There are many strategic reasons for deploying ICT infrastructures, and VOI gives voice to all of them. However, it is especially germane to e-knowledge. VOI can be used to raise consciousness throughout the organization. The VOI perspective should be deployed by the CIO and the enterprise’s technology planning process/organization. However, the VOI perspective should pervade the entire enterprise, not just the information technology division.

Develop visions, plans, and strategies for your organization’s evolving Enterprise Application Infrastructure and Solutions (EAIS). Tomorrow’s enterprise infrastructures and solutions will be easily integrated and will fuse administrative and academic applications. Organizational visions, plans, and strategies should use the EAIS model to shape the development of all of its components:

• experience gateway,
• enterprise applications and solutions array,
• knowledge resource utility,
• network and hardware infrastructures supporting pervasive knowledge environments, and
• new kinds of services, solutions, and relationships with technology partners.

Leading-edge academic organizations have articulated a vision for such an infrastructure architecture, which is driving their efforts to transform learning and knowledge management. Most enterprises need to elevate their thinking on this score.

Exemplary Resources:
VOI-Based Strategies and ICT Plans

• Donald M. Norris. 2002. Assuring Value from Your ICT Investment. White Paper. www.transformingeknowledge.info

	7.
	Infrastructure

Focus on key elements of EAIS: a) Web site and portal capabilities to create the “experience gateway”, enabling progressive discovery of WINWINI; b) fusion of mission critical applications; c) progressive implementation of Web services; and d) wireless initiatives and mobile work/learning pilots.

a. Portalizing User Experiences. The next killer app in knowledge-centric organizations will be discovered through the experience gateway through which organizations will reinvent their relationships with customers, employees, members, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Most organizations are undertaking versions of this approach. This initiative is obvious to everyone in the enterprise using the Web site and portal capabilities.

However, the efforts of most organizations to develop personalized customization of an experience gateway need enhancement and acceleration.

• First, the strategic importance of this initiative and its impact on the enterprise must be understood and reflected on at all levels. For most organizations, it may be the most important single expedition in their development of e-knowledge capabilities.
• Second, continuous improvement and assessment of user satisfaction need to be integral elements of this expedition, and the pace of adaptation needs to be accelerated.
• Third, the experience gateway needs to be a central part of planning for programs, products, services, and experiences.