Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

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  • The enterprise architecture (EA) team is constantly challenged to articulate the value of its function.
  • The CIO has asked the EA team to help articulate the business value the team brings.
  • Traceability from the business goals and vision to the EA contributions often does not exist.
  • Also, clients often struggle with complexity, priorities, and agile execution.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • EA can deliver many benefits to an organization. However, to increase the likelihood of success, the EA group needs to deliver value to the business and cannot be seen solely as IT.
  • Support from the organization is needed.
  • An EA strategy anchored in a value proposition will ensure that EA focuses on driving the most critical outcomes in support of the organization’s enterprise strategy.
  • As agility is not just for project execution, architects need to understand ways to deliver their guidance to influence project execution in real time, to enable the enterprise agility, and to enhance their responsiveness to changing conditions.

Impact and Result

  • Create an EA value proposition based on enterprise needs that clearly articulates the expected contributions of the EA function.
  • Establish the EA fundamentals (vision and mission statement, goals and objectives, and principles) needed to position the EA function to deliver the promised value proposition.
  • Identify the services that EA has to provide to the organization to deliver on the promised value proposition.

Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy Deck – A guide to help you define services that your EA function will provide to the organization.

Establish an effective EA function that will realize value for the organization with an EA strategy.

  • Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy – Phases 1-4

2. EA Function Strategy Template – A communication tool to secure the approval of the EA strategy from organizational stakeholders.

Use this template to document the outputs of the EA strategy and to communicate the EA strategy for approval by stakeholders.

  • EA Function Strategy Template

3. Stakeholder Power Map Template – A template to help visualize the importance of various stakeholders and their concerns.

Identify and prioritize the stakeholders that are important to your IT strategy development effort.

  • Stakeholder Power Map Template

4. PESTLE Analysis Template – A template to help you complete and document a PESTLE analysis.

Use this template to analyze the effect of external factors on IT.

  • PESTLE Analysis Template

5. EA Value Proposition Template – A template to communicate the value EA can provide to the organization.

Use this template to create an EA value proposition that explicitly communicates to stakeholders how an EA function can contribute to addressing their needs.

  • EA Value Proposition Template

6. EA Goals and Objectives Template – A template to identify the EA goals that support the identified promises of value from the EA value proposition.

Use this template to help set goals for your EA function based on the EA value proposition and identify objectives to measure the progression towards those EA goals.

  • EA Goals and Objectives Template

7. EA Principles Template – A template to identify the universal EA principles relevant to your organization.

Use this template to define relevant universal EA principles and create new EA principles to guide and inform IT investment decisions.

  • EA Principles Template – EA Strategy

8. EA Service Planning Tool – A template to identify the EA services your organization will provide to deliver on the EA value proposition.

Use this template to identify the EA services relevant to your organization and then define how those services will be accessed.

  • EA Service Planning Tool
[infographic]

Workshop: Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Map the EA Contributions to Business Goals

The Purpose

Show an example of traceability.

Key Benefits Achieved

Members have a real-world example of traceability between business goals and EA contributions.

Activities

1.1 Start from the business goals of the organization.

1.2 Document business and IT drivers.

1.3 Identify EA contributions that help achieve the business goals.

Outputs

Business goals documented.

Business and IT drivers documented.

Identified EA contributions and traced them to business goals.

2 Determine the Role of the Architect in the Agile Ceremonies of the Organization

The Purpose

Create an understanding about role of architect in Agile ceremonies.

Key Benefits Achieved

Understanding of the role of the EA architect in Agile ceremonies.

Activities

2.1 Document the Agile ceremony used in the organization (based on SAFe or other Agile approaches).

2.2 Determine which ceremonies the system architect will participate in.

2.3 Determine which ceremonies the solution architect will participate in.

2.4 Determine which ceremonies the enterprise architect will participate in.

2.5 Determine architect syncs, etc.

Outputs

Documented the Agile ceremonial used in the organization (based on SAFe or other Agile approaches).

Determined which ceremonies the system architect will participate in.

Determined which ceremonies the solution architect will participate in.

Determined which ceremonies the enterprise architect will participate in.

Determined architect syncs, etc.

Further reading

Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Develop a strategy that fits the organization’s maturity and remains adaptable to unforeseen future changes.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Build a right-size enterprise architecture strategy

Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Business & IT Strategy
  • Organizational Goals and Objectives
  • Business Drivers
  • Environment and Industry Trends
  • EA Capabilities and Services
  • Business Architecture
  • Data Architecture
  • Application Architecture
  • Integration Architecture
  • Innovation
  • Roles and Organizational Structure
  • Security Architecture
  • Technology Architecture
  • Integration Architecture
  • Insight and Knowledge
  • EA Operating Model
Unlock the Value of Architecture
  • Increased Business and IT Alignment
  • Robust, Flexible, Scalable, Interoperable, Extensible and Reliable Solutions
  • Timely/Agile Service Delivery and Operations
  • Cost-Effective Solutions
  • Appropriate Risk Management to Address the Risk Appetite
  • Increased Competitive Advantage
Current Environment
  • Business and IT Challenges
  • Opportunities
  • Enterprise Architecture Maturity

Enterprise Architecture – Thought Model

A thought model built around 'Enterprise Architecture', represented by a diagram on a cross-section of a ship which will be explained in the next slide. It begins with an arrow that says 'Organizational goals are the driving force and the ultimate goal' pointing to a bubble titled 'Organization' containing 'Analysis', 'Decisions', 'Actions'. An blue arrow on the right side with one '$' is labelled 'Iterations' and connects 'Organization' to 'Enterprise Architecture', 'Enterprise architecture creates new business value'. A green arrow on the left side with five '$' is labelled 'Goals' and connects back to 'Organization'. A the bottom, a bubble titled 'External forces, pressures, trends, data, etc.' has a blue arrow on the right side with one '$' connecting back to 'Enterprise Architecture'. Another blue arrow representing an output is labelled 'Outcomes' and originates from 'Enterprise Architecture'.

Enterprise Architecture Capabilities

A diagram on a cross-section of a ship representing 'Enterprise Architecture', including a row of process arrows beneath the ship pointing forward all labelled 'Agile iteration' and one airborne arrow above the stern pointing forward labelled 'Business Strategy'. Overlaid on the ship, starting at the back, are 'EA Strategy', 'EA Operating Model', 'Enterprise Principles, Methods, etc.', 'Foundational enterprise decisions: Business, Data/Apps, Technology, Integration, Security', 'Enterprise Reference Architecture', 'Goals, Value Chain, Capability, Business Processes', 'Enterprise Governance (e.g., Standard Mgmt.)', 'Domain Arch', 'Data & App Architecture', 'Security Architecture', 'Infrastructure: Cloud, Hybrid, etc.', at the very front is 'Implementation', and running along the bottom from back to front is 'Operations, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement'.

Analyst Perspective

Enterprise architecture (EA) needs to be right-sized for the needs of the organization.

Photo of Milena Litoiu, Principal/Senior Director, Enterprise Architecture, Info-Tech Research Group

Enterprise architecture is NOT a one-size-fits-all endeavor. It needs to be right-sized to the needs of the organization.

Enterprise architects are boots on the ground and part of the solution; in addition, they need to have a good understanding of the corporate strategy, vision, and goals and have a vested interest on the optimization of the outcomes for the enterprise. They also need to anticipate the moves ahead, to be able to determine future trends and how they will impact the enterprise.

Milena Litoiu
Principal/Senior Director, Enterprise Architecture
Info-Tech Research Group

Analyst Perspective

EA provides business options based on a deep understanding of the organization.

“Enterprise architects need to think about and consider different areas of expertise when formulating potential business options. By understanding the context, the puzzle pieces can combine to create a positive business outcome that aligns with the organization’s strategies. Sometimes there will be missing pieces; leveraging what you know to create an outline of the pieces and collaborating with others can provide a general direction.”

Jean Bujold
Senior Workshop Delivery Director
Info-Tech Research Group

“The role of enterprise architecture is to eliminate misalignment between the business and IT and create value for the organization.”

Reddy Doddipalli
Senior Workshop Director, Research
Info-Tech Research Group

“Every transformation journey is an opportunity to learn: ‘Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.’ Benjamin Franklin.”

Graham Smith
Senior Lead Enterprise Architect and Independent Consultant

Develop an enterprise architecture strategy that:

  • Helps the organization make decisions that are hard to change in a complex environment.
  • Fits the current organization’s maturity and remains flexible and adaptable to unforeseen future changes.

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

We need to make decisions today for an unknown future. Decisions are influenced by:

  • Changes in the environment you operate in.
  • Complexity of both the business and IT landscapes.
  • IT’s difficulty in keeping up with business demands and remaining agile.
  • Program/project delivery pressure and long-term planning needs.
  • Other internal and external factors affecting your enterprise.

Common Obstacles

Decisions are often made:

  • Without a clear understanding of the business goals.
  • Without a holistic understanding; sometimes in conflict with one another.
  • That hinder the continuity of the organization.
  • That prevent value optimization at the enterprise level.

The more complex an organization, the more players involved, the more difficult it is to overcome these obstacles.

Info-Tech’s Approach

  • Is a holistic, top-down approach, from the business goals all the way to implementation.
  • Has EA act as the canary in the coal mine. EA will identify and mitigate risks in the organization.
  • Enables EA to provide an essential service rather than be an isolated kingdom or an ivory tower.
  • Acknowledges that EA is a balancing act among competing demands.
  • Makes decisions using guiding principles and guardrails, to create a flexible architecture that can evolve and expand, enabling enterprise agility.

Info-Tech Insight

There is no “right architecture” for organizations of all sizes, maturities, and cultural contexts. The value of enterprise architecture can only be measured against the business goals of a single organization. Enterprise architecture needs to be right-sized for your organization.

Info-Tech insight summary on arch. agility

Continuous innovation is of paramount importance in achieving and maintaining competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Business engagement

It is important to trace architectural decisions to business goals. As business goals evolve, architecture should evolve as well.

As new business input is provided during Agile cycles, architecture is continuously evolving.

EA fundamentals

EA fundamentals will shape how enterprise architects think and act, how they engage with the organization, what decisions they make, etc.

Start small and lean and evolve as needed.

Continuously align strategy with delivery and operations.

Architects should establish themselves as business partners as well as implementation/delivery leaders.

Enterprise services

Definitions of enterprise services should start from the business goals of the organization and the capabilities IT needs to perform for the organization to survive in the marketplace.

Continuous delivery and continuous innovation are the two facets of architecture.

Tactical insight

Your current maturity should be reflected as a baseline in the strategy.

Tactical insight

Take Agile/opportunistic steps toward your strategic North star.

Tactical insight

EA services differ based on goals, maturity, and the Agile appetite of the enterprise.

From the best industry experts

“The trick to getting value from enterprise architecture is to commit to the long haul.”

Jeanne W. Ross, MIT CISR
Co-author of Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution,
Harvard Business Press, 2006.

Typical EA maturity stages

A line chart that moves through multiple stages titled 'Enterprise Architecture Maturity Stages (MIT CISR)' The five stages of the chart, starting on the left, are 'Business Silos', 'Standardized Technology', 'Optimized Core', 'Business Componentization', and 'Digital Ecosystem'. 'The trick to getting value from enterprise architecture is to commit to the long haul.' The line begins at the bottom left of the chart and gradually creates a stretched S shape to the top right. Points along the line, respective to the aforementioned stages, are 'Locally Optimal Business Solutions', 'Technology Infrastructure Platform', 'Digitized Process Platform', 'Repository of Reusable Business Components', 'Components Connecting with Partners' Components', and at the end of the line, outside of the chart is 'Strategic Business Value from Technology'. Percentages along the bottom, respective to the aforementioned stages, read 20%, 36%, 45%, 7%, 2%. Percentages are rough approximations based on findings reported in Mocker, M., Ross, J.W., Beath, C.M., 'How Companies Use Digital Technologies to Enhance Customer Offerings--Summary of Survey Findings,' MIT CISR Working Paper No. 434, Feb. 2019. Copyright MIT, 2019.

Enterprise Architecture maturity

A maturity ladder visualization for 'Enterprise Architecture' with five color-coded levels. From the bottom up, the colors and designations are Red: 'Unstable', Orange: 'Firefighter', Yellow: 'Trusted Operator', Blue: 'Business Partner', and Green: 'Innovator'. Beside the visualization at the bottom it says 'EA is here', then an arrow in the direction of the top where it says 'EA needs to be here'.
  • Innovator – Transforms the Business
    Reliable Technology Innovation
  • Business Partner – Expands the Business
    Effective Use of Enterprise Architecture in all Business Projects, Enterprise Architecture Is Strategically Engaged
  • Trusted Operator – Optimizes the Business
    Enterprise Architecture Provides Business, Data, Application & Technology Architectures for All IT Projects
  • Firefighter – Supports the Business
    Reliable Architecture for Some Practices/Projects
  • Unstable – Struggles to Support
    Inability to Provide Reliable Architectures

Info-Tech Insight

There is no “absolute maturity” for organizations of all sizes, maturities, and cultural contexts. The maturity of enterprise architecture can only be measured against the business goals of the organization.

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

Guided Implementation

Workshop

Consulting

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Workshop Overview

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com1-888-670-8889

Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5
Activities
Identify organizational needs and landscape

1.0 Interview stakeholders to identify business and technology needs

1.1 Review organization perspective, including business needs, challenges, and strategic directions

1.2 Conduct PESTLE analysis to identify business and technology trends

1.3 Conduct SWOT analysis to identify business and technology internal perspective

Create the EA value proposition

2.1 Identify and prioritize EA stakeholders

2.2 Create business and technology drivers from needs

2.3 Define the EA value proposition

2.4 Identify EA maturity and target

Define the EA fundamentals

3.1 Define the EA goals and objectives

3.2 Determine EA scope

3.3 Create a set of EA principles

3.4. Define the need of a methodology/agility

3.5 Create the EA vision and mission statement

Identify the EA framework and communicate the EA strategy

4.1 Define initial EA operating model and governance mechanism

4.2 Define the activities and services the EA function will provide, derived from business goals

4.3 Determine effectiveness measures

4.4 Create EA roadmap and next steps

4.5 Build communication plan for stakeholders

Next Steps and Wrap-Up (offsite)

5.1 Generate workshop report

5.2 Set up review time for workshop report and to discuss next steps

Outcomes
  1. Stakeholder insights
  2. Organizational needs, challenges, and direction summary
  3. PESTLE & SWOT analysis
  1. Stakeholder power map
  2. List of business and technology drivers with associated pains
  3. Set of EA contributions articulating the promises of value in the EA value proposition
  4. EA maturity assessment
  1. EA scope
  2. List of EA principles
  3. EA vision statement
  4. EA mission statement
  5. Statement about role of enterprise architect relative to agility
  1. EA capabilities mapped to business goals of the organization
  2. List of EA activities and services the EA function is committed to providing
  3. KPI definitions
  4. EA roadmap
  5. EA communication plan
  1. Completed workshop report on EA strategy with roadmap, recommendations, and outcomes from workshop

Guided Implementation

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

A typical GI is 8 to 12 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

While variations depend on the maturity of the organization as well as its aspirations, these are some typical steps:

    Phase 1

  • Call #1: Explore the role of EA in your organization.
  • Phase 2

  • Call #2: Identify and prioritize stakeholders.
  • Call #3: Use a PESTLE analysis to identify business and technology needs.
  • Call #4: Prepare for stakeholder interviews.
  • Call #5: Discuss your EA value proposition.
  • Phase 3

  • Call #5: Understand the importance of EA fundamentals.
  • Call #6: Define the relevant EA services and their contributions to the organization.
  • Call #7: Measure EA effectiveness.
  • Phase 4

  • Call #8: Build your EA roadmap and communication plan.
  • Call #9: Discuss the EA role relative to agility.
  • Call #10: Summarize results and plan next steps.

Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Phase 1

Explore the Role of Enterprise Architecture

Phase 1

  • 1.1 Explore a general EA strategy approach
  • 1.2 Introduce Agile EA architecture

Phase 2

  • 2.1 Define the business and technology drivers
  • 2.2 Define your value proposition

Phase 3

  • 3.1 Realize the importance of EA fundamentals
  • 3.2 Finalize the EA fundamentals

Phase 4

  • 4.1 Select relevant EA services
  • 4.2 Finalize the set of services and secure approval

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

Define the role of the group and different roles inside the enterprise architecture competency.

This phase involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Enterprise architecture optimizes the outcomes of the entire organization

Corporate Strategy –› Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Info-Tech Insight

Enterprise architecture needs to have input from the corporate strategy of the organization. Similarly, EA governance needs to be informed by corporate governance. If this is not the case, it is like planning and governing with your eyes closed.

Existing EA functions vary in the value they achieve due to their level of maturity

EA Functions
Operationalized
  • EA function is operationalized and operates as an effective core function.
  • Effectively aligns the business and IT through governance, communication, and engagement.
–––› Common EA value
Decreased cost Reduced risk
Emerging
  • Emerging but limited ad hoc EA function.
  • Limited by lack of alignment to the business and IT.
–x–› Cut through complexity Increased agility
(Source: Booz & Co., 2009)

Benefits of enterprise architecture

  1. Focuses on business outcomes (business centricity)
  2. Provides traceability of architectural decisions to/from business goals
  3. Provides ways to measure results
  4. Provides consistency across different lines of business: establishes a common vocabulary, reducing inconsistencies
  5. Reduces duplications, creating additional efficiencies at the enterprise level
  6. Presents an actionable migration to the strategy/vision, through short-term milestones/steps

Benefits of enterprise architecture continued

  1. Done right, increases agility
  2. Done right, reduces costs
  3. Done right, mitigates risks
  4. Done right, stimulates innovation
  5. Done right, helps achieve the stated business goals (e.g. customer satisfaction) and improves the enterprise agility.
  6. Done right, enhances competitive advantage of the enterprise

Qualities of a well-established and practical enterprise architecture

  1. Objective
  2. Impartial
  3. Credible
  4. Practical
  5. Measurable
  6. (Source: University of Toronto, 2021)

Role of the enterprise architecture

  • Primarily to set up guardrails for the enterprise, so Agile teams work independently in a safe, ready-to-integrate environment
  • Establish strategy
  • Establish priorities
  • Continuously innovate
  • Establish enterprise standards and enterprise guardrails to guide Solution/Domain/Portfolio Architectures
  • Align with and be informed by the organization’s direction

Members of the Architecture Board:

  • Chief (Business) Strategist
  • Lead Enterprise Architect
  • Business SME from each major domain
  • IT SME from each major domain
  • Operational & Infrastructure SME
  • Security & Risk Officer
  • Process Management
  • Other relevant stakeholders

For enterprise architecture to contribute, EA must address the organizational vision and goals

External Factors –› Layers of a Business Model
(Organization)
–› Architecture Supported Transformation
Industry Changes Business Strategy
Competition Value Streams
(Business Outcomes)
Regulatory Impacts Business Capability Maps
  • Security
Workforce Impacts Execution
  • Policies
  • Processes
  • People
  • Information
  • Applications
  • Technology

Info-Tech Insight

External forces can affect the organization as a whole; they need to be included as part of the holistic approach for enterprise architecture.

How does EA provide value?

Business and Technology Drivers – A set of statements created from business and technology needs. Gathered from information sources, it communicates improvements needed.

  • Vision, Aspirations, Long-Term Goals – Vision, aspirations, long term goals

    • EA Contributions – EA contributions that will alleviate obstructions. Removing the obstructions will allow EA to help satisfy business and technology needs.

      • Promise of Value – A statement that depicts a concrete benefit that the EA practice can provide for the organization in response to business and technology drivers.

Info-Tech Insight

Enterprise architecture needs to create and be part of a culture where decisions are made through collaboration while focusing on enterprise-wide efficiencies (e.g. reduced duplication, reusability, enterprise-wide cost minimization, overall security, comprehensive risk mitigation, and any other cross-cutting concerns) to optimize corporate business goals.

The EA function scope is influenced by the EA value proposition and previously developed EA fundamentals

Establish the EA function scope by using the EA value proposition and EA fundamentals that have already been developed. After defining the EA function scope, refer back to these statements to ensure it accurately reflects the EA value proposition and EA fundamentals.

EA value proposition

+

EA vision statement
EA mission statement
EA goals and objectives

—›
Influences

Organizational coverage

Architectural domains

Depth

Time horizon

—›
Defines
EA function scope

EA team characteristics

Create the optimal EA strategy by including personnel who understand a broad set of topics in the organization

The team assembled to create the EA strategy will be defined as the “EA strategy creation team” in this blueprint.

  • Someone who has been in the organization for a long time and has built strong relationships with key stakeholders. This individual can exert influence and become the EA strategy sponsor.
  • An individual who understands how the different technology components in the organization support its business operations.
  • Someone in the organization who can communicate IT concepts to business managers in a language the business understands.
  • An individual with a strategy background or perspective on the organization. This individual will understand where the organization is headed.
  • Any individuals who feel an acute pain as a result of poorly made investment decisions. They can be champions of EA strategy in their respective functions.

EA skills and competencies

Apart from business know-how, the EA team should have the following skills

  • Architectural thinking
  • Analytical
  • Trusted, credible
  • Can handle complexity
  • Can change perspectives
  • Can learn fast (business and technology)
  • Independent and steadfast
  • Not afraid to go against the stream
  • Able to understand problems of others with empathy
  • Able to estimate scaling on design decisions such as model patterns
  • Intrinsic capability to identify where relevant details are
  • Able to identify root causes quickly
  • Able to communicate complex issues clearly
  • Able to negotiate and come up with acceptable solutions
  • Can model well
  • Able to change perspectives (from business to implementation and operational perspectives).

Use of enterprise architecture methodologies

Balance EA methodologies with Agile approaches

Using an enterprise architecture methodology is a good starting point to achieving a common understanding of what that is. Often, organizations agree to "tailor" methodologies to their needs.

The use of lean/Agile approaches will increase efficiency beyond traditional methodologies.

Use of EA methodologies vs. Agile methods

When to use what?

  • Use an existing methodology to structure your thinking and establish a common vocabulary to communicate basic concepts, processes, and approaches.
  • Customize the methodology to your needs; make it as lean as possible.
  • Execute in an Agile way, but keep in mind the thoughtful checks recommended by your end-to-end methodology.
  • Clarify goals.
  • Have good measures and metrics in place.
  • Continuously monitor progress, fit for purpose, etc.
  • Highlight risks, roadblocks, etc.
  • Get support.
  • Communicate vision, goals, key decisions, etc.
  • Iterate.

Business strategy first, EA strategy second, and EA operating model third

Corporate Strategy
“Why does our enterprise exist in the market?”
EA Strategy
“What does EA need to be and do to support the enterprise’s ability to meet its goals? What is EA’s value proposition?”
Business & IT Operating Culture
“How does the organization’s culture and structure influence the EA operating model?”
EA Operating Model
How does EA need to operate on a daily basis to deliver the value proposition?”

High-level perspective

Creating an effective practice involves many moving parts.

A visual of the many moving parts in an effective practice; there are 6 smaller circles in a large circle, an input arrow labelled 'Environment', an output arrow labelled 'Results', and a thin arrow connecting 'Results' back to 'Environment'. Of the circles, 'Leadership' is in the center, connected to each of the others, while 'Culture', 'Strategy', 'Core Processes', 'Structure', and 'Systems' create a cycle. (Source: The Center for Organizational Design)

  • Environment. Influences that are external to the organization, such as customer perceptions, changing needs, and changes in technology, and the organization’s ability to adjust to them.
  • Strategy. The business strategy defines how the organization adds value and acts as the rudder to direct the organization. Organizational strategy defines the character of the organization, what it wants to be, its values, its vision, its mission, etc.
  • Core Process. The flow of work through the organization.
  • Structure. How people are organized around business processes. Includes reporting structures, boundaries, roles, and responsibilities. The structure should assist the organization with achieving its goals rather than hinder its performance.
  • Systems. Interrelated sets of tasks or activities that help organize and coordinate work.
  • Culture. The personality of the organization: its leadership style, attitudes, habits, and management practices. Culture measures how well philosophy is translated into practice.
  • Results. Measurement of how well the organization achieved its goals.
  • Leadership. Brings the organization together by providing vision and strategy; designing, monitoring, and nurturing the culture; and fostering agility.

The answer to the strategic planning entity dilemma is enterprise architecture

Enterprise architecture is a discipline that defines the structure and operation of an organization. The intent of enterprise architecture is to determine how an organization can most effectively achieve its current and future objectives.

Vision, goals, and aspirations as well internal and external pressures

Business current state

  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
Enterprise Architecture

IT current state

  • IT asset management
  • Database services
  • Application development

Business target state

  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • Existing capability
  • New capability

IT target state

  • IT asset management
  • Database services
  • Application development
  • Business analytics
Complex, overlapping, contradictory world of humans vs. logical binary world of IT
EA is a planning tool to help achieve the corporate business goals

EA spans across all the domains of architecture

Business architecture is the cornerstone that sets the foundation for all other architectural domains: security, data, application, and technology.

A flow-like diagram titled 'Enterprise Architecture' beginning with 'Digital Architecture' and 'Business Architecture', which feeds into 'Security Architecture', which feeds into both 'Data Architecture' and 'Application Architecture', which both feed into 'Technology Architecture: Infrastructure'.

“An enterprise architecture practice is both difficult and costly to set up. It is normally built around a process of peer review and involves the time and talent of the strategic technical leadership of an enterprise.” (The Open Group Architecture Framework, 2018)

Enterprise architecture deployment continuum

A diagram visualizing the Enterprise architecture deployment continuum with two continuums, 'Level of Embedding' and 'EA Value', assigning terms to EA deployments based on where they fall. On the left is an 'Ivory Tower' configuration: EA' is separated from the 'BU's but is still controlling them. Level of Embedding: 'Centralized', EA Value: 'Dictatorship'. In the center is a 'Balanced' configuration: 'EA' is spread across and connected to each 'BU'. Level of Embedding: 'Federated', EA Value: 'Democracy'. On the right is a 'Siloed' configuration: Each 'BU' has its own separate 'EA'. Level of Embedding: 'Decentralized', EA Value: 'Abdication of enterprise role'.

Info-Tech Insight

The primary question during the design of the EA operating model is how to integrate the EA function with the rest of the business.

If the EA practice functions on its own, you end up with ivory tower syndrome and a dictatorship.

If you totally embed the EA function within business units it will become siloed with no enterprise value.

Organizations need to balance consistency at the enterprise level with creativity from the grass roots.

Enterprise vs. Program/Portfolio/Domain

Enterprise vs. Program/Portfolio/Domain. Image depicts where Enterprise Scope overlaps Program/Portfolio Scope. Enterprise Scope includes Business Architecture. Program/Portfolio Scope includes Business Requirements, Business Process, and Solutions Architecture. Overlap between scope includes Technology Architecture, Data Architecture, and Applications Architecture.

Info-Tech Insight

Decisions at the enterprise level apply across multiple programs/portfolios/solutions and represent the guardrails set for all to play within.

Decide on the degree of centralization

Larger organizations with multiple domains/divisions or business units will need to decide which architecture functions will be centralized and which, if any, will be decentralized as they plan to scope their EA program. What are the core functions to be centralized for the EA to deliver the greatest benefits?

Typically, we see a need to have a centralized repository of reusable assets and standards across the organization, while other approaches/standards can operate locally.

Centralization

  • Allows for more strategic planning
  • Visibility into standards and assets across the organization promotes rationalization and cost savings
  • Ensures enterprise-wide assets are used
  • More strategic sourcing of vendors and resellers
  • Can centrally negotiate pricing for better deals
  • Easier to manage risk and prepare for audits
  • Greater coordination of resources
  • Derives benefits from enterprise decisions, e.g. integration…

Decentralization

  • May allow for more innovation
  • May be easier to demonstrate local compliance if the organization is geographically decentralized
  • May be easier to procure software if offices are in different countries
  • Deployment and installation of software on user devices may be easier

EA strategy

What is the role of enterprise architecture vis-à-vis business goals?

  • What needs to be done?
  • Who needs to be involved?
  • When?
  • Where?
  • Why?
  • How?

Top-down approach starting from the goals of the organization

    What the Business Sees...
  • Business Goals
    • Value Streams
        What the CxO Sees...
      • Capabilities
          What the App Managers See...
        • Processes
          • Applications
              What the Program Managers See...
            • Programs/Projects

Info-Tech Insight

Being able to answer the deceptively simple question “How am I doing?” requires traceability to and from the business goals to be achieved all the way to applications, to infrastructure, and ultimately, to the funded initiatives (portfolios, programs, projects, etc.).

Measure EA strategy effectiveness by tracking the benefits it provides to the corporate business goals

The success of the EA function spans across three main dimensions:

  1. The delivery of EA-enabled business outcomes that are most important to the enterprise.
  2. The alignment between the business and the technology from a planning perspective.
  3. Improvements in the corporate business goals due to EA contributions (standardization, rationalization, reuse, etc.).

Corporate Business Goals

  • Reduction in operating costs
  • Decreased regulatory compliance infractions
  • Increased revenue from existing channels
  • Increased revenue from new channels
  • Faster time to business value
  • Improved business agility
  • Reduction in enterprise risk exposure

EA Contributions

  • Alignment of IT investments to business strategy
  • Achievement of business results directly linked to IT involvement
  • Application and platform rationalization
  • Standards in place
  • Flexible architecture
  • Better integration
  • Higher organizational satisfaction with technology-enabled services and solutions

Measurements

  • Cost reductions based on application and platform rationalization
  • Time and cost reductions due to standardization
  • Time reduction for integration
  • Service reused
  • Stakeholder satisfaction with EA services
  • Increase in customer satisfaction
  • Rework minimized
  • Lower cost of integration
  • Risk reduction
  • Faster time to market
  • Better scalability, etc.

Info-Tech Insight

Organizations must create clear and smart KPIs (key performance indicators) across the board.

From corporate strategy to enterprise architecture

A model connecting 'Enterprise Architecture' with 'Corporate Strategy' through 'EA Services' and 'EA Strategy'.

Info-Tech Insight

In the absence of a corporate strategy, enterprise architecture is missing its North Star.

However, enterprise architects can partner with the business strategists to build the needed vision.

Traceability to and from business corporate business goals to EA contributions (sample)

A model connecting 'Enterprise Architecture' with 'Corporate Goals' through 'EA Contributions'.

Enterprise architecture journey

The enterprise architecture journey, from left to right: 'Business Goals' and 'EA Maturity Assessment', 'EA Strategy', 'Industry-Specific Capability Model' and 'Customized to the Organization's Needs', 'EA Operating Model' and 'EA Governance', 'Business Architecture' and 'EA Tooling', 'Data Architecture' and 'Application Architecture', 'Infrastructure Architecture'.

Agile architecture principles

Agile architecture principles:
  • Fast learning cycle
  • Explore alternatives
  • Create environment for decentralized ideation and innovation

According to the Scaled Agile Framework, three of the most applicable principles for the architectural professions refer to the following:

  1. "Fast learning cycle" refers to learning cycles that allow for quick reiterations as well as the opportunity to fail fast to learn fast.
  2. "Explore alternatives" refers to the exploration phase and also to the need to make tough decisions and balance competing demands.
  3. "Create environment for decentralized ideation and innovation" ensures that no one has a monopoly on innovation. Moreover, EA needs to invite ideas from various stakeholders (from the business to operations as well as implementers, etc.).

Architecture roles in lean enterprises

Typical architecture roles in modern/Agile lean enterprises

  • System Architect
  • Solution Architect
  • Enterprise Architect

Depth vs. strategy focus

Typical architect roles

A graph with different architect roles mapped onto it. Axes are 'Low Strategic Impact' to 'High Strategic Impact' and 'Breadth' to 'Depth'. 'Enterprise Architect' has the highest strategic impact and most breadth. 'Technical/System Architect' has the lowest strategic impact and most depth. 'Solution Architect' sits in the middle of both axes.

Architecture roles continued

The three architect roles from above and their impacts on the list of 'Common Domains' to the right. 'Enterprise Architect's impact is 'Across Value Streams', 'Solution Architect's impact is 'Across Systems', 'Technical/System Architect's impact is 'Single System'. Adapted from Scaled Agile.

Common Domains

Business Architecture

Information Architecture

Application Architecture

Technical Architecture

Integration Architecture

Security Architecture

Others

Info-Tech Insight

All architects are boots on the ground and play in the solutioning space. What differs is their decisions’ impact (the enterprise architect’s decisions affects all domains and solutions).

SAFe definitions of the Enterprise/Solution and System Architect roles can be found here.

The role of the Enterprise Architect is detailed here.

Collaboration models across the enterprise

A collaboration model with 'Enterprise Architecture' at the top consisting of a 'Chief Enterprise Architect', 'Enterprise Architects', and 'EA Concerns across solutions': 'Architect A', 'Architect B', and 'Architect C'. Each lettered Architect is connected to their respective 'Solution Architect (A-C)' which runs their respective 'Delivery Team (A-C)' with 'Other Team Members'.(Adapted from Disciplined Agile)

There are both formal and informal collaborations between enterprise architects and solution architects across the enterprise.

Info-Tech Insight

Enterprise architects should collaborate with solutions architects to create the best solutions at the enterprise level and to provide guidance across the board.

Architect roles in SAFe

According to Scale Agile Framework 5 for Lean Enterprises:

  • The system architect participates in the Essential SAFe
  • Solution architects and system architects participate in Large Solution
  • The enterprise architect participates in the Portfolio SAFe
  • Enterprise, solution, and system architects are all involved in Full SAFe

Please check the SAFe Scaled Agile site for detailed information on the approach.

Architect roles and their participation in Agile events (see likely events and a typical calendar)

Info-Tech Insight

A clear commitment for architects to achieve and support agility is needed. Architects should not be in an ivory tower; they should be hands on and engaged in all relevant Agile ceremonies, like the pre- and post-program increment (PI) planning, etc.

Architect syncs are also required to ensure the needed collaboration.

Architect participation in Agile ceremonies, according to SAFe:

Architecture runway (at scale)

Info-Tech Insight

Architecting for scale, modularity, and extensibility is key for the architecture to adapt to changing conditions and evolve.

Proactively address NFRs; architect for performance and security.

Continuously refine the solution intent.

For large solutions, longer foundational architectural runways are needed.

Having an intentional continuous improvement/continuous development (CI/CD) pipeline to continuously release, test, and monitor is key to evolving large and complex systems.

Parallel continuous exploration/integration/deployment

A cycle titled DevOps containing three smaller cycles labelled 'Continuous Explorations', 'Continuous Integration', and 'Continuous Deployment'.

Info-Tech Insight

Architects need to help make some fundamental decisions, e.g. help define the environment that best supports continuous innovation or exploration and continuous integration, deployment, and delivery.

Typical strategic enterprise architecture involvement

Enterprise Architect —DRIVES–› Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Enterprise Architecture Strategy
  • Application Strategy
  • Business Strategy
  • Data Strategy
  • Implementation Strategy
  • Infrastructure Strategy
  • Inter-domain Collaboration
  • Integration Strategy
  • Operations Strategy
  • Security Strategy
  • (Adapted from Scaled Agile)

The EA statement relative to agility

The enterprise architecture statement relative to agility specifies the architects’ responsibilities as well as the Agile protocols they will participate in. This statement will guide every architect’s participation in planning meetings, pre- and post-PI, various syncs, etc. Use simple and concise terminology; speak loudly and clearly.

Strong EA statement relative to agility has the following characteristics:

  • Describes what different architect roles do to achieve the vision of the organization
  • In an agile way
  • Compelling
  • Easy to grasp
  • Sharply focused
  • Specific
  • Concise

Sample EA statement relative to agility

  • Create strategies that provide guardrails for the organization, provide standards, reusable assets, accelerators, and other decisions at the enterprise level that support agility.
  • Participate in pre-PI and post-PI planning activities, architect syncs, etc.

A clear statement can include additional details surrounding the enterprise architect’s role relative to agility

Below is a sample of connecting keywords to form an enterprise architect role statement, relative to agility.

Optimize, transform, and innovate by defining and implementing the [Company]’s target enterprise architecture in an agile way.

Optimize – We collaborate with the business to analyze and optimize business capabilities and business processes to enable the agile and efficient attainment of [Company name] business objectives.

Transform – We support IT-enabled business transformation programs by building and maintaining a shared vision of the future-state enterprise and consistently communicating it to stakeholders.

Innovate – We identify and develop new and creative opportunities for IT to enable the business. We communicate the art of the possible to the business.

Defining and implementing – We engage with project teams early and guide solution design and selection to ensure alignment to the target-state enterprise architecture and provide guidance and accelerators.

Target enterprise structure in an agile way – We analyze business needs and priorities and assess the current state of the enterprise. We build and maintain the target enterprise architecture blueprints that define:

  • Business capabilities and processes (business architecture)
  • Data, application, and technology assets that enable business capabilities and processes (technology architecture)
  • Architecture principles
  • Standards and reusable assets
  • Continuous exploration, integration, and deployment

Traditional vs. Agile approaches

Traditional Enterprise Architecture Next-Generation Enterprise Architecture
Scope: Technology focused Business transformation (scope includes both business and technology)
Bottom up Top down
Inside out Outside In
Point to point; difficult to change Expandable, extensible, evolvable
Control-based: Governance intensive; often over-centralized Guidance-based: Collaboration and partnership-driven based on accepted guardrails
Big up-front planning Incremental/dynamic planning; frequent changes
Functional siloes and isolated projects, programs, and portfolios Enterprise-driven outcome optimization (across value streams)

Info-Tech Insight

The role of the architecture in Lean (Agile) approaches is to set up the needed guardrails and ensure a safe environment where everyone can be effective and creative.

Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Phase 2

Create the EA Value Proposition

Phase 1

  • 1.1 Explore a general EA strategy approach
  • 1.2 Introduce Agile EA architecture

Phase 2

  • 2.1 Define the business and technology drivers
  • 2.2 Define your value proposition

Phase 3

  • 3.1 Realize the importance of EA fundamentals
  • 3.2 Finalize the EA fundamentals

Phase 4

  • 4.1 Select relevant EA services
  • 4.2 Finalize the set of services and secure approval

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Identify and prioritize EA stakeholders.
  • Create business and technology drivers from stakeholder information.
  • Identify business pains and technology drivers.
  • Define EA contributions to alleviate the pains.
  • Create promises of value to fully articulate the value proposition.

This phase involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Step 2.1

Define the Business and Technology Drivers

Activities
  • 2.1.1 Use a stakeholder power map to identify and prioritize EA stakeholders
  • 2.1.2 Conduct a PESTLE analysis
  • 2.1.3 Review strategic planning documents
  • 2.1.4 Conduct EA stakeholder interviews

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Learn the five-step process to create an EA value proposition.
  • Uncover business and technology needs from stakeholders.

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Outcomes of this step

An understanding of your organization’s EA needs.

Create the Value Proposition

Step 2.1 Step 2.2

Value proposition is an important step in the creation of the EA strategy

Creating an EA value proposition should be the first step to realizing a healthy EA function. The EA value proposition demonstrates to organizational stakeholders the importance of EA in helping to realize their needs.

Five steps towards the successful articulation of EA value proposition:

  1. Identify and prioritize stakeholders. The EA function must know to whom to communicate the value proposition.
  2. Construct business and technology drivers. Drivers are derived from the needs of the business and IT. Needs come from the analysis of external factors, strategic documents, and interviewing stakeholders. Helping stakeholders and the organization realize their needs demonstrates the value of EA.
  3. Discover pains that prevent driver realization. There are always challenges that obstruct drivers of the organization. Find out what they are to get closer to showing the value of EA.
  4. Brainstorm EA contributions. Pains that obstruct drivers have now been identified. To demonstrate EA’s value, think about how EA can help to alleviate those pains. Create statements that show how EA’s contribution will be able to overcome the pain to show the value of EA.
  5. Derive promises of value. Complete the articulation of value for the EA value proposition by stating how realizing the business or technology will provide in terms of value for the organization. Speak with the stakeholders to discover the value that can be achieved.

Info-Tech Insight

EA can deliver many benefits to an organization. To increase the likelihood of success, each EA group needs to commit to delivering value to their organization based on the current operating environment and the desired direction of the enterprise. An EA value proposition will articulate the group’s promises of value to the enterprise.

The foundation of an optimal EA value proposition is laid by defining the right stakeholders

All stakeholders need to know how the EA function can help them. Provide the stakeholders with an understanding of the EA strategy’s impact on the business by involving them.

A stakeholder map can be a powerful tool to help identify and prioritize stakeholders. A stakeholder map is a visual sketch of how various stakeholders interact with your organization, with each other, and with external audience segments.

An example stakeholder map with the 'Key players' quadrant highlighted, it includes 'CEO', 'CIO', and the modified position of 'CFO' after being engaged.

“Stakeholder management is critical to the success of every project in every organization I have ever worked with. By engaging the right people in the right way in your project, you can make a big difference to its success…and to your career.” (Rachel Thompson, MindTools)

2.1.1 Use a stakeholder power map to identify and prioritize EA stakeholders

2 hours

Input: Expertise from the EA strategy creation team

Output: An identified and prioritized set of stakeholders for the EA function to target

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

  1. A stakeholder power map helps to visualize the importance of various stakeholders and their concerns so you can prioritize your time according to the most powerful and most impacted stakeholders.
  2. Evaluate each stakeholder in terms of power, Involvement, impact, and support.
    • Power: How much influence does the stakeholder have? Enough to drive the project forward or into the ground?
    • Involvement: How interested is the stakeholder? How involved is the stakeholder in the project already?
    • Impact: To what degree will the stakeholder be impacted? Will this significantly change how they do their job?
    • Support: Is the stakeholder a supporter of the project? Neutral? A resistor?
  3. Map each stakeholder to an area on the Power Map Template.
  4. Ask yourself if the power map looks accurate. Is there someone who has no involvement in EA strategy development but should?
  5. Some stakeholders may have influence over others. For example, a COO who highly values the opinion of the Director of Operations would be influenced by that director. Draw an arrow from one stakeholder to another to signify this relationship.

Download the Stakeholder Power Map Template for more detailed instructions on completing this activity.

Each stakeholder will have a set of needs that will influence the final EA value proposition

All stakeholders will have a set of needs they would like to address. Take those needs and translate them into business and technology drivers. Drivers help clearly articulate to stakeholders, and the EA function, the stakeholder needs to be addressed.

Business Driver

Business drivers are internal or external business conditions, changing business capabilities, and changing market trends that impact the way EA operates and provides value to the enterprise.

Examples:

Ensure corporate compliance with legislation pertaining to data and security (e.g. regulated oil fields).

Enable the automation and digitization of internal processes and services to business stakeholders.

Technology Driver

Technology drivers are internal or external technology conditions or factors that are not within the control of the EA group that impact the way that the EA group operates and provides value to the enterprise.

Examples:

Establish standards and policies for enabling the organization to take advantage of cloud and mobile technologies.

Reduce the frequency of shadow IT by lowering the propensity to make business–technology decisions in isolation.

(Source: The Strategic CFO, 2013)

Gather information from stakeholders to begin the process of distilling business and technology drivers

Review information sources, then analyze them to derive business and technology drivers. Information sources are not targeted towards EA stakeholders. Analyze the information sources to create drivers that are relevant to EA stakeholders.

Information Sources Drivers (Examples)

PESTLE Analysis

Strategy Documents

Stakeholder Interviews

SWOT Analysis

—›

Analysis

—›

Help the organization align technology investments with corporate strategy

Ensure corporate compliance with legislation.

Increase the organization’s speed to market.

Business and Technology Needs

By examining information sources, the EA team will come across a set of business and technology needs. Through analysis, these needs can be synthesized into drivers.

The PESTLE analysis will help you uncover external factors impacting the organization

PESTLE examines six perspectives for external factors that may impact business and technology needs. Below are prompting questions to facilitate a PESTLE analysis working session.

Political
  • Will a change in government (at any level) affect your organization?
  • Do inter-government or trade relations affect you?
  • Are there shareholder needs or demands that must be considered?
  • How are your costs changing (moving off-shore, fluctuations in markets, etc.)?
  • Do currency fluctuations have an effect on your business?
  • Can you attract and pay for top-quality talent (e.g. desirable location, reasonable cost of living, changes to insurance requirements)?
Economic
Social
  • What are the demographics of your customers and/or employees?
  • What are the attitudes of your customers and/or staff (e.g. do they require social media, collaboration, transparency of costs)?
  • What is the general lifecycle of an employee (i.e. is there high turnover)?
  • Is there a market of qualified staff?
  • Is your business seasonal?
  • Do you require constant technology upgrades (e.g. faster network, new hardware)?
  • What is the appetite for innovation within your industry/business?
  • Are there demands for increasing data storage, quality, BI, etc.?
  • Are you looking to cloud technologies?
  • What is the stance on bring your own device?
  • Are you required to do a significant amount of development work in-house?
Technological
Legal
  • Are there changes to trade laws?
  • Are there changes to regulatory requirements (i.e. data storage policies, privacy policies)?
  • Are there union factors that must be considered?
  • Is there a push towards being environmentally friendly?
  • Does the weather have any effect on your business (hurricanes, flooding, etc.)?
Environmental

2.1.2 Conduct a PESTLE analysis

2 hours

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: Identified set of business and technology needs from PESTLE

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

  1. Begin conducting the PESTLE analysis by breaking the participants into groups. Divide the six different perspectives amongst the groups.
  2. Ask each group to begin to derive business and technology needs from their assigned perspectives. Use some of the areas noted below along with the questions on the previous slide to derive business and technology needs.
    • Political: Examine taxes, environmental regulations, and zoning restrictions.
    • Economic: Examine interest rates, inflation rate, exchange rates, the financial and stock markets, and the job market.
    • Social: Examine gender, race, age, income, disabilities, educational attainment, employment status, and religion.
    • Technological: Examine servers, computers, networks, software, database technologies, wireless capabilities, and availability of Software as a Service.
    • Legal: Examine trade laws, labor laws, environmental laws, and privacy laws.
    • Environmental: Examine green initiatives, ethical issues, weather patterns, and pollution.
  3. Ask each group to take into account the following questions when deriving business and technology needs:
    • Will business components require any changes to address the factor?
    • Will information technology components changes be needed to address any factor?
  4. Have each team record its findings. Have each team present its list and have remaining teams give feedback and additional suggestions. Record any changes in this step.

Download the PESTLE Analysis Template to assist with completing this activity.

Strategic planning documents can provide information regarding the direction of the organization

Some organizations (and business units) create an authoritative strategy document. These documents contain corporate aspirations and outline initiatives, reorganizations, and shifts in strategy. From these documents, a set of business and technology needs can be generated.

Overt Statements

  • Corporate objectives and initiatives are often explicitly stated in these documents. Look for statements that begin with phrases such as “Our corporate objectives are…”
  • Remember that different organizations use different terminology; if you cannot find the word goal or objective then look for “pillar,” “imperative,” “theme,” etc.

Turn these statements to business and technology needs by:

Asking the following:
  • Is there a need from a business perspective to address these objectives, initiatives, and shifts in strategy?
  • Is there a need from a technology perspective to address these objectives, initiatives, and shifts in strategy?

Covert Statements

  • Some corporate objectives and initiatives will be mentioned in passing and will require clarification. For example: “As we continue to penetrate new markets, we will be diversifying our manufacturing geography to simplify distribution.”

2.1.3 Review strategic planning documents

2 hours

Input: Strategic documents in the organization

Output: Identified set of business and technology needs from documents

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin the identification process of business and technology needs from strategic documents with the following steps:

  1. Work with the EA strategy creation team to identify the strategic documents within the organization. Look for documents with any of the following content:
    • Corporate strategy document
    • Business unit strategy documents
    • Annual general reports
  2. Gather the strategic documents into one place and call a meeting with the EA strategy creation team to identify the business and technology needs in those documents.
  3. Pick one document and look through its contents. Look for future-looking words such as:
    • We will be…
    • We are planning to…
    • We will need…
  4. Consider those portions of the document with future-looking words and ask the following:
    • Will business components require any changes to address these objectives?
    • Will information technology components changes be needed to address these objectives?
  5. Record the business and technology needs identified in step 4. As well, record any questions you may have regarding the document contents for stakeholders to validate later.
  6. Move to the next document once complete. Complete steps 3-5 for the remaining strategy documents.

Stakeholder interviews will help you collect primary data and will shed light on stakeholder priorities and challenges

In this interview process, you will be asking EA stakeholders questions that uncover their business and technology needs. You will also be able to ask follow-up questions to get a better understanding of abstract or complex concepts from the strategy document review and PESTLE analysis.

EA Stakeholders:

  • Stakeholders may not think of their business and technology needs. But stakeholders will often explicitly state their objectives and initiatives.
  • Objectives often result in risks, opportunities, and annoyances:
    • Risks: Potential damage associated with pursuing an objective or initiative.
    • Opportunities: Potential gains that could be leveraged when capturing objectives and initiatives.
    • Annoyances: Roadblocks that could hinder the pursuit of objectives and initiatives.
  • Ask stakeholders questions on these areas to discern their business and technology needs.

Risks + Opportunities + Annoyances –› Business and Technology Needs

2.1.4 Conduct EA stakeholder interviews

4-8 hours

Input: Expertise from the EA stakeholders

Output: Business and technology needs for EA stakeholders

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team, Identified EA stakeholders

  1. Schedule an interview with each of the stakeholders that were identified as key stakeholders in the Stakeholder Power Map.
  2. Meet with the key EA stakeholders and start business and technology needs gathering. Schedule each identified key stakeholder for an interview.
  3. When a stakeholder arrives for their interview, ask the following questions and record the answers to help uncover needs. Be sure to record which stakeholder answered the question. Further, record any future stakeholders that agree.
    • What are the current strengths of your organization?
    • What are the current weaknesses of your organization?
    • What is the number 1 risk you need to prevent?
    • What is the number 1 opportunity you want to capitalize on?
    • What is the number 1 annoying pet peeve you want to remove?
    • How would you prioritize these risks, opportunities, and annoyances?
  4. Recorded answer example: “We can’t see what the other departments are doing; when we spend a lot of money to invest in something, we later find out the capability is already within the company.”
  5. After completing each interview, verify with each stakeholder that you have captured their business and technology needs. Continue the interview process until all identified key stakeholders have been interviewed.
  6. Capture all inputs into a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) format.

Step 2.2

Define Your Value Proposition

Activities
  • 2.2.1 Create a set of business and technology drivers from business and technology needs
  • 2.2.2 Identify the pains associated with the business and technology drivers
  • 2.2.3 Identify the EA contributions that can address the pains
  • 2.2.4 Create promises of value to shape the EA value proposition

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Use business and technology drivers to determine EA’s role in your organization.

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Outcomes of this step

A value proposition document that ties the value of the EA function to stakeholder needs.

Create the EA Value Proposition

Step 2.1 Step 2.2

Synthesize the collected data into business and technology drivers

Two triangles labelled 'Business needs' and 'Technology needs' point to a cloud labelled 'Analysis', which connects to the driver attributes on the right via a dotted line.

There are several key attributes that a driver should have.

Driver Key Attributes
  • A succinct statement.
  • Begins with “action words” to communicate a call to action (e.g. Support, Help, Enable).
  • Written in a language understood by all parties involved.
  • Communicates a need for improvement or prevention.

“The greatest impact of enterprise architecture is the strategic impact. Put the mission and the needs of the organization first.” (Matthew Kern, Clear Government Solutions)

2.2.1 Create a set of business and technology drivers from business and technology needs

3 hours

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: A set of business and technology drivers

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team, EA stakeholders

Meet with the EA strategy creation team and follow the steps below to begin the process of synthesizing the business and technology needs into drivers.

  1. Lay out the documented business and technology needs your team gathered from PESTLE analysis, strategy document reviews, and stakeholder interviews.
  2. Assess the documented business and technology needs to see if there are common themes. Consolidate those similar business and technology needs by crafting one driver for them. For example:
    • PESTLE: Influx of competitors in the marketplace causing tighter margins.
    • Document review: Improve investment quality and their value to the organization.
    • Stakeholder interview: “We can’t see what the other departments are doing; when we spend a lot of money to invest in something, we later find out the capability is already within the company.”
    • Consolidated business driver example: Help the organization align investments with the corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
  3. As well, synthesize the business and technology needs that cannot be consolidated.
  4. Verify the completed list of drivers with stakeholders. This is to ensure you have fully captured their needs.

Download the EA Value Proposition Template to record your findings in this activity.

When addressing business and technology drivers, an organization can expect obstacles

A pain is an obstacle that business stakeholders will face when attempting to address business and technology drivers. Identify the pains associated with each driver so that EA’s contributions can be linked to resolving obstacles to address business needs.

Business and Technology Drivers

Pains

Created by assessing information sources. A sentence that states the nature of the pain and how the pain stops the organization from addressing the drivers.
Examples:
  • Business driver: Help the organization align investments with the corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
  • Technology driver: Improve the organization’s technology responsiveness and increase speed to market.
Examples:
  • Business driver pains: Lack of holistic view of business capabilities obstructs the organization from aligning investments with corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
  • Technology driver pains: Ineffective application development requiring delays decreases the speed to market.

2.2.2 Identify the pains associated with the business and technology drivers

2 hours

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team and EA stakeholders

Output: An associated pain that obstructs each identified driver

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team, EA stakeholders

Call a meeting with the EA strategy creation team and any available stakeholders to identify the pains that obstruct addressing the business and technology drivers.

Take each driver and ask the questions below to the EA strategy creation team and to any EA stakeholders who are available. Record the answers to identify the pains when realizing the drivers.

  1. What are your challenges in performing the activity or process today?
  2. What other business activities/processes will be impacted/improved if we solve this?
  3. What compliance/regulatory/policy concerns do we need to consider in any solution?
  4. What are the steps in the process/activity?

Take the recorded answers and follow the steps below to create the pain statements:

  1. Answers to the questions above can be long, unfocused, or spoken in a casual manner. To turn the answer into pains, refine the recorded answers into a succinct sentence that captures its meaning.
    • Recorded answer example: “I feel like there needs to be a holistic view of the organization. If we had a tool to see all the capabilities across the business, then we can figure out what investments should be prioritized.”
    • Example of pain statement: Lack of holistic view of business capabilities obstructs the organization from aligning investments with corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
  2. When the list of pains has been written out, verify with the stakeholders that you have fully captured their pains.

Download the EA Value Proposition Template to record your findings in this activity.

The identified pains can be alleviated by a set of EA contributions

Set the foundations for the value proposition by brainstorming the EA contributions that can alleviate the pains.

Business and technology drivers produce:

Pains

—›
EA contributions produce:

Value by alleviating pains

Pains

Obstructions to addressing business and technology drivers. Stakeholders will face these pains.

Examples
  • Business driver pains: Lack of holistic view of business capabilities obstructs the organization from aligning investments with corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
EA contributions

Activities the EA function can perform to help alleviate the pains. Demonstrates the contributions the EA function can make to business value.

Examples:
  • Business driver EA contributions: Business capability mapping shows the business capabilities of the organization and the technology that supports those capabilities in the current and target state. This provides a view for the set of investments that are needed by the organization, which can then be prioritized.

Enterprise architecture functions can provide a diverse set of contributions to any organization – Sample

EA contribution category EA contribution details
Define business capabilities and processes As-is and target business capabilities and processes are documented and understood by both IT and the business.
Design information flows and services Information flows and services effectively support business capabilities and processes.
Analyze gaps and identify project opportunities Create informed project identification, scope definition, and project portfolio management.
Optimize technology assets Greater homogeneity and interoperability between tangible and intangible technology assets.
Create and maintain technology standards Decrease development, integration, and support efforts. Reduce complexity and improve interoperability.
Rationalize technology assets Tangible and intangible technology assets are rationalized to adequately and efficiently support information flows and services.

2.2.3 Identify the EA contributions that can address the pains

2 hours

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: EA contributions that addresses the pains that were identified

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Gather with the EA strategy creation team, take each pain, then ask and record the answers to the questions below to identify the EA contributions that would solve the pains:

  1. What activities can the EA practice conduct to overcome the pain?
  2. What are the core EA models that can help accurately define the problem and assist in finding appropriate resolutions?
  3. What are the general EA benefits that can be associated with solving this pain?

Answers to the questions above will generate a list of activities EA can do to help alleviate the pains. Use the following steps to complete this activity:

  1. Create a stronger tie between the EA contributions and pains by linking the EA contribution statement to the pain.
    • Example of pain statement: Lack of holistic view of business capabilities obstructs the organization from aligning investments with corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
    • Example of EA contributions statement: Business capability mapping shows the business capabilities of the organization and the technology that supports those capabilities in the current and target state. This provides a view for the set of investments that are needed by the organization, which can then be prioritized.
  2. Verify with the stakeholders that they understand the EA contributions have been written out and how those contributions address the pains.

Download the EA Value Proposition Template to record your findings in this activity.

EA promises of value articulate EA’s commitment to the organization

  • Business Goals and Technology Drivers
    A set of statements created from business and technology needs. Gathered from information sources, it communicates improvements needed.

    • Value Streams, Aspirations, Long-Term Goals
      Value streams, aspirations, long-term goals

      • EA Contributions
        EA contributions that will alleviate the obstructions. Removing the obstructions will allow EA to help satisfy business and technology needs.

        • Promise of Value
          A statement that depicts a concrete benefit the EA practice can provide for the organization in response to business and technology drivers.
          Communicate the statements in a language that stakeholders understand to complete the articulation of EA’s value proposition.

2.2.4 Create promises of value to shape the EA value proposition

2 hours

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team and EA stakeholders

Output: Promises of value for each business and technology driver

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team, EA stakeholders

Now that the EA contributions have been identified, identify the promises of value to articulate the value proposition.

Take each driver, then ask and record the answers to the questions below to identify the promises of value when realizing the drivers:

  1. What does amazing look like if we solve this perfectly?
  2. What other business activities/processes will be impacted/improved if we solve this?
  3. What measures of success/change should we use to prove value of the effort (KPIs/ROI)?

Take the recorded answers and follow the steps below to create the promises of value.

  1. Answers to the questions above can be long, unfocused, or spoken in a casual manner. To turn the answer into a promise of value, refine the recorded answer into a succinct sentence that captures its meaning.
    • Business driver example: Help the organization align investments with the corporate strategy and departmental priorities.
    • Recorded answer example: “If this would be solved perfectly, we would have a very easy time planning investments and investment planning hours can be spent doing other activities.”
    • Promises of value example: Increase the number of investments that have a direct tie to corporate strategy.
  2. When the promises of value have been written out, verify with the stakeholders that you have fully captured their ideas.

Download the EA Value Proposition Template to record your findings in this activity.

Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Phase 3

Build the EA Fundamentals

Phase 1

  • 1.1 Explore a general EA strategy approach
  • 1.2 Introduce Agile EA architecture

Phase 2

  • 2.1 Define the business and technology drivers
  • 2.2 Define your value proposition

Phase 3

  • 3.1 Realize the importance of EA fundamentals
  • 3.2 Finalize the EA fundamentals

Phase 4

  • 4.1 Select relevant EA services
  • 4.2 Finalize the set of services and secure approval

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Create an EA vision statement and an EA mission statement.
  • Create EA goals, define EA objectives, and link them to EA goals.
  • Define the EA function scope dimensions.
  • Create a set of EA principles for your organization.
  • Discuss current methodology.

This phase involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • EA Team
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Step 3.1

Realize the Importance of EA Fundamentals

Activities
  • 3.1.1 Create the EA vision statement
  • 3.1.2 Create the EA mission statement
  • 3.1.3 Create EA goals
  • 3.1.4 Define EA objectives and link them to EA goals
  • 3.1.5 Record the details of each EA objective

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Define and document the fundamentals that guide the EA function.

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • EA Team
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Outcomes of this step

  • Vision and mission statements for the EA function.
  • A set of EA goals and a set of objectives to track progression toward those goals.
Build the EA Fundamentals
Step 3.1 Step 3.2

EA fundamentals guide the EA function

EA fundamentals include a vision statement, a mission statement, goals and objectives, and principles. They are a set of documented statements that guide the EA function. The fundamentals guide the EA function in terms of its strategy and decision making.

EA vision statement EA mission statement

EA fundamentals

EA goals and objectives EA principles

Info-Tech Insight

Treat the critical elements of the EA group the same way as you would a business. Create a directional foundation for EA and define the vision, mission, goals, principles, and scope necessary to deliver on the established value proposition.

The EA vision statement articulates the aspirations of the EA function

The enterprise architecture vision statement communicates a desired future state of the EA function. The statement is expressed in the present tense. It seeks to articulate the desired role of the EA function and how the EA function will be perceived.

Strong EA vision statements have the following characteristics:

  • Describe a desired future
  • Focus on ends, not means
  • Communicate promise
  • Concise, no unnecessary words
  • Compelling
  • Achievable
  • Inspirational
  • Memorable

Sample EA vision statements:

  • To be a trusted partner for both the business and IT, driving enterprise effectiveness, efficiency, and agility at [Company Name].
  • To be a trusted partner and advisor to both the business and IT, contributing to business-IT alignment and cost reduction at [Company Name].
  • To create distinctive value and accelerate [Company Name]’s transformation.

The EA mission statement articulates the purpose of the EA function

The enterprise architecture mission statement specifies the team’s purpose or “reason of being.” The mission should guide each day’s activities and decisions. The mission statements use simple and concise terminology, speak loudly and clearly, and generate enthusiasm for the organization.

Strong EA mission statements have the following characteristics:

  • Articulates EA function purpose and reason for existence
  • Describes what the EA function does to achieve its vision
  • Defines who the customers of the EA function are
  • Compelling
  • Easy to grasp
  • Sharply focused
  • Inspirational
  • Memorable
  • Concise

Sample EA mission statements:

  • Define target enterprise architecture for [Company Name], identify solution opportunities, inform IT investment management, and direct solution development, acquisition, and operation compliance.
  • Synergize with both the business and IT to define and help realize [Company Name]’s target enterprise architecture that enables the business strategy and optimizes IT assets, resources, and capabilities.

The EA vision and mission statements become relevant to EA stakeholders when linked to the promises of value

The process for constructing the enterprise architecture vision statement and enterprise architecture mission statement is articulated below.

Promises of value Derive keywords Construct draft statements Reference test criteria Finalize statements
Derive the a set of keywords from the promises of value to accurately capture their essence. Create the initial statement using the keywords. Check the initial statement against a set of test criteria to ensure their quality. Finalize the statement after referencing the initial statement against the test criteria.

Derive keywords from promises of value to begin the vision and mission statement creation process

Develop keywords by summarizing the promises of value that were derived from drivers into one word that will take on the essence of the promise. See examples below:

Business and technology drivers Promises of value Keywords
Help the organization align investments with the corporate strategy and departmental priorities. Increase the number of investments that have a direct tie to corporate strategy. Business
Support the rapid growth and development of the company through fiscal planning, project planning, and technology sustainability. Ensure budgets and projects are delivered on time with the assistance of technology. IT-Enabled
Reduce the duplication and work effort to build and deploy technology solutions across the entire organization. Aim to reduce the number of redundant applications in the organization to streamline processes and save costs. Catalyst
Improve the organization’s technology responsiveness and increase speed to market. Reduce the number of days required in the SDLC for all core business support projects. Value delivery

An inspirational vision statement is greater than the sum of the individual words

Ensure the sentence is cohesive and captures additional value outside of the keywords. The statement as a whole should be greater than the sum of the parts. Expand upon the meaning of the words, if necessary, to communicate the value. Below is an example of a finished vision statement.

Sample

Be a catalyst for IT-enabled business value delivery.

Catalyst – We will continuously interact with the business and IT to accelerate and improve results.

IT-enabled – We will ensure the optimal use of technology in enabling business capabilities to achieve business objectives.

Business – We will be perceived as a business-focused unit that understands [Company name]’s business priorities and required business capabilities.

Value delivery – EA’s value will be recognized by both business and IT stakeholders. We will track and market EA’s contribution to business value organization-wide.

A clear mission statement can include additional details surrounding the EA team’s desired and expected value

Likewise, below is a sample of connecting keywords together to form an EA mission statement:

Optimize, transform, and innovate by defining and implementing the [Company]’s target enterprise architecture.

Optimize – We collaborate with the business to analyze and optimize business capabilities and business processes to enable the agile and efficient attainment of [Company name] business objectives.

Transform – We support IT-enabled business transformation programs by building and maintaining a shared vision of the future-state enterprise and consistently communicating it to stakeholders.

Innovate – We identify and develop new and creative opportunities for IT to enable the business. We communicate the art of the possible to the business.

Defining and implementing – We engage with project teams early and guide solution design and selection to ensure alignment to the target-state enterprise architecture.

Target enterprise structure – We analyze business needs and priorities and assess the current state of the enterprise. We build and maintain the target enterprise architecture blueprints that define:

  • Business capabilities and processes (business architecture)
  • Data, application, and technology assets that enable business capabilities and processes (technology architecture)
  • Architecture principles and standards

3.1.1 Create the EA vision statement

1 hour

Input: Identified promises of value, Vision statement test criteria

Output: EA function vision statement

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin the creation of the EA vision statement by following the steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team and have the promises of value from the EA value proposition laid out.
  2. Select one promise of value and work with the team to identify one word that captures the essence of that promise of value.
  3. Continue to the next promise of value until all of the promises of value have a keyword identified.
  4. Have the identified set of keywords laid out and see if any of their meanings are similar and can be consolidated together. Consolidate similar meaning keywords.
  5. Create the initial draft of the EA vision statement by linking the keywords together.
  6. Check the initial draft of the vision statement against the test criteria below. Ask the team if the vision statement satisfies each of the test criteria.
    • Do you find this vision exciting?
    • Is the vision clear, compelling, and easy to grasp?
    • Does this vision somehow connect to the core purpose?
    • Will this vision be exciting to a broad base of people in the organization, not just those within the EA team?
  7. Make changes to the initial draft to satisfy the test criteria. Socialize the EA vision statement with EA stakeholders to make sure it captures their needs.

3.1.2 Create the EA mission statement

1 hour

Input: Identified promises of value, Mission statement test criteria

Output: EA function mission statement

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin the creation of the EA mission statement by following the steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team and have the promises of value from the EA value proposition laid out.
  2. Select one promise of value and work with the team to identify one word that captures the essence of that promise of value.
  3. Continue to the next promise of value until all of the promises of value have a keyword identified.
  4. Have the identified set of keywords laid out, and see if any of their meanings are similar and can be consolidated together. Consolidate similar meaning keywords.
  5. Create the initial draft of the EA mission statement by linking the keywords together.
  6. Check the initial draft of the mission statement against the following test criteria below. Ask the team if the mission statement satisfies each of the test criteria.
    • Do you find this purpose personally inspiring?
    • Does the purpose help you to decide what activities to not pursue, to eliminate from consideration? Is this purpose authentic – something true to what the organization is all about – not merely words on paper that sound nice?
    • Would this purpose be greeted with enthusiasm rather than cynicism by a broad base of people in the organization?
  7. Make changes to the initial draft to satisfy the test criteria. Socialize the EA mission statement with EA stakeholders to make sure it captures their needs.

EA goals demonstrate the achievement of success of the EA function

Enterprise architecture goals define specific desired outcomes of an EA function. EA goals are important because they establish the milestones the EA function can strive toward to deliver their promises of value.

Inform EA goals by examining:

Promises of value

—›
EA goals produce:

Targets and milestones

Promises of value

Produce EA strategic outcomes that can be classified into four categories. The four categories are:

  • Business performance
  • IT performance
  • Customer value
  • Risk management
EA goals

Support the strategic outcomes. EA goals can be strategic or operational:

  • EA strategic goals support the strategic outcomes.
  • EA operational goals help measure the architecture capability quality and supporting processes.

3.1.3 Create EA goals

2 hours

Input: Identified promises of value

Output: EA goals

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin the creation of EA goals by following the steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team and the identified promises of value from Phase 2, Create the EA Value Proposition.
  2. Open the EA Goals and Objectives Template and examine the list of default EA goals already within the template.
  3. Take the identified promises of value and discuss with the team if any of the EA goals in the template relate to the promises of value. Record the related EA goal and promise of value. See example below:
    • Promises of value example: Increase the number of investments that have a direct tie to corporate strategy.
    • Related EA goal example: Alignment of IT and business strategy.
  4. Repeat step 3 until all identified promises of value have been examined in relation to the EA goals in the template.
  5. If there are promises of value that are not related to an EA goal in the template, create EA goals to relate to those promises of value. Keep in mind that EA goals need to support the strategic outcomes produced by the promises of value. Record the EA goals in the template and document the related promises of value.

Download the EA Goals and Objectives Template to assist with completing this activity.

Starting with COBIT, select the appropriate objectives to track EA goals – Sample

Below are examples of EA goals and the objectives that track their performance:

IT performance-oriented goals Objectives
Alignment of IT and business strategy
  • Increase the percentage of enterprise strategic goals and requirements supported by IT strategic goals by X percent in the fiscal year.
  • Improve stakeholder satisfaction with planned function and services portfolio scope by X percent in the fiscal year.
  • Increase the percentage of IT value drivers mapped to business value drivers by X percent in the next fiscal year.
Increase in IT agility
  • Improve business executive satisfaction with IT’s responsiveness to new requirements by X percent in the fiscal year.
  • Increase the number of critical business processes supported by up-to-date infrastructure and applications in the next three years.
  • Lower the average time to turn strategic IT objectives into agreed-upon and approved initiatives.
Optimization of IT assets, resources, and capabilities
  • Increase the frequency of capability maturity and cost optimization assessments.
  • Improve the frequency of reporting for assessment result trends.
  • Raise the satisfaction levels of business and IT executives with IT-related costs and capabilities by X percent.

3.1.4 Define EA objectives and link them to EA goals

2 hours

Input: Defined EA goals

Output: EA objectives linked to EA goals

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin the process of defining EA objectives and linking them to EA goals using the following steps:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team and open the EA Goals and Objectives Template.
  2. Have the goals laid out, and refer to the objectives already in the EA Goals and Objectives Template. Examine if any of them will fit the goals your team has created.
  3. If some of the goals your team has created do not fit with the objectives in the template, begin the process of creating new objectives. Remember, EA objectives are SMART metrics that help track the progress toward the EA goals.
  4. Create an EA objective and check if it is SMART by asking some of the questions below:
    • Specific: Is the objective specific to the goal? Is the objective clear to anyone who has basic knowledge of the goal?
    • Measurable: Is it possible to figure out how far the team would be away from completing the objective?
    • Agreed Upon: Does everyone involved agree the objective is the correct way to measure progress?
    • Realistic: Can the objective be met within the availability of resources, knowledge, and time?
    • Time Based: Is there a time-bound component to the goal?
  5. Continue to create new objectives until each goal has an objective linked to it.

Download the EA Goals and Objectives Template to assist with completing this activity.

For each of the objectives, determine how they will be collected, reported, and implemented

Add details to the enterprise architecture objectives previously defined to increase their clarity to stakeholders.

EA objective detail category Description
Unit of measure
  • The unit in which the objective will be presented.
Calculation formula
  • The formula by which the objective will be calculated.
Objective baseline, status, and target
  • Baseline: The state of the objective at the start of measurement.
  • Status: The current state of the measurement.
  • Target: The target state the measurement should reach.
Data collection
  • Responsible: The individual responsible for collecting the data.
  • Source: Where the data originates.
  • Frequency: How often the data will be collected to calculate the objective.
Reporting
  • Target Audience: The people the objective will be presented to.
  • Method: The method used to present the data collected on the objective (e.g. report, presentation).
  • Frequency: How often the data will be presented to the target audience.

3.1.5 Record the details of each EA objective

2 hours

Input: Defined list of EA objectives

Output: Increased detail into each defined EA objective

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Record the details of each EA objective. Use the following steps below to assist with recording the details:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team, and open the EA Goals and Objectives Template.
  2. Select one objective that has been identified and discuss the formula for calculating the objective and in what units the objective will be recorded. Record the information in the “Calculation formula” and “Unit of measure” columns in the template once they have been agreed upon.
  3. Using the same objective, move to the “Data Collection” portion of the template. Discuss and record the following: the source of the data that generates the objective, the frequency of reporting on the objective, and the person responsible for reporting the objective.
  4. Move to the “Reporting” portion of the template. Discuss and record the target audience for the objective and the reporting frequency and method to those audiences.
  5. Examine the “Objective baseline,” “Objective status,” and “Objective target” columns. Record any measurement you may currently have in the “Objective baseline” column. Record what you would like the objective measurement to be in the “Objective target” column. Note: Keep track of the progression towards the target in the “Objective status” column in the future.
  6. Select the next objective and complete steps 2–5 for that measure. Continue this process until you have recorded details for all objectives.

Download the EA Goals and Objectives Template to assist with completing this activity.

Step 3.2

Finalize the EA Fundamentals

Activities
  • 3.2.1 Define the organizational coverage dimension of the EA function scope
  • 3.2.2 Define the architectural domains and depth dimension
  • 3.2.3 Define the time horizon dimension
  • 3.2.4 Create a set of EA principles for your organization
  • 3.2.5 Add the rationale and implications to the principles
  • 3.2.6 Operationalize the EA principles
  • 3.2.7 Discuss the need for classical methodology and/or a combination including Agile practices

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Define the EA function scope dimensions.
  • Create a set of EA principles.
  • Discuss the organization’s current methodology, if any, and whether it works for the business.

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • EA Team
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Outcomes of this step

  • Defined scope of the EA function.
  • A set of EA principles for your organization.
  • A decision on traditional vs. Agile methodology or a blend of both.

Build the EA Fundamentals

Step 3.1 Step 3.2

A clear EA function scope defines the EA sandbox

The EA function scope constrains the promises of value the EA function will deliver on by taking into account factors across four dimensions. The EA function scope ensures that the EA function is not stretched beyond its current/planned means and capabilities when delivering the promised value. The four dimensions are illustrated below:

Organizational coverage
Determine the focus of the enterprise architecture effort in terms of specific business units, functions, departments, capabilities, or geographical areas.
Depth
Determine the appropriate level of detail to be captured, based on the intended use of the enterprise architecture and the contingent decisions to be made.

EA Scope

Architectural Domains
Determine the EA domains (business, data, application, infrastructure, security) that are appropriate to address stakeholder concerns and architecture requirements.
Time horizon
Determine the target-state architecture’s objective time period.

The EA function scope is influenced by the EA value proposition and previously developed EA fundamentals

Establish the EA function scope by using the EA value proposition and EA fundamentals that have been developed. After defining the EA function scope, refer back to these statements to ensure the EA function scope accurately reflects the EA value proposition and EA fundamentals.

EA value proposition

+

EA vision statement
EA mission statement
EA goals and objectives

—›
Influences

Organizational coverage

Architectural domains

Depth

Time horizon

—›
Defines
EA function scope

EA scope – Organizational Coverage

The organizational coverage dimension of EA scope determines the focus of enterprise architecture effort in the organization. Coverage can be determined by specific business units, functions, departments, capabilities, or geographic areas. Info-Tech has typically seen two types of coverage based on the size of the organization.

Small and medium-size enterprise

Indicators: Full-time employees dedicated to manage its data and IT infrastructure. Individuals are IT generalists and may have multiple roles.

Recommended coverage: Typically, for small and medium-size businesses, the organizational coverage of architecture work is the entire enterprise. (Source: The Open Group, 2018)

Large enterprise

Indicators: Dedicated full-time IT staff with expertise to manage specific applications or parts of the IT infrastructure.

Recommended coverage: For large enterprises, it is often necessary to develop a number of architectures focused on specific business segments and/or geographies. In this federated model, an overarching enterprise architecture should be established to ensure interoperability and conformance to overarching EA principles. (Source: DCIG, 2011)

EA objectives track the progression towards the target set by EA goals

Enterprise architecture objectives are specific metrics that help measure and monitor progress towards achieving an EA goal. Objectives are SMART.

EA goals —› EA objectives
  • EA strategic goals:
    • Business performance
    • IT performance
    • Customer value
    • Risk management
  • EA operational goals
  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Agreed upon
  • Realistic
  • Time bound
(Source: Project Smart, 2014)

Download the EA Goals and Objectives Template to see examples between the relationship of EA goals to objectives.

Measure the EA strategy effectiveness by tracking the benefits it provides to the corporate business goals

The success of the EA function is influenced by the following:

  • The delivery of EA-enabled business outcomes that are most important to the enterprise.
  • The alignment between the business and IT from a planning perspective.
  • Improvements in the corporate business goals due to EA contributions (standardization, rationalization, reuse, etc.).
Corporate Business Goals Measurements
  • Reduction in operating costs
  • Decrease in regulatory compliance infractions
  • Increased revenue from existing channels
  • Increased revenue from new channels
  • Faster time to business value
  • Improved business agility
  • Reduction in enterprise risk exposure
  • Cost reductions based on application and platform rationalization
  • Standard-based solutions
  • Time reduction for integration
  • Service reused
  • Stakeholder satisfaction with EA services
  • Increase customer satisfaction
  • Rework minimized
  • Lower cost of integration
  • Risk reduction
  • Faster time to market
  • Better scalability, etc.

3.2.1 Define the organizational coverage dimension of the EA function scope

2 hours

Input: EA value proposition, Previously defined EA fundamentals

Output: Organizational coverage dimension of EA scope defined

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Define the organizational coverage of the EA function scope using the following steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team. As well, gather the EA value proposition, the EA vision and mission statements, and the EA goals and objectives your team has already created.
  2. Ask the team to read each of the documents gathered in the previous step. This ensures the concepts are fresh in the team members’ minds when defining the EA function scope organizational coverage.
  3. Consider how much of the organization the EA function would need to cover. Refer to the gathered materials to assist with your decision. For example:
    • EA mission statement: Optimize, transform, and innovate by defining and implementing the [Company]’s target enterprise architecture.
    • Implications on organizational coverage: If the purpose of the EA function is to help optimize, transform, and innovate with target-state architecture mapping, then the scope should cover the entire organization. Only by mapping the entire organization’s architecture can the EA function assist with optimizing, transforming, and innovating.
  4. Work with the EA strategy creation team to examine all the gathered materials and document the implications on organization coverage as shown in step 3.
  5. Discuss with the team and select the organizational coverage level that best fits the documented implications for all the gathered materials. Refer back to the gathered materials and make any changes necessary to ensure they support the selected organizational coverage.

EA scope – Architectural Domains

A complete enterprise architecture should address all five architectural domains. The five architectural domains are business, data, application, infrastructure, and security.

Enterprise Architecture
—› Data Architecture
Business Architecture —› Infrastructure Architecture
Security Architecture
—› Application Architecture

“The realities of resource and time constraints often mean there is not enough time, funding, or resources to build a top-down, all-inclusive architecture encompassing all four architecture domains. Build architecture domains with a specific purpose in mind.” (The Open Group, 2018)

Each architectural domain creates a different view of the organization

Below are the definitions of different domains of enterprise architecture (Info-Tech perspective; others can be identified as well, e.g. Integration Architecture).

Business Architecture

Business architecture is a means of demonstrating the business value of subsequent architecture work to key stakeholders and the return on investment to those stakeholders from supporting and participating in the subsequent work. Business architecture defines the business strategy, governance, organization, and key business processes.

Data Architecture

Describes the structure of an organization’s logical and physical data assets and data management resources.

Application Architecture

Provides a blueprint for the individual applications to be deployed, their interactions, and their relationships to the core business processes of the organization.

Infrastructure Architecture

Represents the sum of hardware, software, and telecommunications-related IT capability associated with a particular enterprise. It is concerned with the synergistic operations and management of the devices in the organization.

Security Architecture

Provides an unified security design that addresses the necessities and potential risks involved in a certain scenario or environment. It also specifies when and where to apply security controls.
(Sources: The Open Group, 2018; IT Architecture Journal, 2014; Technopedia, 2016)

EA scope – Depth

EA scope depth defines the architectural detail for each EA domain that the organization has selected to pursue. The level of depth is broken down into four levels. The level of depth the organization decides to pursue should be consistent across the domains.

Contextual
  • Helps define the organization scope, and examines external and internal requirements and their effect on the organization. For example, enterprise governance.
Conceptual
  • High-level representations of the organization or what the organization wants to be. For example, business strategy, IT strategy.
Logical
  • Models that define how to implement the representation in the conceptual stage. For example, identifying the business gaps from the current state to the target state defined by the business strategy.
Physical
  • The technology and physical tools used to implement the representation created in the logical stage. For example, business processes that need to be created to bridge the gaps identified and reach the target stage.
(Source: Zachman International, 2011) Business Architecture Data Architecture Application Architecture Infrastructure Architecture Security Architecture

Each architectural depth level contains a set of key artifacts

The graphic below depicts examples of the key artifacts that each domain of architecture would produce at each depth level.

Contextual Enterprise Governance
Conceptual Business strategy Business objects Use-case models Technology landscaping Security policy
Logical Business capabilities Data attribution Application integration Network/ hardware topology Security standards
Physical Business process Database design Application design Configuration management Security configuration
Business Architecture Data Architecture Application Architecture Infrastructure Architecture Security Architecture

3.2.2 Define the architectural domains and depth dimension of the EA function scope

2 hours

Input: EA value proposition, Previously defined EA fundamentals

Output: Architectural domain and depth dimensions of EA scope defined

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Define the EA function scope for your organization using the following steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team. As well, gather the EA value proposition, the EA vision and mission statements, and the EA goals and objectives that your team has already created.
  2. Ask the team to read each of the documents gathered in the previous step. This ensures the concepts are fresh in the team members’ minds when defining the architectural domains and depth of the EA function scope.
  3. Consider the architectural domains and the depth those domains need to reach. Refer to the gathered materials to assist with your decision. For example:
    • Promise of value: Increase the number of IT investments with a direct tie to business strategy.
    • Implications on architectural domains: The EA function will need business architecture. Business architecture generates business capability mapping, which will anticipate what IT investments are needed for the future.
    • Implications on depth: Depth for business architecture needs to reach a logical level to encompass business capabilities.
  4. Work with the EA strategy creation team to examine all the gathered materials and document the implications on architectural domains and depth as shown in step 3.
  5. Discuss with the team and select the architectural domains and the depth for each domain that best fits the documented implication. Refer back to the gathered materials and make any changes necessary to ensure they support the selected architectural domains and depth.

EA scope – Time Horizon

The EA scope time horizon dictates how long to plan for the architecture.

It is important that the EA team’s work has an appropriate planning horizon while avoiding two extremes:

  1. A planning horizon that is too short focuses on immediate operational goals and strategic quick wins, missing the “big picture,” and fails to support the achievement of strategic long-term enterprise goals.
  2. A planning horizon that is too long is at a higher risk of becoming irrelevant.

Target the same strategic planning horizon as your business. Additionally, consider the following recommendations:

Planning Horizon: 1 year 2-3 years 5 years
Recommended under the following conditions:
  • Corporate strategy is not stable and frequently changes direction (typical for small and some mid-sized companies).
  • There will be a major update of the corporate strategy in one year.
  • The company will be acquired by or merged with another company in one year.
  • The business' strategic plan spans the next two to three years, and corporate strategy is moderately stable within this time frame (typical for mid-sized and some large companies).
  • The business' strategic plan spans the next five years and corporate strategy is very stable (typical for large companies).

3.2.3 Define the time horizon dimension of the EA function scope

2 hours

Input: EA value proposition, Previously defined EA fundamentals

Output: Time horizon dimension of EA scope defined

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Define the EA function scope for your organization using the following steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team. As well, gather the EA value proposition, the EA vision and mission statements, and the EA goals and objectives your team has already created.
  2. Ask the team to read each of the documents gathered in the previous step. This ensures the concepts are fresh in the team members’ minds when crafting the EA function scope.
  3. Consider the time horizons of the EA function scope. Refer to the gathered materials to assist with your decision. For example:
    • EA Objective: Increase the percentage of enterprise strategic goals and requirements supported by IT strategic goals by 30% in the next 3 years.
    • Implications on time horizon: Because it will take 3 years to measure the success of these EA objectives, the time horizon may need to be 3 years.
  4. Work with the EA strategy creation team to examine all the gathered materials and document the implications on time horizon as shown in step 3.
  5. Discuss with the team and select the time horizon that best fits the documented implication. Refer back to the gathered materials and make any changes necessary to ensure they support the selected architectural time horizon.

EA principles capture the EA value proposition essence and provide guidance for the decisions that impact architecture

EA principles are shared, long-lasting beliefs that guide the use of IT in constructing, transforming, and operating the enterprise by informing and restricting target-state enterprise architecture design, IT investment portfolio management, solution development, and procurement decisions.

EA value proposition Influences
—›
EA Principles Guide and inform
—›
Decisions on the Use of IT Direct and control
‹—
Specific Domain Policies
‹———————

What decisions should be made?
————— ————— —————
How should decisions be made?
————— ————— —————————›
Who has the accountability and authority to make decisions?

EA principles must be carefully constructed to make sure they are adhered to and relevant

Info-Tech has identified a set of characteristics that EA principles should possess. Having these characteristics ensures the EA principles are relevant and followed in the organization.

Approach focused EA principles are focused on the approach, i.e. how the enterprise is built, transformed, and operated, as apposed to what needs to be built, which is defined by both functional and non-functional requirements.
Business relevant Create EA principles specific to the organization. Tie EA principles to the organization’s priorities and strategic aspirations.
Long lasting Build EA principles that will withstand the test of time.
Prescriptive Inform and direct decision making with EA principles that are actionable. Avoid truisms, general statements, and observations.
Verifiable If compliance can’t be verified, the principle is less likely to be followed.
Easily digestible EA principles must be clearly understood by everyone in IT and by business stakeholders. EA principles aren’t a secret manuscript of the EA team. EA principles should be succinct; wordy principles are hard to understand and remember.
Followed Successful EA principles represent a collection of beliefs shared among enterprise stakeholders. EA principles must be continuously “preached” to all stakeholders to achieve and maintain buy-in.

In organizations where formal policy enforcement works well, EA principles should be enforced through appropriate governance processes.

Review ten universal EA principles to determine if your organization wishes to adopt them

1. Enterprise value focus We aim to provide maximum long-term benefits to the enterprise as a whole while optimizing total costs of ownership and risks.
2. Fit for purpose We maintain capability levels and create solutions that are fit for purpose without over-engineering them.
3. Simplicity We choose the simplest solutions and aim to reduce operational complexity of the enterprise.
4. Reuse › buy › build We maximize reuse of existing assets. If we can’t reuse, we procure externally. As a last resort, we build custom solutions.
5. Managed data We handle data creation, modification, and use enterprise-wide in compliance with our data governance policy.
6. Controlled technical diversity We control the variety of technology platforms we use.
7. Managed security We manage security enterprise-wide in compliance with our security governance policy.
8. Compliance to laws and regulations We operate in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
9. Innovation We seek innovative ways to use technology for business advantage.
10. Customer centricity We deliver best experiences to our customers with our services and products.

3.2.4 Create a set of EA principles for your organization

2 hours

Input: Info-Tech’s ten universal EA principles, Identified promises of value

Output: A defined set of EA principles for your organization

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Create a set of EA principles for your organization using the steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team, download the EA Principles Template – EA Strategy, and have the identified promises of value opened.
  2. Select one universal principle and relate it to the promises of value by discussing with the EA strategy creation team. If there is a relation, record “Yes” in the template on the slide “Select the applicability of 10 universally accepted EA principles.” See example below:
    • Universal principle: Enterprise value focus – We aim to provide maximum long-term benefits to the enterprise as a whole while optimizing total costs of ownership and risks.
    • Related promise of value example: Increase the number of investments that have a direct tie with corporate strategy.
  3. Continue the process in step 2 until all ten universal EA principles have been examined. If there is a universal principle that is unrelated to a promise of value, discuss with the team whether the principle still needs to be included. If the principle is not included, record “No” in the template on the slide “Select the applicability of 10 universally accepted EA principles.”
  4. If there are any promises of value that are not captured by the universally accepted EA principles, the team may choose to create new principles. Create the new principles in the format below and record them in the template.
    • Name: The name of the principle, in a few words.
    • Statement: A sentence that expands on the “Name” section and explains what the principle achieves.

Download the EA Principles Template – EA Strategy to document this step.

Organizational stakeholders are more likely to follow EA principles when a rationale and an implication are provided

After defining the set of EA principles, ensure they are all expanded upon with a rationale and implications. The rationale and implications ensure principles are more likely to be followed because they communicate why the principles are important and how they are to be used.

Name
  • The name of the EA principle, in a few words.
Statement
  • A sentence that expands on the “Name” section and explains what the principle achieves.
Rationale
  • Describes the business benefits and reasoning for establishing the principle.
  • Explicitly links the principle to business/IT vision, mission, priorities, goals, or strategic aspirations (strategic themes).
Implications
  • Describe when and how the principle is to be applied.
  • Communicate this section with “must” sentences.
  • Refer to domain-specific policies that provide detailed, domain-specific direction on how to apply the principle.

3.2.5 Add the rationale and implications to the principles that have been created

2 hours

Input: Identified set of EA principles

Output: EA principles that have rationale and implications

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Add the rationale and implication of each EA principle that your organization has selected using the following steps:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team and open the EA Principles Template – EA Strategy.
  2. Examine the EA Principles Template – EA Strategy. Look for the detailed descriptions of all the applicable EA universal principles, and discuss with the team whether the pre-populated rationale and implications need to be changed.
  3. Make sure all the rationale and implication sections of the applicable universal EA principles have been examined. Record the changes on the slide devoted to each principle in the template.
  4. Examine any new principles created outside of the universal EA principles. Create the rationale and implication sections for each of those principles. Use the slide “Review the rationale and implications for the applicable universal principles” in the EA Principles Template – EA Strategy to assist with this step.

Download the EA Principles Template – EA Strategy to document this step.

3.2.6 Operationalize the EA principles to ensure they are used when decisions are being made

1-2 hours

Input: Defined set of EA principles

Output: EA principles are successfully operationalized

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin to operationalize the EA principles by reviewing the proposed principles with business and technology leadership to secure their approval.

  1. Publish the list of principles, their rationale, and their implications.
  2. Include the principles in any existing policies that guide decision making for the use of technology within the business.
  3. Provide existing governance bodies with the authority to enforce adherence to principles, and communicate the waiver process.
  4. Ensure that project-level teams are aware of the principles and have at least one champion guiding the decisions of the team.

Review a use case for the utilization of EA principles – Sample

After operationalizing the EA principles for your organization, the organization can now use those principles to guide and inform its IT investment decisions. Below is an example of a scenario where EA principles were used to guide and inform an IT investment decision.

Organization wants to provision an application but it needs to decide how to do so, and it considers the relevant EA principles:

  • Reuse › buy › build
  • Managed security
  • Innovation

The organization has decided to go with a specialized vendor, even though it normally prefers to reuse existing components. The vendor has experience in this domain, understands the data security implications, and can help the organization mitigate risk. Lastly, the vendor is known for providing new solutions on a regular basis and is a market leader, making it more likely to provide the organization with innovative solutions.

An oil and gas company created EA fundamentals to guide the EA function

CASE STUDY

Industry: Oil & Gas
Source: Info-Tech

Challenge

As an enterprise architecture function starting from ground zero, the organization did not have the EA fundamentals in place to guide the EA function. Further, the organization also did not possess an EA function scope to define the boundaries of the EA function.

Due to the lack of EA scope, the EA function did not know which part of the organization to provide contributions toward. A lack of EA fundamentals caused confusion regarding the future direction of the EA function.

Solution

Info-Tech worked with the EA team to define the different components of the EA fundamentals. This included EA vision and mission statements, EA goals and objectives, and EA principles.

Additionally, Info-Tech worked with the EA team to define the EA function scope.

These EA strategy components were created by examining the needs of the business. The components were aligned with the identified needs of the EA stakeholders.

Results

The defined EA function scope helped set out the responsibilities of the enterprise architecture function to the organization.

The EA vision and mission statements and EA goals and objectives were used to guide the direction of the EA function. These fundamentals helped the EA function improve its maturity and deliver on its promises.

The EA principles were used in IT review boards to guide the decisions on IT investments in the organization.

3.2.7 Discuss the need for a classical methodology and/or a combination including Agility practices

1 hour

Input: Existing methodologies

Output: Decisions about need of agility, ceremonies, and protocols to be used

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Add the rationale and implication of adopting an Agile methodology and/or a combination with a traditional methodology.

  1. Is there an EA methodology adopted by the organization? Is there a classical one, or is it purely Agile?
  2. What would need to happen to address the business goals of the organization (e.g. is there a need to be more agile?)? Do you need to have more decisions centralized (e.g. to adopt certain standards, security controls)?
  3. Where on the decentralization continuum does your organization need to be?
  4. What role would Enterprise Architects have (would they need to be part of existing ceremonies? Would they need to blend traditional and agile processes?)?
  5. If a customized methodology is required, identify this as an item to be included as part of the EA roadmap (can be run as a Agile Enterprise Operating Model workshop).

Design an Enterprise Architecture Strategy

Phase 4

Design the EA Services

Phase 1

  • 1.1 Explore a general EA strategy approach
  • 1.2 Introduce Agile EA architecture

Phase 2

  • 2.1 Define the business and technology drivers
  • 2.2 Define your value proposition

Phase 3

  • 3.1 Realize the importance of EA fundamentals
  • 3.2 Finalize the EA fundamentals

Phase 4

  • 4.1 Select relevant EA services
  • 4.2 Finalize the set of services and secure approval

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Select relevant EA services
  • Finalize the set of services and secure approval

This phase involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • EA Team
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Step 4.1

Select Relevant EA Services

Activities
  • 4.1.1 Select the EA services relevant to your organization
  • 4.1.2 Identify if your organization needs additional services outside of the recommended list
  • 4.1.3 Complete all of the service catalog fields for each service to show the organization how each can be consumed

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Communicate a definition of EA services.
  • Link services to the previously identified EA contributions.

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • EA Team
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Outcomes of this step

  • A defined set of services the EA function will provide.
  • An EA service catalog that demonstrates to the organization how each provided service can be accessed and consumed.

Design the EA Services

Step 3.1 Step 3.2

The definition of EA services will allow the group to communicate how they can add value to EA stakeholders

Enterprise architecture services are a set of activities the enterprise architecture function provides for the organization. EA services are important because the services themselves provide a set of benefits for the organization.

Enterprise Architecture Services

  • A means of delivering value to the business by facilitating outcomes service consumers want to achieve.
  • EA services are defined from the business perspective using business language.
  • EA services are designed to enable required business activities.

