ICT Management. > Making Policies & Best Practice

Building Blocks of an IT Policy

By Lasa Information Systems Team

Although every organisation is different, there are certain elements and principles which should underpin all decisions on IT. This article discusses the common elements of any IT policy.

Although every organisation is different, there are certain elements and principles which should underpin all decisions on IT. There may be specific cases where you decide that your policy should be different. The important thing is that you have at least considered the issue. The following outlines elements that are likely to be included in an IT policy.

Staff responsibility

Setting clear roles and responsibilities for staff covering managerial, technical and administrative issues, including Back up and Anti Virus.  See the Staffing Issues section of ICT Management for more info on this.

External support

Few organisations have the sufficient skills in-house to support their IT systems and so buy in skills on a regular basis.  See the Getting Support section of ICT Management for more info on this.

Software

It is essential to standardise the software in an organisation in order to provide adequate support and training. Use of unlicensed software is illegal.  See the article Software Standardisation for more info on this.

Budgeting and Hardware Replacement and Purchasing

Every organisation needs a policy for regular replacement of computer equipment. This means setting a budget for IT spend just as is done for salaries and rent.  See the Budgeting section of ICT Management for more info on this.

Data protection, confidentiality, Internet and Email use

Organisations need to make sure they comply with relevant laws on data protection, decide on what is acceptable use of the Internet and email, and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities in these areas.  See the Legal Issues section of ICT Management for more info on this.

Training

Everyone recognises the importance of training but how do you make sure you get the right type of training?  See the Training section of ICT Management for more info on this.