Using Information Systems for Strategic Purposes

  understanding how businesses use information technology effectively is a critical skill in today’s business world.  Often a position is established for the role of a business analyst, which may reside either within a functional department or the Information Technology (IT) department.  Throughout this course, you will be approaching a Case Study and series of staged assignments from the role of a Business Analyst in the IT Department.  Think of the business analyst role as the liaison between a functional department and IT who helps analyze business processes, gather requirements from key stakeholders, and identify technology solutions to benefit the business.  Aligning technology solutions or information systems to help the organization achieve its business strategy is an important part of maximizing the investment in IT. 

 To help you understand this role and the importance of information systems, this week’s discussion focuses on analyzing how a business uses an information system for STRATEGIC purposes. 

 draw from his or her own experience, and tell us about a company that used an information system for STRATEGIC purposes.  Please be sure to tell us what the strategy was that they were working toward.  

 Be sure you're not just discussing their business strategy but also including the use of information systems to enable that strategy.  Searching on a company's mission and strategic goals can help you align the pieces.