Viewing the EA function from a service perspective resolves the following pains:

  • Business users don’t know how EA can assist them.
  • Business users don’t know how to request access to a service with multiple sources of information available.
  • EA has no way of managing expectations for their users, which tend to inflate.
  • EA does not have a holistic view of all the services they need to provide.

Link EA services to the previously identified EA contributions

Previously identified EA contributions can be linked to EA services, which helps the EA function identify a set of EA services that are important to business stakeholders. Further, linking the EA contributions to EA services can define for the EA function the services they need to provide.

Demonstrate EA service value by linking them to EA contributions

  1. EA stakeholders generate drivers
  2. Drivers have pains that obstruct them
  3. Pains are alleviated by EA contributions
  4. EA contributions help define the EA services needed

    • EA Contributions
      Example EA contribution: Business capability mapping shows the business capabilities of the organization and the technology that supports those capabilities in the current and target state. This provides a view for the set of investments that are needed by the organization, which can then be prioritized.

      • EA Services
        Example EA service: Target-state business capability mapping

4.1.1 Select the EA services relevant to your organization

2 hours

Input: Previously identified EA contributions from the EA value proposition

Output: A set of EA services selected for the organization from Info-Tech’s defined set of EA services

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Begin the selection of EA services relevant to your organization by following the steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team, and the list of identified EA contributions that the team formulated during Phase 2.
  2. Open the EA Service Planning Tool, select one sub-service, and read its definition.
  3. Based on the definition of the sub-service, refer back to the identified list of EA contributions and check if there is an identified EA contribution that matches the service.
    • If the EA service definitions matches one of the identified EA contributions, then that EA service is relevant to the organization. If there is no match, then the EA service may not be relevant to the organization.
  4. Highlight the sub-service if it is relevant. Add a checkmark beside the EA contribution if it is addressed by a sub-service.
  5. Select the next sub-service and repeat steps 2-4. Continue down the list of sub-services in the EA Service Planning Tool until all sub-services have been examined.

Download the EA Service Planning Tool to assist with this activity.

4.1.2 Identify if your organization needs additional services outside of the recommended list

2 hours

Input: Expertise from the EA strategy creation team, Previously defined EA contributions

Output: A defined set of EA services outside the list Info-Tech has recommended

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Identify if services outside of the recommended list in the EA Service Planning Tool are relevant to your organization by using the steps below:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team and the list of EA contributions with checkmarks for contributions addressed by EA services.
  2. Take the list of unaddressed EA contributions and select one EA contribution in the list. Assess whether an EA service is required to address the EA contribution. Ask the group the following:
    • Can the EA practice provide the service now?
    • Does providing this EA service line up with the previously defined EA function scope and EA fundamentals?
  3. Decide if a service needs to be provided for that contribution. If yes, give the service a name and a definition.
  4. Then, decide if the service fits into one of the service categories in the EA Service Planning Tool. If there is no fit, create another service category. Define the new service category as well.
  5. Continue to the next unaddressed EA contribution and repeat steps 2-4. Repeat this process until all unaddressed EA contributions have been assessed.

Download the EA Service Planning Tool to assist with this activity.

Create the EA service catalog to demonstrate to the organization how each service can be accessed and used

The EA service catalog is an important communicator to the business. It shifts the technology-oriented view of EA to services that show direct benefit to the business. It is a tool that communicates and provides clarity to the business about the EA services that are available and how those services can assist them.

Define the services to show value Define the service catalog to show how to use those services
Already defined
  • EA service categories
  • The services needed by the EA stakeholders in each EA service category
Need to define
  • Should EA deliver this service?
  • Service triggers
  • Service provider
  • Service requestor

Info-Tech Insight

The EA group must provide the organization with a list of services it will provide to demonstrate value. This will help the team manage expectations and the workload while giving organizational stakeholders a clear understanding of how to engage EA and what lies outside of EA’s involvement.

4.1.3 Complete all the service catalog fields for each service to show the organization how each can be consumed

4 hours

Input: Expertise from the EA strategy creation team

Output: Service details for each EA service in your organization

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Complete the details for each relevant EA service in the EA Service Planning Tool by using the following steps:

  1. Gather the EA strategy creation team, and open the EA Service Planning Tool.
  2. Select one of the services you have defined as relevant and begin the process of defining the service. Define the following fields:
    • Should EA deliver this service? Should the EA team provide this service? (Yes/No)
    • Service trigger: What trigger will signal the need for the service?
    • Service provider: Who in the EA team will provide the service?
    • Service requestor: Who outside of the EA team has requested this service?
  3. Have the EA strategy creation team discuss and define each of the fields for the service above. Record the decisions in the corresponding columns of the EA Service Planning Tool.
  4. Select the next required EA service, and repeat steps 2 and 3. Repeat the process until all required EA services have their details defined.

Download the EA Service Planning Tool to assist with this activity.

Step 4.2

Finalize the Set of Services and Secure Approval

Activities
  • 4.2.1 Secure approval for your organization’s EA strategy
  • 4.2.2 Map the EA contributions to business goals
  • 4.2.3 Quantify the EA effectiveness
  • 4.2.4 Determine the role of the architect in the Agile ceremonies of the organization

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Present the EA strategy to stakeholders.
  • Determine service details for each EA service in your organization.

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • EA Team
  • IT Leaders
  • Business Leaders

Outcomes of this step

  • Secured approval for your organization’s EA strategy.
  • Measure effectiveness of EA contributions.

Design the EA Services

Step 4.1 Step 4.2

Present the EA strategy to stakeholders to secure approval of the finalized EA strategy

For the EA strategy to be successfully executed, it must be approved by the EA stakeholders. Securing their approval will increase the likelihood of success in the execution of the EA operating model.

Outputs that make up the EA strategy —› Present outputs to EA strategy stakeholders
  • Business and technology drivers
  • EA function value proposition

  • EA vision statement
  • EA mission statement
  • EA goals and objectives
  • EA scope
  • EA principles

  • EA function services
  • Identified and prioritized EA stakeholders.








  • The checkmark symbol represents the outputs this blueprint assists with creating.

4.2.1 Secure approval of your organization’s EA strategy

1 hour

Input: Completed EA Function Strategy Template, Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: Approval of the EA strategy

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team, Key EA stakeholders

Use the following steps to assist with securing approval for your organization’s EA strategy:

  1. Call a meeting between the EA strategy creation team and the identified key EA stakeholders. Key stakeholders were defined in activity 2.1.1.
  2. Open the completed EA Function Strategy Template. Use it to help you discuss the merits of the EA strategy with the key stakeholders.
  3. Discuss with the stakeholders any concerns and modifications they wish to make to the strategy. If detailed questions are asked, refer to the other templates created as a part of this blueprint. Record those concerns and address them at a later time.
  4. After presenting the EA strategy, ask the stakeholders for approval. If stakeholders do not approve, refer back to the concerns documented in step 3 and inquire if addressing the concerns will result in approval.
  5. If applicable, address stakeholder concerns with the EA strategy.
  6. Once EA strategy has been approved, publish the EA strategy to ensure there is a mutual understanding of what the EA function will provide to the organization. Move on to Info-Tech’s Define an EA Operating Model blueprint to begin executing upon the EA strategy.

Use the EA Function Strategy Template to assist with this activity.

4.2.2 Map the EA contributions to the business goals

3 hours

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: Service details for each EA service in your organization

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Map EA contributions/services to the goals of the organization.

  1. Start from the business goals of the organization.
  2. Determine Business and IT drivers.
  3. Identify EA contributions that help achieve the business goals.

Download the EA Service Planning Tool to assist with this activity.

Trace EA drivers to business goals (sample)

A model connecting 'Enterprise Architecture' with 'Corporate Goals' through 'EA Contributions'.

4.2.3 Quantify the EA effectiveness

1 hour

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: Defined KPIs (SMART)

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Use SMART key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure EA contributions vis-à-vis business goals.

Measure the EA strategy effectiveness by tracking the benefits it provides to the corporate business goals

The success of the EA function spans across three main dimensions:

  • The delivery of EA-enabled business outcomes that are most important to the enterprise.
  • The alignment between the business and IT from a planning perspective.
  • Improvements in the corporate business goals due to EA contributions (standardization, rationalization, reuse, etc.).
Corporate Business GoalsEA ContributionsMeasurements
  • Reduction in operating costs
  • Decrease in regulatory compliance infractions
  • Increased revenue from existing channels
  • Increased revenue from new channels
  • Faster time to business value
  • Improved business agility
  • Reduction in enterprise risk exposure
  • Alignment of IT investments to business strategy
  • Achievement of business results directly linked to IT involvement
  • Application and platform rationalization
  • Standards in place
  • Flexible architecture
  • Better integration
  • Higher organizational satisfaction with technology-enabled services and solutions
  • Cost reductions based on application and platform rationalization
  • Standard based solutions
  • Time reduction for integration
  • Service reused
  • Stakeholder satisfaction with EA services
  • Increase customer satisfaction
  • Rework minimized
  • Lower cost of integration
  • Risk reduction
  • Faster time to market
  • Better scalability, etc.

The oil and gas company began the EA strategy creation by crafting an EA value proposition

CASE STUDY

Industry: Oil & Gas
Source: Info-Tech

Challenge

The oil and gas corporation faced a great challenge in communicating the role of enterprise architecture to the organization. Although it has the mandate from the CIO to create the EA function, there was no function in existence. Thus, few people in the organization understood EA.

Because of this lack of understanding, the EA function was often undermined. The EA function was seen as an order taker that provided some services to the organization.

Solution

First, Info-Tech worked with the enterprise architecture team to define the EA stakeholders in the organization.

Second, Info-Tech interviewed those stakeholders to identify their needs. The needs were analyzed and pains that would obstruct addressing those needs were identified.

Lastly, Info-Tech worked with the team to identify common EA contributions that would solve those pains.

Results

Through this process, Info-Tech helped the team at the oil and gas company create a document that could communicate the value of EA. Specifically, the document could articulate the issues obstructing each stakeholder from achieving their needs and how enterprise architecture could solve them.

With this value proposition, EA was able to demonstrate value to important stakeholders and set itself up for success in its future endeavors.

The oil and gas company defined EA services to provide and communicate value to the organization

CASE STUDY

Industry: Oil & Gas
Source: Info-Tech

Challenge

As a brand new enterprise architecture function, the EA function at the oil and gas corporation did not have a set of defined EA services. Because of this lack of EA services, the organization did not know what contributions EA could provide.

Further, without the definition of EA services, the EA function did not set out explicit expectations to the business. This caused expectations from the business to be different from those of the EA function, resulting in friction.

Solution

Info-Tech worked with the EA function at the oil and gas corporation to define a set of EA services the function could provide.

The Info-Tech team, along with the organization, assessed the business and technology needs of the stakeholder. Those needs acted as the basis for the EA function to create their initial services.

Additionally, Info-Tech worked with the team to define the service details (e.g. service benefits, service requestor, service provider) to communicate how to provide services to the business.

Results

The defined EA services led the EA function to communicate what it could provide for the business. As well, the defined services clarified the level of expectation for the business.

The EA team was able to successfully service the business on future projects, adding value through their expertise and knowledge of the organization’s systems. Because of the demonstrated value, EA has been given greater responsibility throughout the organization.

4.2.4 Determine the role of the architect in the Agile ceremonies of the organization

1 hour

Input: Expertise from EA strategy creation team

Output: Participation in Agile Pre- and Post-PI, Architect Syncs, etc.

Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

Participants: EA strategy creation team

Document the involvement of the enterprise architect in your organization’s Agile ceremonies.

  1. Document the Agile ceremonial used in the organization (based on SAFe or other Agile approaches).
  2. Determine ceremonies the System Architect will participate in.
  3. Determine ceremonies the Solution Architect will participate in
  4. Determine ceremonies the Enterprise Architect will participate in.
  5. Determine Architect Syncs, etc.

Note: Roles and responsibilities can be further defined as part of the Agile Enterprise Operating Model.

The EA role relative to agility

The enterprise architecture role relative to agility specifies the architecture roles as well as the agile protocols they will participate in.
This statement will guide every architect’s participation in planning meetings, pre- and post-PI, syncs, etc. Use simple and concise terminology; speak loudly and clearly.

A strong EA role statement relative to agility has the following characteristics:

  • Describes what different architect roles do to achieve the vision of the organization
  • In an agile way
  • Compelling
  • Easy to grasp
  • Sharply focused
  • Specific
  • Concise

Sample EA mission relative to agility

  • Create strategies that provide guardrails for the organization, provide standards, reusable assets, accelerators, and other decisions at the enterprise level that support agility.
  • Participate in pre-PI and post-PI planning activities, architect syncs, etc.

A clear statement can include additional details surrounding the Enterprise Architect role relative to agility

Likewise, below is a sample of connecting keywords together to form an enterprise architect role statement, relative to agility.

Optimize, transform, and innovate by defining and implementing the [Company]’s target enterprise architecture in an agile way.

Optimize – We collaborate with the business to analyze and optimize business capabilities and business processes to enable the agile and efficient attainment of [Company name] business objectives.

Transform – We support IT-enabled business transformation programs by building and maintaining a shared vision of the future-state enterprise and consistently communicating it to stakeholders.

Innovate – We identify and develop new and creative opportunities for IT to enable the business. We communicate the art of the possible to the business.

Defining and implementing – We engage with project teams early and guide solution design and selection to ensure alignment to the target-state enterprise architecture and provide guidance as well as accelerators.

Target enterprise structure in an agile way – We analyze business needs and priorities and assess the current state of the enterprise. We build and maintain the target enterprise architecture blueprints that define:

  • Business capabilities and processes (business architecture)
  • Data, application, and technology assets that enable business capabilities and processes (technology architecture)
  • Architecture principles
  • Standards and reusable assets
  • Continuous exploration, integration, and deployment

Move to the enterprise architecture operating model blueprint to execute your EA strategy

Once approved, move on to Info-Tech’s Define an EA Operating Model blueprint to begin executing on the EA strategy.

Enterprise architecture strategy

This blueprint focuses on setting up an enterprise architecture function, with the goal of maximizing the likelihood of EA success. The blueprint puts into place the components that will align the EA function with the needs of the stakeholders, guide the decision making of the EA function, and define the services EA can provide to the organization.

Agile enterprise architecture operating model

An EA operating model helps you design and organize the EA function, ensuring adherence to architectural standards and delivery of EA services. This blueprint acts on the EA strategy by creating methods to engage, govern, and develop architecture as a part of the larger organization.

Research contributors and experts

Photo of Milena Litoiu, Senior Director Research and Advisory, Enterprise Architecture Milena Litoiu
Senior Director Research and Advisory, Enterprise Architecture
  • Milena Litoiu is a Principal/Senior Manager of Enterprise Architecture. She is Master Certified with The Open Group and she sits on global architecture certification boards.
  • Other certifications include SABSA, CRISC, and Scaled Agile Framework. She started as a certified IT Architect at IBM and has over 25 years experience in this field.
  • Milena teaches enterprise architecture at the University of Toronto and led the development of the Enterprise Architecture Certificate (a course on EA fundamentals, one on EA development and Governance, and one on Trends going forward).
  • She has a Masters in Engineering, an executive MBA, and extensive experience in enterprise architecture as well as methodologies and tools.
Photo of Lan Nguyen, IT Executive, Mentor, Managing Partner at CIOs Beyond Borders Group Lan Nguyen
IT Executive, Mentor, Managing Partner at CIOs Beyond Borders Group
  • Lan Nguyen has a wealth of experience driving the EA strategy and the digital transformation success at the City of Toronto.
  • Lan is a university lecturer on topics like strategic leadership in the digital enterprise.
  • Lan is a Managing Partner at CIOs Beyond Borders Group.
  • Lan specializes in Partnership Development; Governance; Strategic Planning, Business Development; Government Relations; Business Relationship Management; Leadership Development; Organizational Agility and Change Management; Talent Management; Managed Services; Digital Transformation; Strategic Management of Enterprise IT; Shared Services; Service Quality Improvement, Portfolio Management; Community Development; and Social Enterprise.


Photo of Dirk Coetsee, Director Research and Advisory, Enterprise Architecture, Data & Analytics Dirk Coetsee
Director Research and Advisory, Enterprise Architecture, Data & Analytics
  • Dirk Coetsee is a Research & Advisory Director in the Data & Analytics practice. Dirk has over 25 years of experience in data management and architecture within a wide range of industries, especially Financial Services, Manufacturing, and Retail.
  • Dirk spearheaded data architecture at several organizations and was involved in enterprise data architecture, data governance, and data quality and analytics. He architected many operational data stores of ranging complexity and transaction volumes and was part of major enterprise data warehouse initiatives. Lately, he was part of projects that implemented big data, enterprise service bus, and micro services architectures. Dirk has an in-depth knowledge of industry models within the financial and retail spaces.
  • Dirk holds a BSc (Hons) in Operational Research and an MBA with specialization in Financial Services from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Photo of Andy Neill, AVP, Enterprise Architecture, Data and Analytics Andy Neill
AVP, Enterprise Architecture, Data and Analytics
  • Andy is AVP Data and Analytics and Chief Enterprise Architect at Info-Tech Research Group. Previous roles include leading the data architecture practice for Loblaw Companies Ltd, Shoppers Drug Mart and 360 Insights in Canada as well as leading architecture practices at Siemens consultancy, BBC, NHS, Ordnance Survey, and Houses of Parliament and Commons in the UK.
  • His responsibilities at Info-Tech include leading the data and analytics and enterprise architecture research practices and guiding the future of research and client engagement in that space.
  • Andy is the Product Owner for the Technical Counselor seat offering at Info-Tech, which gives world-class holistic support to our senior technical members.
  • He is also a instructor and content creator for the University of Toronto in the field of Enterprise Architecture.


Photo of Wayne Filin-Matthews, Chief Enterprise Architect, ICMG Winner of Global Chief Enterprise Architect of the Year 2019 Wayne Filin-Matthews
Chief Enterprise Architect, ICMG Winner of Global Chief Enterprise Architect of the Year 2019
  • Wayne is currently the EA Discipline Lead/Chief Enterprise Architect – Global Digital Transformation Office, COE at Dell Technologies.
  • He is a distinguished Motivator & Tech Lead as well as an influencer.
  • Wayne has led multiple Enterprise Architecture practices at the global level and has valuable contributions in this space managing and growing Enterprise Architecture and CTO practices across strategy, execution, and adoption parts of the IT lifecycle.
Photo of Graham Smith, Experienced lead Enterprise Architect and Independent Consultant Graham Smith
Experienced lead Enterprise Architect and Independent Consultant
  • Graham is an experienced lead enterprise architect specializing in digital and data transformation, with over 33 years of experience, spanning financial markets, media, information, insurance, and telecommunications sectors. Graham has successfully established and led large teams across India, China, Australia, Americas, Japan, and the UK.
  • He is currently working as an independent consultant in digital and data-led transformation and his work spans established businesses and start-ups alike.

Thanks also go to all experts who contributed to previous versions of this document:

  • Zachary Curry, Director, Enterprise Architecture and Innovation, FMC Technologies
  • Pam Doucette, Director of Enterprise Architecture, Tufts Health Plan
  • Joe Evers, Consulting Principal, JcEvers Consulting Corp
  • Cameron Fairbairn, Enterprise Architect, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC)
  • Michael Fulton, Chief Digital Officer & Senior IT Strategy & Architecture Consultant at CC and C Solutions
  • Tom Graves, Principal Consultant, Tetradian Consulting
  • (JB) Brahmaiah Jarugumilli, Consultant, Federal Aviation Administration – Enterprise Services Center
  • Huw Morgan, IT Research Executive, Enterprise Architect
  • Serge Parisien, Manager, Enterprise Architecture, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation

Additional interviews were conducted but are not listed due to privacy and confidentiality requirements.

Bibliography

“Agile Manifesto for Software Development,” Ward Cunningham, 2001. Accessed July 2021.

“ArchiMate 3.1 Specification.” The Open Group, n.d. Accessed July 2021.

“Are Your IT Strategy and Business Strategy Aligned?” 5Q Partners, 8 Jan. 2015. Accessed Oct. 2016.

Bowen, Fillmore. “How agile companies create and sustain high ROI.” IBM. Accessed Oct. 2016.

Burns, Peter, et al. Building Value through Enterprise Architecture: A Global Study. Booz & Co. 2009. Web. Nov. 2016.

“Demonstrating the Value of Enterprise Architecture in Delivering Business Capabilities.” Cisco, 2008. Web. Oct. 2016.

“Disciplined Agile.” Disciplined Agile Consortium, n.d. Web.

Fowler, Martin. “Building Effective software.” MartinFowler.com. Accessed July 2021.

Fowler, Martin. “Agile Software Guide.” MartinFowler.com, 1 Aug. 2019.

Accessed July 2021.

Haughey, Duncan. “SMART Goals.” Project Smart, 2014. Accessed July 2021.

Kern, Matthew. “20 Enterprise Architecture Practices.” LinkedIn, 3 March 2016. Accessed Nov. 2016.

Lahanas, Stephen. “Infrastructure Architecture, Defined.” IT Architecture Journal, Sept. 2014. Accessed July 2021.

Lean IX website, Accessed July 2021.

Litoiu, Milena. Course material from Information Technology 2690: Foundations of Enterprise Architecture, 2021, University of Toronto.

Mocker, M., J.W. Ross, and C.M. Beath. “How Companies Use Digital Technologies to Enhance Customer Findings.” MIT CISR Working Paper No. 434, Feb. 2019. Qtd in Mayor, Tracy. “MIT expert recaps 30-plus years of enterprise architecture.” MIT Sloan, 10 Aug. 2020. Web.

“Open Agile ArchitectureTM.” The Open Group, 2020. Accessed July 2021.

“Organizational Design Framework – The Transformation Model.” The Center for Organizational Design, n.d. Accessed 1 Aug. 2020.

Ross, Jeanne W. et al. Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution. Harvard Business School Press, 2006.

Rouse, Margaret. “Enterprise Architecture (EA).” SearchCIO, June 2007. Accessed Nov. 2016.

“SAFe 5 for Lean Enterprises.” Scaled Agile Framework, Scaled Agile, Inc. Accessed 2021.

“Security Architecture.” Technopedia, updated 20 Dec. 2016. Accessed July 2021.

“Software Engineering Institute.” Carnegie Mellon University, n.d. Web.

“TOGAF 9.1.” The Open Group, 2011. Accessed Oct. 2016.

“TOGAF 9.2.” The Open Group, 2018. Accessed July 2021.

Thompson, Rachel. “Stakeholder Analysis: Winning Support for Your Projects.” MindTools, n.d. Accessed July 2021.

Wendt, Jerome M. “Redefining ‘SMB’, ‘SME’ and ‘Large Enterprise.’” DCIG, 25 Mar. 2011. Accessed July 2021.

Wilkinson, Jim. “Business Drivers.” The Strategic CFO, 23 July 2013. Accessed July 2021.

Zachman, John. “Conceptual, Logical, Physical: It is Simple.” Zachman International, 2011. Accessed July 2021.

Transform Your Field Technical Support Services

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  • Redefine the role of deskside or field technicians as demand for service evolves and service teams are restructured.
  • Redefine the role of onsite technicians when the help desk is outsourced.
  • Define requirements when supplementing with outsourced field services teams.
  • Identify barriers to streamlining processes.
  • Look for opportunities to streamline processes and better use technical teams.
  • Communicate and manage change to support roles.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Service needs to be defined in a way that considers the organizational need for local, hands-on technicians, the need for customer service, and the need to make the best use of resources that you have.
  • Service level agreements will need to be refined and metrics will need to be analyzed for capacity and skilled planning.
  • Organizational change management will be key to persuade users to engage with the technical team in a way that supports the new structure.

Impact and Result

  • Many IT teams are struggling to keep up with demand while trying to refocus on customer service. With more remote workers than ever, organizations who have traditionally provided desktop and field services have been revaluating the role of the field service technicians. Add in the price of fuel, and there is even more reason to assess the support model.
  • Often changes to the way IT does support, especially if moving centralized support to an outsourcer, is met with resistance by end users who don’t see the value of phoning someone else when their local technician is still available to problem solve. This speaks to the need to ensure the central group is providing value to end users as well as the technical team.
  • With the challenges of finding the right number of technicians with the right skills, it’s time to rethink remote support and how that can be used to train and upskill the people you have. And it’s time to think about how to use field services tools to make the best use of your technician’s time.

Transform Your Field Technical Support Services Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Transform Field Services Guide – A brief deck that outlines key migration steps to improve our remote client support services.

This blueprint will help you:

  • Transform Your Field Technical Services Storyboard

2. Transform Field Services Template – A template to create a transformation proposal.

This template will help you to build your proposal to transform your field services.

  • Proposal to Transform Field Technical Services Template
[infographic]

Further reading

Transform Your Field Technical Support Services

Improve service and reduce costs through digital transformation.

Analyst Perspective

Improve staffing challenges through digital transformation.

Many IT teams are struggling to keep up with demand while trying to refocus on customer service. With more remote workers than ever, organizations who have traditionally provided desktop and field services have been revaluating the role of the field service technicians. Add in the price of fuel, and there is even more reason to assess the support model. Often changes to the way IT does support, especially if moving centralized support to an outsourcer, is met with resistance by end users who don’t see the value of phoning someone else when their local technician is still available to problem solve. This speaks to the need to ensure the central group is providing value to end users as well as the technical team. With the challenges of finding the right number of technicians with the right skills, it’s time to rethink remote support and how that can be used to train and upskill the people you have. And it’s time to think about how to use field services tools to make the best use of your technician’s time.

The image contains a picture of Sandi Conrad.

Sandi Conrad

Principal Research Director

Infrastructure & Operations Practice

Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

With remote work becoming a normal employee offering for many organizations, self-serve/self-solve becoming more prominent, and a common call out to improve customer service, there is a need to re-examine the way many organizations are supplying onsite support. For organizations with a small number of offices, a central desk with remote tools may be enough or can be combined with a concierge service or technical center, but for organizations with multiple offices it becomes difficult to provide a consistent level of service for all customers unless there is a team onsite for each location. This may not be financially possible if there isn’t enough work to keep a technical team busy full-time.

Common Obstacles

Where people have a choice between calling a central phone number or talking to the technician down the hall, the in-person experience often wins out. End users may resist changes to in-person support as work is rerouted to a centralized group by choosing to wait for their favorite technician to show up onsite rather than reporting issues centrally. This can make the job of the onsite technician more challenging as they need to schedule time in every visit for unplanned work. And where technicians need to support multiple locations, travel needs to be calculated into lost technician time and costs.

Info-Tech’s Approach

  • Service needs to be defined in a way that considers the organizational need for local, hands-on technicians, the need for customer service, and the need to make the best use of resources that you have.
  • Service-level agreements will need to be refined and metrics will need to be analyzed for capacity and skilled planning.
  • Organizational change management will be key to persuade users to engage with the technical team in a way that supports the new structure.

Info-Tech Insight

Improving process will be helpful for smaller teams, but as teams expand or work gets more complicated, investment in appropriate tools to support field services technicians will enable them to be more efficient, reduce costs, and improve outcomes when visits are warranted.

Your challenge

This research is designed to help organizations who are looking to:

  • Redefine the role of deskside or field technicians as demand for service evolves and service teams are restructured.
  • Redefine the role of onsite technicians when the help desk is outsourced.
  • Define requirements when supplementing with outsourced field services teams.
  • Identify barriers to streamlining processes.
  • Look for opportunities to streamline processes and better use technical teams.
  • Communicate and manage change to support roles.

With many companies having new work arrangements for users, where remote work may be a permanent offering or if your digital transformation is well underway, this provides an opportunity to rethink how field support needs to be done.

What is field services?

Field services is in-person support delivered onsite at one or more locations. Management of field service technicians may include queue management, scheduling service and maintenance requests, triaging incidents, dispatching technicians, ordering parts, tracking job status, and billing.

The image contains a diagram to demonstrate what may be supported by field services and what should be supported by field services.

What challenges are you trying to solve within your field services offering?

Focus on the reasons for the change to ensure the outcome can be met. Common goals include improved customer service, better technician utilization, and increased response time and stability.

  • Discuss specific challenges the team feels are contributing to less-than-ideal customer service.
  • Does the team have the skills, knowledge, and tools they need to be successful? Technicians may be solving issues with the customer looking over their shoulder. Having quick access to knowledge articles or to subject matter experts who can provide deeper expertise remotely may be the difference between a single visit to resolve or multiple or extended visits.
  • What percentage of tickets would benefit from triage and troubleshooting done remotely before sending a technician onsite? Where there are a high number of no-fault-found visits, this may be imperative to improving technician availability.
  • Review method for distribution of tickets, including batching criteria and dispatching of technicians. Are tickets being dispatched efficiently? By location and/or priority? Is there an attempt to solve more tickets centrally? Should there be? What SLA adjustment is reasonable for onsite visits?
  • Has the support value been defined?
The image contains a graph to demonstrate Case Casuals in Field Services, where the highest at 55% is break/fix.

Field services will see the biggest improvements through technology updates

Customer Intake

Provide tools for scheduling technicians, self-serve and self- or assisted-solve through ITSM or CRM-based portal and visual remote tools.

The image contains a picture to demonstrate the different field services.

Triage and Troubleshoot

Upgrade remote tools to visual remote solutions to troubleshoot equipment as well as software. Eliminate no-fault-found visits and improve first-time fix rate by visually inspecting equipment before technician deployments.

Improve Communications

FSM GPS and SMS updates can be set to notify customers when a technician is close by and can be used for customer sign-off to immediately update service records and launch survey or customer billing where applicable.

Schedule Technicians

Field service management (FSM) ITSM modules will allow skills-based scheduling for remote technicians and determine best route for multi-site visits.

Enable Work From Anywhere

FSM mobile applications can provide technicians with daily schedules, turn-by-turn directions, access to inventory, knowledge articles, maintenance, and warranty and asset records. Visual remote captures service records and enables access to SMEs.

Manage Expectations

Know where technicians are for routing to emergency calls and managing workload using field service management solutions with GPS.

Digital transformation can dramatically improve customer and technician experience

The image contains an arrown that dips and rises dramatically to demonstrate how digital transformation can dramatically increase customer and technician experience.
Sources: 1 - TechSee, 2019; 2 - Glartek; 3 - Geoforce; 4 - TechSee, 2020

Improve technician utilization and scheduling with field services management software

Field services management (FSM) software is designed to improve scheduling of technicians by skills and location while reducing travel time and mileage. When integrated with ITSM software, the service record is transferred to the field technician for continuity and to prepare for the job. FSM mobile apps will enable technicians to receive schedule updates through the day and through GPS update the dispatcher as technicians move from site to site.

FSM solutions are designed to manage large teams of technicians, providing automated dispatch recommendations based on skills matching and proximity.

Routes can be mapped to reduce travel time and mileage and adjusted to respond to emergency requests by technician skills or proximity. Automation will provide suggestions for work allocation.

Spare parts management may be part of a field services solution, enabling technicians to easily identify parts needed and update real-time inventory as parts are deployed.

Push notifications in real-time streamline communications from the field to the office, and enable technicians to close service records while in the field.

Dispatchers can easily view availability, assign work orders, attach notes to work orders, and immediately receive updates if technicians acknowledge or reject a job.

Maintenance work can be built into online checklists and forms to provide a technician with step-by-step instructions and to ensure a complete review.

Skills and location-based routing allow dispatchers to be able to see closest tech for emergency deployments.

Improve time to resolve while cutting costs by using visual remote support tools

Visual remote support tools enable live video sessions to clearly see what the client or field service technician sees, enabling the experts to provide real-time assistance where the experts will provide guidance to the onsite person. Getting a view of the technology will reduce issues with getting the right parts, tools, and technicians onsite and dramatically reduce second visits.

Visual remote tools can provide secure connections through any smartphone, with no need for the client to install an application.

The technicians can take control of the camera to zoom in, turn on the flashlight for extra lighting, take photos, and save video directly to the tickets.

Optical character recognition allows automatic text capture to streamline process to check warranty, recalls, and asset history.

Visual, interactive workflows enhance break/fix and inspections, providing step-by-step guidance visual evidence and using AI and augmented reality to assess the images, and can provide next steps by connecting to a visual knowledgebase.

Integration with field service management tools will allow information to easily be captured and uploaded immediately into the service record.

Self-serve is available through many of these tools, providing step-by-step instructions using visual cues. These solutions are designed to work in low-bandwidth environments, using Wi-Fi or cellular service, and sessions can be started with a simple link sent through SMS.

Implement an IT Employee Development Plan

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  • Parent Category Name: Train & Develop
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  • There is a growing gap between the competencies organizations have been focused on developing and what is needed in the future.
  • Employees have been left to drive their own development with little direction or support and without the alignment of development to organizational needs.
  • The pace of change in today’s environment demands new competencies while making others obsolete, and IT is challenged with keeping up with upskilling employees.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Organizations position development as employee-owned, yet employees still feel like their needs aren’t being met, and many leave as a result.
  • Development needs to be employee-owned and manager-supported but also organization-informed to ensure that it meets the organization’s needs.
  • Today, operating environments change quickly, and organizations need to develop the competencies employees need both today and in the future.

Impact and Result

  • Design employee development plans that build the competencies the organization and IT department need both today and in the future.
  • Equip managers and build program support to foster continuous learning and development.
  • Connect the right development opportunity to the right employee through an effective development planning process.

Implement an IT Employee Development Plan Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should implement effective development planning, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Assess employees' development needs

Assist your employees in setting appropriate development goals.

  • Implement Effective Employee Development Planning – Phase 1: Assess Employees' Development Needs
  • IT Manager Job Aid: Employee Development
  • IT Employee Job Aid: Employee Development
  • IT Employee Career Development Workbook
  • Individual Competency Development Plan
  • IT Competency Library
  • Leadership Competencies Workbook

2. Select appropriate activities for development

Review existing and identify new development activities that employees can undertake to achieve their goals.

  • Implement Effective Employee Development Planning – Phase 2: Select Activities for Developing Prioritized Competencies
  • Learning Methods Catalog for IT Employees

3. Build manager coaching skills

Establish manager and employee follow-up accountabilities.

  • Implement Effective Employee Development Planning – Phase 3: Build Manager Coaching Skills to Support Employee Development
  • Role Play Coaching Scenarios
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Debunk Machine Learning Endpoint Security Solutions

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  • Threat actors are more innovative than ever before and developing sophisticated methods of endpoints attacks capable of avoiding detection with traditional legacy anti-virus software.
  • Legacy anti-virus solutions rely on signatures and hence fail at detecting memory objects, and new and mutating malware.
  • Combined with the cybersecurity talent gap and the sheer volume of endpoint attacks, organizations need endpoint security solutions capable of efficiently and accurately blocking never-before-seen malware types and variants.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Don’t make machine learning a goal in itself. Think of how machine learning can help you achieve your goals.
  • Determine your endpoint security requirements and goals prior to shopping around for a vendor. Vendors can easily suck you into a vortex of marketing jargon and sell you tools that your organization does not need.
  • Machine learning alone is not a solution to catching malware. It is a computational method that can generalize and analyze large datasets, and output insights quicker than a human security analyst.

Impact and Result

  • Consider deploying an endpoint protection technology that leverages machine learning into your existing endpoint security strategy to counteract against the unknown and to quickly sift through the large volumes of data.
  • Understand how machine learning methods can help drive your organization’s security goals.
  • Identify vendors that utilize machine learning in their endpoint security products.
  • Understand use cases of where machine learning in endpoint security has been successful.

Debunk Machine Learning Endpoint Security Solutions Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should consider machine learning in endpoint security solutions, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Demystify machine learning concepts

Understand basic machine learning concepts used in endpoint security.

  • Debunk Machine Learning Endpoint Security Solutions – Phase 1: Demystify Machine Learning Concepts

2. Evaluate vendors that leverage machine learning

Determine feature requirements to evaluate vendors.

  • Debunk Machine Learning Endpoint Security Solutions – Phase 2: Evaluate Vendors That Leverage Machine Learning
  • Endpoint Protection Request for Proposal
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Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

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  • The proliferation of social media networks, customer data, and use cases has made ad hoc social media management challenging.
  • Many organizations struggle with shadow IT when it comes to technology enablement for social media; SMMP fragmentation leads to increased costs and no uniformity in enterprise social media management capabilities.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • SMMP selection must be driven by your overall customer experience management strategy; link your SMMP selection to your organization’s CXM framework.
  • Shadow IT will dominate if IT does not step in. Even more so than other areas, SMMP selection is rife with shadow IT.
  • Ensure strong points of integration between SMMP and other software such as CRM. SMMPs can contribute to a unified, 360-degree customer view.

Impact and Result

  • The value proposition of SMMPs revolves around enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of social media. Using an SMMP to manage social media is considerably more cost effective than ad hoc (manual) management.
  • IT must partner with other departments (e.g. Marketing) to successfully evaluate, select, and implement an SMMP. Before selecting an SMMP, the organization must have a solid overall strategy for leveraging social media in place. If IT does not work as a trusted advisor to the business, shadow IT in social media management will be rampant.

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should implement an SMMP, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Develop a technology enablement approach

Conduct a maturity assessment to determine whether a dedicated SMMP is right for your organization.

  • Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform – Phase 1: Develop a Technology Enablement Approach for Social Media
  • Social Media Maturity Assessment Tool
  • Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool
  • SMMP Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool

2. Select an SMMP

Use the Vendor Landscape findings and project guidance to develop requirements for your SMMP RFP, and evaluate and shortlist vendors based on your expressed requirements.

  • Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform – Phase 2: Select an SMMP
  • SMMP Vendor Shortlist & Detailed Feature Analysis Tool
  • SMMP Vendor Demo Script
  • SMMP RFP Template
  • SMMP RFP Evaluation and Scoring Tool
  • Vendor Response Template

3. Review implementation considerations

Even a solution that is a perfect fit for an organization will fail to generate value if it is not properly implemented or measured. Conduct the necessary planning before implementing your SMMP.

  • Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform – Phase 3: Review Implementation Considerations
  • Social Media Steering Committee Charter Template
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Workshop: Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Launch Your SMMP Selection Project

The Purpose

Discuss the general project overview for the SMMP selection.

Key Benefits Achieved

Determine your organization’s readiness for SMMP.

Activities

1.1 Identify organizational fit for the technology.

1.2 Evaluate social media opportunities within your organization.

1.3 Determine the best use-case scenario for your organization.

Outputs

Organizational maturity assessment

SMMP use-case fit assessment

2 Plan Your Procurement and Implementation Process

The Purpose

Plan the procurement and implementation of the SMMP.

Key Benefits Achieved

Select an SMMP.

Review implementation considerations.

Activities

2.1 Review use-case scenario results, identify use-case alignment

2.2 Review the SMMP Vendor Landscape vendor profiles and performance.

2.3 Create a custom vendor shortlist and investigate additional vendors for exploration in the marketplace.

2.4 Meet with the project manager to discuss results and action items.

Outputs

Vendor shortlist

SMMP RFP

Vendor evaluations

Selection of an SMMP

Framework for SMMP deployment and integration

Further reading

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

Rein in social media by choosing a management platform that’s right for you.

ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

Enterprise use of social media for customer interaction has exploded. Select the right management platform to maximize the value of your social initiatives.

Social media has rapidly become a ubiquitous channel for customer interaction. Organizations are using social media for use cases from targeted advertising, to sales prospecting, to proactive customer service. However, the growing footprint of social media initiatives – and the constant proliferation of new social networks – has created significant complexity in effectively capturing the value of social.

Organizations that are serious about social manage this complexity by leveraging dedicated social media management platforms. These platforms provide comprehensive capabilities for managing multiple social media networks, creating engagement and response workflows, and providing robust social analytics. Selecting a best-fit SMMP allows for standardized, enterprise-wide capabilities for managing all aspects of social media.

This report will help you define your requirements for social media management and select a vendor that is best fit for your needs, as well as review critical implementation considerations such as CRM integration and security.

Ben Dickie
Research Director, Enterprise Applications
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive summary

Situation

  • Social media has reached maturity as a proven, effective channel for customer interaction across multiple use cases, from customer analytics to proactive customer service.
  • Organizations are looking to IT to provide leadership with social media technology enablement and integration with other enterprise systems.

Complication

  • The proliferation of social media networks, customer data, and use cases has made ad hoc social media management challenging.
  • Many organizations struggle with shadow IT when it comes to technology enablement for social media; SMMP fragmentation leads to increased costs and no uniformity in enterprise social media management capabilities.

Resolution

  • Social media management platforms (SMMPs) reduce complexity and increase the results of enterprise social media initiatives. SMMPs integrate with a variety of different social media services, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The platforms offer a variety of tools for managing social media, including account management, in-band response and engagement, and social monitoring and analytics.
  • The value proposition of SMMPs revolves around enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of social media. Using an SMMP to manage social media is considerably more cost effective than ad hoc (manual) management.
  • IT must partner with other departments (e.g. Marketing) to successfully evaluate, select, and implement an SMMP. Before selecting an SMMP, the organization must have a solid overall strategy for leveraging social media in place. If IT does not work as a trusted advisor to the business, shadow IT in social media management will be rampant.

Info-Tech Insight

  1. SMMP selection must be driven by your overall customer experience management strategy: link your SMMP selection to your organization’s CXM framework.
  2. Shadow IT will dominate if IT does not step in: even more so than other areas, SMMP selection is rife with shadow IT.
  3. Ensure strong points of integration between SMMP and other software such as customer relationship management (CRM). SMMPs can contribute to a unified, 360-degree customer view.

Framing the SMMP selection and implementation project

This Research Is Designed For:
  • IT directors advising the business on how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of social media campaigns through technology.
  • IT professionals involved in evaluating, selecting, and deploying an SMMP.
  • Business analysts tasked with collection and analysis of SMMP business requirements.
This Research Will Help You:
  • Clearly link your business requirements to SMMP selection criteria.
  • Select an SMMP vendor that meets your organization’s needs across marketing, sales, and customer service use cases.
  • Adopt standard operating procedures for SMMP deployment that address issues such as platform security and CRM integration.
This Research Will Also Assist:
  • Executive-level stakeholders in the following roles:
    • Vice-president of Sales, Marketing, or Customer Service.
    • Business unit managers tasked with ensuring strong end-user adoption of an SMMP.
This Research Will Help Them
  • Understand what’s new in the SMMP market.
  • Evaluate SMMP vendors and products for your enterprise needs.
  • Determine which products are most appropriate for particular use cases and scenarios.

Social media management platforms augment social capabilities within a broader customer experience ecosystem

Customer Experience Management (CXM)

'Customer Relationship Management Platform' surrounded by supporting capabilities, one of which is highlighted, 'Social Media Management Platform'.

Social Media Management Platforms are one piece of the overall customer experience management ecosystem, alongside tools such as CRM platforms and adjacent point solutions for sales, marketing, and customer service. Review Info-Tech’s CXM blueprint to build a complete, end-to-end customer interaction solution portfolio that encompasses SMMP alongside other critical components. The CXM blueprint also allows you to develop strategic requirements for SMMP based on customer personas and external market analysis.

SMMPs reduce complexity and increase the effectiveness of enterprise social media programs

  • SMMPs are solutions (typically cloud based) that offer a host of features for effectively monitoring the social cloud and managing your organization’s presence in the social cloud. SMMPs give businesses the tools they need to run social campaigns in a timely and cost-effective manner.
  • The typical SMMP integrates with two or more social media services (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) via the services’ API or a dedicated connector. SMMPs are not simply a revised “interface layer” for a single social media service. They provide layers for advanced management and analytics across multiple services.
  • The unique value of SMMPs comes from their ability to manage and track multiple social media services. Aggregating and managing data from multiple services gives businesses a much more holistic view of their organization’s social initiatives and reputation in the social cloud.
Diagram with 'End Users (e.g. marketing managers)' at the top and social platforms like Facebook and Twitter at the bottom; in between them are 'SMMPs’: 'Account & Campaign Management', 'Social Engagement', and 'Social Monitoring/Analytics'.
SMMPs mediate interactions between end users and the social cloud.

Info-Tech Best Practice

The increasing complexity of social media, coupled with the rising importance of social channels, has led to a market for formal management platforms. Organizations with an active presence in social media (i.e. multiple services or pages) should strongly consider selecting and deploying an SMMP.

Failing to rein in social media initiatives leads to more work, uninformed decisions, and diminishing returns

  • The growth of social media services has made manually updating pages and feeds an ineffective and time-consuming process. The challenge is magnified when multiple brands, product lines, or geographic subsidiaries are involved.
    • Use the advanced account management features of an SMMP to reduce the amount of time spent updating social media services.
  • Engaging customers through social channels can be a delicate task – high volumes of social content can easily overwhelm marketing and service representatives, leading to missed selling opportunities and unacceptable service windows.
    • Use the in-band engagement capabilities of an SMMP to create an orderly queue for social interactions.
  • Consumer activity in the social cloud has been increasing exponentially. As the volume of content grows, separating the signal from the noise becomes increasingly difficult.
    • Use the advanced social analytics of an SMMP to ensure critical consumer insights are not overlooked.
Ad Hoc Management vs. SMMPs:
What’s the difference?

Ad Hoc Social Media Management

Social media initiatives are managed directly through the services themselves. For example, a marketing professional would log in to multiple corporate Twitter accounts to post the same content for a promotional campaign.

Social Media Management Platform

Social media initiatives are managed through a third-party software platform. For example, a marketing professional would update all social account simultaneously with just a couple clicks. SMMPs also provide cross-service social analytics – highly valuable for decision makers!

Info-Tech Best Practice

Effectively managing a social media campaign is not a straightforward exercise. If you have (or plan to have) a large social media footprint, now is the time to procure formal software tools for social media management. Continuing to manage social media in an ad hoc manner is sapping time and money.

Review the critical success factors for SMMP across the project lifecycle, from planning to post-implementation

Info-Tech Insight

Executive management support is crucial. The number one overall critical success factor for an SMMP strategy is top management support. This emphasizes the importance of sales, service, and marketing and prudent corporate strategic alignment. A strategic objective in SMMP projects is to position top management as an enabler rather than a barrier.

Planning Implementation Post-Implementation Overall
1 Appropriate Selection Project Management Top Management Support Top Management Support
2 Clear Project Goals Top Management Support Project Management Appropriate Selection
3 Top Management Support Training Training Project Management
4 Business Mission and Vision Effective Communication Effective Communication Training
5 Project Management Supplier Supports Appropriate Selection Clear Project Goals

(Source: Information Systems Frontiers)

Dell uses a dedicated social media management platform to power a comprehensive social command center

CASE STUDY

Industry: High-Tech | Source: Dell
With a truly global customer base, Dell gets about 22,000 mentions on the social web daily, and does not sit idly by. Having established a physical Social Media Command Center powered by Salesforce’s Social Studio, Dell was one of the companies that pioneered the command center concept for social response.

The SMMP carries out the following activities:

  • Tracking mentions of Dell in the social cloud
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Connecting customers who need assistance with experts who can help them
  • Social media training
  • Maintenance of standards for social media interactions
  • Spreading best social media practices across the organization

Today the company claims impressive results, including:

  • “Resolution rate” of 99% customer satisfaction
  • Boosting its customer reach with the same number of employees
  • One third of Dell’s former critics are now fans

Logo for Dell.

Tools:
  • Salesforce Social Studio
  • Three rows of monitors offering instant insights into customer sentiment, share of voice, and geography.
Staff:
  • The center started with five people; today it is staffed by a team of 15 interacting with customers in 11 languages.
  • Dell values human interaction; the center is not running on autopilot, and any ambiguous activity is analyzed (and dealt with) manually on an individual basis.

Follow Info-Tech’s methodology for selection and implementation of enterprise applications

Prior to embarking on the vendor selection stage, ensure you have set the right building blocks and completed the necessary prerequisites.

Diagram with 'Enterprise Applications' at the center surrounded by a cycle of 'conceptual', 'consensus', 'concrete', and 'continuous'. The outer circle has three categories with three actions each, 'Governance and Optimization: Process Optimization, Support/ Maintenance, Transition to Operations', 'Strategy and Alignment: Foundation, Assessment, Strategy/ Business Case', and 'Implementation: System Implementation, Business Process Management, Select and Implement'. Follow Info-Tech’s enterprise applications program that covers the application lifecycle from the strategy stage, through selection and implementation, and up to governance and optimization.

The implementation and execution stage entails the following steps:

  1. Define the business case.
  2. Gather and analyze requirements.
  3. Build the RFP.
  4. Conduct detailed vendor evaluations.
  5. Finalize vendor selection.
  6. Review implementation considerations.

Info-Tech Insight

A critical preceding task to selecting a social media management platform is ensuring a strategy is in place for enterprise social media usage. Use our social media strategy blueprint to ensure the foundational elements are in place prior to proceeding with platform selection.

Use this blueprint to support your SMMP selection and implementation

Launch the SMMP Project and Collect Requirements — Phase 1

Benefits — Use the project steps and activity instructions outlined in this blueprint to streamline your selection process and implementation planning. Save time and money, and improve the impact of your SMMP selection by leveraging Info-Tech’s research and project steps.

Select Your SMMP Solution — Phase 2

Use Info-Tech’s SMMP Vendor Landscape contained in Phase 2 of this project to support your vendor reviews and selection. Refer to the use-case performance results to identify vendors that align with the requirements and solution needs identified by your earlier project findings.

Get Ready for Your SMMP Implementation — Phase 3

Info-Tech Insight — Not everyone’s connection and integration needs are the same. Understand your own business’s integration environment and the unique technical and functional requirements that accompany them to create criteria and select a best-fit SMMP solution.

Use Info-Tech’s use-case scenario approach to select a best-fit solution for your business needs

Readiness

Determine where you are right now and where your organization needs to go with a social media strategy.

Three stages eventually leading to shapes in a house, 'Distributed Stage', 'Loosely Coupled Stage', and 'Command Center Stage'.
Use-Case Assessment

Identify the best-fit use-case scenario to determine requirements that best align with your strategy.

Three blocks labelled 'Social Listening & Analytics', 'Social Customer Care', and 'Social Publishing & Campaign Management'.
Selection

Approach vendor selection through a use-case centric lens to balance the need for different social capabilities.

Logos for vendors including Adobe, Hootsuite, CISION, and more.

Info-Tech walks you through the following steps to help you to successfully select and implement your SMMP

Steps of this blueprint represented by circles of varying colors and sizes, labelled by text of different sizes.

Locate your starting point in the research based on the current stage of your project.

Legend for the diagram above: lines represent Major Milestones, size of circles represent Low or High effort, size of text represents Average or Greater importance, and color of the circles represents the phase.

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

Guided Implementation

Workshop

Consulting

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform – project overview

1. Develop a Technology Enablement Approach 2. Select an SMMP 3. Review Implementation Considerations
Supporting Tool icon

Best-Practice Toolkit

1.1 Determine if a dedicated SMMP is right for your organization

  • Social Media Maturity Assessment Tool
  • Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool

1.2 Use an SMMP to enable marketing, sales, and service use cases

  • SMMP Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool

2.1 SMMP Vendor Landscape

  • CRM Suite Evaluation and RFP Scoring Tool

2.2 Select your SMMP

  • SMMP Vendor Demo Script Template
  • SMMP RFP Template

3.1 Establish best practices for SMMP implementation

  • Social Media Steering Committee

3.2 Assess the measured value from the project

Guided Implementations

  • Identify organizational fit for the technology.
  • Evaluate social media opportunities within your organization.
  • Evaluate which SMMP use-case scenario is best fit for your organization
  • Discuss the use-case fit assessment results and the Vendor Landscape.
  • Review contract.
  • Determine what is the right governance structure to overlook the SMMP implementation.
  • Identify the right deployment model for your organization.
  • Identify key performance indicators for business units using an SMMP.
Associated Activity icon

Onsite Workshop

Module 1:
Launch Your SMMP Selection Project
Module 2:
Plan Your Procurement and Implementation Process
Phase 1 Outcome:
  • Social Media Maturity Assessment
  • SMMP Use-Case Assessment
Phase 2 Outcome:
  • Selection of an SMMP
Phase 3 Outcome:
  • A plan for implementing the selected SMMP

SMMP selection and implementation workshop overview

Associated Activity icon Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

Day 1

Preparation

Day 2

Workshop Day

Day 3

Workshop Day

Day 4

Workshop Day

Day 5

Working Session

Workshop Preparation
  • Facilitator meets with the project manager and reviews the current project plans and IT landscape of the organization.
  • A review of scheduled meetings and engaged IT and business staff is performed.
Morning Itinerary
  • Conduct activities from Develop a technology enablement approach for social media phase, including social media maturity and readiness assessment.
  • Conduct overview of the market landscape, trends, and vendors.
Afternoon Itinerary
  • Interview business stakeholders.
  • Prioritize SMMP requirements.
Morning Itinerary
  • Perform a use-case scenario assessment.
Afternoon Itinerary
  • Review use-case scenario results; identify use-case alignment.
  • Review the SMMP Vendor Landscape vendor profiles and performance.
Morning Itinerary
  • Continue review of SMMP Vendor Landscape results and use-case performance results.
Afternoon Itinerary
  • Create a custom vendor shortlist.
  • Investigate additional vendors for exploration in the market.
Workshop Debrief
  • Meet with project manager to discuss results and action items.
  • Wrap up outstanding items from workshop.
(Post-Engagement): Procurement Support
  • The facilitator will support the project team to outline the RFP contents and evaluation framework.
  • Planning of vendor demo script. Input: solution requirements and use-case results.
Example of a light blue slide. The light blue slides at the end of each section highlight the key activities and exercises that will be completed during the engagement with our analyst team.

Use these icons to help direct you as you navigate this research

Use these icons to help guide you through each step of the blueprint and direct you to content related to the recommended activities.

A small monochrome icon of a wrench and screwdriver creating an X.

This icon denotes a slide where a supporting Info-Tech tool or template will help you perform the activity or step associated with the slide. Refer to the supporting tool or template to get the best results and proceed to the next step of the project.

A small monochrome icon depicting a person in front of a blank slide.

This icon denotes a slide with an associated activity. The activity can be performed either as part of your project or with the support of Info-Tech team members who will come onsite to facilitate a workshop for your organization.

A small monochrome icon depicting a descending bar graph.

This icon denotes a slide that pertains directly to the Info-Tech vendor profiles on marketing management technology. Use these slides to support and guide your evaluation of the MMS vendors included in the research.

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

PHASE 1

Develop a Technology Enablement Approach for Social Media

Phase 1: Develop a technology enablement approach for social media

Steps of this blueprint represented by circles of varying colors and sizes, labelled by text of different sizes. Only Phase 1 is highlighted.
Estimated Timeline: 1-3 Months

Info-Tech Insight

Before an SMMP can be selected, the organization must have a strategy in place for enterprise social media. Implementing an SMMP before developing a social media strategy would be akin to buying a mattress without knowing the size of the bed frame.

Major Milestones Reached
  • Project launch
  • Completion of requirements gathering and documentation

Key Activities Completed

  • Readiness assessment
  • Project plan / timeline
  • Stakeholder buy-in
  • Technical assessment
  • Functional assessment

Outcomes from This Phase

Social Media Maturity Assessment

Phase 1 outline

Associated Activity icon Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

Guided Implementation 1: Develop a technology enablement approach for social media

Proposed Time to Completion: 2 weeks
Step 1.1: Determine if a dedicated SMMP is right for your organization Step 1.2: Use an SMMP to enable marketing, sales, and service use cases
Start with an analyst kick-off call:
  • Assess your readiness for the SMMP project.
  • Evaluate social media opportunities within your organization.
Review findings with analyst:
  • Discuss how an SMMP can assist with marketing, sales, and customer service.
  • Evaluate which SMMP use case scenario is best fit for your organization.
Then complete these activities…
  • Assess your social media maturity.
  • Inventory social media networks to be supported by the SMMP.
Then complete these activities…
  • Assess best-fit use-case scenario.
  • Build the metrics inventory.
With these tools & templates:
  • Social Media Maturity Assessment Tool
  • Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool
With these tools & templates:
  • SMMP Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool
Phase 1 Results & Insights:
  • Social Media Maturity Assessment
  • SMMP Use-Case Assessment

Phase 1, Step 1: Determine if a dedicated SMMP is right for your organization

1.1

1.2

Determine if a dedicated SMMP is right for your organization Use an SMMP to enable marketing, sales, and service use cases

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Assess where your organization sits on the social media maturity curve.
  • Inventory the current social media networks that must be supported by the SMMP.
  • Go/no-go assessment on SMMP.

This step involves the following participants:

  • Digital Marketing Executive
  • Digital Strategy Executive
  • Business stakeholders

Outcomes of this step

  • Social media maturity assessment
  • Inventory of enterprise social media
  • SMMP Go/no-go decision

Before selecting an SMMP, start with the fundamentals: build a comprehensive strategy for enterprise social media

Why build a social media strategy?

  • Social media is neither a fad nor a phenomenon; it is simply another tool in the business process. Social channels do not necessitate a radical departure from the organization’s existing customer interaction strategy. Rather, social media should be added to your channel mix and integrated within the existing CRM strategy.
  • Social media allows organizations to form direct and indirect connections through the Friend-of-a-Friend (FOAF) model, which increases the credibility of the information in the eyes of the consumer.
  • Social media enables organizations to share, connect, and engage consumers in an environment where they are comfortable. Having a social media presence is rapidly becoming a pre-requisite for successful business-to-consumer enterprises.

Important considerations for an enterprise social media strategy:

  • Determine how social media will complement existing customer interaction goals.
  • Assess which social media opportunities exist for your organization.
  • Consider the specific goals you want to achieve using social channels and pick your services accordingly.
  • Not all social media services (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) are equal. Consider which services will be most effective for goal achievement.
For more information on developing a strategy for enterprise social media, please refer to Info-Tech’s research on Social Media.

Implement a social media strategy by determining where you are right now and where your organization needs to go

Organizations pass through three main stages of social media maturity: distributed, loosely coupled, and command center. As you move along the maturity scale, the business significance of the social media program increases. Refer to Info-Tech’s Implement a Social Media Program for guidance on how to execute an ongoing social media program.
The y-axis 'Business Significance'.

Distributed Stage

Shapes labelled 'Sales', 'Customer Service', and 'Marketing'.

  • Open-source or low-cost solutions are implemented informally by individual depts. for specific projects.
  • Solutions are deployed to fulfill a particular function without an organizational vision. The danger of this stage is lack of consistent customer experience and wasted resources.

Loosely Coupled Stage

Same shapes with the addition of 'PR' and surrounded by a dotted-line house.

  • More point solutions are implemented across the organization. There is a formal cross-departmental effort to integrate some point solutions.
  • Risks include failing to put together an effective steering committee and not including IT in the decision-making process.

Command Center Stage

Same shapes with a solid line house.

  • There’s enterprise-level steering committee with representation from all areas: execution of social programs is handled by a fully resourced physical (or virtual) center.
  • Risks include improper resource allocation and lack of end-user training.
The x-axis 'Maturity Stages'.
Optimal stages for SMMP purchase

Assess where your organization sits on the social media maturity curve

Associated Activity icon 1.1.1 30 Minutes

INPUT: Social media initiatives, Current status

OUTPUT: Current State Maturity Assessment

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers, Sticky notes

PARTICIPANTS: Digital Strategy Executive, Business stakeholders

Before you can move to an objective assessment of your social media program’s maturity, take an inventory of your current efforts across different departments (e.g. Marketing, PR, Sales, and Customer Service). Document the results in the Social Media Maturity Assessment Tool to determine your social media readiness score.

Department Social Media Initiative(s) Current Status
Marketing Branded Facebook page with updates and promotions Stalled: insufficient resources
Sales LinkedIn prospecting campaign for lead generation, qualification, and warm open Active: however, new reps are poorly trained on LinkedIn prospect best practices
Customer Service Twitter support initiative: mentions of our brand are paired with sentiment analysis to determine who is having problems and to reach out and offer support Active: program has been highly successful to date
HR Recruitment campaign through LinkedIn and Branch Out Stalled: insufficient technology support for identifying leading candidates
Product Development Defect tracking for future product iterations using social media Partially active: Tracked, but no feedback loop present
Social Media Maturity Level Distributed

Determine your organization’s social media maturity with Info-Tech’s Maturity Assessment Tool

Supporting Tool icon 1.1 Social Media Maturity Assessment Tool

Assessing where you fit on the social media maturity continuum is critical for setting the future direction of your social media program. We’ll work through a short tool that assesses the current state of your social media program, then discuss the results.

Info-Tech’s Social Media Maturity Assessment Tool will help you determine your company’s level of maturity and recommend steps to move to the next level or optimize the status quo of your current efforts.

INFO-TECH TOOL Sample of the Social Media Current State Assessment.

The social cloud is a dominant point of interaction: integrate social channels with existing customer interaction channels

  • Instead of thinking of customers as an island, think of them interacting with each other and with organizations in the social cloud. As a result, the social cloud itself becomes a point of interaction, not just individual customers.
  • The social cloud is accessible with services like social networks (e.g. Facebook) and micro-blogs (Twitter).
  • Previous lessons learned from the integration of Web 1.0 e-channels should be leveraged as organizations add the social media channel into their overall customer interaction framework:
    • Do not design exclusively around a single channel. Design hybrid-channel solutions that include social channels.
    • Balance customer segment goals and attributes, product and service goals and attributes, and channel capabilities.
The 'Web 2.0 Customer Interaction Framework' with 'Social Cloud' above, connected to the below through 'Conversations & Information'. Below are two categories with their components interconnected, 'Communication Channels: Face to Face, Phone, E-mail, Web, and Social Media' and 'Customer Experience Management: Marketing, Sales, and Service'.

Info-Tech Best Practice

Don’t believe that social channel integration will require an entire rebuild of your CXM strategy. Social channels are just new interaction channels that need to be integrated – as you’ve done in the past with Web 1.0 e-channels.

Understand the different types of social media services and how they link to social media strategy and SMMP selection

Before adopting an SMMP, it’s important to understand the underlying services they manage. Social media services facilitate the creation and dissemination of user-generated content, and can be grouped according to their purpose and functionality:
  • Social Networking: Social networking services use the Friend-of-a-Friend model to allow users to communicate with their personal networks. Users can share a wide variety of information and media with one another. Social networking sites include Facebook and LinkedIn.
  • Blogging: Blogs are websites that allow users to upload text and media entries, typically displayed in reverse-chronological order. Prominent blogging services include Blogger and WordPress.
  • Micro-Blogging: Micro-blogging is similar to blogging, with the exception that written content is limited to a set number of characters. Twitter, the most popular service, allows users to post messages up to 140 characters.
  • Social Multimedia: Social multimedia sites provide an easy way for users to upload and share multimedia content (e.g. pictures, video) with both their personal contacts as well as the wider community. YouTube is extremely popular for video sharing, while Instagram is a popular option for sharing photos and short videos.

Info-Tech Best Practice

In many cases, services do not fit discretely within each category. With minor exceptions, creating an account on a social media service is free, making use of these services extremely cost effective. If your organization makes extensive use of a particular service, ensure it is supported by your SMMP vendor.

Four categories of social media company logos: 'Social multimedia', 'Micro-blogging', 'Blogging', and 'Social Networking'.

Inventory the current social media networks that must be supported by the SMMP

Associated Activity icon 1.1.2

INPUT: Social media services

OUTPUT: Inventory of enterprise social media

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project team

  1. List all existing social media networks used by your organization.
  2. For each network, enumerate all the accounts that are being used for organizational objectives.
  3. Identify the line of business that administers and manages each service.
Network Use Case Account Ownership
Facebook
  • Branding
  • Marketing
  • Social Monitoring
  • Facebook recruitment
  • Corporate Communications
  • Marketing
Twitter
  • Social monitoring
  • Customer response
  • Corporate
  • Customer Service
... ... ...

An explosion of social media services and functionality has made effectively managing social interactions a complex task

  • Effectively managing social channels is an increasingly complicated task. Proliferation of social media services and rapid end-user uptake has made launching social interactions a challenge for small and large organizations.
  • Using multiple social media services can be a nightmare for account management (particularly when each brand or product line has its own set of social accounts).
  • The volume of data generated by the social cloud has also created barriers for successfully responding in-band to social stakeholders (social engagement), and for carrying out social analytics.
  • There are two methods for managing social media: ad hoc management and platform-based management.
    • Ad hoc social media management is accomplished using the built-in functionality and administrative controls of each social media service. It is appropriate for small organizations with a very limited scope for social media interaction, but poses difficulties once “critical mass” has been reached.
Comparison of 'Ad Hoc Management' with each social media platform managed directly by the user and 'Platform-Based Management' with social platforms managed by a 'SMMP' which is managed by the user.
Ad hoc management results in a number of social media touch points. SMMPs serve as a single go-to point for all social media initiatives

Info-Tech Best Practice

Managing social media is becoming increasingly difficult to do through ad hoc methods, particularly for larger organizations and those with multiple brand portfolios. Ad hoc management is best suited for small organizations with an institutional client base who only need a bare bones social media presence.

Select social media services that will achieve your specific objectives – and look for SMMPs that integrate with them

What areas are different social media services helpful in?
Domain Opportunity Consumer Social Networks (Facebook) Micro-Blogging (Twitter) Professional Social Networks (LinkedIn) Consumer Video Sharing Networks (YouTube)
Marketing Building Positive Brand Image Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'.
Increase Mind Share Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'.
Gaining Customer Insights Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'.
Sales Gaining Sales Insights Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'.
Increase Revenue Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'.
Customer Acquisition Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'.
Service Customer Satisfaction Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'.
Increase Customer Retention Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'.
Reducing Cost of Service Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'. Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'. Green circle 'Proven Useful'.

Green circle 'Proven Useful'. Proven Useful*

Dark Blue circle 'Potentially Useful'. Potentially Useful

*Proven useful by Info-Tech statistical analysis carried out on a cross-section of real-world implementations.

Social media is invaluable for marketing, sales, and customer service. Some social media services have a higher degree of efficacy than others for certain functions. Be sure to take this into account when developing a social media strategy.

Info-Tech Best Practice

Different social media services are more effective than others for different goals. For example, YouTube is useful as an avenue for marketing campaigns, but it’s of substantially less use for sales functions like lead generation. The services you select while planning your social media strategy must reflect concrete goals.

Ad hoc social media management results in manual, resource-intensive processes that are challenging to measure

  • Most organizations that have pursued social media initiatives have done so in an ad hoc fashion rather than outlining a formal strategy and deploying software solutions (e.g. SMMP).
  • Social media is often a component of Customer Experience Management (CXM); Info-Tech’s research shows many organizations are handling CRM without a strategy in place, too.
  • Social media management platforms reduce the resource-intensive processes required for ongoing social media involvement and keep projects on track by providing reporting metrics.
Social media and CRM are often being done without a defined strategy in place.

Four-square matrix titled 'Strategy' presenting percentages with y-axis 'CRM', x-axis 'Social Media', both having two sections 'Ad hoc' and 'Defined'.
Source: Info-Tech Survey, N=64

Many processes related to social media are being done manually, despite the existence of SMMPs.

Four-square matrix titled 'technology' presenting percentages with y-axis 'CRM', x-axis 'Social Media', both having two sections 'Ad hoc' and 'Defined'.

“When we started our social media campaign, it took 34 man-hours a week. An SMMP that streamlines these efforts is absolutely an asset.” (Edie May, Johnson & Johnson Insurance Company)

SMMPs provide functionality for robust account management, in-band customer response, and social monitoring/analytics

  • Features such as unified account management and social engagement capabilities boost the efficiency of social campaigns. These features reduce duplication of effort (e.g. manually posting the same content to multiple services). Leverage account management functionality and in-band response to “do more with less.”
  • Features such as comprehensive monitoring of the social cloud and advanced social analytics (i.e. sentiment analysis, trends and follower demographics) allow organizations to more effectively use social media. These features empower organizations with the information they need to make informed decisions around messaging and brand positioning. Use social analytics to zero in on your most important brand advocates.

The value proposition of SMMPs revolves around enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of social media initiatives.

Three primary use cases for social media management:

Social Listening & Analytics — Monitor and analyze a variety of social media services: provide demographic analysis, frequency analysis, sentiment analysis, and content-centric analysis.

Social Publishing & Campaign Management — Executing marketing campaigns through social channels (e.g. Facebook pages).

Social Customer Care — Track customer conversations and provide the ability to respond in-platform to social interactions.

Info-Tech Best Practice

SMMPs are a technology platform, but this alone is insufficient to execute a social media program. Organization and process must be integrated as well. See Info-Tech’s research on developing a social media strategy for a step-by-step guide on how to optimize your internal organization and processes.

Social analytics vary: balance requirements among monitoring goals and social presence/property management

Segment your requirements around common SMMP vendor product design points. Current market capabilities vary between two primary feature categories: social cloud monitoring and social presence and property management.

Cloud-Centric

Social Monitoring

Content-Centric

Social cloud monitoring enables:
  • Brand and product monitoring
  • Reputation monitoring
  • Proactive identification of service opportunities
  • Competitive intelligence
Social presence and property management enables:
  • Monitor and manage discussions on your social properties (e.g. Twitter feeds, Facebook Pages, YouTube channels)
  • Execute marketing campaigns within your social properties

Social Analytics

Social analytics provide insights to both dimensions of social media monitoring.

Some firms only need social cloud monitoring, some need to monitor their own social media properties, and others will need to do both. Some vendors do both while other vendors excel in only one feature dimension. If you are NOT prepared to act on results from social cloud monitoring, then don’t expand your reach into the social cloud for no reason. You can always add cloud monitoring services later. Likewise, if you only need to monitor the cloud and have no or few of your own social properties, don’t buy advanced management and engagement features.

Use social analytics to gain the most value from your SMMP

Research indicates successful organizations employ both social cloud monitoring and management of their own properties with analytical tools to enhance both or do one or the other well. Few vendors excel at both larger feature categories. But the market is segmented into vendors that organizations should be prepared to buy more than one product from to satisfy all requirements. However, we expect feature convergence over the next 1–3 years, resulting in more comprehensive vendor offerings.

Most sought social media analytics capabilities

Bar Chart of SM analytics capabilities, the most sought after being 'Demographic analysis', 'Geographic analysis', 'Semantic analysis', 'Automated identification of subject and content', and 'Predictive modeling'.
(Source: The State of Social Media Analytics (2016))

Value driven from social analytics comes in the form of:
  • Improved customer service
  • Increased revenue
  • Uncovered insights for better targeted marketing
  • A more personalized customer experience offered
Social analytics is integral to the success of the SMMP – take advantage of this functionality!

Cost/Benefit Scenario: A mid-sized consumer products company wins big by adopting an SMMP

The following example shows how an SMMP at a mid-sized consumer products firm brought in $36 000 a year.

Before: Manual Social Media Management

  • Account management: a senior marketing manager was responsible for updating all twenty of the firm’s social media pages and feeds. This activity consumed approximately 20% of her time. Her annual salary was $80,000. Allocated cost: $16,000 per year.
  • In-band response: Customer service representatives manually tracked service requests originating from social channels. Due to the use of multiple Twitter feeds, several customers were inadvertently ignored and subsequently defected to competitors. Lost annual revenue due to customer defections: $10,000.
  • Social analytics: Analytics were conducted in a crude, ad hoc fashion using scant data available from the services themselves. No useful insights were discovered. Gains from social insights: $0.

Ad hoc management is costing this organization $26,000 a year.

After: Social Media Management Platform

  • Account management: Centralized account controls for rapidly managing several social media services meant the amount of time spent updating social media was cut 75%. Allocated cost savings: $12,000 per year.
  • In-band response: Using an SMMP provided customer service representatives with a console for quickly and effectively responding to customer service issues. Service window times were significantly reduced, resulting in increased customer retention. Revenue no longer lost due to defections: $10,000.
  • Social analytics: The product development group used keyword-based monitoring to assist with designing a successful new product. Social feedback noticeably boosted sales. Gains from social insights: $20,000
  • Cost of SMMP: $6,000 per year.

The net annual benefit of adopting an SMMP is $36,000.

Go with an SMMP if your organization needs a heavy social presence; stick with ad hoc management if it doesn’t

The value proposition of acquiring an SMMP does not resonate the same for all organizations: in some cases, it is more cost effective to forego an SMMP and stick with ad hoc social media management.

Follow these guidelines for determining if an SMMP is a natural fit for your organization.

Go with an SMMP if…

  • Your organization already has a large social footprint: you manage multiple feeds/pages on three or more social media services.
  • Your organization’s primary activity is B2C marketing; your target consumers are social media savvy. Example: consumer packaged goods.
  • The volume of marketing, sales and service inquiries received over social channels has seen a sharp increase in the last 12 months.
  • Your firm or industry is the topic of widespread discussion in the social cloud.

Stick with ad hoc management if…

  • Regulatory compliance prohibits the extensive use of social media in your organization.
  • Your organization is focused on a small number of institutional clients with well-defined organizational buying behaviors.
  • Your target market is antipathetic towards using social channels to interact with your organization.
  • Your organization is in a market space where only a bare-bones social media presence is seen as a necessity (for example, only a basic informational Facebook page is maintained).

Info-Tech Best Practice

Using an SMMP is definitively superior to ad hoc social media management for those organizations with multiple brands and product portfolios (e.g. consumer packaged goods). Ad hoc management is best for small organizations with an institutional client base who only need a bare bones social media presence.

Assess which social media opportunities exist for your organization with Info-Tech’s tool

Supporting Tool icon 1.2 Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool

Use Info-Tech’s Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool to determine, based on your unique criteria, where social media opportunities exist for your organization in marketing, sales, and service.

Info-Tech Best Practice

  1. Remember that departmental goals will overlap; gaining customer insight is valuable to marketing, sales, and customer service.
  2. The social media benefits you can expect to achieve will evolve as your processes mature.
  3. Often, organizations jump into social media because they feel they have to. Use this assessment to identify early on what your drivers should be.
Sample of the Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool.

Go/no-go assessment on SMMP

Associated Activity icon 1.1.3

INPUT: Social Media Opportunity Questionnaire

OUTPUT: SMMP go/no-go decision

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Opportunity Assessment Tool

PARTICIPANTS: Digital Strategy Executive, Business stakeholders

Identify whether an SMMP will help you achieve your goals in sales, marketing, and customer service.

  1. Complete the questionnaire in the Social Media Opportunity Assessment Tool. Ensure all relevant stakeholders are present to answer questions pertaining to their business area.
  2. Evaluate the results to better understand whether your organization has the opportunity to achieve each established goal in marketing, sales, and customer service with an SMMP or you are not likely to benefit from investing in a social media management solution.

Phase 1, Step 2: Use an SMMP to enable marketing, sales, and service use cases

1.1

1.2

Determine if a dedicated SMMP is right for your organization Use an SMMP to enable marketing, sales, and service use cases

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Profile and rank your top use cases for social media management
  • Build the metrics inventory

This step involves the following participants:

  • Project Manager
  • Project Team

Outcomes of this step

  • Use case suitability
  • SMMP metrics inventory

SMMPs equip front-line sales staff with the tools they need for effective social lead generation

  • Content-centric social analytics allow sales staff to see click-through details for content posted on social networks. In many cases, these leads are warm and ready for immediate follow-up.
  • A software development firm uses an SMMP to post a whitepaper promoting its product to multiple social networks.
    • The whitepaper is subsequently downloaded by a number of potential prospects.
    • Content-centric analytics within the SMMP link the otherwise-anonymous downloads to named social media accounts.
    • Leads assigned to specific account managers, who use existing CRM software to pinpoint contact information and follow-up in a timely manner.
  • Organizations that intend to use their SMMP for sales purposes should ensure their vendor of choice offers integration with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the business formal of social networks, and is the network with the greatest proven efficacy from a sales perspective.

Using an SMMP to assist the sales process can…

  • Increase the number of leads generated through social channels as a result of social sharing.
  • Increase the quality of leads generated through social channels by examining influence scores.
  • Increase prospecting efficiency by finding social leads faster.
  • Keep account managers in touch with prospects and clients through social media.

Info-Tech Best Practice

Social media is on the rise in sales organizations. Savvy companies are using social channels at all points in the sales process, from prospecting to account management. Organizations using social channels for sales will want an SMMP to manage the volume of information and provide content-centric analytics.

Incorporate social media into marketing workflows to gain customer insights, promote your brand, and address concerns

While most marketing departments have used social media to some extent, few are using it to its full potential. Identify marketing workflows that can be enhanced through the use of social channel integration.
  • Large organizations must define separate workflows for each stakeholder organization if marketing’s duties are divided by company division, brand, or product lines.
  • Inquiries stemming from marketing campaigns and advertising must be handled by social media teams. For example, if a recent campaign sparks customer questions on the company’s Facebook page, be ready to respond!
  • Social media can be used to detect issues that may indicate product defects, provided defect tracking is not already incorporated into customer service workflows. If defect tracking is part of customer service processes, then such issues should be routed to the customer service organization.
  • If social listening is employed, in addition to monitoring the company's own social properties, marketing teams may elect to receive notices of major trends concerning the company's products or those of competitors.
Word jumble of different sized buzz words around 'Brand Building'.

I’m typically using my social media team as a proactive marketing team in the social space, whereas I’m using my consumer relations team as a reactive marketing and a reactive consumer relations taskforce. So a little bit different perspective.” (Greg Brickl, IT Director, Organic Valley)

SMMPs allow marketers to satisfy all of their needs with one solution

  • Have a marketing manager jointly responsible for the selection of an SMMP to realize higher overall success. This will significantly improve customer acquisition approval and competitive intelligence, as well as the overall SMMP success.
  • The marketing manager should be involved in fleshing out the business requirements of the SMMP in order to select the most appropriate solution.
  • Once selected, the SMMP has multiple benefits for marketing professionals. One pivotal benefit of SMMPs for marketing is the capability for centralized account management. Multiple social pages and feeds can be rapidly managed at pre-determined times, through an easy-to-use dashboard delivered from one source.
  • Centralized account management is especially pertinent for organizations with a wide geographic client base, as they can manage wide social media campaigns within multiple time zones, delivering their messaging appropriately. (e.g. contests, product launches, etc.)
Bar Chart comparing 'Average Success Scores' of different goals based on whether the 'Marketing Manager [was] Responsible' or not. Scores are always higher when they were.
(Source: Info-Tech Research Group N = 37)

Info-Tech Best Practice

Managing multiple social media accounts on an ad hoc basis is time consuming and costs money. Lower costs and get the best results out of your social media campaigns by involving the marketing team in the SMMP selection process and knowing their functional requirements.

Leverage SMMPs to proactively identify and respond to customer service issues occurring in the social cloud

  • SMMPs are an invaluable tool in customer service organizations. In-band response capabilities allow customer service representatives to quickly and effectively address customer service issues – either reactively or proactively.
  • Reactive customer service can be provided through SMMPs by providing response capabilities for private messages or public mentions (e.g. “@AcmeCo” on Twitter). Many SMMPs provide a queue of social media messages directed at the organization, and also give the ability to assign specific messages to an individual service representative or product expert. Responding to a high-volume of reactive social media requests can be time consuming without an SMMP.
  • Proactive customer service uses the ability of SMMPs to monitor the social cloud for specific keywords in order to identify customers having issues. Forward-thinking companies actively monitor the social cloud for customer service opportunities, to protect and improve their image.
Illustration of reactive service where the customer initiates the process and then receives service.
Reactive service is customer-initiated.

Illustration of proactive service with a complaint through Twitter monitored by an SMMP allowing an associate to provide a 'Proactive Resolution'.
SMMPs enable organizations to monitor the social cloud for service opportunities and provide proactive service in-band.

Info-Tech Best Practice

Historically, customer service has been “reactive” (i.e. customer initiated) and solely between the customer and supplier. Social media forces proactive service interactions between customer, supplier, and the entire social cloud. Using an SMMP significantly improves reactive and proactive service. The ability to integrate with customer service applications is essential.

Customer service is a vital department to realize value from leveraging an SMMP

Info-Tech’s research shows that the more departments get involved with social media implementation, the higher the success score (calculated based on respondents’ report of the positive impact of social media on business objectives). On average, each additional department involved in social media programs increases the overall social media success score by 5%. For example, organizations that leveraged social media within the customer service department, achieved a higher success score than those that did not.

The message is clear: encourage broad participation in coordinated social media efforts to realize business goals.

Line graph comparing 'Social Media Success Score' with the 'Number of Departments Involved'. The line trends upward on both axes.
(Source: Info-Tech Research Group N=65)
Bar chart comparing 'Social Media Success Scores' if 'Customer Service Involvement' was Yes or No. 'Yes' has a higher score.

Our research indicates that the most important stakeholder to ensure steering committee success is Customer Service. This has a major impact on CRM integration requirements – more on this later.

SMMPs are indispensable for allowing PR managers to keep tabs on the firm and its brands

  • Public relations is devoted to relationship management; as such, it is critical for savvy PR departments to have a social media presence.
  • SMMPs empower PR professionals with the ability to track the sentiment of what is said about their organization. Leverage keyword searches and heuristic analysis to proactively mitigate threats and capitalize on positive opportunities. For example, sentiment analysis can be used to identify detractors making false claims over social channels. These claims can then be countered by the Public Relations team.
  • Sentiment analysis can be especially important to the PR professional through change and crisis management situations. These tools allow an organization to track the flow of information, as well as the balance of positive and negative postings and their influence on others in the social cloud.
  • Social analytics provided by SMMPs also serve as a goldmine for competitive intelligence about rival firms and their products.

Benefits of Sentiment Analysis for PR

  • Take the pulse of public perception of your brands (and competitors).
  • Mitigate negative comments being made and respond immediately.
  • Identify industry and consumer thought leaders to follow on social networks.

Illustration of sentiment analysis.
Use sentiment analysis to monitor the social cloud.

Info-Tech Best Practice

Leaving negative statements unaddressed can cause harm to an organization’s reputation. Use an SMMP to track what is being said about your organization; take advantage of response capabilities to quickly respond and mitigate PR risk.

SMMPs for recruiting is an emerging talent recruitment technique and will lead to stronger candidates

  • Social media provides more direct connections between employer and applicant. It’s faster and more flexible than traditional e-channels.
  • SMMPs should be deployed to the HR silo to aid with recruiting top-quality candidates. Account management functionality can dramatically reduce the amount of time HR managers spend synchronizing content between various social media services.
  • In-band response capabilities flag relevant social conversations and allow HR managers to rapidly respond to prospective employee inquiries. Rapid response over social channels gives candidates a positive impression of the organization.
  • Analytics give HR managers insight into hiring trends and the job market at large – sentiment analysis is useful for gauging not just candidate interests, but also anonymous employee engagement.

A social media campaign managed via SMMP can…

  • Increase the size of the applicant pool by “fishing where the fish are.”
  • Increase the quality of applicants by using monitoring to create targeted recruitment materials.
  • Increase recruiting efficiency by having a well-managed, standing presence on popular social media sites – new recruiting campaigns require less “awareness generation” time.
  • Allow HR/recruiters to be more in-touch with hiring trends via social analytics.
Horizontal bar chart of social media platforms that recruiters use. LinkedIn is at the top with 87%. Only 4% of recruiters are NOT using social media for recruitment, while 50% of recruiters plan to increase their investment in SMR in the coming year. (Source: Jobvite, 2015)

Collapse your drivers for SMMP and link them to Info-Tech’s Vendor Landscape use cases

Vendor Profiles icon

USE CASES

Social Listening and Analytics

What It Looks Like
Functionality for capturing, aggregating, and analyzing social media content in order to create actionable customer or competitive insights.

How It Works
Social listening and analytics includes features such as sentiment and contextual analysis, workflow moderation, and data visualization.

Social Publishing and Campaign Management

What It Looks Like
Functionality for publishing content to multiple networks or accounts simultaneously, and managing social media campaigns in-depth (e.g. social property management and post scheduling).

How It Works
Social publishing and campaign management include features such as campaign execution, social post integration, social asset management, and post time optimization.

Social Customer Care

What It Looks Like
Functionality for management of the social customer service queue as well as tools for expedient resolution of customer issues.

How It Works
Social customer care use case primarily relies on strong social moderation and workflow management.

Identify the organizational drivers for social media management – whether it is recruiting, public relations, customer service, marketing, or sales – and align them with the most applicable use case.

Profile and rank your top use cases for social media management using the Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool

Associated Activity icon 1.2.1 1 Hour

INPUT: Project Manager, Core project team

OUTPUT: Use-case suitability

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project Manager, Core project team

  1. Download your own version of the tool and complete the questionnaire on tab 2, Assessment.
    • Use the information gathered from your assessments and initial project scoping to respond to the prompts to identify the business and IT requirements for the tool.
    • Answer the prompts for each statement from a range of strongly disagree to strongly agree.
  2. Review the outcomes on tab 3, Results.
    • This tab provides a qualitative measure assessing the strength of your fit against the industry use-case scenarios.
  3. If not completed as a team, debrief the results and implications to your core project team.

Use the SMMP Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool to identify which areas you should focus on

Supporting Tool icon 1.3 Use Case Fit Assessment Tool
Use the Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool to understand how your unique requirements map into a specific SMMP use case.

This tool will assess your answers and determine your relative fit against the use-case scenarios.

Fit will be assessed as “Weak,” “Moderate,” or “Strong.”

Consider the common pitfalls, which were mentioned earlier, that can cause IT projects to fail. Plan and take clear steps to avoid or mitigate these concerns.

Note: These use-case scenarios are not mutually exclusive. Your organization can align with one or more scenarios based on your answers. If your organization shows close alignment to multiple scenarios, consider focusing on finding a more robust solution and concentrate your review on vendors that performed strongly in those scenarios or meet the critical requirements for each.

INFO-TECH DELIVERABLE

Sample of the SMMP Use-Case Fit Assessment Tool.

Identify the marketing, sales, and customer service metrics that you will target for improvement using an SMMP

Create measurable S.M.A.R.T. goals for the project.

Consider the following questions when building your SMMP metrics:
  1. What are the top marketing objectives for your company? For example, is building initial awareness or driving repeat customers more important?
  2. What are the corresponding social media goals for this business objective?
  3. What are some of the metrics that could be used to determine if business and social media objectives are being attained?
Use Case Sample Metric Descriptions Target Metric
Social Listening and Analytics Use a listening tool to flag all mentions of our brands or company on social Increase in mentions with neutral or positive sentiment, decrease in mentions with negative sentiment
Social Publishing and Campaign Management Launch a viral video campaign showcasing product attributes to drive increased YT traffic Net increase in unaided customer recall
Social Customer Care Create brand-specific social media pages to increase customer sentiment for individual brand extensions Net increase in positive customer sentiment (i.e. as tracked by an SMMP)

Build the metrics inventory

Associated Activity icon 1.2.2 45 Minutes

INPUT: Marketing, sales, and customer service objectives

OUTPUT: Metrics inventory

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project Manager, Core project team

  1. Identify the top marketing, sales, and customer service objectives for your company? For example, is building initial awareness or driving repeat customers more important?
  2. What are the corresponding social media goals for each business objective?
  3. What are some of the metrics that could be used to determine if business and social media objectives are being attained?
Marketing/PR Objectives Social Media Goals Goal Attainment Metrics
E.g. build a positive brand image
  • Create brand-specific social media pages to increase customer sentiment for individual brand extensions
Net increase in positive customer sentiment (i.e. as tracked by an SMMP)
E.g. increase customer mind share
  • Launch a viral video campaign showcasing product attributes to drive increased YT traffic
Net increase in unaided customer recall
E.g. monitor public mentions
  • Use a listening tool to flag all mentions of our brands or company on social
Increase in mentions with neutral or positive sentiment, decrease in mentions with negative sentiment

If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech Workshop Associated Activity icon

Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

Photo of an Info-Tech analyst.
  • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
  • Info-Tech analyst will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech's historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
  • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

1.1.1

Sample of activity 1.1.1 'Assess where your organization sits on the social media maturity curve'. Assess your organization’s social media maturity

An Info-Tech analyst will facilitate a discussion to assess the maturity of your organization’s social media program and take an inventory of your current efforts across different departments (e.g. Marketing, PR, Sales, and Customer Service).

1.1.2

Sample of activity 1.1.2 'Inventory the current social media networks that must be supported by SMMP'. Inventory your current social media networks

The analyst will facilitate an exercise to catalog all social media networks used in the organization.

If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech Workshop Associated Activity icon

Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

1.1.3

Sample of activity 1.1.3 'Go/no-go assessment on SMMP'. Go/no go assessment on SMMP

Based on the maturity assessment, the analyst will help identify whether an SMMP will help you achieve your goals in sales, marketing, and customer service.

1.2.1

Sample of activity 1.2.1 'Profile and rank your top use cases for social media management using the Use Case Fit Assessment Tool'. Rank your top use cases for social media management

An analyst will facilitate the exercise to answer a series of questions in order to determine best-fit scenario for social media management for your organization.

1.2.2

Sample of activity 1.2.2 'Build the metrics inventory'. Build the metrics inventory

An analyst will lead a whiteboarding exercise to brainstorm and generate metrics for your organization’s social media goals.

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

PHASE 2

Select an SMMP

This phase also includes Info-Tech’s SMMP Vendor Landscape Title icon for vendor slides.

Phase 2: Select an SMMP

Steps of this blueprint represented by circles of varying colors and sizes, labelled by text of different sizes. Only Phase 2 is highlighted.
Estimated Timeline: 1-3 Months

Info-Tech Insight

Taking a use-case-centric approach to vendor selection allows you to balance the need for different social capabilities between analytics, campaign management and execution, and customer service.

Major Milestones Reached
  • Vendor Selection
  • Finalized and Approved Contract

Key Activities Completed

  • RFP Process
  • Vendor Evaluations
  • Vendor Selection
  • Contract Negotiation

Outcomes from This Phase

The completed procurement of an SMMP solution.

  • Selected SMMP solution
  • Negotiated and finalized contract

Phase 2 outline

Associated Activity icon Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

Guided Implementation 2: Select an SMMP

Proposed Time to Completion: 4 weeks
Step 2.1: Analyze and shortlist SMMP vendors Step 2.2: Evaluate vendor responses
Start with an analyst kick-off call:
  • Evaluate the SMMP marketspace.
  • Re-evaluate best-fit use case.
Review findings with analyst:
  • Determine your SMMP procurement strategy.
  • Reach out to SMMP vendors.
Then complete these activities…
  • Review vendor profiles and analysis.
  • Create your own evaluation framework and shortlisting criteria.
Then complete these activities…
  • Prioritize your requirements.
  • Create an RFP for SMMP procurement.
  • Evaluate vendor responses.
  • Set up product demonstrations.
With these tools & templates:
  • SMMP Vendor Landscape (included here)
  • SMMP Vendor Shortlist Tool
With these tools & templates:
  • SMMP RFP Template
  • SMMP Vendor Demo Script Template
  • SMMP Evaluation and RFP Scoring Tool
Phase 1 Results & Insights:
  • Finalize vendor and product selection

Phase 2, Step 1: Analyze and shortlist vendors in the space

2.1

2.2

Analyze and shortlist vendors in the space Select your SMMP solution

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Review vendor landscape methodology
  • Shortlist SMMP vendors

This step involves the following participants:

  • Core team
  • Representative stakeholders from Digital Marketing, Sales, and IT

The SMMP Vendor Landscape includes the following sections:

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Info-Tech's Methodology

Vendor title icon.

Vendor Landscape use-case scenarios are evaluated based on weightings of features and vendor/product considerations

Vendor Profiles icon

Use cases were scored around the features from the general scoring identified as being relevant to the functional considerations and drivers for each scenario.

Calculation Overview
Advanced Features Score X Vendor Multiplier = Vendor Performance for Each Scenario
Pie Chart of Product and Vendor Weightings.
Product and Vendor Weightings
Pie Chart of Advanced Features Weightings.
Advanced Features Weightings

Please note that both advanced feature scores and vendor multipliers are based on the specific weightings calibrated for each scenario.

Vendor performance for each use-case scenario is documented in a weighted bar graph

Vendor Profiles icon
Sample of the 'Vendor performance for the use-case scenario' slide. Vendor Performance

Vendors qualify and rank in each use-case scenario based on their relative placement and scoring for the scenario.

Vendor Ranking

Champion: The top vendor scored in the scenario

Leaders: The vendors who placed second and third in the scenario

Players: Additional vendors who qualified for the scenarios based on their scoring

Sample of the 'Value Index for the use case scenario' slide. Value ScoreTM

Each use-case scenario also includes a Value Index that identifies the Value Score for a vendor relative to their price point. This additional framework is meant to help price-conscious organizations identify vendors who provide the best “bang for the buck.”

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Review the SMMP Vendor Evaluation

Vendor title icon.

SMMP market overview

Vendor Profiles icon

How It Got Here

  • The SMMP market was created in response to the exploding popularity of social media and the realization that it can be harnessed for a wide variety of enterprise purposes (from consumer intelligence to marketing campaigns and customer service).
  • As the number of social media services has expanded, and as the volume of content generated via social networks has ballooned, it became increasingly difficult to mine insights and manage social campaigns. A number of vendors (mostly start-ups) began offering platforms that attempted to streamline and harness social media processes.
  • As usage of social media expanded beyond just the marketing and PR function, being able to successfully scale a social strategy to a large number of customer care and sales interactions became paramount: SMMPs filled a niche by offering large-scale response and workflow management capabilities.

Where It’s Going

  • The market is segmented into two broad camps: SMMPs focused on social listening and analytics, and SMMPs focused on social engagement. Although the two have begun to converge, there continues to be a clear junction in the market between the two, with a surprising lack of vendors that are equally adept at both sides.
  • With the rise of SMMPs, the expectation was that CRM vendors would offer feature sets similar to those of standalone SMMPS. However, CRM vendors have been slow in incorporating the functionality directly into their products. While some major vendors have made ground in this direction in the last year, organizations that are serious about social will still need a best-of-breed SMMP.
  • Other major trends include using application integration to build a 360-degree view of the customer, workflow automation, and competitive benchmarking.

Info-Tech Insight

As the market evolves, capabilities that were once cutting edge become default and new functionality becomes differentiating. Supporting multiple social media services and accounts has become a Table Stakes capability and should no longer be used to differentiate solutions. Instead focus on an SMMP’s social listening, campaign management, and customer care to help you find a solution that best fits your requirements.

Review Info-Tech’s Vendor Landscape of the SMMP market to identify vendors that meet your requirements

Vendors Evaluated

Various logos of the vendors who were evaluated.

