The Foundation is critical to the initial setup of the operating procedures shared by multiple applications and disciplines. Included in the foundation are such items as the software development methodology and coding standards.

The Walls, such as the communications, data bases, hardware platforms, and security and management, are built on top of the foundation and support all necessary controlling mechanisms for the application standards.

The Roof represents the application standards. By building on the well designed foundation and walls, the roof will complete the integrated structure which will support the work processes required to meet business requirements.

Phase 1 - Initiate Project
Helps ensure a common understanding regarding the scope of the planning efforts, the planning activities, responsibilities and deliverables to be produced from this Long Range Plan. This phase concludes with a project kick-off meeting attended by all participating groups.

Phase 2 - Analyze Situation
Provides for the modeling of current operations. It includes inventorying existing information systems and analyzing their effectiveness in meeting business information needs. This phase provides a validation of the work process and identification of areas where improvements are needed in delivering or processing information, both of which need to continue as on-going efforts. This phase provides the starting point for moving from current information systems to those specified at the end of the planning study.

Phase 3 - Design Solutions
Provides a high-level conceptual architecture for application systems, data bases and technical platforms to define the strategies which govern businesses use of information systems.

Phase 4 - Develop Plans
Provides action plans for improving the delivery and processing of information. This phase develops a written plan which describes the required projects, the integration needs and an implementation plan for meeting those needs, including the schedule, resource requirements and cost estimates for each project.

Benefits
Strategic benefits are necessary for gaining a niche in the marketplace. Systems must be flexible in design, so they will be able to satisfy business needs when the business, organization or reporting requirements change. Therefore, they will provide both internal and external strategic benefits.

When these systems are designed and implemented, skill and technology will be applied to gain operational advantages, or efficiency benefits, such as lower costs and shorter schedules. The efficiency benefits also can be obtained from non-strategic systems. Porting the application standards from Mainframe to the PC to lower the computing cost is an example of this kind of efficiency benefit.