A Generic Framework for Developing Strategic Information System Plans: Insights from Past Three Decades

Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) has been a major concern for business and information systems (IS) managers since the 1980s. Past research has proposed several methodologies, processes and models which facilitate development of SISP in organisations. This paper employs a systematic literature review approach and studies 84 papers (which remained after search in nine scientific databases and reviewing more than 2700 papers) in the field to compare the processes proposed in different methodologies. We then synthesized steps in these processes and in several rounds of integration and division, formed a general seven phase framework which covers all activities in the literature. The main elements of the proposed framework are: Initiation, Business Analysis, IT/IS Analysis, Strategy Formulation, Portfolio Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. The paper concludes with recommendations for both practitioners and researchers.