Each vendor in this landscape was evaluated based on their features, product considerations, and vendor considerations. Each vendor was profiled using these evaluations and, based on their performance, qualified and placed in specific use-case scenarios.

These vendors were included due to consideration of their market share, mind share, and platform coverage

Vendor Profiles icon

Vendors included in this report provide a comprehensive, innovative, and functional solution for integrating applications and automating their messaging.

Included in this Vendor Landscape:

Adobe: Adobe Social is a key pillar of Adobe’s ecosystem that is heavily focused on social analytics and engagement.

Hootsuite: A freemium player with strong engagement and collaboration tools, particularly well suited for SMBs.

Salesforce: Social Studio is a leading social media management solution and is a key channel of Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

Sendible: A fairly new entrant to the social media management space, Sendible offers robust campaign management capability that is well suited for agencies and SMBs.

Sprinklr: A leading solution that focuses on social customer care, offering strong ability to prioritize, route, and categorize high-volume social messaging.

Sprout Social: A great choice for mid-sized companies looking to provide robust social engagement and customer care.

Sysomos: Their MAP and Heartbeat products offer customers in-depth analysis of a wide array of social channels.

Viralheat (Cision): Now a Cision product, Viralheat is an excellent option for analytics, social response workflow management, and in-band social engagement.

Table Stakes represent the minimum standard; without these, a product doesn’t even get reviewed

Vendor Profiles icon

The Table Stakes

Feature: What it is:
Multiple Services Supported The ability to mange or analyze at least two or more social media services.
Multiple Accounts Supported The ability to manage or analyze content from at least two or more social media accounts.
Basic Engagement The ability to post status updates to multiple social media sites.
Basic Analytics The ability to display inbound feeds and summary info from multiple social media sites.

What does this mean?

The products assessed in this Vendor Landscape meet, at the very least, the requirements outlined as Table Stakes.

Many of the vendors go above and beyond the outlined Table Stakes, some even do so in multiple categories. This section aims to highlight the products’ capabilities in excess of the criteria listed here.

Info-Tech Insight

If Table Stakes are all you need from your SMMP solution, the only true differentiator for the organization is price. Otherwise, dig deeper to find the best price to value for your needs.

Advanced Features are the capabilities that allow for granular differentiation of market players and use-case performance

Vendor Profiles icon

Scoring Methodology

Info-Tech scored each vendor’s features on a cumulative four-point scale. Zero points are awarded to features that are deemed absent or unsatisfactory, one point is assigned to features that are partially present, two points are assigned to features that require an extra purchase in the vendor’s product portfolio or through a third party, three points are assigned to features that are fully present and native to the solution, and four points are assigned to the best-of-breed native feature.

For an explanation of how Advanced Features are determined, see Information Presentation – Feature Ranks (Stoplights) in the Appendix.

Feature: What we looked for:
Social Media Channel Integration - Inbound Ability to monitor social media services, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more.
Social Media Channel Integration - Outbound Ability to publish to social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more.
Social Response Management Ability to respond in-band to social media posts.
Social Moderation and Workflow Management Ability to create end-to-end routing and escalation workflows from social content.
Campaign Execution Ability to manage social and media assets: tools for social campaign execution, reporting, and analytics.
Social Post Archival Ability to archive social posts and platform activity to create an audit trail.
Trend Analysis Ability to monitor trends and traffic on multiple social media sites.
Sentiment Analysis Ability to analyze and uncover insights from attitudes and opinions expressed on social media.
Contextual Analysis Ability to use NLP, deep learning and semantic analysis to extract meaning from social posts.
Social Asset Management Ability to access visual asset library with access permissions and expiry dates to be used on social media.
Post Time Optimization Ability to optimize social media posts by maximizing the level of interaction and awareness around the posts.
Dashboards and Visualization Ability to visualize data and create analytics dashboards.

Vendor scoring focused on overall product attributes and vendor performance in the market

Vendor Profiles icon

Scoring Methodology

Info-Tech Research Group scored each vendor’s overall product attributes, capabilities, and market performance.

Features are scored individually as mentioned in the previous slide. The scores are then modified by the individual scores of the vendor across the product and vendor performance features.

Usability, overall affordability of the product, and the technical features of the product are considered, and scored on a five-point scale. The score for each vendor will fall between worst and best in class.

The vendor’s performance in the market is evaluated across four dimensions on a five-point scale. Where the vendor places on the scale is determined by factual information, industry position, and information provided by customer references and/or available from public sources.

Product Evaluation Features

Usability The end-user and administrative interfaces are intuitive and offer streamlined workflow.
Affordability Implementing and operating the solution is affordable given the technology.
Architecture Multiple deployment options, platform support, and integration capabilities are available.

Vendor Evaluation Features

Viability Vendor is profitable, knowledgeable, and will be around for the long term.
Focus Vendor is committed to the space and has a future product and portfolio roadmap.
Reach Vendor offers global coverage and is able to sell and provide post-sales support.
Sales Vendor channel partnering, sales strategies, and process allow for flexible product acquisition.

Balance individual strengths to find the best fit for your enterprise

Vendor Profiles icon

A list of vendors with ratings for their 'Product: Overall, Usability, Affordability, and Architecture' and their 'Vendor: Overall, Viability, Focus, Reach, and Sales'. It uses a quarters rating system where 4 quarters of a circle is Exemplary and 0 quarters is Poor.

For an explanation of how the Info-Tech Harvey Balls are calculated, see Information Presentation – Criteria Scores (Harvey Balls) in the Appendix.

Balance individual strengths to find the best fit for your enterprise

Vendor Profiles icon

A list of vendors with ratings for their 'Evaluated Features'. Rating system uses Color coding with green being 'Feature is fully present...' and red being 'Feature is absent', and if a star is in the green then 'Feature is best in its class'.

For an explanation of how Advanced Features are determined, see Information Presentation – Feature Ranks (Stoplights) in the Appendix.

Vendor title icon.

USE CASE 1

Social Listening and Analytics

Seeking functionality for capturing, aggregating, and analyzing social media content in order to create actionable customer or competitive insights.

Feature weightings for the social listening and analytics use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Core Features

Sentiment Analysis Uncovering attitudes and opinions expressed on social media is important for generating actionable customer insights.
Dashboards and Visualization Capturing and aggregating social media insights is ineffective without proper data visualization and analysis.
Trend Analysis The ability to monitor trends across multiple social media services is integral for effective social listening.
Contextual Analysis Understanding and analyzing language and visual content on social media is important for generating actionable customer insights.

Additional Features

Social Media Channel Integration – Inbound

Social Moderation and Workflow Management

Social Post Archival

Feature Weightings

Pie chart of feature weightings.

Vendor considerations for the social listening and analytics use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Product Evaluation Features

Usability A clean and intuitive user interface is important for users to fully leverage the benefits of an SMMP.
Affordability Affordability is an important consideration as the price of SMMPs can vary significantly depending on the breadth and depth of capability offered.
Architecture SMMP is more valuable to organizations when it can integrate well with their applications, such as CRM and marketing automation software.

Vendor Evaluation Features

Viability Vendor viability is critical for long-term stability of an application portfolio.
Focus The vendor is committed to the space and has a future product and portfolio roadmap.
Reach Companies with processes that cross organizational and geographic boundaries require effective and available support.
Sales Vendors need to demonstrate flexibility in terms of industry and technology partnerships to meet evolving customer needs.

Pie chart for Product and Vendor Evaluation Features.

Vendor performance for the social listening and analytics use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon
Champion badge.

Champions for this use case:

Salesforce: Salesforce Social Studio offers excellent trend and in-depth contextual analysis and is among the best vendors in presenting visually appealing and interactive dashboards.
Leader badge.

Leaders for this use case:

Sysomos: Sysomos MAP and Heartbeat are great offerings for conducting social media health checks using in-depth contextual analytics.

Adobe: Adobe Social is a great choice for digital marketers that need in-depth sentiment and longitudinal analysis of social data – particularly when managing social alongside other digital channels.

Best Overall Value badge.

Best Overall Value Award

Sysomos: A strong analytics capability offered in Sysomos MAP and Heartbeat at a relatively low cost places Sysomos as the best bang for your buck in this use case.

Players in the social listening and analytics scenario

  • Sprinklr
  • Hootsuite
  • Sprout Social

Vendor performance for the social listening and analytics use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Stacked bar chart comparing vendors' use-case performance in multiple areas of 'Social Listening and Analytics'.

Value Index for the social listening and analytics scenario

Vendor Profiles icon
What is a Value Score?

The Value Score indexes each vendor’s product offering and business strength relative to its price point. It does not indicate vendor ranking.

Vendors that score high offer more bang-for-the-buck (e.g. features, usability, stability) than the average vendor, while the inverse is true for those that score lower.

Price-conscious enterprises may wish to give the Value Score more consideration than those who are more focused on specific vendor/product attributes.

On a relative basis, Sysomos maintained the highest Info-Tech Value ScoreTM of the vendor group for this use-case scenario. Vendors were indexed against Sysomos’ performance to provide a complete, relative view of their product offerings.

Bar chart of vendors' Value Scores in social listening and analytics. Sysomos has the highest and the Average Score is 66.8.

For an explanation of how price is determined, see Information Presentation – Price Evaluation in the Appendix.

For an explanation of how the Info-Tech Value Index is calculated, see Information Presentation – Value Index in the Appendix.

Vendor title icon.

USE CASE 2

Social Publishing and Campaign Management

Seeking functionality for publishing content to multiple networks or accounts simultaneously, and managing social media campaigns in-depth (e.g. social property management and post scheduling).

Feature weightings for the social publishing and campaign management use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Core Features

Campaign Execution The ability to manage multiple social media services simultaneously is integral for carrying out social media campaigns.
Social Response Management Creating response workflows is equally important to publishing capability for managing social campaigns.

Additional Features

Social Media Channel Integration – Outbound

Social Moderation and Workflow Management

Social Post Archival

Social Asset Management

Post Time Optimization

Social Media Channel Integration – Inbound

Trend Analysis

Sentiment Analysis

Dashboards and Visualization

Feature Weightings

Pie chart of feature weightings.

Vendor considerations for the social publishing and campaign management use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Product Evaluation Features

Usability A clean and intuitive user interface is important for users to fully leverage the benefits of an SMMP.
Affordability Affordability is an important consideration as the price of SMMPs can vary significantly depending on the breadth and depth of capability offered.
Architecture SMMP is more valuable to organizations when it can integrate well with their applications, such as CRM and marketing automation software.

Vendor Evaluation Features

Viability Vendor viability is critical for long-term stability of an application portfolio.
Focus The vendor is committed to the space and has a future product and portfolio roadmap.
Reach Companies with processes that cross organizational and geographic boundaries require effective and available support.
Sales Vendors need to demonstrate flexibility in terms of industry and technology partnerships to meet evolving customer needs.

Pie chart of Product and Vendor Evaluation Features.

Vendor performance for the social publishing and campaign management use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Champion badge.

Champions for this use case:

Adobe: Adobe has the best social campaign execution capability in the market, enabling marketers to manage and auto-track multiple campaigns. It also offers a strong asset management feature that allows users to leverage Marketing Cloud content.
Leader badge.

Leaders for this use case:

Salesforce: SFDC has built a social marketing juggernaut, offering top-notch response workflows and campaign execution capability.

Hootsuite: Hootsuite has good response capabilities backed up by a strong team collaboration feature set. It offers simplified cross-platform posting and post-time optimization capabilities.

Best Overall Value badge.

Best Overall Value Award

Sendible: Sendible offers the best value for your money in this use case with good response workflows and publishing capability.

Players in the social publishing and campaign management scenario

  • Sprout Social
  • Sprinklr
  • Sendible

Vendor performance for the social publishing and campaign management use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Stacked bar chart comparing vendors' use-case performance in multiple areas of 'Social publishing and campaign management'.

Value Index for the social publishing and campaign management scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

What is a Value Score?

The Value Score indexes each vendor’s product offering and business strength relative to its price point. It does not indicate vendor ranking.

Vendors that score high offer more bang-for-the-buck (e.g. features, usability, stability) than the average vendor, while the inverse is true for those that score lower.

Price-conscious enterprises may wish to give the Value Score more consideration than those who are more focused on specific vendor/product attributes.

On a relative basis, Sendible maintained the highest Info-Tech Value ScoreTM of the vendor group for this use-case scenario. Vendors were indexed against Sendible’s performance to provide a complete, relative view of their product offerings.

Bar chart of vendors' Value Scores in social publishing and campaign management. Sendible has the highest and the Average Score is 72.9.

For an explanation of how Price is determined, see Information Presentation – Price Evaluation in the Appendix.

For an explanation of how the Info-Tech Value Index is calculated, see Information Presentation – Value Index in the Appendix.

Vendor title icon.

USE CASE 3

Social Customer Care

Seeking functionality for management of the social customer service queue as well as tools for expedient resolution of customer issues.

Feature weightings for the social customer care use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Core Features

Social Moderation and Workflow Management Creating escalation workflows is important for triaging customer service, managing the social customer service queue and offering expedient resolution to customer complaints.

Additional Features

Social Media Channel Integration – Outbound

Social Moderation and Workflow Management

Social Response Management

Social Post Archival

Sentiment Analysis

Dashboards and Visualization

Campaign Execution

Trend Analysis

Post Time Optimization

Feature Weightings

Pie chart with Feature Weightings.

Vendor considerations for the social customer case use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Product Evaluation Features

Usability A clean and intuitive user interface is important for users to fully leverage the benefits of an SMMP.
Affordability Affordability is an important consideration as the price of SMMPs can vary significantly depending on the breadth and depth of capability offered.
Architecture SMMP is more valuable to organizations when it can integrate well with their applications, such as CRM and marketing automation software.

Vendor Evaluation Features

Viability Vendor viability is critical for long-term stability of an application portfolio.
Focus The vendor is committed to the space and has a future product and portfolio roadmap.
Reach Companies with processes that cross organizational and geographic boundaries require effective and available support.
Sales Vendors need to demonstrate flexibility in terms of industry and technology partnerships to meet evolving customer needs.

Pie chart with Product and Vendor Evaluation Features.

Vendor performance for the social customer care use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Champion badge.

Champions for this use case:

Salesforce: Salesforce offers exceptional end-to-end social customer care capability with strong response escalation workflows.
Leader badge.

Leaders for this use case:

Sprinklr: Sprinklr’s offering gives users high flexibility to configure escalation workflows and role-based permissions for managing the social customer service queue.

Hootsuite: Hootsuite’s strength lies in the breadth of social networks that the platform supports in offering expedient resolution to customer complaints.

Best Overall Value badge.

Best Overall Value Award

Sysomos: Sysomos is the best bang for your buck in this use case, offering essential response and workflow capabilities.

Players in the social listening and analytics scenario

  • Sendible
  • Sysomos
  • Viralheat (Cision)

Vendor performance for the social customer care use-case scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

Stacked bar chart comparing vendors' use-case performance in multiple areas of 'Social customer care'.

Value Index for the social customer care scenario

Vendor Profiles icon

What is a Value Score?

The Value Score indexes each vendor’s product offering and business strength relative to its price point. It does not indicate vendor ranking.

Vendors that score high offer more bang-for-the-buck (e.g. features, usability, stability) than the average vendor, while the inverse is true for those that score lower.

Price-conscious enterprises may wish to give the Value Score more consideration than those who are more focused on specific vendor/product attributes.

On a relative basis, Sendible maintained the highest Info-Tech Value ScoreTM of the vendor group for this use-case scenario. Vendors were indexed against Sendible’s performance to provide a complete, relative view of their product offerings.

Bar chart of vendors' Value Scores in social customer care. Sysomos has the highest and the Average Score is 79.6.

For an explanation of how Price is determined, see Information Presentation – Price Evaluation in the Appendix.

For an explanation of how the Info-Tech Value Index is calculated, see Information Presentation – Value Index in the Appendix.

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Vendor Profiles and Scoring

Vendor title icon.

Use the information in the SMMP Vendor Landscape analysis to streamline your own vendor analysis process

Vendor Profiles icon

This section of the Vendor Landscape includes the profiles and scoring for each vendor against the evaluation framework previously outlined.

Sample of the SMMP Vendor Landscape analysis. Vendor Profiles
  • Include an overview for each company.
  • Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the product and vendor.
  • Identify the three-year TCO of the vendor’s solution (based on a ten-tiered model).
Sample of the Vendor Landscape profiles slide.
Vendor Scoring

Use the Harvey Ball scoring of vendor and product considerations to assess alignment with your own requirements.

Review the use-case scenarios relevant to your organization’s Use-Case Fit Assessment results to identify a vendor’s fit to your organization's SMMP needs. (See the following slide for further clarification on the use-case assessment scoring process.)

Review the stoplight scoring of advanced features to identify the functional capabilities of vendors.

Sample of the Vendor Scoring slide.

Adobe Social is a powerhouse for digital marketers, with extremely well-developed analytics capabilities

Vendor Profiles icon
Product Adobe Social
Employees 15,000+
Headquarters San Jose, CA
Website Adobe.com
Founded 1982
Presence NASDAQ: ADBE

Logo for Adobe.

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 8 between $500,000 and $1,000,000.

Pricing tier for Adobe, tier 8.
Pricing provided by vendor

OVERVIEW
  • Adobe Social is a strong offering included within the broader Adobe Marketing Cloud. The product is tightly focused on social analytics and social campaign execution. It’s particularly well-suited to dedicated digital marketers or social specialists.
STRENGTHS
  • Adobe Social provides broad capabilities across social analytics and social campaign management; its integration with Adobe Analytics is a strong selling point for organizations that need a complete, end-to-end solution.
  • It boasts great archiving capabilities (up to 7 years for outbound posts), meeting the needs of compliance-centric organizations and providing for strong longitudinal analysis capabilities.
CHALLENGES
  • The product plays well with the rest of the Adobe Marketing Cloud, but the list of third-party CRM and CSM integrations is shorter than some other players in the market.
  • While the product is unsurprisingly geared towards marketers, organizations that want a scalable platform for customer service use cases will need to augment the product due to its focus on campaigns and analytics – service-related workflow and automation capabilities are not a core focus for the company.

Adobe Social

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Adobe. Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 4/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Adobe earned 'Leader' in Social Listening & Analytics and 'Champion' in Social Publishing & Campaign Management.
Info-Tech Recommends

Adobe Social provides impressive features, especially for companies that position social media within a larger digital marketing strategy. Organizations that need powerful social analytics or social campaign execution capability should have Adobe on their shortlist, though the product may be an overbuy for social customer care use cases.

Scores for Adobe's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Hootsuite is a capable vendor that offers a flexible solution for monitoring many different social media services

Vendor Profiles icon
Product Hootsuite
Employees 800
Headquarters Vancouver, BC
Website Hootsuite.com
Founded 2007
Presence Privately held

Logo for Hootsuite.

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 6, between $100,000 and $250,000.

Pricing tier for Hootsuite, tier 6.
Pricing derived from public information

OVERVIEW
  • In the past, Hootsuite worked on the freemium model by providing basic social account management features. The company has since expanded its offering and put a strong focus on enterprise feature sets, such as collaboration and workflow management.
STRENGTHS
  • Hootsuite is extremely easy to use, having one of the most straightforward interfaces of vendors evaluated.
  • It has extensive monitoring capabilities for a wide variety of social networks as well as related services, which are supported through an app store built into the Hootsuite platform.
  • The product provides a comprehensive model for team-based collaboration and workflow management, demonstrated through nice cross-posting and post-time optimization capabilities.
CHALLENGES
  • Hootsuite’s reporting and analytics capabilities are relatively basic, particularly when contrasted with more analytics-focused vendors in the market.
  • Running cross-channel campaigns is challenging without integration with third-party applications.

Hootsuite

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Hootsuite. Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 4/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Hootsuite earned 5th out of 6 in Social Listening & Analytics, 'Leader' in Social Publishing & Campaign Management, and 'Leader' in Social Customer Care.
Info-Tech Recommends

The free version of Hootsuite is useful for getting your feet wet with social management. The paid version is a great SMMP for monitoring and engaging your own social properties with good account and team management at an affordable price. This makes it ideal for SMBs. However, organizations that need deep social analytics may want to look elsewhere.

Scores for Hootsuite's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud continues to be a Cadillac solution; it’s a robust platform with a host of features

Vendor Profiles icon
Product Salesforce Social Studio
Employees 24,000+
Headquarters San Francisco, CA
Website Salesforce.com
Founded 1999
Presence NASDAQ: CRM

Logo for Salesforce.

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 7, between $250,000 and $500,000

Pricing tier for Salesforce, tier 7.
Pricing provided by vendor

OVERVIEW
  • Social Studio is a powerful solution fueled by Salesforce’s savvy acquisitions in the marketing automation and social media management marketspace. The product has rapidly matured and is adept at both marketing and customer service use cases.
STRENGTHS
  • Salesforce continues to excel as one of the best SMMP vendors in terms of balancing inbound analytics and outbound engagement. The recent addition of Salesforce Einstein to the platform bolsters deep learning capabilities and enhances the product’s value proposition to those that want a tool for robust customer intelligence.
  • Salesforce’s integration of Marketing Cloud, with its Sales and Service Clouds, also creates a good 360-degree customer view.
CHALLENGES
  • Salesforce’s broad and deep feature set comes at a premium: the solution is priced materially higher than many other vendors. Before you consider Marketing Cloud, it’s important to evaluate which social media capabilities you want to develop: if you only need basic response workflows or dashboard-level analytics, purchasing Marketing Cloud runs the risk of overbuying.
  • In part due to its price point and market focus, Marketing Cloud is more suited to enterprise use cases than SMB use cases.

Salesforce

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for  . Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 4/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Salesforce earned 'Champion' in Social Listening & Analytics, 'Leader' in Social Publishing & Campaign Management, and 'Champion' in Social Customer Care.
Info-Tech Recommends

Social Studio in Salesforce Marketing Cloud remains a leading solution. Organizations that need to blend processes across the enterprise that rely on social listening, deep analytics, and customer engagement should have the product on their shortlist. However, companies with more basic needs may be off-put by the solution’s price point.

Scores for 's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Sendible offers multiple social media management capabilities for SMBs and agencies

Vendor Profiles icon
Product Sendible
Employees 27
Headquarters London, UK
Website Sendible.com
Founded 2009
Presence Privately held

Logo for Sendible.

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 4, between $25,000 and $50,000

Pricing tier for Sendible, tier 4.
Pricing derived from public information

OVERVIEW
  • Founded in 2009, Sendible is a rising player in the SMMP market. Sendible is primarily focused on the SMB space. A growing segment of its client base is digital marketing agencies and franchise companies.
STRENGTHS
  • Sendible’s user interface is very intuitive and user friendly.
  • The product offers the ability to manage multiple social accounts simultaneously as well as schedule posts to multiple groups on different social networks, making Sendible a strong choice for social engagement and customer care.
  • Its affordability is strong given its feature set, making it an attractive option for organizations that are budget conscious.
CHALLENGES
  • Sendible remains a smaller vendor in the market – its list of channel partners lags behind larger incumbents.
  • Sendible’s contextual and visual content analytics are lacking vis-à-vis more analytics-centric vendors.

Sendible

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Sendible. Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 4/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Sendible earned 6th out of 6 and 'Best Overall Value' in Social Publishing & Campaign Management and 4th out of 6 in Social Customer Care.
Info-Tech Recommends

Sendible offers a viable solution for small and mid-market companies, as well as social agencies with a focus on customer engagement for marketing and customer service use cases. However, organizations that need deep social analytics may want to look elsewhere.

Scores for Sendible's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Sprinklr

Vendor Profiles icon
Product Sprinklr
Employees 1,100
Headquarters New York, NY
Website Sprinklr.com
Founded 2009
Presence Privately held

Logo for Sprinklr.

Pricing tier for Sprinklr, tier 6.
Pricing derived from public information

OVERVIEW
  • Sprinklr has risen rapidly as a best-of-breed player in the social media management market. It markets a solution geared towards multiple use cases, from customer intelligence and analytics to service-centric response management.
STRENGTHS
  • Sprinklr’s breadth of capabilities are impressive: the vendor has maintained a strong focus on social-specific functionality. As a result of this market focus, they have invested prudently in advanced social analytics and moderation workflow capabilities.
  • Sprinklr’s user experience design and data visualization capabilities are top-notch, making it a solution that’s easy for end users and decision makers to get up and running with quickly.
CHALLENGES
  • Relative to other players in the market, the breadth and scope of Sprinklr’s integrations with other customer experience management solutions is limited.
  • Based on its feature set and price point, Sprinklr is best suited for mid-to-large organizations. SMBs run the risk of an overbuy situation.

Sprinklr

Vendor Profiles icon

'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Sprinklr. Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 3/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Sprinklr earned 4th out of 6 in Social Listening & Analytics, 5th out of 6 in Social Publishing & Campaign Management, and 'Leader' in Social Customer Care.
Info-Tech Recommends

Sprinklr is a strong choice for small and mid-market organizations offering breadth of social media management capabilities that covers social analytics, engagement, and customer service.

Scores for Sprinklr's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Sprout Social provides small-to-medium enterprises with robust social response capabilities at a reasonable price

Vendor Profiles icon
Product Sprout Social
Employees 200+
Headquarters Chicago, IL
Website Sproutsocial.com
Founded 2010
Presence Privately held

Logo for Sprout Social.

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 6, between $100,000 and $250,000

Pricing tier for Sprout Social, tier 6.
Pricing derived from public information

OVERVIEW
  • Sprout Social has built out its enterprise capabilities over the last several years. It offers strong feature sets for account management, social monitoring and analytics, and customer care – it particularly excels at the latter.
STRENGTHS
  • Sprout’s unified inbox and response management features are some of the most intuitive we’ve seen. This makes it a natural option for providing customer service via social channels.
  • Sprout Social is priced competitively in relation to other vendors.
  • The product provides strong social asset management capabilities where users can set content permissions and expiration dates, and limit access.
CHALLENGES
  • Deep contextual analysis is lacking: the solution clearly falls more to the engagement side of the spectrum, and is particularly suited for social customer service.
  • Sprout Social has a limited number of technology partners for integrations with applications such as CRM and marketing automation software.
  • It still has a predominantly North American market focus.

Sprout Social

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Sprout Social. Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 3/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Sprout Social earned 6th out of 6 in Social Listening & Analytics and 4th out of 6 in Social Publishing & Campaign Management.
Info-Tech Recommends

Sprout Social’s easy-to-understand benchmarking and dashboards, paired with strong response management, make it a great choice for mid-sized enterprises concerned with social engagement. However, organizations that want to do deep social analytics will need to augment the solution.

Scores for Sprout Social's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Sysomos’ prime feature is its hardy analytics built atop a plethora of inbound social channels

Vendor Profiles icon

Product Sysomos MAP and Heartbeat
Employees 200+
Headquarters Toronto, ON
Website Sysomos.com
Founded 2007
Presence Privately held

Logo for Sysomos.

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 4, between $25,000 and $50,000

Pricing tier for Sysomos, tier 4.
Pricing derived from public information

OVERVIEW
  • Sysomos began life as a project at the University of Toronto prior to its acquisition by Marketwire in 2010.
  • It split from Marketwire in 2015 and redesigned its product to focus on social monitoring, analysis, and engagement.

STRENGTHS

  • MAP and Heartbeat offer extensive contextual and sentiment analytics, consolidating findings through a spam-filtering process that parses out a lot of the “noise” inherent in social media data.
  • The solution provides an unlimited number of profiles, enabling more opportunities for collaboration.
  • It provides workflow summaries, documenting the actions of staff and providing an audit trail through the entire process.

CHALLENGES

  • Sysomos has introduced a publishing tool for social campaigns. However, its outbound capabilities continue to lag, and there are currently no tools for asset management.
  • Sysomos’ application integration stack is limited relative to other vendors.

Sysomos

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Sysomos. Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 3/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Sysomos earned 'Leader' and 'Best Overall Value' in Social Listening & Analytics and 5th out of 6 as well as 'Best Overall Value' in Social Customer Care.
Info-Tech Recommends

Sysomos’ broad array of good features has made it a frequent challenger to Marketing Cloud on analytics-centric SMMP evaluation shortlists. Enterprise-scale customers specifically interested in social listening and analytics, rather than customer engagement and campaign execution, will definitely want to take a look.

Scores for Sysomos's individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Viralheat offers a clean analysis of an organization’s social media activity and has beefed up response workflows

Vendor Profiles icon

Product Viralheat
Employees 1,200
Headquarters Chicago, IL
Website Cision.com
Founded 2015
Presence Privately held

Logo for Cision (Viralheat).

3 year TCO for this solution falls into pricing tier 6, between $100,000 and $250,000

Pricing tier for Cision (Viralheat), tier 6.
Pricing derived from public information

OVERVIEW
  • Viralheat has been in the social media market since 2009. It provides tools for analytics and in-band social engagement.
  • The company was acquired by Cision in 2015, a Chicago-based public relations technology company.

STRENGTHS

  • Viralheat offers robust workflow management capabilities for social response and is particularly useful for customer service.
  • The product has strong post time optimization capability through its ViralPost scheduling feature.
  • Cision’s acquisition of Viralheat makes the product a great choice for third-party social media management, namely public relations and digital marketing agencies.

CHALLENGES

  • Viralheat remains a smaller vendor in the market – its list of channel partners lags behind larger incumbents.
  • Contextual and sentiment analysis are lacking relative to other vendors.

Cision (Viralheat)

Vendor Profiles icon
'Product' and 'Vendor' scores for Cision (Viralheat). Overall product is 3/4; overall vendor is 2/4.
'Scenario Performance' awards and 'Value Index' in the three previous scenarios. Cision (Viralheat) earned  in Social Listening & Analytics,  in Social Publishing & Campaign Management, and  in Social Customer Care.
Info-Tech Recommends

Cision has upped its game in terms of social workflow and response management and it monitors an above-average number of services. It is a steadfast tool for brands that are primarily interested in outbound customer engagement for marketing and customer service use cases.

Scores for Cision (Viralheat)'s individual features, color-coded as they were previously.

Use the SMMP Vendor Shortlist Tool to customize the vendor analysis for your organization

Vendor Profiles icon SMMP Vendor Shortlist & Detailed Feature Analysis Tool

Instructions

  1. Eliminate misaligned vendors with knock-out criteria
    Use the SMMP Vendor Shortlist &am; Detailed Feature Analysis Tool to eliminate vendors based on specific knock-out criteria on tab 2, Knock-Out Criteria.
  2. Create your own evaluation framework
    Tailor the vendor evaluation to include your own product and vendor considerations on tab 3, Weightings. Identify the significance of advanced features for your own procurement on a scale of Mandatory, Optional, and Not Required on tab 4, Detailed Feature Analysis.
  3. Review the results of your customized evaluation
    Review your custom vendor shortlist on tab 5, Results.
This evaluation uses both functional and architectural considerations to eliminate vendors.

Knock-Out Criteria

COTS vs. Open Source
Deployment Models

Sample of the SMMP Vender Shortlist & Detailed Feature Analysis Tool tab 5, Results.
Sample Vendor Shortlist from tab 5, Results

Interpreting the Results
Your custom shortlist will rank vendors that passed the initial knock-out criteria based on their overall score.
The shortlist will provide broken-down scoring, as well as a custom value index based on the framework set in the tool.

Phase 2, Step 2: Select your SMMP solution

2.1

2.2

Analyze and shortlist vendors in the space Select your SMMP solution

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Prioritize your solution requirements.
  • Create an RFP to submit to vendors.
  • Solicit and review vendor proposals.
  • Conduct onsite vendor demonstrations.
  • Select the right solution.

This step involves the following participants:

  • Core Project Team
  • Procurement Manager
  • Representative Stakeholders from Digital Marketing, Sales, and IT

Outcomes of this step:

  • SMMP Selection Strategy

Determine your SMMP procurement strategy

Critical Points and Checks in Your Procurement
  • Follow your own organization’s procurement procedures to ensure that you adhere to your organization’s policies.
  • Based on your organization’s policies, identify if you are going to conduct a private or public RFP process.
    • If your RFP will contain sensitive information, use a private RFP process that is directed to specific vendors in order to protect the proprietary practices of your business.

Info-Tech Insight

If you are still not sure of a vendor’s capabilities, we recommend sending an RFI before proceeding with an RFP.

INFO-TECH OPPORTUNITY

If your organization lacks a clear procurement process, refer to Info-Tech's Optimize IT Procurement research to help construct a formal process for selecting application technology.

Info-Tech’s 15-Step Procurement Process

Use Info-Tech's procurement process to ensure that your SMMP selection is properly planned and executed.

  1. Initiate procurement.
  2. Select procurement manager.
  3. Prepare for procurement; check that prerequisites are met.
  4. Select appropriate procurement vehicle.
  5. Assemble procurement teams.
  6. Create procurement project plan.
  7. Identify and notify vendors about procurement.
  8. Configure procurement process.
  9. Gather requirements.
  10. Prioritize requirements.
  11. Build the procurement documentation package.
  12. Issue the procurement.
  13. Evaluate proposals.
  14. Recommend a vendor.
  15. Present to management.

Much of your procurement process should already be outlined from your charter and initial project structuring.
In this stage of the process, focus on the successful completion of steps 7-15.

Prioritize your solution requirements based on your business, architecture, and performance needs

Associated Activity icon

INPUT: Requirements Workbook and requirements gathering findings

OUTPUT: Full documentation of requirements for the RFP and solution evaluation process

Completed in Section 3

  1. Identify Your Requirements
    Use the findings being collected in the Requirements Workbook and related materials to define clear requirements around your organization’s desired SMMP.
  2. Prioritize Your Requirements
    • Identify the significance of each requirement for your solution evaluation.
    • Identify features and requirements as mandatory, important, or optional.
    • Control the number of mandatory requirements you document. Too many mandatory requirements could create an unrealistic framework for evaluating solutions.
  3. Create a Requirements Package
    • Consolidate your identified requirements into one list, removing redundancies and conflicts.
    • Categorize the requirements based on their priority and nature.
    • Use this requirements package as you evaluate vendors and create your RFP for shortlisted vendors.

Info-Tech Insight

No solution will meet 100% of your requirements. Control the number of mandatory requirements you place in your procurement process to ensure that vendors that are the best fit for your organization are not eliminated unnecessarily.

Create an RFP to submit to vendors

Supporting Tool icon Request for Proposal Template
Associated Activity icon Activity: Interpreting the Results

INPUT: Requirements package, Organization’s procurement procedures

OUTPUT: RFP

MATERIALS: Whiteboard and markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project manager, Core project team

Leverage Info-Tech’s SMMP RFP Template to convey your desired suite requirements to vendors and outline the proposal and procurement steps set by your organization.

Build Your RFP
  1. Outline the organization's procurement instructions for vendors (Sections 1, 3, and 5).
  2. Input the requirements package created in Activity 5.2 into your RFP (Section 4).
  3. Create a scenario overview to provide vendors an opportunity to give an estimated price.

Approval Process

Each organization has a unique procurement process; follow your own organization’s process as you submit your RFPs to vendors.

  1. Ensure compliance with your organization's standards and gain approval for submitting your RFP.

Info-Tech RFP
Table of Contents

  1. Statement of Work
  2. General Information
  3. Proposal Preparation Instructions
  4. Scope of Work, Specifications, and Requirements
  5. Vendor Qualifications and References
  6. Budget and Estimated Pricing
  7. Vendor Certification

Standardize the potential responses from vendors and streamline your evaluation with a response template

Supporting Tool icon Vendor Response Template
Sample of the Vendor Response Template. Adjust the scope and content of the Vendor Response Template to fit your SMMP procurement process and vendor requirements.

Section

Why is this section important?

About the Vendor This is where the vendor will describe itself and prove its organizational viability.
Understanding of the Challenge Demonstrates that understanding of the problem is the first step in being able to provide a solution.
Methodology Shows that there is a proven methodology to approach and solve the challenge.
Proposed Solution Describes how the vendor will address the challenge. This is a very important section as it articulates what you will receive from the vendor as a solution.
Project Management, Plan, and Timeline Provides an overview of the project management methodology, phases of the project, what will be delivered, and when.
Vendor Qualifications Provides evidence of prior experience with delivering similar projects for similar clients.
References Provides contact information for individuals/organizations for which the vendor has worked and who can vouch for the experience and success of working with this vendor.
Value Added Services Remember, this could lead to a long-term relationship. It’s not only about what you need now, but also what you may need in the future.
Requirements Confirmation from the vendor as to which requirements it can meet and how it will meet them.

Evaluate the RFPs you receive within a clear scoring process

Supporting Tool icon SMMP RFP Evaluation and Scoring Tool
Steps to follow: 'Review, Evaluate, Shortlist, Brief, Select' with the first 3 highlighted.

Associated Activity icon Activity

Build a fair evaluation framework that evaluates vendor solutions against a set criteria rather than relative comparisons.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Have members of the SMMP evaluation team review the RFP responses given by vendors.
  2. Input vendor solution information into the SMMP RFP Evaluation and Scoring Tool.
  3. Analyze the vendors against your identified evaluation framework.
  4. Identify vendors with whom you wish to arrange vendor briefings.
  5. Contact vendors and arranging briefings.
How to use this tool
  • Review the feature list and select where each feature is mandatory, desirable, or not applicable.
  • Select if each feature has been met by the vendor RFP response.
  • Enter the costing information provided by each vendor.
  • Determine the relative importance of the features, architecture, and support.
Tool Output
  • Costing
  • Overall score
  • Evaluation notes and comments

Vendor product demonstration

Vendor Profiles icon Demo Script Template

Demo

Invite vendors to come onsite to demonstrate the product and to answer questions. Use a demo script to help identify how a vendor’s solution will fit your organization’s particular business capability needs.
Make sure the solution will work for your business

Provide the vendor with some usage patterns for the SMMP tool in preparation for the vendor demo.

Provide the following information to vendors in your script:

  • Usage for different groups.
  • SMMP usage and [business analytics] usage.
  • The requirements for administration.
How to challenge the vendors in the demo
  • Change visualization/presentation.
  • Change the underlying data.
  • Add additional datasets to the artifacts.
  • Collaboration capabilities.
  • Perform an investigation in terms of finding BI objects and identifying previous changes, and examine the audit trail.
Sample of the SMMP Demo Script Template
SMMP Demo Script Template

INFO-TECH ACTIVITY

INPUT: Requirements package, Use-case results

OUTPUT: Onsite demo

  1. Create a demo script that will be sent to vendors that outlines SMMP usage patterns from your organization.
  2. Construct the demo script with your SMMP evaluation team, providing both prompts for the vendor to display the capabilities and some sample data for the vendor to model.

Use vendor RFPs and demos to select the SMMP that best fits your organization’s needs

Supporting Tool icon Suite Evaluation and Scoring Tool: Tab 5, Overall Score

Don’t just choose the vendor who gave the best presentation. Instead, select the vendor who meets your functional requirements and organizational needs.

Category Weight Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Vendor 4
SMMP Features 60% 75% 80% 80% 90%
Architecture 25% 55% 60% 90% 90%
Support 15% 10% 70% 60% 95%
Total Score 100% 60% 74% 80% 91%
Use your objective evaluation to select a vendor to recommend to management for procurement. Arrow from 'Vendor 4' to post script.

Don’t automatically decide to go with the highest score; validate that the vendor is someone you can envision working with for the long term.

  • Select a vendor based not only on their evaluation performance, but also on your belief that you could form a lasting and supportive relationship with them.
  • Integration needs are dynamic, not static. Find an SMMP tool and vendor that have strong capabilities and will fit with the application and integration plans of the business.
  • In many cases, you will require professional services together with your SMMP purchase to make sure you have some guidance in the initial development and your own staff are trained properly.

Following the identification of your selected suite, submit your recommendation to the organization’s management or evaluation team for final approval.

If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech Workshop Associated Activity icon

Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

Photo of an Info-Tech analyst.
  • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
  • Info-Tech analyst will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech's historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
  • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Sample of 'Create an RFP to submit to vendors' slide with 'Request for Proposal Template'. Create an RFP for SMMP procurement

Our Info-Tech analyst will walk you through the RFP preparation to ensure the SMMP requirements are articulated clearly to vendors in this space.

Sample of 'Vendor product demonstration' slide with 'Demo Script Template'. Create SMMP demo scripts

An analyst will walk you through the demo script preparation to guide the SMMP product demonstrations and briefings offered by vendors. The analyst will ensure the demo script addresses key requirements documented earlier in the process.

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

PHASE 3

Review Implementation Considerations

Phase 3: Review implementation considerations

Steps of this blueprint represented by circles of varying colors and sizes, labelled by text of different sizes. Only Phase 3 is highlighted.
Estimated Timeline:

Info-Tech Insight

Even a solution that is a perfect fit for an organization will fail to generate value if it is not properly implemented or measured. Conduct the necessary planning before implementing your SMMP.

Major Milestones Reached
  • Plan for implementation and expected go-live date

Key Activities Completed

  • SMMP Implementation Plan
  • Governance Plan
  • Change Control Methods

Outcomes from This Phase

Plans for implementing the selected SMMP tool.

Phase 3 outline

Associated Activity icon Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

Guided Implementation 3: Review Implementation Considerations

Proposed Time to Completion: 2 weeks
Step 3.1: Establish best practices for SMMP implementation Step 3.2: Assess the measured value from the project
Start with an analyst kick-off call:
  • Determine the right governance structure to overlook the SMMP implementation.
  • Identify integrations with other applications.
  • Establish an ongoing maintenance plan.
  • Assess the different deployment models.
Review findings with analyst:
  • Determine the key performance indicators for each department using the SMMP
  • Identify key performance indicators for business units using an SMMP
Then complete these activities…
  • Establish a governance structure for social media.
  • Specify data linkages with CRM.
  • Identify risks and mitigation strategies
  • Determine the right deployment model for your organization.
Then complete these activities…
  • Identify key performance indicators for business units using an SMMP
With these tools & templates:
  • Social Media Steering Committee
Phase 3 Results & Insights:
  • Implementation Plan
  • SMMP KPIs

Phase 3, Step 1: Establish best practices for SMMP implementation

3.1

3.2

Establish best practices for SMMP implementation Assess the measured value from the project

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Establish a governance structure for social media management.
  • Specify the data linkages you will need between your CRM platform and SMMP.

This step involves the following participants:

  • Core Project Team

Outcomes of this step

  • Social Media Steering Committee Charter
  • SMMP data migration Inventory
  • Determination of the deployment model that works best for your organization
  • Deployment Model

Follow these steps for effective SMMP implementation

What to Consider

  • Creating an overall social media strategy is the critical first step in implementing an SMMP.
  • Selecting an SMMP involves gathering business requirements, then translating those requirements into specific selection criteria. Know exactly what your business needs are to ensure the right SMMP is selected.
  • Implement the platform with an eye toward creating business value: establish points of integration with the existing CRM solution, establish ongoing maintenance policies, select the right deployment model, and train end users around role-based objectives.
Arrow pointing down.

Plan

  • Develop a strategy for customer interaction
  • Develop a formal strategy for social media
  • Determine business requirements
Arrow pointing down.

Create RFP

  • Translate into functional requirements
  • Determine evaluation criteria
Arrow pointing down.

Evaluate

  • Evaluate vendors against criteria
  • Shortlist vendors
  • Perform in-depth vendor review

Implement

  • Integrate with existing CRM ecosystem (if applicable)
  • Establish ongoing maintenance policies
  • Map deployment to organizational models
  • Train end-users and establish acceptable use policies
  • Designate an SMMP subject matter expert

Before deploying the SMMP, ensure the right social media governance structures are in place to oversee implementation

An SMMP is a tool, not a substitute, for adequate cross-departmental social media oversight. You must coordinate efforts across constituent stakeholders.

  • Successful organizations have permanent governance structures in place for managing social media. For example, mature companies leverage Social Media Steering Committees (SMSCs) to coordinate the social media initiatives of different business units and departments. Large organizations with highly complex needs may even make use of a physical command center.
  • Compared to traditional apps projects (like CRM or ERP), social media programs tend to start as grassroots initiatives. Marketing and Public Relations departments are the most likely to spearhead the initial push, often selecting their own tools without IT involvement or oversight. This causes application fragmentation and a proliferation of shadow IT.
  • This organic adoption contrasts with the top-down approach many IT leaders are accustomed to. Bottom-up growth can ensure rapid response to social media opportunities, but it also leads to insufficient coordination. A conscious effort should be made to mature your social media strategy beyond this disorganized initial state.
  • IT can help be a “cat herder” to shepherd departments into shared initiatives.

Info-Tech Best Practice

Before implementing the SMMP, go through the appropriate organizational governance structures to ensure they have input into the deployment. If a social media steering committee is not already in place, rolling out an SMMP is a great opportunity to get one going. See our research on social media program execution for more details.

Establish a governance structure for social media management

Associated Activity icon 3.1.1 60 minutes

INPUT: Project stakeholders, SMMP mandate

OUTPUT: Social Media Governance Structure

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project Manager, Core project team

  1. Describe the unique role that the governance team will play in social media management.
  2. Describe the overall purpose statement of the governance team.
  3. Define the roles and responsibilities of the governance team.
  4. Document the outcome in the Social Media Steering Committee Charter.

EXAMPLE

Executive Sponsorship
Social Media Steering Committee
VP Marketing VP Sales VP Customer Service VP Public Relations CIO/ IT Director
Marketing Dept. Sales Dept. Customer Service Dept. Public Relations Dept. IT Dept.

Use Info-Tech’s Social Media Steering Committee Charter Template to define roles and ensure value delivery

Supporting Tool icon 3.1

Leaders must ensure that the SMSC has a formal mandate with clear objectives, strong executive participation, and a commitment to meeting regularly. Create an SMSC Charter to formalize the committee governance capabilities.

Developing a Social Media Steering Committee Charter:
  • Outline the committee’s structure, composition, and responsibilities using the Info-Tech Social Media Steering Committee Charter Template.
  • This template also outlines the key tasks and responsibilities for the committee:
    • Providing strategic leadership for social media
    • Leading SMMP procurement efforts
    • Providing process integration
    • Governing social media initiatives
    • Ensuring open communications between departments with ownership of social media processes
  • Keep the completed charter on file and available to all committee members. Remember to periodically update the document as organizational priorities shift to ensure the charter remains relevant.

INFO-TECH DELIVERABLE

Sample of the Social Media Steering Committee Charter Template.

Integrate your social media management platform with CRM to strengthen the realization of social media goals

  • Linking social media to existing customer relationship management solutions can improve information accuracy, reduce manual effort and provide more in-depth customer insights.
    • Organizations Info-Tech surveyed, and who integrated their solutions, achieved more goals as a result.
  • Several major CRM vendors are now offering products that integrate with popular social networking services (either natively or by providing support for third-party add-ons).
    • For example, Salesforce.com now allows for native integration with Twitter, while an add-on available for Oracle gathers real-time information about prospects by pulling their extended information from publicly available LinkedIn profiles.
  • Some CRM vendors are acquiring established SMMPs outright.
    • For example, Salesforce.com acquired Radian6 for their clients that have advanced social media requirements.
Bar chart comparing the social media goal realization of organizations that integrated their SMMP and CRM technology and those that didn't.

Info-Tech Best Practice

CRM vendors still lag in out-of-the-box social features, making a separate SMMP purchase a given. For companies that have not formally integrated social media with CRM, IT should develop the business case in conjunction with the applicable business-side partner (e.g. Marketing, Sales, Service, PR, etc.).

Establish points of integration between SMMPs and CRM suites to gain a 360 degree view of the customer

  • Social media is a valuable tool from a standalone perspective, but its power is considerably magnified when it’s paired with the CRM suite.
  • Many SMMPs offer native integration with CRM platforms. IT should identify and enable these connectors to strengthen the business value of the platform.
  • An illustrated example of how an SMMP linked via CRM can provide proactive service while contributing to sales and marketing.
    An example of how an SMMP linked via CRM can provide proactive service while contributing to sales and marketing.
  • New channels do not mean they stand alone and do not need to be integrated into the rest of the customer interaction architecture.
  • Challenge SMMP vendors to demonstrate integration experience with CRM vendors and multimedia queue vendors.
  • Manual integration – adding resolved social inquiries yourself to a CRM system after closure – cannot scale given the rapid increase in customer inquiries originating in the social cloud. Integration with interaction management workflows is most desirable.

These tools are enabling sales, and they help us serve our customers better. And anything that does that, is a good investment on our part.” Chip Meyers, (Sales Operation Manager, Insource)

Info-Tech Best Practice

SMMPs are a necessary single-channel evolutionary step, just like there used to be email-only and web chat-only customer service options in the late 1990s. But they are temporary. SMMPs will eventually be subsumed into the larger marketing automation ecosystem. Only a few best of breed will survive in 10 years.

Specify the data linkages you will need between your CRM platform and SMMP

Associated Activity icon 3.1.2 1 hour

INPUT: SMMP data sources

OUTPUT: SMMP data migration inventory

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project Manager, Core project team

  1. Build a list of sources of information that you’ll need to integrate with your CRM tool.
  2. Identify:
    1. Data Source
    2. Integration Direction
    3. Data Type and Use Case
Data Source Migration/Integration Direction Data Type/Use Case
Social Platform Bidirectional Recent Social Posts
Customer Data Warehouse Bidirectional Contact Information, Cases, Tasks, Opportunities

Establish a plan for ongoing platform maintenance

  • Like other enterprise applications, the SMMP will require periodic upkeep. IT must develop and codify policies around ongoing platform maintenance.
  • Platform maintenance should touch on the following areas:
    • Account access and controls – periodically, access privileges for employees no longer with the organization should be purged.
    • Platform security – cloud-based platforms will be automatically updated by the vendor to plug security holes, but on-premises solutions must be periodically updated to ensure that there are no gaps in security.
    • Pruning of old or outdated material – pages (e.g. Facebook Groups, Events, and Twitter feeds) that are no longer in use should be pruned. For example, a management console for an event that was held two years ago is unnecessary. Remove it from the platform (and the relevant service) to cut down on clutter (and reduce costs for “per-topic” priced platforms.)
SMMP being fixed by a wrench.

IT: SMMP Maintenance Checklist

  • Account upkeep and pruning
  • Security, privacy, and access
  • Content upkeep and pruning

Info-Tech Best Practice

Even cloud-based platforms like SMMPs require a certain degree of maintenance around account controls, security, and content pruning. IT should assist the business units in carrying out periodic maintenance.

Social media is a powerful medium, but organizations must develop a prudent strategy for minimizing associated risks

Using an SMMP can help mitigate many of the risks associated with social media. Review the risk categories on the next several slides to determine which ones can be mitigated by effective utilization of a dedicated SMMP.

Risk Category Likelihood Risk(s) Suggested Mitigation Strategy
Privacy and Confidentiality High
  • Risk of inappropriate exchange of information between personal and business social networks (e.g. a personal account used for company business).
  • Abuse of privacy and confidentiality laws.
  • Whenever possible, implement separate social network accounts for business, and train your employees to avoid using personal accounts at work.
  • Have a policy in place for how to treat pre-existing accounts versus newly created ones for enterprise use.
  • Use the “unified sign-on” capabilities of an SMMP to prevent employees from directly accessing the underlying social media services.

Good governance means being proactive in mitigating the legal and compliance risks of your social media program

Risk Category Likelihood Risk(s) Suggested Mitigation Strategy
Trademark and Intellectual Property Medium
  • Copyrighted information could inappropriately be used for promotional and other business purposes (e.g. using a private user’s images in collateral).
  • Legal should conduct training to make sure the organization’s social media representatives only use information in the public domain, nothing privileged or confidential. This is particularly sensitive for Marketing and PR.
Control over Brand Image and Inappropriate Content Medium
  • Employees on social media channels may post something inappropriate to the nature of your business.
  • Employees can post something that compromises industry and/or ethical standards.
  • Use SMMP outbound filtering/post approval workflows to censor certain inappropriate keywords.
  • Select the team carefully and ensure they are fully trained on both official company policy and social media etiquette.
  • Ensure strong enforcement of Social Media AUPs: take a zero tolerance approach to flagrant abuses.

Security is a top-of-mind risk, though bandwidth is a low priority issue for most organizations

Risk Category Likelihood Risk(s) Suggested Mitigation Strategy
IT Security Medium Risk of employees downloading or being sent malware through social media services. Your clients are also exposed to this risk; this may undermine their trust of your brand.
  • Implement policies that outline appropriate precautions by employees, such as using effective passwords and not downloading unauthorized software.
  • Use web-filtering and anti-malware software that incorporates social media as a threat vector.
Bandwidth Low Increase in bandwidth needs to support social media efforts, particularly when using video social media such as YouTube.
  • Plan for any bandwidth requirements with IT network staff.
  • Most social media strategies shouldn’t have a material impact on bandwidth.

Poaching of client lists and increased costs are unlikely to occur, but address as a worst case scenario

Risk Category Likelihood Risk(s) Suggested Mitigation Strategy
Competitors Poaching Client Lists Low The ability for a competitor to view lists of clients that have joined your organization’s social media groups.
  • In a public social network, you cannot prevent this. Monitor your own brand as well as competitors’. If client secrecy must be maintained, then you should use a private social network (e.g. Jive, Lithium, private SharePoint site), not a public network.
Increased Cost of Servicing Customers Low Additional resources may be allocated to social media without seeing immediate ROI.
  • Augment existing customer service responsibilities with social media requests.
  • If a dedicated resource is not available, dedicate a specific amount of time per employee to be spent addressing customer concerns via social media.

Determine your top social media risks and develop an appropriate mitigation strategy that incorporates an SMMP

Associated Activity icon 3.1.3 20 minutes

INPUT: Risk assessment inventory

OUTPUT: Top social media risks and mitigation plan

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project Manager, Core project team

  1. Based on your unique business variables, which social media risk categories are most applicable to your organization? In what order?
  2. Summarize the top risks below and identify mitigation steps (which often involve effective use of a dedicated SMMP).
Rank Risk Category Mitigation Steps
High Confidentiality We have strong records retention requirements, so using a rules-based SMMP like SocialVolt is a must.
Medium Brand Image Ensure that only personnel who have undergone mandatory training can touch our social accounts via an SMMP.
Low Competitors’ Poaching Lists Migrate our Business Services division contacts onto LinkedIn – maintain no Facebook presence for these clients.

Determine the workflows that will be supported using your social media management platform

Determine when, where, and how social media services should be used to augment existing workflows across (and between) the business process domains. Establish escalation rules and decide whether workflows will be reactive or proactively.

  • Fine tune your efforts in each business process domain by matching social technologies to specific business workflows. This will clearly delineate where value is created by leveraging social media.
  • Common business process domains that should be targeted include marketing, sales, and customer service. Public relations, human resources, and analyst relations are other areas to consider for social process support.
  • For each business process domain, IT should assist with technology enablement and execution.
Target domains: 'Marketing', 'Sales', 'Customer Service', 'Public Relations', 'Human Resources'.

Info-Tech Best Practice

The social media governance team should have high-level supervision of process workflows. Ask to see reports from line managers on what steps they have taken to put process in place for reactive and proactive customer interactions, as well as escalations and channel switching. IT helps orchestrate these processes through knowledge and expertise with SMMP workflow capability.

There are three primary models for SMMP deployment: the agency model uses the SMMP as a third-party offering

There are three models for deploying an SMMP: agency, centralized, and distributed.

Agency Model
Visual of the Agency Model with the 'Social Cloud' attached to the 'SMMP' attached to the 'Agency (e.g. marketing or public relations agency)' attached to the 'Client Organization (Marketing, Sales, Service)'
  • In the agency model of SMMP deployment, the platform is managed on behalf of the organization by a third party – typically a marketing or public relations agency.
  • The agency serves as the primary touch point for the client organization: the client requests the types of market research it wants done, or the campaigns it wants managed. The agency uses its own SMMP(s) to execute the requests. Often, the SMMP’s results or dashboards will be rebranded by the agency.
  • Pros: The agency model is useful when large portions of marketing, service, or public relations are already being outsourced to a third-party provider. Going with an agency also splits the cost of more expensive SMMPs over multiple clients, and limits deployment costs.
  • Cons: The client organization has no direct control over the platform; going with an agency is not cost effective for firms with in-house marketing or PR capabilities.
  • Advice: Go with an agency-managed SMMP if you already use an agency for marketing or PR.

Select the centralized deployment model when SMMP functionality rests in the hands of a single department

Centralized Model
Visual of the Centralized Model with the 'Social Cloud' attached to the 'SMMP' attached to 'Marketing' attached to the 'Sales' and 'Service'
In this example, marketing owns and manages a single SMMP
  • In the centralized model, a single SMMP workspace is owned and operated predominantly by a single business unit or department. Unlike the agency model, the SMMP functionality is utilized in-house.
  • Information from the SMMP may occasionally be shared with other departments, but normally the platform is used almost exclusively by a single group in the company. Marketing or public relations are usually the groups that maintain ownership of the SMMP in the centralized model (with selection and deployment assistance from the IT department).
  • Pros: The centralized model provides small organizations with an in-house, dedicated SMMP without having to go through an agency. Having a single group own and manage the SMMP is considerably more cost effective than having SMMPs licensed to multiple business units in a small company.
  • Cons: If more and more departments start clamoring for control of SMMP resources, the centralized model will fail to meet the overall needs of the organization.
  • Advice: Small-to-medium enterprises with mid-sized topic or brand portfolios should use the centralized model.

Go with a distributed deployment if multiple business units require advanced SMMP functionality

Distributed Model
Visual of the Distributed Model with the 'Social Cloud' attached to two 'SMMPs', one attached to 'Marketing' and 'Sales', the other to 'Customer Service' and 'Public Relations'.
  • In the distributed model, multiple SMMPs (sometimes from different vendors) or multiple SMMP workspaces (from a single vendor) are deployed to several groups (e.g. multiple departments or brand portfolios) in the organization.
  • Pros: The distributed model is highly effective in large organizations with multiple departments or brands that each are interested in SMMP functionality. Having separate workspaces for each business group enables customizing workspaces to satisfy different goals of the different business groups.
  • Cons: The cost of deploying multiple SMMP workspaces can be prohibitive.
  • Advice: Go with the distributed model if your organization is large and has multiple relevant departments or product marketing groups, with differing social media goals.

Determine which deployment model works best for your organization

Associated Activity icon 3.1.4 1 Hour

INPUT: Deployment models

OUTPUT: Best fit deployment model

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Project Manager, Core project team

  1. Assess and understand the three models of SMMP deployments: agency, centralized and distributed. Consider the pros and cons of each model.
  2. Understand how your organization manages enterprise social media. Consider the follow questions:
    • What is the size of your organization?
    • Who owns the management of social media in your organization?
    • Is social media managed in-house or outsourced to an agency?
    • What are the number of departments that use and rely on social media?
  3. Select the best deployment model for your organization.
Agency Model Centralized Model Distributed Model
Visual of the Agency Model with the 'Social Cloud' attached to the 'SMMP' attached to the 'Agency (e.g. marketing or public relations agency)' attached to the 'Client Organization (Marketing, Sales, Service)' Visual of the Centralized Model with the 'Social Cloud' attached to the 'SMMP' attached to 'Marketing' attached to the 'Sales' and 'Service' Visual of the Distributed Model with the 'Social Cloud' attached to two 'SMMPs', one attached to 'Marketing' and 'Sales', the other to 'Customer Service' and 'Public Relations'.

Create an SMMP training matrix based on social media roles

IT must assist the business by creating and executing a role-based training program. An SMMP expert in IT should lead training sessions for targeted groups of end users, training them only on the functions they require to perform their jobs.

Use the table below to help identify which roles should be trained on which SMMP features.

PR Professionals Marketing Brand, Product, and Channel Managers Customer Service Reps and Manager Product Development and Market Research IT Application Support
Account Management Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field.
Response and Engagement Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field.
Social Analytics and Data Mining Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field.
Marketing Campaign Execution Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field.
Mobile Access Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field. Circle indicating a positive field.
Archiving Circle indicating a positive field.
CRM Integration Circle indicating a positive field.

Phase 3, Step 2: Track your metrics

3.1

3.2

Establish best practices for SMMP implementation Assess the measured value from the project

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Identify metrics and KPIs for business units using a dedicated SMMP

This step involves the following participants:

  • Core Project Team
  • Representative Stakeholders from Digital Marketing, Sales, and IT

Outcomes of this step

  • Key Performance Indicators

Know key performance indicators (KPIs) for each department that employs a dedicated social media management platform

Share of Voice
How often a brand is mentioned, relative to other brands competing in a defined market.

User Engagement
Quantity and quality of customer interactions with a brand or with each other, either on- or offline.

Campaign Success
Tracking reception of campaigns and leads brought in as a result.
Marketing KPIs Reach
Measurement of the size of market your brand advertisements and communications reach.

Impressions
The number of exposures your content, ad, or social post has to people in your target audience.

Cost per Point (CPP)
Cost to reach one percent of your organization’s audience.

Product Innovation
The quantity and quality of improvements, updates, and changes to existing products.

Time-to-Market
Time that passes between idea generation and the product being available to consumers.

Product Development KPIs

New Product Launches
A ratio of completely new product types released to brand extensions and improvements.

Cancelled Projects
Measure of quality of ideas generated and quality of idea assessment method.

Use social media metrics to complement your existing departmental KPIs – not usurp them

Cost per Lead
The average amount an organization spends to find leads.

Conversion Rate
How many sales are made in relation to the number of leads.

Quantity of Leads
How many sales leads are in the funnel at a given time.
Sales KPIs Average Cycle Time
Average length of time it takes leads to progress through the sales cycle.

Revenue by Lead
Total revenue divided by total number of leads.

Avg. Revenue per Rep
Total revenue divided by number of sales reps.

Time to Resolution
Average amount of time it takes for customers to get a response they are satisfied with.

First Contact Resolution
How often customer issues are resolved on the first contact.

Customer Service KPIs

Contact Frequency
The number of repeated interactions from the same customers.

Satisfaction Scores
Determined from customer feedback – either through surveys or gathered sporadically.

Social analytics don’t operate alone; merge social data with traditional data to gain the deepest insights

Employee Retention
The level of effort an organization exerts to maintain its current staff.

Employee Engagement
Rating of employee satisfaction overall or with a given aspect of the workplace.

Preferred Employer
A company where candidates would rather work over other companies.
Marketing KPIs Recruitment Cycle Time
Average length of time required to recruit a new employee.

Employee Productivity
A comparison of employee inputs (time, effort, etc.) and outputs (work).

Employee Referrals
The ratio of employee referrals that complete the recruitment process.

There are conversations going on behind your back, and if you're not participating in them, then you're either not perpetuating the positive conversation or not diffusing the negative. And that's irresponsible in today's business world.” (Lon Safko, Social Media Bible)

Identify key performance indicators for business units using an SMMP

Associated Activity icon 3.2.1 30 minutes

INPUT: Social media goals

OUTPUT: SMMP KPIs

MATERIALS: Whiteboard, Markers

PARTICIPANTS: Representative stakeholders from different business units

For each listed department, identify the social media goals and departmental key performance indicators to measure the impact of the SMMP.

DepartmentSocial Media GoalsKPI
Marketing
  • E.g. build a positive brand image
  • Net increase in brand recognition
Product Development
  • Launch a viral video campaign showcasing product attributes to drive increased YT traffic
  • Net increase in unaided customer recall
Sales
  • Enhance sales lead generation through social channels
  • Net increase in sales lead generation in the social media sales funnel
Customer Service
  • Produce more timely responses to customer enquiries and complaints
  • Reduced time to resolution
HR
  • Enhance social media recruitment channels
  • Number of LinkedIn recruitment

If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech Workshop Associated Activity icon

Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

Photo of an Info-Tech analyst.
  • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
  • Info-Tech analyst will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech's historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
  • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

3.1.1

Sample of activity 3.1.1 'Establish a governance structure for social media management'. Establish a governance structure for social media management

Our Info-Tech analyst will walk you through the exercise of developing roles and responsibilities to govern your social media program.

3.1.2

Sample of activity 3.1.2 'Specify the data linkages you will need between your CRM platform and SMMP'. Specify the data linkages you will need between your CRM and SMMP

The analyst will help you identify the points of integration between the SMMP and your CRM platform.

If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech Workshop Associated Activity icon

Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

3.1.3

Sample of activity 3.1.3 'Determine your top social media risks and develop an appropriate mitigation strategy that incorporates an SMMP'. Determine your top social media risks

Our Info-Tech analyst will facilitate the discussion to identify the top risks associated with the SMMP and determine mitigation strategies for each risk.

3.1.4

Sample of activity 3.1.4 'Determine which deployment model works best for your organization'. Determine the best-fit deployment model

An analyst will demonstrate the different SMMP deployment models and assist in determining the most suitable model for your organization.

3.2.1

Sample of activity 3.2.1 'Identify key performance indicators for business units using an SMMP'. Identify departmental KPIs

An analyst will work with different stakeholders to determine the top social media goals for each department.

Appendices

Works Cited

Ashja, Mojtaba, Akram Hadizadeh, and Hamid Bidram. “Comparative Study of Large Information Systems’ CSFs During Their Life Cycle.” Information Systems Frontiers. September 8, 2013.

UBM. “The State of Social Media Analytics.” January, 2016.

Jobvite. “2015 Recruiter Nation Survey.” September, 2015.

Vendor Landscape Analysis Appendices

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Overview

Info-Tech’s Vendor Landscapes are research materials that review a particular IT market space, evaluating the strengths and abilities of both the products available in that space, as well as the vendors of those products. These materials are created by a team of dedicated analysts operating under the direction of a senior subject matter expert over a period of several weeks.

Evaluations weigh selected vendors and their products (collectively “solutions”) on the following eight criteria to determine overall standing:

  • Features: The presence of advanced and market-differentiating capabilities.
  • User Interface: The intuitiveness, power, and integrated nature of administrative consoles and client software components.
  • Affordability: The three-year total cost of ownership of the solution; flexibility of the pricing and discounting structure.
  • Architecture: The degree of integration with the vendor’s other tools, flexibility of deployment, and breadth of platform applicability.
  • Viability: The stability of the company as measured by its history in the market, the size of its client base, and its percentage of growth.
  • Focus: The commitment to both the market space, as well as to the various sized clients (small, mid-sized, and enterprise clients).
  • Reach: The ability of the vendor to support its products on a global scale.
  • Sales: The structure of the sales process and the measure of the size of the vendor’s channel and industry partners.

Evaluated solutions within scenarios are visually represented by a Pathway to Success, based off a linear graph using above scoring methods:

  • Use-case scenarios are decided upon based on analyst expertise and experience with Info-Tech clients.
  • Use-case scenarios are defined through feature requirements, predetermined by analyst expertise.
  • Placement within scenario rankings consists of features being evaluated against the other scoring criteria.

Info-Tech’s Vendor Landscapes are researched and produced according to a strictly adhered to process that includes the following steps:

  • Vendor/product selection
  • Information gathering
  • Vendor/product scoring
  • Information presentation
  • Fact checking
  • Publication

This document outlines how each of these steps is conducted.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Vendor/Product Selection & Information Gathering

Info-Tech works closely with its client base to solicit guidance in terms of understanding the vendors with whom clients wish to work and the products that they wish evaluated; this demand pool forms the basis of the vendor selection process for Vendor Landscapes. Balancing this demand, Info-Tech also relies upon the deep subject matter expertise and market awareness of its Senior Analysts to ensure that appropriate solutions are included in the evaluation. As an aspect of that expertise and awareness, Info-Tech’s analysts may, at their discretion, determine the specific capabilities that are required of the products under evaluation, and include in the Vendor Landscape only those solutions that meet all specified requirements.

Information on vendors and products is gathered in a number of ways via a number of channels.

Initially, a request package is submitted to vendors to solicit information on a broad range of topics. The request package includes:

  • A detailed survey.
  • A pricing scenario (see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Price Evaluation and Pricing Scenario, below).
  • A request for reference clients.
  • A request for a briefing and, where applicable, guided product demonstration.

These request packages are distributed approximately eight weeks prior to the initiation of the actual research project to allow vendors ample time to consolidate the required information and schedule appropriate resources.

During the course of the research project, briefings and demonstrations are scheduled (generally for one hour each session, though more time is scheduled as required) to allow the analyst team to discuss the information provided in the survey, validate vendor claims, and gain direct exposure to the evaluated products. Additionally, an end-user survey is circulated to Info-Tech’s client base and vendor-supplied reference accounts are interviewed to solicit their feedback on their experiences with the evaluated solutions and with the vendors of those solutions.

These materials are supplemented by a thorough review of all product briefs, technical manuals, and publicly available marketing materials about the product, as well as about the vendor itself.

Refusal by a vendor to supply completed surveys or submit to participation in briefings and demonstrations does not eliminate a vendor from inclusion in the evaluation. Where analyst and client input has determined that a vendor belongs in a particular evaluation, it will be evaluated as best as possible based on publicly available materials only. As these materials are not as comprehensive as a survey, briefing, and demonstration, the possibility exists that the evaluation may not be as thorough or accurate. Since Info-Tech includes vendors regardless of vendor participation, it is always in the vendor’s best interest to participate fully.

All information is recorded and catalogued, as required, to facilitate scoring and for future reference.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Scoring

Once all information has been gathered and evaluated for all vendors and products, the analyst team moves to scoring. All scoring is performed at the same time so as to ensure as much consistency as possible. Each criterion is scored on a ten-point scale, though the manner of scoring for criteria differs slightly:

  • Features is scored via Cumulative Scoring.
  • Affordability is scored via Scalar Scoring.
  • All other criteria are scored via Base5 Scoring.

Cumulative Scoring is on a four-point scale. Zero points are awarded to features that are deemed absent or unsatisfactory, one point is assigned to features that are partially present, two points are assigned to features that require an extra purchase in the vendor’s product portfolio or through a third party, three points are assigned to features that are fully present and native to the solution, and four points are assigned to the best-of-breed native feature. The assigned points are summed and normalized to a value out of ten. For example, if a particular Vendor Landscape evaluates eight specific features in the Feature Criteria, the summed score out of eight for each evaluated product would be multiplied by 1.25 to yield a value out of ten to represent in a Harvey Ball format.

In Scalar Scoring, a score of ten is assigned to the lowest cost solution, and a score of one is assigned to the highest cost solution. All other solutions are assigned a mathematically-determined score based on their proximity to / distance from these two endpoints. For example, in an evaluation of three solutions, where the middle cost solution is closer to the low end of the pricing scale it will receive a higher score, and where it is closer to the high end of the pricing scale it will receive a lower score; depending on proximity to the high or low price it is entirely possible that it could receive either ten points (if it is very close to the lowest price) or one point (if it is very close to the highest price). Where pricing cannot be determined (vendor does not supply price and public sources do not exist), a score of 0 is automatically assigned.

In Base5 scoring a number of sub-criteria are specified for each criterion (for example, Longevity, Market Presence, and Financials are sub-criteria of the Viability criterion), and each one is scored on the following scale:

  • 5 - The product/vendor is exemplary in this area (nothing could be done to improve the status).
  • 4 - The product/vendor is good in this area (small changes could be made that would move things to the next level).
  • 3 - The product/vendor is adequate in this area (small changes would make it good, more significant changes required to be exemplary).
  • 2 - The product/vendor is poor in this area (this is a notable weakness and significant work is required).
  • 1 - The product/vendor fails in this area (this is a glaring oversight and a serious impediment to adoption).

The assigned points are summed and normalized to a value out of ten as explained in Cumulative Scoring above.

Scores out of ten, known as Raw scores, are transposed as is into Info-Tech’s Vendor Landscape Shortlist Tool, which automatically determines Vendor Landscape positioning (see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Information Presentation – Vendor Landscape, below), Criteria Score (see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Information Presentation – Criteria Score, below), and Value Index (see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Information Presentation – Value Index, below).

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Information Presentation – Criteria Scores (Harvey Balls)

Info-Tech’s criteria scores are visual representations of the absolute score assigned to each individual criterion, as well as of the calculated overall vendor and product scores. The visual representation used is Harvey Balls.

Harvey Balls are calculated as follows:

  1. Raw scores are transposed into the Info-Tech Vendor Landscape Shortlist Tool (for information on how raw scores are determined, see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Scoring, above).
  2. Each individual criterion raw score is multiplied by a pre-assigned weighting factor for the Vendor Landscape in question. Weighting factors are determined prior to the evaluation process, based on the expertise of the Senior or Lead Research Analyst, to eliminate any possibility of bias. Weighting factors are expressed as a percentage, such that the sum of the weighting factors for the vendor criteria (Viability, Strategy, Reach, Channel) is 100%, and the sum of the product criteria (Features, Usability, Affordability, Architecture) is 100%.
  3. A sum-product of the weighted vendor criteria scores and of the weighted product criteria scores is calculated to yield an overall vendor score and an overall product score.
  4. Both overall vendor score / overall product score, as well as individual criterion raw scores are converted from a scale of one to ten to Harvey Ball scores on a scale of zero to four, where exceptional performance results in a score of four and poor performance results in a score of zero.
  5. Harvey Ball scores are converted to Harvey Balls as follows:
    • A score of four becomes a full Harvey Ball.
    • A score of three becomes a three-quarter full Harvey Ball.
    • A score of two becomes a half-full Harvey Ball.
    • A score of one becomes a one-quarter full Harvey Ball.
    • A score of zero becomes an empty Harvey Ball.
  6. Harvey Balls are plotted by solution in a chart where rows represent individual solutions and columns represent overall vendor / overall product, as well as individual criteria. Solutions are ordered in the chart alphabetically by vendor name.
Harvey Balls
Overall Harvey Balls represent weighted aggregates. Example of Harvey Balls with 'Overall' balls at the beginning of each category followed by 'Criteria' balls for individual raw scores. Criteria Harvey Balls represent individual raw scores.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Use-Case Scoring

Within each Vendor Landscape a set of use-case scenarios are created by the analysts by considering the different outcomes and purposes related to the technology being evaluated. To generate the custom use-case vendor performances, the feature and Harvey Ball scoring performed in the Vendor Landscapes are set with custom weighting configurations.

Calculations

Each product has a vendor multiplier calculated based on its weighted performance, considering the different criteria scored in the Harvey Ball evaluations.

To calculate each vendor’s performance, the advanced feature scores are multiplied against the weighting for the feature in the use-case scenario’s configuration.

The weighted advanced feature score is then multiplied against the vendor multiplier.

The sum of each vendor’s total weighted advanced features is calculated. This sum is used to identify the vendor’s qualification and relative rank within the use case.

Example pie charts.

Each use case’s feature weightings and vendor/product weighting configurations are displayed within the body of slide deck.

Use-Case Vendor Performance

Example stacked bar chart of use-case vendor performance.

Vendors who qualified for each use-case scenario are ranked from first to last in a weighted bar graph based on the features considered.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Information Presentation – Feature Ranks (Stoplights)

Advanced features are determined by analyst expertise, leveraging information gained from conversations with clients. Advanced features chosen as part of the evaluation are representative of what Info-Tech clients have indicated are of importance to their vendor solution. Advanced features are evaluated through a series of partial marks, dedicated to whether the solution performs all aspects of the Info-Tech definition of the feature and whether the feature is provided within the solution. Analysts hold the right to determine individual, unique scoring criteria for each evaluation. If a feature does not meet the criteria, Info-Tech holds the right to score the feature accordingly.

Use cases use features as a baseline of the inclusion and scoring criteria.

'Stoplight Legend' with green+star 'Feature category is present: best in class', green 'Feature category is present: strong', yellow 'Feature category is present: average', orange 'Feature category is partially present: weak', and red 'Feature category is absent or near-absent'.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Information Presentation – Value Index

Info-Tech’s Value Index is an indexed ranking of solution value per dollar as determined by the raw scores assigned to each criteria (for information on how raw scores are determined, see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Scoring, above).

Value scores are calculated as follows:

  1. The TCO Affordability criterion is removed from the Affordability score and the remaining product score criteria (Features, Usability, Architecture). Affordability scoring is adjusted with the TCO weighting distributed in proportion to the use case’s weighting for Affordability. Weighting is adjusted as to retain the same weightings relative to one another, while still summing to 100%.
  2. An adjusted multiplier is determined for each vendor using the recalculated Affordability scoring.
  3. The multiplier vendor score and vendor’s weighted feature score (based on the use-case scenario’s weightings), are summed. This sum is multiplied by the TCO raw score to yield an interim Value Score for each solution.
  4. All interim Value Scores are then indexed to the highest performing solution by dividing each interim Value Score by the highest interim Value Score. This results in a Value Score of 100 for the top solution and an indexed Value Score relative to the 100 for each alternate solution.
  5. Solutions are plotted according to Value Score, with the highest score plotted first, and all remaining scores plotted in descending numerical order.

Where pricing is not provided by the vendor and public sources of information cannot be found, an Affordability raw score of zero is assigned. Since multiplication by zero results in a product of zero, those solutions for which pricing cannot be determined receive a Value Score of zero. Since Info-Tech assigns a score of zero where pricing is not available, it is always in the vendor’s best interest to provide accurate and up-to-date pricing. In the event that insufficient pricing is available to accurately calculate a Value Index, Info-Tech will omit it from the Vendor Landscape.

Value Index

Vendors are arranged in order of Value Score. The Value Score each solution achieved is displayed, and so is the average score.

Example bar chart indicating the 'Value Score' vs the 'Average Score'.

Those solutions that are ranked as Champions are differentiated for point of reference.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Information Presentation – Price Evaluation: Mid-Market

Info-Tech’s Price Evaluation is a tiered representation of the three-year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of a proposed solution. Info-Tech uses this method of communicating pricing information to provide high-level budgetary guidance to its end-user clients while respecting the privacy of the vendors with whom it works. The solution TCO is calculated and then represented as belonging to one of ten pricing tiers.

Pricing tiers are as follows:

  1. Between $1 and $2,500
  2. Between $2,500 and $10,000
  3. Between $10,000 and $25,000
  4. Between $25,000 and $50,000
  5. Between $50,000 and $100,000
  6. Between $100,000 and $250,000
  7. Between $250,000 and $500,000
  8. Between $500,000 and $1,000,000
  9. Between $1,000,000 and $2,500,000
  10. Greater than $2,500,000

Where pricing is not provided, Info-Tech makes use of publicly available sources of information to determine a price. As these sources are not official price lists, the possibility exists that they may be inaccurate or outdated, and so the source of the pricing information is provided. Since Info-Tech publishes pricing information regardless of vendor participation, it is always in the vendor’s best interest to supply accurate and up to date information.

Info-Tech’s Price Evaluations are based on pre-defined pricing scenarios (see Product Pricing Scenario, below) to ensure a comparison that is as close as possible between evaluated solutions. Pricing scenarios describe a sample business and solicit guidance as to the appropriate product/service mix required to deliver the specified functionality, the list price for those tools/services, as well as three full years of maintenance and support.

Price Evaluation

Call-out bubble indicates within which price tier the three-year TCO for the solution falls, provides the brackets of that price tier, and links to the graphical representation.

Example price evaluation with a '3 year TCO...' statement, a visual gauge of bars, and a statement on the source of the information.

Scale along the bottom indicates that the graphic as a whole represents a price scale with a range of $1 to $2.5M+, while the notation indicates whether the pricing was supplied by the vendor or derived from public sources.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Information Presentation – Vendor Awards

At the conclusion of all analyses, Info-Tech presents awards to exceptional solutions in three distinct categories. Award presentation is discretionary; not all awards are extended subsequent to each Vendor Landscape and it is entirely possible, though unlikely, that no awards may be presented.

Awards categories are as follows:

  • Champion Awards are presented to the top performing solution in a particular use-case scenario. As a result, only one Champion Award is given for each use case, and the entire Vendor Landscape will have the same number of Champion Awards as the number of evaluated use cases.
  • Leader Awards are presented to top performing solutions for each use-case scenario. Depending on the use-case scenario and the number of solutions being evaluated, a variable number of leader awards will be given. This number is at the discretion of the analysts, but is generally placed at two, and given to the solutions ranking second and third respectively for the use case.
  • Best Overall Value Awards are presented to the solution for each use-case scenario that ranked the highest in the Info-Tech Value Index for each evaluated scenario (see Vendor Landscape Methodology: Information Presentation – Value Index, above). If insufficient pricing information is made available for the evaluated solutions, such that a Value Index cannot be calculated, no Best Overall Value Award will be presented. Only one Best Overall Value Award is available for each use-case scenario.

Vendor Awards for Use-Case Performance

Vendor Award: 'Champion'. Info-Tech’s Champion Award is presented to solutions that placed first in an use-case scenario within the Vendor Landscape.
Vendor Award: 'Leader'. Info-Tech Leader Award is given to solutions who placed in the top segment of a use-case scenario.
Vendor Award: 'Best Overall Value'. Info-Tech’s Best Overall Value Award is presented to the solution within each use-case scenario with the highest Value Index score.

Vendor Landscape Methodology:
Fact Check & Publication

Info-Tech takes the factual accuracy of its Vendor Landscapes, and indeed of all of its published content, very seriously. To ensure the utmost accuracy in its Vendor Landscapes, we invite all vendors of evaluated solutions (whether the vendor elected to provide a survey and/or participate in a briefing or not) to participate in a process of fact check.

Once the research project is complete and the materials are deemed to be in a publication ready state, excerpts of the material specific to each vendor’s solution are provided to the vendor. Info-Tech only provides material specific to the individual vendor’s solution for review encompassing the following:

  • All written review materials of the vendor and the vendor’s product that comprise the evaluated solution.
  • Info-Tech’s Criteria Scores / Harvey Balls detailing the individual and overall vendor / product scores assigned.
  • Info-Tech’s Feature Rank / stoplights detailing the individual feature scores of the evaluated product.
  • Info-Tech’s Raw Pricing for the vendor either as received from the vendor or as collected from publicly available sources.
  • Info-Tech’s Scenario ranking for all considered scenarios for the evaluated solution.

Info-Tech does not provide the following:

  • Info-Tech’s Vendor Landscape placement of the evaluated solution.
  • Info-Tech’s Value Score for the evaluated solution.
  • End-user feedback gathered during the research project.
  • Info-Tech’s overall recommendation in regard to the evaluated solution.

Info-Tech provides a one-week window for each vendor to provide written feedback. Feedback must be corroborated (be provided with supporting evidence), and where it does, feedback that addresses factual errors or omissions is adopted fully, while feedback that addresses opinions is taken under consideration. The assigned analyst team makes all appropriate edits and supplies an edited copy of the materials to the vendor within one week for final review.

Should a vendor still have concerns or objections at that time, they are invited to a conversation, initially via email, but as required and deemed appropriate by Info-Tech, subsequently via telephone, to ensure common understanding of the concerns. Where concerns relate to ongoing factual errors or omissions, they are corrected under the supervision of Info-Tech’s Vendor Relations personnel. Where concerns relate to ongoing differences of opinion, they are again taken under consideration with neither explicit not implicit indication of adoption.

Publication of materials is scheduled to occur within the six weeks following the completion of the research project, but does not occur until the fact check process has come to conclusion, and under no circumstances are “pre-publication” copies of any materials made available to any client.

Pricing Scenario

Info-Tech Research Group is providing each vendor with a common pricing scenario to enable normalized scoring of Affordability, calculation of Value Index rankings, and identification of the appropriate solution pricing tier as displayed on each vendor scorecard.

Vendors are asked to provide list costs for SMMP software licensing to address the needs of a reference organization described in the pricing scenario. Please price out the lowest possible 3-year total cost of ownership (TCO) including list prices for software and licensing fees to meet the requirements of the following scenario.

Three-year total acquisition costs will be normalized to produce the Affordability raw scores and calculate Value Index ratings for each solution.

The pricing scenario:

  • Enterprise Name: Imperial Products Incorporated
  • Enterprise Size: SMB
  • Enterprise Vertical: Consumer packaged goods
  • Total Number of Sites: Three office locations
  • Total Number of Employees: 500
  • Total Number SMMP End Users: 50
    • 20 dedicated CSRs who are handling all customer service issues routed to them
    • 5 PR managers who need the ability to monitor the social cloud
    • 24 brand portfolio managers – each portfolio has 5 products (25 total)
    • Each product has its own Facebook and Twitter presence
    • 1 HR manager (using social media for recruiting)
  • Total Number of IT Staff: 20
  • Operating System Environment: Windows 7
  • Functional Requirements and Additional Information: Imperial Products Incorporated is a mid-sized consumer packaged goods firm operating in the United States. The organization is currently looking to adopt a platform for social media monitoring and management. Functional requirements include the ability to monitor and publish to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs. The platform must have the ability to display volume trends, show follower demographics, and conduct sentiment analysis. It must also provide tools for interacting in-platform with social contacts, provide workflow management capabilities, and offer the ability to manage specific social properties (e.g. Facebook Pages). Additional features that are desirable are the ability to archive social interactions, and a dedicated mobile application for one of the major smartphone/tablet operating systems (iOS, Android etc.).

Service Management Integration With Agile Practices

  • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}400|cart{/j2store}
  • member rating overall impact: N/A
  • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
  • member rating average days saved: N/A
  • Parent Category Name: Service Management
  • Parent Category Link: /service-management

  • Work efficiently and in harmony with Agile and service management to deliver business value.
  • Optimize the value stream of services and products.
  • Leverage the benefits of each practice.
  • Create a culture of collaboration to support a rapidly changing business.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Agile and Service Management are not necessarily at odds; find the integration points to solve specific problems.

Impact and Result

  • Optimize the value stream of services and products.
  • Work efficiently and in harmony with Agile and service management to deliver business value.
  • Create a culture of collaboration to support a rapidly changing business.

Service Management Integration With Agile Practices Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Service Management Integration With Agile Practices Storyboard – Use this deck to understand the integration points and how to overcome common challenges.

Understand how service management integrates with Agile software development practices, and how to solve the most common challenges to work efficiently and deliver business value.

  • Service Management Integration With Agile Practices Storyboard

2. Service Management Stakeholder Register Template – Use this tool to identify and document Service Management stakeholders.

Use this tool to identify your stakeholders to engage when working on the service management integration.

  • ITSM Stakeholder Register Template

3. Service Management Integration With Agile Practices Assessment Tool – Use this tool to identify key challenging integration points in your organization.

Use this tool to identify which of your current practices might already be aligned with Agile mindset and which might need adjustment. Identify integration challenges with the current service management practices.

  • Service Management Integration With Agile Practices Assessment Tool
[infographic]

Further reading

Service Management Integration With Agile Practices

Understand how Agile transformation affects service management

Analyst Perspective

Don't forget about operations

Many organizations believe that once they have implemented Agile that they no longer need any service management framework, like ITIL. They see service management as "old" and a roadblock to deliver products and services quickly. The culture clash is obvious, and it is the most common challenge people face when trying to integrate Agile and service management. However, it is not the only challenge. Agile methodologies are focused on optimized delivery. However, what happens after delivery is often overlooked. Operations may not receive proper communication or documentation, and processes are cumbersome or non-existent. This is a huge paradox if an organization is trying to become nimbler. You need to find ways to integrate your Agile practices with your existing Service Management processes.

This is a picture of Renata Lopes

Renata Lopes
Senior Research Analyst
Organizational Transformation Practice
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

  • Work efficiently and in harmony with Agile and service management to deliver business value.
  • Optimize the value stream of services and products.
  • Leverage the benefits of each practice.
  • Create a culture of collaboration to support a rapidly changing business.

Common Obstacles

  • Culture clashes.
  • Inefficient or inexistent processes.
  • Lack of understanding of what Agile and service management mean.
  • Leadership doesn't understand the integration points of practices.
  • Development overlooks the operations requirement.

Info-Tech's Approach

  • When integrating Agile and service management practices start by understanding the key integration points:
  • Processes
  • People and resources
  • Governance and org structure

Info-Tech Insight

Agile and Service Management are not necessarily at odds Find the integration points to solve specific problems.

Your challenge

Deliver seamless business value by integrating service management and Agile development.

  • Understand how Agile development impacts service management.
  • Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies when integrating with service management.
  • Connect teams across the organization to collaborate toward the organizational goals.
  • Ensure operational requirements are considered while developing products in an Agile way.
  • Stay in alignment when designing and delivering services.

The most significant Agile adoption barriers

46% of respondents identified inconsistent processes and practices across teams as a challenge.
Source: Digital.ai, 2021

43% of respondents identified Culture clashes as a challenge.
Source: Digital.ai, 2021

What is Agile?

Agile development is an umbrella term for several iterative and incremental development methodologies to develop products.

In order to achieve Agile development, organizations will adopt frameworks and methodologies like Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Scrum, Large Scaled Scrum (LeSS), DevOps, Spotify Way of Working (WoW), etc.

  • DevOps
  • WoW
  • SAFe
  • Scrum
  • LeSS

Modernize Communications and Collaboration Infrastructure

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  • Parent Category Name: Voice & Video Management
  • Parent Category Link: /voice-video-management
  • Organizations are losing productivity from managing the limitations of yesterday’s technology. The business is changing and the current communications solution no longer adequately connects end users.
  • Old communications technology, including legacy telephony systems, disjointed messaging and communication or collaboration mediums, and unintuitive video conferencing, deteriorates the ability of users to work together in a productive manner.
  • You need a solution that meets budgetary requirements and improves internal and external communication, productivity, and the ability to work together.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Project scope and assessment will take more time than you initially anticipate. Poorly defined technical requirements can result in failure to meet the needs of the business. Defining project scope and assessing the existing solution is 60% of project time. Being thorough here will make the difference moving forward.
  • Even when the project is about modernizing technology, it’s not really about the technology. The requirements of your people and the processes you want to maintain or reform should be the influential factors in your decisions on technology.
  • Gaining business buy-in can be difficult for projects that the business doesn’t equate with directly driving revenue. Ensure your IT team communicates with the business throughout the process and establishes business requirements. Framing conversations in a “business first, IT second” way is crucial to speaking in a language the business will understand.

Impact and Result

  • Define a comprehensive set of requirements (across people, process, and technology) at the start of the project. Communication solutions are long-term commitments and mistakes in planning will be amplified during implementation.
  • Analyze the pros and cons of each deployment option and identify a communications solution that balances your budget and communications objectives and requirements.
  • Create an effective RFP by outlining your specific business and technical needs and goals.
  • Make the case for your communications infrastructure modernization project and be prepared to support it.

Modernize Communications and Collaboration Infrastructure Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should modernize your communications and collaboration infrastructure, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Assess communications infrastructure

Evaluate the infrastructure requirements and the ability to undergo modernization from legacy technology.

  • Modernize Communications and Collaboration Infrastructure – Phase 1: Assess Communications Infrastructure
  • Communications Infrastructure Roadmap Tool
  • Team Skills Inventory Tool
  • MACD Workflow Mapping Template - Visio
  • MACD Workflow Mapping Template - PDF

2. Define the target state

Build and document a formal set of business requirements using Info-Tech's pre-populated template after identifying stakeholders, aligning business and user needs, and evaluating deployment options.

  • Modernize Communications and Collaboration Infrastructure – Phase 2: Define the Target State
  • Stakeholder Engagement Workbook
  • Communications Infrastructure Stakeholder Focus Group Guide
  • IP Telephony and UC End-User Survey Questions
  • Enterprise Communication and Collaboration System Business Requirements Document
  • Communications TCO-ROI Comparison Calculator

3. Advance the project

Draft an RFP for a UC solution and gain project approval using Info-Tech’s executive presentation deck.

  • Modernize Communications and Collaboration Infrastructure – Phase 3: Advance the Project
  • Unified Communications Solution RFP Template
  • Modernize Communications Infrastructure Executive Presentation
[infographic]

Workshop: Modernize Communications and Collaboration Infrastructure

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Assess the Communications Infrastructure

The Purpose

Identify pain points.

Build a skills inventory.

Define and rationalize template configuration needs.

Define standard service requests and map workflow.

Discuss/examine site type(s) and existing technology.

Determine network state and readiness.

Key Benefits Achieved

IT skills & process understanding.

Documentation reflecting communications infrastructure.

Reviewed network readiness.

Completed current state analysis.

Activities

1.1 Build a skills inventory.

1.2 Document move, add, change, delete (MACD) processes.

1.3 List relevant communications and collaboration technologies.

1.4 Review network readiness checklist.

Outputs

Clearly documented understanding of available skills

Documented process maps

Complete list of relevant communications and collaboration technologies

Completed readiness checklist

2 Learn and Evaluate Options to Define the Future

The Purpose

Hold focus group meeting.

Define business needs and goals.

Define solution options.

Evaluate options.

Discuss business value and readiness for each option.

Key Benefits Achieved

Completed value and readiness assessment.

Current targets for service and deployment models.

Activities

2.1 Conduct internal focus group.

2.2 Align business needs and goals.

2.3 Evaluate deployment options.

Outputs

Understanding of user needs, wants, and satisfaction with current solution

Assessment of business needs and goals

Understanding of potential future-state solution options

3 Identify and Close the Gaps

The Purpose

Identify gaps.

Examine and evaluate ways to remedy gaps.

Determine specific business requirements and introduce draft of business requirements document.

Key Benefits Achieved

Completed description of future state.

Identification of gaps.

Identification of key business requirements.

Activities

3.1 Identify gaps and brainstorm gap remedies.

3.2 Complete business requirements document.

Outputs

Well-defined gaps and remedies

List of specific business requirements

4 Build the Roadmap

The Purpose

Introduce Unified Communications Solution RFP Template.

Develop statement of work (SOW).

Document technical requirements.

Complete cost-benefit analysis.

Key Benefits Achieved

Unified Communications RFP.

Documented technical requirements.

Activities

4.1 Draft RFP (SOW, tech requirements, etc.).

4.2 Conduct cost-benefit analysis.

Outputs

Ready to release RFP

Completed cost-benefit analysis

Stabilize Release and Deployment Management

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  • Parent Category Name: Operations Management
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Lack of control over the release process, poor collaboration between teams, and manual deployments lead to poor quality releases at a cost to the business.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Manage risk. Release management should stabilize the IT environment. A poorly designed release can take down the whole business. Rushing releases out the door leads to increased risk for the business.
  • Quality processes are key. Standardized process will enable your release and deployment management teams to have a framework to deploy new releases with minimal chance of costly downtime further down the production chain.
  • Business must own the process. Release managers need oversight of the business to remain good stewards of the release management process.

