Top 5 significant factor for successful IT strategic assessment

1. Strengths and weaknesses
The attributes of the organization. For example, resources and capabilities, service quality, operating leverage, experience, skills, cost structures, customer service, global reach, product knowledge, customer relationships and so on.

2. Distinctive competencies
As discussed throughout the chapter, ‘What makes the service provider special to its business or customers?’

3. Business strategy
The perspective, position, plans and patterns received from a business strategy. For example, a Type I and II may be directed, as part of a new business model, to expose services to external partners or over the internet.
This is also where the discussion on customer outcomes begins and is carried forward into objectives setting.

4. Critical success factors
How will the Service Provider know when it is successful? When must those factors be achieved?

5. Threats and opportunities
Includes competitive thinking. For example, ‘Is the service provider vulnerable to substitution?’
Or, ‘Is there a means to outperform competing alternatives?’