Deploying and maintaining software applications has become a key success factor for executing an IT-enabled business strategy. An IT Process Institute study of 340 IT organizations identified specific application lifecycle practices that predict top levels of performance. The combination of an end-to-end lifecycle, a focus on process, the use of rigorous pre-release practices, and leveraging tools and automation can help IT organizations achieve the simultaneous objectives of increased agility, efficiency, and control. This paper highlights the use of key practices and their impact on key operating performance measures, that differentiate top performers from their lower performing peers.