Impact and Result

  • Be prepared with a release management policy. With vulnerabilities discovered and published at an alarming pace, organizations have to build a plan to address and fix them quickly. A detailed release and patch policy should map out all the logistics of the deployment in advance, so that when necessary, teams can handle rollouts like a well-oiled machine.
  • Automate your software deployment and patch management strategy. Replace tedious and time-consuming manual processes with the use of automated release and patch management tools. Some organizations have a variety of release tools for various tasks and processes to ensure all or most of the required processes are covered across a diverse development environment.
  • Test deployments and monitor your releases. Larger organizations may have the luxury of a test environment prior to deployment, but that may be cost prohibitive for smaller organizations. If resources are a constraint, roll out the patch gradually and closely monitor performance to be able to quickly revert in the event of an issue.

Stabilize Release and Deployment Management Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should control and stabilize your release and deployment management practice while improving the quality of releases and deployments, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Analyze current state

Begin improving release management by assessing the current state and gaining a solid understanding of how core operational processes are actually functioning within the organization.

  • Stabilize Release and Deployment Management – Phase 1: Analyze Current State
  • Release Management Maturity Assessment
  • Release Management Project Roadmap Tool
  • Release Management Workflow Library (Visio)
  • Release Management Workflow Library (PDF)
  • Release Management Standard Operating Procedure
  • Patch Management Policy
  • Release Management Policy
  • Release Management Deployment Tracker
  • Release Management Build Procedure Template

2. Plan releases and deployments

Plan releases to gather all the pieces in one place and define what, why, when, and how a release will happen.

  • Stabilize Release and Deployment Management – Phase 2: Release and Deployment Planning

3. Build, test, deploy

Take a holistic and comprehensive approach to effectively designing and building releases. Get everything right the first time.

  • Stabilize Release and Deployment Management – Phase 3: Build, Test, Deploy

4. Measure, manage, improve

Determine desired goals for release management to ensure both IT and the business see the benefits of implementation.

  • Stabilize Release and Deployment Management – Phase 4: Measure, Manage, Improve
[infographic]

Workshop: Stabilize Release and Deployment Management

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Analyze Current State

The Purpose

Release management improvement begins with assessment of the current state.

Key Benefits Achieved

A solid understanding of how core operational processes are actually functioning within the organization.

Activities

1.1 Evaluate process maturity.

1.2 Assess release management challenges.

1.3 Define roles and responsibilities.

1.4 Review and rightsize existing policy suite.

Outputs

Maturity Assessment

Release Management Policy

Release Management Standard Operating Procedure

Patch Management Policy

2 Release Management Planning

The Purpose

In simple terms, release planning puts all the pertinent pieces in one place.

Key Benefits Achieved

It defines the what, why, when, and how a release will happen.

Activities

2.1 Design target state release planning process.

2.2 Define, bundle, and categorize releases.

2.3 Standardize deployment plans and models.

Outputs

Release Planning Workflow

Categorization and prioritization schemes

Deployment models aligned to release types

3 Build, Test, and Deploy

The Purpose

Take a holistic and comprehensive approach to effectively designing and building releases.

Key Benefits Achieved

Standardize build and test procedures to begin to drive consistency.

Activities

3.1 Standardize build procedures for deployments.

3.2 Standardize test plans aligned to release types.

Outputs

Build procedure for hardware and software releases

Test models aligned to deployment models

4 Measure, Manage, and Improve

The Purpose

Determine and define the desired goals for release management as a whole.

Key Benefits Achieved

Agree to key metrics and success criteria to start tracking progress and establish a post-deployment review process to promote continual improvement.

Activities

4.1 Determine key metrics to track progress.

4.2 Establish a post-deployment review process.

4.3 Understand and define continual improvement drivers.

Outputs

List of metrics and goals

Post-deployment validation checklist

Project roadmap

Create Stakeholder-Centric Architecture Governance

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  • Traditional enterprise architecture management (EAM) caters to only 10% – the IT people, and not to the remaining 90% of the organization.
  • EAM practices do not scale well with the agile way of working and are often perceived as "bottlenecks” or “restrictors of design freedom.”
  • The organization scale does not justify a full-fledged EAM with many committees, complex processes, and detailed EA artifacts.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Architecture is a competency, not a function. Project teams, including even business managers outside of IT, can assimilate “architectural thinking.”

Impact and Result

Increase business value through the dissemination of architectural thinking throughout the organization. Maturing your EAM practices beyond a certain point does not help.

Create Stakeholder-Centric Architecture Governance Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Start here

Improve benefits from your enterprise architecture efforts through the dissemination of architecture thinking throughout your organization.

  • Create Stakeholder-Centric Architecture Governance Storyboard
[infographic]

Create a Buyer Persona and Journey

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  • Parent Category Name: Marketing Solutions
  • Parent Category Link: /marketing-solutions
  • Contacts fail to convert to leads because messaging fails to resonate with buyers.
  • Products fail to reach targets given shallow understanding of buyer needs.
  • Sellers' emails go unopened and attempts at discovery fail due to no understanding of buyer challenges, pain points, and needs.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Marketing leaders in possession of well-researched and up-to-date buyer personas and journeys dramatically improve product market fit, lead gen, and sales results.
  • Success starts with product, marketing, and sales alignment on targeted personas.
  • Speed to deploy is enabled via initial buyer persona attribute discovery internally.
  • However, ultimate success requires buyer interviews, especially for the buyer journey.
  • Leading marketers update journey maps every six months as disruptive events such as COVID-19 and new media and tech platform advancements require continual innovation.

Impact and Result

  • Reduce time and treasure wasted chasing the wrong prospects.
  • Improve product-market fit.
  • Increase open and click-through rates in your lead gen engine.
  • Perform more effective sales discovery and increase eventual win rates.

Create a Buyer Persona and Journey Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Our Executive Brief summarizes the challenges faced when buyer persona and journeys are ill-defined. It describes the attributes of, and the benefits that accrue from, a well-defined persona and journey and the key steps to take to achieve success.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Drive an aligned initial draft of buyer persona

Define and align your team on target persona, outline steps to capture and document a robust buyer persona and journey, and capture current team buyer knowledge.

  • Buyer Persona Creation Template
  • Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

2. Interview buyers and validate persona and journey

Hold initial buyer interviews, test initial results, and continue with interviews.

3. Prepare communications and educate stakeholders

Consolidate interview findings, present to product, marketing, and sales teams. Work with them to apply to product design, marketing launch/campaigning, and sales and customer success enablement.

  • Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template
[infographic]

Workshop: Create a Buyer Persona and Journey

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Align Team, Identify Persona, and Document Current Knowledge

The Purpose

Organize, drive alignment on target persona, and capture initial views.

Key Benefits Achieved

Steering committee and project team roles and responsibilities clarified.

Product, marketing, and sales aligned on target persona.

Build initial team understanding of persona.

Activities

1.1 Outline a vision for buyer persona and journey creation and identify stakeholders.

1.2 Identify buyer persona choices and settle on an initial target.

1.3 Document team knowledge about buyer persona (and journey where possible).

Outputs

Documented steering committee and working team

Executive Brief on personas and journey

Personas and initial targets

Documented team knowledge

2 Validate Initial Work and Identify Buyer Interviewees

The Purpose

Build list of buyer interviewees, finalize interview guide, and validate current findings with analyst input.

Key Benefits Achieved

Interview efficiently using 75-question interview guide.

Gain analyst help in persona validation, reducing workload.

Activities

2.1 Share initial insights with covering industry analyst.

2.2 Hear from industry analyst their perspectives on the buyer persona attributes.

2.3 Reconcile differences; update “current understanding.”

2.4 Identify interviewee types by segment, region, etc.

Outputs

Analyst-validated initial findings

Target interviewee types

3 Schedule and Hold Buyer Interviews

The Purpose

Validate current persona hypothesis and flush out those attributes only derived from interviews.

Key Benefits Achieved

Get to a critical mass of persona and journey understanding quickly.

Activities

3.1 Identify actual list of 15-20 interviewees.

3.2 Hold interviews and use interview guides over the course of weeks.

3.3 Hold review session after initial 3-4 interviews to make adjustments.

3.4 Complete interviews.

Outputs

List of interviewees; calls scheduled

Initial review – “are you going in the right direction?”

Completed interviews

4 Summarize Findings and Provide Actionable Guidance to Colleagues

The Purpose

Summarize persona and journey attributes and provide activation guidance to team.

Key Benefits Achieved

Understanding of product market fit requirements, messaging, and marketing, and sales asset content.

Activities

4.1 Summarize findings.

4.2 Create action items for supporting team, e.g. messaging, touch points, media spend, assets.

4.3 Convene steering committee/executives and working team for final review.

4.4 Schedule meetings with colleagues to action results.

Outputs

Complete findings

Action items for team members

Plan for activation

5 Measure Impact and Results

The Purpose

Measure results, adjust, and improve.

Key Benefits Achieved

Activation of outcomes; measured results.

Activities

5.1 Review final copy, assets, launch/campaign plans, etc.

5.2 Develop/review implementation plan.

5.3 Reconvene team to review results.

Outputs

Activation review

List of suggested next steps

Further reading

Create a Buyer Persona and Journey

Make it easier to market, sell, and achieve product-market fit with deeper buyer understanding.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

B2B marketers without documented personas and journeys often experience the following:

  • Contacts fail to convert to leads because messaging fails to resonate with buyers.
  • Products fail to reach targets given shallow understanding of buyer needs.
  • Sellers’ emails go unopened, and attempts at discovery fail due to no understanding of buyer challenges, pain points, and needs.

Without a deeper understanding of buyer needs and how they buy, B2B marketers will waste time and precious resources targeting the incorrect personas.

Common Obstacles

Despite being critical elements, organizations struggle to build personas due to:

  • A lack of alignment and collaboration among marketing, product, and sales.
  • An internal focus; or a lack of true customer centricity.
  • A lack of tools and techniques for building personas and buyer journeys.

In today’s Agile development environment, combined with the pressure to generate revenues quickly, high tech marketers often skip the steps necessary to go deeper to build buyer understanding.

SoftwareReviews’ Approach

With a common framework and target output, clients will:

  • Align marketing, sales, and product, and collaborate together to share current knowledge on buyer personas and journeys.
  • Target 12-15 customers and prospects to interview and validate insights. Share that with customer-facing staff.
  • Activate the insights for more customer-centric lead generation, product development, and selling.

Clients who activate findings from buyer personas and journeys will see a 50% results improvement.

SoftwareReviews Insight:
Buyer personas and buyer journeys are essential ingredients in go-to-market success, as they inform for product, marketing, sales, and customer success who we are targeting and how to engage with them successfully.

Buyer personas and journeys: A go-to-market critical success factor

Marketers – large and small – will fail to optimize product-market fit, lead generation, and sales effectiveness without well-defined buyer personas and a buyer journey.

Critical Success Factors of a Successful G2M Strategy:

  • Opportunity size and business case
  • Buyer personas and journey
  • Competitively differentiated product hypothesis
  • Buyer-validated commercial concept
  • Sales revenue plan and program cost budget
  • Consolidated communications to steering committee

Jeff Golterman, Managing Director, SoftwareReviews Advisory

“44% of B2B marketers have already discovered the power of Personas.”
– Hasse Jansen, Boardview.io!, 2016

Documenting buyer personas enables success beyond marketing

Documenting buyer personas has several essential benefits to marketing, sales, and product teams:

  • Achieve a better understanding of your target buyer – by building a detailed buyer persona for each type of buyer and keeping it fresh, you take a giant step toward becoming a customer-centric organization.
  • Team alignment on a common definition – will happen when you build buyer personas collaboratively and among those teams that touch the customer.
  • Improved lead generation – increases dramatically when messaging and marketing assets across your lead generation engine better resonate with buyers because you have taken the time to understand them deeply.
  • More effective selling – is possible when sellers apply persona development output to their interactions with prospects and customers.
  • Better product-market fit – increases when product teams more deeply understand for whom they are designing products. Documenting buyer challenges, pain points, and unmet needs gives product teams what they need to optimize product adoption.

“It’s easier buying gifts for your best friend or partner than it is for a stranger, right? You know their likes and dislikes, you know the kind of gifts they’ll have use for, or the kinds of gifts they’ll get a kick out of. Customer personas work the same way, by knowing what your customer wants and needs, you can present them with content targeted specifically to their wants and needs.”
– Emma Bilardi, Product Marketing Alliance, 2020

Buyer understanding activates just about everything

Without the deep buyer insights that persona and journey capture enables, marketers are suboptimized.

Buyer Persona and Journey

  • Product design
  • Customer targeting
  • Personalization
  • Messaging
  • Content marketing
  • Lead gen & scoring
  • Sales Effectiveness
  • Customer retention

“Marketing eutopia is striking the all-critical sweet spot that adds real value and makes customers feel recognized and appreciated, while not going so far as to appear ‘big brother’. To do this, you need a deep understanding of your audience coming from a range of different data sets and the capability to extract meaning.”
– Plexure, 2020

Does your organization need buyer persona and journey updating?

“Yes,” if experiencing one or more key challenges:

  • Sales time is wasted on unqualified leads
  • Website abandon rates are high
  • Lead gen engine click-through rates are low
  • Ideal customer profile is ill defined
  • Marketing asset downloads are low
  • Seller discovery with prospects is ineffective
  • Sales win/loss rates drop due to poor product-market fit
  • Higher than desired customer churn

SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
Marketers developing buyer personas and journeys that lack agreement among Marketing, Sales, and Product of personas to target will squander precious time and resources throughout the customer targeting and acquisition process.

Outcomes and benefits

Building your buyer persona and journey using our methodology will enable:

  • Greater stakeholder alignment – when marketing, product, and sales agree on personas, less time is wasted on targeting alternate personas.
  • Improved product-market fit – when buyers see both pain-relieving features and value-based pricing, “because you asked vs. guessed,” win rates increase.
  • Greater open and click-through rates – because you understood buyer pain points and motivations for solution seeking, you’ll see higher visits and engagement with your lead gen engine, and because you asked “what asset types do you find most helpful” your CTAs become ”lead-gen magnets” because you’ve offered the right asset types in your content marketing strategy.
  • More qualified leads – because you defined a more accurate ideal customer profile (ICP) and your lead scoring algorithm has improved, sellers see more qualified leads.
  • Increased sales cycle velocity – since you learned from personas their content and engagement preferences and what collateral types they need during the down-funnel sales discussions, sales calls are more productive and sales cycles shrink.

Our methodology for buyer persona and journey creation

1. Document Team Knowledge of Buyer Persona and Drive Alignment 2. Interview Target Buyer Prospects and Customers 3. Create Outputs and Apply to Marketing, Sales, and Product
Phase Steps
  1. Outline a vision for buyer persona and journey creation and identify stakeholders.
  2. Pull stakeholders together, identify initial buyer persona, and begin to document team knowledge about buyer persona (and journey where possible).
  3. Validate with industry and marketing analyst’s initial buyer persona, and identify list of buyer interviewees.
  1. Hold interviews and document and share findings.
  2. Validate initial drafts of buyer persona and create initial documented buyer journey. Review findings among key stakeholders, steering committee, and supporting analysts.
  3. Complete remaining interviews.
  1. Summarize findings.
  2. Convene steering committee/exec. and working team for final review.
  3. Communicate to key stakeholders in product, marketing, sales, and customer success for activation.
Phase Outcomes
  1. Steering committee and team selection
  2. Team insights about buyer persona documented
  3. Buyer persona validation with industry and marketing analysts
  4. Sales, marketing, and product alignment
  1. Interview guide
  2. Target interviewee list
  3. Buyer-validated buyer persona
  4. Buyer journey documented with asset types, channels, and “how buyers buy” fully documented
  1. Education deck on buyer persona and journey ready for use with all stakeholders: product, field marketing, sales, executives, customer success, partners
  2. Activation will update product-market fit, optimize lead gen, and improve sales effectiveness

Our approach provides interview guides and templates to help rebuild buyer persona

Our methodology will enable you to align your team on why it’s important to capture the most important attributes of buyer persona including:

  • Functional – helps you find and locate your target personas
  • Emotive – deepens team understanding of buyer initiatives, motivations for seeking alternatives, challenges they face, pain points for your offerings to address, and terminology that describes the “space”
  • Solution – enables greater product market fit
  • Behavioral – clarifies how to communicate with personas and understand their content preferences
Functional – “to find them”
Job Role Title Org. Chart Dynamics Buying Center Firmographics
Emotive – “what they do and jobs to be done”
Initiatives: What programs/projects the persona is tasked with and their feelings and aspirations about these initiatives. Motivations? Build credibility? Get promoted? Challenges: Identify the business issues, problems, and pain points that impede attainment of objectives. What are their fears, uncertainties, and doubts about these challenges? Buyer Need: They may have multiple needs; which need is most likely met with the offering? Terminology: What are the keywords/phrases they organically use to discuss the buyer need or business issue?
Decision Criteria – “how they decide”
Buyer Role: List decision-making criteria and power level. The five common buyer roles are champion, influencer, decision maker, user, and ratifier (purchaser/negotiator). Evaluation and Decision Criteria: Which lens – strategic, financial, or operational – does the persona evaluate the impact of purchase through?
Solution Attributes – “what does the ideal solution look like”
Steps in “Jobs to Be Done” Elements of the “Ideal Solution” Business outcomes from ideal solution Opportunity scope; other potential users Acceptable price for value delivered Alternatives that see consideration Solution sourcing: channel, where to buy
Behavioral Attributes – “how to approach them successfully”
Content Preferences: List the persona’s content preferences – blog, infographic, demo, video – vs. long-form assets (e.g. white paper, presentation, analyst report). Interaction Preferences: Which are preferred among in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, videoconferencing, conducting research via Web, mobile, and social? Watering Holes: Which physical or virtual places do they go to network or exchange info with peers (e.g. LinkedIn)?

Buyer journeys are constantly shifting

If you didn’t remap buyer journeys in 2021, you may be losing to competitors that did. Leaders remap buyer journey frequently.

  • The multi-channel buyer journey is constantly changing. Today’s B2B buyer uses industry research sites, vendor content marketing assets, software reviews sites, contacts with vendor salespeople, events participation, peer networking, consultants, emails, social media sites, and electronic media to research purchasing decisions.
  • COVID-19 has dramatically decreased face-to-face interaction. We estimate a B2B buyer spent 20-25% more time online in 2021 than pre-COVID-19 researching software buying decisions. This has diminished the importance of face-to-face selling and given dramatic rise to digital selling and outbound marketing.
  • Content marketing has exploded, but without mapping the buyer journey and knowing where – by channel –and when – by buyer journey step – to offer content marketing assets, we will fail to convert prospects into buyers.

“~2/3 of [B2B] buyers prefer remote human interactions or digital self-service.” And during Aug. ‘20 to Feb. ‘21, use of digital self-service to interact with sales reps leapt by more than 10% for both researching and evaluating new suppliers.”
– Liz Harrison, Dennis Spillecke, Jennifer Stanley, and Jenny Tsai McKinsey & Company, 2021

SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
Marketers are advised to update their buyer journey annually and with greater frequency when the human vs. digital mix is affected due to events such as COVID-19 and as emerging media such as AR shifts asset-type usage and engagement options.

Our approach helps you define the buyer journey

Because marketing leaders need to reach buyers through the right channel with the right message at the right time during their decision cycle, you’ll benefit by using questionnaires that enable you to build the below easily and quickly.

You’ll be more successful by following our overall guidance

Overarching insight

Buyer personas and buyer journeys are essential ingredients in go-to-market success, as they inform for product, marketing, sales, and customer success who we are targeting and how to engage with them successfully.

Align Your Team

Marketers developing buyer personas and journeys that lack agreement among Marketing, Sales, and Product of personas to target will squander precious time and resources throughout the customer targeting and acquisition process.

Jump-Start Persona Development

Marketing leaders leverage the buyer persona knowledge not only from in-house experts in areas such as sales and executives but from analysts that speak with their buyers each and every day.

Buyer Interviews Are a Must

While leaders will get a fast start by interviewing sellers, executives, and analysts, you will fail to craft the right messages, build the right marketing assets, and design the best buyer journey if you skip buyer interviews.

Watch for Disruption

Leaders will update their buyer journey annually and with greater frequency when the human vs. digital mix is effected due to events such as COVID-19 and as emerging media such as AR and VR shifts the way buyers engage.

Advanced Buyer Journey Discovery

Digital marketers that ramp up lead gen engine capabilities to capture “wins” and measure engagement back through the lead gen and nurturing engines will build a more data-driven view of the buyer journey. Target to build this advanced capability in your initial design.

Tools and templates to speed your success

This blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you gather team insights, interview customers and prospects, and summarize results for ease in communications.

To support your buyer persona and journey creation, we’ve created the enclosed tools

Buyer Persona Creation Template

A PowerPoint template to aid the capture and summarizing of your team’s insights on the buyer persona.

Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

For interviewing customers and prospects, this tool is designed to help you interview personas and summarize results for up to 15 interviewees.

Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

A PowerPoint template into which you can drop your buyer persona and journey interviewees list and summary findings.

SoftwareReviews offers two levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

The "do-it-yourself" step-by-step instructions begin with Phase 1.

Guided Implementation

"Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

A Guided Implementation is a series of analysts inquiries with you and your team.

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout each option.

Guided Implementation

A Guided Implementation (GI) is series of calls with a SoftwareReviews Advisory analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

For guidance on marketing applications, we can arrange a discussion with an Info-Tech analyst.

Your engagement managers will work with you to schedule analyst calls.

What does our GI on buyer persona and journey mapping look like?

Drive an Aligned Initial Draft of Buyer Persona

  • Call #1: Collaborate on vision for buyer persona and the buyer journey. Review templates and sample outputs. Identify your team.
  • Call #2: Review work in progress on capturing working team knowledge of buyer persona elements.
  • Call #3: (Optional) Review Info-Tech’s research-sourced persona insights.
  • Call #4: Validate the persona WIP with Info-Tech analysts. Review buyer interview approach and target list.

Interview Buyers and Validate Persona and Journey

  • Call #5: Revise/review interview guide and final interviewee list; schedule interviews.
  • Call #6: Review interim interview finds; adjust interview guide.
  • Call #7: Use interview findings to validate/update persona and build journey map.
  • Call #8: Add supporting analysts to final stakeholder review.

Prepare Communications and Educate Stakeholders

  • Call #9: Review output templates completed with final persona and journey findings.
  • Call #10: Add supporting analysts to stakeholder education meetings for support and help with addressing questions/issues.

Workshop overview

Contact your account representative for more information. workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

Day1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Align Team, Identify Persona, and Document Current Knowledge Validate Initial Work and Identify Buyer Interviewees Schedule and Hold Buyer interviews Summarize Findings and Provide Actionable Guidance to Colleagues Measure Impact and Results
Activities

1.1 Outline a vision for buyer persona and journey creation and identify stakeholders.

1.2 Identify buyer persona choices and settle on an initial target.

1.3 Document team knowledge about buyer persona (and journey where possible).

2.1 Share initial insights with covering industry analyst.

2.2 Hear from industry analyst their perspectives on the buyer persona attributes.

2.3 Reconcile differences; update “current understanding.”

2.4 Identify interviewee types by segment, region, etc.

3.1 Identify actual list of 15-20 interviewees.

A gap of up to a week for scheduling of interviews.

3.2 Hold interviews and use interview guides (over the course of weeks).

3.3 Hold review session after initial 3-4 interviews to make adjustments.

3.4 Complete interviews.

4.1 Summarize findings.

4.2 Create action items for supporting team, e.g. messaging, touch points, media spend, assets.

4.3 Convene steering committee/exec. and working team for final review.

4.4 Schedule meetings with colleagues to action results.

5.1 Review final copy, assets, launch/campaign plans, etc.

5.2 Develop/review implementation plan.

A period of weeks will likely intervene to execute and gather results.

5.3 Reconvene team to review results.

Deliverables
  1. Documented steering committee and working team
  2. Executive Brief on personas and journey
  3. Personas and initial targets
  4. Documented team knowledge
  1. Analyst-validated initial findings
  2. Target interviewee types
  1. List of interviewees; calls scheduled
  2. Initial review – “are we going in the right direction?”
  3. Completed interviews
  1. Complete findings
  2. Action items for team members
  3. Plan for activation
  1. Activation review
  2. List of suggested next steps

Phase 1
Drive an Aligned Initial Draft of Buyer Persona

This Phase walks you through the following activities:

  • Develop an understanding of what comprises a buyer persona and journey, including their importance to overall go-to-market strategy and execution.
  • Sample outputs.

This Phase involves the following stakeholders:

  • Program leadership
  • Product Marketing
  • Product Management
  • Representative(s) from Sales
  • Executive Leadership

1.1 Establish the team and align on shared vision

Input

  • Typically a joint recognition that buyer personas have not been fully documented.
  • Identify working team members/participants (see below), and an executive sponsor.

Output

  • Communication of team members involved and the make-up of steering committee and working team
  • Alignment of team members on a shared vision of “Why Build Buyer Personas and Journey” and what key attributes define both.

Materials

  • N/A

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • CMO/Sponsoring Executive Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales
  • SoftwareReviews marketing analyst

60 minutes

  1. Schedule inquiry with working team members and walk the team through the Buyer Persona and Journey Executive Brief PowerPoint presentation.
  2. Optional: Have the (SoftwareReviews Advisory) SRA analyst walk the team through the Buyer Persona and Journey Executive Brief PowerPoint presentation as part of your session.

Review the Create a Buyer Persona Executive Brief (Slides 3-14)

1.2 Document team knowledge of buyer persona

Input

  • Working team member knowledge

Output

  • Initial draft of your buyer persona

Materials

  • Buyer Persona Creation Template

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • CMO/Sponsoring Executive (optional)
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales

2-3 sessions of 60 minutes each

  1. Schedule meeting with working team members and, using the Buyer Persona Template, lead the team in a discussion that documents current team knowledge of the target buyer persona.
  2. Lead the team to prioritize an initial, single, most important persona and to collaborate to complete the template (and later, the buyer journey). Once the team learns the process for working on the initial persona, the development of additional personas will become more efficient.
  3. Place the PowerPoint template in a shared drive for team collaboration. Expect to schedule several 60-minute meets. Quicken collaboration by encouraging team to “do their homework” by sharing persona knowledge within the shared drive version of the template. Your goal is to get to an initial agreed upon version that can be shared for additional validation with industry analyst(s) in the next step.

Download the Buyer Persona Creation Template

1.3 Validate with industry analysts

Input

  • Identify gaps in persona from previous steps

Output

  • Further validated buyer persona

Materials

  • Bring your Buyer Persona Creation Template to the meeting to share with analysts

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • CMO/Sponsoring Executive (Optional)
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales
  • Info-Tech analyst covering your product category and SoftwareReviews marketing analyst

30 minutes

  1. Schedule meeting with working team members and discuss which persona areas require further validation from an Info-Tech analyst who has worked closely with those buyers within your persona.

60 minutes

  1. Schedule an inquiry with the appropriate Info-Tech analyst and SoftwareReviews Advisory analyst to share current findings and see:
    1. Info-Tech analyst provide content feedback given what they know about your target persona and product category.
    2. SoftwareReviews Advisory analyst provide feedback on persona approach and to coach any gaps or important omissions.
  2. Tabulate results and update your persona summary. At this point you will likely require additional validation through interviews with customers and prospects.

1.4 Identify interviewees and prepare for interviews

Input

  • Identify segments within which you require persona knowledge
  • Understand your persona insight gaps

Output

  • List of interviewees

Materials

  • Interviewee recording template on following slide
  • Interview guide questions found within the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and data Capture Tool

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales

1-2 weeks

  1. Identify the types of customers and prospects that will best represent your target persona. Choose interviewees that when interviewed will inform key differences among key segments (geographies, company size, mix of customers and prospects, etc.).
  2. Recruit interviewees and schedule interviews for 45 minutes.
  3. Keep track of Interviewees using the slide following this one.
  4. In preparation for interviews, review the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool. Review the two sets of questions:
    1. Buyer Persona-Related – use to validate areas where you still have gaps in your persona, OR if you are starting with a blank persona and wish to build your personas entirely based on customer and prospect interviews.
    2. Buyer-Journey Related, which we will focus on in the next phase.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

The image shows a table titled ‘Interviewee List.’ A note next to the title indicates: Here you will document your interviewee list and outreach plan. A note in the Segment column indicates: Ensure you are interviewing personas across segments that will give you the insights you need, e.g. by size, by region, mix of customers and prospects. A note in the Title column reads: Vary your title types up or down in the “buying center” if you are seeking to strengthen buying center dynamics understanding. A note in the Roles column reads: Vary your role types according to decision-making roles (decision maker, influencer, ratifier, coach, user) if you are seeking to strengthen decision-making dynamics understanding.

Phase 2
Interview Buyers and Validate Persona and Journey

This Phase walks you through the following activities:

  • Developing final interview guide.
  • Interviewing buyers and customers.
  • Adjusting approach.
  • Validating buyer persona.
  • Crafting buyer journey
  • Gaining analyst feedback.

This Phase involves the following stakeholders:

  • Program leadership
  • Product Marketing
  • Representative(s) from Sales

2.1 Hold interviews

Input

  • List of interviewees
  • Final list of questions

Output

  • Buyer perspectives on their personas and buyer journeys

Materials

  • Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and data Capture Tool

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales

1-2 weeks

  1. Hold interviews and adjust your interviewing approach as you go along. Uncover where you are not getting the right answers, check with working team and analysts, and adjust.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

2.2 Use interview findings to validate what’s needed for activation

Input

  • List of interviewees
  • Final list of questions

Output

  • Buyer perspectives on their personas and buyer journeys
  • Stakeholder feedback that actionable insights are resulting from interviews

Materials

  • Buyer Persona Creation Template
  • Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales
  • SoftwareReviews marketing analyst

2 hours

  1. Convene your team, with marketing analysts, and test early findings: It’s wise to test initial interview results to check that you are getting the right insights to understand and validate key challenges, pain points, needs, and other vital areas pertaining to the buyer persona. Are the answers you are getting enabling you to complete the Summary slides for later communications and training for Sales?
  2. Check when doing buyer journey interviews that you are getting actionable answers that drive messaging, what asset types are needed, what the marketing channel mix is, and other vital insights to activate the results. Are the answers you are getting adequate to give guidance to campaigners, content marketers, and sales enablement?
  3. See the following slides for detailed questions that need to be answered satisfactorily by your team members that need to “activate” the results.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

2.2.1 Are you getting what you need from interviews to inform the buyer persona?

Test that you are on the right track:

  1. Are you getting the functional answers so you can guide sellers to the right roles? Can you guide marketers/campaigners to the right “Ideal Customer Profile” for lead scoring?
  2. Are you capturing the right emotive areas that will support message crafting? Solutioning? SEM/SEO?
  3. Are you capturing insights into “how they decide” so sellers are well informed on the decision-making dynamics?
  4. Are you getting a strong understanding of content, interaction preferences, and news and information sources so sellers can outreach more effectively, you can pinpoint media spend, and content marketing can create the right assets?
Functional – “to find them”
Job Role Title Org. Chart Dynamics Buying Center Firmographics
Emotive – “what they do and jobs to be done”
Initiatives: What programs/projects the persona is tasked with and their feelings and aspirations about these initiatives. Motivations? Build credibility? Get promoted? Challenges: Identify the business issues, problems, and pain points that impede attainment of objectives. What are their fears, uncertainties, and doubts about these challenges? Buyer Need: They may have multiple needs; which need is most likely met with the offering? Terminology: What are the keywords/phrases they organically use to discuss the buyer need or business issue?
Decision Criteria – “how they decide”
Buyer Role: List decision-making criteria and power level. The five common buyer roles are champion, influencer, decision maker, user, and ratifier (purchaser/negotiator). Evaluation and Decision Criteria: Which lens – strategic, financial, or operational – does the persona evaluate the impact of purchase through?
Solution Attributes – “what does the ideal solution look like”
Steps in “Jobs to Be Done” Elements of the “Ideal Solution” Business outcomes from ideal solution Opportunity scope; other potential users Acceptable price for value delivered Alternatives that see consideration Solution sourcing: channel, where to buy
Behavioral Attributes – “how to approach them successfully”
Content Preferences: List the persona’s content preferences – blog, infographic, demo, video – vs. long-form assets (e.g. white paper, presentation, analyst report). Interaction Preferences: Which are preferred among in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, videoconferencing, conducting research via Web, mobile, and social? Watering Holes: Which physical or virtual places do they go to network or exchange info with peers (e.g. LinkedIn)?

2.2.2 Are you getting what you need from interviews to support the buyer journey?

Our approach helps you define the buyer journey

Because marketing leaders need to reach buyers through the right channel with the right message at the right time during their decision cycle, you’ll benefit by using questionnaires that enable you to build the below easily and quickly.

2.3 Continue interviews

Input

  • Final adjustments to list of interview questions

Output

  • Final buyer perspectives on their personas and buyer journeys

Materials

  • Buyer Persona Creation Template
  • Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and data Capture Tool

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales

1-2 weeks

  1. Continue customer and prospect interviews.
  2. Ensure you are gaining the segment perspectives needed.
  3. Complete the “Summary” columns within the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

Phase 3
Prepare Communications and Educate Stakeholders

This Phase walks you through the following activities:

  • Creating outputs for key stakeholders
  • Communicating final findings and supporting marketing, sales, and product activation.

This Phase involves the following stakeholders:

  • Program leadership
  • Product Marketing
  • Product Management
  • Sales
  • Field Marketing/Campaign Management
  • Executive Leadership

3.1 Summarize interview results and convene full working team and steering committee for final review

Input

  • Buyer persona and journey interviews detail

Output

  • Buyer perspectives on their personas and buyer journeys

Materials

  • Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool
  • Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • CMO/Sponsoring Executive (Optional)
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales
  • SoftwareReviews marketing analyst

1-2 hours

  1. Summarize interview results within the Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

3.2 Convene executive steering committee and working team to review results

Input

  • Buyer persona and journey interviews summary

Output

  • Buyer perspectives on their personas and buyer journeys

Materials

  • Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales

1-2 hours

  1. Present final persona and journey results to the steering committee/executives and to working group using the summary slides interview results within the Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template to finalize results.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

3.3 Convene stakeholder meetings to activate results

Input

  • Buyer persona and journey interviews summary

Output

Activation of key learnings to drive:

  • Better product –market fit
  • Lead gen
  • Sales effectiveness
  • Awareness

Materials

  • Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

Participants

  • Initiative Manager – individual leading the buyer persona and journey initiative
  • Working Team – typically representatives in Product Marketing, Product Management, and Sales
  • Stakeholder team members (see left)

4-5 hours

Present final persona and journey results to each stakeholder team. Key presentations include:

  1. Product team to validate product market fit.
  2. Content marketing to provide messaging direction for the creation of awareness and lead gen assets.
  3. Campaigners/Field Marketing for campaign-related messaging and to identify asset types required to be designed and delivered to support the buyer journey.
  4. Social media strategists for social post copy, and PR for other awareness-building copy.
  5. Sales enablement/training to enable updating of sales collateral, proposals, and sales training materials. Sellers to help with their targeting, prospecting, and crafting of outbound messaging and talk tracks.

Download the Buyer Persona and Journey Summary Template

Summary of Accomplishment

Problem Solved

With the help of this blueprint, you have deepened your and your colleagues’ buyer understanding at both the persona “who they are” level and the buyer journey “how do they buy” level. You are among the minority of marketing leaders that have fully documented a buyer persona and journey – congratulations!

The benefits of having led your team through the process are significant and include the following:

  • Better alignment of customer/buyer-facing teams such as in product, marketing, sales, and customer success.
  • Messaging that can be used by marketing, sales, and social teams that will resonate with buyer initiatives, pain points, sought-after “pain relief,” and value.
  • Places in the digital and physical universe where your prospects “hang out” so you can optimize your media spend.
  • More effective use of marketing assets and sales collateral that align with the way your prospect needs to consume information throughout their buyer journey to make a decision in your solution area.

And by capturing and documenting your buyer persona and journey even for a single buyer type, you have started to build the “institutional strength” to apply the process to other roles in the decision-making process or for when you go after new and different buyer types for new products. And finally, by bringing your team along with you in this process, you have also led your team in becoming a more customer-focused organization – a strategic shift that all organizations should pursue.

If you would like additional support, contact us and we’ll make sure you get the professional expertise you need.

Contact your account representative for more information.

info@softwarereviews.com

1-888-670-8889

Related Software Reviews Research

Optimize Lead Generation With Lead Scoring

  • Save time and money and improve your sales win rates when you apply our methodology to score contacts with your lead gen engine more accurately and pass better qualified leads over to your sellers.
  • Our methodology teaches marketers to develop your own lead scoring approach based upon lead/contact profile vs. your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and scores contact engagement. Applying the methodology to arrive at your own approach to scoring will mean reduced lead gen costs, higher conversion rates, and increased marketing-influenced wins.

Bibliography

Bilardi, Emma. “How to Create Buyer Personas.” Product Marketing Alliance, July 2020. Accessed Dec. 2021.

Harrison, Liz, Dennis Spillecke, Jennifer Stanley, and Jenny Tsai. “Omnichannel in B2B sales: The new normal in a year that has been anything but.” McKinsey & Company, 15 March 2021. Accessed Dec. 2021.

Jansen, Hasse. “Buyer Personas – 33 Mind Blowing Stats.” Boardview.io!, 19 Feb. 2016. Accessed Jan. 2022.

Raynor, Lilah. “Understanding The Changing B2B Buyer Journey.” Forbes Agency Council, 18 July 2021. Accessed Dec. 2021.

Simpson, Jon. “Finding Your Audience: The Importance of Developing a Buyer Persona.” Forbes Agency Council, 16 May 2017. Accessed Dec. 2021.

“Successfully Executing Personalized Marketing Campaigns at Scale.” Plexure, 6 Jan. 2020. Accessed Dec 2020.

Ulwick, Anthony W. JOBS TO BE DONE: Theory to Practice. E-book, Strategyn, 1 Jan. 2017. Accessed Jan. 2022.

Govern Office 365

  • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}52|cart{/j2store}
  • member rating overall impact: 9.5/10 Overall Impact
  • member rating average dollars saved: $21,473 Average $ Saved
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  • Parent Category Name: End-User Computing Applications
  • Parent Category Link: /end-user-computing-applications

Exploring the enterprise collaboration marketspace is difficult. The difficulty in finding a suitable collaboration tool is that there are many ways to collaborate, with just as many tools to match.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Map your organizational goals to the administration features available in the Office 365 console. Your governance should reflect your requirements.

Impact and Result

The result is a defined plan for controlling Office 365 by leveraging hard controls to align Microsoft’s toolset with your needs and creating acceptable use policies and communication plans to highlight the impact of the transition to Office 365 on the end-user population.

Govern Office 365 Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Understand the challenges posed by governing Office 365 and the necessity of deploying proper governance.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Define your organizational goals

Develop a list of organizational goals that will enable you to leverage the Office 365 toolset to its fullest extent while also implementing sensible governance.

  • Govern Office 365 – Phase 1: Define Your Organizational Goals

2. Control your Office 365 environment

Use Info-Tech's toolset to build out controls for OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams that align with your organizational goals as they relate to governance.

  • Govern Office 365 – Phase 2: Control Your Office 365 Environment
  • Office 365 Control Map
  • Microsoft Teams Acceptable Use Policy
  • Microsoft SharePoint Online Acceptable Use Policy
  • Microsoft OneDrive Acceptable Use Policy

3. Communicate your results

Communicate the results of your Office 365 governance program using Info-Tech's toolset.

  • Govern Office 365 – Phase 3: Communicate Your Results
  • Office 365 Communication Plan Template

Infographic

Workshop: Govern Office 365

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Define Goals

The Purpose

Develop a plan to assess the capabilities of the Office 365 solution and select licensing for the product.

Key Benefits Achieved

Office 365 capability assessment (right-size licensing)

Acceptable Use Policies

Mapped Office 365 controls

Activities

1.1 Review organizational goals.

1.2 Evaluate Office 365 capabilities.

1.3 Conduct the Office 365 capability assessment.

1.4 Define user groups.

1.5 Finalize licensing.

Outputs

List of organizational goals

Targeted licensing decision

2 Build Refined Governance Priorities

The Purpose

Leverage the Office 365 governance framework to develop and refined governance priorities.

Build a SharePoint acceptable use policy and define SharePoint controls.

Key Benefits Achieved

Refined governance priorities

List of SharePoint controls

SharePoint acceptable use policy

Activities

2.1 Explore the Office 365 Framework.

2.2 Conduct governance priorities refinement exercise.

2.3 Populate the Office 365 control map (SharePoint).

2.4 Build acceptable use policy (SharePoint).

Outputs

Refined governance priorities

SharePoint control map

Sharepoint acceptable use policy

3 Control Office 365

The Purpose

Implement governance priorities for OneDrive and Teams.

Key Benefits Achieved

Clearly defined acceptable use policies for OneDrive and Teams

List of OneDrive and Teams controls

Activities

3.1 Populate the Office 365 Control Map (OneDrive).

3.2 Build acceptable use policy (OneDrive).

3.3 Populate the Office 365 Control Map (Teams).

3.4 Build acceptable use policy (Teams).

Outputs

OneDrive controls

OneDrive acceptable use policy

Teams controls

Teams acceptable use policy

4 SOW Walkthrough

The Purpose

Build a plan to communicate coming changes to the productivity environment.

Key Benefits Achieved

Communication plan covering SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive

Activities

4.1 Build SharePoint one pager.

4.2 Build OneDrive one pager.

4.3 Build Teams one pager.

4.4 Finalize communication plan.

Outputs

SharePoint one pager

OneDrive one pager

Teams one pager

Overall finalized communication plan

5 Communicate and Implement

The Purpose

Finalize deliverables and plan post-workshop communications.

Key Benefits Achieved

Completed Office 365 governance plan

Finalized deliverables

Activities

5.1 Completed in-progress deliverables from previous four days.

5.2 Set up review time for workshop deliverables and to discuss next steps.

5.3 Validate governance with stakeholders.

Outputs

Completed acceptable use policies

Completed control map

Completed communication plan

Completed licensing decision

Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications with a Center of Excellence

  • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}367|cart{/j2store}
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  • member rating average dollars saved: $129,465 Average $ Saved
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  • Parent Category Name: Optimization
  • Parent Category Link: /optimization
  • Processes pertaining to managing the application are inconsistent and do not drive excellence.
  • There is a lack of interdepartmental collaboration between different teams pertaining to the application.
  • There are no formalized roles and responsibilities for governance and support around enterprise applications.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Scale the Center of Excellence (CoE) based on business needs. There is flexibility in how extensively the CoE methodology is applied and rigidity in how consistently it should be used.
  • The CoE is a refinery. It takes raw inputs from the business and produces an enhanced product, removing waste and isolating it from re-entering day-to-day operations.
  • Excellence is about people as much as it is about process. Documented best practices should include competencies, key resources, and identified champions to advocate the CoE practice.

Impact and Result

  • Formalize roles and responsibilities for all application initiatives.
  • Develop a standard process of governance and oversight surrounding the application.
  • Develop a comprehensive support network that consists of IT, the business, and external stakeholders to address issues and problem areas surrounding the application.

Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications with a Center of Excellence Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should establish a Center of Excellence for your enterprise application, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Create a vision for the CoE

Understand the importance of developing an enterprise application CoE, define its scope, and identify key stakeholders.

  • Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications with a Center of Excellence – Phase 1: Create a Vision for the Center of Excellence
  • Enterprise Application Center of Excellence Project Charter

2. Design the CoE future state

Gather high-level requirements to determine the ideal future state.

  • Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications with a Center of Excellence – Phase 2: Design the Center of Excellence Future State
  • Center of Excellence Refinery Model Template

3. Develop a CoE roadmap

Assess the required capabilities to reach the ideal state CoE.

  • Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications with a Center of Excellence – Phase 3: Develop a Center of Excellence Roadmap
  • Center of Excellence Exceptions Report
  • Track and Measure Benefits Tool
  • Enterprise Application Center of Excellence Stakeholder Presentation Template
[infographic]

Workshop: Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications with a Center of Excellence

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Create a Vision for the CoE

The Purpose

Understand the importance of developing a CoE for enterprise applications.

Determine how to best align the CoE mandate with business objectives.

Complete a CoE project charter to gain buy-in, build a project team, and track project success. 

Key Benefits Achieved

Key stakeholders identified.

Project team created with defined roles and responsibilities.

Project charter finalized to gain buy-in.

Activities

1.1 Evaluate business needs and priorities.

1.2 Identify key stakeholders and the project team.

1.3 Align CoE with business priorities.

1.4 Map current state CoE.

Outputs

Project vision

Defined roles and responsibilities

Strategic alignment of CoE and the business

CoE current state schematic

2 Design the CoE Future State

The Purpose

Gain a thorough understanding of pains related to the lack of application governance.

Identify and recycle existing CoE practices.

Visualize the CoE enhancement process.

Visualize your ideal state CoE. 

Key Benefits Achieved

Requirements to strengthen the case for the enterprise application CoE.

CoE value-add refinery.

Future potential of the CoE.

Activities

2.1 Gather requirements.

2.2 Map the CoE enhancement process.

2.3 Sketch future state CoE.

Outputs

Classified pains, opportunities, and existing practices

CoE refinery model

Future state CoE sketch

3 Develop a CoE Roadmap

The Purpose

Assess required capabilities and resourcing.

List and prioritize CoE initiatives.

Track and monitor CoE performance. 

Key Benefits Achieved

Next steps for the enterprise application CoE.

CoE resourcing plan.

CoE benefits realization tracking.

Activities

3.1 Build CoE capabilities.

3.2 Identify risks and mitigation efforts.

3.3 Prioritize and track CoE initiatives.

3.4 Finalize stakeholder presentation.

Outputs

CoE potential capabilities

Risk management plan

CoE initiatives roadmap

CoE stakeholder presentation

Project Management

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  • Parent Category Name: Project Portfolio Management and Projects
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The challenge

  • Ill-defined or even lack of upfront project planning will increase the perception that your IT department cannot deliver value because most projects will go over time and budget.
  • The perception is those traditional ways of delivering projects via the PMBOK only increase overhead and do not have value. This is less due to the methodology and more to do with organizations trying to implement best-practices that far exceed their current capabilities.
  • Typical best-practices are too clinical in their approach and place unrealistic burdens on IT departments. They fail to address the daily difficulties faces by staff and are not sized to fit your organization.
  • Take a flexible approach and ensure that your management process is a cultural and capacity fit for your organization. Take what fits from these frameworks and embed them tailored into your company.

Our advice

Insight

  • The feather-touch is often the right touch. Ensure that you have a lightweight approach for most of your projects while applying more rigor to the more complex and high-risk developments.
  • Pick the right tools. Your new project management processes need the right tooling to be successful. Pick a tool that is flexible enough o accommodate projects of all sizes without imposing undue governance onto smaller projects.
  • Yes, take what fits within your company from frameworks, but there is no cherry-picking. Ensure your processes stay in context: If you do not inform for effective decision-making, all will be in vain. Develop your methods such that guide the way to big-picture decision taking and support effective portfolio management.

Impact and results 

  • The right amount of upfront planning is a function of the type of projects you have and your company. The proper levels enable better scope statements, better requirements gathering, and increased business satisfaction.
  • An investment in a formal methodology is critical to projects of all sizes. An effective process results in more successful projects with excellent business value delivery.
  • When you have a repeatable and consistent approach to project planning and execution, you can better communicate between the IT project managers and decision-makers.
  • Better communication improves the visibility of the overall project activity within your company.

The roadmap

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

Get started.

Read our executive brief to understand why you should tailor project management practices to the type of projects you do and your company and review our methodology. We show you how we can support you.

Lay the groundwork for project management success

Assess your current capabilities to set the right level of governance.

  • Tailor Project Management Processes to Fit Your Projects – Phase 1: Lay the Groundwork for PM Success (ppt)
  • Project Management Triage Tool (xls)
  • COBIT BAI01 (Manage Programs and Projects) Alignment Workbook (xls)
  • Project Level Definition Matrix (xls)
  • Project Level Selection Tool (xls)
  • Project Level Assessment Tool (xls)
  • Project Management SOP Template (doc)

Small project require a lightweight framework

Increase small project's throughput.

  • Tailor Project Management Processes to Fit Your Projects – Phase 2: Build a Lightweight PM Process for Small Initiatives (ppt)
  • Level 1 Project Charter Template (doc)
  • Level 1 Project Status Report Template (doc)
  • Level 1 Project Closure Checklist Template (doc)

Build the standard process medium and large-scale projects

The standard process contains fully featured initiation and planning.

  • Tailor Project Management Processes to Fit Your Projects – Phase 3: Establish Initiation and Planning Protocols for Medium-to-Large Projects (ppt)
  • Project Stakeholder and Impact Assessment Tool (xls)
  • Level 2 Project Charter Template (doc)
  • Level 3 Project Charter Template (doc)
  • Kick-Off Meeting Agenda Template (doc)
  • Scope Statement Template (doc)
  • Project Staffing Plan(xls)
  • Communications Management Plan Template (doc)
  • Customer/Sponsor Project Status Meeting Template (doc)
  • Level 2 Project Status Report Template (doc)
  • Level 3 Project Status Report Template (doc)
  • Quality Management Workbook (xls)
  • Benefits Management Plan Template (xls)
  • Risk Management Workbook (xls)

Build a standard process for the execution and closure of medium to large scale projects

  • Tailor Project Management Processes to Fit Your Projects – Phase 4: Develop Execution and Closing Procedures for Medium-to-Large Projects (ppt)
  • Project Team Meeting Agenda Template (doc)
  • Light Project Change Request Form Template (doc)
  • Detailed Project Change Request Form Template (doc)
  • Light Recommendation and Decision Tracking Log Template (xls)
  • Detailed Recommendation and Decision Tracking Log Template (xls)
  • Deliverable Acceptance Form Template (doc)
  • Handover to Operations Template (doc)
  • Post-Mortem Review Template (doc)
  • Final Sign-Off and Acceptance Form Template (doc)

Implement your project management standard operating procedures (SOP)

Develop roll-out and training plans, implement your new process and track metrics.

  • Tailor Project Management Processes to Fit Your Projects – Phase 5: Implement Your PM SOP (ppt)
  • Level 2 Project Management Plan Template (doc)
  • Project Management Process Costing Tool (xls)
  • Project Management Process Training Plan Template (doc)
  • Project Management Training Monitoring Tool (xls)
  • Project Management Process Implementation Timeline Tool (MS Project)
  • Project Management Process Implementation Timeline Tool (xls)

 

 

Maintain an Organized Portfolio

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  • Parent Category Name: Portfolio Management
  • Parent Category Link: /portfolio-management
  • All too often, the portfolio of programs and projects looks more like a random heap than a strategically organized and balanced collection of investments that will drive the business forward.
  • Portfolio managers know that with the right kind of information and the right level of process maturity they can get better results through the portfolio; however, organizations often assume (falsely) that the required level of maturity is out of reach from their current state and perpetually delay improvements.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • The information needed to define clear and usable criteria for organizing the portfolio of programs and projects already exists. Portfolio managers only need to identify the sources of that information and institute processes for regularly reviewing that information in order to define those criteria.
  • Once a portfolio manager has a clear idea of the goals and constraints that shape what ought to be included (or removed) from the portfolio and once these have been translated into clear and usable portfolio criteria, basic portfolio management processes can be instituted to ensure that these criteria are used consistently throughout the various stages of the project lifecycle.
  • Portfolio management frameworks and processes do not need to be built from scratch. Well-known frameworks – such as the one outlined in COBIT 5 APO05 – can be instituted in a way that will allow even low-maturity organizations to start organizing their portfolio.
  • Organizations do not need to grow into portfolio management frameworks to get the benefits of an organized portfolio; instead, they can grow within such frameworks.

Impact and Result

  • An organized portfolio will ensure that the projects and programs included in it are strategically aligned and can actually be executed within the finite constraints of budgetary and human resource capacity.
  • Portfolio managers are better empowered to make decisions about which projects should be included in the portfolio (and when) and are better empowered to make the very tough decisions about which projects should be removed from the portfolio (i.e. cancelled).
  • Building and maturing a portfolio management framework will more fully integrate the PMO into the broader IT management and governance frameworks, making it a more integral part of strategic decisions and a better business partner in the long run.

Maintain an Organized Portfolio Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should maintain an organized portfolio of programs and projects, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Assess the current state of the portfolio and PPM processes

Analyze the current mix of programs and projects in your portfolio and assess the maturity of your current PPM processes.

  • Maintain an Organized Portfolio – Phase 1: Assess the Current State of the Portfolio and PPM Processes
  • Project Portfolio Organizer
  • COBIT APO05 (Manage Portfolio) Alignment Workbook

2. Enhance portfolio organization through improved PPM criteria and processes

Enhance and optimize your portfolio management processes to ensure portfolio criteria are clearly defined and consistently applied across the project lifecycle when making decisions about which projects to include or remove from the portfolio.

  • Maintain an Organized Portfolio – Phase 2: Enhance Portfolio Organization Through Improved PPM Criteria and Processes
  • Portfolio Management Standard Operating Procedures

3. Implement improved portfolio management practices

Implement your portfolio management improvement initiatives to ensure long-term sustainable adoption of new PPM practices.

  • Maintain an Organized Portfolio – Phase 3: Implement Improved Portfolio Management Practices
  • Portfolio Management Improvement Roadmap Tool
[infographic]

Workshop: Maintain an Organized Portfolio

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Assess Portfolio Mix and Portfolio Process Current State

The Purpose

Analyze the current mix of the portfolio to determine how to better organize it according to organizational goals and constraints.

Assess which PPM processes need to be enhanced to better organize the portfolio.

Key Benefits Achieved

An analysis of the existing portfolio of projects (highlighting areas of concern).

An analysis of the maturity of current PPM processes and their ability to support the maintenance of an organized portfolio.

Activities

1.1 Pre-work: Prepare a complete project list.

1.2 Define existing portfolio categories, criteria, and targets.

1.3 Analyze the current portfolio mix.

1.4 Identify areas of concern with current portfolio mix.

1.5 Review the six COBIT sub-processes for portfolio management (APO05.01-06).

1.6 Assess the degree to which these sub-processes have been currently achieved at the organization.

1.7 Assess the degree to which portfolio-supporting IT governance and management processes exist.

1.8 Perform a gap analysis.

Outputs

Analysis of the current portfolio mix

Assessment of COBIT alignment and gap analysis.

2 Define Portfolio Target Mix, Criteria, and Roadmap

The Purpose

Define clear and usable portfolio criteria.

Record/design portfolio management processes that will support the consistent use of portfolio criteria at all stages of the project lifecycle.

Key Benefits Achieved

Clearly defined and usable portfolio criteria.

A portfolio management framework that supports the consistent use of the portfolio criteria across all stages of the project lifecycle.

Activities

2.1 Identify determinants of the portfolio mix, criteria, and constraints.

2.2 Define the target mix, portfolio criteria, and portfolio metrics.

2.3 Identify sources of funding and resourcing.

2.4 Review and record the portfolio criteria based upon the goals and constraints.

2.5 Create a PPM improvement roadmap.

Outputs

Portfolio criteria

Portfolio metrics for intake, monitoring, closure, termination, reprioritization, and benefits tracking

Portfolio Management Improvement Roadmap

3 Design Improved Portfolio Sub-Processes

The Purpose

Ensure that the portfolio criteria are used to guide decision making at each stage of the project lifecycle when making decisions about which projects to include or remove from the portfolio.

Key Benefits Achieved

Processes that support decision making based upon the portfolio criteria.

Processes that ensure the portfolio remains consistently organized according to the portfolio criteria.

Activities

3.1 Ensure that the metrics used for each sub-process are based upon the standard portfolio criteria.

3.2 Establish the roles, accountabilities, and responsibilities for each sub-process needing improvement.

3.3 Outline the workflow for each sub-process needing improvement.

Outputs

A RACI chart for each sub-process

A workflow for each sub-process

4 Change Impact Analysis and Stakeholder Engagement Plan

The Purpose

Ensure that the portfolio management improvement initiatives are sustainably adopted in the long term.

Key Benefits Achieved

Stakeholder engagement.

Sustainable long-term adoption of the improved portfolio management practices.

Activities

4.1 Conduct a change impact analysis.

4.2 Create a stakeholder engagement plan.

Outputs

Change Impact Analysis

Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Completed Portfolio Management SOP

The State of Black Professionals in Tech

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  • Parent Category Name: Engage
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  • The experience of Black professionals in IT differs from their colleagues.
  • Job satisfaction is also lower for Black IT professionals.
  • For organizations to gain from the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion, they need to ensure they understand the landscape for many Black professionals.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • As an IT leader, you can make a positive difference in the working lives of your team; this is not just the domain of HR.
  • Employee goals can vary depending on the barriers that they encounter. IT leaders must ensure they have an understanding of unique employee needs to better support them, increasing their ability to recruit and retain.
  • Improve the experience of Black IT professionals by ensuring your organization has diversity in leadership and supports mentorship and sponsorship.

Impact and Result

  • Use the data from Info-Tech’s analysis to inform your DEI strategy.
  • Learn about actions that IT leaders can take to improve the satisfaction and career advancement of their Black employees.

The State of Black Professionals in Tech Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. The State of Black Professionals in Tech Report – A report providing you with advice on barriers and solutions for leaders of Black employees.

IT leaders often realize that there are barriers impacting their employees but don’t know how to address them. This report provides insights on the barriers and actions that can help improve the lives of Black professionals in technology.

  • The State of Black Professionals in Tech Report

Infographic

Further reading

The State of Black Professionals in Tech

Keep inclusion at the forefront to gain the benefits from diversity.

Analysts' Perspective

The experience of Black professionals in technology is unique.

Diversity in tech is not a new topic, and it's not a secret that technology organizations struggle to attract and retain Black employees. Ever since the early '90s, large tech organizations have been dealing with public critique of their lack of diversity. This topic is close to our hearts, but unfortunately while improvements have been made, progress is quite slow.

In recent years, current events have once again brought diversity to the forefront for many organizations. In addition, the pandemic along with talent trends such as "the great resignation" and "quiet quitting" and preparations for a recession have not only impacted diversity at large but also Black professionals in technology. Our previous research has focused on the wider topic of Recruiting and Retaining People of Color in Tech, but we've found that the experiences of persons of color are not all the same.

This study focuses on the unique experience of Black professionals in technology. Over 600 people were surveyed using an online tool; interviews provided additional insights. We're excited to share our findings with you.

This is a picture of Allison Straker This is an image of Ugbad Farah

Allison Straker
Research Director
Info-Tech Research Group

Ugbad Farah
Research Director
Info-Tech Research Group

Demographics

In October 2021, we launched a survey to understand what the Black experience is like for people in technology. We wanted and received a variety of responses which would help us to understand how Black technology professionals experienced their working world. We received responses from 633 professionals, providing us with the data for this report.

For more information on our survey demographics please see the appendix at this end of this report.

A pie chart showing 26% black and 74% All Other

26% of our respondents either identified as Black or felt the world sees them as Black.

Professionals from various countries responded to the survey:

  • Most respondents were born in the US (52%), Canada (14%), India (14%), or Nigeria (4%).
  • Most respondents live in the US (56%), Canada (25%), Nigeria (2%), or the United Kingdom (2%).

Companies with more diversity achieve more revenue from innovation

Organizations do better and are more innovative when they have more diversity, a key ingredient in an organization's secret sauce.
Organizations also benefit from engaged employees, yet we've seen that organizations struggle with both. Just having a certain number of diverse individuals is not enough. When it comes to reaping the benefits of diversity, organizations can flourish when employees feel safe bringing their whole selves to work.

45% Innovation Revenue by Companies With Above-Average Diversity Scores
26%

Innovation Revenue by Companies With Below-Average Diversity Scores

(Chart source: McKinsey, 2020)


Companies with higher employee engagement experience 19.2% higher earnings.

However, those with lower employee engagement experience 32.7% lower earnings.
(DecisionWise, 2020)

If your workforce doesn't reflect the community it serves, your business may be missing out on the chance to find great employees and break into new and growing markets, both locally and globally.
Diversity makes good business sense.
(Business Development Canada, 2023)

A study about Black professionals

Why is this about Black professionals and not other diverse groups?

While there are a variety of diversity dimensions, it's important to understand what makes up a "multicultural workforce." There is more to diversity than gender, race, and ethnicity. Organizations need to understand that there is diversity within these groups and Black professionals have their own unique experience when it comes to entering and navigating tech that needs to be addressed.

This image contains two bar graphs from the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. They show the answers to two questions, sorted by the following categories: Black; Non-White; Asian; White. The questions are as follows: I feel comfortable to voice my opinion, even when it differs from the group opinion; I am part of the decision-making process at work.

(Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2019)

The solutions that apply to Black professionals are not only beneficial for Black employees but for all. While all demographics are unique, the solutions in this report can support many.

Unsatisfied and underrepresented

Less Black professionals responded as "satisfied" in their IT careers. The question is: How do we mend the Gap?

Percentage of IT Professionals Who Reported Being Very Satisfied in Their Current Role

  • All Other Professionals: 34%
  • Black Professionals: 23%

Black workers are underrepresented in most professional roles, especially computer and math Occupations

A bar graph showing representation of black workers in the total workforce compared to computer and mathematical science occupations.

The gap in satisfaction

What's Important?

Our research suggests that the differences in satisfaction among ethnic groups are related to differences in value systems. We asked respondents to rank what's important, and we explored why.

Non-Black professionals rated autonomy and their manager working relationships as most important.

For Black professionals, while those were important, #1 was promotion and growth opportunities, ranked #7 by all other professionals. This is a significant discrepancy.

Recognition of my work/accomplishments also was viewed significantly differently, with Black professionals ranking it low on the list at #7 and all other professionals considering it very important at #3.

All Other Professionals

Black Professionals

Two columns, containing metrics of satisfaction rated by Black Professionals, and All Other Professionals.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs applies to job satisfaction

In Maslow's hierarchy, it is necessary for people to achieve items lower on the hierarchy before they can successfully pursue the higher tiers.

An image of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs modified to apply to Job Satisfaction

Too many Black professionals in tech are busy trying to achieve some of the lower parts of the hierarchy; it is stopping them from achieving elements higher up that can lead to job satisfaction.

This can stop them from gaining esteem, importance, and ultimately, self-actualization. The barriers that impact safety and social belonging happen on a day-to-day basis, and so the day-to-day lives of Black professionals in tech can look very different from their counterparts.

There are barriers that hinder and solutions that support employees

An image showing barriers to success An image showing Actions for Success.
There are various barriers that increase the likelihood for Black professionals to focus on the lower end of the needs hierarchy:

These are among some of the solutions that, when layered, can support Black professionals in tech in moving up the needs hierarchy.

Focusing on these actions can support Black professionals in achieving much needed job satisfaction.

What does this mean?

The minority experience is not a monolith

The barriers that Black professionals encounter aren't limited to the same barriers as their colleagues, and too often this means that they aren't in a position to grow their careers in a way that leads to job satisfaction.

There is a 11% gap between the satisfaction of Black professionals and their peers.

Early Steps:
Take time to understand the Black experience.

As leaders, it's important to be aware that employee goals vary depending on the barriers they're battling with.

Intermediate:
If Black employees don't have strong relationships, networks, and mentorships it becomes increasingly difficult to navigate the path to upward mobility.

As a leader, you can look for opportunities to bridge the gap on these types of conversations.

Advanced:
Black professionals in tech are not advancing like their counterparts.

Creating clear career paths will not only benefit Black employees but also support your entire organization.

Key metrics:

  • Engagement
  • Committed Executive Leadership
  • Development Opportunities
  • Organizational Programs

Black respondents are significantly more likely to report barriers to their career advancement

Common barriers

Black professionals, like their colleagues, encounter barriers as they try to advance their careers. The barriers both groups encounter include microaggressions, racism, ageism, accessibility issues, sexual orientation, bias due to religion, lack of a career-supported network, gender bias, family status bias, and discrimination due to language/accents.

What tops the list

Microaggressions and racism are at the top of these barriers, but Black professionals also deal with other barriers that their colleagues may experience, such as gender-based bias, accessibility issues, religion, and more.

One of these barriers alone can be difficult to deal with but when they are compounded it can be very difficult to navigate through the working environment in tech.

A graph charting the impact of the common barriers

What are microaggressions?

Microaggression

A statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority.

(Oxford Languages, 2023)

Why are they significant?

These things may seem innocent enough but the messaging that is received and the lasting impression is often far from it.

Our research shows that racism and discrimination contribute to poor mental health among Black professionals.

Examples

  • You're so articulate!
  • How do you always have different hair, can I touch it?
  • Where are you really from?
  • I don't see color.
  • I believe the most qualified person should get the job; everyone can succeed in this society if they work hard enough.

"The experience of having to question whether something happened to you because of your race or constantly being on edge because your environment is hostile can often leave people feeling invisible, silenced, angry, and resentful."
Dr. Joy Bradford,
clinical Psychologist, qtd. In Pfizer

It takes some time to get in the door

For too many Black respondents, It took Longer than their peers to Find Technology Jobs.

Both groups had some success finding jobs in "no time" – however, there was a difference. Thirty-four percent of "all others" found their jobs quickly, while the numbers were less for Black professionals, at 26%. There was also a difference at the opposite end of the spectrum. For 29% of Black professionals, it took seven months or longer to find their IT job, while that number is only 19% for their peers.

.a graph showing time taken for respondents sorted by black; and all other.

This points to the need for improvements in recruitment and career advancement.

29% of Black respondents said that it took them 7 months or longer to find their technology job.

Compared to 19% of all other professionals that selected the same response.

And once they're in, it's difficult to advance

Black Professionals are not Advancing as Quickly as their Colleagues. Especially when you look at their Experience.

Our research shows that compared to all other ethnicities; Black participants were 55% more likely to report that they had no career advancement/promotion in their career. There is a bigger percentage of Black professionals who have never received a promotion; there's also a large number of Black professionals who have been working a significant amount time in the same role without a promotion.

.Career Advancement

A graph showing career advancement for the categories: Black and All Other.

Black participants were 55% more likely to report that they had had no career advancement/promotion in their career.

No advancement

A graph showing the number of respondents who reported no career advancement over time, for the categories: Black; and All Other.

There's a high cost to lack of engagement

When employees feel disillusioned with things like career advancement and microaggressions, they often become disengaged. When you continuously have to steel yourself against microaggressions, racism, and other barriers, it prevents you from bringing your whole self to the office. The barriers can lead to what's been coined as "emotional tax." An emotional tax is the experience of feeling different from colleagues because of your inherent diversity and the associated negative effects on health, wellbeing, and the ability to thrive at work.

Earnings of companies with higher employee engagement

19.2%

Earnings of companies with lower employee engagement

-32.7%

(DecisionWise, 2020)

"I've conditioned myself for the corporate world, I don't bring my authentic self to work."
Anonymous Interview Subject

Lack of engagement also costs the organization in terms of turnover, something many organizations today are struggling with how to address. Organizations want to increase the ability of the workforce to remain in the organization. For Black employees, this gets harder when they're not engaged and they're the only one. When the emotional tax gets to be too much, this can lead to turnover. Turnover not only costs companies billions in profits, it also negatively impacts leadership diversity. It's difficult to imagine career growth when you don't see anyone that looks like you at the top. It is a challenge to see your future when there aren't others that you can relate to at top levels in the organization, leading to one of our interview subjects to muse, "How long can I last?"

"Being Black in tech can be hard on your mental health. Your mind is constantly wondering, 'how long can I last?' "
Anonymous Interview Subject

Fewer Black professionals feel like they can be their authentic selves at work

Authentic vs. Successes

For many Black professionals, "code-switching," or altering the way one speaks and acts depending on context, becomes the norm to make others more comfortable. Many feel that being authentic and succeeding in the workplace are mutually exclusive.

Programs and Resources

We asked respondents "What's in place to build an inclusive culture at your company?" Most respondents (51% and 45%) reported that there were employee resource groups at their organizations.

Do you feel you can be your authentic self at work?

A bar graph showing 86% for All Other Professions, and 75% for Black Professionals

A bar graph showing responses to the question What’s in place to build an inclusive culture at your company.

What can be done?

An image showing actions for success.

There are various actions that organizations can take to help address barriers.

It's important to ensure these are not put in as band-aid solutions but that they are carefully thought out and layered.

Our findings demonstrate that remote work, career development, and DEI programs along with mentorship and diverse leadership are strong enablers of professional satisfaction. An unfortunate consequence, if professionals are not nurtured, is that we risk losing much needed talent to self-employment or to other organizations.

There are several solutions

Respondents were asked to distribute points across potential solutions that could lead to job satisfaction. The ratings showed that there were common solutions that could be leveraged across all groups.

Respondents were asked what solutions were valuable for their career development.

All groups were mostly aligned on the order of the solutions that would lead to career satisfaction; however, Black professionals rated the importance of employee resource groups as higher than their colleagues did.

An image showing how respondents rate a number of categories, sorted into Ratings by Black Professionals, and Ratings by Other Professionals

Mentorship and sponsorship are seen as key for all employees, as is of course training.

However, employee resource groups (ERGs) were rated significantly higher for Black professionals and discussions around diversity were higher for their colleagues. This may be because other groups feel a need to learn more about diversity, whereas Black professionals live this experience on a day-to day basis, so it's not as critical for them.

Double the number of satisfied Black professionals through mentorship and sponsorship

a bar graph showing the number of very satisfied people with and without mentors/sponsors.

Mentorship and sponsorship help to close the job satisfaction gap for Black IT professionals. The percentage of satisfied Black employees almost doubles when they have a mentor or sponsorship, moving the satisfaction rate to closer to all other colleagues.

As leaders, you likely benefit from a few different advisors, and your staff should be able to benefit in the same way.

They can have their own personal board of advisors, both inside and outside of your organization, helping them to navigate the working world in IT.

To support your staff, provide guidance and coaching to internal mentors so that they can best support employees, and ensure that your organizational culture supports relationship building and trust.

While all are critical, coaching, mentoring, and sponsorship are not the same

Coaching

Performance-driven guidance geared to support the employee with on-the-job performance. This could be a short-term relationship.

Mentorship

A relationship where the mentor provides guidance, information, and expertise to support the long-term career development of the mentee.

Sponsorship

The act of advocating on the behalf of another for a position, promotion, development opportunity, etc. over a longer period.

For more information on setting up a mentorship program, see Optimize the Mentoring Program to Build a High Performing Learning Organization.

On why mentorship and sponsorship are important:

"With some degree of mentorship or sponsorship, it means that your ability to thrive or to have a positive experience in organizations increases substantially.

Mentorship and sponsorship are very often the lynchpin of someone being successful and sticking with an organization.

Sponsorship is an endorsement to other high-level stakeholders who very often are the gatekeepers of opportunity. Sponsors help to shepherd you through the gate."

An Image of Carlos Thomas

Carlos Thomas
Executive Councilor, Info-Tech Research Group

What is an employee resource group?

IT Professionals rated ERGs as the third top driver of success at work

Employee resource groups enable employees to connect in their workplace based on shared characteristics or life experiences.

ERGs generally focus on providing support, enhancing career development, and contributing to personal development in the work environment. Some ERGs provide advice to the organization on how they can support their diverse employees.

As leaders, you should support and encourage the formation of ERGs in your organization.

What each ERG does will vary according to the needs of employees in your organization. Your role is to enable the ERGs as they are created and maintained.

On setting up and leveraging employee resource groups:

"Employee resource groups, when leveraged in an authentically intentional way, can be the some of the most impactful stakeholders in the development and implementation of the organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy.

ERGs are essential to the development of policies, programs, and initiatives that address the needs of equity-seeking groups and are key to driving organizational culture and employee wellbeing, in addition to hiring and recruitment.

ERGs must be set up for success by having adequate resources to do the work, which includes adequate budgets, executive sponsorship, training, support, and capacity to do the work. According to a Great Place To Work survey (2021), 50% of ERGs identified the need for adequate resources as a challenge for carrying out the work.:"

An image of Cinnamon Clark

CINNAMON CLARK
PRACTICE LEAD, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION services, MCLEAN & CO

There is a gap when it comes to diversity in leadership

Representation at leadership levels is especially stagnant.

Black Americans comprise 13.6% of the US population
(2022 data from the US Census Bureau)

And yet only 5.9% of the country's CEOs are Black, with only 6 (1%) at the top of Fortune 500 companies.
(2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Fortune.com)

I've never worked for a company that has Black executives. It's difficult to envision long-term growth with an organization when you don't see yourself represented in leadership.
– Anonymous Interview Subject

Having diversity in your leadership team doubles satisfaction

An image of a bar graph showing satisfaction for those who do, and do not see diversity in their company's leadership.

Our research shows that Black professionals are more satisfied in their role when they see leaders that look like them.

Satisfaction of other professionals is not as impacted by diversity in leadership as for Black professionals. Satisfaction doubles in organizations that have a diverse leadership team.

To reap the benefits from diversity, we need to ensure diversity is not just in entry or mid-level positions and provide employees an opportunity to see diversity in their company's leadership.

On the need for diversity in leadership:

"As a Black professional leader, it's not lost on me that I have a responsibility. I have to demonstrate authenticity, professionalism, and exemplary behavior that others can mimic. And I must also showcase that there are possibilities for those coming up in their career. I feel very grateful that I can bestow onto others my knowledge, my experience, my journey, and the tips that I've used to help bring me to be where I am.
(Having Black leaders in an organization) demonstrates that there is talent across the board, that there are all types of women and people with proficiencies. What it brings to the table is a difference in thoughts and experience.
A person like myself, sitting at the table, can bring a unique perspective on employee behavior and employee impact. CCL is an organization focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion; for sure having me at the table and others that look like me at the table demonstrates to the public an organization that's practicing what it preaches."

An image of C. Fara Francis

C. Fara Francis
CIO, Center for creative leadership

Work from home

While all groups have embraced the work-from-home movement, many Black professionals find it reduces the impact of racial incidents in the workplace.

Percentage of employees who experienced positive changes in motivation after working remotely.

Black: 43%; All Other: 43%

I have to guard and protect myself from experiencing and witnessing racism every day. I am currently working remotely, and I can say for certain my mood and demeanor have improved. Not having to decide if I should address a racist comment or action has made my day easier.
Source: Slate, 2022

Remote work significantly led to feelings of better chances for career advancement

Survey respondents were asked about the positive and negative changes they saw in their interactions and experiences with remote work. Black employees and their colleagues replied similarly, with mostly positive experiences.

While both groups enjoyed better chances for career advancement, the difference was significantly higher for Black professionals.

An image of a series of bar graphs showing the effects of remote work on a number of factors.

Reasons for Self-Employment:

More Black professionals have chosen self-employment than their colleagues.

All Other: 26%; Black: 30%.

A bar graph showing rankings for reasons for self employment, sorted by Black and All Other.

The biggest reasons for both groups in choosing self-employment were for better pay, career growth, and work/life balance.

While the desire for better pay was the highest reason for both groups, for engaged employees salary is a lower priority than other concerns (Adecco Group's Global Workforce of the Future report). Consider salary in conjunction with career growth, work/life balance, and the variety in the work that your employees have.

A bar graph showing rankings for reasons for self employment, sorted by Black and All Other.

If we don't consider our Black employees, not only do we risk them leaving the organization, but they may decide to just work for themselves.

Most professionals believe their organizations are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion

38% of all respondents believe their organizations are very committed to DEI
49% believe they are somewhat committed
9% feel they are not committed
4% are unsure

Make sure supports are in place to help your employees grow in their careers:

Leadership
IT Leadership Career Planning Research Center

Diversity and Inclusion Tactics
IT Diversity & Inclusion Tactics

Employee Development Planning
Implement an IT Employee Development Plan

Belief in your organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts isn't consistent across groups: Make sure actions are seen as genuine

While organization's efforts are acknowledged, Black professionals aren't as optimistic about the commitment as their peers. Make sure that your programs are reaching the various groups you want to impact, to increase the likelihood of satisfaction in their roles.

SATISFACTION INCREASES IN BOTH BLACK AND NON-BLACK PROFESSIONALS

When they believe in their company's commitment to diversity, equity. and inclusion.

Of those who believe in their organization's commitment, 61% of Black professionals and 67% of non-Black professionals are very satisfied in their roles.

BELIEVE THEIR ORGANIZATION IS NOT COMMITTED TO DEI

BELIEVE THEIR ORGANIZATION IS VERY COMMITTED TO DEI

NON-BLACK PROFESSIONALS

8%

41%

BLACK PROFESSIONALS

13%

30%

Recommendations

It's important to understand the current landscape:

  • The barriers that Black employees often face.
  • The potential solutions that can help close the gap in employee satisfaction.

We recognize that resolving this is not easy. Although senior executives are recognizing that a diverse set of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds is crucial to fostering innovation and competing on the global stage, organizations often don't take the extra step to actively look for racialized talent, and many people still believe that race doesn't play an important part in an individual's ability to access opportunities.

Look at a variety of solutions that you can implement within your organization; layering solutions is the key to driving business diversity. Always keep in mind that diversity is not a monolith, that the experiences of each demographic varies.

Info-Tech resources

Appendix

About the research

Diversity in tech survey

As part of the research process for the State of Black Tech Report, Info-Tech Research Group conducted an open online survey among its membership and wider community of professionals. The survey was fielded from October 2021 to April 2022, collecting 633 responses.

An image of Page 1 of the Appendix.

Current Position

An image of Page 2 of the Appendix.

Education and Experience

Education was fairly consistent across both groups, with a few exceptions: more Black professionals had secondary school (9% vs. 4%) and more Black professionals had Doctorate degrees (4% vs. 2%).

We had more non-Black respondents with 20+ years of experience (31% vs. 19%) and more Black respondents with less than 1 year of experience (8% vs. 5%) – the rest of the years of experience were consistent across the two groups.

An image of Page 3 of the Appendix.

It is important to recognize that people are often seen by "the world" as belonging to a different race or set of races than what they personally identify as. Both aspects impact a professional's experience in the workplace.

An image of Page 4 of the Appendix.

Bibliography

Barton, LeRon. “I’m Black. Remote Work Has Been Great for My Mental Health.” Slate, 15 July 2022.

“Black or African American alone, percent.” U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States. Accessed 14 February 2023.

Boyle, Matthew. “More Workers Ready to Quit Over ‘Window Dressing’ Racism Efforts.” Bloomberg.com, 9 June 2022.

Boyle, Matthew. “Remote Work Has Vastly Improved the Black Worker Experience.” Bloomberg.com, 5 October 2021.

Cooper, Frank, and Ranjay Gulati. “What Do Black Executives Really Want?” Harvard Business Review, 18 November 2021.

“Emotional Tax.” Catalyst. Accessed 1 April 2022.

“Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed February 14, 2023.

“Equality in Tech Report - Welcome.” Dice, 9 March 2022. Accessed 23 March 2022.

Erb, Marcus. "Leaders Are Missing the Promise and Problems of Employee Resource Groups." Great Place To Work, 30 June 2021.

Gawlak, Emily, et al. “Key Findings - Being Black In Corporate America.” Coqual, Center for Talent Innovation (CTI), 2019.

“Global Workforce of the Future Research.” Adecco, 2022. Accessed 4 February 2023.

Gruman, Galen. “The State of Ethnic Minorities in U.S. Tech: 2020.” Computerworld, 21 September 2020. Accessed 31 May 2022.

Hancock, Bryan, et al. “Black Workers in the US Private Sector.” McKinsey, 21 February 2021. Accessed 1 April 2022.

“Hierarchy Of Needs Applied To Employee Engagement.” Proactive Insights, 12 February 2020.

Hobbs, Cecyl. “Shaping the Future of Leadership for Black Tech Talent.” Russell Reynolds Associates, 27 January 2022. Accessed 3 August 2022.

Hubbard, Lucas. “Race, Not Job, Predicts Economic Outcomes for Black Households.” Duke Today, 16 September 2021. Accessed 30 May 2022.

Knight, Marcus. “How the Tech Industry Can Be More Inclusive to the Black Community.” Crunchbase, 23 February 2022.

“Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Employee Engagement (Pre and Post Covid 19).” Vantage Circle HR Blog, 30 May 2022.

McDonald, Autumn. “The Racism of the ‘Hard-to-Find’ Qualified Black Candidate Trope (SSIR).” Stanford Social Innovation Review, 1 June 2021. Accessed 13 December 2021.

McGlauflin, Paige. “The Fortune 500 Features 6 Black CEOs—and the First Black Founder Ever.” Fortune, 23 May 2022. Accessed 14 February 2023.

“Microaggression." Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford Languages, 2023.

Reed, Jordan. "Understanding Racial Microaggression and Its Effect on Mental Health." Pfizer, 26 August 2020.

Shemla, Meir “Why Workplace Diversity Is So Important, And Why It’s So Hard To Achieve.” Forbes, 22 August 2018. Accessed 4 February 2023.

“The State of Black Women in Corporate America.” Lean In and McKinsey & Company, 2020. Accessed 14 January 2022.

Van Bommel, Tara. “The Power of Empathy in Times of Crisis and Beyond (Report).” Catalyst, 2021. Accessed 1 April 2022.

Vu, Viet, Creig Lamb, and Asher Zafar. “Who Are Canada’s Tech Workers?” Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, January 2019. Accessed on Canadian Electronic Library, 2021. Web.

Warner, Justin. “The ROI of Employee Engagement: Show Me the Money!” DecisionWise, 1 January 2020. Web.

White, Sarah K. “5 Revealing Statistics about Career Challenges Black IT Pros Face.” CIO (blog), 9 February 2023. Accessed 5 July 2022.

Williams, Joan C. “Stop Asking Women of Color to Do Unpaid Diversity Work.” Bloomberg.com, 14 April 2022.

Williams, Joan C., Rachel Korn, and Asma Ghani. “A New Report Outlines Some of the Barriers Facing Asian Women in Tech.” Fast Company, 13 April 2022.

Wilson, Valerie, Ethan Miller, and Melat Kassa. “Racial representation in professional occupations.” Economic Policy Institute, 8 June 2021.

“Workplace Diversity: Why It’s Good for Business.” Business Development Canada (BDC.ca), 6 Feb. 2023. Accessed 4 February 2023.

Social Media Management Software Selection Guide

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  • Parent Category Name: Marketing Solutions
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  • Social media has changed the way businesses interact with their customers. It is essential to engage with your customers regularly and in a timely manner.
  • Businesses must stay on top of the latest news and update the public regarding the status of downtime or any mishaps.
  • Customers are present in multiple social media platforms, and it is important for businesses to engage with all audiences without alienating one group.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • There are many social media platforms, and any post, image, or other content must be uploaded on all the platforms with minimal delay.
  • It is often difficult to manage replies and responses to all social media platforms promptly.
  • Measuring key performance metrics is crucial to obtain targeted ROI. Calculating ROI across multiple platforms with various audiences is a challenge.

Impact and Result

  • A business’ social media presence is an extension of the organization, and the social media management strategy must align with the organization's values.
  • Choose a social media management platform that is right for you by aligning your needs without falling for bells and whistles. Vendors offer a lot of features that are not helpful for most day-to-day activities.
  • Ensure the social media management platform has support and integrations for all the platforms that you require.

Social Media Management Software Selection Guide Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Social Media Management Software Selection Guide – A deck outlining the features of SMMP tools and top vendors in the marketspace.

This research offers insight into web analytic tools, key trends in the marketspace, and advanced web analytics techniques. It also provides an overview of the ten top vendors in the marketspace.

  • Social Media Management Software Selection Guide Storyboard
[infographic]

Further reading

Social Media Management Software Selection Guide

Identify the best tools for your social media management needs.

Analyst Perspective

Connecting through social media is an essential way to understand and engage with your customers.

Social media management platforms (SMMP) allow businesses to engage with customers more efficiently. Ten years ago, Facebook and Twitter dominated the social media space, but many alternatives have emerged that attract a wide variety of audiences today. Every social media platform has a unique demographic; for instance, LinkedIn attracts an audience looking to develop their professional career, while Snapchat attracts those who want to share their everyday casual experience.

It is important for businesses and brands to engage with all kinds of audiences without alienating a certain group. Domino's, for example, can sell pizzas to business professionals and teenagers alike, so connecting with both customer segments via personalized and meaningful posts in their preferred platform is a great way to grow their business.

To successfully implement a social media management platform, organizations need to ensure they have their requirements and business needs shortlisted and choose vendors that ensure the best return on investment (ROI).

An image of Sai Krishna Rajaramagopalan
Sai Krishna Rajaramagopalan
Research Specialist, Customer Experience & Application Insights
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

  • Social media has changed the way businesses interact with customers. It is essential to engage with your them regularly and in a timely manner.
  • Businesses must stay on top of the latest news and update the public regarding any downtime or mishaps.
  • Customers are present on multiple social media platforms, and businesses need to engage all audiences without neglecting or alienating any one group.

Common Obstacles

  • There are many social media platforms, and any post, image, or other content must be uploaded on every platform with minimal delay.
  • It is often difficult to manage audience interaction on all social media platforms in a timely manner.
  • Measuring key performance metrics is crucial to obtaining the targeted ROI. Calculating ROI across multiple platforms with varying audiences is a challenge.

Info-Tech's Approach

  • Social media presence is an extension of the organization, and the social media management strategy must align with organizational values.
  • Understand your feature requirements and don't for bells and whistles. Vendors offer many features that are not helpful during 80% of day-to-day activities. Choose the SMMP that is right for your organization's needs.
  • Ensure the SMMP has support and integrations for all the platforms that you require.

Info-Tech Insight

Choosing a good SMMP is only the first step. Having great social media managers who understand their audience is essential in maintaining a healthy relationship with your audience.

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

Phase 1 Phase 2

Call #1: Understand what a social media management platform (SMMP) is.
Call #2: Build the business case to select an SMMP.

Call #3: Define your key SMMP requirements.
Call #4: Build procurement items, such as a request for proposal (RFP).
Call #5: Evaluate the SMMP solution landscape and shortlist viable options.

A Guided implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

The SMMP selection process should be broken into segments:

  1. SMMP shortlisting with this buyer's guide
  2. Structured approach to selection
  3. Contract review

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

“Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

Guided Implementation

“Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

Workshop

“We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

Consulting

“Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

What exactly is an SMMP platform?

A social media management platform is a software solution that enables businesses and brands to manage multiple social media accounts. It facilitates making posts, monitoring metrics, and engaging with your audience.

An SMMP platform offers many key features, including but not limited to the following capabilities:

  • Integrate with popular social media platforms
  • Post images, text, videos on multiple platforms at once
  • Schedule posts
  • Track and monitor activity on social media accounts
  • Send replies and view likes and comments across all accounts
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Send alerts and notifications regarding key events
  • Multilingual support and translation

Info-Tech Insight

Social media management platforms have continuously expanded their features list. It is, however, essential not to get lost in endless features to remain competitive and ensure the best ROI.

Key trends – short-form videos drive the most engagement

Short-form videos

Short-form videos are defined as videos less than two minutes long. Shorter videos take substantially less time and effort to consume, making them very attractive for marketing brands to end users. According to a study conducted by Vidyard, more than 50% of viewers end up watching an entire video if it's less than one minute. Another study finds that over 93% of the surveyed brands sold their product or service to a customer through a social media video.

Popular social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube etc. have caught on to this trend and introduced short-form videos, more commonly called "shorts". It's also common for content creators and brands to cut and upload short clips from longer videos to drive more engagement with viewers.

Key Trends

Short-form videos have higher viewership and view time compared to long videos.

58%

About 58% of viewers watch the video to the end if it’s under one minute long. A two-minute video manages to keep around 50% of its viewers till the end.
Source: Oberlo, 2020

30%

Short-form videos have the highest ROI of any social media marketing at 30%.
Source: Influencer Marketing Hub, 2023

Key trends – influencer marketing

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is the collaboration of brands with online influencers and content creators across various social media platforms to market their products and services. Influencers are not necessarily celebrities; they can be any individual with a dedicated community. This makes influencers abundant. For instance, compare the number of popular football players with the number of YouTubers on the planet.

Unlike traditional marketing methods, influencer marketing is effective across different budget levels. This is because the engagement level of small influencers with 10,000 followers is higher than the engagement level of large influencers with millions of followers. If a brand is budget conscious, working with smaller influencers still gives a good ROI. For every dollar spent on influencer marketing, the average ROI is $5.78.

Key Trends

61%

A recent study by Matter found that 61% of consumers trust influencers' recommendations over branded social media content.
Source: Shopify, 2022

According to data gathered by Statista, the influencer marketing industry has more than doubled since 2019. It was worth $16.4 billion in 2022.
Source: Statista, 2023

Executive Brief Case Study

INDUSTRY: Retail
SOURCE: "5 Influencer Marketing Case Studies," HubSpot

H&M

H&M was looking to build awareness and desirability around the brand to drive clothing sales during the holiday season. They decided to partner with influencers and align content with each celebrity's personality and lifestyle to create authentic content and messaging for H&M. H&M selected four lesser-known celebrities with highly engaged and devoted social media followings: Tyler Posey, Peyton List, Jana Kramer, and Hannah Simone.

They posted teaser clips across various platforms to create buzz about the campaign a couple of days before the full, one-minute videos were released. Presenting the content two different times enabled H&M to appeal to more viewers and increase the campaign's visibility. Two of the celebrities, List and Kramer, garnered more views and engagement on the short clip than the full video, highlighting that a great short clip can be more effective than long-form content.

Results

The campaign achieved 12 million views on YouTube, 1.3 million likes, 14,000 comments, and 19,000 shares. The average engagement with consumers across all four celebrities was 10%.

A screenshot of Tyler Posey's sponsored video.

Tyler Posey's sponsored video achieved:

  • 25% engagement rate on Instagram
  • 14% engagement rate across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Key trends – social commerce is the future of e-commerce

Social commerce

Social commerce is the selling of goods and services through social media. This may involve standalone stores on social media platforms or promotions on these platforms which link to traditional e-commerce platforms.

Social media platforms contain more data about consumers than traditional platforms, which allows more accurate targeting of ads and promotions. Additionally, social commerce can place ads on popular influencer stories and posts, taking advantage of influencer marketing without directly involving the influencers.

Popular platforms have opened their own built-in stores. Facebook created Marketplace and Facebook Shops. TikTok soon followed with the TikTok Shopping suite. These stores allow platforms to lower third-party costs and have more control over which products are featured. This also creates a transactional call to action without leaving social media.

Key Trends

2020 saw a sizable increase in social commerce occurring on social media networks, with users making purchases directly from their social accounts.

30.8%

Sales through social commerce are expected to grow about 30.8% per year from 2020 to 2025. The growth rate is expected to increase to 35% in 2026.
Source: Oberlo, 2020

46%

China has the highest social commerce adoption rate in the world, with 46% of all internet users making at least one purchase. The US is second with a 36% adoption rate.
Source: Influencer Marketing Hub, 2022

Executive Brief Case Study

BestBuy

The Twitter Shop Module allows select brands to showcase products at the top of Twitter business profiles. Users can scroll through a carousel of products on a brand's profile and tap on individual products to read more and make purchases without leaving the platform.

While the results of Twitter's Shop Module experiment are still pending, brands aren't waiting around to sell on the platform. Best Buy and others continue to link to well-formatted product pages directly in their Tweets.

Clear, direct calls to action such as "Pick yours up today" encourage interested audiences to click through, learn more, and review options for purchase. In this social commerce example, Best Buy also makes optimal use of a Tweet's character limit. In just a few words, the brand offers significant savings for a high-quality product, then doubles down with a promotional trade-in offer. Strong imagery is the icing on the cake.

INDUSTRY: Retail
SOURCE: "5 genius social commerce examples," Sprout Social, 2021

Image shows a social media post by Best Buy.

Key trends – social media risk management is crucial

Crisis management

Crisis management is the necessary intervention from an organization when negative news spreads across social media platforms. With how interconnected people are due to social media, news can quickly spread across different platforms.

Organizations must be prepared for difficult situations such as negative feedback for a product or service, site outages, real-world catastrophes or disasters, and negative comments toward the social media handle. There are tools that organizations can use to receive real-time updates and be prepared for extreme situations.

While the causes are often beyond control, organizations can prepare by setting up a well-constructed crisis management strategy.

Key Trends

75%

75% of respondents to PwC's Global Crisis Survey said technology has facilitated the coordination of their organization's crisis response team.
Source: PwC, 2021

69%

69% of business leaders reported experiencing a crisis over a period of five years, with the average number of crises being three.
Source: PwC, 2019

Executive Brief Case Study

INDUSTRY: Apparel
SOURCE: “Social Media Crisis Management 3 Examples Done Right,” Synthesio

Nike

On February 20, 2019, Zion Williamson, a star player from Duke University, suffered a knee injury when a malfunctioning Nike shoe fell apart. This accident happened less than a minute into a highly anticipated game against North Carolina. Media outlets and social media users quickly began talking. ESPN had broadcast the game nationally. On Twitter, former President Barack Obama, who was watching the game courtside, expressed his well-wishes to Williamson, as did NBA giants like LeBron James.

This accident was so high profile that Nike stock dropped 1.7% the following day. Nike soon released a statement expressing its concern and well-wishes for Williamson. The footwear megabrand reassured the world that its teams were "working to identify the issue." The following day, Nike sent a team to Durham, North Carolina, where the game took place. This team then visited Nike's manufacturing site in China and returned with numerous suggestions.

About a month later, Williamson returned to the court with custom shoes, which he told reporters were "incredible." He thanked Nike for creating them.

An image of a post by Time about Zion Williamson's injury.

Get to know the key players in the SMMP landscape

These next slides provide a top-level overview of the popular players you will encounter in the SMMP shortlisting process.

A collection of the logos for the SMPP key players, discussed later in this blueprint.

Evaluate software category leaders through vendor rankings and awards

SoftwareReviews

An Image of SoftwareReviews data quadrant analysis

The data quadrant is a thorough evaluation and ranking of all software in an individual category to compare platforms across multiple dimensions.
Vendors are ranked by their composite score, based on individual feature evaluations, user satisfaction rankings, vendor capability comparisons, and likeliness to recommend the platform.

An image of SoftwareReviews Emotional Footprint.

The emotional footprint is a powerful indicator of overall user sentiment toward the relationship with the vendor, capturing data across five dimensions.
Vendors are ranked by their customer experience (CX) score, which combines the overall emotional footprint rating with a measure of the value delivered by the solution.

Speak with category experts to dive deeper into the vendor landscape

SoftwareReviews

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Comprehensive software reviews

to make better IT decisions

We collect and analyze the most detailed reviews on enterprise software from real users to give you an unprecedented view into the product and vendor before you buy.

