the added value of IT

There are multiple methods for measuring the added value of IT available. The number of KPI's (key performance indicators) is impressive (see e.g. KPI library or ITIL2011). Question: is there anybody in the company that really makes a weekly/daily analysis of these KPI's? Do these KPI's provide sufficient basis for control on IT?

Even if the answer to both questions is 'YES' that doesn't mean that the Business is content with the performance of IT.

As practitioners we saw many situations where Business wasn't happy with IT and visa verse. In time we concluded that the perception of the added value is more important than the actual measurement of it.

This doesn't mean that I want you to stop measuring. On the contrary, however measuring and sharing the results with the business is only useful after we agreed on the desired role of IT in the company.

There are two sides to the perception of the added value.
  • the perception of the Business (=  the demand side of IT)
  • the perception of IT (= the supply side of IT)

Key question here is: are the perceptions the same? and if not can they come together?
We can project the matching of 'the perception on the maturity of the relationship between Business and IT' as follows:


Maturity perception

It's not hard to do a perception measurement on both sides. Filling out a simple questionnaire and mapping the results will show us where we are. When both sides more or less agree, we are within the comfort zone. If not  there is either a 'technology push' or a 'demand pull'.

IT value perception

Possible next steps are:

  1. initiate a dialog between Business and IT on the differences of opinion that popped-up
  2. come to a mutual understanding van a shared view on the 'To-Be' role of IT
  3. (re-)organize the communication between Business and IT in such a way that the 'To-Be' role can be reached
  4. (re-)organize the IT processes and KPI's




 

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