Advancing the Science of IT Management
What is wrong with performance parity?
A key problem in the IT industry is that best practice frameworks and advisory services that IT executives often turn to when making capability improvement decisions aren’t based on data, and may only enable average performance.
ITIL version 3 and Cobit version 4 are established frameworks that include an implied industry consensus about what works. But IT organizations often implement practices in a piecemeal fashion. There is no data to indicate which of the hundreds and even thousands of practices contained in these frameworks actually contribute to improved performance. And at best, if they do work, they enable service capability that is only as good as everyone else that implements the best practices identified in the framework.
Another source of guidance is expert advisory services that are based on a rolodex research model. This type of guidance is developed by people with former industry insider status at enviable margins. However, the insights are based on insider whisperings, and whether or not they have merit, they are not subject to verification.
Both sources serve their purpose, but neither are based on data. Who knows if they actually work? CIOs and IT executives that are increasingly moving into realm of competitive business strategy need both guidance that enables some advantage, and the data to show what to expect from recommended improvement.
IT Process Institute Approach - Shared Research Model
The IT Process Institute has developed a unique alternative source of information for IT decision makers. Our shared research model allows participating organizations to receive data about what is proven to work, and that is shared among those participating in the research. And, through participation, provide opportunities for IT practitioners to help direct and shape the research to meet specific requirements of their organizations.
For many companies without research budgets, moving beyond best practice or challenging analyst’s views is cost prohibitive. For those with heavy managerial responsibilities, it is often easier to place the responsibility of “knowing” what works on the shared consensus of frameworks or the advisory services to which one subscribes. But that approach is most likely to yield “business as usual” results and may not be enough for IT organizations looking to add strategic value to the organization.
The IT Process Institute has created a unique three-part methodology designed to leverage a shared-cost model that enables top-performing capabilities through the participation of our members.
- Research – participate in the identification and study top-performers through qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Benchmarking – leverage tools that allow members to compare their practices and results to the top performing organizations identified in our studies.
- Prescriptive Guidance – share individual practices that offer applied insights from research findings and benchmark results.
With a simple data-driven and participatory approach, the IT Process Institute aims to uncover unique insights that boost the efficiency and effectiveness of our member organizations.
- Fresh Perspective – we are not tied to existing industry frameworks. Our obsession is simply discovering what works.
- Data Driven – we believe in a data driven approach to performance improvement, and use empirical research as the cornerstone for our products and services.
- Designed to Enable Top Levels of Performance – the IT Process Institute enables competitive advantage by focusing on the causes of top performance, which we define as the top 15th percentile of organizations we study.
IT Process Institute is a membership based organization. We are a group of concerned and involved IT practitioners that are committed to improving the operating performance of IT organizations across all industries. Funded by the generous sponsorship of leading organizations, and reasonable membership fees, IT Process Institute is able to fund both projects and ongoing operations.