Fact-based reviews of business software from IT professionals.

Product and category reports with state-of-the-art data visualization.

Top-tier data quality backed by a rigorous quality assurance process.

User-experience insight that reveals the intangibles of working with a vendor.

SoftwareReviews is powered by Info-Tech

Technology coverage is a priority for Info-Tech and SoftwareReviews provides the most comprehensive unbiased data on today's technology. Combined with the insight of our expert analysts, our members receive unparalleled support in their buying journey.

The logo for HubSpot

Est. 2006 | MA, USA | NYSE: HUBS

bio

From attracting visitors to closing customers, HubSpot brings the entire marketing funnel together for less hassle, more control, and an inbound marketing strategy.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for HubSpot

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths:

  • Extensive functionality
  • Great for midmarket and large enterprises
  • Offers free trial

Areas to improve:

  • Comparatively expensive
  • Steep price increase between various tiers of offering

The logo for HubSpot

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

HubSpot offers a robust social media management platform that enables organizations to run all social media campaigns from a central location. HubSpot is suitable for a range of midmarket and enterprise use cases. HubSpot offers a free base version of the platform that freelancers and start-ups can take advantage of. The free version can also be used to trial the product prior to deciding on purchase.

However, HubSpot is relatively expensive compared to its competitors. The free tools are not sustainable for growing businesses and some essential features are locked behind professional pricing. The price increase from one tier to another – specifically from starter to professional – is steep, which may discourage organizations looking for a "cheap and cheerful" product.

History

An image of the timeline for HubSpot

Starter

  • Starts at $45
  • Per month
  • Small businesses

Professional

  • Starts at $800
  • Per month
  • Medium/large businesses

Enterprise

  • Starts at $3600
  • Per month
  • Large enterprises

The logo for Sprout Social

Est. 2010 | IL, USA | NASDAQ: SPT

bio

People increasingly turn to social media to engage with your business. Sprout Social provides powerful tools to personally connect with customers, solve issues, and create brand advocates.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Sprout Social

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths:

  • Automated response feature
  • Great price for base offering

Areas to improve:

  • Advanced features are very expensive
  • No free trial offered

The logo for Sprout Social

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

Sprout Social offers strong social feed management and social customer service capabilities. It also provides powerful analytical tools to monitor multiple social media accounts. The listening functionality helps discover trends and identify gaps and opportunities. It is also one of the very few platforms to provide automated responses to incoming communications, easing the process of managing large and popular brands.

Although the starting price of each tier is competitive, advanced analytics and listening come at a steep additional cost. Adding one additional user to the professional tier costs $299 which is a 75% increase in cost. Sprout Social does not offer a free tier for small businesses to trial.

History

An image of the timeline for Sprout Social

Standard

  • Starts at $249
  • Per month
  • Small businesses
  • Five social profiles

Professional

  • Starts at $399
  • Per month
  • Medium/large businesses

Advanced

  • Starts at $499
  • Per month
  • Medium/large businesses

Enterprise

  • Opaque pricing
  • Request a quote
  • Large enterprises

The logo for Hootsuite

Est. 2008 | BC, CANADA |PRIVATE

bio

Manage social networks, schedule messages, engage your audiences, and measure ROI right from the dashboard.

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths:

  • Automatic scheduling functionality
  • Competitor analysis
  • 30-day free trial

Areas to improve:

  • Advanced functionalities require additional purchase and are expensive

The logo for Hootsuite

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

Hootsuite is one of the largest players in the social media management space with over 18 million users. The solution has great functionality covering all the popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. One popular and well-received feature is the platform’s ability to schedule posts in bulk. Hootsuite also provides an automatic scheduling feature that uses algorithms to determine the optimal time to post to maximize viewership and engagement. Additionally, the platform can pull analytics for all competitors in the same marketspace as the user to compare performance.

Hootsuite offers buyers a 30-day free trial to familiarize with the platform and provides unlimited post scheduling across all their plans. Features like social listening, employee advocacy, and ROI reporting, however, are not included in these plans and require additional purchase.

History

An image of the timeline for Hootsuite

Professional

  • Starts at $49*
  • Per month
  • 1 user and 10 social accounts

Team

  • Starts at $249*
  • Per month
  • 3 users and 20 social accounts

Business

  • Starts at $739*
  • Per month
  • 5 users and 35 social accounts

Enterprise

  • Custom built and priced
  • Starts at 5 users and 50 social accounts

The logo for Sprinklr

Est. 2009 | NY, USA | NYSE: CXM

bio

With social engagement & sales, you can deliver a positive experience that's true to your brand - no matter where your customers are digitally - from a single, unified platform.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Sprinklr

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths

  • Extensive social analytics functionality
  • Advertising and sales capabilities

Areas to improve:

  • Not suitable for small to medium businesses
  • Opaque pricing

The logo for Sprinklr

Sprinklr is a vendor focused on enterprise-grade capabilities that offers a comprehensive unified customer experience management (CXM) platform.

Their product portfolio offers an all-in-one solution set with an extensive list of features to accommodate all marketing and communication needs. Sprinklr comes integrated with products consisting of advertising, marketing, engagement, and sales capabilities. Some of the key functionality specific to social media includes sentiment analysis, social reporting, advanced data filtering, alerts and notifications, competitor analysis, post performance, and hashtag analysis.

History

An image of the timeline for Sprinklr

Sprinklr – Opaque Pricing:
"Request a Demo"

The logo for Zoho Social

Est. 1996 | TN, INDIA | PRIVATE

bio

Zoho Social is a complete social media management tool for growing businesses & agencies. It helps schedule posts, monitor mentions, create unlimited reports, and more. Zoho Social is from Zoho.com—a suite of 40+ products trusted by 30+ million users.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Zoho Social” data-verified=

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths:

  • Provides integration capabilities with other Zoho products
  • Competitive pricing

Areas to improve:

  • Base functionality is limited
  • The two starting tiers are limited to one user

The logo for Zoho Social

*Pricing correct as of August 2021. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

Zoho differentiates itself from competitors by highlighting integration with other products under the Zoho umbrella – their adjacent tool sets allow organizations to manage emails, projects, accounts, and webinars. Zoho also offers the choice of purchasing their social media management tool without any of the augmented CRM capabilities, which is priced quite competitively.

The social media management tools are offered in three plans. Each plan allows the ability to publish and schedule posts across nine platforms, access summary reports and analytics, and access a Bit.ly integration & URL shortener. The standard and professional plans are limited to one brand and one team member, with the option to add team members or social channels for an additional cost.

YouTube support is exclusive to the premium offering.

History

An image of the timeline for Zoho Social

Standard

  • Starts at $10*
  • Per month, billed annually
  • 9 channels and 1 team member

Professional

  • Starts at $30*
  • Per month, billed annually
  • Option to add team members for additional cost

Premium

  • Starts at $40*
  • Per month, billed annually
  • Starts at 10 channels and 3 team members

The logo for MavSocial

Est. 2012 | CA, USA | PRIVATE

bio

MavSocial is a multi-award-winning, fully integrated social media management & advertising solution for brands and agencies.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for MavSocial

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths

  • Content management capabilities
  • Offers millions of stock free images

Areas to improve:

  • Limited market footprint compared to competitors
  • Not ideal for large enterprises

The logo for MavSocial

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

In addition to social media management, MavSocial is also an excellent content management tool. A centralized platform is offered that can store many photos, videos, infographics, and more, which can be accessed anytime. The solution comes with millions of free stock images to use. MavSocial is a great hybrid social media and content management solution for small and mid-sized businesses and larger brands that have dedicated teams to manage their social media. MavSocial also offers campaign planning and management, scheduling, and social inbox functionality. The entry-level plan starts at $78 per month for three users and 30 profiles. The enterprise plan offers fully configurable and state-of-the-art social media management tools, including the ability to manage Facebook ads.

History

An image of the timeline for MavSocial

Pro

  • Starts at $78*
  • Per month
  • Max. 3 users and 30 Profiles

Business

  • Starts at $249*
  • Per month
  • 5 users, 40 profiles
  • Ability to expand users and profiles

Enterprise

  • Starts at $499*
  • Per month
  • Fully customized

The logo for Khoros

Est. 2019 | TX, USA | PRIVATE

bio

Use the Khoros platform (formerly Spredfast + Lithium) to deliver an all-ways connected experience your customers deserve.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Khoros

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths

  • Offers a dedicated social strategic service team
  • Extensive functionality

Areas to improve:

  • Opaque pricing
  • Not suitable for small or medium businesses

The logo for Khoros

Khoros is the result of the merger between two social marketing platforms - Spredfast and Lithium. The parent companies have over a decade of experience offering social management tools. Khoros is widely used among many large brands such as StarHub and Randstad. Khoros is another vendor that is primarily focused on large enterprises and does not offer plans for small/medium businesses. Khoros offers a broad range of functionality such as social media marketing, customer engagement, and brand protection with visibility and controls over social media presence. Khoros also offers a social strategic services team to manage content strategy, brand love, reporting, trend tracking, moderation, crisis and community management; this team can be full service or a special ops extension of your in-house crew.

History

An image of the timeline for Khoros

Khoros – Opaque Pricing:
"Request a Demo"

The logo for Sendible

Est. 2009 | UK | PRIVATE

bio

Sendible allows you to manage social networks, schedule messages, engage your audiences, and measure ROI right from one easy-to-use dashboard.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Sendible

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths

  • Great integration capabilities
  • Competitive pricing
  • Scheduling functionality

Areas to improve:

  • Limited footprint compared to competitors
  • Better suited for agencies

The logo for Sendible

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

Sendible primarily markets itself to agencies rather than individual brands or businesses. Sendible's key value proposition is its integration capabilities. It can integrate with 17 different tools including Meta, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google My Business (GMB), YouTube, WordPress, Canva, Google Analytics, and Google Drive. In addition to normal reporting functionality, the Google Analytics integration allows customers to track clickthrough and user behavior for traffic coming from social media channels.

All plans include the functionality to schedule at least ten posts. Sendible offers excellent collaboration tools, allowing teams to work on assigned tasks and have content approved before they are scheduled to ensure quality control. Sendible offers four plans, with the option to save an additional 15% by signing up for annual payments.

History

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Creator

  • Starts at $29
  • Price per month
  • For freelancers
  • One brand

Traction

  • Starts at $89
  • Price per month
  • Start-up agencies & brands. 4+ brands

Scale

  • Starts at $199
  • Price per month
  • For growing agencies & brands

Custom

  • Opaque pricing
  • Request a quote
  • For large teams & agencies

The logo for Agorapulse

Est. 2010 | FRANCE | PRIVATE

bio

Agorapulse is an affordable social media dashboard that helps businesses and agencies easily publish content and manage their most important conversations on their social networks.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Agorapulse

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths

  • ROI calculation for Facebook
  • Competitor analysis
  • Social inbox functionality

Areas to improve:

  • Targeted toward agencies
  • Advanced features can't be purchased under lower tier plans

The logo for Agorapulse

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

Although Agorapulse offers the solution for both agencies and business, they primarily focus on agencies. In addition to the standard social media management functionality, Agorapulse also offers features such as competitor analysis and Facebook contest apps at an affordable price point. They also offer social inbox functionality, allowing the ability to manage the inbox and reply to any message or comment across all social profiles through a single platform.

The solution is offered in three plans. The pro plan allows ten social profiles and two users. Additional social profiles and users can only be purchased under the premium plan. All plans include ROI calculation for Facebook, but if you want this functionality for other platforms, that's exclusive to the enterprise plan.

History

An image of the timeline for Agorapulse

Pro

  • Starts at $79
  • Price per month
  • 10 social profiles and 2 users

Premium

  • Starts at $199
  • Price per month
  • 20 social profiles and 2 brands

Enterprise

  • Opaque pricing
  • 40+ social profiles and 8+ users

The logo for Buffer

Est. 2010 | CA, USA | PRIVATE

bio

A better way to manage social media for your business. Buffer makes it easy to manage your business' social media accounts. Schedule posts, analyze performance, and collaborate with your team — all in one place.

An image of SoftwareReviews analysis for Buffer

SoftwareReviews' SMMP Rankings

Strengths

  • Competitive pricing
  • Scheduling functionality
  • Mobile app

Areas to improve:

  • Not suited for medium to large enterprises
  • Limited functionality

The logo for Buffer

*Pricing correct as of November 2022. Listed in USD and absent discounts.
See pricing on vendor's website for latest information.

Buffer is a social media platform targeted toward small businesses. It is a great cost-effective option for those who want to manage a few social media profiles, with a free plan that lets one user access three social channels. At $5 per month, it's a great entry point for smaller companies to invest in social media management tools, offering functionality like post scheduling and link shortening and optimization tools for hashtags, tags, and mentions across platforms. All plans provide a browser extension, access to a mobile app, two-factor authentication, social media and email support, and access to the Buffer community. Customers can also trial any of the plans for 14 days before purchasing.

history

An image of the timeline for Buffer

Essentials

  • Starts at $5
  • Per month per channel
  • Basic functionality

Team

  • Starts at $10
  • Per month per channel
  • Adds reporting capabilities

Agency

  • Starts at $100
  • Per month per channel

Leverage Info-Tech's research to plan and execute your SMMP implementation

Use Info-Tech Research Group's three-phase implementation process to guide your own planning.

  • Assess
  • Prepare
  • Govern & Course Correct

An image of the title page for Info-Tech's governance and management of enterprise software implementation

Establish and execute an end-to-end, Agile framework to succeed with the implementation of a major enterprise application.

Visit this link

Ensure your implementation team has a high degree of trust and communication

If external partners are needed, dedicate an internal resource to managing vendor and partner relationships.

Communication

Teams must have a communication strategy. This can be broken into:

  • Regularity: Having a set time each day to communicate progress and a set day to conduct retrospectives.
  • Ceremonies: Introducing awards and continually emphasizing delivery of value can encourage relationship building and constructive motivation.
  • Escalation: Voicing any concerns and having someone responsible for addressing those concerns.

Proximity

Distributed teams create complexity as communication can break down. This can be mitigated by:

  • Location: Placing teams in proximity can close the barrier of geographical distance and time zone differences.
  • Inclusion: Making a deliberate attempt to pull remote team members into discussions and ceremonies.
  • Communication tools: Having the right technology (e.g. video conference) can help bring teams closer together virtually.

Trust

Members should trust other members to contribute to the project and complete required tasks on time. Trust can be developed and maintained by:

  • Accountability: Having frequent quality reviews and feedback sessions. As work becomes more transparent, people become more accountable.
  • Role clarity: Having a clear definition of everyone's role.

Summary of Accomplishment

Knowledge Gained

  • What a social media management platform (SMMP) is
  • The history of SMMP
  • The future of SMMP
  • Key trends in SMMP

Processes Optimized

  • Requirements gathering
  • Requests for proposal (RFPs) and contract reviews
  • SMMP vendor selection
  • SMMP implementation

SMMP Vendors Analyzed

  • Sprout Social
  • HubSpot
  • Zoho Social
  • Khoros
  • Agorapulse
  • Hootsuite
  • Sprinklr
  • MavSocial
  • Sendible
  • Buffer

Related Info-Tech Research

Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform

  • SMMPs reduce complexity and increase the results of enterprise social media initiatives.

Social Media

  • The Social Media workshop provides clear, measurable improvements to your social media strategy.

Improve Requirements Gathering

  • An improvement in requirements analysis will strengthen the relationship between business and IT, as more and more applications satisfy stakeholder needs. More importantly, the applications delivered by IT will meet all the must-have and at least some of the nice-to-have requirements, allowing end users to successfully execute their day-to-day responsibilities.

Bibliography

"30+ Influencer Marketing Statistics You Should Know (2022)." Shopify, www.shopify.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics.
"A Brief History of Hootsuite." BrainStation®, 2015, https://brainstation.io/magazine/a-brief-history-of-hootsuite#:~:text=In%202008%2C%20Vancouver%2Dbased%20digital,accounts%20from%20a%20single%20interface.&text=In%202009%2C%20BrightKit's%20name%20changed,a%20capital%20%E2%80%9CS%E2%80%9D).
"About Us." Sprout Social, https://sproutsocial.com/about/#history
"About Zoho - Our Story, List of Products." Zoho, www.zoho.com/aboutus.html.
Adam Rowe, et al. "Sprout Social vs Hootsuite - Which Is Best?: Tech.co 2022." Tech.co, 15 Nov. 2022, https://tech.co/digital-marketing/sprout-social-vs-hootsuite
"Agorapulse Customer Story: Twilio Segment." Segment, https://segment.com/customers/agorapulse/
"Agorapulse - Funding, Financials, Valuation & Investors." Crunchbase, www.crunchbase.com/organization/agorapulse/company_financials.
"Agorapulse Release Notes." Agorapulse Release Notes, https://agorapulse.releasenotes.io/
"Buffer - Funding, Financials, Valuation & Investors." Crunchbase, www.crunchbase.com/organization/buffer/company_financials.
Burton, Shannon. "5 Genius Social Commerce Examples You Can Learn From." Sprout Social, 28 Oct. 2021, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-commerce-examples/ .
Chris Gillespie. "How Long Should a Video Be." Vidyard, 17 May 2022, www.vidyard.com/blog/video-length/.
"Consumers Continue to Seek Influencers Who Keep It Real." Matter Communications, 22 Feb 2023. https://www.matternow.com/blog/consumers-seek-influencers-who-keep-it-real/
"Contact Center, Communities, & Social Media Software." Khoros, https://khoros.com/about.
Fennell, Kylie, et al. "Blog." MavSocial, https://mavsocial.com/blog/.
Fuchs, Jay. "24 Stats That Prove Why You Need a Crisis Management Strategy in 2022." HubSpot Blog, HubSpot, 16 Mar. 2022, https://blog.hubspot.com/service/crisis-management-stats
Geyser, Werner. "Key Social Commerce Statistics You Should Know in 2022." Influencer Marketing Hub, http://influencermarketinghub.com/social-commerce-stats/
"Global Crisis Survey 2021: Building resilience for the next normal." PwC, 2021. https://www.pwc.com/ia/es/prensa/pdfs/Global-Crisis-Survey-FINAL-March-18.pdf
"Global Influencer Marketing Value 2016-2022." Statista, 6 Jan 2023, www.statista.com/statistics/1092819/global-influencer-market-size/.
"Key Social Commerce Statistics You Should Know in 2023." Influencer Marketing Hub, December 29, 2022. https://influencermarketinghub.com/social-commerce-stats/
"Khoros - Funding, Financials, Valuation & Investors." Crunchbase, www.crunchbase.com/organization/spredfast/company_financials.
Lin, Ying. "Social Commerce Market Size (2020–2026) ", Oberlo, Oberlo, www.oberlo.com/statistics/social-commerce-market-size#:~:text=Social%20commerce%20statistics%20show%20that,fastest%20and%20slowest%20growth%20rates.
Mediakix, "5 Influencer Marketing Case Studies." HubSpot, n.d. https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/505330/Influencer-Marketing-5-Case-Studies-Ebook.pdf.
"Our Story: HubSpot - Internet Marketing Company." HubSpot, www.hubspot.com/our-story .
PricewaterhouseCoopers. "69% Of Business Leaders Have Experienced a Corporate Crisis in the Last Five Years Yet 29% of Companies Have No Staff Dedicated to Crisis Preparedness." PwC, 2019. www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2019/global-crisis-survey.html.
Ferris, Robert. "Duke Player Zion Williamson Injured When Nike Shoe Blows Apart during Game." CNBC, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/02/21/duke-player-zion-williamson-injured-when-nike-shoe-blows-apart-in-game.html.
"Social Engagement & Sales Platform." Sprinklr, www.sprinklr.com/social-engagement/.
"Social Media Analytics & Reporting for Growing Brands." Buffer, https://buffer.com/analyze
"Social Media Management and Advertising Tool." MavSocial, 30 July 2022, https://mavsocial.com/
"Social Media Management Software." HubSpot, www.hubspot.com/products/marketing/social-inbox.
"Social Media Management Software - Zoho Social." Zoho, www.zoho.com/social/
"Social Media Management Tool for Agencies & Brands." Sendible, www.sendible.com/.
"Social Media Management Tools." Sprout Social, 6 Sept. 2022, https://sproutsocial.com/social-media-management/
"Social Media Marketing & Management Platform For Enterprises." Khoros, khoros.com/platform/social-media-management.
"Social Media Monitoring Tool." Agorapulse, www.agorapulse.com/features/social-media-monitoring/.
"Top 12 Moments in SPRINKLR's History." Sprinklr, www.sprinklr.com/blog/12-moments-sprinklr-history/.
Twitter, BestBuy, https://twitter.com/BestBuyCanada
"The Ultimate Guide to Hootsuite." Backlinko, 10 Oct. 2022, https://backlinko.com/hub/content/hootsuite
Widrich, Leo. "From 0 to 1,000,000 Users: The Journey and Statistics of Buffer." Buffer Resources, Buffer Resources, 8 Dec. 2022, buffer.com/resources/from-0-to-1000000-users-the-journey-and-statistics-of-buffer/.
Yeung, Carmen. "Social Media Crisis Management 3 Examples Done Right." Synthesio, 19 Nov. 2021, www.synthesio.com/blog/social-media-crisis-management/.

Leading Through Uncertainty Workshop Overview

  • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}474|cart{/j2store}
  • member rating overall impact: 10.0/10 Overall Impact
  • member rating average dollars saved: $123,999 Average $ Saved
  • member rating average days saved: 5 Average Days Saved
  • Parent Category Name: Leadership Development Programs
  • Parent Category Link: /leadership-development-programs

As the world around us changes there is a higher risk that IT productivity and planned priorities will be derailed.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

To meet the challenges of uncertainty head on IT leaders must adapt so their employees are supported and IT departments continue to operate successfully.

Impact and Result

  • Clearly define and articulate the current and future priorities to provide direction and cultivate hope for the future.
  • Recognize and manage your own reactions to be conscious of how you are showing up and the perceptions others may have.
  • Incorporate the 4Cs of Leading Through Uncertainty into your leadership practice to make sense of the situation and lead others through it.
  • Build tactics to connect with your employees that will ensure employee engagement and productivity.

Leading Through Uncertainty Workshop Overview Research & Tools

Start here – read the Workshop Overview

Read our concise Workshop Overview to find out how this program can support IT leaders when managing teams through uncertain times.

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

  • Leading Through Uncertainty (LTU) Workshop Overview
[infographic]

Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy

  • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}308|cart{/j2store}
  • member rating overall impact: 9.6/10 Overall Impact
  • member rating average dollars saved: $34,982 Average $ Saved
  • member rating average days saved: 25 Average Days Saved
  • Parent Category Name: End-User Computing Strategy
  • Parent Category Link: /end-user-computing-strategy

IT needs to answer these questions:

  • What types of computing devices, provisioning models, and operating systems should be offered to end users?
  • How will IT support devices?
  • What are the policies and governance surrounding how devices are used?
  • What actions are we taking and when?
  • How do end-user devices support larger corporate priorities and strategies?

Your answers need to balance choice, risk, and cost.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Even if a user has a prestigious tablet, if the apps aren’t built well, they can’t get support on it, or they can’t connect, then that device is useless. Focus on supportability, use cases, connection, and policy – and the device.

Impact and Result

  • Identify desired benefits that align to IT and corporate priorities and strategies.
  • Perform a persona analysis.
  • Define a vision for end-user computing.
  • Define the standard device and app offerings.
  • Improve the supporting services surrounding devices.
  • Develop a roadmap for implementing your strategy.

Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. End-User Computing Strategy Deck – A step-by-step document to walk you through end-user computing trends and processes to improve customer satisfaction.

This storyboard will help you identify your goals, build standard offerings for users, define governance and policies around offerings, and develop a roadmap for your EUC program.

  • Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy – Phases 1-3

2. End-User Computing Strategy Template – A repository for your current-state and persona analysis to identify technology requirements for each user group.

Use these templates to document your end-user computing strategy. Follow the guidelines in the blueprint and record activity results in the template. The findings will be presented to the management team.

  • End-User Computing Strategy Template
  • User Group Analysis Workbook

3. End-User Computing Ideas Catalog and Standard Offering Guide – Templates that guide you to document the outcome from persona analysis to define standard offerings and policies.

The Ideas Catalog introduces provisioning models, form factors, and supported operating systems. Use the Standard Offering Template to document provisioning models and define computing devices along with apps and peripherals according to the outcome of the user group analysis.

  • Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template
  • End-User Computing Ideas Catalog

4. End-User Computing Policies – Policies that establish requirements for end-user computing.

Use these policy templates to communicate the purposes behind each end-user computing decision and establish company standards, guidelines, and procedures for the purchase of technologies. The policies will ensure purchasing, reimbursement, security, and remote wiping enforcements are consistent and in alignment with the company strategy.

  • Mobile Device Connectivity & Allowance Policy
  • Purchasing Policy
  • Mobile Device Reimbursement Agreement
  • Mobile Device Reimbursement Policy
  • BYOD Acceptable Use Policy
  • Mobile Device Remote Wipe Waiver Template
  • General Security – User Acceptable Use Policy
  • Device Entitlement Policy Template

Infographic

Workshop: Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Set the Direction

The Purpose

Dig into the current state and build user persona.

Key Benefits Achieved

Determine your challenges and strengths.

Delineate user IT requirements.

Activities

1.1 Assess the current state of end-user computing.

1.2 Perform SWOT analysis.

1.3 Map benefits to stakeholder drivers and priorities.

1.4 Identify user groups.

1.5 Identify supporting technology.

1.6 Identify opportunities to provide value.

Outputs

SWOT analysis of current state

Goals cascade

Persona analysis

2 Define the Offering

The Purpose

Define your EUC vision and standard offerings.

Key Benefits Achieved

Brainstorm EUC vision and mission.

Find out the standard offerings.

Set the direction for end-user computing to support shift-left enablement.

Activities

2.1 Prioritize benefits.

2.2 Craft a vision and mission statement.

2.3 Identify goals.

2.4 Define guiding principles for your strategy.

2.5 Select a provisioning model for each persona.

2.6 Define the standard device offerings.

2.7 Document each persona's entitlements.

Outputs

Vision statement, mission statement, and guiding principles

Goals and indicators

End-user device entitlements standard

3 Support the Offering

The Purpose

Outline supporting practices and define policies for each use case.

Key Benefits Achieved

Document supporting practices.

Document EUC policies.

Activities

3.1 Define device management tools and approach.

3.2 Identify groups involved in supporting practices.

3.3 Identify opportunities to improve customer service.

3.4 Define acceptable use.

3.5 Define BYOD policies.

3.6 Define procurement and entitlement policies.

3.7 Define security policies.

Outputs

List of management tools for end-user computing

Roles and responsibilities for maintaining the end-user computing environment

Opportunities to improve customer service

End-user computing policy templates

4 Bridge the Gap and Create the Roadmap

The Purpose

Build a user migration roadmap.

Key Benefits Achieved

Make the project a reality by documenting initiatives and building a roadmap.

Activities

4.1 Identify the gaps in devices, user support, use cases, policy & governance, and fitness for use.

4.2 Plan the deployment and user migration journey.

4.3 Document initiatives in the roadmap.

Outputs

Initiatives mapped to practice areas

User migration journey map

Further reading

Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy

Support the workforce of the future.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Focus beyond the device

It’s easy to think that if we give end users nice devices, then they will be more engaged and they will be happy with IT. If only it were that easy.

Info-Tech Research Group has surveyed over 119,000 people through its CIO Business Vision diagnostic. The results show that a good device is necessary but not enough for high satisfaction with IT. Once a user has a decent device, the other aspects of the user’s experience has a higher impact on their satisfaction with IT.

After all, if a person is trying to run apps designed in the 1990s, if they are struggling to access resources through an underperforming VPN connection, or if they can’t get help when their devices and apps aren’t working, then it doesn’t matter that you gave them a state-of-the-art MacBook or Microsoft Surface.

As you build out your end-user computing strategy to reflect the new reality of today’s workforce, ensure you focus on shifting user support left, modernizing apps to support how users need to work, and ensuring that your network and collaboration tools can support the increased demands. End-user computing teams need to focus beyond the device.

Ken Weston, ITIL MP, PMP, Cert.APM, SMC

Research Director, Infrastructure and Operations Info-Tech Research Group

Mahmoud Ramin, PhD

Senior Research Analyst, Infrastructure and Operations Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

IT needs to answer these questions:

  • What types of computing devices, provisioning models, and operating systems (OSes) should be offered to end users?
  • How will IT support devices?
  • What are the policies and governance surrounding how devices are used?
  • What actions are we taking and when?
  • How do end-user devices support larger corporate priorities and strategies?

Your answers need to balance choice, risk, and cost.

Common Obstacles

Management paradigms have shifted:

  • OSes, device management, and IT asset management (ITAM) practices have changed.
  • Users expect full capabilities on any personal device.
  • Virtual desktops are switching to the cloud.
  • Low-code/no-code platforms allow the business to manage their own apps or comanage with IT.
  • Work-from-anywhere is the default.
  • Users have higher customer service expectations.

Take end-user computing beyond the OS.

Info-Tech's Approach

This blueprint will help you:

  • Identify desired benefits that align to IT and corporate priorities and strategies.
  • Perform a persona analysis.
  • Define a vision for end-user computing.
  • Define the standard device and app offerings.
  • Improve the supporting services surrounding devices.
  • Develop a roadmap for implementing your strategy.

A good device is necessary for satisfaction with IT but it’s not enough.

If a user has a prestigious tablet but the apps aren’t built well, they can’t get support on it, or they can’t connect to the internet, then that device is useless. Focus on supportability, use cases, connection, policy – and device.

Your challenge

This blueprint will help you build a strategy that answers these questions:

  • What types of computing devices should be offered to end users?
  • What provisioning models will be used?
  • What operating systems are supported?
  • How will IT support devices?
  • What are the policies and governance surrounding how devices are used?
  • What actions are we taking and when?
  • How do end-user devices support larger corporate priorities and strategies?

Definition: End-User Computing (EUC)

End-user computing (EUC) is the domain of information and technology that deals with the devices used by workers to do their jobs. EUC has five focus areas: devices, user support, use cases, policy & governance, and fitness for use.

A good end-user computing strategy will effectively balance:

User Choice

Cost

Risk

The right balance will be unique for every organization.

Strike the right balance

The discussion is larger than desktop support

If IT is an influencer, then you get to drive this conversation. If IT is not an influencer, then you need to support whatever option the business wants.

Cost Risk Choice Result
Higher Education High importance Low importance High importance Full BYOD for professors. Standardized offerings for administration.
Software Development Firms Low importance Medium/High importance High importance Standardized offerings for developers. Virtual desktops for users on BYOD.
Legal Firm Medium importance High importance Low importance Partners offered prestigious devices. Everyone else uses Windows PCs. Virtual desktops and apps for remote access.

Healthcare

High importance High importance Low importance Nurses, janitors, and other frontline staff use shared tablets. Doctors are provisioned their own tablet. Admin staff and doctors are provisioned virtual desktops to maintain security and compliance.
Government High importance High importance Low importance Standardized PC offerings for all employees. MacBooks are provided with justification. Devices managed with Intune and ConfigMgr.

Good devices are necessary for overall IT satisfaction

BUT

Good devices are not enough for high satisfaction

A bad device can ruin a person’s satisfaction with IT

Info-Tech’s CIO Business Vision has shown that when someone is dissatisfied with their device, their satisfaction with IT overall is only 40.92% on average.

When a person is satisfied with their device, their average satisfaction increases by approximately 30 percentage points to 70.22%. (Info-Tech Research Group, CIO Business Vision, 2021; N=119,383)

The image is a bar graph, with the Y-axis labelled Overall IT Satisfaction. There are two bars, one labelled Satisfied With Devices, which is at 70.22%, and the other labelled Dissatisfied With Devices, which is at 40.92%.

Improvements in the service desk, business apps, networks and communication infrastructure, and IT policy all have a higher impact on increasing satisfaction.

For every one-point increase in satisfaction in those areas, respondents’ overall satisfaction with IT increased by the respective percentage of a point. (Info-Tech Research Group, CIO Business Vision, 2021; N=119,409)

The image shows a graphic of five arrows pointing upwards. They are labelled (from right to left): Devices--42.20%; IT Policy--45.90%; Network & Comms Infra--59.49%; Business Apps--63.89%; Service Desk--65.19%, 1.54 times the impact of devices.

End-User Paradigms Have Shifted

Take end-user computing beyond the device

Operating System - OS

Only Windows

  • More choices than ever before

Endpoint Management System - UEM

Group Policy & Client Management

  • Modern & Unified Endpoint Management

Personal Devices - BYOD

Limited to email on phones

  • Full capabilities on any device

IT Asset Management - ITAM

Hands-on with images

  • Zero-touch with provisioning packages

Virtual Desktops - DaaS

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure in the Data Center

  • Desktop-as-a-Service in the cloud

Business-Managed Apps - BMA

Performed by IT

  • Performed by the Business and IT

Work-From-Anywhere - WFA

Rare

  • Default

Customer Satisfaction - C Sat

Phone calls and transactional interactions

  • Self-serve & managing entire experience

Don’t limit your focus to only Windows and Macs

Android is the OS with the largest market share

Users and IT have more choices than ever before

Operating System - OS

Only Windows

  • More choices than ever before

Microsoft is still the dominant player in end-user computing, but Windows has only a fraction of the share it once had.

IT needs to revisit their device management practices. Modern management tools such as unified endpoint management (UEM) tools are better suited than traditional client management tools (CMT) for a cross-platform world.

IT must also revisit their application portfolios. Are business apps supported on Android and iOS or are they only supported on Windows? Is there an opportunity to offer more options to end users? Are end users already running apps and handling sensitive data on Android and iOS through software-as-a-service and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) capabilities in Office 365 and Google apps?

The image shows a bar graph titled OS Market Share, 2011-2021. On the x-axis are OS names with a bar in blue representing their market share in 2011, and a bar in purple showing their market share in 2021. The data shown is as follows: Windows--85.98% (2011), 31.62% (2021); Android--1.22% (2011), 40.85% (2021); iOS--2.1% (2011), 16.42% (2021); Mac OS X--6.19% (2011); 6.8% (2021); Other--4.51% (2011), 4.31% (2021). Source: StatCounter Global Stats.

OS market share is partly driven by the digital divide

If someone must choose between a smartphone and a computer, they go with a smartphone

IT can’t expect everyone to be fluent on Windows and Mac, have a computer at home, or even have home broadband.

Of US adults aged 18-29:

  • 96% have a smartphone (the rest have cellphones).
  • Only 70% of US adults aged 18-29 have a home broadband connection.

Further, only 59% of US adults making less than $30,000/year have a laptop or desktop. (“Mobile Technology” and “Digital Divide,” Pew Research, 2021.)

Globally, people are likelier to have a cell subscription than they are to have access to broadband.

The image is a bar graph, with a list of countries on the X-axis, with each having two bars: blue indicating Fixed Broadband Subscriptions per 100 people and purple indicating Mobile Cellular Subscriptions per 100 people. In all listed countries, the number of Mobile Cellular Subscriptions per 100 people is higher than Fixed Broadband Subscriptions. Source: The World Bank, 2020. Most recent data for USA mobile cellular subscriptions is from 2019.

Embrace new device management paradigms

Endpoint Management System - UEM

Group Policy & Client Management

  • Modern & Unified Endpoint Management

Evaluate enterprise mobility management and unified endpoint management to better support a remote-first, cross-platform reality.

Client Management Tool (CMT)

CMTs such as Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr, aka SCCM) can be used to distribute apps, apply patches, and enforce group policy.

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)

EMM tools allow you to manage multiple device platforms through mobile device management (MDM) protocols. These tools enforce security settings, allow you to push apps to managed devices, and monitor patch compliance through reporting.

EMM tools often support mobile application management (MAM) and mobile content management (MCM). Most EMM tools can manage devices running Windows, Mac OS, iOS, and Android, although there are exceptions.

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

UEM solutions combine CMT and EMM for better control of remote computers running Windows or Macs. Examples include:

  • Windows devices comanaged by Intune and ConfigMgr.
  • Mac devices managed by Jamf Pro.
  • Mac devices comanaged by Jamf Pro and Intune.

Most UEM tools can manage devices running Windows, Mac OS, iOS, and Android, allowing IT to manage all end-user devices from a unified tool set (although there are exceptions).

Mobile Application Management (MAM)

MAM provides the ability to package an app with security settings, distribute app updates, and enforce app updates. Some capabilities do not require apps to be enrolled in an EMM or UEM solution.

Mobile Content Management (MCM)

MCM tools distribute files to remote devices. Many MCM solutions allow for security settings to be applied, such as encrypting the files or prohibiting data from leaving the secure container. Examples include OneDrive, Box, and Citrix ShareFile.

Adopt modern management with EMM and UEM – better toolsets for today’s state of EUC

Sacrifice your Group Policy Objects to better manage Windows computers

Windows Management Features Traditional CMT Hybrid UEM Cloud-Based EMM
Group Policy ✔ Primary management approach ✔ Available alongside configuration service providers X Replaced by configuration service providers
Manage remote devices without VPN X X
No longer manage and maintain images X ✔ Images are still available ✔ Images replaced by provisioning packages
Secure and support BYOD X (Certain tools may offer limited MDM capabilities)
Support remote zero-touch provisioning X (Only available via PXE boot)
App, patch, update deployments Via defined distribution points Via defined distribution points or MAM Via MAM

IT asset management practices are shifting

IT Asset Management - ITAM

Hands-on with images

  • Zero-touch with provisioning packages

Supply chain issues are making computers longer to procure, meaning users are waiting longer for computers (Cision, 2021). The resulting silicon chip shortage is expected to last until at least 2023 (Light Reading, 2021).

IT departments are delaying purchases, delaying refreshes, and/or purchasing more to reserve devices before they need them.

Remote work has increased by 159% over the past 12 years (NorthOne, 2021). New hires and existing users can’t always go into the office to get a new computer.

IT departments are paying vendors to hold onto computers and then drop-ship them directly to the end user. The devices are provisioned using zero touch (e.g. Autopilot, Apple Device Manager, or another tool). Since zero-touch provisioning tools do not support images, teams have had to switch to provisioning packages.

The pandemic saw an increase in spending on virtual desktops

Virtual desktops offered powerful tools for supporting remote devices and personal computers without compromising sensitive data

Virtual Desktops - DaaS

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure in the Data Center

  • Desktop-as-a-Service in the cloud

The pandemic helped cloud-based virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

Citrix saw subscription revenue increase 71% year over year in 2020 (Citrix 2020 Annual Report, p. 4). VMware saw subscription and SaaS revenue increase 38% from January 2020 to 2021 – while on-premises licensing revenue decreased by 5% (VMware Annual Report 2021, p. 40).

IT no longer needs to manage the underlying infrastructure

Microsoft and AWS are offering desktops as a service (i.e. cloud-based virtual desktops). IT needs to manage only the device, not the underlying virtual desktop infrastructure. This is in addition to Citrix’s and VMware’s cloud offerings, where IT doesn’t need to manage the underlying infrastructure that supports VDI.

Visit the blueprint Implement Desktop Virtualization and Transition to Everything as a Service to get started.

Work-from-anywhere (WFA) is now the default

COVID-19 forced this shift

Work-From-Anywhere - WFA

Rare

  • Default

Be prepared to support a hybrid workforce, where people are sometimes working remotely and sometimes working in the office.

  • Device provisioning and deployment need to be rethought. In-person deployment is not always possible. IT should evaluate tools such as zero-touch provisioning.
  • Service desks need better monitoring and management tools. End-user experience management (EUEM) can allow you to better identify where network issues are occurring – in your data center, at the user’s house, in the cloud, or somewhere in between. Remote control tools can then allow your tier 1 to remediate issues on the user’s device.
  • Apps and devices need to be usable from anywhere. Environments that rely on desktops and on-premises apps need to be rearchitected for a remote-first workforce.
  • Users are living inside video conferencing tools. With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are about 145 million daily users of Microsoft Teams, almost twice the number of users in 2020 (MUO, 2021). Ensure they have the training and expertise to effectively use these tools.

“More technical troubleshooting due to users working from home a lot more. It can be more difficult to talk users through fixes when they are off site if you cannot remotely assist so more emphasis on the communication skill which was already important.” (Service Desk Institute, 2021)

Visit the Hybrid Workplace Research Center to better support a hybrid workforce.

BYOD fully includes personal computers

It’s no longer about whether IT will allow BYOD

Stop pretending BYOD doesn’t happen

Personal Devices - BYOD

Limited to email on phones

  • Full capabilities on any device
  • BYOD (including BYOPC) is turned on by default. SaaS tools like Office 365 are built to be used on multiple devices, including multiple computers. Further, the pandemic saw 47% of organizations significantly increase their use of BYOD (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2021; N=271).
  • BYOD can boost productivity. When employees can use smartphones for work, they report that it increases their productivity by 34 percent (Samsung Insights, 2016).
  • BYOD is hard to support, so most organizations don’t. Only 22% of organizations provide full support for mobile devices, while 20% provide no support, 25% provide ad hoc support, and 26% provide limited support (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2021). If smartphones and tablets are heavily ingrained in business processes, then migrating to BYOD can overload the service desk.
  • Securely enable employees. Mobile application management (MAM), mobile content management (MCM), and Office 365 have gotten smarter at protecting corporate data.

Action Item: Identify how IT can provide more support to personally owned computers, tablets, and smartphones.

58% of working Americans say their work devices are “awful to work on." (PCMag, 2021)

But only 22% of organizations provide full support to BYOD. (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2021)

IT must either provide better devices or start fully supporting users on personal PCs.

Build governance practices for low-code development platforms

Managing 1,000 different apps built out on low-code business process management platforms is hard, but it’s not nearly as hard as managing 1,000 unique SaaS apps or access databases

Business-Managed Apps - BMA

Performed by IT

  • Performed by the Business and IT

Pros - Opportunities

  • Offers DIY to users
  • Business can build them quickly
  • IT has central visibility
  • IT can focus on the platform

Cons - Threats

  • Sensitive data can get exposed
  • Users may have issues with continuity and backup
  • Responding to platform changes will be potentially challenging
  • Support may be difficult after the app creator leaves

Action Item: Build a governance framework that describes the roles and responsibilities involved in business-owned apps. Identify the user’s role and end-user computing’s role in supporting low-code apps.

Visit the blueprint Embrace Business-Managed Apps to learn how to build a governance framework for low-code development platforms.

Visit the Low-Code Business Process Management SoftwareReviews category to compare different platforms.

Update your customer service practices

End users expect self-service and help from tier 1

Re-evaluate how you support both corporate-issued and personal-owned computers and mobile devices

Customer Satisfaction - C Sat

Phone calls and transactional interactions

  • Self-serve & managing entire experience

Microsoft’s 2019 “Global State of Customer Service” report shows that people have high expectations:

  • 31% of people expect call agents to have a “deep understanding of the caller’s relationship with the company”
  • 11% expect self-service capabilities

End users have the same expectations of IT, the service desk, and end-user computing teams:

  • Users expect any IT person with whom they are talking to have a deep understanding of their devices, apps, open tickets, and closed tickets.
  • Users expect tier 1 to be able to resolve their incidents and requests without escalating to tier 2 or tier 3 end-user computing specialists.

Most Important Aspects of Customer Service

Resolving issue in one interaction - 35%

Knowledgeable agent - 31%

Finding information myself - 11%

Not repeating information - 20%

(Microsoft, 2019)

Desktop engineering needs to shift left

Revisit what work can only be done by tier 2 and tier 3 teams

Shifting left involves shifting resolution of incidents and service requests down from more costly resources to the first line of support and to end users themselves through self-service options

  • Tier 1 needs up-to-date information on the end users’ devices and open tickets.
  • Users should be able to request apps and download those apps through a self-service portal, a software catalog, or an app store.
  • Tier 1 needs to be empowered to remote wipe devices, see troubleshooting and diagnostics information, and resolve incidents without needing to escalate.

Action Item: Apply shift-left enablement to train tier 1 agents on troubleshooting more incidents and fulfilling more service requests. Build top-notch self-service capabilities for end users.

The image is a graphic titled Shift-Left Strategy. At the top, it lists Auto-Fix; User, Tier 1, Tier 2/3, and Vendor. On the left, it lists Metrics vertically: Cost, Time, Satisfaction. A bar displays how high or low the metric is based on the categories listed at the top.

Work with your service desk on the blueprint Optimize the Service Desk with a Shift-Left Strategy.

Windows 11 is coming

Prepare to make the jump

The sooner you start, the easier the migration will be

  • Begin planning hardware refreshes. Old computers that do not have a TPM 2.0 chip are not currently supported on Windows 11 (“Enable TPM 2.0,” Microsoft, 2021). If you have old computers that will not support the jump to Windows 11– especially given the supply chain disruptions and silicon chip shortages – it is time to consider computer upgrades.
  • The end of Windows 10 is coming. Windows 10’s retirement date is currently October 14, 2025 (“Windows 10 Home and Pro,” Microsoft, 2021). If you want to continue running Windows 10 on older computers beyond that time, you will need to pay for extended support or risk those computers being more easily breached.
  • Begin testing your apps internally. Run Windows 11 within IT and test whether your apps will work on Windows 11.
  • Pilot Windows 11 with IT-friendlies. Find users that are excited for Windows 11 and will not mind a bit of short-term pain.
  • What is your risk appetite? Risk-averse organizations will want to wait until Microsoft, DISA, and/or Center for Internet Security have published security configuration best practices.

Info-Tech’s approach

Master the ever-expanding puzzle of end-user computing

User Group Analysis

Supported Devices and Apps

Fitness for Use

Device Support

The Info-Tech difference:

  1. Balance user choice, risk mitigation, and cost optimization. The right balance will be unique for every organization.
  2. Standardize the nonstandard. Anticipate your users’ needs by having power options and prestigious options ready to offer.
  3. Consider multiple personas when building your standards, training, and migrations. Early Adopters, Late Adopters, VIP Users, Road Warriors, and Hoarders – these five personas will exist in one form or another throughout your user groups.

Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy

Focus on the Big Picture

End-User Paradigms Have Shifted

Take end-user computing beyond the device

Operating System - OS

Only Windows

  • More choices than ever before

Endpoint Management System - UEM

Group Policy & Client Management

  • Modern & Unified Endpoint Management

Personal Devices - BYOD

Limited to email on phones

  • Full capabilities on any device

IT Asset Management - ITAM

Hands-on with images

  • Zero-touch with provisioning packages

Virtual Desktops - DaaS

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure in the Data Center

  • Desktop-as-a-Service in the cloud

Business-Managed Apps - BMA

Performed by IT

  • Performed by the Business and IT

Work-From-Anywhere - WFA

Rare

  • Default

Customer Satisfaction - C Sat

Phone calls and transactional interactions

  • Self-serve & managing entire experience

Don't just focus on the device!

Improvements in the service desk, business apps, networks and communication infrastructure, and IT policy have a higher impact on increasing satisfaction.

Impact of End-User Satisfaction of IT by Area Compared to Devices

Devices (x1.0)

IT Policy (x1.09)

Network & Communications Infrastructure (x1.41)

Business Apps (x1.51)

Service Desk (x1.54)

(Info-Tech Research Group, CIO Business Vision, 2021; n=119,409)

Build your strategy with these components...

End-User Group Analysis

  • Work location
  • Information interactions
  • Apps
  • Data and files
  • Business capabilities
  • Current offering
  • Pain points
  • Desired gains

Supported Devices & Apps

  • Primary computing device offerings
  • Power computing device offering
  • Prestigious device offerings
  • Secondary computing device offerings
  • Provisioning models
  • Standard apps
  • Peripherals

Device Support

  • Self-service
  • Service Desk
  • Specialists

Fitness for Use

  • Organizational policies
  • Security policies

Vision

...to answer these questions:

  1. What devices will people have?
  2. How will you support these devices?
  3. How will you govern these devices?

Balance choice, risk, and cost

The right balance will be unique for every organization. Get the balance right by aligning your strategy's goals to senior leadership’s most important priorities.

  • User choice
  • Risk
  • Cost

+ Standardize the non-standard

Have a more prestigious option ready for users, such as VIPs, who want more than the usual offerings. This approach will help you to proactively anticipate your users' needs.

+Consider multiple personas when building your standards, training, and migrations

These five personas will exist in one form or another throughout your user groups.

  • Early Adopters
  • Late Adopters
  • VIP Users
  • Road Warriors
  • Hoarders

Use our approach to answer these questions:

What computers will people have?

Types of computing devices

  • Power desktop
  • Power laptop
  • Desktop
  • Laptop
  • Virtual Desktop
  • Thin Client Device
  • Pro Tablet
  • Tablet
  • Smartphone

Corporate-Issued Approaches

  • Kiosk – Shared, Single Purpose
  • Pooled – Shared, Multipurpose
  • Persistent – Individual
  • Personally Owned

Supported Operating Systems

  • Windows
  • Mac
  • Chrome OS
  • Linux
  • iOS/iPad OS
  • Android

How will you support these devices?

Device Management

  • Manual
  • CMT
  • EMM
  • UEM
  • Pooled Virtual Desktop Manager

Supporting Practices

  • Self-Service
  • Tier 1 Support
  • Specialist Support

How will you govern these devices?

Corporate Policies

  • Personal Use Allowed?
  • Management and Security Policies
  • Personal Device Use Allowed?
  • Supported Apps and Use Cases
  • Who Is Allowed to Purchase?
  • Prohibited Apps and Use Cases
  • Device Entitlement
  • Stipends and/or Reimbursement to Users

Use our blueprint to improve your EUC practices

  1. Devices
    • Corporate-issued devices
    • Standard offerings
  2. User Support
    • Self-service
    • Tier 1 support
  3. Use Cases
    • Providing value
    • Business apps
  4. Policy & Governance
    • Personal device use
    • IT policy
  5. Fitness for Use
    • Securing devices
    • Patching

Info-Tech’s methodology for end-user computing strategy

1. Set the Direction 2. Define the Offering 3. Build the Roadmap
Phase Steps

1.1 Identify Desired Benefits

1.2 Perform a User Group Analysis

1.3 Define the Vision

2.1 Define the Standard Offerings

2.2 Outline Supporting Services

2.3 Define Governance and Policies

3.1 Develop Initiatives
Phase Outcomes

Current-State Assessment

Goals Cascade

User Group Assessment

Vision Statement

Mission Statement

Guiding Principles

Standard Offerings by User Group

Device Management Model

Technical Support Model

Device Entitlement Policy

Acceptable Use Policy

Remote Wipe Policy & Waiver

Personal Device Reimbursement Policy

End-User Migration Journey Map

Strategy and Roadmap

Insight summary

Once users are satisfied with devices, focus on the bigger picture

If end users are dissatisfied with devices, they will also be dissatisfied with IT. But if you don’t also focus on apps and supportability, then giving users better devices will only marginally increase satisfaction with IT.

Bring it back to stakeholder priorities

Before you build your vision statement, make sure it resonates with the business by identifying senior leadership’s priorities and aligning your own goals to them.

Balance choice, risk, and cost

The balance of user choice, risk mitigation, and cost optimization is unique for each company. Get the balance right by aligning your strategy’s goals to senior leadership’s most important priorities.

Communicate early and often with users

Expect users to become anxious when you start targeting their devices. Address this anxiety by bringing them into the conversation early in the planning – they will see that their concerns are being addressed and may even feel a sense of ownership over the strategy.

Standardize the nonstandard

When users such as VIP users want more than the standard offering, have a more prestigious option available. This approach will help you to proactively anticipate your users’ needs.

Consider multiple personas when building your standards, training, and migrations

Early Adopters, Late Adopters, VIP Users, Road Warriors, and Hoarders – these five personas will exist in one form or another throughout your user groups.

Blueprint deliverables

Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

User Group Analysis Workbook

Use these worksheets to guide your analysis.

End-User Computing Ideas Catalog

Compare options for your end-user computing environment.

Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings

Define your supported offerings and publish this document in your service catalog.

Policy Templates

Use these templates as a starting point for addressing policy gaps.

Key deliverable:

End-User Computing Strategy

Document your strategy using this boardroom-ready template.

Blueprint benefits

IT Benefits

  • Deliver immediate value to end users.
  • Provide the best service based on the user persona.
  • Provide better device coverage.
  • Use fewer tools to manage a less diverse but equally effective array of end-user computing devices.
  • Provide more managed devices that will help to limit risk.
  • Have better visibility into the end-user computing devices and apps.

Business Benefits

  • Conduct corporate business under one broad strategy.
  • Provide support to IT for specific applications and devices.
  • Take advantage of more scalable economies for providing more advantageous technologies.
  • Experience less friction between end users and the business and higher end-user satisfaction.

Measure the value of this blueprint

Your end-user computing strategy is an investment

Track the returns on your investment, even if those returns are soft benefits and not cost reductions

User Satisfaction

  • Satisfaction with device
  • Satisfaction with business apps
  • Satisfaction with service desk timeliness
  • Satisfaction with service desk effectiveness
  • Satisfaction with IT Employee engagement

Total Cost

  • Spend on each type of device
  • Cost of licenses for management tools, operating systems, and apps
  • Cost of support agreements # of support tickets per device per employee
  • Time spent supporting devices per tier or support team
  • Time spent per OS/app release

Risk Mitigation

  • # of devices that are end-of-life
  • % of devices in compliance
  • # of unmanaged devices
  • # of devices that have not checked in to management tool

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

Guided Implementation

"Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

Workshop

"We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

Consulting

"Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

A typical GI is 8 to 10 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

Phase 1: Set the Direction

  • Call #1: Review trends in end-user computing and discuss your current state.
  • Call #2: Perform a user group analysis.
  • Call #3: Identify desired benefits and map to stakeholder drivers.

Phase 2: Define the Offering

  • Call #4: Define standard offerings.
  • Call #5: Select provisioning models.
  • Call #6: Outline supporting services and opportunities to shift end-user computing support left.
  • Call #7: Identify gaps in governance and policies.

Phase 3: Build the Roadmap

  • Call #8: Develop initiatives.
  • Call #9: Plan migration and build roadmap.

EUC Strategy Workshop Overview

Contact your account representative for more information.

workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Set the Direction Define the Offering Support the Offering Bridge the Gap and Create the Roadmap Next Steps and Wrap-Up (offsite)
Activities

1.1 Identify desired benefits.

1.1.1 Assess the current state of end-user computing.

1.1.2 Perform a SWOT analysis.

1.1.3 Map benefits to stakeholder drivers and priorities.

1.2 Analyze user groups.

1.2.1 Identify user groups.

1.2.2 Identify supporting technology.

1.2.3 Record use cases.

1.2.4 Identify opportunities to provide value.

1.3 Define the vision.

1.3.1 Prioritize benefits.

1.3.2 Craft a vision and mission statement.

1.3.3 Identify goals.

1.3.4 Define guiding principles for your strategy.

2.1 Define the standard offerings.

2.1.1 Select a provisioning model for each persona.

2.1.2 Define the standard device offerings.

2.1.3 Document each personas’ entitlements.

2.2 Outline supporting practices.

2.2.1 Define device management tools and approach.

2.2.2 Identify groups involved in supporting practices.

2.2.4 Identify opportunities to improve customer service.

2.3 Define policies. 2.3.1 Define acceptable use. 2.3.2 Define BYOD policies. 2.3.3 Define procurement and entitlement policies. 2.3.4 Define security policies.

3.1 Develop initiatives.

3.1.1 Identify the gaps in devices, user support, use cases, policy & governance, and fitness for use.

3.1.2 Plan the deployment and user migration journey.

3.1.3 Document initiatives in the roadmap .

5.1 Complete in-progress deliverables from previous four days.

5.2 Set up time to review workshop deliverables and discuss next steps

Deliverables
  1. SWOT analysis of current state
  2. Goals cascade
  3. Persona analysis
  1. Vision statement, mission statement, and guiding principles
  2. Goals and indicators
  3. End-user device entitlements standard
  1. List of management tools for end-user computing
  2. Roles and responsibilities for maintaining the end-user computing environment
  3. Opportunities to improve customer service
  4. End-user computing policy templates
  1. Initiatives mapped to practice areas
  2. User’s migration journey map
  1. End-user computing strategy template
  2. End-user computing roadmap

Phase 1

Set the Direction

Set the Direction

1.1 Identify Desired Benefits

1.2 Perform a User Group Analysis

1.3 Define the Vision

Define the Offering

2.1 Define the Standard Offerings

2.2 Outline Supporting Services

2.3 Define Governance and Policies

Build the Roadmap

3.1 Develop Initiatives

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Current-state analysis
  • Goals cascade
  • Persona analysis

This phase involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Team
  • IT Leadership

Set a direction that will create value for IT, stakeholders, and end users

Use your insights to build your strategy

Start by downloading Info-Tech’s End-User Computing Strategy Template

  1. Perform a stop-start-continue exercise for how IT supports end-user devices.
  2. Perform a goals cascade to identify how the end-user computing strategy can align with and support senior leaders’ priorities and strategic objectives.
  3. Perform a user group analysis to identify what IT can do to provide additional value to end users.
  4. Use the results to define a vision for your end-user computing strategy and in-scope benefits.

Download the End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Step 1.1

Identify Desired Benefits

Activities

1.1.1 Assess the current state of end-user computing

1.1.2 Perform a SWOT analysis

1.1.3 Map benefits to stakeholder drivers and priorities

Optional: Identify current total cost of ownership

This step requires the following inputs:

  • Current approach for end-user computing
  • List of strengths and weaknesses of the current approach

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • End-User Computing Team
  • IT Leadership
  • End-User Computing Manager

Outcomes of this step

  • Defined success metrics that are tied to business value
  • Vision statement, mission statement, and guiding principles

Review your current state for each end-user computing practice

  1. Devices
    • Corporate-issued devices
    • Standard offerings
  2. User Support
    • Self-service
    • Tier 1 support
  3. Use Cases
    • Providing value
    • Business apps
  4. Policy & Governance
    • Personal device use
    • IT policy
  5. Fitness for Use
    • Securing devices
    • Patching

1.1.1 Assess the current state of end-user computing

Discuss IT’s strengths and challenges

Review your success in responding to the trends highlighted in the executive brief.

  • Start by reviewing the trends in the executive brief. Identify which trends you would like to focus on.
  • Review the domains below. Discuss:
    • Your current approach
    • Strengths about this approach
    • Challenges faced with this approach
  • Document the results in the “Current-State Assessment” section of your End-User Computing Strategy.
  1. Devices
    • Corporate-issued devices
    • Standard offerings
  2. User Support
    • Self-service
    • Tier 1 support
  3. Use Cases
    • Providing value
    • Business apps
  4. Policy & Governance
    • Personal device use
    • IT policy
  5. Fitness for Use
    • Securing devices
    • Patching

Download the End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Consider these aspects of end-user computing in your assessment

Devices: As shown in the executive brief, devices are necessary for satisfaction in IT. In your current-state assessment, outline the principal means by which users are provided with a desktop and computing.

  • Corporate-issued devices: Document the types of devices (e.g. laptops, desktops, smartphones) and operating systems that IT currently supports.
    • Strengths: Highlight user satisfaction with your current offerings by referencing recent relationship surveys.
    • Challenges: Document corporate-issued devices where stakeholders and users are not satisfied, platforms that stakeholders would like IT to support, etc.
  • Standard offerings: Name the high-level categories of devices that you offer to end users (e.g. standard device, power device).
    • Strengths: Outline steps that IT has taken to improve the portfolio of standard offerings and to communicate the offerings.
    • Challenges: Identify areas to improve the standard offerings.

User support: Examine how the end-user computing team enables a high-quality customer service experience. Especially consider self-service and tier 1 support.

  • Self-service: Describe the current state of your self-service capabilities (e.g. name of the self-service portal, number of apps in the app store).
    • Strengths: Outline successes with your self-service capabilities (e.g. use of self-service tools, recently deployed tools, newly supported platforms).
    • Challenges: Identify gaps in self-service capabilities.
  • Tier 1 support: Document the number of end-user computing incidents and service requests that are resolved at tier 1 as well as the number of incidents and service requests that are resolvable without escalation.
    • Strengths: Identify technologies that make first contact resolution possible. Outline other items that support tier 1 resolution of end-user computing tickets, such as knowledgebase articles and training programs.
    • Challenges: Document areas in which tier 1 resolution of end-user computing tickets is not feasible.

Considerations (cont’d.)

Use cases: Reflect on how IT and end-user computing supports users’ most important use cases. Consider these aspects:

  • Providing value: Identify the number of user groups for which you have completed a user group analysis. Outline your major approaches for capturing feedback, such as relationship surveys.
    • Strengths: Document any successful initiatives around stakeholder relationships and requirements gathering. You can also highlight successful metrics, such as high satisfaction scores from a team, department, or division.
    • Challenges: Identify where there are dissatisfied stakeholders and gaps in product offerings and where additional work around value generation is required.
  • Business apps: Outline your major business apps and your approach to improvement for these apps. If you need assistance gathering feedback from end users and stakeholders, you can use Info-Tech’s Application Portfolio Assessment.
    • Strengths: Show the EUC team’s successes in supporting critical business apps (e.g. facilitating user acceptance testing, deploying via endpoint management tool).
    • Challenges: Name business apps that are not meeting stakeholder needs. Consider if end users are dissatisfied with an app, if IT is unable to adequately monitor and support a business app, etc.

Policy and governance: Document the current state of policies governing the use of end-user computing devices, both corporate-issued and personally owned. Review Step 2.3 for a list of policy questions to address and for links to policy templates.

  • Personal device use: Explain which users are allowed to use personally owned devices, what use cases are supported, and which types of devices are supported. Also, highlight explicit prohibitions.
    • Strengths: Highlight major accomplishments with BYOD, utilization metrics, etc. Consider including any platforms or apps that support BYOD (e.g. Microsoft Office 365).
    • Challenges: Identify where there are gaps in your support for personal devices. Examples can include insufficient management tools, lack of feedback from end users on BYOD support, undefined policies and governance, and inadequate support for personal devices.

Considerations (cont’d.)

IT policies: List your current policy documents. Include policies that relate to end-user computing, such as security policy documents; acceptable use policy documents; purchasing policies; documents governing entitlements to computers, tablets, smartphones, and prestigious devices; and employee monitoring policy documents.

  • Strengths: Outline the effectiveness of these policies, user compliance to these policies, and your success in enforcing these policies.
  • Challenges: Identify where you have gaps in user compliance, gaps in enforcing policies, many exceptions to a policy, etc.

Fitness for use: Reflect on your ability to secure users, enterprise data, and computers. Document your current capabilities to ensure devices are adequately secured and risks adequately mitigated.

  • Securing devices: Describe your current approach to implementing security baselines, protecting data, and ensuring compliance.
    • Strengths: Highlight your accomplishments with ensuring devices meet your security standards and are adequately managed.
    • Challenges: Identify areas that are not adequately protected, where IT does not have enough visibility, and devices on which IT cannot enforce security standards.
  • Patching: Describe your current approach to distributing OS patches, distributing app patches, and ensuring patch compliance.
    • Strengths: Outline steps that IT has taken to improve release and deployment practices (e.g. user acceptance testing, deployment rings).
    • Challenges: When is IT unable to push a patch to a device? Outline when devices cannot receive a patch, when IT is unable to ensure patches are installed, and when patches are disruptive to end users.

1.1.2 Perform a SWOT analysis

Summarize your current-state analysis

To build a good strategy, you need to clearly understand the challenges you face and opportunities you can leverage.

  • Summarize IT’s strengths. These are positive aspects internal to IT.
  • Summarize IT’s challenge. What internal IT weakness should the strategy address?
  • Identify high-level opportunities. Summarize positive factors that are external to IT (e.g. within the larger organization, strong vendor relationships).
  • Document threats. What external factors present a risk to the strategy?

Record your SWOT analysis in the “Current-State Assessment” section of your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Download the End-User Computing Strategy Template.

1.1.3 Map benefits to stakeholder drivers and priorities

Use a goals cascade to identify benefits that will resonate with the business

Identify how end-user computing will support larger organizational strategies, drivers, and priorities

  1. Identify stakeholders. Focus on senior leaders – user groups will be addressed in Step 1.2.
  2. For each stakeholder, identify three to five drivers or strategic priorities. Use the drivers as a starting point to:
    1. Increase productivity
    2. Mitigate risks
    3. Optimize costs
  3. Map the benefits you brainstormed in Step 1.1 to the drivers. It’s okay to have benefits map to multiple drivers.
  4. Re-evaluate benefits that don’t map to any drivers. Consider removing them.
Stakeholder Drivers and Strategic Priorities End-User Computing Benefits
CEO Ensure service continuity with remote work
  • Customers can still be served by remote workers
Respond to COVID-19 changes with agility
  • Workers can transition seamlessly between working remotely and working in the office
Reduce unnecessary costs
  • Standardize computer models to reduce spend on devices
COO Business continuity: being able to work from home
  • Workers can transition seamlessly between working remotely and working in the office

Record this table on the “Goals Cascade” slide in the “Vision and Desired Benefits” section of your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Use the CEO-CIO Alignment Program to identify which business benefits are most important.

Sample end-user computing benefits

Business Goals End-User Computing Benefits
Manage risk Controls are effectively enforced on remote devices Sensitive data is secured Devices and data are accounted for
Ensure service continuity Business processes can still function with remote personnel Customers can still be served by remote workers Personnel can be productive from anywhere IT practices can still operate remotely
Comply with external regulation Improved ability to demonstrate compliance
Respond to change with agility Personnel can be productive from anywhere More business processes can be performed remotely
Improve operational efficiency More efficient sales practices More efficient customer service practices Increased number of digitized business processes Increased use of IT and HR self-service tools
Offer competitive products and services Increased customer satisfaction with online services Number of piloted new products
Manage people Increased employee productivity Increased employee engagement Increased talent attraction Increased workforce retention
Make data-driven decisions Increased workforce retention Improved understanding of customers Access to accurate data on services and spending Improved IT cost forecasting
Improve customer experience Increased customer satisfaction with online services Ability to scale up capacity to meet increased demand Customers can still be served by remote workers Improved customer self-service options
Maximize stakeholder value Transition to OpEx spend and reduce CapEx investments Access to accurate data on services and spending Improved IT cost forecasting

Optional: Identify current total cost of ownership

Be mindful of hidden costs, such as those associated with supporting multiple devices and maintaining a small fleet of corporate devices to ensure business continuity with BYOD.

  • Use the Hardware Asset Management Budgeting Tool to forecast spend on devices (and infrastructure) based on project needs and devices nearing end of life.
  • Use the Mobile Strategy TCO Calculator to estimate the total cost of all the different aspects of your mobile strategy, including:
    • Training
    • Management platforms
    • Custom app development
    • Travel and roaming
    • Stipends and taxes
    • Support
  • Revisit these calculators in Phase 2. Use the TCO calculator when considering different approaches to mobility and end-user computing.

Insert the results into your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Download the HAM Budgeting Tool.

Download the Mobile Strategy TCO Calculator.

Step 1.2

Perform a User Group Analysis

Activities

1.2.1 Organize roles based on how they work

1.2.2 Organize users into groups

1.2.3 Document the current offerings

1.2.4 Brainstorm pain points and desired gains for each user group

This step requires the following inputs:

  • List of roles and technologies
  • User feedback
  • List of personas

This step involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Team
  • IT Leadership
  • End-User Computing Manager

Outcomes of this step

  • List of user groups and use cases for each group
  • List of current offerings for each user group
  • Value analysis for each user group

Gather the information you need

Use the Application Portfolio Assessment to run a relationship survey.

Dive deeper with the blueprint Improve Requirements Gathering.

List of Roles and Technology

Organization chart: Consult with HR or department leaders to provide a list of the different roles that exist in each department.

Identity access management tools: You can consult tools like Active Directory, but only if the data is clean.

Apps and devices used: Run a report from your endpoint management tool to see what devices and apps are used by one another. Supplement this report with a report from a network management tool to identify software as a service that are in use and/or consult with department leaders.

User Feedback

Relationship surveys: Tools like the End-User Application Satisfaction Diagnostic allow you to assess overall satisfaction with IT.

Focus groups and interviews: Gather unstructured feedback from users about their apps and devices.

User shadowing: Observe people as they use technology to identify improvement opportunities (e.g. shadow meetings, review video call recordings).

Ticket data: Identify apps or systems that users submit the most incidents about as well as high-volume requests that could be automated.

1.2.1 Organize roles based on how they work

Start by organizing roles into categories based on where they work and how they interact with information.

  1. Define categories of where people work. Examples include:
    1. In office, at home, at client sites
    2. Stationary, sometimes mobile, always mobile
    3. Always in same location, sometimes in different locations, always in different locations within a site, mobile between sites
  2. Define categories of how people interact with information. Examples include:
    1. Reads information, reads and writes information, creates information
    2. Cases, projects, relationships
  3. Build a matrix. Use the location categories on one axis and the interaction categories on the other axis.
  4. Place unique job roles on the matrix. Review each functional group’s organizational chart. It is okay if you don’t fill every spot. See the diagram on this page for an example.
Always Works in the Same Location Sometimes Works in Different Locations Always Works in Different Locations
Predominantly Reads Information
  • Janitor
  • Receptionist
  • Receiving
  • Accounts Payable Clerk
Reads and Writes Information
  • Sales Rep
  • Sales Manager
  • Director of Sales
  • Developer
  • Scrum Master
  • Customer Service Agent
  • CS Manager
  • Call Center Director
  • Accountant
  • Controller
  • HR Specialist
  • Business Analyst
  • VP, Sales
  • Product Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Director of Engineering
  • VP, HR
  • CFO
  • Director of PMO
  • Field Sales Rep
  • CEO
  • CIO
  • COO
Predominantly Creates Information
  • External Consultants
  • Design
  • Marketing
  • Copywriting

1.2.2 Organize users into groups

Populate a user group worksheet for each in-scope group.

  1. Within each quadrant, group similar roles together into “User Groups.” Consider similarities such as:
    1. Applications they use
    2. Data and files with which they interact
    3. Business capabilities they support
  2. Document their high-level profile:
    1. Where they work
    2. Sensitivity of data they access
    3. Current device and app entitlements
  3. Document the resulting user groups. Record each user group on a separate worksheet in the User Group Analysis Workbook.

Download the User Group Analysis Workbook.

1.2.3 Document the current offerings

For each user group, document:

  • Primary and secondary computing devices: Their most frequently used computing devices.
  • Acceptable use: Whether corporate-issued devices are personally enabled.
  • BYOD: Whether this persona is authorized to use their personal devices.
  • Standard equipment provided: Equipment that is offered to everyone in this persona.
  • Additional devices and equipment offered: Equipment that is offered to a subset of this user group. These items can include more prestigious computers, additional monitors, and office equipment for users allowed to work remotely. This category can include items that require approval from budget owners.
  • Top apps: What apps are most commonly used by this user group? What common nonstandard apps are used by this user group?

Standardize the nonstandard

When users such as VIP users want more than the standard offering, have a more prestigious option available. This approach will help you to proactively anticipate your users’ needs.

1.2.4 Brainstorm pain points and desired gains for each user group

Don’t focus only on their experiences with technology

Reference the common personas listed on the next page to help you brainstorm additional pain points and desired gains.

  1. Brainstorm pain points. Answer these questions for each role:
    1. What do people find tedious about their day-to-day jobs?
    2. What takes the most effort for them to do?
    3. What about their current toolset makes this user frustrated?
    4. What makes working difficult? Consider their experiences working from a home office, attending meetings virtually or in person, and working in the office.
    5. What challenges does that role have with each process?
  2. Brainstorm desired gains from their technology. Answer these questions for each role:
    1. For your end-user computing vision to become a reality for this persona, what outcomes or benefits are required?
    2. What benefits will this persona expect an end-user computing strategy to have?
    3. What improvements does this role desire?
    4. What unexpected benefits or outcomes would surprise this role?
    5. What would make this role’s day-to-day easier?
    6. What location-specific benefits are there (e.g. outcomes specific to working in the office or at home)?

Record each user group’s pain points and desired gains on their respective worksheet.

For additional questions you can ask, visit this Strategyzer blog post by Alexander Osterwalder.

Info-Tech Insight

Identify out-of-scope benefits?

If that desired gain is required for the vision to be achieved for a specific role, you have two options:

  • Bring the benefit in scope. Ensure your metrics are updated.
  • Bring this user group out of scope. End-user computing improvements will not be valuable to this role without that benefit.

Forcing a user group to use an unsatisfactory tool will severely undermine your chance of success, especially in the project’s early stages.

Consider these common personas when brainstorming challenges and desired gains

What unique challenges will these personas face within each of your user groups? What improvements would each of these personas expect out of an end-user computing strategy?

Early Adopters

  • Like trying new ways of working and using the latest technology.
  • Very comfortable solving their own issues.
  • Enjoy exploring and creating new ways of handling challenges.

Late Adopters

  • Prefer consistent ways of working, be it tech or business processes.
  • React to tech issues with anxiety and need assistance to get issues fixed.

VIP

  • Has a prestigious job and would like to use technology that communicates their status.
  • Does not like to resolve their own issues.

Road Warriors

  • Always on the go, running between work meetings and appointments.
  • Value flexibility and want devices, apps, and tech support that can be used anywhere at any time.

Hoarders

  • Want to keep all their devices, data, and apps.
  • Will stall when they need to migrate devices or uninstall apps and become unresponsive any time there is a risk of losing something.

Step 1.3

Define the Vision

Activities

1.3.1 Prioritize which benefits you want to achieve

1.3.2 Identify how you will track performance

1.3.3 Craft a vision statement that demonstrates what you’re trying to create

1.3.4 Craft a mission statement for your end-user computing team

1.3.5 Define guiding principles

This step requires the following inputs:

  • Goals cascade
  • List of benefits
  • List of critical success factors (CSFs)

This step involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Manager
  • CIO
  • Help Desk Manager
  • Infrastructure Manager

Outcomes of this step

  • End-User computing KPIs and metrics
  • Vision statement
  • Mission statement

1.3.1 Prioritize which benefits you want to achieve

Use the MoSCoW sorting technique

Select benefits that appear multiple times in the goals cascade from Activity 1.1.3 as well as your challenges from your current-state assessment.

  1. Record which benefits are “Must Haves.” Select benefits that are most important to your highest-priority stakeholders.
  2. Record which benefits are “Should Haves.” These benefits are important but not critical.
  3. Record which benefits are “Could Haves.” These are low-priority benefits.
  4. Record the remaining benefits under “Won’t Have.” These benefits are out-of-scope but can be revisited in the future.

Record the output in your End-User Computing Strategy Template under “Benefit Prioritization” in the “Vision and Desired Benefits” section.

Sample output:

Must Have Should Have Could Have Won't Have
  • Customers can still be served by remote workers.
  • Easier to work in multiple locations.
  • More options for provisioning computers to new workers.
  • Improved patching and security compliance checking of remote devices.
  • Self-service app installs on Windows.
  • More consistent experience across all devices and platforms, including BYOD.
  • Improved visibility into and manageability of BYOD.
  • Ability for users to create their own low-code apps (e.g. in Microsoft Power Apps).
  • Improved guidelines for running hybrid/remote meetings.
  • BYOD support for workers handling sensitive data.
  • Support for any type of Android smartphone or tablet.

1.3.2 Identify how you will track performance

  1. List each unique high-priority benefit from Activity 1.3.1 as a critical success factor (CSF).
  2. For each CSF, identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can use to track how well you’re progressing on the CSF.
    1. Articulate that KPI as a SMART goal (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timebound).
  3. For each KPI, identify the metrics you will use to calculate it.
  4. Identify how and when you will:
    1. Capture the current state of these metrics.
    2. Update changes to the metrics.
    3. Re-evaluate the CSFs.
    4. Communicate the progress to the project team and to stakeholders.

Record this information in your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Sample output:

Critical Success Factor Key Performance Indicator Metrics
Improve remote worker productivity Increase employee engagement by 10% in two years
  • McLean Employee Engagement Score
  • Gallup Q Score
Integrate relevant information sources into one spot for sales Integrate three information sources that will be useful to sales in one year
  • # of sales-specific apps integrated into a dashboard, portal, or workspace
  • Sales satisfaction scores
Reduce real-estate costs Reduce office space by 50% in two cities over three years
  • $ spent on office leases
Securely deliver all apps, information, and data to any device, anywhere, at any time Build the apps and information sources into a digital workspace for three business processes over one year
  • # of business processes supported in the workspace

1.3.3 Craft a vision statement that demonstrates what you’re trying to create

The vision statement communicates a desired future state of the IT organization. The statement is expressed in the present tense. It seeks to articulate the desired role of IT and how IT will be perceived.

Strong IT vision statements have the following characteristics:

  • Describes a desired future
  • Focuses on ends, not means
  • Communicates promise
  • Is:
    • Concise; no unnecessary words
    • Compelling
    • Achievable
    • Inspirational
    • Memorable

Sample IT Vision Statements:

  • To support an exceptional employee experience by providing best-in-class end-user devices.
  • Securely enable access to corporate apps and data from anywhere, at any time, on any device.
  • Enable business and digital transformation through secure and powerful virtualization technology.
  • IT is a cohesive, proactive, and disciplined team that delivers innovative technology solutions while demonstrating a strong customer-oriented mindset.

1.3.4 Craft a mission statement for your end-user computing team

The IT mission statement specifies the function’s purpose or reason for being. The mission should guide each day’s activities and decisions. The mission statement should use simple and concise terminology and speak loudly and clearly, generating enthusiasm for the organization.

Strong IT mission statements have the following characteristics:

  • Articulate the IT function’s purpose and reason for existence
  • Describe what the IT function does to achieve its vision
  • Define the customers of the IT function
  • Can be described as:
    • Compelling
    • Easy to grasp
    • Sharply focused
    • Inspirational
    • Memorable
    • Concise

Sample IT Mission Statements:

  • To provide infrastructure, support, and innovation in the delivery of secure, enterprise-grade information technology products and services that enable and empower the workforce at [Company Name].
  • To help fulfill organizational goals, the IT department is committed to empowering business stakeholders with technology and services that facilitate effective processes, collaboration, and communication.
  • The mission of the information technology (IT) department is to build a solid, comprehensive technology infrastructure; to maintain an efficient, effective operations environment; and to deliver high-quality, timely services that support the business goals and objectives of [Company Name].
  • The IT group is customer-centered and driven by its commitment to management and staff. It oversees services in computing, telecommunications, networking, administrative computing, and technology training.

1.3.5 Define guiding principles

Select principles that align with your stakeholders’ goals and objectives

Use these examples as a starting point:

IT Principle Name IT Principle Statement
1. Enterprise value focus We aim to provide maximum long-term benefits to the enterprise as a whole while optimizing total costs of ownership and risks.
2. Fit for purpose We maintain capability levels and create solutions that are fit for purpose without over-engineering them.
3. Simplicity We choose the simplest solutions and aim to reduce operational complexity of the enterprise.
4. Reuse > buy > build We maximize reuse of existing assets. If we can’t reuse, we procure externally. As a last resort, we build custom solutions.
5. Managed data We handle data creation, modification, and use enterprise-wide in compliance with our data governance policy.
6. Controlled technical diversity We control the variety of technology platforms we use.
7. Managed security We manage, support, and assist in the implementation of security enterprise-wide in collaboration with our security governance team.
8. Compliance to laws and regulations We operate in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
9. Innovation We seek innovative ways to use technology for business advantage.
10. Customer centricity We deliver best experiences to our end users by aligning to customer service best practices.

Phase 2

Define the Offering

Set the Direction

1.1 Identify Desired Benefits

1.2 Perform a User Group Analysis

1.3 Define the Vision

Define the Offering

2.1 Define the Standard Offerings

2.2 Outline Supporting Services

2.3 Define Governance and Policies

Build the Roadmap

3.1 Develop Initiatives

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Defining standard device entitlements and provisioning models for end-user devices and equipment
  • Shifting end-user computing support left
  • Identifying policy gaps

This phase involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Team
  • IT Leadership

Step 2.1

Define the Standard Offerings

Activities

2.1.1 Identify the provisioning models for each user group

2.1.2 Define the standard device offerings

2.1.3 Document each user group’s entitlements

This step requires the following inputs:

  • Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template
  • List of persona groups
  • Primary computing devices
  • Secondary computing devices
  • Supporting operating systems
  • Applications and office equipment

This step involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Manager
  • CIO
  • Help Desk Manager
  • Infrastructure Manager

Outcomes of this step

  • End-user device entitlements and offerings standard

This step will walk you through defining standard offerings

You will define the base offering for all users in each user group as well as additional items that users can request (but that require additional approvals).

  1. Primary Computing Device
    • The main device used by a worker to complete their job (e.g. laptop for knowledge workers, kiosk or shared tablet for frontline workers).
  2. Secondary Computing Devices
    • Additional devices that supports a worker (e.g. a smartphone, tablet, personal computer).
  3. Provisioning Models
    • Whether the equipment is corporate-issued versus personally owned and whether personal use of corporate resources is allowed.
  4. Apps
    • The software used by the worker. Apps can be locally installed, cloud-based (e.g. SaaS), and/or virtualized and running remotely.
  5. Peripherals
    • Additional equipment provisioned to the end user (e.g. monitors, docking station, mice, keyboards).

There is always a challenge of determining who gets what and when

The goal is balancing cost, risk, and employee engagement

The right balance will be different for every organization

  • IT can’t always say no to new ideas from the business. For example, if the organization wants to adopt Macs, rather than resisting IT should focus on identifying how Macs can be safely implemented.
  • Smartphones may not be necessary for a job, but they can be a valid employee perk. Not every employee may be entitled to the perk. There may be resentment between employees of the same level if one of the employees has a corporate-issued, business-only phone for their job function.
  • The same laptop model may not work for everyone. Some employees may need more powerful computers. Some employees may want more prestigious devices. Other employees may require a suite of apps that is only available on non-Windows operating systems.

Action Item: Provide a defined set of standard options to the business to proactively address different needs.

A good end-user computing strategy will effectively balance:

  • User Choice
  • Risk
  • Cost

Your standard offerings need to strike the right balance for your organization.

Review the End-User Computing Ideas Catalog

Compare pros and cons of computing devices and operating systems for better decision making

The catalog provides information about choices in:

  • Provisioning models
  • Operating systems
  • Device form factors

Review the catalog to learn about items that can help your organization to achieve the desired vision from Phase 1.

As you review the catalog, think about these questions:

  • What primary and secondary devices can you provide?
  • What operating systems do these devices support?
  • What are the provisioning models you will use, considering each model’s weaknesses and strengths?
  • How can you more effectively balance user choice, risk, and cost?

Download the End-User Computing Ideas Catalog.

2.1.1 Identify the provisioning models for each user group

  1. Review the definitions in the End-User Computing Ideas Catalog.
  2. Build a table. List the major user groups along the top of the table and applications down the rows.
  3. Brainstorm provisioning models that will be used for primary and secondary devices for each persona group.
  4. Record your provisioning models in the Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template.

Download the End-User Computing Ideas Catalog.

Download the Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template.

Persona Primary Computing Device Secondary Laptops or Computers Smartphone Tablet
Sales COPE BYOD BYOD BYOD
Field Sales CYOD BYOD COBO COBO
Customer Service COBO None None None
Knowledge Worker COPE BYOD BYOD BYOD
App Dev CYOPED None CYOD CYOD
VIP CYOPED CYOPED CYOPE BYOD

Identify multiple device options

Offer standard, power, and prestigious offerings

Prioritize offering models and align them with your user groups.

  • Standard device: This offering will work for most end users.
  • Power device: This offering will provide additional RAM, processor speed, storage, etc., for users that require it. It is usually offered as an additional option that requires approval.
  • Prestigious device: This offering will be provided to VIP users.
  • Portable device: This offering is for employees within a user group that moves around more often than others. This type of offering is optional – consider having a separate user group for these users that get a more portable laptop as their standard device.

Standardize the nonstandard

When users such as VIP users want more than the standard offering, have a more prestigious option ready to offer. This approach will help you to proactively anticipate your users’ needs.

Who approves?

Generally, if it is a supported device, then the budget owner determines whether to allow the user to receive a more powerful or more prestigious device.

This decision can be based on factors such as:

  • Business need – does the user need the device to do their job?
  • Perk or benefit – is the device being offered to the end user as a means of increasing their engagement?

If IT gets this answer wrong, then it can result in shadow IT

Document your answer in the Device Entitlement Policy Template.

2.1.2 Define the standard device offerings

Consider all devices and their supporting operating systems.

  1. On a flip chart or whiteboard, build a matrix of the supported form factors and operating systems.
  2. For each cell, document the supported vendor and device model.
  3. Identify where you will provide additional options.
Windows Mac OS iOS Android
Laptops Lenovo T15 Gen 2 MacBook Pro 14” N/A N/A
Power Laptops Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon MacBook Pro 16” N/A N/A
Prestigious Laptops Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 MacBook Pro 16” N/A N/A
Tablets Microsoft Surface N/A iPad Pro Samsung Galaxy Tab
Smartphones N/A N/A iPhone 13 Samsung Galaxy S21

2.1.3 Document each user groups’ entitlements

Not every persona needs to be entitled to every supported option

Use the Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template as a starting point.

  • Create a separate section in the document for each persona. Start by documenting the provisioning models for each type of device.
  • Record the standard offering provided to members of each persona as well as additional items that can be provided with approval. Record this information for:
    • Primary computing devices
    • Secondary computing devices
  • Optional: Document additional items that will be provided to members of each persona as well as additional items they can request, such as:
    • Apps
    • Office equipment

Download the Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template.

Step 2.2

Outline Supporting Services

Activities

2.2.1 Review device management tools and capabilities

2.2.2 Identify common incidents and requests for devices

2.2.3 Record how you want to shift resolution

2.2.4 Define which IT groups are involved in supporting practices

Define the Offering

This step requires the following inputs:

  • Standard End-User Entitlements and Offerings Template
  • List of supporting devices
  • Common incidents and requests
  • List of supporting practices

This step involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Manager
  • CIO
  • Help Desk Manager
  • Infrastructure Manager

Outcomes of this step

  • List of IT groups who are involved in supporting devices
  • Responsibilities of each group for requests and incidents

2.2.1 Review device management tools and capabilities

Document the tools that you use to manage each OS and identify gaps

If there are different approaches to managing the same OS (e.g. Windows devices that are co-managed versus Windows devices that are only managed by Intune), then list those approaches on separate rows.

Provision Protect from loss/theft Deploy/update apps Backup & protect Protect from injections Complies with policies Track Decommission
Windows 10 & 11 (co-managed) Autopilot Gap ConfigMgr Gap Windows Security ConfigMgr ConfigMgr Intune Intune and Autopilot
Windows 10 & 11 (Intune) Autopilot Intune (remote wipe) Intune OneDrive for Business Windows Security Microsoft Advanced Threat Protection Intune Intune and Autopilot
Mac OS Jamf Pro Intune (remote wipe) Jamf Pro OneDrive for Business Gap Jamf Pro Intune Jamf Pro

Document the results on the “IT Management Tools” slide in the “IT Support” section of your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

2.2.2 Identify common incidents and requests for devices

Analyze your service desk ticket data. Look for the following information:

  • The most common incidents and service requests around end-user devices and business apps
  • Incident categories and service requests that almost always involve escalations

Record the level at which these tickets can be resolved today. Ensure you include these groups:

  • Tier 0 (i.e. end-user self-service)
  • Tier 1 (i.e. user’s first point of contact at the service desk)
  • Desk-side support and field-support groups
  • End-user computing specialist teams (e.g. desktop engineering, mobile device management teams)
  • Other specialist teams (e.g. security, enterprise applications, DevOps)

Record the desired state. For each incident and request, to where do you want to shift resolution?

Record this chart on the “Current State of IT Support” slide in the “IT Support” section of your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Most Common Incidents & Requests Self-Service Service Desk Tier 1 Desk-Side or Field Support End-User Computing
Connect/fix a printer X
Web conferencing issue X
Bluetooth issues X
Outlook issues X
Install standard app X
Install app requiring approval X
Install nonstandard app X
Enroll personal iOS/Android device X
Enroll personal Mac/Windows computer X
Perform a factory reset on a lost or stolen device X
Unenroll device X

2.2.3 Record how you want to shift resolution

Identify opportunities to improve self-service and first contact resolution.

Starting with the chart you created in Activity 2.2.2, record the desired state. For each incident and request, to where do you want to shift resolution?

  • Identify quick wins. Where will it take low effort to shift resolution? Denote these items with a “QW” for quick win.
  • Identify high-value, high-effort shifts. Where do you want to prioritize shifting resolution? Base this decision on the desired benefits, guiding principles, and vision statement built in Phase 1. Denote these items with an “H” for high.
  • Identify low-value areas. Where would shifting provide low value to end users and/or would have low alignment to the benefits identified in Phase 1? Denote these items with an “L” for low.
  • Identify where no shift can occur. Some items cannot be shifted to self-service or to tier 1 due to governance considerations, security factors, or technical complexity. Denote these items with an “OoS” for out of scope.

Use the “Opportunities to Provide Self-Service and Articles” and “Desired State” slides in the “IT Support” section of your End-User Computing Strategy Template to document quick wins and high-value, high-effort shifts.

Most Common Incidents & Requests Self-Service Service Desk Tier 1 Desk-Side or Field Support End-User Computing
Connect/fix a printer H QW X
Web conferencing issue H X
Bluetooth issues L X
Outlook issues H H X
Install standard app X
Install app requiring approval H X
Install nonstandard app OoS X
Enroll personal iOS/Android device QW QW X
Enroll personal Mac/Windows computer QW QW X
Perform a factory reset on a lost or stolen device QW QW X
Unenroll device QW QW X

2.2.4 Define which IT groups are involved in supporting practices

Repeat activities 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 with the following list of tasks

IT Asset Management

  • Purchasing devices
  • Purchasing software licenses
  • Imaging devices
  • Deploying devices
  • Deploying software
  • Recovering devices
  • Recovering software

Release Management

  • Testing patches
  • Testing app updates
  • Testing OS updates
  • User acceptance testing

Managing Service Catalogs

  • Defining standard device offerings
  • Defining standard software offerings
  • Defining device and software entitlements
  • Updating published catalog entries

Knowledge Management

  • Writing internal KB articles
  • Writing user-facing articles
  • Training specialists
  • Training service desk agents
  • Training users

Portfolio Management

  • Prioritizing app upgrades or migrations
  • Prioritizing OS migrations
  • Prioritizing end-user computing projects

Step 2.3

Define Governance and Policies

Activities

2.3.1 Answer these organizational policy questions

2.3.2 Answer these security policy questions

Define the Offering

This step requires the following inputs:

  • List of supporting devices
  • List of persona groups
  • List of use cases

This step involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Manager
  • CIO
  • Help Desk Manager
  • Infrastructure Manager

Outcomes of this step

  • End-user computing organizational and security policies

Focus on organizational policies and enforcement

Policies set expectations and limits for mobile employees

Enforcement refers to settings on the devices, management and security tools, and process steps.

  • Policies define what should and should not be done with user-facing technology. These policies define expectations about user and IT behavior.
  • Enforcement ensures that policies are followed. User policies must often be enforced through human intervention, while technology policies are often enforced directly through infrastructure before any people get involved.

Use the “Policies” section in the End-User Computing Strategy Template to document the answers in this section. Activities 2.3.2 and 2.3.3 present links to policy templates. Use these templates to help address any gaps in your current policy suite.

2.3.1 Answer these organizational policy questions

Identify if there are different expectations for certain user groups, where exceptions are allowed, and how these policies will be enforced.

Entitlements

  • Who is entitled to receive and use prestigious computers?
  • Who is entitled to receive and use a smartphone?
  • What users are entitled to a stipend for personal device use?

Personal Device Use

  • What use cases are supported and are not supported on personal devices?
  • What level of visibility and control does IT need over personal devices?

Acceptable Use

  • Are people allowed to use corporate resources for personal use?
  • What are the guidelines around personal use?
  • Are users allowed to install personal apps on their corporate-issued computers and/or mobile devices?

Purchasing and Reimbursement

  • Who is allowed to purchase devices? Apps?
  • When can users file a reimbursement request?

Employee Monitoring

  • What user information is monitored?
  • When can that information be used and when can it not be used?

Use the “Policies” section of the End-User Computing Strategy Template to document these answers.

Identify organizational policy gaps

Use these templates as a starting point

Entitlements

Download the Mobile Device Connectivity & Allowance Policy template.

Purchasing & Reimbursement

Download the Purchasing Policy template.

Download the Mobile Device Reimbursement Policy template.

Download the Mobile Device Reimbursement Agreement template.

Acceptable Use

Download the General Security – User Acceptable Use Policy template.

Personal Device Use

Download the BYOD Acceptable Use Policy template.

Download the Mobile Device Remote Wipe Waiver template.

Employee Monitoring

Download the General Security – User Acceptable Use Policy template.

Visit the Reduce and Manage Your Organization’s Insider Threat Risk blueprint to address this gap.

2.3.2 Answer these security policy questions

Identify if there are different expectations for certain user groups, where exceptions are allowed, and how these policies will be enforced.

Use Cases

  • What data and use cases are subject to stricter security measures?
  • Are certain use cases or data prohibited on personal devices?
  • Are there restrictions around where certain use cases are performed and by whom?

Patching

  • Are users expected to apply OS and app updates and patches? Or does IT automate patching?

Physical Security

  • What does the user need to do to secure their equipment?
  • If a device is lost or stolen, who does the user contact to report the lost or stolen device?

Cybersecurity

  • How will IT enforce security configuration baselines?
  • What does the user need to do (or not do) to secure their device?
  • Are certain users allowed to have local admin rights?
  • What happens when a device doesn’t comply with the required security configuration baseline?

Use the “Policies” section of the End-User Computing Strategy Template to document these answers.

Identify security policy gaps

Use these templates as a starting point

Use Cases

Download the General Security – User Acceptable Use Policy template.

Visit the Discover and Classify Your Data blueprint to address this gap.

Patching

Download the General Security – User Acceptable Use Policy template.

Physical and Cyber Security

Download the General Security – User Acceptable Use Policy template.

Visit the Develop and Deploy Security Policies blueprint to address this gap.

For help defining your own security configuration baselines for each operating system, reference best practice documentation such as:

National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Checklist Program.

Center for Internet Security’s solutions.

Microsoft’s security baseline settings for Windows 10 and 11 Configuration Service Providers.

