A comprehensive prescriptive action plan development model for information systems through project prioritization and roadmap planning

Abstract

Information technology/information systems investments are critical for business success. However, managers often face the challenge of prioritizing and selecting projects that better satisfy their needs, mainly due to the high number of options available and limited resources. Since investment decisions can strongly impact the organizational path, well-defined processes are required to guide them. At present, there is a lack of clarity about how organizations should proceed in information systems planning since most of the research literature focuses on decision models and criteria that only produce a prioritized list of initiatives without addressing the process and the subsequent need to define a plan for project implementation. In this article, we propose a new method for supporting the definition of information systems action plans resulting from a design science research project carried out in a public organization. We contribute to the theory and practice by providing a method that outlines the process comprehensively and describes the definition and application of a straightforward decision model for project prioritization in a real case, aiming to assist managers in conducting an efficient decision and prioritization of information technology investments.