PA Consulting Group has announced a new strategic planning tool designed to help businesses use information technology to its fullest advantage. The launch follows a detailed survey, involving 100 major companies, into the integration of information technology strategy and business objectives. Its conclusion revealed conflicting attitudes towards computers. Many companies acknowledge the advantage of using computers to gain strategic or competitive advantage over their rivals, yet in reality, information technology is under-exploited, largely because of the lack of adequate tools for information systems planning. London SW-based PA Consulting Group looks for its Tetrarch to redress the balance. Tetrarch is a software support toolset for planning information systems and managing information technology. It consists of four modules: Business Review, which is used to analyse the company and its markets; Business Analysis, a Computer Aided Engineering Tool that provides graphical representation of current and future business environments; Strategy Formulation, which considers information systems opportunities in the context of business priorities; and Strategy Development, which amalgamates the previous information into a plan for the introduction of information systems. Written in Microsoft’s compiled Basic, plus some Assembler, the toolset runs on any MS-DOS box with 640Kb of memory. It will drive any Epson-compatible matrix printer, and comes with a Microsoft mouse option. PA Consultancy Group will not sell individual sections of the toolset, but instead will provide an Information Technology Consultancy service, during which it will assess the computing requirements of the individual company. Companies that wish to develop information systems themselves may buy the complete toolset, in which case PA Consultancy Group will provide training. Either way, the cost will amount to around UKP10,000.