Phase 3

Build the Roadmap

Set the Direction

1.1 Identify Desired Benefits

1.2 Perform a User Group Analysis

1.3 Define the Vision

Define the Offering

2.1 Define the Standard Offerings

2.2 Outline Supporting Services

2.3 Define Governance and Policies

Build the Roadmap

3.1 Develop Initiatives

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Defining initiatives for each EUC domain
  • Building a customer journey map for any end-user computing migrations
  • Building a roadmap for EUC initiatives

This phase involves the following participants:

  • End-User Computing Team

Step 3.1

Develop Initiatives

Activities

3.1.1 Identify initiatives for each EUC practice

3.1.2 Build out the user’s migration journey map

3.1.3 Build out a list of initiatives

Build the Roadmap

This step requires the following inputs:

  • User group workbook
  • Migration initiatives

This step involves the following participants:

  • Infrastructure Director
  • Head of End-User Computing
  • End-User Computing Team
  • Project Manager (if applicable)

Outcomes of this step

  • End-user computing roadmap
  • Migration plan

3.1.1 Identify the gaps in each EUC area

Build a high-level profile of the changes you want to make

For each of the five areas, build a profile for the changes you want to implement. Record:

  1. The owner of the area
  2. The objective that you want to accomplish
  3. The desired benefits from focusing on that area
  4. Any dependencies to the work
  5. Risks that can cause the objective and benefits to not be achieved

Identify the initiatives involved in each area.

Document these profiles and initiatives in the “Roadmap” section of your End-User Computing Strategy Template.

  1. Devices
    • Corporate-issued devices
    • Standard offerings
  2. User Support
    • Self-service
    • Tier 1 support
  3. Use Cases
    • Providing value
    • Business apps
  4. Policy & Governance
    • Personal device use
    • IT policy
  5. Fitness for Use
    • Securing devices
    • Patching

Your initiatives may require a user migration

Plan the user’s migration journey

Consider each user group’s and each persona’s unique needs and challenges throughout the migration.

  1. Preparing to migrate: The user may need to schedule the migration with IT and back up files.
  2. Migrating: IT executes the migration (e.g. updates the OS, changes management tools).
  3. Getting assistance: When a user experiences an error during the migration, how will they get help from IT?
  4. Post-migration: How will IT and the user know that the migration was successful one week later?

Understand the three migration approaches

Online

Users execute the migrate on their own (e.g. Microsoft’s consumer migration to Windows 10).

In person

Users come in person, select a device, and perform the migration with a specialist. If the device needs support, they return to the same place (e.g. buying a computer from a store).

Hybrid

Users select a device. When the device is ready, they can schedule time to pick up the device and perform the migration with a specialist (e.g. purchasing an iPhone in advance from Apple’s website with in-store pick-up).

Be prepared to support remotely

Migrations to the new tool may fail. IT should check in with the user to confirm that the device successfully made the migration.

3.1.2 Build out the user’s migration journey map

Contemplate a roadmap to plan for end-user computing initiatives

  • As a group, brainstorm migration initiatives.
  • For each of the four phases, identify:
    • User activities: actions we need the user to do
    • IT activities: actions and processes that IT will perform internally
    • User touchpoints with IT: how the user will interact with the IT group
    • Opportunities: ideas for how IT can provide additional value to the end user in this phase.
  • Use the example in the End-User Computing Strategy Template as a starting point.

Download the End-User Computing Strategy Template.

Embed requirements gathering throughout your roadmap

Use a combination of surveys, focus groups, and interviews

You’re doing more than eliciting opinions – you’re performing organizational change management.

  • Use surveys to profile the demand for specific requirements. When a project is announced, develop surveys to gauge what users consider must-have, should-have, and could-have requirements.
  • Interviews should be used with high-value targets. Those who receive one-on-one face time can help generate good requirements and allow for effective communication around requirements.
  • Focus groups are used to get input from multiple people in a similar role. This format allows you to ask a few open-ended questions to groups of about five people.

The benefits of interviews and focus groups:

  • Foster direct engagement: IT is able to hear directly from stakeholders about what they are looking to do with a solution and the level of functionality that they expect from it.
  • Offer greater detail: With interviews, greater insight can be gained by leveraging information that traditional surveys wouldn’t uncover. Face-to-face interactions provide thorough answers and context that helps inform requirements.
  • Remove ambiguity: Face-to-face interactions allow opportunities to follow up on ambiguous answers. Clarify what stakeholders are looking for and expect in a project.
  • Enable stakeholder management: Interviews are a direct line of communication with project stakeholders. They provide input and insight and help to maintain alignment, plan next steps, and increase awareness within the IT organization.

Activity instructions:

  1. Early requirements ideation: Identify who you want to interview through one-on-one meetings and focus groups.
  2. Requirements validation and prioritization: Identify which user groups you plan to survey and when.
  3. Usability testing: Plan to include usability testing during each phase. Build it into your release practices.

3.1.3 Build out a list of initiatives

Download a copy of the Roadmap Tool

On tab “1. Setup”:

  • Update category 1 to be all the EUC areas (i.e. Devices, User Support).
  • Update category 2 and category 3 with meaningful items (e.g. operating system, device model, persona group).

Use tab “2. Data Entry” to record your list of initiatives.

  • Each initiative should have its own row. Write a high-level summary under “Roadmap Item” and include more detail under “Description and Rationale.”
  • Enter each initiative’s effort, priority, and timeline for beginning. These are mandatory fields for tab “3. Roadmap” to work properly.

Use tab “3. Roadmap” to visualize your data. You will have to press “Refresh All” under Data in the ribbon for the PivotChart to update.

Copy the roadmap visual on tab “3. Roadmap” into your End-User Computing Strategy Template. You can also copy the list of initiatives over into the document.

Download the Roadmap Tool.

Summary of Accomplishment

Problem Solved

You built a strategy to improve the balance between user enablement, risk mitigation, and cost optimization. Throughout the blueprint, you identified opportunities to provide additional value to end users and stakeholders during these activities:

  • Goals cascade
  • User group analysis
  • Definition of standard device types and platforms
  • IT support shift-left analysis
  • Policy gap analysis
  • Roadmapping

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.

workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

Additional Support

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information.

workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

Identify User Groups

Identify each user group based on the business processes, tasks, and applications they use.

Define Standard Device Offerings

Record your provisioning models for each user group and the primary and secondary devices, apps, and peripherals that each group receives.

Related Info-Tech Research

Simplify Remote Deployment With Zero-Touch Provisioning

This project helps you align your zero-touch approach with stakeholder priorities and larger IT strategies. You will be able to build your zero-touch provisioning and patching plan from both the asset lifecycle and the end-user perspective to create a holistic approach that emphasizes customer service. Tailor deployment plans to more easily scope and resource deployment projects.

Implement Hardware Asset Management

This project will help you analyze the current state of your HAM program, define assets that will need to be managed, and build and involve the ITAM team from the beginning to help embed the change. It will also help you define standard policies, processes, and procedures for each stage of the hardware asset lifecycle, from procurement through to disposal.

Govern Office 365

This project will help you conduct a goals exercise and capability assessment for Office 365. You will be able to refine governance objectives, build out controls, formalize governance, build out one pagers, and finalize a communication plan.

Research Contributors and Experts

  • Steve Fox, Deputy IT Director, Virginia State Corporation Commission
  • Mazen Joukhadar, TransForm Shared Service Organization
  • Nathan Schlaud, PMO Senior Director, RPC Inc.
  • Rebecca Mountjoy, Infrastructure Systems Manager, BlueScope Buildings
  • DJ Robins, Director of Information Technology, Mohawk MedBuy
  • Jason Jenkins, Tech. Specialist, Michal Baker Corp.
  • Brad Wells, IT Infrastructure Solutions Architect, London Police Service
  • Danelle Peddell, Director, Project Management Office, Emco Corporation
  • John Annand, Principal Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Allison Kinnaird, Research Director and Research Lead, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Sandi Conrad, Principal Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Andrew Kum-Seun, Senior Research Analyst, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Mark Tauschek, Vice President IT Infrastructure & Operations Research, Info-Tech Research Group

A special thank-you to 6 anonymous contributors

Bibliography

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Beroe Inc. “Demand for PC Components Saw a Surge Due to COVID-19, Says Beroe Inc.” Cision PR Newswire, 2 Sept. 2021. Web.

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“End User Computing Trends to Look Out for in 2021.” Stratodesk, 30 Oct. 2020. Accessed September 2021.

“Global State of Customer Service: The Transformation of Customer Service from 2015 to Present Day.” Microsoft, 2019. Web.

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Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions

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Business operations in high-risk areas of the world contend with complex threat environments and risk scenarios that often require a unique response. But traditional approaches to security strategy often miss these jurisdictional risks, leaving organizations vulnerable to threats that range from cybercrime and data breaches to fines and penalties.

Security leaders need to identify high-risk jurisdictions, inventory critical assets, identify vulnerabilities, assess risks, and identify security controls necessary to mitigate those risks.

Secure operations and protect critical assets in high-risk regions

Across risks that include insider threats and commercial surveillance, the two greatest vulnerabilities that organizations face in high-risk parts of the world are travel and compliance. Organizations can make small adjustments to their security program to address these risks:

  1. Support high-risk travel: Put measures and guidelines in place to protect personnel, data, and devices before, during, and after employee travel.
  2. Mitigate compliance risk: Consider data residency requirements, data breach notification, cross-border data transfer, and third-party risks to support business growth.

Using these two prevalent risk scenarios in high-risk jurisdictions as examples, this research walks you through the steps to analyze the threat landscape, assess security risks, and execute a response to mitigate them.

Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions Research & Tools

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

1. Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions – A step-by-step approach to mitigating jurisdictional security and privacy risks.

Traditional approaches to security strategy often miss jurisdictional risks. Use this storyboard to make small adjustments to your security program to mitigate security risks in high-risk jurisdictions.

  • Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions – Phases 1-3

2. Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heat Map Tool – A tool to inventory, assess, and treat jurisdictional risks.

Use this tool to track jurisdictional risks, assess the exposure of critical assets, and identify mitigation controls. Use the geographic heatmap to communicate inherent jurisdictional risk with key stakeholders.

  • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heat Map Tool

3. Guidelines for Key Jurisdictional Risk Scenarios – Two structured templates to help you develop guidelines for two key jurisdictional risk scenarios: high-risk travel and compliance risk

Use these two templates to develop help you develop your own guidelines for key jurisdictional risk scenarios. The guidelines address high-risk travel and compliance risk.

  • Digital Safety Guidelines for International Travel
  • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

Infographic

Workshop: Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

1 Identify Context for Risk Assessment

The Purpose

Assess business requirements and evaluate security pressures to set the context for the security risk assessment.

Key Benefits Achieved

Understand the goals of the organization in high-risk jurisdictions.

Assess the threats to critical assets in these jurisdictions and capture stakeholder expectations for information security.

Activities

1.1 Determine assessment scope.

1.2 Determine business goals.

1.3 Determine compliance obligations.

1.4 Determine risk appetite.

1.5 Conduct pressure analysis.

Outputs

Business requirements

Security pressure analysis

2 Analyze Key Risk Scenarios for High-Risk Jurisdictions

The Purpose

Build key risk scenarios for high-risk jurisdictions.

Key Benefits Achieved

Identify critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions, their vulnerabilities to relevant threats, and the adverse impact should malicious agents exploit them.

Assess risk exposure of critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions.

Activities

2.1 Identify critical assets.

2.2 Identify threats.

2.3 Assess risk likelihood.

2.4 Assess risk impact.

Outputs

Key risk scenarios

Jurisdictional risk exposure

Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heat Map

3 Build Risk Treatment Roadmap

The Purpose

Prioritize and treat jurisdictional risks to critical assets.

Key Benefits Achieved

Build an initiative roadmap to reduce residual risks in high-risk jurisdictions.

Activities

3.1 Identify and assess risk response.

3.2 Assess residual risks.

3.3 Identify security controls.

3.4 Build initiative roadmap.

Outputs

Action plan to mitigate key risk scenarios

Further reading

Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions

Assessments often omit jurisdictional risks. Are your assets exposed?

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Operations in high-risk jurisdictions face unique security scenarios.

The image contains a picture of Michel Hebert.

Michel Hébert

Research Director

Security and Privacy

Info-Tech Research Group


The image contains a picture of Alan Tang.

Alan Tang

Principal Research Director

Security and Privacy

Info-Tech Research Group


Traditional approaches to security strategies may miss key risk scenarios that critical assets face in high-risk jurisdictions. These include high-risk travel, heightened insider threats, advanced persistent threats, and complex compliance environments. Most organizations have security strategies and risk management practices in place, but securing global operations requires its own effort. Assess the security risk that global operations pose to critical assets. Consider the unique assets, threats, and vulnerabilities that come with operations in high-risk jurisdictions. Focus on the business activities you support and integrate your insights with existing risk management practices to ensure the controls you propose get the visibility they need. Your goal is to build a plan that mitigates the unique security risks that global operations pose and secures critical assets in high-risk areas. Don’t leave security to chance.

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

  • Security leaders who support operations in many countries struggle to mitigate security risks to critical assets. Operations in high-risk jurisdictions contend with complex threat environments and security risk scenarios that often require a unique response.
  • Security leaders need to identify critical assets, assess vulnerabilities, catalog threats, and identify the security controls necessary to mitigate related operational risks.

Common Obstacles

  • Securing operations in high-risk jurisdictions requires additional due diligence. Each jurisdiction involves a different risk context, which complicates efforts to identify, assess, and mitigate security risks to critical assets.
  • Security leaders need to engage the organization with the right questions and identify high-risk vulnerabilities and security risk scenarios to help stakeholders make an informed decision about how to assess and treat the security risks they face in high-risk jurisdictions.

Info-Tech’s Approach

Info-Tech has developed an effective approach to protecting critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions.

This approach includes tools for:

  • Evaluating the security context of your organization’s high-risk jurisdictions.
  • Identifying security risk scenarios unique to high-risk jurisdictions and assessing the exposure of critical assets.
  • Planning and executing a response.

Info-Tech Insight

Organizations with global operations must contend with a more diverse set of assets, threats, and vulnerabilities when they operate in high-risk jurisdictions. Security leaders need to take additional steps to secure operations and protect critical assets.

Business operations in high-risk jurisdictions face a more complex security landscape

Information security risks to business operations vary widely by region.

The 2022 Allianz Risk Barometer surveyed 2,650 business risk specialists in 89 countries to identify the most important risks to operations. The report identified cybercrime, IT failures, outages, data breaches, fines, and penalties as the most important global business risks in 2022, but their results varied widely by region. The standout finding of the 2022 Allianz Risk Barometer is the return of security risks as the most important threat to business operations. Security risks will continue to be acute beyond 2022, especially in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, where they will dwarf risks of supply chain interruptions, natural catastrophe, and climate change.

Global operations in high-risk jurisdictions contend with more diverse threats. These security risk scenarios are not captured in traditional security strategies.

The image contains a picture of the world map that has certain areas of the map highlighted in various shades of blue based on higher security-related business risks.

Figures represent the number of cybersecurity risks business risk specialists selected as a percentage of all business risks (Allianz, 2022). Higher scores indicate jurisdictions with higher security-related business risks. Jurisdictions without data are in grey.

Different jurisdictions’ commitment to cybersecurity also varies widely, which increases security risks further

The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) provides insight into the commitment of different countries to cybersecurity.

The index assesses a country’s legal framework to identify basic requirements that public and private stakeholders must uphold and the legal instruments prohibiting harmful actions.

The 2020 GCI results show overall improvement and strengthening of the cybersecurity agenda globally, but significant regional gaps persist. Of the 194 countries surveyed:

  • 33% had no data protection legislation.
  • 47% had no breach notification measures in place.
  • 50% had no legislation on the theft of personal information.
  • 19% still had no legislation on illegal access.

Not every jurisdiction has the same commitment to cybersecurity. Protecting critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions requires additional due diligence.

The image contains a picture of the world map that has certain areas of the map highlighted in various shades of blue based on scores in relation to the Global Security Index.

The diagram sets out the score and rank for each country that took part in the Global Cybersecurity Index (ITU, 2021)

Higher scores show jurisdictions with a lower rank on the CGI, which implies greater risk. Jurisdictions without data are in grey.

Securing critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions requires additional effort

Traditional approaches to security strategy may miss these key risk scenarios.

As a result, security leaders who support operations in many countries need to take additional steps to mitigate security risks to critical assets.

Guide stakeholders to make informed decisions about how to assess and treat the security risks and secure operations.

  • Engage the organization with the right questions.
  • Identify critical assets and assess vulnerabilities.
  • Catalogue threats and build risk scenarios.
  • Identify the security controls necessary to mitigate risks.

Work with your organization to analyze the threat landscape, assess security risks unique to high-risk jurisdictions, and execute a response to mitigate them.

This project blueprint works through this process using the two most prevalent risk scenarios in high-risk jurisdictions: high-risk travel and compliance risk.

Key Risk Scenarios

  • High-Risk Travel
  • Compliance Risk
  • Insider Threat
  • Advanced Persistent Threat
  • Commercial Surveillance
The image contains a screenshot of an Info-Tech thought model regarding secure global operations in high-risk jurisdictions.

Travel risk is the first scenario we use as an example throughout the blueprint

  • This project blueprint outlines a process to identify, assess, and mitigate key risk scenarios in high-risk jurisdictions. We use two common key risk scenarios as examples throughout the deck to illustrate how you create and assess your own scenarios.
  • Supporting high-risk travel is the first scenario we will study in-depth as an example. Business growth, service delivery, and mergers and acquisitions can lead end users to travel to high-risk jurisdictions where staff, devices, and data are at risk.
  • Compromised or stolen devices can provide threat actors with access to data that could compromise the organization’s strategic, economic, or competitive advantage or expose the organization to regulatory risk.

The project blueprint includes template guidance in Phase 3 to help you build and deploy your own travel guidelines to protect critical assets and support end users before they leave, during their trip, and when they return.

Before you leave

  • Identify high-risk countries.
  • Enable controls.
  • Limit what you pack.

During your trip

  • Assume you are monitored.
  • Limit access to systems.
  • Prevent theft.

When you return

  • Change your password.
  • Restore your devices.

Compliance risk is the second scenario we use as an example

  • Mitigating compliance risk is the second scenario we will study as an example in this blueprint. The legal and regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly to keep step with the pace of technological change. Security and privacy leaders are expected to mitigate the risk of noncompliance as the organization expands to new jurisdictions.
  • Later sections will show how to think through at least four compliance risks, including:
    • Cross-border data transfer
    • Third-party risk management
    • Data breach notification
    • Data residency

The project blueprint includes template guidance in Phase 3 to help you deploy your own compliance governance controls as a risk mitigation measure.

Secure Operations in High-Risk Jurisdictions: Info-Tech’s methodology

1. Identify Context

2. Assess Risks

3. Execute Response

Phase Steps

  1. Assess business requirements
  2. Evaluate security pressures
  1. Identify risks
  2. Assess risk exposure
  1. Treat security risks
  2. Build initiative roadmap

Phase Outcomes

  • Internal security pressures that capture the governance, policies, practices, and risk tolerance of the organization
  • External security pressures that capture the expectations of customers, regulators, legislators, and business partners
  • A heatmap that captures not only the global exposure of your critical assets but also the business processes they support
  • A security risk register to allow for the easy transfer of critical assets’ global security risk data to your organization’s enterprise risk management practice
  • A roadmap of prioritized initiatives to apply relevant controls and secure global assets
  • A set of key risk indicators to monitor and report your progress

Blueprint deliverables

Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

Business Security Requirements

Identify the context for the global security risk assessment, including risk appetite and risk tolerance.

Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap

Identify critical global assets and the threats they face in high-risk jurisdictions and assess exposure.

Mitigation Plan

Roadmap of initiatives and security controls to mitigate global risks to critical assets. Tools and templates to address key security risk scenarios.

Key deliverable:

Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap

Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool to capture information security risks to critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions. The tool generates a world chart that illustrates the risks global operations face to help you engage the business and execute a response.

Blueprint benefits

Protect critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions

IT Benefits

Assess and remediate information security risk to critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions.

Easily integrate your risk assessment with enterprise risk assessments to improve communication with the business.

Illustrate key information security risk scenarios to make the case for action in terms the business understands.

Business Benefits

Develop mitigation plans to protect staff, devices, and data in high-risk jurisdictions.

Support business growth in high-risk jurisdictions without compromising critical assets.

Mitigate compliance risk to protect your organization’s reputation, avoid fines, and ensure business continuity.

Quantify the impact of securing global operations

The tool included with this blueprint can help you measure the impact of implementing the research

  • Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool to describe the key risk scenarios you face, assess their likelihood and impact, and estimate the cost of mitigating measures. Working through the project in this way will help you quantify the impact of securing global operations.
The image contains a screenshot of Info-Tech's Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool. The image contains a screenshot of the High-Risk Travel Jurisdiction.

Establish Baseline Metrics

  • Review existing information security and risk management metrics and the output of the tools included with the blueprint.
  • Identify metrics to measure the impact of your risk management efforts. Focus specifically on high-risk jurisdictions.
  • Compare your results with those in your overall security and risk management program.

ID

Metric

Why is this metric valuable?

How do I calculate it?

1.

Overall Exposure – High-Risk Jurisdictions

Illustrates the overall exposure of critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions.

Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool. Calculate the impact times the probability rating for each risk. Take the average.

2.

# Risks Identified – High-Risk Jurisdictions

Informs risk tolerance assessments.

Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

3.

# Risks Treated – High-Risk Jurisdictions

Informs residual risk assessments.

Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

4.

Mitigation Cost – High-Risk Jurisdictions

Informs cost-benefit analysis to determine program effectiveness.

Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

5.

# Security Incidents – High-Risk Jurisdictions

Informs incident trend calculations to determine program effectiveness.

Draw the information from your service desk or IT service management tool.

6.

Incident Remediation Cost – High-Risk Jurisdictions

Informs cost-benefit analysis to determine program effectiveness.

Estimate based on cost and effort, including direct and indirect cost such as business disruptions, administrative finds, reputational damage, etc.

7.

TRENDS: Program Effectiveness – High-Risk Jurisdictions

# of security incidents over time. Remediation : Mitigation costs over time

Calculate based on metrics 5 to 7.

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs.

DIY Toolkit

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

Guided Implementation

"Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

Workshop

"We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

Consulting

"Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

Phase 1

Call #1: Scope project requirements, determine assessment scope, and discuss challenges.

Phase 2

Call #2: Conduct initial risk assessment and determine risk tolerance.

Call #3: Evaluate security pressures in high-risk jurisdictions.

Call #4: Identify risks in high-risk jurisdictions.

Call #5: Assess risk exposure.

Phase 3

Call #6: Treat security risks in high-risk jurisdictions.

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization. A typical GI is between 8 to 12 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

Workshop Overview

Contact your account representative for more information. workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

Days 1

Days 2-3

Day 4

Day 5

Identify Context

Key Risk Scenarios

Build Roadmap

Next Steps and Wrap-Up (offsite)

Activities

1.1.1 Determine assessment scope.

1.1.2 Determine business goals.

1.1.3 Identify compliance obligations.

1.2.1 Determine risk appetite.

1.2.2 Conduct pressure analysis.

2.1.1 Identify assets.

2.1.2 Identify threats.

2.2.1 Assess risk likelihood.

2.2.2 Assess risk impact.

3.1.1 Identify and assess risk response.

3.1.2 Assess residual risks.

3.2.1 Identify security controls.

3.2.2 Build initiative roadmap.

5.1 Complete in-progress deliverables from previous four days.

5.2 Set up review time for workshop deliverables and to discuss next steps.

Deliverables

  1. Business requirements for security risk assessment
  2. Identification of high-risk jurisdictions
  3. Security threat landscape for high-risk jurisdictions
  1. Inventory of relevant threats, critical assets, and their vulnerabilities
  2. Assessment of adverse effects should threat agents exploit vulnerabilities
  3. Risk register with key risk scenarios and heatmap of high-risk jurisdictions
  1. Action plan to mitigate key risk scenarios
  2. Investment and implementation roadmap
  1. Completed information security risk assessment for two key risk scenarios
  2. Risk mitigation roadmap

No safe jurisdictions

Stakeholders sometimes ask information security and privacy leaders to produce a list of safe jurisdictions from which to operate. We need to help them see that there are no safe jurisdictions, only relatively risky ones. As you build your security program, deepen the scope of your risk assessments to include risk scenarios critical assets face in different jurisdictions. These risks do not need to rule out operations, but they may require additional mitigation measures to keep staff, data, and devices safe and reduce potential reputational harms.

Traditional approaches to security strategy often omit jurisdictional risks.

Global operations must contend with a more complex security landscape. Secure critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions with a targeted risk assessment.

The two greatest risks are high-risk travel and compliance risk.

You can mitigate them with small adjustments to your security program.

Support High-Risk Travel

When securing travel to high-risk jurisdictions, you must consider personnel safety as well as data and device security. Put measures and guidelines in place to protect them before, during, and after travel.

Mitigate Compliance Risk

Think through data residency requirements, data breach notification, cross-border data transfer, and third-party risks to support business growth and mitigate compliance risks in high-risk jurisdictions to protect your organization’s reputation and avoid hefty fines or business disruptions.

Phase 1

Identify Context

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Assess business requirements to understand the goals of the organization’s global operations, as well as its risk governance, policies, and practices.
  • Evaluate jurisdictional security pressures to understand threats to critical assets and capture the expectations of external stakeholders, including customers, regulators, legislators, and business partners, and assess risk tolerance.

This phase involves the following participants:

  • Business stakeholders
  • IT leadership
  • Security team
  • Risk and Compliance

Step 1.1

Assess Business Requirements

Activities

1.1.1 Determine assessment scope

1.1.2 Identify enterprise goals in high-risk jurisdictions

1.1.3 Identify compliance obligations

This step involves the following participants:

  • Business stakeholders
  • IT leadership
  • Security team
  • Risk and Compliance

Outcomes of this step

  • Assess business requirements to understand the goals of the organization’s global operations, as well as its risk governance, policies, and practices.

Focus the risk assessment on high-risk jurisdictions

Traditional approaches to information security strategy often miss threats to global operations

  • Successful security strategies are typically sensitive to risks to different IT systems and lines of business.
  • However, securing global operations requires additional focus on high-risk jurisdictions, considering what makes them unique.
  • This first phase of the project will help you evaluate the business context of operations in high-risk jurisdictions, including:
    • Enterprise and security goals.
    • Lines of business, physical locations, and IT systems that need additional oversight.
    • Unique compliance obligations.
    • Unique risks and security pressures.
    • Organizational risk tolerance in high-risk jurisdictions.

Focus your risk assessment on the business activities security supports in high-risk jurisdictions and the unique threats they face to bridge gaps in your security strategy.

Identify jurisdictions with higher inherent risks

Your security strategy may not describe jurisdictional risk adequately.

  • Security strategies list lines of business, physical locations, and IT systems the organization needs to secure and those whose security will depend on a third-party. You can find additional guidance on fixing the scope and boundaries of a security strategy in Phase 1 of Build an Information Security Strategy.
  • However, security risks vary widely from one jurisdiction to another according to:
    • Active cyber threats.
    • Legal and regulatory frameworks.
    • Regional security and preparedness capabilities.
  • Your first task is to identify high-risk jurisdictions to target for additional oversight.

Work closely with your enterprise risk management function.

Enterprise risk management functions are often tasked with developing risk assessments from composite sources. Work closely with them to complete your own assessment.

Countries at heightened risk of money laundering and terrorism financing are examples of high-risk jurisdictions. The Financial Action Task Force and the U.S. Treasury publish reports three times a year that identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories.

Develop a robust jurisdictional assessment

Design an intelligence collection strategy to inform your assessment

Strategic Intelligence

White papers, briefings, reports. Audience: C-Suite, board members

Tactical Intelligence

Internal reports, vendor reports. Audience: Security leaders

Operational intelligence

Indicators of compromise. Audience: IT Operations

Operational intelligence focuses on machine-readable data used to block attacks, triage and validate alerts, and eliminate threats from the network. It becomes outdated in a matter of hours and is less useful for this exercise.

Determine travel risks to bolster your assessments

Not all locations and journeys will require the same security measures.

  • Travel risks vary significantly according to destination, the nature of the trip, and traveler profile.
  • Access to an up-to-date country risk rating system enables your organization and individual staff to quickly determine the overall level of risk in a specific country or location.
  • Based on this risk rating, you can specify what security measures are required prior to travel and what level of travel authorization is appropriate, in line with the organization's security policy or travel security procedures.
  • While some larger organizations can maintain their own country risk ratings, this requires significant capacity, particularly to obtain the necessary information to keep these regularly updated.
  • It may be more effective for your organization to make use of the travel risk ratings provided by an external security information provider, such as a company linked to your travel insurance or travel booking service, if available.
  • Alternatively, various open-source travel risk ratings are available via embassy travel sites or other website providers.

Without a flexible system to account for the risk exposures of different jurisdictions, staff may perceive measures as a hindrance to operations.

Develop a tiered risk rating

The example below outlines potential risk indicators for high-risk travel.

Rating

Description

Low

Generally secure with adequate physical security. Low violent crime rates. Some civil unrest during significant events. Acts of terrorism rare. Risks associated with natural disasters limited and health threats mainly preventable.

Moderate

Periodic civil unrest. Antigovernment, insurgent, or extremist groups active with sporadic acts of terrorism. Staff at risk from common and violent crime. Transport and communications services are unreliable and safety records are poor. Jurisdiction prone to natural disasters or disease epidemics.

High

Regular periods of civil unrest, which may target foreigners. Antigovernment, insurgent, or extremist groups very active and threaten political or economic stability. Violent crime rates high, often targeting foreigners. Infrastructure and emergency services poor. May be regular disruption to transportation or communications services. Certain areas off-limits to foreigners. Jurisdictions experiencing natural disasters or epidemics are considered high risk.

Extreme

Undergoing active conflict or persistent civil unrest. Risk of being caught up in a violent incident or attack is very high. Authorities may have lost control of significant portions of the country. Lines between criminality and political and insurgent violence are blurred. Foreigners are likely to be denied access to parts of the country. Transportation and communication services are severely degraded or nonexistent. Violence presents a direct threat to staff security.

Ratings are formulated by assessing several types of risk, including conflict, political/civil unrest, terrorism, crime, and health and infrastructure risks.

1.1.1 Determine assessment scope

1 – 2 hours

  1. As a group, brainstorm a list of high-risk jurisdictions to target for additional assessment. Write down as many items as possible to include in:
  • Lines of business
  • Physical locations
  • IT systems

Pay close attention to elements of the assessment that are not in scope.

  • Discuss the response and the rationale for targeting each of them for additional risk assessments. Identify security-related concerns for different lines of business, locations, user groups, IT systems, and data.
  • Record your responses and your comments in the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool.
  • Input

    Output

    • Corporate strategy
    • IT strategy
    • Security strategy
    • Relevant threat intelligence
    • A list of high-risk jurisdictions to focus your risk assessment

    Materials

    Participants

    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Business stakeholders
    • Enterprise Risk Management
    • Compliance
    • Legal

    Download the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool

    Position your efforts in a business context

    Securing critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions is a business imperative

    • Many companies relegate their information security strategies to their IT department. Aside from the strain the choice places on a department that already performs many different functions, it wrongly implies that mitigating information security risk is simply an IT problem.
    • Managing information security risks is a business problem. It requires that organizations identify their risk appetite, prioritize relevant threats, and define risk mitigation initiatives. Business leaders can only do these activities effectively in a context that recognizes the business and financial benefits of implementing protections.
    • This is notably true of businesses with operations in many different countries. Each jurisdiction has its own set of security risks the organization must account for, as well as unique local laws and regulations that affect business operations.
    • In high-risk jurisdictions, your efforts must consider the unique operational challenges your organization may not face in its home country. Your efforts to secure critical assets will be most successful if you describe key risk scenarios in terms of their impact on business goals.
    • You can find additional guidance on assessing the business context of a security strategy in Phase 1 of Build an Information Security Strategy.

    Do you understand the unique business context of operations in high-risk jurisdictions?

    1.1.2 Identify business goals

    Estimated Time: 1-2 hours

    1. As a group, brainstorm the primary and secondary business goals of the organization. Focus your assessment on operations in high-risk jurisdictions you identified in Exercise 1.1.1. Review:
    • Relevant corporate and IT strategies.
    • The business goal definitions and indicator metrics in tab 2, “Goals Definition,” of the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool.
  • Limit business goals to no more than two primary goals and three secondary goals. This limitation will help you prioritize security initiatives at the end of the project.
  • For each business goal, identify up to two security alignment goals that will support business goals in high-risk jurisdictions.
  • Input

    Output

    • Corporate strategy
    • IT strategy
    • Security strategy
    • Your goals for the security risk assessment for high-risk jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Business stakeholders
    • Risk Management
    • Compliance
    • Legal

    Download the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool

    Record business goals

    Capture the results in the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool

    1. Record the primary and secondary business goals you identified in tab 3, “Goals Cascade,” of the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool.
    2. Next, record the two security alignment goals you selected for each business goal based on the tool’s recommendations.
    3. Finally, review the graphic diagram that illustrates your goals on tab 6, “Results,” of the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool.
    4. Revisit this exercise whenever operations expands to a new jurisdiction to capture how they contribute to the organization’s mission and vision and how the security program can support them.
    The image contains a screenshot of Tab 3, Goals Cascade.

    Tab 3, Goals Cascade

    The image contains a screenshot of Tab 6, Results.

    Tab 6, Results

    Analyze business goals

    Assess how operating in multiple jurisdictions adds nuance to your business goals

    • Security leaders need to understand the direction of the business to propose relevant security initiatives that support business goals in high-risk jurisdictions.
    • Operating in different jurisdictions carries its own degree of risk. The organization is subject not only to the information security risks and legal frameworks of its country of origin but also to those associated with international jurisdictions.
    • You need to understand where your organization operates and how these different jurisdictions contribute to your business goals to support their performance and protect the firm’s reputation.
    • This exercise will make an explicit link between security and privacy concerns in high-risk jurisdictions, what the business cares about, and what security is trying to accomplish.

    If the organization is considering a merger and acquisition project that will expand operations in jurisdictions with different travel risk profiles, the security organization needs to revise the security strategy to ensure the organization can support high-risk travel and mitigate risks to critical assets.

    Identify compliance obligations

    Data compliance obligations loom large in high-risk jurisdictions

    The image contains four hexagons, each with their own words. SOX, PCI DSS, HIPAA, HITECH.

    Security leaders are familiar with most conventional regulatory obligations that govern financial, personal, and healthcare data in North America and Europe.

    The image contains four hexagons, each with their own words. Residency, Cross-Border Transfer, Breach Notification, Third-Party Risk Mgmt.

    Data privacy concerns, nationalism, and the economic value of data are all driving jurisdictions to adopt data residency and data localization and to shut down the cross-border transfer of data.

    The next step requires you to consider the compliance obligations the organization needs to meet to support the business as it expands to other jurisdictions through natural growth, mergers, and acquisitions.

    1.1.3 Identify compliance obligations

    Estimated Time: 1-2 hours

    1. As a group, brainstorm compliance obligations in target jurisdictions. Focus your assessment on operations in high-risk jurisdictions.
    2. Include:

    • Laws
    • Governing regulations
    • Industry standards
    • Contractual agreements
  • Record your compliance obligations and comments on tab 4, “Compliance Obligations,” of the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool.
  • If you need to take full stock of the laws and regulations in place in the jurisdictions where you operate that you are not familiar with, consider seeking local legal counsel to help you navigate this exercise.
  • Input

    Output

    • Legal and compliance frameworks in target jurisdictions
    • Mandatory and voluntary compliance obligations for target jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Business stakeholders
    • Risk Management
    • Compliance
    • Legal

    Download the Information Security Requirements Gathering Tool

    Step 1.2

    Evaluate Security Pressures

    Activities

    1.2.1 Conduct initial risk assessment

    1.2.2 Conduct pressure analysis

    1.2.3 Determine risk tolerance

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Outcomes of this step

    Identify threats to global assets and capture the security expectations of external stakeholders, including customers, regulators, legislators, and business partners, and determine risk tolerance.

    Evaluate security pressures to set the risk context

    Perform an initial assessment of high-risk jurisdictions to set the context.

    Assess:

    • The threat landscape.
    • The security pressures from key stakeholders.
    • The risk tolerance of your organization.

    You should be able to find the information in your existing security strategy. If you don’t have the information, work through the next three steps of the project blueprint.

    The image contains a diagram to demonstrate evaluating security pressures, as described in the text above.

    Some jurisdictions carry inherent risks

    • Jurisdictional risks stem from legal, regulatory, or political factors that exist in different countries or regions. They can also stem from unexpected legal changes in regions where critical assets have exposure. Understanding jurisdictional risks is critical because they can require additional security controls.
    • Jurisdictional risk tends to be higher in jurisdictions:
      • Where the organization:
        • Conducts high-value or high-volume financial transactions.
        • Supports and manages critical infrastructure.
        • Has high-cost data or data whose compromise could undermine competitive advantage.
        • Has a high percentage of part-time employees and contractors.
        • Experiences a high rate of employee turnover.
      • Where state actors:
        • Have a low commitment to cybersecurity, financial, and privacy legislation and regulation.
        • Support cybercrime organizations within their borders.

    Jurisdictional risk is often reduced to countries where money laundering and terrorist activities are high. In this blueprint, the term refers to the broader set of information security risks that arise when operating in a foreign country or jurisdiction.

    Five key risk scenarios are most prevalent

    Key Risk Scenarios

    • High-Risk Travel
    • Compliance Risk
    • Insider Threat
    • Advanced Persistent Threat
    • Commercial Surveillance

    Security leaders who support operations in many countries need to take additional steps to mitigate security risks to critical assets. The goal of the next two exercises is to analyze the threat landscape and security pressures unique to high-risk jurisdictions, which will inform the construction of key scenarios in Phase 2. These five scenarios are most prevalent in high-risk jurisdictions. Keep them in mind as you go through the exercises in this section.

    1.2.1 Assess jurisdictional risk

    1-3 hours

    1. As a group, review the questions on tab 2, “Risk Assessment,” of the Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool.
    2. Gather the required information from subject matter experts on the following risk elements with a focus on high-risk jurisdictions:
    3. Review each question in tab 2 of the Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool and select the most appropriate response.

    Input

    Output

    • Existing security strategy
    • List of organizational assets
    • Historical data on information security incidents
    • Completed risk assessment

    Materials

    Participants

    • Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    For more information on how to complete the risk assessment questionnaire, see Step 1.2.1 of Build an Information Security Strategy.

    1.2.2 Conduct pressure analysis

    1-3 hours

    1. As a group, review the questions on tab 3, “Pressure Analysis,” of the Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool.
    2. Gather the required information from subject matter experts on the following pressure elements with a focus on high-risk jurisdictions:
    • Compliance and oversight
    • Customer expectations
    • Business expectations
    • IT expectations
  • Review each question in the questionnaire and provide the most appropriate response using the drop-down list. It may be helpful to consult with the appropriate departments to obtain their perspectives.
  • For more information on how to complete the pressure analysis questionnaire, see Step 1.3 of Build an Information Security Strategy.

    Input

    Output

    • Information on various pressure elements within the organization
    • Existing security strategy
    • Completed pressure analysis

    Materials

    Participants

    • Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Business leaders
    • Compliance

    A low security pressure means that your stakeholders do not assign high importance to information security. You may need to engage stakeholders with the right key risk scenarios to illustrate jurisdictional risk and generate support for new security controls.

    Download the Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool

    Assess risk tolerance

    • Risk tolerance expresses the types and amount of risk the organization is willing to accept in pursuit of its goals.
    • These expectations can help you identify, manage, and report on key risk scenarios in high-risk jurisdictions.
    • For instance, an organization with a low risk tolerance will require a stronger information security program to minimize operational security risks.
    • It’s up to business leaders to determine the risks they are willing to accept. They may need guidance to understand how system-level risks affect the organization’s ability to pursue its goals.

    A formalized risk tolerance statement can help:

    • Support risk-based security decisions that align with business goals.
    • Provide a meaningful rationale for security initiatives.
    • Improve the transparency of investments in the organization’s security program.
    • Provide guidance for monitoring inherent risk and residual risk exposure.

    The role of security professionals is to identify and analyze key risk scenarios that may prevent the organization from reaching its goals.

    1.2.3 Determine risk tolerance

    1-3 hours

    1. As a group, review the questions on tab 4, “Risk Tolerance,” of the Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool.
    2. Gather the required information from subject matter experts on the following risk tolerance elements:
    • Recent IT problems, especially downtime and data recovery issues
    • Historical security incidents
  • Review any relevant documentation, including:
    • Existing security strategy
    • Business impact assessments
    • Service-level agreements

    For more information on how to complete the risk tolerance questionnaire, see Step 1.4 of Build an Information Security Strategy.

    Input

    Output

    • Existing security strategy
    • Data on recent IT problems and incidents
    • Business impact assessments
    • Completed risk tolerance statement

    Materials

    Participants

    • Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Information Security Pressure Analysis Tool

    Review the output of the results tab

    • The organizational risk assessment provides a high-level assessment of inherent risks in high-risk jurisdictions. Use the results to build and assess key risk scenarios in Phase 2.
    • Use the security pressure analysis to inform stakeholder management efforts. A low security pressure indicates that stakeholders do not yet grasp the impact of information security on organizational goals. You may need to communicate its importance before you discuss additional security controls.
    • Jurisdictions in which organizations have a low risk tolerance will require stronger information security controls to minimize operational risks.
    The image contains a screenshot of the organizational risk assessment. The image contains a screenshot of the security pressure analysis. The image contains a screenshot of the risk tolerance curve.

    Phase 2

    Assess Security Risks to Critical Assets

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Identify critical assets, their vulnerabilities to relevant threats, and the adverse impact a successful threat event would have on the organization.
    • Assess risk exposure of critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions for each risk scenario through an analysis of its likelihood and impact.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Step 2.1

    Identify Risks

    Activities

    2.1.1 Identify assets

    2.1.2 Identify threats

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Define risk scenarios that identify critical assets, their vulnerabilities to relevant threats, and the adverse impact a successful threat event would have on the organization.

    This blueprint focuses on mitigating jurisdictional risks

    The image contains a screenshot of the IT Risk Management Framework. The framework includes: Risk Identification, Risk Assessment, Risk Response, and Risk Governance.

    For a deeper dive into building a risk management program, see Info-Tech’s core project blueprints on risk management:

    Build an IT Risk Management Program

    Combine Security Risk Management Components Into One Program

    Draft key risk scenarios to illustrate adverse events

    Risk scenarios help decision-makers understand how adverse events affect business goals.

    • Risk-scenario building is the process of identifying the critical factors that contribute to an adverse event and crafting a narrative that describes the circumstances and consequences if it were to happen.
    • Risk scenarios set up the risk analysis stage of the risk assessment process. They are narratives that describe in detail:
      • The asset at risk.
      • The threat that can act against the asset.
      • Their intent or motivation.
      • The circumstances and threat actor model associated with the threat event.
      • The potential effect on the organization.
      • When or how often the event might occur.

    Risk scenarios are further distilled into a single sentence or risk statement that communicates the essential elements from the scenario.

    Well-crafted risk scenarios have four components

    The second phase of the project will help you craft meaningful risk scenarios

    Threat

    Exploits an

    Asset

    Using a

    Method

    Creating an

    Effect

    An actor capable of harming an asset

    Anything of value that can be affected and results in loss

    Technique an actor uses to affect an asset

    How loss materializes

    Examples: Malicious or untrained employees, cybercriminal groups, malicious state actors

    Examples: Systems, regulated data, intellectual property, people

    Examples: Credential compromise, privilege escalation, data exfiltration

    Examples: Loss of data confidentiality, integrity, or availability; impact on staff health & safety

    Risk scenarios are concise, four to six sentence narratives that describe the core elements of forecasted adverse events. Use them to engage stakeholders with the right questions and guide them to make informed decisions about how to address and treat security risks in high-risk jurisdictions.

    The next slides review five key risk scenarios prevalent in high-risk jurisdictions. Use them as examples to develop your own.

    Travel to high-risk jurisdictions requires special measures to protect staff, devices, and data

    Governmental, academic, and commercial advisors compile lists of jurisdictions that pose greater travel risks annually.

    For instance, in the US, these lists might include countries that are:

    • Subjects of travel warnings by the US Department of State.
    • Identified as high risk by other US government sources such as:
      • The Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
      • The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
      • The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
    • Compiled from academic and commercial sources, such as Control Risks.

    When securing travel to high-risk jurisdictions, you must consider personnel safety as well as data and device security.

    The image contains a diagram to present high-risk jurisdictions.

    The diagram presents high-risk jurisdictions based on US governmental sources (2021) listed on this slide.

    High-risk travel

    Likelihood: Medium

    Impact: Medium

    Key Risk Scenario #1

    Malicious state actors, cybercriminals, and competitors can threaten staff, devices, and data during travel to high-risk jurisdictions. Device theft or compromise may occur while traveling through airports, accessing hotel computer and phone networks, or in internet cafés or other public areas. Threat actors can exploit data from compromised or stolen devices to undermine the organization’s strategic, economic, or competitive advantage. They can also infect compromised devices with malware that delivers malicious payloads once they reconnect with home networks.

    Threat Actor:

    • Malicious state actors
    • Cybercriminals
    • Competitors

    Assets:

    • Staff
    • IT systems
    • Sensitive data

    Effect:

    • Compromised staff health and safety
    • Loss of data
    • Lost of system integrity

    Methods:

    • Identify, steal, or target mobile devices.
    • Compromise network, wireless, or Bluetooth connections.
    • Leverage stolen devices as a means of infecting other networks.
    • Access devices to track user location.
    • Activate microphones on devices to collect information.
    • Intercept electronic communications users send from high-risk jurisdictions.

    The data compliance landscape is a jigsaw puzzle of data protection and data residency requirements

    Since the EU passed the GDPR in 2016, jurisdictions have turned to data regulations to protect citizen data

    Data privacy concerns, nationalism, and the economic value of data are all driving jurisdictions to adopt data residency, breach notification, and cross-border data transfer regulations. As 2021 wound down to a close, nearly all the world’s 30 largest economies had some form of data regulation in place. The regulatory landscape is shifting rapidly, which complicates operations as organizations grow into new markets or engage in merger and acquisition activities.

    Global operations require special attention to data-residency requirements, data breach notification requirements, and cross-border data transfer regulations to mitigate compliance risk.

    The image contains a diagram to demonstrate the data regulations placed in various places around the world.

    Compliance risk

    Likelihood: Medium

    Impact: High

    Key Risk Scenario #2

    Rapid changes in the privacy and security regulatory landscape threaten organizations’ ability to meet their compliance obligations from local legal and regulatory frameworks. Organizations risk reputational damage, administrative fines, criminal charges, and loss of market share. In extreme cases, organizations may lose their license to operate in high-risk jurisdictions. Shifts in the regulatory landscape can involve additional requirements for data residency, cross-border data transfer, data breach notification, and third-party risk management.

    Threat Actor:

    • Local, regional, and national state actors

    Asset:

    • Reputation, market share
    • License to operate

    Effect:

    • Administrative fines
    • Loss of reputation, brand trust, and consumer loyalty
    • Loss of market share
    • Suspension of business operations
    • Lawsuits due to collective actions and claims
    • Criminal charges

    Methods:

    • Shifts in the privacy and security regulatory landscape, including requirements for:
      • Data residency.
      • Cross-border data transfer.
      • Data breach notification.
      • Third-party security and privacy risk management.

    The incidence of insider threats varies widely by jurisdiction in unexpected ways

    On average, companies in North America, the Middle East, and Africa had the most insider incidents in 2021, while those in the Asia-Pacific region had the least.

    The Ponemon Institute set out to understand the financial consequences that result from insider threats and gain insight into how well organizations are mitigating these risks.

    In the context of this research, insider threat is defined as:

    • Employee or contractor negligence.
    • Criminal or malicious insider activities.
    • Credential theft (imposter risk).

    On average, the total cost to remediate insider threats in 2021 was US$15.4 million per incident.

    In all regions, employee or contractor negligence occurred most frequently. Organizations in North America and in the Middle East and Africa were most likely to experience insider threat incidents in 2021.

    the image contains a diagram of the world, with various places coloured in different shades of blue.

    The diagram represents the average number of insider incidents reported per organization in 2021. The results are analyzed in four regions (Ponemon Institute, 2022)

    Insider threat

    Likelihood: Low to Medium

    Impact: High

    Key Risk Scenario #3

    Malicious insiders, negligent employees, and credential thieves can exploit inside access to information systems to commit fraud, steal confidential or commercially valuable information, or sabotage computer systems. Insider threats are difficult to identify, especially when security is geared toward external threats. They are often familiar with the organization’s data and intellectual property as well as the methods in place to protect them. An insider may steal information for personal gain or install malicious software on information systems. They may also be legitimate users who make errors and disregard policies, which places the organization at risk.

    Threat Actor:

    • Malicious insiders
    • Negligent employees
    • Infiltrators

    Asset:

    • Sensitive data
    • Employee credentials
    • IT systems

    Effects:

    • Loss of system integrity
    • Loss of data confidentiality
    • Financial loss

    Methods:

    • Infiltrators may compromise credentials.
    • Malicious or negligent insiders may use corporate email to steal or share sensitive data, including:
      • Regulated data.
      • Intellectual property.
      • Critical business information.
    • Malicious agents may facilitate data exfiltration, as well as open-port and vulnerability scans.

    The risk of advanced persistent threats is more prevalent in Central and South America and the Asia-Pacific region

    Attacks from advanced persistent threat (APT) actors are more sophisticated than traditional ones.

    • More countries will use legal indictments as part of their cyber strategy. Exposing toolsets of APT groups carried out at the governmental level will drive more states to do the same.
    • Expect APTs to increasingly target network appliances like VPN gateways as organizations continue to sustain hybrid workforces.
    • The line between APTs and state-sanctioned ransomware groups is blurring. Expect cybercriminals to wield better tools, mount more targeted attacks, and use double-extortion tactics.
    • Expect more disruption and collateral damage from direct attacks on critical infrastructure.

    Top 10 Significant Threat Actors:

    • Lazarus
    • DeathStalker
    • CactusPete
    • IAmTheKing
    • TransparentTribe
    • StrongPity
    • Sofacy
    • CoughingDown
    • MuddyWater
    • SixLittleMonkeys

    Top 10 Targets:

    • Government
    • Banks
    • Financial Institutions
    • Diplomatic
    • Telecommunications
    • Educational
    • Defense
    • Energy
    • Military
    • IT Companies
    The image contains a world map coloured in various shades of blue.
    Top 12 countries targeted by APTs (Kaspersky, 2020)

    Track notable APTs to revise your list of high-risk jurisdictions and review the latest tactics and techniques

    Governmental advisors track notable APT actors that pose greater risks.

    The CISA Shields Up site, SANS Storm Center site, and MITRE ATT&CK group site provide helpful and timely information to understand APT risks in different jurisdictions.

    The following threat actors are currently associated with cyberattacks affiliated with the Russian government.

    Activity Group

    Risks

    APT28 (GRU)

    Known as Fancy Bear, this threat group has been tied to espionage since 2004. They compromised the Hillary Clinton campaign, amid other major events.

    APT29 (SVT)

    Tied to espionage since 2008. Reportedly compromised the Democratic National Committee in 2015. Cited in the 2021 SolarWinds compromise.

    Buhtrap/RTM Group

    Group focused on financial targets since 2014. Currently known to target Russian and Ukrainian banks.

    Gamaredon

    Operating in Crimea. Aligned with Russian interests. Has previously targeted Ukrainian government officials and organizations.

    DEV-0586

    Carried out wiper malware attacks on Ukrainian targets in January 2022.

    UNC1151

    Active since 2016. Linked to information operation campaigns and the distribution of anti-NATO material.

    Conti

    Most successful ransomware gang of 2021, with US$188M revenue. Supported Russian invasion of Ukraine, threatening attacks on allied critical infrastructure.

    Sources: MITRE ATT&CK; Security Boulevard, 2022; Reuters, 2022; The Verge, 2022

    Advanced persistent threat

    Likelihood: Low to Medium

    Impact: High

    Key Risk Scenario #4

    Advanced persistent threats are state actors or state-sponsored affiliates with the means to avoid detection by anti-malware software and intrusion detection systems. These highly-skilled and persistent malicious agents have significant resources with which to bypass traditional security controls, establish a foothold in the information technology infrastructure, and exfiltrate data undetected. APTs have the resources to adapt to a defender’s efforts to resist them over time. The loss of system integrity and data confidentiality over time can lead to financial losses, business continuity disruptions, and the destruction of critical infrastructure.

    Threat Actor:

    • State actors
    • State-sponsored affiliates

    Asset:

    • Sensitive data
    • IT systems
    • Critical infrastructure

    Effects:

    • Loss of system integrity
    • Loss of data confidentiality
    • Financial loss
    • Business continuity disruptions
    • Infrastructure destruction

    Methods:

    • Persistent, consistent attacks using the most advanced threats and tactics to bypass security defenses.
    • The goal of APTs is to maintain access to networks for prolonged periods without being detected.
    • The median dwell time differs widely between regions. FireEye reported the mean dwell time for 2018:
      • Americas: 71 days
      • Europe, Middle East, and Africa: 177 days
      • Asia-Pacific: 204 days
    Sources: Symantec, 2011; FireEye, 2019

    Threat agents have deployed invasive technology for commercial surveillance in at least 76 countries since 2015

    State actors and their affiliates purchased and used invasive spyware from companies in Europe, Israel, and the US.

    • “Customers are predominantly repressive regimes looking for new ways to control the flow of information and stifle dissent. Less than 10% of suspected customers are considered full democracies by the Economist Intelligence Unit.” (Top10VPN, 2021)
    • Companies based in economically developed and largely democratic states are profiting off the technology.
    • The findings demonstrate the need to consider geopolitical realities when assessing high-risk jurisdictions and to take meaningful action to increase layered defenses against invasive malware.
    • Spyware is having an increasingly well-known impact on civil society. For instance, since 2016, over 50,000 individual phone numbers have been identified as potential targets by NSO Group, the Israeli manufacturers of the notorious Pegasus Spyware. The target list contained the phone numbers of politicians, journalists, activists, doctors, and academics across the world.
    • The true number of those affected by spyware is almost impossible to determine given that many fall victim to the technology and do not notice.
    The image contains a map of the world with various countries highlighted in shades of blue.

    Countries where commercial surveillance tools have been deployed (“Global Spyware Market Index,” Top10VPN, 2021)

    The risks and effects of spyware vary greatly

    Spyware can steal mundane information, track a user’s every move, and everything in between.

    Adware

    Software applications that display advertisements while the program is running.

    Keyboard Loggers

    Applications that monitor and record keystrokes. Malicious agents use them to steal credentials and sensitive enterprise data.

    Trojans

    Applications that appear harmless but inflict damage or data loss to a system.

    Mobile Spyware

    Surveillance applications that infect mobile devices via SMS or MMS channels, though the most advanced can infect devices without user input.

    State actors and their affiliates use system monitors to track browsing habits, application usage, and keystrokes and capture information from devices’ GPS location data, microphone, and camera. The most advanced system monitor spyware, such as NSO Group’s Pegasus, can infect devices without user input and record conversations from end-to-end encrypted messaging systems.

    Commercial surveillance

    Likelihood: Low to Medium

    Impact: Medium

    Key Risk Scenario #5

    Malicious agents can deploy malware on end-user devices with commercial tools available off the shelf to secretly monitor the digital activity of users. Attacks exploit widespread vulnerabilities in telecommunications protocols. They occur through email and text phishing campaigns, malware embedded in untested applications, and sophisticated zero-click attacks that deliver payloads without requiring user interactions. Attacks target sensitive as well as mundane information. They can be used to track employee activities, investigate criminal activity, or steal credentials, credit card numbers, or other personally identifiable information.

    Threat Actor:

    • State actors
    • State-sponsored affiliates

    Asset:

    • Sensitive data
    • Staff health and safety
    • IT systems

    Effects:

    • Data breaches
    • Loss of data confidentiality
    • Increased risk to staff health and safety
    • Misuse of private data
    • Financial loss

    Methods:

    • Email and text phishing attacks that delivery malware payloads
    • Sideloading untested applications from a third-party source rather than an official retailer
    • Sophisticated zero-click attacks that deliver payloads without requiring user interaction

    Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool

    The tool included with this blueprint can help you draft risk scenarios and risk statements in this section.

    The risk register will capture a list of critical assets and their vulnerabilities, the threats that endanger them, and the adverse effect your organization may face.

    The image includes two screenshots of the jurisdictional risk register and heatmap tool. The image contains a screenshot of the High-Risk Travel Jurisdiction.

    Download the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool

    2.1.1 Identify assets

    1 – 2 hours

    1. As a group, consider critical or mission-essential functions in high-risk jurisdictions and the systems on which they depend. Brainstorm a list of the organization’s mission-supporting assets in high-risk jurisdictions. Consider:
    • Staff
    • Critical IT systems
    • Sensitive data
    • Critical operational processes
  • On a whiteboard, brainstorm the potential adverse effect of malicious agents in high-risk jurisdictions compromising critical assets. Consider the impact on:
    • Information systems.
    • Sensitive or regulated data.
    • Staff health and safety.
    • Critical operations and objectives.
    • Organizational finances.
    • Reputation and brand loyalty

    Threat

    Exploits an

    Asset

    Using a

    Method

    Creating an

    Effect

    Inputs for risk scenario identification

    Input

    Output

    • Corporate strategy
    • IT strategy
    • Security strategy
    • Business impact analyses
    • A list of the organization’s mission-supporting assets

    Materials

    Participants

    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Whiteboard
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • System owner
    • Enterprise Risk Management

    Threat

    Exploits an

    Asset

    Using a

    Method

    Creating an

    Effect

    Inputs for risk scenario identification

    The image contains an example of the activity mentioned in the text above.

    Model threats to narrow the range of scenarios

    Motives and capabilities to perform attacks on critical assets vary across different threat actors.

    Category

    Actions

    Motivation

    Sophistication

    Nation-states

    Cyberespionage, cyberattacks

    Geopolitical

    High. Dedicated resources and personnel, extensive planning and coordination.

    Proxy organizations

    Espionage, destructive attacks

    Geopolitical, Ideological, Profit

    Moderate. Some planning and support functions and technical expertise.

    Cybercrime

    Theft, fraud, extortion

    Profit

    Moderate. Some planning and support functions and technical expertise.

    Hacktivists

    Disrupt operations, attack brands, release sensitive data

    Ideological

    Low. Rely on widely available tools that require little skill to deploy.

    Insiders

    Destruction or release of sensitive data, theft, exposure through negligence

    Incompetence, Discontent

    Internal access. Acting on their own or in concert with any of the above.

    • Criminals, hacktivists, and insiders vary in sophistication. Some criminal groups demonstrate a high degree of sophistication; however, a large cyber event that damages critical infrastructure does not align with their incentives to make money at minimal risk.
    • Proxy actors conduct offensive cyber operations on behalf of a beneficiary. They may be acting on behalf of a competitor, national government, or group of individuals.
    • Nation-states engage in long-term espionage and offensive cyber operations that support geopolitical and strategic policy objectives.

    2.1.2 Identify threats

    1 – 2 hours

    1. Review the outputs from activity 1.1.1 and activity 2.1.1.
    2. Identify threat agents that could undermine the security of critical assets in high-risk jurisdictions. Include internal and external actors.
    3. Assess their motives, means, and opportunities.
    • Which critical assets are most attractive? Why?
    • What paths and vulnerabilities can threat agents exploit to reach critical assets without going through a control?
    • How could they defeat existing controls? Draw on the MITRE framework to inform your analysis.
    • Once agents defeat a control, what further attack can they launch?

    Threat

    Exploits an

    Asset

    Using a

    Method

    Creating an

    Effect

    Inputs for risk scenario identification

    Input

    Output

    • Jurisdictional assessment from activity 1.1.1
    • Critical assets from activity 2.1.1
    • Potential vulnerabilities from:
      • Security control gap analysis
      • Security risk register
    • Threat intelligence
    • MITRE framework
    • A list of critical assets, threat agents, vulnerabilities, and potential attack vectors.

    Materials

    Participants

    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Whiteboard
    • Security team
    • Infrastructure & Operations team
    • Enterprise Risk Management

    2.1.2 Identify threats (continued)

    1 – 2 hours

    1. On a whiteboard, brainstorm how threat agents will exploit vulnerabilities in critical assets to reach their goal. Redefine attack vectors to capture what could result from a successful initial attack.

    For example:

    • State actors and cybercriminals may steal or compromise end-user devices during travel to high-risk jurisdictions using malware they embed in airport charging stations, internet café networks, or hotel business centers.
    • Compromised devices may infect corporate networks and threaten sensitive data once they reconnect to them.

    Threat

    Exploits an

    Asset

    Using a

    Method

    Creating an

    Effect

    The image contains a screenshot of activity 2.1.2 as described in the text above.

    Bring together the critical risk elements into a single risk scenario

    Summarize the scenario further into a single risk statement

    Risk Scenario: High-Risk Travel

    State actors and cybercriminals can threaten staff, devices, and data during travel to high-risk jurisdictions. Device theft or compromise may occur while traveling through airports, accessing hotel computer and phone networks, or in internet cafés or other public areas. Threat actors can exploit data from compromised or stolen devices to undermine the organization’s strategic, economic, or competitive advantage. They can also infect compromised devices with malware that delivers malicious payloads once they reconnect with home networks.

    Risk Statement

    Cybercriminals compromise end-user devices during travel to high-risk jurisdictions, jeopardizing staff safety and leading to loss of sensitive data.

    Risk Scenario: Compliance Risk

    Rapid changes in the privacy and security regulatory landscape threaten an organization’s ability to meet its compliance obligations from local legal and regulatory frameworks. Organizations that fail to do so risk reputational damage, administrative fines, criminal charges, and loss of market share. In extreme cases, organizations may lose their license to operate in high-risk jurisdictions. Shifts in the regulatory landscape can involve additional requirements for data residency, cross-border data transfer, data breach notification, and third-party risk management.

    Risk Statement

    Rapid changes in the privacy and security regulations landscape threaten our ability to remain compliant, leading to reputational and financial loss.

    Fill out the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool

    The tool is populated with data from two key risk scenarios: high-risk travel and compliance risk.

    The image includes two screenshots of the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

    1. Label the risk in Tab 3, Column B.
    2. Record your risk scenario in Tab 3, Column C.
    3. Record your risk statement in Tab 3, Column D.
    4. Identify the applicable jurisdictions in Tab 3, Column E.
    5. You can further categorize the scenario as:
      • an enterprise risk (Column G).
      • an IT risk (Column H).

    Download the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool

    Step 2.2

    Assess Risk Exposure

    Activities

    2.2.1 Identify existing controls

    2.2.2 Assess likelihood and impact

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Assess risk exposure for each risk scenario through an analysis of its likelihood and impact.

    Brush up on risk assessment essentials

    The next step will help you prioritize IT risks based on severity.

    Likelihood of Occurrence X Likelihood of Impact = Risk Severity

    Likelihood of occurrence: How likely the risk is to occur.

    Likelihood of impact: The likely impact of a risk event.

    Risk severity: The significance of the risk.

    Evaluate risk severity against the risk tolerance thresholds and the cost of risk response.

    Identify existing controls before you proceed

    Existing controls will reduce the inherent likelihood and impact of the risk scenario you face.

    Existing controls were put in place to avoid, mitigate, or transfer key risks your organization faced in the past. Without considering existing controls, you run the risk of overestimating the likelihood and impact of the risk scenarios your organization faces in high-risk jurisdictions.

    For instance, the ability to remote-wipe corporate-owned devices will reduce the potential impact of a device lost or compromised during travel to high-risk jurisdictions.

    As you complete the risk assessment for each scenario, document existing controls that reduce their inherent likelihood and impact.

    2.2.1 Document existing controls

    6-10 hours

    1. Document the Risk Category and Existing Controls in the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.
      • Tactical controls apply to individual risks only. For instance, the ability to remote-wipe devices mitigates the impact of a device lost in a high-risk jurisdiction.
      • Strategic controls apply to multiple risks. For instance, deploying MFA for critical applications mitigates the likelihood that malicious actors can compromise a lost device and impedes their access in devices they do compromise.

    Input

    Output

    • Risk scenarios
    • Existing controls for risk scenarios

    Materials

    Participants

    • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool
    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Business stakeholders
    • Enterprise Risk Management

    Download the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

    Assess the risk scenarios you identified in Phase 1

    The risk register is the central repository for risks in high-risk jurisdictions.

    • Use the second tab of the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool to create likelihood, impact, and risk tolerance assessment scales to evaluate every risk event effectively.
    • Severity-level assessment is a “first pass” of your risk scenarios that will reveal your organization’s most severe risks in high-risk jurisdictions.
    • You can incorporate expected cost calculations into your evaluation to assess scenarios in greater detail.
    • Expected cost represents how much you would expect to pay in an average year for each risk event. Expected cost calculations can help compare IT risks to non-IT risks that may not use the same scales and communicate system-level risk to the business in a language they will understand.

    Expected cost calculations may not be practical. Determining robust likelihood and impact values to produce cost estimates can be challenging and time consuming. Use severity-level assessments as a first pass to make the case for risk mitigation measures and take your lead from stakeholders.

    The image contains two screenshots of the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

    Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool to capture and analyze your data.

    2.2.2 Assess likelihood and impact

    6-10 hours

    1. Assign each risk scenario a likelihood of occurrence and a likely impact level that represents the impact of the scenario on the whole organization considering existing controls. Record your results in Tab 3, column R and S, respectively.
    2. You can further dissect likelihood and impact into component parameters but focus first on total likelihood and impact to keep the task manageable.
    3. As you input the first few likelihood and impact values, compare them to one another to ensure consistency and accuracy. For instance, is a device lost in a high-risk jurisdiction truly more impactful than a device compromised with commercial surveillance software?
    4. The tool will calculate the probability of risk exposure based on the likelihood and consequence associated with the scenario. The results are published in Tab 3, Column T.

    Input

    Output

    • Risk scenarios
    • Assessed the likelihood of occurrence and impact for all identified risk events

    Materials

    Participants

    • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool
    • Laptop
    • Projector
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Business stakeholders
    • Enterprise Risk Management

    Download the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool.

    Refine your risk assessment to justify your estimates

    Document the rationale behind each value and the level of consensus in group discussions.

    Stakeholders will likely ask you to explain some of the numbers you assigned to likelihood and impact assessments. Pointing to an assessment methodology will give your estimates greater credibility.

    • Assign one individual to take notes during the assessment exercise.
    • Have them document the main rationale behind each value and the level of consensus.

    The goal is to develop robust intersubjective estimates of the likelihood and impact of a risk scenario.

    We assigned a 50% likelihood rating to a risk scenario. Were we correct?

    Assess the truth of the following statements to test likelihood assessments. In this case, do these two statements seem true?

    • The risk event will likely occur once in the next two years, all things being equal.
    • In two nearly identical organizations, one out of two will experience the risk event this year.
    The image includes a screenshot of the High-Risk Travel Jurisdictions.

    Phase 3

    Execute Response

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Prioritize and treat global risks to critical assets based on their value and exposure.
    • Build an initiative roadmap that identifies and applies relevant controls to protect critical assets. Identify key risk indicators to monitor progress.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Step 3.1

    Treat Security Risks

    Activities

    3.1.1 Identify and assess risk response

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Prioritize and treat global risks to critical assets based on their value and exposure.

    Analyze and select risk responses

    The next step will help you treat the risk scenarios you built in Phase 2.

    Identify

    Identify risk responses.

    Predict

    Predict the effectiveness of the risk response, if implemented, by estimating the residual likelihood and impact of the risk.

    Calculate

    The tool will calculate the residual severity of the risk after applying the risk response.

    The first part of the phase outlines project activities. The second part elaborates on high-risk travel and compliance risk, the two key risk scenarios we are following throughout the project. Use the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool to capture your work.

    Analyze likelihood and impact to identify response

    The image contains a diagram of he risk response analysis. Risk Transfer and Risk Avoidance has the most likelihood, and Risk Acceptance and Risk Mitigation have the most impact. Risk Avoidance has the most likelihood and most impact in regards to risk response.

    3.1.1 Identify and assess risk response

    Complete the following steps for each risk scenario.

    1. Identify a risk response action that will help reduce the likelihood of occurrence or the impact if the scenario were to occur. Indicate the type of risk response (avoidance, mitigation, transfer, acceptance, or no risk exists).
    2. Assign each risk response action a residual likelihood level and a residual impact level. This is the same step you performed in Activity 2.2.2, but you are now are estimating the likelihood and impact of the risk event after you implemented the risk response action successfully. The Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool will generate a residual risk severity level for each risk event.
    3. Identify the potential Risk Action Owner (Project Manager) if the response is selected and turned into an IT project, and document this in the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool .
    4. For each risk event, document risk response actions, residual likelihood and impact levels, and residual risk severity level.

    Input

    Output

    • Risk scenarios from Phase 2
    • Risk scenario mitigation plan

    Materials

    Participants

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool
    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Download the Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool

    Step 3.2

    Mitigate Travel Risk

    Activities

    3.2.1 Develop a travel policy

    3.2.2 Develop travel procedures

    3.2.3 Design high-risk travel guidelines

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Prioritize and treat global risks to critical assets based on their value and exposure.

    Identify controls to mitigate jurisdictional risk

    This section provides guidance on the most prevalent risk scenarios identified in Phase 2 and provides a more in-depth examination of the two most prevalent ones, high-risk travel and compliance risk. Determine the appropriate response to each risk scenario to keep global risks to critical assets aligned with the organization’s risk tolerance.

    Key Risk Scenarios

    • High-Risk Travel
    • Compliance Risk
    • Insider Threat
    • Advanced Persistent Threat
    • Commercial Surveillance

    Travel risk is a common concern in organizations with global operations

    • The security of staff, devices, and data is one of the biggest challenges facing organizations with a global footprint. Working and traveling in unpredictable environments will aways carry a degree of risk, but organizations can do much to develop a safer and more secure working environment.
    • Compromised or stolen devices can provide threat actors with access to data that could compromise the organization’s strategic, economic, or competitive advantage or expose the organization to regulatory risk.
    • For many organizations, security risk assessments, security plans, travel security procedures, security training, and incident reporting systems are a key part of their operating language.
    • The following section provides a simple structure to help organizations demystify travel in high-risk jurisdictions.

    The image contains a diagram to present high-risk jurisdictions.

    Before you leave

    • Identify high-risk countries.
    • Enable controls.
    • Limit what you pack.

    During your trip

    • Assume you are monitored.
    • Limit access to systems.
    • Prevent theft.

    When you return

    • Change your password.
    • Restore your devices.

    Case study

    Higher Education: Camosun College

    Interview: Evan Garland

    Frame additional security controls as a value-added service.

    Situation

    The director of the international department at Camosun College reached out to IT security for additional support. Department staff often traveled to hostile environments. They were concerned malicious agents would either steal end-user devices or compromise them and access sensitive data. The director asked IT security for options that would better protect traveling staff, their devices, and the information they contain.

    Challenges

    First, controls would need to admit both work and personal use of corporate devices. Staff relied exclusively on work devices for travel to mitigate the risk of personal device theft. Personal use of corporate devices during travel was common. Second, controls needed to strike the right balance between friction and effortless access. Traveling staff had only intermittent access to IT support. Restrictive controls could prevent them from accessing their devices and data altogether.

    Solution

    IT consulted staff to discuss light-touch solutions that would secure devices without introducing too much complexity or compromising functionality. They then planned security controls that involved user interaction and others that did not and identified training requirements.

    Results

    Controls with user interaction

    Controls without user interaction

    • Multifactor authentication for college systems and collaboration platforms
    • Password manager for both work and personal use for staff for stronger passwords and practices
    • Security awareness training to help traveling staff identify potential threats while traveling through airports or accessing public Wi-Fi.
    • Drive encryption and always-on VPN to protect data at rest and in transit
    • Increased setting for phishing and spam filtering for traveling staff email
    • Enhanced anti-malware/endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution for traveling laptops

    Build a program to mitigate travel risks

    There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

    The most effective solution will take advantage of existing risk management policies, processes, and procedures at your organization.

    • Develop a framework. Outline the organization’s approach to high-risk travel, including the policies, procedures, and mechanisms put in place to ensure safe travel to high-risk jurisdictions.
    • Draft a policy. Outline the organization’s risk attitude and key security principles and define roles and responsibilities. Include security responsibilities and obligations in job descriptions of staff members and senior managers.
    • Provide flexible options. Inherent travel risk will vary from one jurisdiction to another. You will likely not find an approach that works for every case. Establish locally relevant measures and plans in different security contexts and risk environments.
    • Look for quick wins. Identify measures or requirements that you can establish quickly but that can have a positive effect on the security of staff, data, and devices.
    • Monitor and review. Undertake periodic reviews of the organization’s security approach and management framework, as well as their implementation, to ensure the framework remains effective.

    3.2.1 Develop a travel policy

    1. Work with your business leaders to build a travel policy for high-risk jurisdictions. The policy should be a short and accessible document structured around four key sections:
      • A statement on the importance of staff security and safety, the scope of the policy, and who it applies to (staff, consultants, contractors, volunteers, visitors, accompanying dependants, etc.).
      • A principles section explaining the organization’s security culture, risk attitude, and the key principles that shape the organization’s approach to staff security and safety.
      • A responsibilities section setting out the organization’s security risk management structure and the roles and actions allocated to specific positions.
      • A minimal security requirements section establishing the specific security requirements that must be in place in all locations and specific locations.
    2. Common security principles include:
    • Shared responsibility – Managing risks to staff is a shared organizational responsibility.
    • Acknowledgment of risk – Managing security will not remove all risks. Staff need to appreciate, as part of their informed consent, that they are still exposed to risk.
    • Primacy of life – Staff safety is of the highest importance. Staff should never place themselves at excessive risk to meet program objectives or protect property.
    • Proportionate risk – Risks must be assessed to ensure they are proportionate to the benefits organizational activities provide and the ability to manage those risks.
    • Right to withdraw – Staff have the right to withdraw from or refuse to take up work in a particular area due to security concerns.
    • No right to remain – The organization has the right to suspend activities that it considers too dangerous.
  • Cross-reference the organization’s other governing policies that outline requirements related to security risk management, such as the health and safety policy, access control policy, and acceptable use of security assets.
  • Input

    Output

    • List of high-risk jurisdictions
    • Risk scenarios from Phase 2
    • Data inventory and data flows
    • Travel policy for high-risk jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Develop security plans for high-risk travel

    Security plans advise staff on how to manage the risk identified in assessments.

    Security plans are key country documents that outline the security measures and procedures in place and the responsibilities and resources required to implement them. Security plans should be established in high-risk jurisdictions where your organization has a regular, significant presence. Security plans must remain relevant and accessible documents that address the specific risks that exist in that location, and, if appropriate, are specific about where the measures apply and who they apply to. Plans should be updated regularly, especially following significant incidents or changes in the operating environment or activities.

    Key Components

    Critical information – One-page summary of pertinent information for easy access and quick reference (e.g. curfew times, no-go areas, important contacts).

    Overview – Purpose and scope of the document, responsibilities for security plan, organization’s risk attitude, date of completion and review date, and a summary of the security strategy and policy.

    Current Context – Summary of current operating context and overall security situation; main risks to staff, assets, and operations; and existing threats and risk rating.

    Procedures – Simple security procedures that staff should adhere to in order to prevent incidents and how to respond should problems arise. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) should address key risks identified in the assessment.

    Security levels – The organization's security levels/phases, with situational indicators that reflect increasing risks to staff in that context and location and specific actions/measures required in response to increasing insecurity.

    Incident reporting – The procedures and responsibilities for reporting security-related incidents; for example, the type of incidents to be reported, the reporting structure, and the format for incident reporting.

    Determine travel risk

    Tailor your risk response to the security risk assessment you conducted in earlier stages of this project.

    Ratings are formulated by assessing several types of risk, including conflict, political/civil unrest, terrorism, crime, and health and infrastructure risks.

    Rating

    Description (Examples)

    Recommended Action

    Low

    Generally secure with adequate physical security. Low violent crime rates. Some civil unrest during significant events. Acts of terrorism rare. Risks associated with natural disasters limited and health threats mainly preventable.

    Basic personal security, travel, and health precautions required.

    Moderate

    Periodic civil unrest. Antigovernment, insurgent, or extremist groups active with sporadic acts of terrorism. Staff at risk from common and violent crime. Transport and communications services are unreliable and safety records are poor. Jurisdiction prone to natural disasters or disease epidemics.

    Increased vigilance and routine security procedures required.

    High

    Regular periods of civil unrest, which may target foreigners. Antigovernment, insurgent, or extremist groups very active and threaten political or economic stability. Violent crime rates high and targeting of foreigners is common. Infrastructure and emergency services poor. May be regular disruption to transportation or communications services. Certain areas off-limits to foreigners. Jurisdictions experiencing a natural disaster or a disease epidemic are considered high risk.

    High level of vigilance and effective, context-specific security precautions required.

    Extreme

    Undergoing active conflict or persistent civil unrest. Risk of being caught up in a violent incident or attack is very high. Civil authorities may have lost control of significant portions of the country. Lines between criminality and political and insurgent violence are blurred. Foreigners are likely to be denied access to significant parts of the country. Transportation and communication services are severely degraded or non-existent. Violence presents a direct threat to staff security.

    Stringent security precautions essential and may not be sufficient to prevent serious incidents.

    Program activities may be suspended and staff withdrawn at very short notice.

    3.2.2 Develop travel procedures

    1. Work with your business leaders to build travel procedures for high-risk jurisdictions. The procedures should be tailored to the risk assessment and address the risk scenarios identified in Phase 2.
    2. Use the categories outlined in the next two slides to structure the procedure. Address all types of travel, detail security measures, and outline what the organization expects of travelers before, during, and after their trip.
    3. Consider the implementation of special measures to limit the impact of a potential security event, including:
      • Information end-user device loaner programs.
      • Temporary travel service email accounts.
    4. Specify what happens when staff add personal travel to their work trip to cover issues such as insurance, check-in, actual travel times, etc.
    5. Discuss the rationale for each procedure. Ensure the components align with the policy statements outlined in the high-risk travel policy developed in the previous step.

    Input

    Output

    • List of high-risk jurisdictions
    • Risk scenarios from Phase 2
    • High-risk travel policy
    • Travel procedures for high-risk jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Draft procedures to mitigate travel risks

    Address all types of travel, detail security measures, and outline what the organization expects of travelers before, during, and after their trip

    Introduction

    Clarifies who the procedures apply to. Highlights any differences in travel security requirements or support provided to staff, consultants, partners, and official visitors.

    Travel risk ratings

    Explains the travel or country risk rating system, how staff access the information, the different categories and indicators, and their implications.

    Roles and responsibilities

    Clarifies the responsibilities of travelers, their line managers or contact points, and senior management regarding travel security and how this changes for destinations with higher risk ratings.

    Travel authorization

    Stipulates who in the organization authorizes travel, the various compliance measures required, and how this changes for destinations with higher risk ratings.

    Travel risk assessment

    Explains when travel risk assessments are required, the template that should be used, and who approves the completed assessments.

    Travel security procedures should specify what happens when staff add personal travel to their work trip to cover issues such as insurance, check-in, actual travel times, etc.

    Pre-travel briefings

    Outlines the information that must be provided to travelers prior to departure, the type of briefing required and who provides it, and how these requirements change as risk ratings increase.

    Security training

    Explain security training required prior to travel. This may vary depending on the country’s risk rating. Includes information on training waiver system, including justifications and authorization.

    Traveler profile forms

    Travelers should complete a profile form, which includes personal details, emergency contacts, medical details, social media footprint, and proof-of-life questions (in contexts where there are abduction risks).

    Check-in protocol

    Specifies who travelers must maintain contact with while traveling and how often, as well as the escalation process in case of loss of contact. The frequency of check-ins should reflect the increase in the risk rating for the destination.

    Emergency procedures

    Outlines the organization's emergency procedures for security and medical emergencies.

    3.2.3 Design high-risk travel guidelines

    • Supplement the high-risk travel policies and procedures with guidelines to help international travelers stay safe.
    • The document is intended for an end-user audience and should reflect your organization’s policies and procedures for the use of information and information systems during international travel.
    • Use the Digital Safety Guidelines for International Travel template in concert with this blueprint to provide guidance on what end users can do to stay safe before they leave, during their trip, and when they return.
    • Consider integrating the guidelines into specialized security awareness training sessions that target end users who travel to high-risk jurisdictions.
    • The guidelines should supplement and align with existing technical controls.

    Input

    Output

    • List of high-risk jurisdictions
    • Risk scenarios from Phase 2
    • High-risk travel policy
    • High-risk travel procedure
    • Travel guidelines for high-risk jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Jurisdictional Risk Register and Heatmap Tool
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Digital Safety Guidelines for International Travel template

    Step 3.3

    Mitigate Compliance Risk

    Activities

    3.3.1 Identify data localization obligations

    3.3.2 Integrate obligations into IT system design

    3.3.3 Document data processing activities

    3.3.4 Choose the right mechanism

    3.3.5 Implement the appropriate controls

    3.3.6 Identify data breach notification obligations

    3.3.7 Integrate data breach notification into incident response

    3.3.8 Identify vendor security and data protection requirements

    3.3.9 Build due diligence questionnaire

    3.3.10 Build appropriate data processing agreement

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Security team
    • Risk and Compliance
    • IT leadership (optional)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Prioritize and treat global risks to critical assets based on their value and exposure.

    Compliance risk is a prevalent risk in organizations with a global footprint

    • The legal and regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly to keep step with the pace of technological change. Security and privacy leaders are expected to mitigate the risk of noncompliance as the organization expands to new jurisdictions.
    • Organizations with a global footprint must stay abreast of local regulations and provide risk management guidance to business leaders to support global operations.
    • This sections describes four compliance risks in this context:
      • Cross-border data transfer
      • Third-party risk management
      • Data breach notification
      • Data residency

    Compliance with local obligations

    Likelihood: Medium to High

    Impact: High

    Data Residency

    Gap Controls

    • Identify and document the data localization obligations for the jurisdictions that the organization is operating in.
    • Design and implement IT systems that satisfy the data localization requirements.
    • Comply with data localization obligations within each jurisdiction.

    Heatmap of Global Data Residency Regulations

    The image contains a screenshot of a picture of a world map with various shades of blue to demonstrate the heatmap of global data residency regulations.
    Source: InCountry, 2021

    Examples of Data Residency Requirements

    Country

    Data Type

    Local Storage Requirements

    Australia

    Personal data – heath record

    My Health Records Act 2012

    China

    Personal information — critical information infrastructure operators

    Cybersecurity law

    Government cloud data

    Opinions of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs on Strengthening Cybersecurity Administration of Cloud Computing Services for Communist Party and Government Agencies

    India

    Government email data

    The Public Records Act of 1993

    Indonesia

    Data held by electronic system operator for the public service

    Regulation 82 concerning “Electronic System and Transaction Operation”

    Germany

    Government cloud service data

    Criteria for the procurement and use of cloud services by the federal German administration

    Russia

    Personal data

    The amendments of Data Protection Act No. 152 FZ

    Vietnam

    Data held by internet service providers

    The Decree on Management, Provision, and Use of Internet Services and Information Content Online (Decree 72)

    US

    Government cloud service data

    Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Network Penetration Reporting and Contracting for Cloud Services (DFARS Case 2013-D018)

    3.3.1 Identify data localization obligations

    1-2 hours

    1. Work with your business leaders to identify and document the jurisdictions where your organization is operating in or providing services and products to consumers within.
    2. Work with your legal team to identify and document all relevant data localization obligations for the data your organization generates, collects, and processes in order to operate your business.
    3. Record your data localization obligations in the table below.

    Jurisdiction

    Relevant Regulations

    Local Storage Requirements

    Date Type

    Input

    Output

    • List of jurisdictions your organization is operating in
    • Relevant security and data protection regulations
    • Data inventory and data flows
    • Completed list of data localization obligations

    Materials

    Participants

    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    3.3.2 Integrate obligations into your IT system design

    1-2 hours

    1. Work with your IT department to design the IT architecture and systems to satisfy the data localization requirements.
    2. The table below provides a checklist for integrating privacy considerations into your IT systems.

    Item

    Consideration

    Answer

    Supporting Document

    1

    Have you identified business services that process data that will be subject to localization requirements?

    2

    Have you identified IT systems associated with the business services mentioned above?

    3

    Have you established a data inventory (i.e. data types, business purposes) for the IT systems mentioned above?

    4

    Have you established a data flow diagram for the data identified above?

    5

    Have you identified the types of data that should be stored locally?

    6

    Have you confirmed whether a copy of the data locally stored will satisfy the obligations?

    7

    Have you confirmed whether an IT redesign is needed or whether modifications (e.g. adding a server) to the IT systems would satisfy the obligations?

    8

    Have you confirmed whether access from another jurisdiction is allowed?

    9

    Have you identified how long the data should be stored?

    Input

    Output

    • Data localization obligations
    • Business services that process data that will be subject to localization requirements
    • IT systems associated with business services
    • Data inventory and data flows
    • Completed checklist of localization obligations for IT system design

    Materials

    Participants

    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    Compliance with local obligations

    Likelihood: Medium to High

    Impact: High

    Cross-Border Transfer

    Gap Controls

    • Know where you transfer your data.
    • Identify jurisdictions that your organization is operating in and that impose different requirements for the cross-border transfer of personal data.
    • Adopt and implement a proper cross-border data transfer mechanism in accordance with applicable privacy laws and regulations.
    • Re-evaluate at appropriate intervals.

    Which cross-border transfer mechanism should I choose?

    Transfer Mechanism

    Advantages

    Disadvantages

    Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC)

    • Easy to implement
    • No DPA (data processing agreement) approval
    • Not suitable for complex data transfers
    • Do not meet business agility
    • Needs legal solution

    Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs)

    • Meets business agility needs
    • Raises trust in the organization
    • Doubles as solution for art. 24/25 of the GDPR
    • Sets high compliance maturity level
    • Takes time to draft/implement
    • Requires DPA approval (scrutiny)
    • Requires culture of compliance
    • Approved by one "lead" authority and two other "co-lead“ authorities
    • Takes usually between six and nine months for the approval process only

    Code of Conduct

    • Raises trust in the sector
    • Self-regulation instead of law
    • No code of conduct approved yet
    • Takes time to draft/implement
    • Requires DPA approval and culture of compliance
    • Needs of organization may not be met

    Certification

    • Raises trust in the organization
    • No certification schemes available yet
    • Risk of compliance at minimum necessary
    • Requires audits

    Consent

    • Legal certainty
    • Transparent
    • Administrative burden
    • Some data subjects are incapable of consenting all or nothing

    3.3.3 Document data processing activities

    1-2 hours

    1. Identify and document the following information:
      • Name of business process
      • Purposes of processing
      • Lawful basis
      • Categories of data subjects and personal data
      • Data subject categories
      • Which system the data resides in
      • Recipient categories
      • Third country/international organization
      • Documents for appropriate safeguards for international transfer (adequacy, SCCs, BCRs, etc.)
      • Description of mitigating measures

    Input

    Output

    • Name of business process
    • Categories of personal data
    • Which system the data resides
    • Third country/international organization
    • Documents for appropriate safeguards for international transfer
    • Completed list of data processing activities

    Materials

    Participants

    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    3.3.4 Choose the right mechanism

    1-2 hours

    1. Identify jurisdictions that your organization is operating in and that impose different requirements for the cross-border transfer of personal data. For example, the EU’s GDPR and China’s Personal Information Protection Law require proper cross-border transfer mechanisms before the data transfers. Your organization should decide which cross-border transfer mechanism is the best fit for your cross-border data transfer scenarios.
    2. Use the following table to identify and document the pros and cons of each data transfer mechanism and the final decision.

    Data Transfer Mechanism

    Pros

    Cons

    Final Decision

    SCC

    BCR

    Code of Conduct

    Certification

    Consent

    Input

    Output

    • List of relevant data transfer mechanisms
    • Assessment of the pros and cons of each mechanism
    • Final decision regarding which data transfer mechanism is the best fit for your organization

    Materials

    Participants

    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    3.3.5 Implement the appropriate controls

    1-3 hours

    • One of the most common mechanisms is standard contractual clauses (SCCs).
    • Use Info-Tech’s Standard Contractual Clauses Template to facilitate your cross-border transfer activities.
    • Identify and check whether the following core components are covered in your SCC and record the results in the table below.
    # Core Components Status Note
    1 Purpose and scope
    2 Effect and invariability of the Clauses
    3 Description of the transfer(s)
    4 Data protection safeguards
    5 Purpose limitation
    6 Transparency
    7 Accuracy and data minimization
    8 Duration of processing and erasure or return of data
    9 Storage limitation
    10 Security of processing
    11 Sensitive data
    12 Onward transfers
    13 Processing under the authority of the data importer
    14 Documentation and compliance
    15 Use of subprocessors
    16 Data subject rights
    17 Redress
    18 Liability
    19 Local laws and practices affecting compliance with the Clauses
    20 Noncompliance with the Clauses and termination
    21 Description of data processing activities, such as list of parties, description of transfer, etc.
    22 Technical and organizational measures
    InputOutput
    • Description of the transfer(s)
    • Duration of processing and erasure or return of data
    • Onward transfers
    • Use of subprocessors
    • Etc.
    • Draft of the standard contractual clauses (SCC)
    MaterialsParticipants
    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Legal team
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    Compliance with local obligations

    Likelihood: High

    Impact: Medium to High

    Data Breach

    Gap Controls

    • Identify jurisdictions that your organization is operating in and that impose different obligations for data breach reporting.
    • Document the notification obligations for various business scenarios, such as controller to DPA, controller to data subject, and processor to controller.
    • Integrate breach notification obligations into security incident response process.

    Examples of Data Breach Notification Obligations

    Location

    Regulation/ Standard

    Reporting Obligation

    EU

    GDPR

    72 hours

    China

    PIPL

    Immediately

    US

    HIPAA

    No later than 60 days

    Canada

    PIPEDA

    As soon as feasible

    Global

    PCI DSS

    • Visa – immediately after breach discovered
    • Mastercard – within 24 hours of discovering breach
    • American Express – immediately after breach discovered

    Summary of US State Data Breach Notification Statutes

    The image contains a graph to show the summary of the US State Data Breach Notification Statutes.

    Source: Davis Wright Tremaine

    3.3.6 Identify data breach notification obligations

    1-2 hours

    1. Identify jurisdictions that your organization is operating in and that impose different obligations for data breach reporting.
    2. Document the notification obligations for various business scenarios, such as controller to DPA, controller to data subject, and processor to controller.
    3. Record your data breach obligations in the table below.
    Region Regulation/Standard Reporting Obligation

    Input

    Output

    • List of regions and jurisdictions your business is operating in
    • List of relevant regulations and standards
    • Documentation of data breach reporting obligations in applicable jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Legal team
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    3.3.7 Integrate data breach notification into incident response

    1-2 hours

    • Integrate breach notification obligations into the security incident response process. Understand the security incident management framework.
    • All incident runbooks follow the same process: detection, analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activity.
    • The table below provides a basic checklist for you to consider when implementing your data breach and incident handling process.
    # Phase Considerations Status Notes
    1 Prepare Ensure the appropriate resources are available to best handle an incident.
    2 Detect Leverage monitoring controls to actively detect threats.
    3 Analyze Distill real events from false positives.
    4 Contain Isolate the threat before it can cause additional damage.
    5 Eradicate Eliminate the threat from your operating environment.
    6 Recover Restore impacted systems to a normal state of operations.
    7 Report Report data breaches to relevant regulators and data subjects if required.
    8 Post-Incident Activities Conduct a lessons-learned post-mortem analysis.
    InputOutput
    • Security and data protection incident response steps
    • Key considerations for integrating data breach notifications into incident response
    • Data breach notifications integrated into the incident response process
    MaterialsParticipants
    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Security team
    • Privacy team
    • Legal team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    Compliance with local obligations

    Likelihood: High

    Impact: Medium to High

    Third-Party Risk

    Gap Controls

    • Build an end-to-end third-party security and privacy risk management process.
    • Perform internal due diligence prior to selecting a service provider.
    • Stipulate the security and privacy protection obligations of the third party in a legally binding document such as contract or data processing agreement, etc.

    End-to-End Third-Party Security and Privacy Risk Management

    1. Pre-Contract
    • Due diligence check
  • Signing of Contract
    • Data processing agreement
  • Post-Contract
    • Continuous monitoring
    • Regular check or audit
  • Termination of Contract
    • Data deletion
    • Access deprovisioning

    Examples of Vendor Security Management Requirements

    Region

    Law/Standard

    Section

    EU

    General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

    Article 28 (1)

    Article 46 (1)

    US

    Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

    §164.308(b)(1)

    US

    New York Department of Financial Services Cybersecurity Requirements

    500.11(a)

    Global

    ISO 27002:2013

    15.1.1

    15.1.2

    15.1.3

    15.2.1

    15.2.2

    US

    NIST 800-53

    SA-12

    SA-12 (2)

    US

    NIST Cybersecurity Framework

    ID-SC-1

    ID-SC-2

    ID-SC-3

    ID-SC-4

    Canada

    OSFI Cybersecurity Guidelines

    4.25

    4.26

    3.3.8 Identify vendor security and data protection requirements

    1-2 hours

    • Effective vendor security risk management is an end-to-end process that includes assessment, risk mitigation, and periodic reassessments.
    • An efficient and effective assessment process can only be achieved when all stakeholders are participating.
    • Identify and document your vendor security and data protection requirements in the table below.
    Region Law/Standard Section Requirements

    Input

    Output

    • List of regions and jurisdictions your business is operating in
    • List of relevant regulations and standards
    • Documentation of vendor security and data protection obligations in applicable jurisdictions

    Materials

    Participants

    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Legal team
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    3.3.9 Build due diligence questionnaire

    1-2 hours

    Perform internal due diligence prior to selecting a service provider.

