When developing an IT strategic plan that supports an enterprise's business goals which of the following should be done FIRST?

IT should support business goals, not drive them; the business defines its goals, and IT aligns with them.

Benchmarking data is valuable for assessing competitive position and identifying improvement areas but comes after understanding internal goals.

An IT strategic plan must be a derivative of and fully aligned with the overarching business strategy; therefore, understanding the enterprise's current vision, mission, and strategic objectives is the foundational prerequisite before any IT-specific planning can begin. This ensures IT investments and initiatives directly support business outcomes rather than operating in isolation.

A Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is important for understanding the criticality of business processes and systems, but it's typically done as part of risk management or disaster recovery planning, after the initial strategic vision is understood.