECONOMIC - What is the current economic climate like?, How will this affect business turnover?, What measures are you taking to ensure it does not adversely affect your business?
SOCIAL - What are the current consumer trends?, How can your business exploit them?, What are current consumer pressure groups re-acting to?
TECHNICAL - How is your business exploiting technology to achieve growth?, Is it through improving efficiency? or is it through using technology to aid new product development?
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS - What are your competitors doing?
MARKET RESEARCH - What do the consumers feel about existing/new products and services?
Critical Success Factors are strongly related to the mission and strategic goals of your business or project. Whereas the mission and goals focus on the aims and what is to be achieved. CSF focus on the most important areas and get to the very heart of both what is to be achieved and how you will achieve it.
Critical Success Factors are the areas of your business or project that are absolutely essential to its success. By identifying and communicating these CSFs, you can help ensure your business or project is well-focused and avoids wasting effort and resources on less important areas. By making CSFs explicit, and communicating them with everyone involved, you can help keep the business and project on track towards common goals and aims.
Rockart defined CSF as: The limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure successful competitive performance for the organization. They are the few key areas where things must go right for the business to flourish. If results in these areas are not adequate, the organization’s efforts for the period will be less than desired.
He also concluded that CSF are “areas of activity that should receive constant and careful attention from management.”
In reality, identifying your CSFs is a very iterative process. Your mission, strategic goals and CSFs are intrinsically linked and each will be refined as you develop them.
Here are steps that will help you identify the CSFs for your business or project.
Step 1: Establish your business’s or project’s mission and strategic goals.
Step 2: For each strategic goal, ask yourself “what area of business or project activity is essential to achieve this goal? The answers to the question are your candidate CSFs:
To make sure you consider all types of possible CSFs, you can use Rockart’s CSF types as a checklist:
INDUSTRY— these factors result from specific industry characteristics. These are the things that the organization must do to remain competitive.
ENVIRONMENTAL— these factors result from macro-environmental influences on an organization. Things like the business climate, the economy, competitors, and technological advancements are included in this category.
STRATEGIC—these factors result from the specific competitive strategy chosen by the organization. The way in which the company chooses to position themselves, market themselves, whether they are high volume low cost or low volume high cost producers, etc.
TEMPORAL – these factors result from the organization’s internal forces. Specific barriers, challenges, directions, and influences will determine these CSFs.
Step 3: Evaluate the list of candidate CSFs to find the absolute essential elements for achieving success – these are your Critical Success Factors.
As you identify and evaluate candidate CSFs, you may uncover some new strategic objectives or more detailed objectives. So you may need to define your mission, objectives and CSFs iteratively.
Step 4: Identify how you will monitor and measure each of the CSFs.
Step 5: Communicate your CSF along with the other important elements of your business or project’s strategy.
Step 6: Keep monitoring and reevaluating your CSF to ensure you keep moving towards your aims. Indeed, whilst CSF are sometimes less tangible than measurable goals, it is useful to identify as specifically as possible how you can measure or monitor each one.
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Critical success factors cannot be specifically defined for the masses because success can be defined quite differently by each individual, and for the goal at hand. Therefore, in order to identify critical success factors, it is first necessary to come to terms with your own personal definition of success. Each individual’s own definition of will be influenced by several key factors. Success is subject to individual interpretation based on upbringing, past experiences, role models, personal motivations and goals. Carefully contemplate your definition of success based on your values—not with what other people tell you what it is. Your own definition of personal success directly influences critical factors leading to that success. Your view of success will change at various times throughout your life. Your definition of success will continue to change, so don’t make the error of pursuing an outdated version of it. Success factors will change over time. Personal success is sometimes measurable and sometimes not. Very few people achieve success accidentally. Most people who achieve success first defined it then planned for it; they set a goal to achieve it. Critical success factors change with the goal. Once you have defined personal success for yourself, your next step is to set goals that will lead you to your definition of success. You must create realistic, viable plans to achieve those goals. Follow your plans, be flexible, and enjoy the process. Here are five success factors that will directly affect your success in achieving any goal:
Critical Success Factor # 1: Clearly Identify your Goal
Clearly determine what the goal is. Be specific.
This means that the goals should be precise and detailed so as to avoid any situations that would slow down or hinder the organization to attain success
Critical Success Factor # 2: Identify the Obstacles
List all the obstacles standing between you and the goal. Identify resources, assistance, information or anything else that might be needed to reach the goal. As you're writing, don’t get discouraged by the obstacles– they’re absolutely necessary to help you with the next step in completing your plan.