    1. Build and right-size your vendor security questionnaire by leveraging Info-Tech’s Vendor Security Questionnaire template.
    2. Document your vendor security questionnaire in the table below.
    # Question Vendor Request Vendor Comments
    1 Document Requests
    2 Asset Management
    3 Governance
    4 Supply Chain Risk Management
    5 Identify Management, Authentication, and Access Control
    InputOutput
    • List of regions and jurisdictions your business is operating in
    • List of relevant regulations and standards
    • Business security and data protection requirements and expectations
    • Draft of due diligence questionnaire
    MaterialsParticipants
    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Legal team
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    3.3.10 Build appropriate data processing agreement

    1-2 hours

    1. Stipulate the security and privacy protection obligations of the third party in a legally binding document such as contract or data processing agreement, etc.
    2. Leverage Info-Tech’s Data Processing Agreement Template to put the language into your legally binding document.
    3. Use the table below to check whether core components of a typical DPA are covered in your document.
    # Core Components Status Note
    1 Processing of personal data
    2 Scope of application and responsibilities
    3 Processor's obligations
    4

    Controller's obligations

    5 Data subject requests
    6 Right to audit and inspection
    7 Subprocessing
    8 Data breach management
    9 Security controls
    10 Transfer of personal data
    11 Duty of confidentiality
    12 Compliance with applicable laws
    13 Service termination
    14 Liability and damages
    InputOutput
    • Processing of personal data
    • Processor’s obligations
    • Controller’s obligations
    • Subprocessing
    • Etc.
    • Draft of data processing agreement (DPA)
    MaterialsParticipants
    • Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template
    • Legal team
    • Privacy team
    • Security team
    • IT leadership
    • Risk Management

    Download the Guidelines for Compliance With Local Security and Privacy Laws Template

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Problem Solved

    By following Info-Tech’s methodology for securing global operations, you have:

    • Evaluated the security context of your organization’s global operations.
    • Identified security risks scenarios unique to high-risk jurisdictions and assessed the exposure of critical assets.
    • Planned and executed a response.

    You have gone through a deeper analysis of two key risk scenarios that affect global operations:

    • Travel to high-risk jurisdictions.
    • Compliance risk.

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through an Info-Tech workshop or Guided Implementation.

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshop@infotech.com

    1-888-670-8889

    Additional Support

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

    The image contains a picture of Michel Hebert.

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team. Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

    The image contains a screenshot of High-Risk Travel Jurisdictions.

    Identify High-Risk Jurisdictions

    Develop requirements to identify high-risk jurisdictions.

    The image contains a screenshot of Build Risk Scenarios.

    Build Risk Scenarios

    Build risk scenarios to capture assets, vulnerabilities, threats, and the potential effect of a compromise.

    External Research Contributors

    Ken Muir

    CISO

    LMC Security

    Premchand Kurup

    CEO

    Paramount Computer Systems

    Preeti Dhawan

    Manager, Security Governance

    Payments Canada

    Scott Wiggins

    Information Risk and Governance

    CDPHP

    Fritz Y. Jean Louis

    CISO

    Globe and Mail

    Eric Gervais

    CIO

    Ovivo Water

    David Morrish

    CEO

    MBS Techservices

    Evan Garland

    Manager, IT Security

    Camosun College

    Jacopo Fumagalli

    CISO

    Axpo

    Dennis Leon

    Governance and Security Manager

    CPA Canada

    Tero Lehtinen

    CIO

    Planmeca Oy

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Build an IT Risk Management Program

    • Build a program to identify, evaluate, assess, and treat IT risks.
    • Monitor and communicate risks effectively to support business decision making.

    Combine Security Risk Management Components Into One Program

    • Develop a program focused on assessing and managing information system risks.
    • Build a governance structure that integrates security risks within the organization’s broader approach to risk management.

    Build an Information Security Strategy

    • Build a holistic, risk-aware strategy that aligns to business goals.
    • Develop a roadmap of prioritized initiatives to implement the strategy over 18 to 36 months.

    Bibliography

    2022 Cost of Insider Threats Global Report.” Ponemon Institute, NOVIPRO, 9 Feb. 2022. Accessed 25 May 22.

    “Allianz Risk Barometer 2022.” Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Jan. 2022. Accessed 25 May 22.

    Bickley, Shaun. “Security Risk Management: a basic guide for smaller NGOs”. European Interagency Security Forum (EISF), 2017. Web.

    “Biden Administration Warns against spyware targeting dissidents.” New York Times, 7 Jan 22. Accessed 20 Jan 2022.

    Boehm, Jim, et al. “The risk-based approach to cybersecurity.” McKinsey & Company, October 2019. Web.

    “Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021.” IBM Security, July 2021. Web.

    “Cyber Risk in Asia-Pacific: The Case for Greater Transparency.” Marsh & McLennan Companies, 2017. Web.

    “Cyber Risk Index.” NordVPN, 2020. Accessed 25 May 22

    Dawson, Maurice. “Applying a holistic cybersecurity framework for global IT organizations.” Business Information Review, vol. 35, no. 2, 2018, pp. 60-67.

    “Framework for improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity.” National Institute of Standards and Technology, 16 Apr 2018. Web.

    “Global Cybersecurity Index 2020.” International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 2021. Accessed 25 May 22.

    “Global Risk Survey 2022.” Control Risks, 2022. Accessed 25 May 22.

    “International Travel Guidance for Government Mobile Devices.” Federal Mobility Group (FMG), Aug. 2021. Accessed 18 Nov 2021.

    Kaffenberger, Lincoln, and Emanuel Kopp. “Cyber Risk Scenarios, the Financial System, and Systemic Risk Assessment.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, September 2019. Accessed 11 Jan 2022.

    Koehler, Thomas R. Understanding Cyber Risk. Routledge, 2018.

    Owens, Brian. “Cybersecurity for the travelling scientist.” Nature, vol. 548, 3 Aug 2017. Accessed 19 Jan. 2022.

    Parsons, Fintan J., et al. “Cybersecurity risks and recommendations for international travellers.” Journal of Travel Medicine, vol. 1, no. 4, 2021. Accessed 19 Jan 2022.

    Quinn, Stephen, et al. “Identifying and estimating cybersecurity risk for enterprise risk management.” National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Interagency or Internal Report (IR) 8286A, Nov. 2021.

    Quinn, Stephen, et al. “Prioritizing cybersecurity risk for enterprise risk management.” NIST, IR 8286B, Sept. 2021.

    “Remaining cyber safe while travelling security recommendations.” Government of Canada, 27 April 2022. Accessed 31 Jan 2022.

    Stine, Kevin, et al. “Integrating cybersecurity and enterprise risk management.” NIST, IR 8286, Oct. 2020.

    Tammineedi, Rama. “Integrating KRIs and KPIs for effective technology risk management.” ISACA Journal, vol. 4, 1 July 2018.

    Tikk, Eneken, and Mika Kerttunen, editors. Routledge Handbook of International Cybersecurity. Routledge, 2020.

    Voo, Julia, et al. “National Cyber Power Index 2020.” Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Sept. 2020. Web.

    Zhang, Fang. “Navigating cybersecurity risks in international trade.” Harvard Business Review, Dec 2021. Accessed 31 Jan 22.

    Appendix

    Insider Threat

    Key Risk Scenario

    Likelihood: Medium to High

    Impact: High

    Gap Controls

    The image contains a picture of the Gap Controls. The controls include: Policy and Awareness, Identification, Monitoring and Visibility, which leads to Cooperation.

    • Identification: Effective and efficient management of insider threats begins with a threat and risk assessment to establish which assets and which employees to consider, especially in jurisdictions associated with sensitive or critical data. You need to pay extra attention to employees who are working in satellite offices in jurisdictions with loose security and privacy laws.
    • Monitoring and Visibility: Organizations should monitor critical assets and groups with privileged access to defend against malicious behavior. Implement an insider threat management platform that provides your organization with the visibility and context into data movement, especially cross-border transfers that might cause security and privacy breaches.
    • Policy and Awareness Training: Insider threats will persist without appropriate action and culture change. Training and consistent communication of best practices will mitigate vulnerabilities to accidental or negligent attacks. Customized training materials using local languages and role-based case studies might be needed for employees in high-risk jurisdictions.
    • Cooperation: An effective insider threat management program should be built with cross-team functions such as Security, IT, Compliance and Legal, etc.

    For more holistic approach, you can leverage our Reduce and Manage Your Organization’s Insider Threat Risk blueprint.

    Info-Tech Insight

    You can’t just throw tools at a human problem. While organizations should monitor critical assets and groups with privileged access to defend against malicious behavior, good management and supervision can help detect attacks and prevent them from happening in the first place.

    Insider threats are not industry specific, but malicious insiders are

    Industry

    Actors

    Risks

    Tactics

    Motives

    State and Local Government

    • Full-time employees
    • Current employees
    • Privileged access to personally identifiable information, financial assets, and physical property
    • Abuse of privileged access
    • Received or transferred fraudulent funds
    • Financial gain
    • Recognition
    • Benefiting foreign entity

    Information Technology

    • Equal mix of former and current employees
    • Privileged access to networks or systems as well as data
    • Highly technical attacks
    • Received or transferred fraudulent funds
    • Revenge
    • Financial gain

    Healthcare

    • Majority were full-time and current employees
    • Privileged access to customer data with personally identifiable information, financial assets
    • Abuse of privileged access
    • Received or transferred fraudulent funds
    • Financial gain
    • Entitlement

    Finance and Insurance

    • Majority were full-time and current employees
    • Authorized users
    • Electronic financial assets
    • Privileged access to customer data
    • Created or used fraudulent accounts
    • Fraudulent purchases
    • Identity theft
    • Financial gain
    • Gambling addiction
    • Family pressures
    • Multiple motivations

    Source: Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, 2019

    Advanced Persistent Threat

    Key Risk Scenario #4

    Likelihood: Medium to High

    Impact: High

    Gap Controls

    The image contains a screenshot of the Gap Controls listed: Prevent, Detect, Analyze, Respond.

    Prevent: Defense in depth is the best approach to protect against unknown and unpredictable attacks. Effective anti-malware, diligent patching and vulnerability management, and strong human-centric security are essential.

    Detect: There are two types of companies – those who have been breached and know it, and those who have been breached and don’t know it. Ensure that monitoring, logging, and event detection tools are in place and appropriate to your organizational needs.

    Analyze: Raw data without interpretation cannot improve security and is a waste of time, money, and effort. Establish a tiered operational process that not only enriches data but also provides visibility into your threat landscape.

    Respond: Organizations can’t rely on ad hoc response anymore – don’t wait until a state of panic. Formalize your response processes in a detailed incident runbook to reduce incident remediation time and effort.

    Best practices moving forward

    Defense in Depth

    Lock down your organization. Among other tactics, control administrative privileges, leverage threat intelligence, use IP whitelisting, adopt endpoint protection and two-factor authentication, and formalize incident response measures.

    Block Indicators

    Information alone is not actionable. A successful threat intelligence program contextualizes threat data, aligns intelligence with business objectives, and then builds processes to satisfy those objectives. Actively block indicators and act upon gathered intelligence.

    Drive Adoption

    Create organizational situational awareness around security initiatives to drive adoption of foundational security measures: network hardening, threat intelligence, red-teaming exercises, and zero-day mitigation, policies, and procedures.

    Supply Chain Security

    Security extends beyond your organization. Ensure your organization has a comprehensive view of your organizational threat landscape and a clear understanding of the security posture of any managed service providers in your supply chain.

    Awareness and Training

    Conduct security awareness and training. Teach end users how to recognize current cyberattacks before they fall victim – this is a mandatory first line of defense.

    Additional Resources

    Follow only official sources of information to help you assess risk

    The image contains an image highlighting a few additional resources.

    As misinformation is a major attack vector for malicious actors, follow only reliable sources for cyberalerts and actionable intelligence. Aggregate information from these reliable sources.

    Federal Cyber Agency Alerts

    Informational Resources

    Info-Tech Insight

    The CISA Shields Up site provides the latest cyber risk updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and should provide the most value in staying informed.

    Create and Manage Enterprise Data Models

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    • Parent Category Name: Data Management
    • Parent Category Link: /data-management
    • Business executives don’t understand the value of Conceptual and Logical Data Models and how they define their data assets.
    • Data, like mercury, is difficult to manage and contain.
    • IT needs to justify the time and cost of developing and maintaining Data Models.
    • Data as an asset is only perceived from a physical point of view, and the metadata that provides context and definition is often ignored.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Data Models tell the story of the organization and its data in pictures to be used by a business as a tool to evolve the business capabilities and processes.
    • Data Architecture and Data Modeling have different purposes and should be represented as two distinct processes within the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
    • The Conceptual Model provides a quick win for both business and IT because it can convey abstract business concepts and thereby compartmentalize the problem space.

    Impact and Result

    • A Conceptual Model can be used to define the semantics and relationships for your analytical layer.
      • It provides a visual representation of your data in the semantics of business.
      • It acts as the anchor point for all data lineages.
      • It can be used by business users and IT for data warehouse and analytical planning.
      • It provides the taxonomies for data access profiles.
      • It acts as the basis for your Enterprise Logical and Message Models.

    Create and Manage Enterprise Data Models Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should create enterprise data models, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Setting the stage

    Prepare your environment for data architecture.

    • Enterprise Data Models

    2. Revisit your SDLC

    Revisit your SDLC to embed data architecture.

    • Enterprise Architecture Tool Selection

    3. Develop a Conceptual Model

    Create and maintain your Conceptual Data Model via an iterative process.

    4. Data Modeling Playbook

    View the main deliverable with sample models.

    • Data Modeling Playbook
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Create and Manage Enterprise Data Models

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Establish the Data Architecture Practice

    The Purpose

    Understand the context and goals of data architecture in your organization.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A foundation for your data architecture practice.

    Activities

    1.1 Review the business context.

    1.2 Obtain business commitment and expectations for data architecture.

    1.3 Define data architecture as a discipline, its role, and the deliverables.

    1.4 Revisit your SDLC to embed data architecture.

    1.5 Modeling tool acquisition if required.

    Outputs

    Data Architecture vision and mission and governance.

    Revised SDLC to include data architecture.

    Staffing strategy.

    Data Architecture engagement protocol.

    Installed modeling tool.

    2 Business Architecture and Domain Modeling

    The Purpose

    Identify the concepts and domains that will inform your data models.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Defined concepts for your data models.

    Activities

    2.1 Revisit business architecture output.

    2.2 Business domain selection.

    2.3 Identify business concepts.

    2.4 Organize and group of business concepts.

    2.5 Build the Business Data Glossary.

    Outputs

    List of defined and documented entities for the selected.

    Practice in the use of capability and business process models to identify key data concepts.

    Practice the domain modeling process of grouping and defining your bounded contexts.

    3 Harvesting Reference Models

    The Purpose

    Harvest reference models for your data architecture.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Reference models selected.

    Activities

    3.1 Reference model selection.

    3.2 Exploring and searching the reference model.

    3.3 Harvesting strategies and maintaining linkage.

    3.4 Extending the conceptual and logical models.

    Outputs

    Established and practiced steps to extend the conceptual or logical model from the reference model while maintaining lineage.

    4 Harvesting Existing Data Artifacts

    The Purpose

    Gather more information to create your data models.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Remaining steps and materials to build your data models.

    Activities

    4.1 Use your data inventory to select source models.

    4.2 Match semantics.

    4.3 Maintain lineage between BDG and existing sources.

    4.4 Select and harvest attributes.

    4.5 Define modeling standards.

    Outputs

    List of different methods to reverse engineer existing models.

    Practiced steps to extend the logical model from existing models.

    Report examples.

    5 Next Steps and Wrap-Up (offsite)

    The Purpose

    Wrap up the workshop and set your data models up for future success.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Understanding of functions and processes that will use the data models.

    Activities

    5.1 Institutionalize data architecture practices, standards, and procedures.

    5.2 Exploit and extend the use of the Conceptual model in the organization.

    Outputs

    Data governance policies, standards, and procedures for data architecture.

    List of business function and processes that will utilize the Conceptual model.

    Break Open Your DAM With Intuitive Metadata

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    • Parent Category Name: Data Management
    • Parent Category Link: /data-management
    • Organizations are facing challenges from explosive information growth in both volume and complexity, as well as the need to use more new sources of information for social media just to remain in business.
    • A lot of content can be created quickly, but managing those digital assets properly through metadata tagging that will be used consistently and effectively requires processes to be in place to create standardized and informational metadata at the source of content creation.
    • Putting these processes in place changes the way the organization handles its information, which may generate pushback, and requires socialization and proper management of the metadata strategy.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Metadata is an imperative part of the organizations broader information management strategy. Some may believe that metadata is not needed anymore; Google search is not a magic act – it relies on information tagging that reflects cultural sentiment.
    • Metadata should be pliable. It needs to grow with the changing cultural and corporate vernacular and knowledge, and adapt to changing needs.
    • Build a map for your metadata before you dig for buried treasure. Implement metadata standards and processes for current digital assets before chasing after your treasure troves of existing artifacts.

    Impact and Result

    • Create a sustainable and effective digital asset management (DAM) program by understanding Info-Tech’s DAM framework and how the framework fits within your organization for better management of key digital assets.
    • Create an enterprise-wide metadata design principles handbook to keep track of metadata schemas and standards, as well as communicate the standards to the entire organization.
    • Gather requirements for your DAM program, as well as the DAM system and roles, by interviewing key stakeholders and identifying prevalent pains and opportunities. Understand where digital assets are created, used, and stored throughout the enterprise to gain a high-level perspective of DAM requirements.
    • Identify the organization’s current state of metadata management along with the target state, identify the gaps, and then define solutions to fill those gaps. Ensure business initiatives are woven into the mix.
    • Create a comprehensive roadmap to prioritize initiatives and delineate responsibilities.

    Break Open Your DAM With Intuitive Metadata Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should develop a digital asset management program focused on metadata, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Build a foundation for your DAM project

    Gain an in-depth understanding of what digital asset management is as well as how it is supported by Info-Tech’s DAM framework.

    • Break Open Your DAM With Intuitive Metadata – Phase 1: Build a Foundation for Your DAM Project
    • DAM Design Principles Handbook
    • Where in the World Is My Digital Asset? Tool
    • Digital Asset Inventory Tool
    • DAM Requirements Gathering Tool

    2. Dive into the DAM strategy

    Create a metadata program execution strategy and assess current and target states for the organization’s DAM.

    • Break Open Your DAM With Intuitive Metadata – Phase 2: Dive Into the DAM Strategy
    • DAM Roadmap Tool
    • DAM Metadata Execution Strategy Document

    3. Create intuitive metadata for your DAM

    Design a governance plan for ongoing DAM and metadata management.

    • Break Open Your DAM With Intuitive Metadata – Phase 3: Create Intuitive Metadata for Your Digital Assets
    • Metadata Manager Tool
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Break Open Your DAM With Intuitive Metadata

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Structure the Metadata Project

    The Purpose

    Develop a foundation of knowledge regarding DAM and metadata, as well as the best practices for organizing the organization’s information and digital assets for ideal findability.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Design standardized processes for metadata creation and digital asset management to help to improve findability of key assets.

    Gain knowledge of how DAM can benefit both IT and the business.

    Activities

    1.1 Build a DAM and metadata knowledge foundation.

    1.2 Kick-start creation of the organization’s DAM design principles handbook.

    1.3 Interview key business units to understand drivers for the program.

    1.4 Develop a DAM framework.

    Outputs

    DAM Design Principles Handbook

    DAM Execution Strategy Document

    2 Assess Requirements for the DAM Program

    The Purpose

    Inventory the organization’s key digital assets and their repositories.

    Gather the organization’s requirements for a full-time digital asset librarian, as well as the DAM system.  

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Determine clear and specific requirements for the organization from the DAM system and the people involved.

    Activities

    2.1 Conduct a digital asset inventory to identify key assets to include in DAM.

    2.2 Prioritize digital assets to determine their risk and value to ensure appropriate support through the information lifecycle.

    2.3 Determine the requirements of the business and IT for the DAM system and its metadata.

    Outputs

    Digital Asset Inventory Tool

    DAM Requirements Gathering Tool

    3 Design Roadmap and Plan Implementation

    The Purpose

    Determine strategic initiatives and create a roadmap outlining key steps required to get the organization to start enabling data-driven insights.

    Determine timing of the initiatives. 

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Establish a clear direction for the DAM program.

    Build a step-by-step outline of how to create effective metadata with true business-IT collaboration.

    Have prioritized initiatives with dependencies mapped out.

    Activities

    3.1 Assess current and target states of DAM in the organization.

    3.2 Brainstorm and document practical initiatives to close the gap.

    3.3 Discuss strategies rooted in business requirements to execute the metadata management program to improve findability of digital assets.

    Outputs

    DAM Roadmap Tool

    4 Establish Metadata Governance

    The Purpose

    Identify the roles required for effective DAM and metadata management.

    Create sample metadata according to established guiding principles and implement a feedback method to create intuitive metadata in the organization. 

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Metadata management is an ongoing project. Implementing it requires user input and feedback, which governance will help to support.

    By integrating metadata governance with larger information or data governance bodies, DAM and metadata management will gain sustainability. 

    Activities

    4.1 Discuss and assign roles and responsibilities for initiatives identified in the roadmap.

    4.2 Review policy requirements for the information assets in the organization and strategies to address enforcement.

    4.3 Integrate the governance of metadata into larger governance committees.

    Outputs

    DAM Execution Strategy

    Enterprise Network Design Considerations

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    • Parent Category Name: Network Management
    • Parent Category Link: /network-management

    Security, risk, and trust models play into how networks are designed and deployed. If these models are not considered during network design, band-aids and workarounds will be deployed to achieve the needed goals, potentially bypassing network controls.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    The cloud “gold rush” has made it attractive for many enterprises to migrate services off the traditional network and into the cloud. These services are now outside of the traditional network and associated controls. This shifts the split of east-west vs. north-south traffic patterns, as well as extending the network to encompass services outside of enterprise IT’s locus of control.

    Impact and Result

    Where users access enterprise data or services and from which devices dictate the connectivity needed. With the increasing shift of work that the business is completing remotely, not all devices and data paths will be under the control of IT. This shift does not allow IT to abdicate from the responsibility to provide a secure network.

    Enterprise Network Design Considerations Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Enterprise Network Design Considerations Deck – A brief deck that outlines key trusts and archetypes when considering enterprise network designs.

    This blueprint will help you:

    • Enterprise Network Design Considerations Storyboard

    2. Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool – Build an infrastructure assessment in an hour.

    Dispense with detailed analysis and customizations to present a quick snapshot of the road ahead.

    • Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Enterprise Network Design Considerations

    It is not just about connectivity.

    Executive Summary

    Info-Tech Insight

    Connectivity and security are tightly coupled

    Security, risk, and trust models play into how networks are designed and deployed. If these models are not considered during network design, band-aids and workarounds will be deployed to achieve the needed goals, potentially bypassing network controls.

    Many services are no longer within the network

    The cloud “gold rush” has made it attractive for many enterprises to migrate services off the traditional network and into the cloud. These services are now outside of the traditional network and associated controls. This shifts the split of east-west vs. north-south traffic patterns, as well as extending the network to encompass services outside of enterprise IT’s locus of control.

    Users are demanding an anywhere, any device access model

    Where users access enterprise data or services and from which devices dictate the connectivity needed. With the increasing shift of work that the business is completing remotely, not all devices and data paths will be under the control of IT. This shift does not allow IT to abdicate from the responsibility to provide a secure network.

    Enterprise networks are changing

    The new network reality

    The enterprise network of 2020 and beyond is changing:

    • Services are becoming more distributed.
    • The number of services provided “off network” is growing.
    • Users are more often remote.
    • Security threats are rapidly escalating.

    The above statements are all accurate for enterprise networks, though each potentially to differing levels depending on the business being supported by the network. Depending on how affected the network in question currently is and will be in the near future, there are different common network archetypes that are best able to address these concerns while delivering business value at an appropriate price point.

    High-Level Design Considerations

    1. Understand Business Needs
    2. Understand what the business needs are and where users and resources are located.

    3. Define Your Trust Model
    4. Trust is a spectrum and tied tightly to security.

    5. Align With an Archetype
    6. How will the network be deployed?

    7. Understand Available Tooling
    8. What tools are in the market to help achieve design principles?

    Understand business needs

    Mission

    Never ignore the basics. Start with revisiting the mission and vision of the business to address relevant needs.

    Users

    Identify where users will be accessing services from. Remote vs. “on net” is a design consideration now more than ever.

    Resources

    Identify required resources and their locations, on net vs. cloud.

    Controls

    Identify required controls in order to define control points and solutions.

    Define a trust model

    Trust is a spectrum

    • There is a spectrum of trust, from fully trusted to not trusted at all. Each organization must decide for their network (or each area thereof) the appropriate level of trust to assign.
    • The ease of network design and deployment is directly proportional to the trust spectrum.
    • When resources and users are outside of direct IT control, the level of appropriate trust should be examined closely.

    Implicit

    Trust everything within the network. Security is perimeter based and designed to stop external actors from entering the large trusted zone.

    Controlled

    Multiple zones of trust within the network. Segmentation is a standard practice to separate areas of higher and lower trust.

    Zero

    Verify trust. The network is set up to recognize and support the principle of least privilege where only required access is supported.

    Align with an archetype

    Archetypes are a good guide

    • Using a defined archetype as a guiding principle in network design can help clarify appropriate tools or network structures.
    • Different aspects of a network can have different archetypes where appropriate (e.g. IT vs. OT [operational technology] networks).

    Traditional

    Services are provided from within the traditional network boundaries and security is provided at the network edge.

    Hybrid

    Services are provided both externally and from within the traditional network boundaries, and security is primarily at the network edge.

    Inverted

    Services are provided primarily externally, and security is cloud centric.

    Traditional networks

    Resources within network boundaries

    Moat and castle security perimeter

    Abstract

    A traditional network is one in which there are clear boundaries defined by a security perimeter. Trust can be applied within the network boundaries as appropriate, and traffic is generally routed through internally deployed control points that may be centralized. Traditional networks commonly include large firewalls and other “big iron” security and control devices.

    Network Design Tenets

    • The full network path from resource to user is designed, deployed, and controlled by IT.
    • Users external to the network must first connect to the network to gain access to resources.
    • Security, risk, and trust controls will be implemented by internal enterprise hardware/software devices.

    Control

    In the traditional network, it is assumed that all required control points can be adequately deployed across hardware/software that is “on prem” and under the control of central IT.

    Info-Tech Insight

    With increased cloud services provided to end users, this network is now more commonly used in data centers or OT networks.

    Traditional networks

    The image contains an example of what traditional networks look like, as described in the text below.

    Defining Characteristics

    • Traffic flows in a defined path under the control of IT to and from central IT resources.
    • Due to visibility into, and the control of, the traffic between the end user and resources, IT can relatively simply implement the required security controls on owned hardware.

    Common Components

    • Traditional offices
    • Remote users/road warriors
    • Private data center/colocation space

    Hybrid networks

    Resources internal and external to network

    Network security perimeter combined with cloud protection

    Abstract

    A hybrid network is one that combines elements of a traditional network with cloud resources. As some of these resources are not fully under the control of IT and may be completely “offnet” or loosely coupled to the on-premises network, the security boundaries and control points are less likely to be centralized. Hybrid networks allow the flexibility and speed of cloud deployment without leaving behind traditional network constructs. This generally makes them expensive to secure and maintain.

    Network Design Tenets

    • The network path from resource to user may not be in IT’s locus of control.
    • Users external to the network must first connect to the network to gain access to internal resources but may directly access publicly hosted ones.
    • Security, risk, and trust controls may potentially be implemented by a mixture of internal enterprise hardware/software devices and external control points.

    Control

    The hallmark of a hybrid network is the blending of public and private resources. This blending tends to necessitate both public and private points of control that may not be homogenous.

    Info-Tech Insight

    With multiple control points to address, take care in simplifying designs while addressing all concerns to ease operational load.

    Hybrid networks

    The image contains an example of what hybrid networks look like, as described in the text below.

    Defining Characteristics

    • Traffic flows to central resources across a defined path under the control of IT.
    • Traffic to cloud assets may be partially under the control of IT.
    • For central resources, the traffic to and from the end user can have the required security controls relatively simply implemented on owned hardware.
    • For public cloud assets, IT may or may not have some control over part of the path.

    Common Components

    • Traditional offices
    • Remote users/road warriors
    • Private data center/colocation space
    • Public cloud assets (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS)

    Inverted perimeter

    Resources primarily external to the network

    Security control points are cloud centric

    Abstract

    An inverted perimeter network is one in which security and control points cover the entire workflow, on or off net, from the consumer of services through to the services themselves with zero trust. Since the control plane is designed to encompass the workflow in a secure manner, much of the underlying connectivity can be abstracted. In an extreme version of this deployment, IT would abstract end-user access, and any cloud-based or on-premises resources would be securely published through the control plane with context-aware precision access.

    Network Design Tenets

    • The network path from resource to user is abstracted and controlled by IT through services like secure access service edge (SASE).
    • Users only need internet access and appropriate credentials to gain access to resources.
    • Security, risk, and trust controls will be implemented through external cloud based services.

    Control

    An inverted network abstracts the lower-layer connectivity away and focuses on implementing a cloud-based zero trust control plane.

    Info-Tech Insight

    This model is extremely attractive for organizations that consume primarily cloud services and have a large remote work force.

    Inverted networks

    The image contains an example of what inverted networks look like, as described in the text below.

    Defining Characteristics

    • The end user does not have to be in a defined location.
    • All central resources that are to be accessed are hosted on cloud resources.
    • IT has little to no control of the path between the end user and central resources.

    Common Components

    • Traditional offices
    • Regent offices/shared workspaces
    • Remote users/road warriors
    • Public cloud assets (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS)

    Understand available tooling

    Don’t buy a hammer and go looking for nails

    • A network archetype must be defined in order to understand what tools (hardware or software) are appropriate for consideration in a network build or refresh.
    • Tools are purpose built and generally designed to solve specific problems if implemented and operated correctly. Choose the tools to align with the challenges that you are solving as opposed to choosing tools and then trying to use those purchases to overcome challenges.
    • The purchase of a tool does not allow for abdication of proper design. Tools must be chosen appropriately and integrated properly to orchestrate the best solutions. Purchasing a tool and expecting the tool to solve all your issues rarely succeeds.

    “It is essential to have good tools, but it is also essential that the tools should be used in the right way.” — Wallace D. Wattles

    Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN)

    Simplified branch office connectivity

    Archetype Value: Traditional Networks

    What It Is Not

    SD-WAN is generally not a way to slash spending by lowering WAN circuit costs. Though it is traditionally deployed across lower cost access, to minimize risk and realize the most benefits from the platform many organizations install multiple circuits with greater bandwidths at each endpoint when replacing the more costly traditional circuits. Though this maximizes the value of the technology investment, it will result in the end cost being similar to the traditional cost plus or minus a small percentage.

    What It Is

    SD-WAN is a subset of software-defined networking (SDN) designed specifically to deploy a secure, centrally managed, connectivity agnostic, overlay network connecting multiple office locations. This technology can be used to replace, work in concert with, or augment more traditional costly connectivity such as MPLS or private point to point (PtP) circuits. In addition to the secure overlay, SD-WAN usually also enables policy-based, intelligent controls, based on traffic and circuit intelligence.

    Why Use It

    You have multiple endpoint locations connected by expensive lower bandwidth traditional circuits. Your target is to increase visibility and control while controlling costs if and where possible. Ease of centralized management and the ability to more rapidly turn up new locations are attractive.

    Cloud access security broker (CASB)

    Inline policy enforcement placed between users and cloud services

    Archetype Value: Hybrid Networks

    What It Is Not

    CASBs do not provide network protection; they are designed to provide compliance and enforcement of rules. Though CASBs are designed to give visibility and control into cloud traffic, they have limits to the data that they generally ingest and utilize. A CASB does not gather or report on cloud usage details, licencing information, financial costing, or whether the cloud resource usage is aligned with the deployment purpose.

    What It Is

    A CASB is designed to establish security controls beyond a company’s environment. It is commonly deployed to augment traditional solutions to extend visibility and control into the cloud. To protect assets in the cloud, CASBs are designed to provide central policy control and apply services primarily in the areas of visibility, data security, threat protection, and compliance.

    Why Use It

    You a mixture of on-premises and cloud assets. In moving assets out to the cloud, you have lost the traditional controls that were implemented in the data center. You now need to have visibility and apply controls to the usage of these cloud assets.

    Secure access service edge (SASE)

    Convergence of security and service access in the cloud

    Archetype Value: Inverted Networks

    What It Is Not

    Though the service will consist of many service offerings, SASE is not multiple services strung together. To present the value proposed by this platform, all functionality proposed must be provided by a single platform under a “single pane of glass.” SASE is not a mature and well-established service. The market is still solidifying, and the full-service definition remains somewhat fluid.

    What It Is

    SASE exists at the intersection of network-as-a-service and network-security-as-a-service. It is a superset of many network and security cloud offerings such as CASB, secure web gateway, SD-WAN, and WAN optimization. Any services offered by a SASE provider will be cloud hosted, presented in a single stack, and controlled through a single pane of glass.

    Why Use It

    Your network is inverting, and services are provided primarily as cloud assets. In a full realization of this deployment’s value, you would abstract how and where users gain initial network access yet remain in control of the communications and data flow.

    Activity

    Understand your enterprise network options

    Activity: Network assessment in an hour

    • Learn about the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool
    • Complete the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool

    This activity involves the following participants:

    • IT strategic direction decision makers.
    • IT managers responsible for network.
    • Organizations evaluating platforms for mission critical applications.

    Outcomes of this step:

    • Completed Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool

    Info-Tech Insight

    Review your design options with security and compliance in mind. Infrastructure is no longer a standalone entity and now tightly integrates with software-defined networks and security solutions.

    Build an assessment in an hour

    Learn about the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool.

    This workbook provides a high-level analysis of a technology’s readiness for adoption based on your organization’s needs.

    • The workbook then places the technology on a graph that measures both the readiness and fit for your organization. In addition, it provides warnings for specific issues and lets you know if you have considerable uncertainty in your answers.
    • At a glance you can now communicate what you are doing to help the company:
      • Grow
      • Save money
      • Reduce risk
    • Regardless of your specific audience, these are important stories to be able to tell.
    The image contains three screenshots from the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool.

    Build an assessment in an hour

    Complete the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool.

    Dispense with detailed analysis and customizations to present a quick snapshot of the road ahead.

    1. Weightings: Adjust the Weighting tab to meet organizational needs. The provided weightings for the overall solution areas are based on a generic firm; individual firms will have different needs.
    2. Data Entry: For each category, answer the questions for the technology you are considering. When you have completed the questionnaire, go to the next tab for the results.
    3. Results: The Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool provides a value versus readiness assessment of your chosen technology customized to your organization.

    The image contains three screenshots from the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool. It has a screenshot for each step as described in the text above.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services

    Acquiring a service is like buying an experience. Don’t confuse the simplicity of buying hardware with buying an experience.

    Outsource IT Infrastructure to Improve System Availability, Reliability, and Recovery

    There are very few IT infrastructure components you should be housing internally – outsource everything else.

    Build Your Infrastructure Roadmap

    Move beyond alignment: Put yourself in the driver’s seat for true business value.

    Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process

    Leverage your vendor sourcing process to get better results.

    Research Authors

    The image contains a photo of Scott Young.

    Scott Young, Principal Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group

    Scott Young is a Director of Infrastructure Research at Info-Tech Research Group. Scott has worked in the technology field for over 17 years, with a strong focus on telecommunications and enterprise infrastructure architecture. He brings extensive practical experience in these areas of specialization, including IP networks, server hardware and OS, storage, and virtualization.

    The image contains a photo of Troy Cheeseman.

    Troy Cheeseman, Practice Lead, Info-Tech Research Group

    Troy has over 24 years of experience and has championed large enterprise-wide technology transformation programs, remote/home office collaboration and remote work strategies, BCP, IT DRP, IT operations and expense management programs, international right placement initiatives, and large technology transformation initiatives (M&A). Additionally, he has deep experience working with IT solution providers and technology (cloud) startups.

    Bibliography

    Ahlgren, Bengt. “Design considerations for a network of information.” ACM Digital Library, 21 Dec. 2008.

    Cox Business. “Digital transformation is here. Is your business ready to upgrade your mobile work equation?” BizJournals, 1 April 2022. Accessed April 2022.

    Elmore, Ed. “Benefits of integrating security and networking with SASE.” Tech Radar, 1 April 2022. Web.

    Greenfield, Dave. “From SD-WAN to SASE: How the WAN Evolution is Progressing.” Cato Networks, 19 May 2020. Web

    Korolov, Maria. “What is SASE? A cloud service that marries SD-WAN with security.” Network World, 7 Sept. 2020. Web.

    Korzeniowski, Paul, “CASB tools evolve to meet broader set of cloud security needs.” TechTarget, 26 July 2019. Accessed March 2022.

    Find Value With Cloud Asset Management

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    • Parent Category Name: Asset Management
    • Parent Category Link: /asset-management
    • Spending on cloud platforms and software-as-a-service (SaaS) is growing, and with spending comes waste.
    • The barriers are drastically lower for purchasing SaaS and cloud services as compared to traditional IT components.
    • Skills gap: IT asset managers tend not to have the skills to optimize spending on cloud platforms.
    • New space, new tools: The IT asset management market space is still developing cloud asset management and SaaS management capabilities. Practitioners must rely on cloud optimization tools in the meantime.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • IT asset managers are uniquely suited to provide value here. They already optimize costs and manage assets.
    • Scope creep is a killer. Focus first on your highest value, highest risk cloud instances.
    • Don’t completely centralize. Central oversight is powerful, but outsource some responsibility to the business.

    Impact and Result

    • Introduce governance: Work with developers, power business users, and infrastructure groups to define a governance approach to cloud assets and to SaaS.
    • Standardize high-impact, low-effort cloud services: Focus your efforts where they will have the most value and in places where you can provide early value.
    • Update your processes: Ensure that your asset registers and your configuration management database is up to date when cloud assets are provisioned and quiesced.

    Find Value With Cloud Asset Management Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should implement IT asset management for cloud instances and SaaS, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define cloud asset management

    Define when a cloud instance is an asset, and what it means for the asset to be managed.

    • Find Value With Cloud Asset Management – Phase 1: Define Cloud Asset Management
    • Cloud Asset Management Standard Operating Procedures
    • Cloud Instance Provisioning Standards Checklist

    2. Build cloud asset management practices

    Develop an approach to auditing and optimizing cloud assets.

    • Find Value With Cloud Asset Management – Phase 2: Build Cloud Asset Management Practices
    • Cloud Asset Management Policy
    • Monthly Cloud Asset Optimization Checklist
    • Strategic Infrastructure Roadmap Tool
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    Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint

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    • Parent Category Name: Innovation
    • Parent Category Link: /innovation
    • The business has a mandate for IT-led innovation.
    • IT doesn’t have the budget it wants for high-risk, high-reward initiatives.
    • Many innovation projects have failed in the past.
    • Many projects that have moved through the approval process failed to meet their expectations.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Think like a start-up and use experimentation and rapid re-iteration to get your innovative ideas off the ground.

    Impact and Result

    • Build and test a prototype in four days using Info-Tech’s Innovation Design Sprint Methodology.
    • Create an environment for co-creation between IT and the business.
    • Learn techniques for socializing and selling your ideas to business stakeholders.
    • Refine your prototype through rapid iteration and user-experience testing.
    • Socialize design thinking culture, tactics, and methods with the business.

    Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should evaluate your ideas using a design sprint, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Understand and ideate

    Define the problem and start ideating potential solutions.

    • Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint – Day 1: Understand and Ideate
    • Prototyping Workbook

    2. Divide and conquer

    Split off into prototyping teams to build and test the first-iteration prototypes

    • Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint – Day 2: Divide and Conquer
    • Research Study Log Tool

    3. Unite and integrate

    Integrate the best ideas from the first iterations and come up with a team solution to the problem.

    • Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint – Day 3: Unite and Integrate
    • Prototype One Pager

    4. Build and sell

    Build and test the team’s integrated prototype, decide on next steps, and come up with a pitch to sell the solution to business executives.

    • Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint – Day 4: Build and Sell
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Prototype With an Innovation Design Sprint

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Understand and Ideate

    The Purpose

    Align the team around a well-defined business problem and start ideating solutions.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Ideate solutions in the face of organizational cconstraints and characterize the success of the prototype.

    Activities

    1.1 Frame the problem.

    1.2 Develop evaluation criteria.

    1.3 Diverge and converge.

    Outputs

    Problem statement(s)

    Evaluation criteria

    Ideated solutions

    2 Divide and Conquer

    The Purpose

    Break off into teams to try and develop solutions that address the problem in unique ways.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Develop and test a first-iteration prototype.

    Activities

    2.1 Design first prototypes in teams.

    2.2 Conduct UX testing.

    Outputs

    First-iteration prototypes

    User feedback and data

    3 Unite and Integrate

    The Purpose

    Bring the team back together to develop a team vision of the final prototype.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Integrated, second-iteration prototype.

    Activities

    3.1 Create and deliver prototype pitches.

    3.2 Integrate prototypes.

    Outputs

    Prototype practice pitches

    Second-iteration prototype

    4 Build and Sell

    The Purpose

    Build and test the second prototype and prepare to sell it to business executives.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Second-iteration prototype and a budget pitch.

    Activities

    4.1 Conduct second round of UX testing.

    4.2 Create one pager and budget pitch.

    Outputs

    User feedback and data

    Prototype one pager and budget pitch

    Tame the Project Backlog

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    • Parent Category Name: Portfolio Management
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    • Unmanaged project backlogs can become the bane of IT departments, tying IT leaders and PMO staff down to an ever-growing receptacle of project ideas that provides little by way of strategic value and that typically represents a lack of project intake and approval discipline.
    • Decision makers frequently use the backlog to keep the peace. Lacking the time to assess the bulk of requests, or simply wanting to avoid difficult conversations with stakeholders, they “approve” everything and leave it to IT to figure it out.
    • As IT has increasing difficulty assessing – let alone starting – any of the projects in the backlog, stakeholder relations suffer. Requestors view inclusion in the backlog as a euphemism for “declined,” and often characterize the backlog as the place where good project ideas go to die.
    • Faced with these challenges, you need to make your project backlog more useful and reliable. The backlog may contain projects worth doing, but in its current untamed state, you have difficulty discerning, let alone capitalizing upon, those instances of value.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Project backlogs are an investment and need to be treated as such. Incurring a cost impact that can be measured in terms of time and money, the backlog needs to be actively managed to ensure that you’re investing wisely and getting a good return in terms of strategic value and project throughput.
    • Unmanageable project backlogs are rooted in bad habits and poorly-defined processes. Identifying the sources that fuel backlog growth is key to long-term success. Unless the problem is addressed at the root, any gains made in the near-term will simply fade away as old, unhealthy habits re-emerge and take hold.
    • Backlog management should facilitate executive awareness about the status of backlog items as new work is being approved. In the long run, this ongoing executive engagement will not only help to keep the backlog manageable, but it will also help to bring more even workloads to IT project staff.

    Impact and Result

    • Keep the best, forget the rest. Develop a near-term approach to limit the role of the backlog to include only those items that add value to the business.
    • Shine a light. Improve executive visibility into the health and status of the backlog so that the backlog is taken into account when decision makers approve new work.
    • Evolve the organizational culture. Effectively employ organizational change management practices to evolve the culture that currently exists around the project backlog in order to ensure customer-service needs are more effectively addressed.
    • Ensure long-term sustainability. Institute processes to make sure that your list of pending projects – should you still require one after implementing this blueprint – remains minimal, maintainable, and of high value.

    Tame the Project Backlog Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out how a more disciplined approach to managing your project backlog can help you realize increased value and project throughput.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Create a project backlog battle plan

    Calculate the cost of the project backlog and assess the root causes of its unmanageability.

    • Tame the Project Backlog – Phase 1: Create a Backlog Battle Plan
    • Project Backlog ROI Calculator

    2. Execute a near-term backlog cleanse

    Increase the manageability of the backlog by updating stale requests and removing dead weight.

    • Tame the Project Backlog – Phase 2: Execute a Near-Term Backlog Cleanse
    • Project Backlog Management Tool
    • Project Backlog Stakeholder Communications Template

    3. Ensure long-term backlog manageability

    Develop and maintain a manageable backlog growth rate by establishing disciplined backlog management processes.

    • Tame the Project Backlog – Phase 3: Ensure Long-Term Backlog Manageability
    • Project Backlog Operating Plan Template
    • Project Backlog Manager
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Tame the Project Backlog

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Create a Project Backlog Battle Plan

    The Purpose

    Gauge the manageability of your project backlog in its current state.

    Calculate the total cost of your project backlog investments.

    Determine the root causes that contribute to the unmanageability of your project backlog.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An understanding of the organizational need for more disciplined backlog management.

    Visibility into the costs incurred by the project backlog.

    An awareness of the sources that feed the growth of the project backlog and make it a challenge to maintain.

    Activities

    1.1 Calculate the sunk and marginal costs that have gone into your project backlog.

    1.2 Estimate the throughput of backlog items.

    1.3 Survey the root causes of your project backlog.

    Outputs

    The total estimated cost of the project backlog.

    A project backlog return-on-investment score.

    A project backlog root cause analysis.

    2 Execute a Near-Term Project Backlog Cleanse

    The Purpose

    Identify the most organizationally appropriate goals for your backlog cleanse.

    Pinpoint those items that warrant immediate removal from the backlog and establish a game plan for putting a bullet in them.

    Communicate backlog decisions with stakeholders in a way that minimizes friction and resistance. 

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An effective, achievable, and organizationally right-sized approach to cleansing the backlog.

    Criteria for cleanse outcomes and a protocol for carrying out the near-term cleanse.

    A project sponsor outreach plan to help ensure that decisions made during your near-term cleanse stick. 

    Activities

    2.1 Establish roles and responsibilities for the near-term cleanse.

    2.2 Determine cleanse scope.

    2.3 Develop backlog prioritization criteria.

    2.4 Prepare a communication strategy.

    Outputs

    Clear accountabilities to ensure the backlog is effectively minimized and outcomes are communicated effectively.

    Clearly defined and achievable goals.

    Effective criteria for cleansing the backlog of zombie projects and maintaining projects that are of strategic and operational value.

    A communication strategy to minimize stakeholder friction and resistance.

    3 Ensure Long-Term Project Backlog Manageability

    The Purpose

    Ensure ongoing backlog manageability.

    Make sure the executive layer is aware of the ongoing status of the backlog when making project decisions.

    Customize a best-practice toolkit to help keep the project backlog useful. 

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A list of pending projects that is minimal, maintainable, and of high value.

    Executive engagement with the backlog to ensure intake and approval decisions are made with a view of the backlog in mind.

    A backlog management tool and processes for ongoing manageability. 

    Activities

    3.1 Develop a project backlog management operating model.

    3.2 Configure a project backlog management solution.

    3.3 Assign roles and responsibilities for your long-term project backlog management processes.

    3.4 Customize a project backlog management operating plan.

    Outputs

    An operating model to structure your long-term strategy around.

    A right-sized management tool to help enable your processes and executive visibility into the backlog.

    Defined accountabilities for executing project backlog management responsibilities.

    Clearly established processes for how items get in and out of the backlog, as well as for ongoing backlog review.

    Develop Necessary Documentation for GDPR Compliance

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    • Parent Category Name: Governance, Risk & Compliance
    • Parent Category Link: /governance-risk-compliance
    • It can be an overwhelming challenge to understand what documentation is required under the GDPR.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Hiring the right data protection officer (DPO) isn’t always easy. The person you think might be best may result in a conflict of interest. Be aware of all requirements and be objective when hiring for this role.
    • Keep retention to the bare minimum. Limiting the amount of data you are responsible for limits your liability for protecting it.
    • Under the GDPR, cookies constitute personal data. They require a standalone policy, separate from the privacy policy. Ensure pop-up cookie notification banners require active consent and give users the clear opportunity to reject them.

    Impact and Result

    • Save time developing documents by leveraging ready-to-go templates for the DPO job description, retention documents, privacy notice, and cookie policy.
    • Establishing GDPR-compliance documentation will set the foundation for an overall compliant program.

    Develop Necessary Documentation for GDPR Compliance Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Hire a data protection officer

    Understand the need for a DPO and what qualities to look for in a strong candidate.

    • Develop Necessary Documentation for GDPR Compliance Storyboard
    • Data Protection Officer Job Description Template

    2. Define retention requirements

    Understand your data retention requirements under the GDPR. Develop the necessary documentation.

    • Data Retention Policy Template
    • Data Retention Schedule Tool – GDPR

    3. Develop privacy and cookie policies

    Understand your website or application’s GDPR requirements to inform users on how you process their personal data and how cookies are used. Develop the necessary documentation.

    • Privacy Notice Template – External Facing
    • Cookie Policy Template – External Facing
    [infographic]

    Design Data-as-a-Service

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    • Parent Category Name: Data Management
    • Parent Category Link: /data-management
    • Lack of a consistent approach in accessing internal and external data within the organization and sharing data with third parties.
    • Data consumed by most organizations lacks proper data quality, data certification, standards tractability, and lineage.
    • Organizations are looking for guidance in terms of readily accessible data from others and data that can be shared with others or monetized.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Despite data being everywhere, most organizations struggle to find accurate, trustworthy, and meaningful data when required.
    • Connecting to data should be as easy as connecting to the internet. This is achievable if all organizations start participating in the data marketplace ecosystem by leveraging a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) framework.

    Impact and Result

    • Data marketplaces facilitate data sharing between the data producer and the data consumer. The data product must be carefully designed to truly benefit in today’s connected data ecosystem.
    • Follow Info-Tech’s step-by-step approach to establish your DaaS framework:
      1. Understand Data Ecosystem
      2. Design Data Products
      3. Establish DaaS framework

    Design Data-as-a-Service Research & Tools

    Start here – Read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should design Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Understand data ecosystem

    Provide clear benefits of adopting the DaaS framework and solid rationale for moving towards a more connected data ecosystem and avoiding data silos.

    • Design Data-as-a-Service – Phase 1: Understand Data Ecosystem

    2. Design data product

    Leverage design thinking methodology and templates to document your most important data products.

    • Design Data-as-a-Service – Phase 2: Design Data Product

    3. Establish a DaaS framework

    Capture internal and external data sources critical to data products success for the organization and document an end-to-end DaaS framework.

    • Design Data-as-a-Service – Phase 3: Establish a DaaS Framework
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Design Data-as-a-Service

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Data Marketplace and DaaS Explained

    The Purpose

    The purpose of this module is to provide a clear understanding of the key concepts such as data marketplace, data sharing, and data products.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    This module will provide clear benefits of adopting the DaaS framework and solid rationale for moving towards a more connected data ecosystem and avoiding data silos.

    Activities

    1.1 Review the business context

    1.2 Understand the data ecosystem

    1.3 Draft products ideas and use cases

    1.4 Capture data product metrics

    Outputs

    Data product ideas

    Data sharing use cases

    Data product metrics

    2 Design Data Product

    The Purpose

    The purpose of this module is to leverage design thinking methodology and templates to document the most important data products.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Data products design that incorporates end-to-end customer journey and stakeholder map.

    Activities

    2.1 Create a stakeholder map

    2.2 Establish a persona

    2.3 Data consumer journey map

    2.4 Document data product design

    Outputs

    Data product design

    3 Assess Data Sources

    The Purpose

    The purpose of this module is to capture internal and external data sources critical to data product success.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Break down silos by integrating internal and external data sources

    Activities

    3.1 Review the conceptual data model

    3.2 Map internal and external data sources

    3.3 Document data sources

    Outputs

    Internal and external data sources relationship map

    4 Establish a DaaS Framework

    The Purpose

    The purpose of this module is to document end-to-end DaaS framework.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    End-to-end framework that breaks down silos and enables data product that can be exchanged for long-term success.

    Activities

    4.1 Design target state DaaS framework

    4.2 Document DaaS framework

    4.3 Assess the gaps between current and target environments

    4.4 Brainstorm initiatives to develop DaaS capabilities

    Outputs

    Target DaaS framework

    DaaS initiative

    Secrets of SAP S-4HANA Licensing

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    • Parent Category Name: Vendor Management
    • Parent Category Link: /vendor-management
    • With the relatively slow uptake of the S/4HANA platform, the pressure is immense for SAP to maintain revenue growth.
    • SAP’s definitions and licensing rules are complex and vague, making it extremely difficult to purchase with confidence while remaining compliant.
    • Aggressive audit tactics may be used to speed up the move to HANA.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Mapping SAP products to HANA can be highly complex, leading to overspending and an inability to reduce future spend.
    • The deployment model chosen will directly impact commercial pathways forward.
    • Beware of digital (indirect) access licensing and compliance concerns.
    • Without having a holistic negotiation strategy, it is easy to hit a common obstacle and land into SAP’s playbook, requiring further spend.

    Impact and Result

    • Build a business case to evaluate S/4HANA.
    • Understand the S/4HANA roadmap and map current functionality to ensure compatibility.
    • Understand negotiating pricing and commercial terms.
    • Learn the “SAP way” of conducting business, which includes a best-in-class sales structure, unique contracts, and license use policies combined with a hyper-aggressive compliance function.

    Secrets of SAP S/4HANA Licensing Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should explore the secrets of SAP S/4HANA licensing, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Establish requirements

    Determining SAP’s fit within your organization is critical. Start off by building a business case to assess overarching drivers and justification for change, any net new business benefits and long-term sustainability. Oftentimes the ROI is negative, but the investment sets the stage for long-term growth.

    2. Evaluate licensing options

    Your deployment model is more important than you think. Selecting a deployment model will dictate your licensing options followed by your contractual pathways forward.

    • SAP License Summary and Analysis Tool
    • SAP Digital Access Licensing Pricing Tool

    3. Negotiation and license management

    Know what’s in the contract. Each customer agreement is different and there may be existing terms that are beneficial. Depending on how much is spent, anything can be up for negation.

    • SAP S/4HANA Terms and Conditions Evaluator
    [infographic]

    Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team

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    • Parent Category Name: Development
    • Parent Category Link: /development
    • Hiring quality development team resources is becoming increasingly difficult and costly in most domestic markets.
    • Firms are seeking to do more with less and increase their development team throughput.
    • Globalization and increased competition are driving a need for more innovation in your applications.
    • Firms want more cost certainty and tighter control of their development investment.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Choosing the right sourcing strategy is not just a question of technical skills! Successful sourcing is based on matching your organization’s culture, knowledge, and experiences to the right choice of internal or external partnership.

    Impact and Result

    • We will help you build a sourcing strategy document for your application portfolio.
    • We will examine your portfolio and organization from three different perspectives to enable you to determine the right approach:
      • From a business perspective, reliance on the business, strategic value of the product, and maturity of product ownership are critical.
      • From an organizational perspective, you must examine your culture for communication processes, conflict resolution methods, vendor management skills, and geographic coverage.
      • From a technical perspective, consider integration complexity, environmental complexity, and testing processes.

    Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team Storyboard – A guide to help you choose the right resourcing strategy to keep pace with your rapidly changing application and development needs.

    This project will help you define a sourcing strategy for your application development team by assessing key factors about your products and your organization, including critical business, technical, and organizational factors. Use this analysis to select the optimal sourcing strategy for each situation.

    • Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team Storyboard

    2. Define a Sourcing Strategy Workbook – A tool to capture the results of activities to build your sourcing strategy.

    This workbook is designed to capture the results of the activities in the storyboard. Each worksheet corresponds with an activity from the deck. The workbook is also a living artifact that should be updated periodically as the needs of your team and organization change.

    • Define a Sourcing Strategy Workbook
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team

    Choose the right resourcing strategy to keep pace with your rapidly changing application and development needs.

    Analyst Perspective

    Choosing the right sourcing strategy for your development team is about assessing your technical situation, your business needs, your organizational culture, and your ability to manage partners!

    Photo of Dr. Suneel Ghei, Principal Research Director, Application Development, Info-Tech Research Group

    Firms today are under continuous pressure to innovate and deliver new features to market faster while at the same time controlling costs. This has increased the need for higher throughput in their development teams along with a broadening of skills and knowledge. In the face of these challenges, there is a new focus on how firms source their development function. Should they continue to hire internally, offshore, or outsource? How do they decide which strategy is the right fit?

    Info-Tech’s research shows that the sourcing strategy considerations have evolved beyond technical skills and costs. Identifying the right strategy has become a function of the characteristics of the organization, its culture, its reliance on the business for knowledge, its strategic value of the application, its vendor management skills, and its ability to internalize external knowledge. By assessing these factors firms can identify the best sourcing mix for their development portfolios.

    Dr. Suneel Ghei
    Principal Research Director, Application Development
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge
    • Hiring quality development team resources is becoming increasingly difficult and costly in most domestic markets.
    • Firms are seeking to do more with less and increase their development team throughput.
    • Globalization and increased competition is driving a need for more innovation in your applications.
    • Firms want more cost certainty and tighter control of their development investment.
    Common Obstacles
    • Development leaders are encouraged to manage contract terms and SLAs rather than build long-term relationships.
    • People believe that outsourcing means you will permanently lose the knowledge around solutions.
    • Moving work outside of the current team creates motivational and retention challenges that can be difficult to overcome.
    Info-Tech’s Approach
    • Looking at this from these three perspectives will enable you to determine the right approach:
      1. From a business perspective, reliance on the business, strategic value of the product, and maturity of product ownership are critical.
      2. From an organizational perspective, you must examine your culture for communication processes, conflict resolution methods, vendor management skills, and geographic coverage
      3. From a technical perspective, consider integration complexity, environment complexity, and testing processes.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Choosing the right sourcing strategy is not just a question of technical skills! Successful sourcing is based on matching your organization’s culture, knowledge, and experiences to the right choice of internal or external partnership.

    Define a sourcing strategy for your development team

    Business
    • Business knowledge/ expertise required
    • Product owner maturity
    Technical
    • Complexity and maturity of technical environment
    • Required level of integration
    Organizational
    • Company culture
    • Desired geographic proximity
    • Required vendor management skills
    1. Assess your current delivery posture for challenges and impediments.
    2. Decide whether to build or buy a solution.
    3. Select your desired sourcing strategy based on your current state and needs.
    Example sourcing strategy with initiatives like 'Client-Facing Apps' and 'ERP Software' assigned to 'Onshore Dev', 'Outsource Team', 'Offshore Dev', 'Outsource App (Buy)', 'Outsource Dev', or 'Outsource Roles'.

    Three Perspectives +

    Three Steps =

    Your Sourcing Strategy

    Diverse sourcing is used by many firms

    Many firms across all industries are making use of different sourcing strategies to drive innovation and solve business issues.

    According to a report by ReportLinker the global IT services outsourcing market reached US$413.8 billion in 2021.

    In a recent study of Canadian software firms, it was found that almost all firms take advantage of outside knowledge in their application development process. In most cases these firms also use outside resources to do development work, and about half the time they use externally built software packages in their products (Ghei, 2020)!

    Info-Tech Insight

    In today’s diverse global markets, firms that wish to stay competitive must have a defined ability to take advantage of external knowledge and to optimize their IT services spend.

    Modeling Absorptive Capacity for Open Innovation in the Canadian Software Industry (Source: Ghei, 2020; n=54.)

    56% of software development firms are sourcing applications instead of resources.

    68% of firms are sourcing external resources to develop software products.

    91% of firms are leveraging knowledge from external sources.

    Internal sourcing models

    Insourcing comes in three distinct flavors

    Geospatial map giving example locations for the three internal sourcing models. In this example, 'Head Office' is located in North America, 'Onshore' is 'Located in the same area or even office as your core business resources. Relative Cost: $$$', 'Near Shore' is 'Typically, within 1-3 time zones for ease of collaboration where more favorable resource costs exist. Relative Cost: $$', and 'Offshore' is 'Located in remote markets where significant labor cost savings can be realized. Relative Cost: $'.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Insourcing allows you to stay close to more strategic applications. But choosing the right model requires a strong look inside your organization and your ability to provide business knowledge support to developers who may have different skills and cultures and are in different geographies.

    Outsourcing models

    External sourcing can be done to different degrees

    Outsource Roles
    • Enables resource augmentation
    • Typically based on skills needs
    • Short-term outsourcing with eventual integration or dissolution
    Outsource Teams (or Projects)
    • Use of a full team or multiple teams of vendor resources
    • Meant to be temporary, with knowledge transfer at the end of the project
    Outsource Products
    • Use of a vendor to build, maintain, and support the full product
    • Requires a high degree of contract management skill

    Info-Tech Insight

    Outsourcing represents one of the most popular ways for organizations to source external knowledge and skills. The choice of model is a function of the organization’s ability to support the external resources and to absorb the knowledge back into the organization.

    Defining your sourcing strategy

    Follow the steps below to identify the best match for your organization

    Review Your Current Situation

    Review the issues and opportunities related to application development and categorize them based on the key factors.

    Arrow pointing right. Assess Build Versus Buy

    Before choosing a sourcing model you must assess whether a particular product or function should be bought as a package or developed.

    Arrow pointing right. Choose the Right Sourcing Strategy

    Based on the research, use the modeling tool to match the situation to the appropriate sourcing solution.

    Step 1.1

    Review Your Current Situation

    Activities
    • 1.1.1 Identify and categorize your challenges

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Product management team
    • Software development leadership team
    • Key stakeholders
    Outcomes of this step

    Review your current delivery posture for challenges and impediments.

    Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team
    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3

    Review your situation

    There are three key areas to examine in your current situation:

    Business Challenges
    • Do you need to gain new knowledge to drive innovation?
    • Does your business need to enhance its software to improve its ability to compete in the market?
    • Do you need to increase your speed of innovation?

    Technology Challenges

    • Are you being asked to take tighter control of your development budgets?
    • Does your team need to expand their skills and knowledge?
    • Do you need to increase your development speed and capacity?

    Market Challenges

    • Is your competition seen as more innovative?
    • Do you need new features to attract new clients?
    • Are you struggling to find highly skilled and knowledgeable development resources?
    Stock image of multi-colored arrows travelling in a line together before diverging.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Sourcing is a key tool to solve business and technical challenges and enhance market competitiveness when coupled with a robust definition of objectives and a way to measure success.

    1.1.1 Identify and categorize your challenges

    60 minutes

    Output: List of the key challenges in your software lifecycle. Breakdown of the list into categories to identify opportunities for sourcing

    Participants: Product management team, Software development leadership team, Key stakeholders

    1. What challenge is your firm is facing with respect to your software that you think sourcing can address? (20 minutes)
    2. Is the challenge related to a business outcome, development methodology, or technology challenge? (10 minutes)
    3. Is the challenge due to a skills gap, budget or resource challenge, throughput issue, or a broader organizational knowledge or process issue? (10 minutes)
    4. What is the specific objective for the team/leader in addressing this challenge? (15 minutes)
    5. How will you measure progress and achievement of this objective? (5 minutes)

    Document results in the Define a Sourcing Strategy Workbook

    Identify and categorize your challenges

    Sample table for identifying and categorizing challenges, with column groups 'Challenge' and 'Success Measures' containing headers 'Issue, 'Category', 'Breadth', and 'Stakeholder' in the former, and 'Objective' and 'Measurement' in the latter.

    Step 1.2

    Assess Build Versus Buy

    Activities
    • 1.2.1 Understand the benefits and drawbacks of build versus buy in your organizational context

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Product management team
    • Software development leadership team
    • Key stakeholders

    Outcomes of this step

    Understand in your context the benefits and drawbacks of build versus buy, leveraging Info-Tech’s recommended definitions as a starting point.

    Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3

    Look vertically across the IT hierarchy to assess the impact of your decision at every level

    IT Hierarchy with 'Enterprise' at the top, branching out to 'Portfolio', then to 'Solution' at the bottom. The top is 'Strategic', the bottom 'Operational'.

    Regardless of the industry, a common and challenging dilemma facing technology teams is to determine when they should build software or systems in-house versus when they should rely wholly on an outside vendor for delivering on their technology needs.

    The answer is not as cut and dried as one would expect. Any build versus buy decision may have an impact on strategic and operational plans. It touches every part of the organization, starting with individual projects and rolling up to the enterprise strategy.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Do not ignore the impact of a build or buy decision on the various management levels in an IT organization.

    Deciding whether to build or buy

    It is as much about what you gain as it is about what problem you choose to have

    BUILD BUY

    Multi-Source Best of Breed

    Integrate various technologies that provide subset(s) of the features needed for supporting the business functions.

    Vendor Add-Ons & Integrations

    Enhance an existing vendor’s offerings by using their system add-ons either as upgrades, new add-ons, or integrations.
    Pros
    • Flexibility in choice of tools
    • In some cases, cost may be lower
    • Easier to enhance with in-house teams
    Cons
    • Introduces tool sprawl
    • Requires resources to understand tools and how they integrate
    • Some of the tools necessary may not be compatible with one another
    Pros
    • Reduces tool sprawl
    • Supports consistent tool stack
    • Vendor support can make enhancement easier
    • Total cost of ownership may be lower
    Cons
    • Vendor lock-in
    • The processes to enhance may require tweaking to fit tool capability

    Multi-Source Custom

    Integrate systems built in-house with technologies developed by external organizations.

    Single Source

    Buy an application/system from one vendor only.
    Pros
    • Flexibility in choice of tools
    • In some cases, cost may be lower
    • Easier to enhance with in-house teams
    Cons
    • May introduce tool sprawl
    • Requires resources to have strong technical skills
    • Some of the tools necessary may not be compatible with one another
    Pros
    • Reduces tool sprawl
    • Supports consistent tool stack
    • Vendor support can make enhancement easier
    • Total cost of ownership may be lower
    Cons
    • Vendor lock-in
    • The processes to enhance may require tweaking to fit tool capability

    1.2.1 Understand the benefits and drawbacks of build versus buy in your organizational context

    30 minutes

    Output: A common understanding of the different approaches to build versus buy applied to your organizational context

    Participants: Product management team, Software development leadership team, Key stakeholders

    1. Look at the previous slide, Deciding whether to build or buy.
    2. Discuss the pros and cons listed for each approach.
      1. Do they apply in your context? Why or why not?
      2. Are there some approaches not applicable in terms of how you wish to work?
    3. Record the curated list of pros and cons for the different build/buy approaches.
    4. For each approach, arrange the pros and cons in order of importance.

    Document results in the Define a Sourcing Strategy Workbook

    Step 1.3

    Choose the Right Sourcing Strategy

    Activities
    • 1.3.1 Determine the right sourcing strategy for your needs

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Product management team
    • Software development leadership team
    • Key stakeholders

    Outcomes of this step

    Choose your desired sourcing strategy based on your current state and needs.

    Define a Sourcing Strategy for Your Development Team

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3

    Choose the right sourcing strategy

    • Based on our research, finding the right sourcing strategy for a particular situation is a function of three key areas:
      • Business drivers
      • Organizational drivers
      • Technical drivers
    • Each area has key characteristics that must be assessed to confirm which strategy is best suited for the situation.
    • Once you have assessed the factors and ranked them from low to high, we can then match your results with the best-fit strategy.
    Business
    • Business knowledge/ expertise required
    • Product owner maturity

    Technical

    • Complexity and maturity of technical environment
    • Required level of integration

    Organizational

    • Your culture
    • Desired geographic proximity
    • Required vendor management skills

    Business drivers

    To choose the right sourcing strategy, you need to assess your key drivers of delivery

    Product Knowledge
    • The level of business involvement required to support the development team is a critical factor in determining the sourcing model.
    • Both the breadth and depth of involvement are critical factors.
    Strategic Value
    • The strategic value of the application to the company is also a critical component.
    • The more strategic the application is to the company, the closer the sourcing should be maintained.
    • Value can be assessed based on the revenue derived from the application and the depth of use of the application by the organization.
    Product Ownership Maturity
    • To support sourcing models that move further from organizational boundaries a strong product ownership function is required.
    • Product owners should ideally be fully allocated to the role and engaged with the development teams.
    • Product owners should be empowered to make decisions related to the product, its vision, and its roadmap.
    • The higher their allocation and empowerment, the higher the chances of success in external sourcing engagements.
    Stock image of a person running up a line with a positive trend.

    Case Study: The GoodLabs Studio Experience Logo for GoodLabs Studio.

    INDUSTRY: Software Development | SOURCE: Interview with Thomas Lo, Co-Founder, GoodLabs Studio
    Built to Outsource Development Teams
    • GoodLabs is an advanced software innovation studio that provides bespoke team extensions or turnkey digital product development with high-caliber software engineers.
    • Unlike other consulting firms, GoodLabs works very closely with its customers as a unified team to deliver the most significant impact on clients’ projects.
    • With this approach, it optimizes the delivery of strong software engineering skills with integrated product ownership from the client, enabling long-term and continued success for its clients.
    Results
    • GoodLabs is able to attract top engineering talent by focusing on a variety of complex projects that materially benefit from technical solutions, such as cybersecurity, fraud detection, and AI syndrome surveillance.
    • Taking a partnership approach with the clients has led to the successful delivery of many highly innovative and challenging projects for the customers.

    Organizational drivers

    To choose the right sourcing strategy for a particular problem you need to assess the organization’s key capabilities

    Stock photo of someone placing blocks with illustrated professionals one on top of the other. Vendor Management
    • Vendor management is a critical skill for effective external sourcing.
    • This can be assessed based on the organization’s ability to cultivate and grow long-term relationships of mutual value.
    • The longevity and growth of existing vendor relationships can be a good benchmark for future success.
    Absorptive Capacity
    • To effectively make use of external sourcing models, the organization must have a well-developed track record of absorbing outside knowledge.
    • This can be assessed by looking at past cases where external knowledge was sourced and internalized, such as past vendor development engagements or use of open-source code.
    Organizational Culture
    • Another factor in success of vendor engagements and long-term relationships is the matching of organizational cultures.
    • It is key to measure the organization’s current position on items like communication strategy, geographical dispersal, conflict resolution strategy, and hierarchical vs flat management.
    • These factors should be documented and matched with partners to determine the best fit.

    Case Study: WCIRB California Logo for WCIRB California.

    INDUSTRY: Workers Compensation Insurance | SOURCE: Interview with Roger Cottman, Senior VP and CIO, WCIRB California
    Trying to Find the Right Match
    • WCIRB is finding it difficult to hire local resources in California.
    • Its application is a niche product. Since no off-the-shelf alternatives exist, the organization will require a custom application.
    • WCIRB is in the early stages of a digital platform project and is looking to bring in a partner to provide a full development team, with the goal of ideally bringing the application back in-house once it is built.
    • The organization is looking for a local player that will be able to integrate well with the business.
    • It has engaged with two mid-sized players but both have been slow to respond, so it is now considering alternative approaches.
    Info-Tech’s Recommended Approach
    • WCIRB is finding that mid-sized players don’t fit its needs and is now looking for a larger player
    • Based on our research we have advised that WCIRB should ensure the partner is geographically close to its location and can be a strategic partner, not simply work on an individual project.

    Technical drivers

    To choose the right sourcing strategy for a particular problem you need to assess your technical situation and capabilities

    Environment Complexity
    • The complexity of your technical environment is a hurdle that must be overcome for external sourcing models.
    • The number of environments used in the development lifecycle and the location of environments (physical, virtual, on-premises, or cloud) are key indicators.
    Integration Requirements
    • The complexity of integration is another key technical driver.
    • The number of integrations required for the application is a good measuring stick. Will it require fewer than 5, 5-10, or more than 10?
    Testing Capabilities
    • Testing of the application is a key technical driver of success for external models.
    • Having well-defined test cases, processes, and shared execution with the business are all steps that help drive success of external sourcing models.
    • Test automation can also help facilitate success of external models.
    • Measure the percentage of test cases that are standardized, the level of business involvement, and the percentage of test cases that are automated.
    Stock image of pixelated light.

    Case Study: Management Control Systems (MC Systems) Logo for MC Systems.

    INDUSTRY: Technology Services | SOURCE: Interview with Kathryn Chin See, Business Development and Research Analyst, MC Systems
    Seeking to Outsource Innovation
    • MC Systems is seeking to outsource its innovation function to get budget certainty on innovation and reduce costs. It is looking for a player that has knowledge of the application areas it is looking to enhance and that would augment its own business knowledge.
    • In previous outsourcing experiences with skills augmentation and application development the organization had issues related to the business depth and product ownership it could provide. The collaborations did not lead to success as MC Systems lacked product ownership and the ability to reintegrate the outside knowledge.
    • The organization is concerned about testing of a vendor-built application and how the application will be supported.
    Info-Tech’s Recommended Approach
    • To date MC Systems has had success with its outsourcing approach when outsourcing specific work items.
    • It is now looking to expand to outsourcing an entire application.
    • Info-Tech’s recommendation is to seek partners who can take on development of the application.
    • MC Systems will still need resources to bring knowledge back in-house for testing and to provide operational support.

    Choosing the right model


    Legend for the table below using circles with quarters to represent Low (0 quarters) to High (4 quarters).
    Determinant Key Questions to Ask Onshore Nearshore Offshore Outsource Role(s) Outsource Team Outsource Product(s)
    Business Dependence How much do you rely on business resources during the development cycle? Circle with 4 quarters. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 2 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 0 quarters.
    Absorptive Capacity How successful has the organization been at bringing outside knowledge back into the firm? Circle with 0 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 2 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 4 quarters.
    Integration Complexity How many integrations are required for the product to function – fewer than 5, 5-10, or more than 10? Circle with 4 quarters. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 2 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 0 quarters.
    Product Ownership Do you have full-time product owners in place for the products? Do product owners have control of their roadmaps? Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 2 quarters. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 2 quarters. Circle with 4 quarters. Circle with 4 quarters.
    Organization Culture Fit What are your organization’s communication and conflict resolution strategies? Is your organization geographically dispersed? Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 4 quarters.
    Vendor Mgmt Skills What is your skill level in vendor management? How long are your longest-standing vendor relationships? Circle with 0 quarters. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 1 quarter. Circle with 2 quarters. Circle with 3 quarters. Circle with 4 quarters.

    1.3.1 Determine the right sourcing strategy for your needs

    60 minutes

    Output: A scored matrix of the key drivers of the sourcing strategy

    Participants: Development leaders, Product management team, Key stakeholders

    Choose one of your products or product families and assess the factors below on a scale of None, Low, Medium, High, and Full.

    • 3.1 Assess the business factors that drive selection using these key criteria (20 minutes):
      • 3.1.1 Product knowledge
      • 3.1.2 Strategic value
      • 3.1.3 Product ownership
    • 3.2 Assess the organizational factors that drive selection using these key criteria (20 minutes):
      • 3.2.1 Vendor management
      • 3.2.2 Absorptive capacity
      • 3.2.3 Organization culture
    • 3.3 Assess the technical factors that drive selection using these key criteria (20 minutes):
      • 3.3.1 Environments
      • 3.3.2 Integration
      • 3.3.3 Testing

    Document results in the Define a Sourcing Strategy Workbook

    Things to Consider When Implementing

    Once you have built your strategy there are some additional things to consider

    Things to Consider Before Acting on Your Strategy

    By now you understand what goes into an effective sourcing strategy. Before implementing one, there are a few key items you need to consider:

    Example 'Sourcing Strategy for Your Portfolio' with initiatives like 'Client-Facing Apps' and 'ERP Software' assigned to 'Onshore Dev', 'Outsource Team', 'Offshore Dev', 'Outsource App (Buy)', 'Outsource Dev', or 'Outsource Roles'. Start with a pilot
    • Changing sourcing needs to start with one team.
    • Grow as skills develop to limit risk.
    Build an IT workforce plan Enhance your vendor management skills Involve the business early and often
    • The business should feel they are part of the discussion.
    • See our Agile/DevOps Research Center for more information on how the business and IT can better work together.
    Limit sourcing complexity
    • Having too many different partners and models creates confusion and will strain your ability to manage vendors effectively.

    Bibliography

    Apfel, Isabella, et al. “IT Project Member Turnover and Outsourcing Relationship Success: An Inverted-U Effect.” Developments, Opportunities and Challenges of Digitization, 2020. Web.

    Benamati, John, and Rajkumar, T.M. “The Application Development Outsourcing Decision: An Application of the Technology Acceptance Model.” Journal of Computer Information Systems, vol. 42, no. 4, 2008, pp. 35-43. Web.

    Benamati, John, and Rajkumar, T.M. “An Outsourcing Acceptance Model: An Application of TAM to Application Development Outsourcing Decisions.” Information Resources Management Journal, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 80-102, 2008. Web.

    Broekhuizen, T. L. J., et al. “Digital Platform Openness: Drivers, Dimensions and Outcomes.” Journal of Business Research, vol. 122, July 2019, pp. 902-914. Web.

    Brook, Jacques W., and Albert Plugge. “Strategic Sourcing of R&D: The Determinants of Success.” Business Information Processing, vol. 55, Aug. 2010, pp. 26-42. Web.

    Delen, G. P A.J., et al. “Foundations for Measuring IT-Outsourcing Success and Failure.” Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 156, Oct. 2019, pp. 113-125. Web.

    Elnakeep, Eman, et al. “Models and Frameworks for IS Outsourcing Structure and Dimensions: A Holistic Study.” Lecture notes in Networks and Systems, 2019. Web.

    Ghei, Suneel. Modeling Absorptive Capacity for Open Innovation in the Software Industry. 2020. Faculty of Graduate Studies, Athabasca University, 2020. DBA Dissertation.

    “IT Outsourcing Market Research Report by Service Model, Organization Sizes, Deployment, Industry, Region – Global Forecast to 2027 – Cumulative Impact of COVID-19.” ReportLinker, April 2022. Web.

    Jeong, Jongkil Jay, et al. “Enhancing the Application and Measurement of Relationship Quality in Future IT Outsourcing Studies.” 26th European Conference on Information Systems: Beyond Digitization – Facets of Socio-Tehcnical Change: Proceedings of ECIS 2018, Portsmouth, UK, June 23-28, 2018. Edited by Peter Bednar, et al., 2018. Web.

    Könning, Michael. “Conceptualizing the Effect of Cultural Distance on IT Outsourcing Success.” Proceedings of Australasian Conference on Information Systems 2018, Sydney, Australia, Dec. 3-5, 2018. Edited by Matthew Noble, UTS ePress, 2018. Web.

    Lee, Jae-Nam, et al. “Holistic Archetypes of IT Outsourcing Strategy: A Contingency Fit and Configurational Approach.” MIS Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 4, Dec. 2019, pp. 1201-1225. Web.

    Loukis, Euripidis, et al. “Determinants of Software-as-a-Service Benefits and Impact on Firm Performance.” Decision Support Systems, vol. 117, Feb. 2019, pp. 38-47. Web.

    Martensson, Anders. “Patterns in Application Development Sourcing in the Financial Industry.” Proceedings of the 13th European Conference of Information Systems, 2004. Web.

    Martínez-Sánchez, Angel, et al. “The Relationship Between R&D, the Absorptive Capacity of Knowledge, Human Resource Flexibility and Innovation: Mediator Effects on Industrial Firms.” Journal of Business Research, vol. 118, Sept. 2020, pp. 431-440. Web.

    Moreno, Valter, et al. “Outsourcing of IT and Absorptive Capacity: A Multiple Case Study in the Brazilian Insurance Sector.” Brazilian Business Review, vol. 17, no. 1, Jan.-Feb. 2020, pp. 97-113. Web.

    Ozturk, Ebru. “The Impact of R&D Sourcing Strategies on Basic and Developmental R&D in Emerging Economies.” European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 21, no. 7, May 2018, pp. 522-542. Web.

    Ribas, Imma, et al. “Multi-Step Process for Selecting Strategic Sourcing Options When Designing Supply Chains.” Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, vol. 14, no. 3, 2021, pp. 477-495. Web.

    Striteska, Michaela Kotkova, and Viktor Prokop. “Dynamic Innovation Strategy Model in Practice of Innovation Leaders and Followers in CEE Countries – A Prerequisite for Building Innovative Ecosystems.” Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 9, May 2020. Web.

    Thakur-Wernz, Pooja, et al. “Antecedents and Relative Performance of Sourcing Choices for New Product Development Projects.” Technovation, 2020. Web.

    Select a Security Outsourcing Partner

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    • Parent Category Name: Security Processes & Operations
    • Parent Category Link: /security-processes-and-operations
    • Most organizations do not have a clear understanding of their current security posture, their security goals, and the specific security services they require. Without a clear understanding of their needs, organizations may struggle to identify a partner that can meet their requirements.
    • Breakdowns and lack of communication can be a significant obstacle, especially when clear lines of communication with partners, including regular check-ins, reporting, and incident response protocols, have not been clearly established.
    • Ensuring that security partners’ systems and processes integrate seamlessly with existing systems can be a challenge for most organizations in addition to making sure that security partners have the necessary access and permissions to perform their services effectively.
    • Adhering to security policies is rarely a priority to users as compliance often feels like an interference to daily workflow. For a lot of organizations, security policies are not having the desired effect.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • You can outsource your responsibilities but not your accountability.
    • Be aware that in most cases, the traditional approach is more profitable to MSSPs, and they may push you toward one, so make sure you get the service you want, not what they prescribe.

    Impact and Result

    • Determine which security responsibilities can be outsourced and which should be insourced and the right procedure to outsourcing to gain cost savings, improve resource allocation, and boost your overall security posture.

    Select a Security Outsourcing Partner Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Select a Security Outsourcing Partner Storyboard – A guide to help you determine your requirements and select and manage your security outsourcing partner.

    Our systematic approach will ensure that the correct procedure for selecting a security outsourcing partner is implemented. This blueprint will help you build and implement your security policy program by following our three-phase methodology: determine what to outsource, select the right MSSP, and manage your MSSP.

    • Select a Security Outsourcing Partner – Phases 1-3

    2. MSSP RFP Template – A customizable template to help you choose the right security service provider.

    This modifiable template is designed to introduce consistency and outline key requirements during the request for proposal phase of selecting an MSSP.

    • MSSP RFP Template

    Infographic

    Further reading

    Select a Security Outsourcing Partner

    Outsource the right functions to secure your business.

    Analyst Perspective

    Understanding your security needs and remaining accountable is the key to selecting the right partner.

    The need for specialized security services is fast becoming a necessity to most organizations. However, resource challenges will always mean that organizations will still have to take practical measures to ensure that the time, quality, and service that they require from outsourcing partners have been carefully crafted and packaged to elicit the right services that cover all their needs and requirements.

    Organizations must ensure that security partners are aligned not only with their needs and requirements, but also with the corporate culture. Rather than introducing hindrances to daily operations, security partners must support business goals and protect the organization’s interests at all times.

    And as always, outsource only your responsibilities and do not outsource your accountability, as that will cost you in the long run.

    Photo of Danny Hammond
    Danny Hammond
    Research Analyst
    Security, Risk, Privacy & Compliance Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    A lack of high-skill labor increases the cost of internal security, making outsourcing more appealing.

    A lack of time and resources prevents your organization from being able to enable security internally.

    Due to a lack of key information on the subject, you are unsure which functions should be outsourced versus which functions should remain in-house.

    Having 24/7/365 monitoring in-house is not feasible for most firms.

    There is difficulty measuring the effectiveness of managed security service providers (MSSPs).

    Common Obstacles

    InfoSec leaders will struggle to select the right outsourcing partner without knowing what the organization needs, such as:

    • How to start the process to select the right service provider that will cover your security needs. With so many service providers and technology tools in this field, who is the right partner?
    • Where to obtain guidance on externalization of resources or maintaining internal posture to enable to you confidently select an outsourcing partner.

    InfoSec leaders must understand the business environment and their own internal security needs before they can select an outsourcing partner that fits.

    Info-Tech’s Approach

    Info-Tech’s Select a Security Outsourcing Partner takes a multi-faceted approach to the problem that incorporates foundational technical elements, compliance considerations, and supporting processes:

    • Determine which security responsibilities can be insourced and which should be outsourced, and the right procedure to outsourcing in order to gain cost savings, improve resource allocation, and boost your overall security posture.
    • Understand the current landscape of MSSPs that are available today and the features they offer.
    • Highlight the future financial obligations of outsourcing vs. insourcing to explain which method is the most cost-effective.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Mitigate security risks by developing an end-to-end process that ensures you are outsourcing your responsibilities and not your accountability.

    Your Challenge

    This research is designed to help organizations select an effective security outsourcing partner.

    • A security outsourcing partner is a third-party service provider that offers security services on a contractual basis depending on client needs and requirements.
    • An effective outsourcing partner can help an organization improve its security posture by providing access to more specialized security experts, tools, and technologies.
    • One of the main challenges with selecting a security outsourcing partner is finding a partner that is a good fit for the organization's unique security needs and requirements.
    • Security outsourcing partners typically have access to sensitive information and systems, so proper controls and safeguards must be in place to protect all sensitive assets.
    • Without careful evaluation and due diligence to ensure that the partner is a good fit for the organization's security needs and requirements, it can be challenging to select an outsourcing partner.

    Outsourcing is effective, but only if done right

    • 83% of decision makers with in-house cybersecurity teams are considering outsourcing to an MSP (Syntax, 2021).
    • 77% of IT leaders said cyberattacks were more frequent (Syntax, 2021).
    • 51% of businesses suffered a data breach caused by a third party (Ponemon, 2021).

    Common Obstacles

    The problem with selecting an outsourcing partner isn’t a lack of qualified partners, it’s the lack of clarity about an organization's specific security needs.

    • Most organizations do not have a clear understanding of their current security posture, their security goals, and the specific security services they require. Without a clear understanding of their needs, organizations may struggle to identify a partner that can meet their requirements.
    • Breakdowns and lack of communication can be a significant obstacle, especially when clear lines of communication with partners, including regular check-ins, reporting, and incident response protocols, have not been clearly established.
    • Ensuring that security partner's systems and processes integrate seamlessly with existing systems can be a challenge for most organizations. This is in addition to making sure that security partners have the necessary access and permissions to perform their services effectively.
    • Adhering to security policies is rarely a priority to users, as compliance often feels like an interference to daily workflow. For a lot of organizations, security policies are not having the desired effect.

    A diagram that shows Average cost of a data breach from 2019 to 2022.
    Source: IBM, 2022 Cost of a Data Breach; N=537.


    Reaching an all-time high, the cost of a data breach averaged US$4.35 million in 2022. This figure represents a 2.6% increase from 2021, when the average cost of a breach was US$4.24 million. The average cost has climbed 12.7% since 2020.

    Info-Tech’s methodology for selecting a security outsourcing partner

    Determine your responsibilities

    Determine what responsibilities you can outsource to a service partner. Analyze which responsibilities you should outsource versus keep in-house? Do you require a service partner based on identified responsibilities?

    Scope your requirements

    Refine the list of role-based requirements, variables, and features you will require. Use a well-known list of critical security controls as a framework to determine these activities and send out RFPs to pick the best candidate for your organization.

    Manage your outsourcing program

    Adopt a program to manage your third-party service security outsourcing. Trust your managed security service providers (MSSP) but verify their results to ensure you get the service level you were promised.

    Select a Security Outsourcing Partner

    A diagram that shows your organization responsibilities & accountabilities, framework for selecting a security outsourcing partner, and benefits.

    Blueprint benefits

    IT/InfoSec Benefits

    Reduces complexity within the MSSP selection process by highlighting all the key steps to a successful selection program.

    Introduces a roadmap to clearly educate about the do’s and don’ts of MSSP selection.

    Reduces costs and efforts related to managing MSSPs and other security partners.

    Business Benefits

    Assists with selecting outsourcing partners that are essential to your organization’s objectives.

    Integrates outsourcing into corporate culture, leveraging organizational requirements while maximizing value of outsourcing.

    Reduces security outsourcing risk.

    Insight summary

    Overarching insight: You can outsource your responsibilities but not your accountability.

    Determine what to outsource: Assess your responsibilities to determine which ones you can outsource. It is vital that an understanding of how outsourcing will affect the organization, and what cost savings, if any, to expect from outsourcing is clear in order to generate a list of responsibilities that can/should be outsourced.

    Select the right partner: Create a list of variables to evaluate the MSSPs and determine which features are important to you. Evaluate all potential MSSPs and determine which one is right for your organization

    Manage your MSSP: Align the MSSP to your organization. Adopt a program to monitor the MSSP which includes a long-term strategy to manage the MSSP.

    Identifying security needs and requirements = Effective outsourcing program: Understanding your own security needs and requirements is key. Ensure your RFP covers the entire scope of your requirements; work with your identified partner on updates and adaptation, where necessary; and always monitor alignment to business objectives.

    Measure the value of this blueprint

    Phase

    Purpose

    Measured Value

    Determine what to outsource Understand the value in outsourcing and determining what responsibilities can be outsourced. Cost of determining what you can/should outsource:
    • 120 FTE hours at $90K per year = $5,400
    Cost of determining the savings from outsourcing vs. insourcing:
    • 120 FTE hours at $90K per year = $5,400
    Select the right partner Select an outsourcing partner that will have the right skill set and solution to identified requirements. Cost of ranking and selecting your MSSPs:
    • 160 FTE hours at $90K per year = $7,200
    Cost of creating and distributing RFPs:
    • 200 FTE hours at $90K per year = $9,000
    Manage your third-party service security outsourcing Use Info-Tech’s methodology and best practices to manage the MSSP to get the best value. Cost of creating and implementing a metrics program to manage the MSSP:
    • 80 FTE hours at $90K per year = $3,600

    After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve.

    Overall Impact: 8.9 /10

    Overall Average Cost Saved: $22,950

    Overall Average Days Saved: 9

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit
    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

    Guided Implementation
    "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

    Workshop
    "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

    Consulting
    "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.

    Build a Value Measurement Framework

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    • Parent Category Name: Architecture & Strategy
    • Parent Category Link: /architecture-and-strategy
    • Rapid changes in today’s market require rapid, value-based decisions, and organizations that lack a shared definition of value fail to maintain their competitive advantage.
    • Different parts of an organization have different value drivers that must be given balanced consideration.
    • Focusing solely on revenue ignores the full extent of value creation in your organization and does not necessarily result in the right outcomes.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Business is the authority on business value. While IT can identify some sources of value, business stakeholders must participate in the creation of a definition that is meaningful to the whole organization.
    • It’s about more than profit. Organizations must have a definition that encompasses all of the sources of value or they risk making short-term decisions with long-term negative impacts.
    • Technology creates business value. Treating IT as a cost center makes for short-sighted decisions in a world where every business process is enabled by technology.

    Impact and Result

    • Standardize your definition of business value. Work with your business partners to define the different sources of business value that are created through technology-enabled products and services.
    • Weigh your value drivers. Ensure that business and IT understand the relative weight and priority of the different sources of business value you have identified.
    • Use a balanced scorecard to understand value. Use the different value drivers to understand and prioritize different products, applications, projects, initiatives, and enhancements.

    Build a Value Measurement Framework Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read this Executive Brief to understand why building a consistent and aligned framework to measure the value of your products and services is vital for setting priorities and getting the business on board.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define your value drivers

    This phase will help you define and weigh value drivers based on overarching organizational priorities and goals.

    • Build a Value Measurement Framework – Phase 1: Define Your Value Drivers
    • Value Calculator

    2. Measure value

    This phase will help you analyze the value sources of your products and services and their alignment to value drivers to produce a value score that you can use for prioritization.

    • Build a Value Measurement Framework – Phase 2: Measure Value
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Build a Value Measurement Framework

    Focus product delivery on business value–driven outcomes.

    ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

    "A meaningful measurable definition of value is the key to effectively managing the intake, prioritization, and delivery of technology-enabled products and services."

    Cole Cioran,

    Senior Director, Research – Application Development and Portfolio Management

    Info-Tech Research Group

    Our understanding of the problem

    This Research Is Designed For:

    • CIOs who need to understand the value IT creates
    • Application leaders who need to make good decisions on what work to prioritize and deliver
    • Application and project portfolio managers who need to ensure the portfolio creates business value
    • Product owners who are accountable for delivering value

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Define quality in your organization’s context from both business and IT perspectives.
    • Define a repeatable process to understand the value of a product, application, project, initiative, or enhancement.
    • Define value sources and metrics.
    • Create a tool to make it easier to balance different sources of value.

    This Research Will Also Assist:

    • Product and application delivery teams who want to make better decisions about what they deliver
    • Business analysts who need to make better decisions about how to prioritize their requirements

    This Research Will Help Them:

    • Create a meaningful relationship with business partners around what creates value for the organization.
    • Enable better understanding of your customers and their needs.

    Executive summary

    Situation

    • Measuring the business value provided by IT is critical for improving the relationship between business and IT.
    • Rapid changes in today’s market require rapid, value-based decisions.
    • Every organization has unique drivers that make it difficult to see the benefits based on time and impact approaches to prioritization.

    Complication

    • An organization’s lack of a shared definition of value leads to politics and decision making that does not have a firm, quantitative basis.
    • Different parts of an organization have different value drivers that must be given balanced consideration.
    • Focusing solely on revenue does not necessarily result in the right outcomes.

    Resolution

    • Standardize your definition of business value. Work with your business partners to define the different sources of business value that are created through technology-enabled products and services.
    • Weigh your value drivers. Ensure business and IT understand the relative weight and priority of the different sources of business value you have identified.
    • Use a balanced scorecard to understand value. Use the different value drivers to understand and prioritize different products, applications, projects, initiatives, and enhancements.

    Info-Tech Insight

    1. Business is the authority on business value. While IT can identify some sources of value, business stakeholders must participate in the creation of a definition that is meaningful to the whole organization.
    2. It’s about more than profit. Organizations must have a definition that encompasses all of the sources of value, or they risk making short-term decisions with long-term negative impacts.
    3. Technology creates business value. Treating IT as a cost center makes for short-sighted decisions in a world where every business process is enabled by technology.

    Software is not currently creating the right outcomes

    Software products are taking more and more out of IT budgets.

    38% of spend on IT employees goes to software roles.

    Source: Info-Tech’s Staffing Survey

    18% of opex is spent on software licenses.

    Source: SoftwareReviews.com

    33% of capex is spent on new software.

    However, the reception and value of software products do not justify the money invested.

    Only 34% of software is rated as both important and effective by users.

    Source: Info-Tech’s CIO Business Vision

    IT benchmarks do not help or matter to the business. Focus on the metrics that represent business outcomes.

    A pie chart is shown as an example to show how benchmarks do not help the business.

    IT departments have a tendency to measure only their own role-based activities and deliverables, which only prove useful for selling practice improvement services. Technology doesn’t exist for technology's sake. It’s in place to generate specific outcomes. IT and the business need to be aligned toward a common goal of enabling business outcomes, and that’s the important measurement.

