Question 1

The tactical level of IT planning is focused on the external environment and making decisions about the allocation of resources for competitive advantage.

Accepted Answer

The tactical level of IT planning is actually focused on the internal environment of the organization, such as the allocation of resources for operational efficiency and effectiveness. Strategic level IT planning is focused on the external environment and making decisions for competitive advantage.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the IT process in which the Application Portfolio Matrix and the Application Prioritization Matrix would most likely be used?

Accepted Answer

The Application Portfolio Matrix and the Application Prioritization Matrix are typically used in the IT process of application planning. The Portfolio Matrix helps to assess the current state of the organization's applications and identify areas for improvement, while the Prioritization Matrix helps to prioritize which applications to focus on first based on criteria such as business value and technical debt.

Question 3

Ownership and creation of a corporate recovery and management plan in many organizations is the responsibility of the CEO, CFO, COO or other business executive.

Accepted Answer

The ownership and creation of a corporate recovery and management plan is typically the responsibility of high-level executives such as the CEO, CFO, COO, or other business leaders.

Question 4

The CIO should be the owner of the business strategic planning process.

Accepted Answer

The CEO or top management typically owns the business strategic planning process, while the CIO contributes to it, focusing on aligning IT strategy with business goals.

Question 5

Each of the following is a category of the Application Portfolio Matrix except:

Accepted Answer

The categories of the Application Portfolio Matrix are typically strategic applications, support applications, and turnaround applications. Warehouse applications are not a common category in this model.

Question 6

Enterprise Resource Planning systems such as JD Edwards and SAP best describe which category of the Application Portfolio Matrix?

Accepted Answer

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems like JD Edwards and SAP are considered Factory applications in the Application Portfolio Matrix because they are essential for the efficient operation of a business, focusing on optimizing and automating core business processes.

Question 7

The tactical level of IT planning is focused on the external environment to address short-to-medium timeframe organizational responses to competitive threats.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately defines the focus of tactical IT planning, which is a response to external competitive threats that can affect an organization in the short-to-medium term.

Question 8

The ability for an application to deliver business benefits best describes the business impact dimension of application prioritization.

Accepted Answer

The business impact dimension of application prioritization focuses on how an application can deliver business benefits such as increased revenue, improved customer satisfaction, and reduced costs.

Question 9

Amazon.com's "one-click" technology best exemplifies an application in the support category of the Application Portfolio Matrix.

Accepted Answer

Amazon.com's "one-click" technology is an example of a strategic application, as it directly contributes to competitive advantage and customer satisfaction by simplifying the purchasing process.

Question 10

According to the Application Prioritization Matrix, the most attractive applications are those that have a high business impact and a low ease of execution.

Accepted Answer

The most attractive applications according to the Application Prioritization Matrix are those that have a high business impact and a high ease of execution, as these factors suggest the application will provide significant value with relatively less effort or complexity.

Question 11

The operational level of IT planning is focused on day-to-day concerns of running the IT infrastructure.

Accepted Answer

The operational level of IT planning deals with the daily operations, maintenance, and support of the IT infrastructure. It is concerned with the immediate needs and issues of the system and is responsible for ensuring that the IT services meet the organization's requirements.

Question 12

It is best to have multiple contingency plans rather than one single plan to address potential disaster scenarios.

Accepted Answer

Having multiple contingency plans allows for more flexibility and adaptability in the face of unexpected events. It also increases the chances of being prepared for a wider range of scenarios. Having one single plan may not account for all possible variables and may not be effective in all situations.

Question 13

IT plans need to accommodate both the business and IT environments if IT is to be effectively aligned with the business.

Accepted Answer

IT cannot exist in isolation from the business environment. It is crucial to design IT plans that are in sync with the goals and objectives of the business so that it delivers value and improves the overall efficiency of the organization.

Question 14

Each of the following IT processes may be expanded to include emerging technologies except:

Accepted Answer

Project planning, while it can adapt to include new technologies, is fundamentally a process methodology focused on scope, timelines, and resources rather than the integration or expansion of emerging technologies themselves. The other options directly involve the consideration and incorporation of new technologies into their respective areas.

Question 15

The senior IT managers should be the owners of the IT strategy planning process.

Accepted Answer

Senior IT managers are responsible for developing and overseeing the IT strategy, so they should be the ones leading the planning process.

Question 16

The strategic level of IT planning is focused on the external environment and making decisions about the allocation of resources for competitive advantage.

Accepted Answer

The strategic level of IT planning involves analyzing the external environment, identifying opportunities for creating a competitive advantage, and allocating resources accordingly. This level of planning focuses on long-term goals and the big picture of how technology can support business objectives.

Question 17

An ERP system, such as J.D. Edwards or SAP, best exemplifies an application in the factory category of the Application Portfolio Matrix.

Accepted Answer

An ERP system is a software application that integrates different departments and functions across a company into a single computer system. It is commonly used in manufacturing companies to manage their production, inventory, logistics, and accounting processes. This type of application falls within the factory category of the Application Portfolio Matrix, which represents applications that are critical to the company's core operations and processes.

Question 18

The degree of difficulty for an organization to implement an application best defines the business impact dimension of application prioritization.

Accepted Answer

The business impact dimension of application prioritization refers to how critical an application is to the organization's operations or success, not the difficulty of implementing it.

Question 19

New systems that have the potential to open or define new markets or radically transform how the organization competes, but have not yet proven effective, best exemplifies an application in the strategic category of the Application Portfolio Matrix.

Accepted Answer

The answer of New systems that have the potential to...

Question 20

Applications that are high on business impact and high on ease of execution best describes which category of the Application Prioritization Matrix?

Accepted Answer

Applications that are high on business impact and high on ease of execution are best categorized as Quick wins. These applications have the potential to deliver significant value to the business and can be implemented quickly and easily, making them an ideal choice for prioritization.

Quiz 6: IT Planning