Critical Success Factor # 3: Know the Tasks Necessary to Overcome Each Obstacle
Taking each obstacle one at a time, write one or more ways the obstacle could be overcome. These are tasks that will comprise your to-do list. Expect to have several tasks per obstacle.
Critical Success Factor # 4: Assign Deadlines
Assign a start and completion date to each task in the plan. It’s ok to be working on several different tasks at the same time, but don’t over do it. Be realistic.
Critical Success Factor #5: Follow the Plan
If your success plan is too long or complicated, try breaking it into several smaller, more manageable plans. Don’t rely on luck or things outside your control as part of your success plan. Be flexible–expect your success plan to change before you complete it. Circumstances change, unexpected events occur, and your plan should be updated to adapt to changes.
Critical success factors, are key areas which you identify from conducting a SWOT, PEST and Porters Five Forces model, market research and competitor analysis. The basic logic is to look at the all the main results:
WEAKNESSES - What are your biggest business weaknesses that need addressing?
OPPORTUNITIES - What areas in the market need exploiting for your business to attain growth?
POLITICAL - Which political factors are important to your business, and need observing?, What is the current legislation?, Has your business achieved/aiming to achieve all the requirements?
ECONOMIC - What is the current economic climate like?, How will this affect business turnover?, What measures are you taking to ensure it does not adversely affect your business?
SOCIAL - What are the current consumer trends?, How can your business exploit them?, What are current consumer pressure groups re-acting to?
TECHNICAL - How is your business exploiting technology to achieve growth?, Is it through improving efficiency? or is it through using technology to aid new product development?
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS - What are your competitors doing?
MARKET RESEARCH - What do the consumers feel about existing/new products and services?
Critical Success Factors are strongly related to the mission and strategic goals of your business or project. Whereas the mission and goals focus on the aims and what is to be achieved. CSF focus on the most important areas and get to the very heart of both what is to be achieved and how you will achieve it.
Critical Success Factors are the areas of your business or project that are absolutely essential to its success. By identifying and communicating these CSFs, you can help ensure your business or project is well-focused and avoids wasting effort and resources on less important areas. By making CSFs explicit, and communicating them with everyone involved, you can help keep the business and project on track towards common goals and aims.
Rockart defined CSF as: The limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure successful competitive performance for the organization. They are the few key areas where things must go right for the business to flourish. If results in these areas are not adequate, the organization’s efforts for the period will be less than desired.
He also concluded that CSF are “areas of activity that should receive constant and careful attention from management.”
In reality, identifying your CSFs is a very iterative process. Your mission, strategic goals and CSFs are intrinsically linked and each will be refined as you develop them.
Here are steps that will help you identify the CSFs for your business or project.
Step 1: Establish your business’s or project’s mission and strategic goals.
Step 2: For each strategic goal, ask yourself “what area of business or project activity is essential to achieve this goal? The answers to the question are your candidate CSFs:
To make sure you consider all types of possible CSFs, you can use Rockart’s CSF types as a checklist:
INDUSTRY— these factors result from specific industry characteristics. These are the things that the organization must do to remain competitive.
ENVIRONMENTAL— these factors result from macro-environmental influences on an organization. Things like the business climate, the economy, competitors, and technological advancements are included in this category.
STRATEGIC—these factors result from the specific competitive strategy chosen by the organization. The way in which the company chooses to position themselves, market themselves, whether they are high volume low cost or low volume high cost producers, etc.
TEMPORAL – these factors result from the organization’s internal forces. Specific barriers, challenges, directions, and influences will determine these CSFs.
Step 3: Evaluate the list of candidate CSFs to find the absolute essential elements for achieving success – these are your Critical Success Factors.
As you identify and evaluate candidate CSFs, you may uncover some new strategic objectives or more detailed objectives. So you may need to define your mission, objectives and CSFs iteratively.
Step 4: Identify how you will monitor and measure each of the CSFs.
Step 5: Communicate your CSF along with the other important elements of your business or project’s strategy.
Step 6: Keep monitoring and reevaluating your CSF to ensure you keep moving towards your aims. Indeed, whilst CSF are sometimes less tangible than measurable goals, it is useful to identify as specifically as possible how you can measure or monitor each one.
**mindtools.com
**squidoo.com
**eCommerce-Now.com
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