Company Overview.04/12/23-1COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL The Big Rocks in IT 2/2/2007 - 1Dean P. Briggs, Ph.D.

Tackling The “Big Rocks” in IT

“If you don’t put in the big rocks first, you’ll never get them in at all”

— Stephen Covey

Developing an IT Organization’s Planning and Prioritization Capabilities

Dean P. Briggs, Ph.D. The Big Rocks in IT 2/2/2007 -2

Covey’s Analogy

1. Tasks can be divided by importance into Big Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand.2. Your time is like a large glass beaker.3. If you put the Sand and Pebbles in first, you will never fit in the big rocks.4. However, if you put in the Big Rocks first, then there will be plenty of room for

the Pebbles and Sand around the Big Rocks.5. If you make time for the Big Rocks, then the Pebbles and Sand will take care of

themselves.

Big Rocks

Pebbles

Sand

Put In the Big Rocks First — Everything

FitsBig Rocks Don’t Fit

Dean P. Briggs, Ph.D. The Big Rocks in IT 2/2/2007 -3

What Are “Big Rocks”?

Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven

projects)

Where IT Management has focused in the past

Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships)

Where IT Management must now focus

Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing

matters)

Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)

Important

Not Important

Urgent Not Urgent

Too Much Time Spent Here

PEBBLES AND SAND

Way Too Little Time Spent Here

THE BIG ROCKSNo Choice: Must Spend Time Here

Dean P. Briggs, Ph.D. The Big Rocks in IT 2/2/2007 -4

IT Priorities — Breakout Groups Exercise

Important and Urgent

Important, Not Urgent

Urgent, Not Important

Not Urgent, Not Important

Team #1

Team #2 Team #4

Team #3Urgent Not Urgent

Impor-tant

NotImpor-

tant

Every Manager Faces

These Choices:

Where are you spending

your time?

Where would you like to

be spending your time?