Two stage business and IT-alignment: Initial experiences from portal implementation for non-traditional study formats of a university

Abstract

Business and IT-alignment (BITA) is a continuous process aiming at aligning strategic and operational objectives and ways to implement them between the business divisions of an organization and its information technology. The work presented in this paper focuses on a specific aspect of BITA: the process of creating an alignment between stakeholders in an organization and the IT. In a project aiming at the implementation of lifelong learning services, experiences were collected supporting a two stage BITA process. The organizational objective of the project was to offer tailor-made learning possibilities at university level to new, non-traditional target groups. New study formats allow to start studying at any stage of life and offer appropriate IT support for new target groups and study formats. The central technological idea consists in a context-oriented, information technology portal for e-learning, the MyKOSMOS portal, with an individualized and demand-based supply of information for the learners.