    "In today’s connected world, IT and business must not speak different languages. "

    – Cognizant, 2017

    CxOs stress the importance of value as the most critical area for IT to improve reporting

    A bar graph is shown to demonstrate the CxOs importance of value. Business value metrics are 32% of significant improvement necessary, and 51% where some improvement is necessary.

    N=469 CxOs from Info-Tech’s CEO/CIO Alignment Diagnostic

    Key stakeholders want to know how you and your products or services help them realize their goals.

    While the basics of value are clear, few take the time to reach a common definition and means to measure and apply value

    Often, IT misses the opportunity to become a strategic partner because it doesn’t understand how to communicate and measure its value to the business.

    "Price is what you pay. Value is what you get."

    – Warren Buffett

    Being able to understand the value context will allow IT to articulate where IT spend supports business value and how it enables business goal achievement.

    Value is...

    Derived from business context

  • What is our business context?
  • Enabled through governance and strategy

  • Who sees the strategy through?
  • The underlying context for decision making

  • How is value applied to support decisions?
  • A measure of achievement

  • How do I measure?
  • Determine your business context by assessing the goals and defining the unique value drivers in your organization

    Competent organizations know that value cannot always be represented by revenue or reduced expenses. However, it is not always apparent how to envision the full spectrum of sources of value. Dissecting value by the benefit type and the value source’s orientation allows you to see the many ways in which a product or service brings value to the organization.

    A business value matrix is shown. It shows the relationship between reading customers, increase revenue, reduce costs, and enhance services.

    Financial Benefits vs. Improved Capabilities

    Financial Benefits refers to the degree to which the value source can be measured through monetary metrics and is often quite tangible. Human Benefits refers to how a product or service can deliver value through a user’s experience.

    Inward vs. Outward Orientation

    Inward refers to value sources that have an internal impact and improve your organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in performing its operations.Outward refers to value sources that come from your interaction with external factors, such as the market or your customers.

    Increase Revenue

    Reduce Costs

    Enhance Services

    Reach Customers

    Product or service functions that are specifically related to the impact on your organization’s ability to generate revenue.

    Reduction of overhead. They typically are less related to broad strategic vision or goals and more simply limit expenses that would occur had the product or service not been put in place.

    Functions that enable business capabilities that improve the organization’s ability to perform its internal operations.

    Application functions that enable and improve the interaction with customers or produce market information and insights.

    See your strategy through by involving both IT and the business

    Buy-in for your IT strategy comes from the ability to showcase value. IT needs to ensure it has an aligned understanding of what is valuable to the organization.

    Business value needs to first be established by the business. After that, IT can build a partnership with the business to determine what that value means in the context of IT products and services.

    The Business

    What the Business and IT have in common

    IT

    Keepers of the organization’s mission, vision, and value statements that define IT success. The business maintains the overall ownership and evaluation of the products along with those most familiar with the capabilities or processes enabled by technology.

    Business Value of Products and Services

    Technical subject matter experts of the products and services they deliver and maintain. Each IT function works together to ensure quality products and services are delivered up to stakeholder expectations.

    Measure your product or services with Info-Tech’s Value Measurement Framework (VMF) and value scores

    The VMF provides a consistent and less subjective approach to generating a value score for an application, product, service, or individual feature, by using business-defined value drivers and product-specific value metrics.

    Info-Tech's Value Measurement Framework is shown.

    A consistent set of established value drivers, sources, and metrics gives more accurate comparisons of relative value

    Value Drivers

    Value Sources

    Value Fulfillment Metrics

    Broad categories of values, weighed and prioritized based on overarching goals

    Instances of created value expressed as a “business outcome” of a particular function

    Units of measurement and estimated targets linked to a value source

    Reach Customers

    Customer Satisfaction

    Net Promoter Score

    Customer Loyalty

    # of Repeat Visits

    Create Revenue Streams

    Data Monetization

    Dollars Derived From Data Sales

    Leads Generation

    Leads Conversation Rate

    Operational Efficiency

    Operational Efficiency

    Number of Interactions

    Workflow Management

    Cycle Time

    Adhere to regulations & compliance

    Number of Policy Exceptions

    A balanced and weighted scorecard allows you to measure the various ways products generate value to the business

    The Info-Tech approach to measuring value applies the balanced value scorecard approach.

    Importance of value source

    X

    Impact of value source

    = Value Score

    Which is based on…

    Which is based on…

    Alignment to value driver

    Realistic targets for the KPI

    Which is weighed by…

    Which is estimated by…

    A 1-5 scale of the relative importance of the value driver to the organization

    A 1-5 scale of the application or feature’s ability to fulfill that value source

    +

    Importance of Value Source

    X

    Impact of Value Source

    +

    Importance of Value Source

    +

    Impact of Value Source

    +

    Importance of Value Source

    +

    Impact of Value Source

    +

    Importance of Value Source

    +

    Impact of Value Source

    =

    Balanced Business Value Score

    Value Score1 + VS2 + … + VSN = Overall Balance Value Score

    Value scores help support decisions. This blueprint looks specifically at four use cases for value scores.

    A value score is an input to the following activities:

    1. Prioritize Your Product Backlog
    2. Estimate the relative value of different product backlog items (i.e. epics, features, etc.) to ensure the highest value items are completed first.

      This blueprint can be used as an input into Info-Tech’s Build a Better Backlog.

    3. Prioritize Your Project Backlog
    4. Estimate the relative value of proposed new applications or major changes or enhancements to existing applications to ensure the right projects are selected and completed first.

      This blueprint can be used as an input into Info-Tech’s Optimize Project Intake, Approval, and Prioritization.

    5. Rationalize Your Applications
    6. Gauge the relative value from the current use of your applications to support strategic decision making such as retirement, consolidation, and further investments.

      This blueprint can be used as an input into Info-Tech’s Visualize Your Application Portfolio Strategy With a Business Value-Driven Roadmap.

    7. Categorize Application Tiers
    8. Gauge the relative value of your existing applications to distinguish your most to least important systems and build tailored support structures that limit the downtime of key value sources.

      This blueprint can be used as an input into Info-Tech’s Streamline Application Maintenance.

    The priorities, metrics, and a common understanding of value in your VMF carry over to many other Info-Tech blueprints

    Transition to Product Delivery

    Build a Product Roadmap

    Modernize Your SDLC

    Build a Strong Foundation for Quality

    Implement Agile Practices That Work

    Use Info-Tech’s Value Calculator

    The Value Calculator facilitates the activities surrounding defining and measuring the business value of your products and services.

    Use this tool to:

    • Weigh the importance of each Value Driver based on established organizational priorities.
    • Create a repository for Value Sources to provide consistency throughout each measurement.
    • Produce an Overall Balanced Value Score for a specific item.

    Info-Tech Deliverable

    A screenshot of Info-Tech's Value Calculator is shown.

    Populate the Value Calculator as you complete the activities and steps on the following slides.

    Limitations of the Value Measurement Framework

    "All models are wrong, but some are useful."

    – George E.P. Box, 1979

    Value is tricky: Value can be intangible, ambiguous, and cause all sorts of confusion, with the multiple, and often conflicting, priorities any organization is sure to have. You won’t likely come to a unified understanding of value or an agreement on whether one thing is more valuable than something else. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. The VMF provides a means to organize various priorities in a meaningful way and to assess the relative value of a product or service to guide managers and decision makers on the right track and keep alignment with the rest of the organization.

    Relative value vs. ROI: This assessment produces a score to determine the value of a product or service relative to other products or services. Its primary function is to prioritize similar items (projects, epics, requirements, etc.) as opposed to producing a monetary value that can directly justify cost and make the case for a positive ROI.

    Apply caution with metrics: We live in a metric-crazed era, where everything is believed to be measurable. While there is little debate over recent advances in data, analytics, and our ability to trace business activity, some goals are still quite intangible, and managers stumble trying to link these goals to a quantifiable data source.

    In applying the VMF Info-Tech urges you to remember that metrics are not a magical solution. They should be treated as a tool in your toolbox and are sometimes no more than a rough gauge of performance. Carefully assign metrics to your products and services and do not disregard the informed subjective perspective when SMART metrics are unavailable.

    "One of the deadly diseases of management is running a company on visible figures alone."

    – William Edwards Deming, 1982

    Info-Tech’s Build a Value Measurement Framework glossary of terms

    This blueprint discusses value in a variety of ways. Use our glossary of terms to understand our specific focus.

    Value Measurement Framework (VMF)

    A method of measuring relative value for a product or service, or the various components within a product or service, through the use of metrics and weighted organizational priorities.

    Value Driver

    A board organizational goal that acts as a category for many value sources.

    Value Source

    A specific business goal or outcome that business and product or service capabilities are designed to fulfill.

    Value Fulfillment

    The degree to which a product or service impacts a business outcome, ideally linked to a metric.

    Value Score

    A measurement of the value fulfillment factored by the weight of the corresponding value driver.

    Overall Balanced Value Score

    The combined value scores of all value sources linked to a product or service.

    Relative Value

    A comparison of value between two similar items (i.e. applications to applications, projects to projects, feature to feature).

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

    Workshop

    “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

    Consulting

    “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Build a Value Measurement Framework – project overview

    1. Define Your Value Drivers

    2. Measure Value

    Best-Practice Toolkit

    1.1 Identify your business value authorities.

    2.1 Define your value drivers.

    2.2 Weigh your value drivers.

    • Identify your product or service SMEs.
    • List your products or services items and components.
    • Identify your value sources.
    • Align to a value driver.
    • Assign metrics and gauge value fulfillment.

    Guided Implementations

    Identify the stakeholders who should be the authority on business value.

    Identify, define, and weigh the value drivers that will be used in your VMF and all proceeding value measurements.

    Identify the stakeholders who are the subject matter experts for your products or services.

    Measure the value of your products and services with value sources, fulfillment, and drivers.

    Outcome:

    • Value drivers and weights

    Outcome:

    • An initial list of reusable value sources and metrics
    • Value scores for your products or services

    Phase 1

    Define Your Value Drivers

    First determine your value drivers and add them to your VMF

    One of the main aspects of the VMF is to apply consistent and business-aligned weights to the products or services you will evaluate.

    This is why we establish your value drivers first:

    • Get the right executive-level “value authorities” to establish the overarching weights.
    • Build these into the backbone of the VMF to consistently apply to all your future measurements.
    An image of the Value Measure Framework is shown.

    Step 1.1: Identify Value Authorities

    Phase 1

    1.1: Identify Value Authorities

    1.2: Define Value Drivers

    Phase 2

    2.1: Identify Product or Service SMEs

    2.2: Measure Value

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Identify your authorities on business value.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Owners of your value measurement framework

    Outcomes of this step

    • Your list of targeted individuals to include in Step 2.1

    Business value is best defined and measured by the combined effort and perspective of both IT and the business

    Buy-in for your IT strategy comes from the ability to showcase value. IT needs to ensure it has an aligned understanding of what is valuable to the organization. First, priorities need to be established by the business. Second, IT can build a partnership with the business to determine what that value means in the context of IT products and services.

    The Business

    What the Business and IT have in common

    IT

    Keepers of the organization’s mission, vision, and value statements that define IT success. The business maintains the overall ownership and evaluation of the products along with those most familiar with the capabilities or processes enabled by technology.

    Business Value of Products and Services

    Technical subject matter experts of the products and services they deliver and maintain. Each IT function works together to ensure quality products and services are delivered up to stakeholder expectations.

    Engage key stakeholders to reach a consensus on organizational priorities and value drivers

    Engage these key players to create your value drivers:

    CEO: Who better holds the vision or mandate of the organization than its leader? Ideally, they are front and center for this discussion.

    CIO: IT must ensure that technical/practical considerations are taken into account when determining value.

    CFO: The CFO or designated representative will ensure that estimated costs and benefits can be used to manage the budgets.

    VPs: Application delivery and mgmt. is designed to generate value for the business. Senior management from business units must help define what that value is.

    Evaluators (PMO, PO, APM, etc.): Those primarily responsible for applying the VMF should be present and active in identifying and carefully defining your organization’s value drivers.

    Steering Committee: This established body, responsible for the strategic direction of the organization, is really the primary audience.

    Identify your authorities of business value to identify, define, and weigh value drivers

    1.1 Estimated Time: 15 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to identify key business stakeholders involved in strategic decision making at an organizational level.

    1. Review your organization’s governance structure and any related materials.
    2. Identify your key business stakeholders. These individuals are the critical business strategic partners.
      1. Target those who represent the business at an organizational level and often comprise the organization’s governing bodies.
      2. Prioritize a product backlog – include product owners and product managers who are in tune with the specific value drivers of the product in question.

    INFO-TECH TIP

    If your organization does not have a formal governance structure, your stakeholders would be the key players in devising business strategy. For example:

    • CEO
    • CFO
    • BRMs
    • VPs

    Leverage your organizational chart, governing charter, and senior management knowledge to better identify key stakeholders.

    INPUT

    • Key decision maker roles

    OUTPUT

    • Targeted individuals to define and weigh value drivers

    Materials

    • N/A

    Participants

    • Owner of the value measurement framework

    Step 1.2: Define Value Drivers

    Phase 1

    1.1: Identify Value Authorities

    1.2: Define Value Drivers

    Phase 2

    2.1: Identify Product or Service SMEs

    2.2: Measure Value

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Define your value drivers.
    • Weigh your value drivers.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Owners of your value measurement framework
    • Authorities of business value

    Outcomes of this step

    • A list of your defined and weighted value drivers

    Value is based on business needs and vision

    Value is subjective. It is defined through the organization’s past achievement and its future objectives.

    Purpose & Mission

    Past Achievement & Current State

    Vision & Future State

    Culture & Leadership

    There must be a consensus view of what is valuable within the organization, and these values need to be shared across the enterprise. Instead of maintaining siloed views and fighting for priorities, all departments must have the same value and purpose in mind. These factors – purpose and mission, past achievement and current state, vision and future state, and culture and leadership – impact what is valuable to the organization.

    Value derives from the mission and vision of an organization; therefore, value is unique to each organization

    Business value represents what the business needs to do to achieve its target state. Establishing the mission and vision helps identify that target state.

    Mission

    Vision

    Business Value

    Why does the company exist?

    • Specify the company’s purpose, or reason for being, and use it to guide each day’s activities and decisions.

    What does the organization see itself becoming?

    • Identify the desired future state of the organization. The vision articulates the role the organization strives to play and the way it wants to be perceived by the customer.
    • State the ends, rather than the means, to get to the future state.

    What critical factors fulfill the mission and vision?

    • Articulate the important capabilities the business should have in order to achieve its objectives. All business activities must enable business value.
    • Communicate the means to achieve the mission and vision.

    Understand the many types of value your products or services produce

    Competent organizations know that value cannot always be represented by revenue or reduced expenses. However, it is not always apparent how to envision the full spectrum of value sources. Dissecting value by the benefit type and the value source’s orientation allows you to see the many ways in which a product or service brings value to the organization.

    A business value matrix is shown. It shows the relationship between reading customers, increase revenue, reduce costs, and enhance services.

    Financial Benefits vs. Improved Capabilities

    Financial Benefits refers to the degree to which the value source can be measured through monetary metrics and is often quite tangible. Human Benefits refers to how a product or service can deliver value through a user’s experience.

    Inward vs. Outward Orientation

    Inward refers to value sources that have an internal impact and improve your organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in performing its operations. Outward refers to value sources that come from your interaction with external factors, such as the market or your customers.

    Increase Revenue

    Reduce Costs

    Enhance Services

    Reach Customers

    Product or service functions that are specifically related to the impact on your organization’s ability to generate revenue.

    Reduction of overhead. They typically are less related to broad strategic vision or goals and more simply limit expenses that would occur had the product or service not been put in place.

    Functions that enable business capabilities that improve the organization’s ability to perform its internal operations.

    Application functions that enable and improve the interaction with customers or produce market information and insights.

    Expand past Info-Tech’s high-level value quadrants and identify the value drivers specific to your organization

    Different industries have a wide range of value drivers. Consider the difference between public and private entities with respect to generating revenue or reaching their customers or other external stakeholders. Even organizations in the same industry may have different values. For example, a mature, well-established manufacturer may view reputation and innovation as its highest-priority values, whereas a struggling manufacturer will see revenue or market share growth as its main drivers.

    Value Drivers

    Increase Revenue

    Reduce Costs

    Enhance Services

    Reach Customers

    • Revenue growth
    • Data monetization
    • Cost optimization
    • Labor reduction
    • Collaboration
    • Risk and compliance
    • Customer experience
    • Trust and reputation

    You do not need to dissect each quadrant into an exhaustive list of value drivers. Info-Tech recommends defining distinct value drivers only for the areas you’ve identified as critical to your organization’s core goals and objectives.

    Understand value drivers that enable revenue growth

    Direct Revenue

    This value driver is the ability of a product or service to directly produce revenue through core revenue streams.

    Can be derived from:

    • Creating revenue
    • Improving the revenue generation of an existing service
    • Preventing the loss of a revenue stream

    Be aware of the differences between your products and services that enable a revenue source and those that facilitate the flow of capital.

    Funding

    This value driver is the ability of a product or service to enable other types of funding unrelated to core revenue streams.

    Can be derived from:

    • Tax revenue
    • Fees, fines, and ticketing programs
    • Participating in government subsidy or grant programs

    Be aware of the difference between your products and services that enable a revenue source and those that facilitate the flow of capital.

    Scale & Growth

    In essence, this driver can be viewed as the potential for growth in market share or new developing revenue sources.

    Does the product or service:

    • Increase your market share
    • Help you maintain your market share

    Be cautious of which items you identify here, as many innovative activities may have some potential to generate future revenue. Stick to those with a strong connection to future revenue and don’t qualify for other value driver categories.

    Monetization of Assets

    This value driver is the ability of your products and services to generate additional assets.

    Can be derived from:

    • Sale of data
    • Sale of market or customer reports or analysis
    • Sale of IP

    This value source is often overlooked. If given the right attention, it can lead to a big win for IT’s role in the business.

    Understand value drivers that reduce costs

    Cost Reduction

    A cost reduction is a “hard” cost saving that is reflected as a tangible decrease to the bottom line.

    This can be derived from reduction of expenses such as:

    • Salaries and wages
    • Hardware/software maintenance
    • Infrastructure

    Cost reduction plays a critical role in an application’s ability to increase efficiency.

    Cost Avoidance

    A cost avoidance is a “soft” cost saving, typically achieved by preventing a cost from occurring in the first place (i.e. risk mitigation). Cost avoidance indirectly impacts the bottom line.

    This can be derived from prevention of expenses by:

    • Mitigating a business outage
    • Mitigating another risk event
    • Delaying a price increase

    Understand the value drivers that enhance your services

    Enable Core Operations

    Some applications are in place to facilitate and support the structure of the organization. These vary depending on the capabilities of your organization but should be assessed in relation to the organization’s culture and structure.

    • Enables a foundational capability
    • Enables a niche capability

    This example is intentionally broad, as “core operations” should be further dissected to define different capabilities with ranging priority.

    Compliance

    A product or service may be required in order to meet a regulatory requirement. In these cases, you need to be aware of the organizational risk of NOT implementing or maintaining a service in relation to those risks.

    In this case, the product or service is required in order to:

    • Prevent fines
    • Allow the organization to operate within a specific jurisdiction
    • Remediate audit gaps
    • Provide information required to validate compliance

    Internal Improvement

    An application’s ability to create value outside of its core operations and facilitate the transfer of information, insights, and knowledge.

    Value can be derived by:

    • Data analytics
    • Collaboration
    • Knowledge transfer
    • Organizational learning

    Innovation

    Innovation is typically an ill-defined value driver, as it refers to the ability of your products and services to explore new value streams.

    Consider:

    • Exploration into new markets and products
    • New methods of organizing resources and processes

    Innovation is one of the more divisive value drivers, as some organizations will strive to be cutting edge and others will want no part in taking such risks.

    Understand business value drivers that connect the business to your customers

    Policy

    Products and services can also be assessed in relation to whether they enable and support policies of the organization. Policies identify and reinforce required processes, organizational culture, and core values.

    Policy value can be derived from:

    • The service or initiative will produce outcomes in line with our core organizational values.
    • Products that enable sustainability and corporate social responsibility

    Experience

    Applications are often designed to improve the interaction between customer and product. This value type is most closely linked to product quality and user experience. Customers, in this sense, can also include any stakeholders who consume core offerings.

    Customer experience value can be derived from:

    • Improving customer satisfaction
    • Ease of use
    • Resolving a customer issue or identified pain point
    • Providing a competitive advantage for your customers

    Customer Information

    Understanding demand and customer trends is a core driver for all organizations. Data provided through understanding the ways, times, and reasons that consumers use your services is a key driver for growth and stability.

    Customer information value can be achieved when an app:

    • Addresses strategic opportunities or threats identified through analyzing trends
    • Prevents failures due to lack of capacity to meet demand
    • Connects resources to external sources to enable learning and growth within the organization

    Trust & Reputation

    Products and services are designed to enable goals of digital ethics and are highly linked to your organization’s brand strategy.

    Trust and reputation can also be described as:

    • Customer loyalty and sustainability
    • Customer privacy and digital ethics

    Prioritizing this value source is critical, as traditional priorities can often come at the expense of trust and reputation.

    Define your value drivers

    1.2 Estimated Time: 1.5 hours

    The objective of this exercise is to establish a common understanding of the different values of the organization.

    1. Place your business value authorities at the center of this exercise.
    2. Collect all the documents your organization has on the mission and vision, strategy, governance, and target state, which may be defined by enterprise architecture.
    3. Identify the company mission and vision. Simply transfer the information from the mission and vision document into the appropriate spaces in the business value statement.
    4. Determine the organization’s business value drivers. Use the mission and vision, as well as the information from the collected documents, to formulate your own idea of business values.
    5. Use value driver template on the next slide to define the value driver, including:
    • Value Driver Name
    • Description
    • Related Business Capabilities – If available, review business architecture materials, such as business capability maps.
    • Established KPI and Targets – If available, include any organization-wide established KPIs related to your value driver. These KPIs will likely be used or influence the metrics eventually assigned to your applications.

    INPUT

    • Mission, vision, value statements

    OUTPUT

    • List and description of value drivers

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Business value authorities
    • Owner of value measurement framework

    Example Value Driver

    Value Driver Name

    Reach Customers

    Value Driver Description

    Our organization’s ability to provide quality products and experience to our core customers

    Value Driver Weight

    10/10

    Related Business Capabilities

    • Customer Services
    • Marketing
      • Customer Segmentation
      • Customer Journey Mapping
    • Product Delivery
      • User Experience Design
      • User Acceptance Testing

    Key Business Outcomes, KPIs, and Targets

    • Improved Customer Satisfaction
      • Net Promotor Score: 80%
    • Improved Loyalty
      • Repeat Sales: 30%
      • Customer Retention: 25%
      • Customer Lifetime Value: $2,500
    • Improved Interaction
      • Repeat Visits: 50%
      • Account Conversation Rates: 40%

    Weigh your value drivers

    1.3 Estimated Time: 30 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to prioritize your value drivers based on their relative importance to the business.

    1. Again, place the business value authorities at the center of this exercise.
    2. In order to determine priority, divide 100% among your value drivers, allocating a percentage to each based on its relative importance to the organization.
    3. Normalize those percentages on to a scale of 1 to 10, which will act as the weights for your value drivers.

    INPUT

    • Mission, vision, value statements

    OUTPUT

    • Weights for value drivers

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Business value authorities
    • Owner of value measurement framework

    Weigh your value drivers

    1.3 Estimated Time: 30 minutes

    Value Driver

    Percentage Allocation

    1 to 10 Weight

    Revenue and other funding

    24%

    9

    Cost reduction

    8%

    3

    Compliance

    5%

    2

    Customer value

    30%

    10

    Operations

    13%

    7

    Innovation

    5%

    2

    Sustainability and social responsibility

    2%

    1

    Internal learning and development

    3%

    1

    Future growth

    10%

    5

    Total

    100%

    Carry results over to the Value Calculator

    1.3

    Document results of this activity in the “Value Drivers” tab of the Value Calculator.

    A screenshot of Info-Tech's Value Calculator is shown.

    List your value drivers.

    Define or describe your value drivers.

    Use this tool to create a repository for value sources to reuse and maintain consistency across your measurements.

    Enter the weight of each value driver in terms of importance to the organization.

    Phase 2

    Measure Value

    Step 2.1: Identify Product or Service SMEs

    Phase 1

    1.1: Identify Value Authorities

    1.2: Define Value Drivers

    Phase 2

    2.1: Identify Product or Service SMEs

    2.2: Measure Value

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Identify your product or service SMEs.
    • List your product or services items and components.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Owners of your value measurement framework
    • Product or service SMEs

    Outcomes of this step

    • Your list of targeted individuals to include in Step 2.2

    Identify the products and services you are evaluating and break down their various components for the VMF

    In order to get a full evaluation of a product or service you need to understand its multiple facets, functions, features capabilities, requirements, or any language you use to describe its various components.

    An image of the value measure framework is shown.

    Decompose a product or service:

    • Get the right subject matter experts in place who know the business and technical aspects of the product or service.
    • Decompose the product or service to capture all necessary components.

    Before beginning, consider how your use case will impact your value measurement approach

    This table looks at how the different use cases of the VMF call for variations of this analysis, is directed at different roles, and relies on participation from different subject matter experts to provide business context.

    Use Case (uses of the VMF applied in this blueprint)

    Value (current vs. future value)

    Item (the singular entity you are producing a value score for)

    Components (the various facets of that entity that need to be considered)

    Scope (# of systems undergoing analysis)

    Evaluator (typical role responsible for applying the VMF)

    Cadence (when and why do you apply the VMF)

    Information Sources (what documents, tools, etc., do you need to leverage)

    SMEs (who needs to participate to define and measure value)

    1. Prioritize Your Product Backlog

    You are estimating future value of proposed changes to an application.

    Product backlog items (epic, feature, etc.) in your product backlog

    • Features
    • User stories
    • Enablers

    A product

    Product owner

    Continuously apply the VMF to prioritize new and changing product backlog items.

    • Epic hypothesis, documentation
    • Lean business case

    Product manager

    ????

    2. Prioritize Your Project Backlog

    Proposed projects in your project backlog

    • Benefits
    • Outcomes
    • Requirements

    Multiple existing and/or new applications

    Project portfolio manager

    Apply the VMF during your project intake process as new projects are proposed.

    • Completed project request forms
    • Completed business case forms
    • Project charters
    • Business requirements documents

    Project manager

    Product owners

    Business analysts

    3. Application Rationalization

    You are measuring current value of existing applications and their features.

    An application in your portfolio

    The uses of the application (features, function, capabilities)

    A subset of applications or the full portfolio

    Application portfolio manager

    During an application rationalization initiative:

    • Iteratively collect information and perform value measurements.
    • Structure your iterations based on functional areas to target the specific SMEs who can speak to a particular subset of applications.
    • Business capability maps

    Business process owners

    Business unit representatives

    Business architects

    Application architects

    Application SMEs

    4. Application Categorization

    The full portfolio

    Application maintenance or operations manager

    • SLAs
    • Business capability maps

    Identify your product or service SMEs

    2.1 Estimated Time: 15 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to identify specific business stakeholders who can speak to the business outcomes of your applications at a functional level.

    1. Review your related materials that reference the stakeholders for the scoped products and services (i.e. capability maps, org charts, stakeholder maps).
    2. Identify your specific business stakeholders and application SMEs. These individuals represent the business at a functional level and are in tune with the business outcomes of their operations and the applications that support their operations.
      1. Use Case 1 – Product Owner, Product Manager
      2. Use Case 2 – Project Portfolio Manager, Project Manager, Product Owners, Business Process Owners, Appropriate Business Unit Representatives
      3. Use Case 3 – Application Portfolio Manager, Product Owners, Business Analysts, Application SMEs, Business Process Owners, Appropriate Business Unit Representatives
      4. Use Case 4 – Application Maintenance Manager, Operations Managers, Application Portfolio Manager, Product Owners, Application SMEs, Business Process Owners, Appropriate Business Unit Representatives

    INPUT

    • Specific product or service knowledge

    OUTPUT

    • Targeted individuals to measure specific products or services

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Owner of value measurement framework

    Use Case 1: Collect and review all of the product backlog items

    Prioritizing your product backlog (epics, features, etc.) requires a consistent method of measuring the value of your product backlog items (PBIs) to continuously compare their value relative to one another. This should be treated as an ongoing initiative as new items are added and existing items change, but an initial introduction of the VMF will require you to collect and analyze all of the items in your backlog.

    Regardless of producing a value score for an epic, feature, or user story, your focus should be on identifying their various value sources. Review your product’s artifact documentation, toolsets, or other information sources to extract the business outcomes, impact, benefits, KPIs, or any other description of a value source.

    High

    Epics

    Carefully valuated with input from multiple stakeholders, using metrics and consistent scoring

    Level of valuation effort per PBI

    User Stories

    Collaboratively valuated by the product owner and teams based on alignment and traceability to corresponding epic or feature

    Low

    Raw Ideas

    Intuitively valuated by the product owner based on alignment to product vision and organization value drivers

    What’s in your backlog?

    You may need to create standards for defining and measuring your different PBIs. Traceability can be critical here, as defined business outcomes for features or user stories may be documented at an epic level.

    Additional Research

    Build a Better Backlog helps you define and organize your product backlog items.

    Use Case 2: Review the scope and requirements of the project to determine all of the business outcomes

    Depending on where your project is in your intake process, there should be some degree of stated business outcomes or benefits. This may be a less refined description in the form of a project request or business case document, or it could be more defined in a project charter, business requirements document/toolset, or work breakdown structure (WBS). Regardless of the information source, to make proper use of the VMF you need a clear understanding of the various business outcomes to establish the new or improved value sources for the proposed project.

    Project

    User Requirements

    Business Requirements

    System Requirements

    1

    1

    1

    2

    2

    2

    3

    3

    4

    Set Metrics Early

    Good project intake documentation begins the discussion of KPIs early on. This alerts teams to the intended value and gives your PMO the ability to integrate it into the workload of other proposed or approved projects.

    Additional Research

    Optimize Project Intake, Approval, and Prioritization provides templates to define proposed project benefits and outcomes.

    Use Cases 3 & 4: Ensure you’ve listed all of each application’s uses (functions, features, capabilities, etc.) and user groups

    An application can enable multiple capabilities, perform a variety of functions, and have a range of different user groups. Therefore, a single application can produce multiple value sources, which range in type, impact, and significance to the business’ overarching priorities. In order to effectively measure the overall value of an application you need to determine all of the ways in which that application is used and apply a business-downward view of your applications.

    Business Capability

    • Sub-capability
    • Process
    • Task

    Application

    • Module
    • Feature
    • Function

    Aim for Business Use

    Simply listing the business capabilities of an app can be too high level. Regardless of your organization’s terminology, you need to establish all of the different uses and users of an application to properly measure all of the facets of its value.

    Additional Research

    Discover Your Applications helps you identify and define the business use and features of your applications.

    List your product or services items and components

    2.2 Estimated Time: 15 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to produce a list of the different items that you are scoring and ensure you have considered all relevant components.

    1. List each item you intend to produce a value score for:
      1. Use Case 1 – This may be the epics in your product backlog.
      2. Use Case 2 – This may be the projects in your project backlog.
      3. Use Cases 3 & 4 – This may be the applications in your portfolio. For this approach Info-Tech strongly recommends iteratively assessing the portfolio to produce a list of a subset of applications.
    2. For each item list its various components:
      1. Use Case 1 – This may be the features or user stories of an epic.
      2. Use Case 2 – This may be the business requirements of a project.
      3. Use Cases 3 & 4 – This may be the modules, features, functions, capabilities, or subsystems of an application.

    Item

    Components

    Add Customer Portal (Epic)

    User story #1: As a sales team member I need to process customer info.

    User story #2: As a customer I want access to…

    Transition to the Cloud (Project)

    Requirement #1: Build Checkout Cart

    NFR – Build integration with data store

    CRM (Application)

    Order Processing (module), Returns & Claims (module), Analytics & Reporting (Feature)

    INPUT

    • Product or service knowledge

    OUTPUT

    • Detailed list of items and components

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Owner of value measurement framework
    • Product or service SMEs

    Use Cases 3 & 4: Create a functional view of your applications (optional)

    2.3 Estimated Time: 1 hour

    The objective of this exercise is to establish the different use cases of an application.

    1. Recall the functional requirements and business capabilities for your applications.
    2. List the various actors who will be interacting with your applications and list the consumers who will be receiving the information from the applications.
    3. Based on your functional requirements, list the use cases that the actors will perform to deliver the necessary information to consumers. Each use case serves as a core function of the application. See the diagram below for an example.
    4. Sometimes several use cases are completed before information is sent to consumers. Use arrows to demonstrate the flow of information from one use case to another.

    Example: Ordering Products Online

    Actors

    Order Customer

    Order Online

    Search Products

    Consumers

    Submit Delivery Information

    Order Customer

    Pay Order

    Bank

    INPUT

    • Product or service knowledge

    OUTPUT

    • Product or service function

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Application architect
    • Enterprise architect
    • Business and IT stakeholders
    • Business analyst
    • Development teams

    Use Cases 3 & 4: Create a functional view of your applications (optional) (cont’d.)

    2.3 Estimated Time: 1 hour

    5. Align your application’s use cases to the appropriate business capabilities and stakeholder objectives.

    Example:

    Stakeholder Objective: Automate Client Creation Processes

    Business Capability: Account Management

    Function: Create Client Profile

    Function: Search Client Profiles

    Business Capability: Sales Transaction Management

    Function: Order Online

    Function: Search Products Function: Search Products

    Function: Submit Delivery Information

    Function: Pay Order

    Step 2.2: Measure Value

    Phase 1

    1.1: Identify Value Authorities

    1.2: Define Value Drivers

    Phase 2

    2.1: Identify Product or Service SMEs

    2.2: Measure Value

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Identify your value sources.
    • Align to a value driver.
    • Assign metrics and gauge value fulfillment.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Owners of your value measurement framework
    • Product or service SMEs

    Outcomes of this step

    • An initial list of reusable value sources and metrics
    • Value scores for your products or services

    Use your VMF and a repeatable process to produce value scores for all of your items

    With your products or services broken down, you can then determine a list of value sources, as well as their alignment to a value driver and a gauge of their value fulfillment, which in turn indicate the importance and impact of a value source respectively.

    A image of the value measure framework is shown.

    Lastly, we produce a value score for all items:

    • Determine business outcomes and value sources.
    • Align to the appropriate value driver.
    • Use metrics as the gauge of value fulfillment.
    • Collect your score.
    • Repeat.

    The business outcome is the impact the product or service has on the intended business activity

    Business outcomes are the business-oriented results produced by organization’s capabilities and the applications that support those capabilities. The value source is, in essence, “How does the application impact the outcome?” and this can be either qualitative or quantitative.

    Quantitative

    Qualitative

    Key Words

    Examples

    Key Words

    Examples

    Faster, cheaper

    Deliver faster

    Better

    Better user experience

    More, less

    More registrations per week

    Private

    Enhanced privacy

    Increase, decrease

    Decrease clerical errors

    Easier

    Easier to input data

    Can, cannot

    Can access their own records

    Improved

    Improved screen flow

    Do not have to

    Do not have to print form

    Enjoyable

    Enjoyable user experience

    Compliant

    Complies with regulation 12

    Transparent

    Transparent progress

    Consistent

    Standardized information gathered

    Richer

    Richer data availability

    Adapted from Agile Coach Journal.

    Measure value – Identify your value sources

    2.4 Estimated Time: 30 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to establish the different value sources of a product or service.

    1. List the items you are producing an overall balance value score for. These can be products, services, projects, applications, product backlog items, epics, etc.
    2. For each item, list its various business outcomes in the form of a description that includes:
      1. The item being measured
      2. Business capability or activity
      3. How the item impacts said capability or activity

    Consider applying the user story format for future value sources or a variation for current value sources.

    As a (user), I want to (activity) so that I get (impact)

    INPUT

    • Product or service knowledge
    • Business process knowledge

    OUTPUT

    • List of value sources

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Owner of value measurement framework
    • Product or service SMEs

    Measure value – Align to a value driver

    2.5 Estimated Time: 30 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to determine the value driver for each value source.

    1. Align each value source to a value driver. Choose between options A and B.
      1. Using a whiteboard, draw out a 2 x 2 business value matrix or an adapted version based on your own organizational value drivers. Place each value source in the appropriate quadrant.
        1. Increase Revenue
        2. Reduce Costs
        3. Enhance Services
        4. Reach Customers
      2. Using a whiteboard or large sticky pads, create a section for each value driver. Place each value source with the appropriate value driver.

    INPUT

    • Product or service knowledge
    • Business process knowledge

    OUTPUT

    • Value driver weight

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Owner of value measurement framework
    • Product or service SMEs

    Brainstorm the different sources of business value (cont’d.)

    2.5

    Example:

    An example of activity 2.5 is shown.

    Carry results over to the Value Calculator

    2.5

    Document results of this activity in the Value Calculator in the Item {#} tab.

    A screenshot of the Value Calculator is shown.

    List your Value Sources

    Your Value Driver weights will auto-populate

    Aim, but do not reach, for SMART metrics

    Creating meaningful metrics

    S pecific

    M easureable

    A chievable

    R ealisitic

    T ime-based

    Follow the SMART framework when adding metrics to the VMF.

    The intention of SMART goals and metrics is to make sure you have chosen a gauge that will:

    • Reflect the actual business outcome or value source you are measuring.
    • Ensure all relevant stakeholders understand the goals or value you are driving towards.
    • Ensure you actually have the means to capture the performance.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Metrics are NOT a magical solution. They should be treated as a tool in your toolbox and are sometimes no more than a rough gauge of performance. Carefully assign metrics to your products and services and do not disregard the informed subjective perspective when SMART metrics are unavailable.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    One last critical consideration here is the degree of effort required to collect the metric compared to the value of the analysis you are performing. Assessing whether or not to invest in a project should apply the rigor of carefully selecting and measuring value. However, performing a rationalization of the full app portfolio will likely lead to analysis paralysis. Taking an informed subjective perspective may be the better route.

    Measure value – Assign metrics and gauge value fulfillment

    2.6 30-60 minutes

    The objective of this exercise is to determine an appropriate metric for each value source.

    1. For each value source assign a metric that will be the unit of measurement to gauge the value fulfilment of the application.
    2. Review the product or services performance with the metric
      1. Use case 1&2 (Proposed Applications and/or Features) - You will need to estimate the degree of impact the product or services will have on your selected metric.
      2. Use case 3&4 (Existing Applications and/or Features) – You can review historically how the product or service has performed with your selected metric
    3. Determine a value fulfillment on a scale of 1 – 10.
    4. 10 = The product or service far exceeds expectations and targets on the metric.

      5 = the product or service meets expectations on this metric.

      1 = the product or service underperforms on this metric.

    INPUT

    • Product or service knowledge
    • Business process knowledge

    OUTPUT

    • Value driver weight

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Owner of value measurement framework
    • Product or service SMEs

    Carry results over to the Value Calculator

    2.6

    Document results of this activity in the Value Calculator in the Item {#} tab.

    A screenshot of Info-Tech's Value Calculator is shown.

    Assign Metrics.

    Consider using current or estimated performance and targets.

    Assess the impact on the value source with the value fulfillment.

    Collect your Overall Balanced Value Score

    Appendix

    Bibliography

    Brown, Alex. “Calculating Business Value.” Agile 2014 Orlando – July 13, 2014. Scrum Inc. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2017.

    Brown, Roger. “Defining Business Value.” Scrum Gathering San Diego 2017. Agile Coach Journal. Web.

    Curtis, Bill. “The Business Value of Application Internal Quality.” CAST. 6 April 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2017.

    Fleet, Neville, Joan Lasselle, and Paul Zimmerman. “Using a Balance Scorecard to Measure the Productivity and Value of Technical Documentation Organizations.” CIDM. April 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2017.

    Harris, Michael. “Measuring the Business Value of IT.” David Consulting Group. 20 Nov. 2017.

    Intrafocus. “What is a Balanced Scorecard?” Intrafocus. Web. 20 Nov. 2017

    Kerzner, Harold. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. 12th ed., Wiley, 2017.

    Lankhorst, Marc., et al. “Architecture-Based IT Valuation.” Via Nova Architectura. 31 March 2010. Web. 20 Nov. 2017.

    Rachlin, Sue, and John Marshall. “Value Measuring Methodology.” Federal CIO Council, Best Practices Committee. October 2002. Web. April 2019.

    Thiagarajan, Srinivasan. “Bridging the Gap: Enabling IT to Deliver Better Business Outcomes.” Cognizant. July 2017. Web. April 2019.

    IT Organizational Design

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    • member rating overall impact: 9.1/10
    • member rating average dollars saved: $83,392
    • member rating average days saved: 21
    • Parent Category Name: People and Resources
    • Parent Category Link: /people-and-resources

    The challenge

    • IT can ensure full business alignment through an organizational redesign.
    • Finding the best approach for your company is difficult due to many frameworks and competing priorities.
    • External competitive influences and technological trends exacerbate this.

    Our advice

    Insight

    • Your structure is the critical enabler of your strategic direction. Structure dictates how people work together and how they can fill in their roles to create the desired business value. 
    • Constant change is killing for an organization. You need to adapt, but you need a stable baseline and make sure the change is in line with the overall strategy and company context.
    • A redesign is only successful if it really happens. Shifting people into new positions is not enough to implement a redesign. 

    Impact and results 

    • Define your redesign principles. They will act as a manifesto to your change. It also provides for a checklist, ensuring that the structure does not deviate from the business strategy.
    • Visualize the new design with a customized operating model for your company. It must demonstrate how IT creates value and supports the business value creation chains.
    • Define the future-state roles, functions, and responsibilities to enable your IT department to support the business effectively.

    The roadmap

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    Get started

    Our concise executive brief explains to you the challenges associated with the organizational redesign. We'll show you our methodology and the ways we can help you in completing this.

    Define your organizational design principles and select your operating model

    The design principles will govern your organizational redesign; Align the principles with your business strategy.

    • Redesign Your IT Organizational Structure – Phase 1: Craft Organizational Design Principles and Select an IT Operating Model (ppt)
    • Organizational Design Communications Deck (ppt)

    Customize the selected IT operating model to your company

    Your operating model must account for the company's nuances and culture.

    • Redesign Your IT Organizational Structure – Phase 2: Customize the IT Operating Model (ppt)
    • Operating Models and Capability Definition List (ppt)

    Design the target-state of your IT organizational structure

    Go from an operating model to the structure fit for your company.

    • Redesign Your IT Organizational Structure – Phase 3: Architect the Target-State IT Organizational Structure (ppt)
    • Organizational Design Capability RACI Chart (xls)
    • Work Unit Reference Structures (Visio)
    • Work Unit Reference Structures (pdf)

    Communicate the benefits of the new structure

    Change does not come easy. People will be anxious. Craft your communications to address critical concerns and obtain buy-in from the organization. If the reorganization will be painful, be up-front on that, and limit the time in which people are uncertain.

    • Redesign Your IT Organizational Structure – Phase 4: Communicate the Benefits of the New Organizational Structure (ppt)

     

    Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

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    • Parent Category Name: Marketing Solutions
    • Parent Category Link: /marketing-solutions
    • A weak or poorly defined Go-to-Market strategy is often the root cause of slow product revenue growth or missed product revenue targets.
    • Many agile-driven product teams rush to release, skipping key GTM steps leaving Sales and Marketing misaligned and not ready to fully monetize precious product investments.
    • Guessing at buyer persona and journey or competitive SWOT analyses – two key deliverables of an effective GTM strategy – cause poor marketing and sales outcomes.
    • Without the sales and product-aligned business case for launch called for in a successful GTM strategy, companies see low buyer adoption, wasted sales and marketing investments, and a failure to claim product and launch campaign success.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Having an updated and compelling Go-to-Market strategy is a critical capability – as important as financial strategy, sales operations, and even corporate business development, given its huge impact on the many drivers of sustainable growth.
    • Establishing alignment through the GTM process builds long-term operational strength.
    • With a sound GTM strategy, marketers give themselves a 50% greater chance of product launch success.

    Impact and Result

    • Align stakeholders on a common vision and execution plan prior to the Build and Launch phases.
    • Build a foundation of buyer and competitive understanding to drive a successful product hypothesis, then validate with buyers.
    • Deliver a team-aligned launch plan that enables launch readiness and outlines commercial success.

    Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy Research & Tools

    Build Your Go-to-Market Strategy

    Use this storyboard and its deliverables to build a baseline market, understand your buyer, and gain competitive insights. It will also help you design your initial product and business case, and align stakeholder plans to prep for build.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    • Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy – Executive Brief

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      Please enter your email and a few details and you're on your way to an efficient process.

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    • Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy – Phases 1-3
    • Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template
    • Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook
    • Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook
    • Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Infographic

    Workshop: Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Align on GTM Vision & Plan, Craft Initial Strategy

    The Purpose

    Align on GTM vision and plan; craft initial strategy.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Confidence that market opportunity is sufficient.

    Deeper buyer understanding to drive product design and messaging and launch campaign asset design.

    Steering committee approval for next phase.

    Activities

    1.1 Outline a vision for GTM, roles required, identify Steering Committee lead, workstream leads, and teams.

    1.2 Capture GTM strategy hypothesis by working through initial draft of the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation and business case.

    1.3 Capture team knowledge on buyer persona and journey and competitive SWOT.

    1.4 Identify info./data gaps, sources, and plan for capturing/gathering including buyer interviews.

    Outputs

    Documented Steering Committee and Working team.

    Aligned on GTM vision and process.

    Documented buyer persona and journey. Competitive SWOT analysis.

    Document team knowledge on initial GTM strategy, buyer personas, and business case.

    2 Identify Initial Business Case, Sales Forecast, and Launch Plan

    The Purpose

    Identify Initial Business Case, Sales Forecast, and Launch Plan.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Confidence in size of market opportunity.

    Alignment of Sales and Product on product forecast.

    Assessment of marketing tech stack.

    Initial business case.

    Activities

    2.1 Size Product Market Opportunity and initial revenue forecast.

    2.2 Craft initial product hypothesis from buyer interviews including feature priorities, pricing, packaging, competitive differentiation, channel/route to market.

    2.3 Craft initial launch campaign, product release and sales and CX readiness plans.

    2.4 Identify launch budgets across each investment area.

    2.5 Discuss initial product launch business case and key activities.

    Outputs

    Product Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM) and Total Available Market (TAM).

    Definition of product-market fit, uniqueness, and competitive differentiation.

    Preliminary campaign, targets, and readiness plans.

    Incremental budgets for each key stakeholder area.

    Preliminary product launch business case.

    3 Develop Launch Plans (I of II)

    The Purpose

    Develop final Launch plans and budgets in product and marketing.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Align Product release/launch plans with the marketing campaign for launch.

    Understand incremental budgets from product and marketing for launch.

    Activities

    3.1 Apply product interviews to scope, MVP, roadmap, competitive differentiation, pricing, feature prioritization, routes to market, and sales forecast.

    3.2 Develop a more detailed launch campaign plan complete with asset-types, messaging, digital plan to support buyer journey, media buy plan and campaign metrics.

    Outputs

    Minimally Viable Product defined with feature prioritization. Product competitive differentiation documented Routes to market identified Sales forecast aligned with product team expectations.

    Marketing campaign launch plan Content marketing asset-creation/acquisition plan Campaign targets and metrics.

    4 Develop Launch Plans (II of II)

    The Purpose

    Develop final Launch Plans and budgets for remaining areas.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Align Product release/launch plans with the marketing campaign for launch.

    Understand incremental budgets from Product and Marketing for launch.

    Activities

    4.1 Develop detailed launch/readiness plans with final budgets for: Sales enablement , Sales training, Tech stack, Customer onboarding & success, Product marketing, AR, PR, Corp Comms/Internal Comms, Customer Events, Employee Events, etc.

    Outputs

    Detailed launch plans, budgets for Product Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, and AR/PR/Corp. Comms.

    5 Present Final Business Case

    The Purpose

    To gain approval to move to Build and Launch phases.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Align business case with Steering Committee expectations

    Approvals to Build and Launch targeted offering

    Activities

    5.1 Review final launch/readiness plans with final budgets for all key areas.

    5.2 Move all key findings into Steering Committee presentation slides.

    5.3 Present to Steering Committee; receive feedback.

    5.4 Incorporate Steering Committee feedback; update finial business case.

    Outputs

    Combined budgets across all areas. Final launch/readiness plans.

    Final Steering Committee-facing slides.

    Final approvals for Build and Launch.

    Further reading

    Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

    Maximize GTM success through deeper market and buyer understanding and competitive differentiation and launch team readiness that delivers target revenues.

    Table of Contents

    Section Title
    1 Executive Brief
    • Executive Summary
    • Analyst Perspective
    • Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy critical success factors
    • Key GTM challenges
    • Essential deliverables for GTM success
    • Benefits of a more effective GTM Strategy
    • Our methodology to support your success
    • Insight Summary
    • Blueprint deliverables and guided implementation steps
    2 Build baseline market, buyer, and competitive insights
    • Establish your team
    • Build buyer personas and journeys – develop initial messaging
    • Build initial product hypothesis
    • Size product market opportunity
    • Outline your key tech, app, and digital requirements
    • Develop your competitive differentiation
    • Select routes to market
    3 Design initial product and business case
    • Branding check
    • Formulate packaging and pricing
    • Craft buyer-valid product concept
    • Build campaign plan and targets
    • Develop budgets for creative, content, and media purchases
    • Draft product business case
    • Update GTM Strategy deck
    4 Align stakeholder plans to prep for build
    • Assess tech/tools support for all GTM phases
    • Outline sales enablement and customer success plan
    • Build awareness plan
    • Finalize business case
    • Final GTM plan deck

    Executive Brief

    Analyst Perspective

    Go-to-Market Strategy.

    A successful go-to-market (GTM) strategy aligns marketing, product, sales and customer success, sees decision making based on deep buyer understanding, and tests many basic assumptions often overlooked in today’s agile-driven product development/management environment.

    The disciplines you build using our methodology will not only support your team’s effort building and launching more successful products, but also can be modified for use in other strategic initiatives such as branding, M&A integration, expanding into new markets, and other initiatives that require a cross-functional and multidisciplined process.

    Photo of Jeff Golterman, Managing Director, SoftwareReviews Advisory.

    Jeff Golterman
    Managing Director
    SoftwareReviews Advisory

    Executive Summary

    An ineffective go-to-market strategy is often a root cause of:
    • Failure to attain new product revenue targets.
    • A loss of customer focus and poor new product/feature release buyer adoption.
    • Product releases misaligned with marketing, sales, and customer success readiness.
    • Low win rates compared to key competitors’.
    • Low contact-to-lead conversion rates.
    • Loss of executive/investor support for further new product development and marketing investments.
    Hurdles to go-to-market success include:
    • An unclear product-market opportunity.
    • A lack of well defined and prioritized buyer personas and needs that are well understood.
    • Poor competitive analysis that fails to pinpoint key areas of competitive differentiation.
    • Guessing at buyer journey and buyer-described ideal engagement within your lead gen engine.
    • A business case that calls for levels of customer value delivery (vs. feature MVPs) that can actually deliver wins and targeted revenue goals.
    Apply SoftwareReviews approach for greater GTM success.

    Our blueprint is designed to help you:

    • Align stakeholders on a common vision and execution plan prior to the build and launch phases.
    • Build a foundation of buyer and competitive understanding to drive a successful product hypothesis, then validate with buyers.
    • Deliver a team-aligned launch plan that enables launch readiness and outlines commercial success.

    SoftwareReviews Insight

    Creating a compelling go-to-market strategy, and keeping it current, is a critical software company function – as important as financial strategy, sales operations, and even corporate business development – given its huge impact on the many drivers of sustainable growth.

    Go-to-Market Strategy Critical Success Factors

    Your GTM Strategy is where a multi-disciplined team builds a strong foundation for overall product plan, build, launch, and manage success

    A GTM Strategy is not all art and not all science but requires both. Software leaders will establish a set of core capabilities upon which they will plan, build, launch and manage product success. Executives, when resourcing their GTM strategies, will begin with:
    • Strong Program Leadership – An experienced Program Manager will guide the team through each step of GTM Strategy and test team readiness before advancing to the next step.
    • Few Shortcuts – Successful teams will have navigated the process through all steps together at least once. Then future launches can skip steps where prior decisions still hold.
    • Stakeholder Buy-In – Strong collaboration among Sales, Marketing, and Product wins the day.
    • Strong Team Skills – Success depends on having the right talent, making the right decisions, and delivering the right outcomes enabled with the right set of technologies and integrated to reach the right buyers at the right moment.
    • Discipline and perseverance – Given that GTM Strategy is not easy, it’s not surprising that 75% of marketers cite a significant level of dissatisfaction with the outcomes of their GTM plan, build, and launch phases.
    Diagram titled 'Go-to-Market Phases' with phases 'Manage', 'Launch', 'Build', and highlighted as 'This blueprint focus': 'Plan'.

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
    Marketers who get GTM Strategy “right” give themselves a 50% greater chance of Build and Launch success.

    Sample of the 'PLAN' section of the GTM Strategy optimization diagram shown later.

    Go-to-Market Success is Challenging

    Getting GTM right is like winning an Olympic first-place crew finish. It takes teamwork, practice, and well-functioning tools and equipment.

    Stock image of a rowing team.

    • The goal of any Go-to-Marketing Strategy is not only to do it right once, but to do it over and over consistently.
    • A lack of GTM consistency often results in decelerating growth, and a weak GTM Strategy is likely the root cause when companies observe any of the following challenges:
      • Product opportunity is unclear and well-defined business cases are lacking
      • Buyer adoption slows of new features and launch revenue targets are missed
      • Sales and marketing are not ready when development releases new features
      • Sales win/loss ratios drop as customers tell us products are not competitively differentiated
      • Loss of executive support for new product investments
    • A company experiencing any one of these symptoms will find a remedy in plugging gaps in the way they Go-to-Market.

    “Figuring out a Go-to-Market approach is no trivial exercise – it separates the companies that will be successful and sustainable from those that won’t.” (Harvard Business Review)

    Slowing growth may be due to missing GTM Strategy essentials

    Marketers – Large and Small – will further test their GTM Strategy strength by asking “Are we missing any of the following?”

    • Product, Marketing, and Sales Alignment
    • Buyer personas and journeys
    • Product market opportunity size
    • Competitively differentiated product hypothesis
    • Buyer validated commercial concept
    • Sales revenue plan and program cost budget
    • Compelling business case for build and launch

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:

    Marketers will go through the GTM Strategy process together across all disciplines at least once in order to establish a consistent process, make key foundational decisions (e.g. tech stack, channel strategy, pricing structure, etc.), and assess strengths and weaknesses to be addressed. Future releases to existing products don’t need to be re-thought but instead check-listed against prior foundational decisions.

    Is Your GTM Strategy Led and Staffed Properly?

    Staffing tree outlining GTM Strategy essentials. At the top are 'Steering Committee: CEO/GM in larger company, CFO/Senior Finance, Key functional leaders'. Next is 'Program Manager: Leads the GTM program. Workstream leads are “dotted line” for the program.' Followed by 'Workstream Leads: (PM) Product Marketing – Program leadership, (PD) Product Mgt. – Aligned with PM, (MO) Marketing Ops – SMB optional, (BR) Branding/Creative – SMB optional, (CI) Competitive Intel. – SMB optional, (DG) Demand Gen./Field Marketing. – crucial, (SE) Sales Enablement – crucial, (PR) PR/AR/Comms – SMB optional, and (CS) Customer Success – SMB optional'. In a 'Large Enterprise' each role is assigned to a separate person, but in a 'Small' Enterprise each person has multiple roles. 'SMB – as employees wear many hats, teams comprise members with requisite skills vs. specific roles/titles.'

    Benefits of a more effective go-to-market strategy

    Our research shows a more effective GTM Strategy delivers key benefits, including:
    • Increased product development ROI – with a finance-aligned business case, a buyer-validated value proposition, and the readiness of marketing and sales to product launch.
    • Launch campaign effectiveness – increases dramatically when messaging resonates with buyers and where they are in their journey.
    • Seller effectiveness – increases with buyer validated value proposition, competitive differentiation, and the ability to articulate to buyers.
    • Executive support – is achieved when an aligned sales, marketing, and product team proves consistent in delivering against release targets over and over again.

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
    Many marketers experiencing the value of the GTM Steering Committee, extend its use into a “Product and Pricing Council” (PPC) in order to move product-related decision making from ad-hoc to structured, and to reinforce GTM Strategy guardrails and best practices across the company.

    “Go-to-Market Strategies aren’t just for new products or services, they can also be used for:
    • Acquiring other businesses
    • Changing your business’s focus
    • Announcing a new feature
    • Entering a new market
    • Rebranding
    • Positioning or repositioning

    And while each GTM strategy is unique, there are a series of steps that every product marketer should follow.” (Product Marketing Alliance)

    Is your GTM Strategy optimized?

    Large detailed layout of the steps needed to 'Make Your Go-to-Market Strategy More Successful'. 'GTM Planning Success Can Be Elusive'; '75% of high-tech marketers desire a more effective GTM strategy...'. Steps: '1 Your Challenges - Are You Feeling Any of These Pains?', '2 Framework - Stay Aligned', '3 Planning - Check Your GTM Plan Steps', '4 Insight - Deliver Key Output', and '5 Results - Reap Key Benefits'. Source: SoftwareReviews, powered by Info-Tech Research Group.

    Marketers, in order to optimize a go-to-market strategy, will:

    1. Self assess for symptoms of a sub-optimized approach.
    2. Align marketing, sales, product, and customer success with a common vision and execution plan.
    3. Diagnose for missing steps.
    4. Ensure creation of key deliverables.
    5. And then be able to reap the rewards.

    Who benefits from an optimized go-to-market strategy?

    This research is designed for:
    • High-tech marketers who are:
      • Looking to improve any aspect of their go-to-market strategy.
      • Looking for a checklist of roles and responsibilities across the product planning, build, and launch processes.
      • Looking to foster better alignment among key stakeholders such as product marketing, product management, sales, field marketing/campaigners, and customer success.
      • Looking to build a stronger business case for new product development and launch.
    This research will help you:
    • Explain the benefits of a more effective go-to-market strategy to stakeholders.
    • Size the market opportunity for a product/solution.
    • Organize stakeholders for GTM operational success.
    • More easily present the GTM strategy to executives and colleagues.
    • Build and present a solid business case for product build and launch.
    This research will also assist:
    • High-tech marketing and product leaders who are:
      • Looking for a framework of best practices to improve and scale their GTM planning.
      • Looking to align team members from all the key teams that support high-tech product planning, build, launch, and manage.
    This research will help them:
    • Align stakeholders on an overall GTM strategy.
    • Coordinate tasks and activities involved across plan, build, launch, and manage – the product lifecycle.
    • Avoid low market opportunity pursuits.
    • Avoid poorly defined product launch business cases.
    • Build competence in managing cross-functional complex programs.

    SoftwareReviews’ Approach

    1

    Build baseline market, buyer, and competitive insights

    Sizing your opportunity, building deep buyer understanding, competitive differentiation, and routes to market are fundamental first steps.

    2

    Design initial product and business case

    Validate positioning and messaging against brand, develop packaging and pricing, and develop digital approach, launch campaign approach and supporting budgets across all areas.

    3

    Align stakeholder plans to prep for build

    Rationalize product release and concept to sales/financial plan and further develop customer success, PR/AR, MarTech, and analytics/metrics plans.

    Our methodology provides a step-by-step approach to build a more effective go-to-market strategy

    1.Build baseline market, buyer, and competitive insights 2. Design initial product and business case 3. Align stakeholder plans to prep for build
    Phase Steps
    1. Select Steering Committee, GTM team, and outline roles and responsibilities. Build an aligned vision.
    2. Build initial product hypothesis based on sales and buyer “jobs to be done” research.
    3. Size the product market opportunity.
    4. Outline digital and tech requirements to support the full GTM process.
    5. Clarify target buyer personas and the buyer journey.
    6. Identify competitive gaps, parity, and differentiators.
    7. Select the most effective routes to market.
    8. Craft initial GTM Strategy presentation for executive review and status check.
    1. Compare emerging messaging and positioning with existing brand for consistency.
    2. Formulate packaging and pricing.
    3. Build a buyer-validated product concept.
    4. Build an initial campaign plan and targets.
    5. Develop initial budgets across all areas.
    6. Draft an initial product business case.
    7. Update GTM Strategy for executive review and status check.
    1. Assess technology and tools support for GTM strategy as well as future phases of GTM build, launch, and manage.
    2. Outline support for customer onboarding and ongoing engagement.
    3. Build an awareness plan covering media, social media, and industry analysts.
    4. Finalize product business case with collaborative input from product, sales, and marketing.
    5. Develop a final executive presentation for request for approval to proceed to GTM build phase.
    Phase Outcomes
    1. Properly sized market opportunity and a unique buyer value proposition
    2. Buyer persona and journey mapping with buyer needs and competitive SWOT
    3. Tech stack modernization requirements
    4. First draft of business case
    1. Customer-validated value proposition and product-market fit
    2. Initial product business case with sales alignment
    3. Initial launch plans including budgets across all areas
    1. Key stakeholders and their plans are fully aligned
    2. Executive sign-off to move to GTM build phases

    Insight summary

    Your go-to-market strategy ability is a strategic asset

    Having an updated and compelling go-to-market strategy is a critical capability – as important as financial strategy, sales operations, and even corporate business development – given its huge impact on the many drivers of sustainable growth.

    Build the GTM Steering Committee into a strategic decision-making body

    Many marketers experiencing the value of the GTM Steering Committee extend its use into a “Product and Pricing Council” (PPC) in order to move product-related decision making from ad-hoc to structured, and to reinforce GTM Strategy guardrails and best practices across the company.

    A strong MarTech apps and analytics stack differentiates GTM leaders from laggards

    Marketers that collaborate closely with Marketing Ops., Sales Ops., and IT early in the process of a go-to-market strategy will be best able to assess whether current website/digital, marketing applications, CRM/sales automation apps, and tools can support the complete Go-to-Market process effectively.

    Establishing alignment through the GTM process builds long term operational strength

    Marketers will go through the GTM Strategy process together across all disciplines at least once in order to establish a consistent process, make key foundational decisions (e.g. tech stack, channel strategy, pricing structure, etc.), and assess strengths and weaknesses to be addressed.

    Build speed and agility

    Future releases to existing products don’t need be re-thought but instead check-listed against prior foundational decisions.

    GTM Strategy builds launch success

    Marketers who get GTM Strategy “right” give themselves a 50% greater chance of build and launch success.

    Blueprint deliverables

    Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

    Key deliverable:

    Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Capture key findings for your GTM Strategy within the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template.

    Sample of the key deliverable, the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template.

    Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook

    Includes a RACI model and launch checklist that helps scope your working team’s roles and responsibilities.

    Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook deliverable.

    Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Capture launch incremental costs that, when weighed against the forecasted revenue, illustrate gross margins as a crucial part of the business case.

    Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook deliverable.

    Product Market Opportunity Sizing

    While not a deliverable of this blueprint per se, the Product Market Opportunity blueprint is required.

    Sample of the Product Market Opportunity Sizing deliverable. This blueprint calls for downloading the following additional blueprint:

    Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint

    While not a deliverable of this blueprint per se, the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint is required

    Sample of the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint deliverable.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."
    Included within advisory membership Optional add-ons

    Guided Implementation

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with a SoftwareReviews Advisory analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    For guidance on marketing applications, we can arrange a discussion with an Info-Tech analyst.

    Your engagement managers will work with you to schedule analyst calls.

    What does our GI on Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy look like?

    Build baseline market, buyer, and competitive insights

    Design initial product and business case

    Align stakeholder plans to prep for build

    Call #1: Share GTM vision and outline team activities for the GTM Strategy process. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #2: Outline product market opportunity approach and steps to complete. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #3: Hold a series of inquiries to do a modernization check on tech stack. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Call #4: Discuss buyer interview process, persona, and journey steps. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Call #5: Outline competitive differentiation analysis, routes to market, and review of to-date business case. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #6: Discuss brand strength/weakness, pricing, and packaging approach. Plan next call – 3 weeks.

    Call #7: Outline needs to craft assets with right messaging across campaign launch plan and budget. Outline needs to create plans and budgets across rest of marketing, sales, CX, and product. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #8: Review template and approach for initial business case and sales and product alignment. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #9: Review initial business case and launch plans across marketing, sales, CX, and product. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #10: Discuss plans/needs/budgets for tech stack modernization. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #11: Discuss plans/needs/budgets for CX readiness for launch. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #12: Discuss plans/needs/budgets for digital readiness for launch. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #13: Discuss plans/needs/budgets for marketing and sales readiness for launch. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #14: Review final business case and coach on Steering Committee Presentation. Plan next call – 1 week.

    A Go-to-Market Workshop Overview

    Contact your engagement manager for more information.
    Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
    Align on GTM Vision & Plan, Craft Initial Strategy
    Identify Initial Business Case, Sales Forecast and Launch Plan
    Develop Launch Plans (i of ii)
    Develop Launch Plans (ii of ii)
    Present Final Business Case to Steering Committee
    Activities

    1.1 Outline a vision for GTM and roles required, identify Steering Committee lead, workstream leads, and teams.

    1.2 Capture GTM strategy hypothesis by working through initial draft of GTM Strategy Presentation and business case.

    1.3 Capture team knowledge on buyer persona and journey and competitive SWOT.

    1.4 Identify information/data gaps and sources and plan for capturing/gathering including buyer interviews.

    Plan next day 2-3 weeks after buyer persona/journey interviews.

    2.1 Size product market opportunity and initial revenue forecast.

    2.2 Craft initial product hypothesis from buyer interviews including feature priorities, pricing, packaging, competitive differentiation, and channel/route to market.

    2.3 Craft initial launch campaign, product release, sales, and CX readiness plans.

    2.4 Identify launch budgets across each investment area.

    2.5 Discuss initial product launch business case and key activities.

    Plan next day 2-3 weeks after product hypothesis-validation interviews with customers and prospects.

    3.1 Apply product interviews to scope, MVP, and roadmap competitive differentiation, pricing, feature prioritization, routes to market and sales forecast.

    3.2 Develop more detailed launch campaign plan complete with asset-types, messaging, digital plan to support buyer journey, media buy plan and campaign metrics.

    4.1 Develop detailed launch/readiness plans with final budgets for:

    • Sales enablement
    • Sales training
    • Tech stack
    • Customer onboarding & success
    • Product marketing
    • AR
    • PR
    • Corp comms/Internal comms
    • Customer events
    • Employee events
    • etc.

    5.1 Review final launch/readiness plans with final budgets for all key areas.

    5.2 Move all key findings up into Steering Committee presentation slides.

    5.3 Present to Steering Committee, receive feedback.

    5.4 incorporate Steering Committee feedback; update finial business case.

    Deliverables
    1. Documented Steering Committee and working team, aligned on GTM vision and process.
    2. Document team knowledge on initial GTM strategy, buyer persona and business case.
    1. Definition of product market fit, uniqueness and competitive differentiation.
    2. Preliminary product launch business case, campaign, targets, and readiness plans.
    1. Detailed launch plans, budgets for product and marketing launch.
    1. Detailed launch plans, budgets for product marketing, sales, customer success, and AR/PR/Corp. comms.
    1. Final GTM Strategy, launch plan and business case.
    2. Approvals to move to GTM build and launch phases.

    Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

    Phase 1

    Build baseline market, buyer, and competitive insights

    Phase 1

    1.1 Select Steering Cmte/team, build aligned vision for GTM

    1.2 Buyer personas, journey, initial messaging

    1.3 Build initial product hypothesis

    1.4 Size market opportunity

    1.5 Outline digital/tech requirements

    1.6 Competitive SWOT

    1.7 Select routes to market

    1.8 Craft GTM Strategy deck

    Phase 2

    2.1 Brand consistency check

    2.2 Formulate packaging and pricing

    2.3 Craft buyer-valid product concept

    2.4 Build campaign plan and targets

    2.5 Develop cost budgets across all areas

    2.6 Draft product business case

    2.7 Update GTM Strategy deck

    Phase 3

    3.1 Assess tech/tools support for all GTM phases

    3.2 Outline sales enablement and Customer Success plan

    3.3 Build awareness plan

    3.4 Finalize business case

    3.5 Final GTM Plan deck

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Steering Committee and Team formulation
    • A vision for go-to-market strategy
    • Initial product hypothesis
    • Market Opportunity sizing
    • Tech stack/digital requirements
    • Buyer persona and journey
    • Competitive gaps, parity, differentiators
    • Routes to market
    • GTM Strategy deck

    This phase involves the following stakeholders:

    • Steering Committee
    • Working group leaders

    To complete this phase, you will need:

    Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook
    Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template deliverable. Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook deliverable. Sample of the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint deliverable. Sample of the Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook deliverable.
    Use the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template to document the results from the following activities:
    • Documenting your GTM Strategy stakeholders
    • Documenting your GTM Strategy working team
    Use the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook to:
    • Review the scope of roles and responsibilities required
    • Document the roles and responsibilities of your teams
    Use the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint to:
    • Interview sales and customers/prospects to inform product concepts, understand persona and later, flush out buyer journey
    Use the Product Market Opportunity Sizing blueprint to:
    • Project Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM), and Total Available Market (TAM) from your current penetrated market

    Step 1.1

    Identify a GTM Program Steering Committee and Team. Build an Aligned Vision for Your Go-to-Market Strategy Approach

    Activities
    • 1.1.1 Identify the Steering Committee of key stakeholders whose support will be critical to success
    • 1.1.2 Select your go-to-market strategy program team
    • 1.1.3 Discuss an overview of the GTM process and program roles and responsibilities with stakeholders and GTM workstream leads
    • 1.1.4 Develop a Go-to-Market launch, tiering, time-line, and overall program plan
    • 1.1.5 Work with each workstream lead on their overall project plan and incremental budget requirements

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Identify stakeholders – your Steering Committee
    • Identify team members
    • Present a vision of GTM Strategy

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Steering Committee
    • Program workstream leads

    Outcomes of this step

    • Steering Committee identified
    • Team members identified
    • All aligned on the GTM process
    • Go-to-market strategy timeline and program plan
    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals
    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    1.1.1 Identify stakeholders critical to success

    1-2 hours

    Input: Steering Committee interviews, Recognition of Steering Committee interest

    Output: List of GTM Strategy stakeholders as Steering Committee members

    Materials: Following slide outlining the key responsibilities required of the Steering Committee members, A high-Level timeline of GTM Strategy phases and key milestone meetings

    Participants: CMO, sponsoring executive, Functional leads - Marketing, Product Marketing, Product Management, Sales, Customer Success

    1. The GTM Strategy initiative manager should meet with the CMO to determine who will comprise the Steering Committee for your GTM Strategy.
    2. Finalize selection of steering committee members.
    3. Meet with members to outline their roles and responsibilities and ensure their willingness to participate.
    4. Document the steering committee members and the milestone/presentation expectations for reporting project progress and results.

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
    Go To Market Steering Committee’s can become an important ongoing body to steer overall product, pricing and other GTM decisions. Some companies have done so by adding the CEO and CFO to this committee and designated it as a permanent body that meets monthly to give go/no decisions to “all things product related” across all products and business units. Leaders that use this tool well, stay aligned, demonstrate consistency across business units and leverage outcomes across business units to drive greater scale.

    Go-to-Market Strategy Stakeholders

    Understand that aligning key stakeholders around the way your company goes to market is an essential company function.

    Title Key Roles Supporting an Effective Go-to-Market Strategy
    Go-to-Market Strategy Sponsor
    • Owns the function at the management/C-suite level
    • Responsible for breaking down barriers and ensuring alignment with organizational strategy
    • CMO, VP of Marketing, and in SMB Providers, the CEO
    Go-to-Market Strategy Program Manager
    • Typically a senior member of the marketing team
    • Responsible for organizing the GTM Strategy process, preparing summary executive-level communications and approval requests
    • Program manages the GTM Strategy process, and in many cases, the continued phases of build and launch.
    • Product Marketing Director, or other marketing director, that has strong program management skills, has run large scale marketing and/or product programs, and is familiar with the stakeholder roles and enabling technologies
    Functional Workstream Leads
    • Works alongside the Go-to-Market Strategy Initiative Manager on a specific product launch, campaign, rebranding, new market development, etc. and ensures their functional workstreams are aligned with the GTM Strategy
    • With typical GTM B2B a representative from each of the following functions will comprise the team:
      • Product Marketing, Product Management, Field Marketing, Creative, Marketing Ops/Digital, PR/Corporate Comms/AR, Social Media Marketing, Sales Operations, Sales Enablement/Training, and Customer Success
    Digital, Marketing/Sales Ops/IT Team
    • Comprised of individuals whose application and tech tools knowledge and skills are crucial to supporting the entire marketing tech stack and its integration with Sales/CRM
    • Responsible for choosing technology that supports the business requirements behind Go-to-Market Strategy, and eventually the build and launch phases as well
    • Digital Platforms, CRM, Marketing Applications and Analytics managers
    Steering Committee
    • Comprised of C-suite/management-level individuals that guide key decisions, approve of requests, and mitigate any functional conflicts
    • Responsible for validating goals and priorities, defining the scope, enabling adequate resourcing, and managing change especially among C-level leaders in Sales & Product
    • CMO, CTO/CPO, CRO, Head of Customer Success

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Roles vary by company size. Launch success depends on clear responsibilities

    Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook

    Success improves when you align & assign
    • Go-to-Market, build, and launch success improves when:
      • Phases and steps are outlined
      • Key activities are documented
      • Roles/functions are described
      • At the intersection of activities and role, whether the role is “Responsible,” “Accountable,” “Consulted,” or “Informed” is established across the team
    • Leaders will hold a workshop to establish RACI that fits with the scope and scale of your organization.
    • Confusion, conflict, and friction can be dramatically reduced/eliminated with RACI adoption and practice.
    • Review the RACI model and launch checklist within the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook in order to identify the full scope of roles and responsibilities needed.

    Go-to-Market Strategy Working Team

    Consider the skills and knowledge required for GTM Strategy as well as build and launch functions when choosing teams.

    Work with functional leaders to select workstream leads

    Workstream leads should be strong in collaboration, coordination of effort among others, knowledgeable about their respective function, and highly organized as they may be managing a team of colleagues within their function to deliver their responsible portion of GTM.

    Required Skills/Knowledge

    • Target Buyer
    • Product Roadmap
    • Brand
    • Competitors
    • Campaigns/Lead Gen
    • Sales Enablement
    • Media/Analysts
    • Customer satisfaction

    Suggested Functions

    • Product Marketing
    • Product Management
    • Creative Director
    • Competitive Intelligence
    • Demand Gen./Field Marketing
    • Sales Ops/Training/Enablement
    • PR/AR/Corporate Comms.
    • Customer Success
    Roles Required in Successful GTM Strategy
    For SMB companies, as employees wear many different hats, assign people that have the requisite skills and knowledge vs. the role title.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook

    1.1.2 Select the GTM Strategy working team

    1-2 hours

    Input: Stakeholders and leaders across the various functions outlined to the left

    Output: List of go-to-market strategy team members

    Materials: Go-to-Market Strategy Workbook

    Participants: Initiative Manager, CMO, Sponsoring executive, Departmental Leads – Sales, Marketing, Product Marketing, Product Management (and others), Marketing Applications Director, Senior Digital Business Analyst

    1. The GTM Strategy Initiative Manager should meet with the GTM Strategy Sponsor and functional leaders of workstream areas/functions to determine which team members will serve as Steering Committee members and who will serve as workstream leads.
    2. The working team for your go-to-market strategy should have the following roles represented in the working team:
      • Depending on the initiative and the size of the organization, the team will vary.
      • Key business leaders in key areas – Product Marketing, Field Marketing, Digital Marketing, Inside Sales, Sales, Marketing Ops., Product Management, and IT – should be involved.
    3. Document the members of your go-to-market strategy team in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation slide entitled “Our Team.”

    Download the Go-To-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook

    1.1.3 Develop a timeline for key milestones

    1 hour

    Timeline for Key Milestones with row headers 'Go-to-Market Phases', 'Major Milestones', and 'Key Phase Activities'. The phases (each column) and their associated activities are 'PLAN - Create buyer-validated product concept, size opportunity, and build business case', 'BUILD - Build product and enable readiness across the rest of marketing sales and customer success', 'LAUNCH - Release product, launch campaigns, and measure progress toward objectives', and then post-phase is 'MANAGE'. Notes in the 'Major Milestones' row: 'Outline key dates', 'Update with 'Today's Date' as you make progress', and 'Use GTM Plan major milestones or create your own'.

    GTM Program Managers:

    1. Will establish key program milestones working collaboratively with the Steering Cmte. and workstream leads.
    2. Outline key ”Market-facing” or external deliverables & dates, as well as internal.
    3. More detailed deliverable plans are called for working with workstream leads.
    4. This high-level overview will be used in regular Steering Cmte. and working team meets
    5. Record in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    1.1.5 Share your GTM strategy vision with your team

    1-2 hours

    Input: N/A

    Output: Team understanding of an effective go-to-market strategy, team roles and responsibilities and initial product and launch concept.

    Materials: The Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy Executive Brief

    Participants: GTM Program Manager, CMO, Sponsoring executive, Workstream leads

    1. Download the Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy Executive Brief and add the additional slides on Team Composition and Key Milestones you have created in prior steps as appropriate.
    2. Convene the Steering Committee and Working Team and take them through the Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy Executive Brief with your additional slides to:
      1. Communicate team composition, roles and responsibilities, and key GTM Strategy program milestones.
      2. Educate them on what comprises a complete GTM Strategy from the Executive Brief.
    3. Optional: As a SoftwareReviews Advisory client, invite a SoftwareReviews analyst to present the Executive Brief if that is of help to you and your team.

    Go to the Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy Executive Brief

    GTM program managers and workstream leads will collaborate on detailed project plans

    Timeline titled 'Workstreams Status' with a legend of shapes and colors, activities listed as row headers, timeline sections 'EXPLORE', 'DESIGN', 'ALIGN', and 'BUILD', and a column at the end of the timelines for the name of the workstream lead. Notes: 'Change names to actual workstream. Create separate pages for each', 'Overlay colored bars to indicate on/off track', 'Describe major deliverables & due dates', 'Outline major milestones', 'Update with your actual month and week-ending dates', 'Add workstream lead names'.

    Program managers will:

    • Outline an overall more detailed way of tracking GTM program workstreams, key dates and on/off track status

    Program managers & workstream leads will:

    • Call out each key workstream and workstream lead
    • Outline key deliverables and due dates
    • Track weekly for communicating status to Steering Cmte and working team meetings

    Use the Launch Checklist when building out full project plans

    Sample Launch Checklist table with project info above, and table columns 'Component', 'Owner', 'Start Date', 'Finish Date', 'G2M Plan', and 'Build'.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook

    Continuous improvement is enabled with a repeatable process
    • With ownership assigned and set-back schedules in place, product marketing and management leaders can take the guesswork out of the GTM plan and build and launch process for the entire team.
    • “Lighter” versions are created for lower-tier releases.
    • Checklists ensure “we haven’t missed anything” and drive clarity among the team.
    • Articulating where we are now and what’s next increases management confidence.
    • Rinse and repeat improves overall quality and drives scale.

    1.1.6 Develop a project plan for each workstream

    Work with your workstream leads to see them develop a detailed project plan that spans all their deliverables for a GTM Strategy
    1. It’s essential that GTM initiative managers can rely upon workstream leads to provide the status of their respective workstreams in a shared environment for easy weekly updating and reporting.
    2. We suggest the following approach:
      1. GTM initiative managers should maintain a copy of the GTM Strategy Presentation in a shared drive so workstream leads can provide updates.
      2. Workstream leads should work with their GTM initiative manager to populate a version of the workstream tracker shown on the previous slide that enables team status reporting.
      3. Additional slides that actually show “work completed” (e.g. images of assets created, training plans, screen caps of software functionality, etc.) should be reviewed each week as well.
      4. GTM initiative leaders/program managers are advised to summarize the to-date work completed across the team into the Go-To-Market Product and Launch Business Case slides to demonstrate progress to the Steering Committee.
    3. The goal is to keep tracking manageable. Because status is most easily shown during Steering Committee and Working Team meetings using PowerPoint, we recommend a simple approach to program management by using PowerPoint.
    Using the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation:
    3-4 hours Initial, 1-2 hours weekly
    1. Work with your workstream leads to create a slide for each workstream that will contain all the key milestones.
    2. Some teams will choose to use project management software, others a PowerPoint representation, which makes for easy presentation during status meets.
    3. Use the following resources:
      • In the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook, reference the Launch Checklist.
      • In the Go-to-Market Presentation, use the Appendix slides and complete for each workstream.
    4. The GTM initiative manager must be able to track status with workstream leads and present status to the rest of the team during Steering Committee and workstream lead meetings.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Download the Go-To-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook

    Step 1.2

    Hold Interviews With Sales Then Customers and Prospects to Inform Your Initial Product Concept

    Activities
    • 1.2.1 Use the SoftwareReviews Buyer Persona and Journey Interview Guide and Data Capture Tool found within the SoftwareReviews Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint.
    • 1.2.2 Follow the instructions within the above blueprint and hold interviews with Sales and customers and prospects to inform your buyer persona, initial product hypothesis, and buyer journey.
    • 1.2.3 Flush out the initial product and launch concept using the slides found within the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template. You will continually refine the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template such that you turn the Product and Launch descriptions into a business case for product build and launch. We advise you and your team to populate the slides to begin to inform an initial concept, then hold interviews with Sales, customers, and prospects to refine. The best way to capture customer and prospect insights is to use the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Schedule time with sales/sales advisory to flush out the product concept
    • Develop your customer and prospect interviewee list
    • Consolidate findings for your GTM Strategy program slide deck

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Sales/sales advisory, product management, initiative leader (product marketing)
    • Customers and prospects

    Outcomes of this step

    • Guidance from sales on product concept
    • Initial guidance from customers and prospective buyers
    • Agreement to proceed further

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    Documenting buyer personas enables success beyond marketing

    Documenting buyer personas has several essential benefits to marketing, sales, and product teams:
    • Achieve a better understanding of your target buyer – by building a detailed buyer persona for each type of buyer and keeping it fresh, you take a giant step in becoming a customer-centric organization.
    • Align the team on a common definition – will happen when you build buyer personas collaboratively and among teams that touch the customer.
    • Improved lead generation – increases dramatically when messaging and marketing assets across your lead generation engine better resonate with buyers because you have taken the time to understand them deeply.
    • More effective selling – is possible when sellers apply persona development output to their interactions with prospects and customers.
    • Better product-market fit – increases when product teams more deeply understand for whom they are designing products. Documenting buyer challenges, pain points, and unmet buyer needs gives product teams what they need to optimize product adoption.
    “It’s easier buying gifts for your best friend or partner than it is for a stranger, right? You know their likes and dislikes, you know the kind of gifts they’ll have use for, or the kinds of gifts they’ll get a kick out of. Customer personas work the same way. By knowing what your customer wants and needs, you can present them with content targeted specifically to those wants and needs.” (Emma Bilardi, Product Marketing Alliance, July 8, 2020)

    Buyer persona attributes that need defining

    A well defined buyer persona enables us to:

    • Clarify target org-types, identify buying decision makers and key personas, and determine how they make decisions
    • Align colleagues around a common definition of target buyer(s) to drive improvements in messaging and engagement across marketing, sales, and customer success
    • Identify specific asset-types and tools that, when activated within our lead gen engine and in the hands of sellers, helps a buyer move through a decision process
    Functional – “to find them”
    Job Role Titles Org Chart Dynamics Buying Center Firmographics

    Emotive – “what they do and jobs to be done”
    Initiatives – What programs/projects the persona is tasked with and what are their feelings and aspirations about these initiatives? Motivations? Build credibility? Get promoted? Challenges – Identify the business issues, problems, and pain points, that impede attainment of objectives. What are their fears, uncertainties, and doubts about these challenges? Buyer need – They may have multiple needs; which need is most likely met with the offering? Terminology – What are the keywords/phrases they organically use to discuss the buyer need or business issue?

    Decision Criteria – “how they decide”
    Buyer role – List decision-making criteria and power level. The five common buyer roles are champion, influencer, decision maker, user, and ratifier (purchaser/negotiator). Evaluation and decision criteria – The lens, either strategic, financial, or operational, through which the persona evaluates the impact of purchase.

    Solution Attributes – “what the ideal solution looks like”
    Steps in “Jobs to be Done” Elements of the “Ideal Solution” Business outcomes from ideal solution Opportunity scope – other potential users Acceptable price for value delivered Alternatives that see consideration Solution sourcing – channel, where to buy

    Behavioral Attributes – “how to approach them successfully”
    Content preferences – List the persona’s content preferences, could be blog, infographic, demo, video, or other, vs. long-form assets (e.g. white paper, presentation, analyst report). Interaction preferences – Which among in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, video conferencing, conducting research via web, mobile, and social. Watering holes – Which physical or virtual places do they go to network or exchange info with peers e.g. LinkedIn, etc.

    Buyer journeys are constantly shifting

    If you haven’t re-mapped buyer journeys recently, you may be losing to competitors that have. Leaders re-map buyer journeys frequently.
    • The multi-channel buyer journey is constantly changing – today’s B2B buyer uses industry research sites, vendor content marketing assets, software reviews sites, contacts with vendor salespeople, events participation, peer networking, consultants, emails, social media sites, and electronic media to research purchasing decisions.
    • COVID has dramatically decreased face-to-face – we estimate a B2B buyer spent between 20-25% more time online researching software buying decisions in 2021 than they did pre-COVID. This has diminished the importance of face-to-face selling and has given dramatic rise to digital selling and outbound marketing.
    • Content marketing has exploded – but without mapping the buyer journey and knowing where (by channel) and when (which buyer journey step) to offer content marketing assets, we will fail to convert prospects into buyers.

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
    Marketers are advised to update their buyer journey annually and with greater frequency when the human vs. digital mix is effected due to events such as COVID, and as emerging media such as Augmented Reality shifts asset-type usage and engagement options.

    “Two out of three B2B buyers today prefer remote human interactions or digital self service.

    And during August 2020-February 2021, use of digital self service leapt by 10%” (McKinsey & Company, 2021.)

    Challenges of not mapping persona and journey

    A lack of buyer persona and journey understanding is frequently the root cause of the following symptoms:
    • Lead generation results are way below expectations.
    • Inconsistent product-market fit.
    • Sellers have low success rates doing discovery with new prospects.
    • Website abandonment rates are really high.

    These challenges are often attributed to messaging and talk tracks that fail to resonate with prospects and products that fail to meet the needs of targeted buyers.

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
    Marketers developing buyer personas and journeys that lack agreement among Marketing, Sales, and Product of personas to target will squander precious time and resources throughout the customer targeting and acquisition process.

    “Forty-four percent of B2B marketers have already discovered the power of personas.” (Boardview, 2016.)

    1.2.1 Interview Sales and customers/prospects

    12 - 15 Hours, over course of 2-3 weeks

    Input: Insights from Sellers, Insights from customers and prospects

    Output: Completed slides outlining buyer persona, buyer journey, overall product concept, and detailed features and capabilities needed

    Materials: Create a Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint, Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation

    Participants: Product management lead, GTM Program Manager, Select sellers, Workstream leads that wish to participate in interviews

    1. Using the Create a Buyer Journey and Persona Journey blueprint:
      • Follow the instructions to interview a group of Sellers, and most importantly, several customers and prospects
        • For this stage in the GTM Strategy process, the goal is to validate your initial product and launch concept.
        • We urge getting through all the interview questions with interviewees as the answers inform:
          • Product market fit and Minimal Viable Product
          • Competitive differentiation
          • Messaging, positioning, and campaign targeting
          • Launch campaign asset creation.
      • Place summary findings into the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation, and for reference, place the Buyer Persona and Journey Summaries into the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Appendix.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Download the Create a Buyer Journey and Persona Journey blueprint

    Step 1.3

    Update Your Product Concept

    Activities
    • 1.3.1 Based on Sales and Customer/Prospect interviews, update:
      • Your product concept slide
      • Detailed prioritization of features and capabilities

    This step calls for the following activities:

    • Update the product concept slide based on interview findings
    • Update/create the stack-ranking of buyer requested feature and capability priorities

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Product management lead
    • GTM initiative leader
    • Select workstream leads who sat in on interview findings

    Outcomes of this step

    • Advanced product concept
    • Prioritized features for development during Build phase
    • Understanding of MVP to deliver customer value and deal “wins”

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    1.3.1 Update Product and Launch concept

    2 Hours

    Input: Insights from Sellers, Insights from customers and prospects

    Output: Completed slides outlining product concept and detailed features and capabilities needed

    Materials: Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation

    Participants: Product management lead, GTM Program Manager, Select sellers, Workstream leads that wish to participate in interviews

    1. Using the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation:
      • With interview findings, update the Product and Launch Concept, Buyer Journey, and Capture Key Features/Capabilities of High Importance to Buyers slides

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Product and Launch Concept

    At this early stage, summarize findings from concept interviews to guide further discovery, as well as go-to-market concepts and initial campaign concepts in upcoming steps.

    Job Function Attributes

    Target Persona(s):
    Typical Title:
    Buying Center/functional area/dept.:

    Firmographics:
    Industry specific/All:
    Industry subsegments:
    Sizes (by revenues, # of employees):
    Geographical focus:

    Emotive Attributes

    Initiative descriptions: Buyer description of project/program/initiative. What terms used?

    Business issues: What are the business issues related to this initiative? How is this linked to a CEO-level mission-critical priority?

    Key challenges: What business/process hurdles need to be overcome?

    Pain points: What are the pain points to the business/personally in their role related to the challenges that drove them to seek a solution?

    Success motivations: What motivates our persona to be successful in this area?

    Solution and Opportunity

    Steps to do the job: What are the needed steps to do this job today?

    Key features and capabilities: What are the key solution elements the buyer sees in the ideal solution? (See additional detail slide with prioritized features.)

    Key business outcomes: In business terms, what value (e.g. cost/time/FTE savings, deals won, smarter, etc.) is expected by implementing this solution?

    Other users/opportunities: Are there other users in the role team/company that would benefit from this solution?

    Pricing/Packaging

    What is an acceptable price to pay for this solution? Based on financial benefits and ROI hurdles, what’s a good price to pay? A high price? What are packaging options? Any competitive pricing to compare?

    Alternatives/Competition

    What are alternatives to this solution: How else would you solve this problem? Are there other solutions you’ve investigated?

    Channel Preferences

    Where would it be most convenient to buy?: Direct from provider? Channel partner/reseller? Download from the web?

    Decision Criteria Attributes

    Decision maker – Role, criteria/decision lens:
    User(s) – Role, criteria/decision lens:
    Influencer(s) – Role, criteria/decision lens:
    Ratifier(s) – Role, criteria/decision lens:

    Behavioral Attributes

    Interaction preferences: Best way for us to reach this role? Email? At events? Texting? Video calls?

    Content types: Which content types (specifics; videos, short blog/article, longer whitepapers, etc.) help us stay educated about this initiative area?

    Content sources: What news, data, and insight sources (e.g. specifics) do you use to stay abreast of what’s important for this initiative area?

    Update the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation with findings from Sales and customer/prospect interviews.

    Capture key features/capabilities of high importance to buyers

    Ask buyers during interviews, as outlined in the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint, to describe and rate key features by need. You will also review with buyers during the GTM Build phase, so it’s important to establish high priority features now.

    Example bar chart for 'Buyer Feature Importance Ratings' where 'Buyer Need' is rated for each 'Feature'.
    • List key feature areas for buyer importance rating.
    • Establish a rating scheme.
        E.g. a rating of:
      • 4.5 or higher = critical ROI driver
      • 3.5 to 4.5 = must haves
      • 2 to 3.5 = nice to have
      • Less than 2 = low importance
    • Have buyers rate each possible feature 0-5 after explaining the rating scheme. Ask – are we missing any key features?
    • Update this slide, found within the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation, with customer/prospect interview findings.
    Perform the same buyer interviews for non-feature “capabilities” such as:
    • Ease of use, security, availability of training, service model, etc. – and other “non-feature” areas that you need for your product hypothesis.

    Step 1.4

    Size the Product Market Opportunity

    Activities
    • 1.3.1 Based on the product concept, size, and the product market opportunity and with a focus on your “Obtainable Market”:
      • Clarify the definitions used to size market opportunity.
      • Source data both internally and externally.
      • Calculate the available, obtainable market for your software product.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Review market sizing definitions and identify required data
    • Identify the target market for your software application
    • Source market and internal data that will support your market sizing
    • Document and validate with team members

    This step involves the following participants:

    • GTM initiative leader
    • CMO, select workstream leads

    Outcomes of this step

    • Definitions on market sizing views
    • Data sourcing established
    • Market sizing and estimated penetration calculations

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    Market opportunity sizing definitions

    Your goal is to assess whether or not the opportunity is significantly sized and if you are well positioned to capture it

    1. This exercise is designed to help size the market opportunity for this particular product GTM launch and not the market opportunity for the entire product line or company. First a few market sizes to define:
      1. Penetrated – is your current revenues and can be expressed in your percentage vs. competitors’.
      2. Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) – larger than your currently penetrated market, and a percentage of SAM that can realistically be achieved. It accounts for your current limitations to reach and your ability to sell to buyers. It is restricted by your go-to-market ability and reduced by competitive market share. SOM answers: What increased market can we obtain by further penetrating accounts within current geographical coverage and go-to-market abilities and within our ability to finance our growth?
      3. Serviceable Available Market (SAM) – larger than SOM yet smaller than TAM, SAM accounts for current products and current go-to-market capabilities and answers: What if every potential buyer bought the products we have today and via the type of go-to-market (GTM) especially geographical coverage, we have today? SAM calls for applying our current GTM into unpenetrated portions of currently covered customer segments and regions.
      4. Total Available Market (TAM) – larger than SAM, TAM sizes a market assuming we could penetrate other customer segments within currently covered regions without regard for resources, capabilities, or competition. It answers the question: If every potential buyer within our available market – covered regions – bought, how big would the market be?
      5. Total Global Market – estimates market opportunity if all orgs in all segments and regions bought – with full disregard for resources and without the restrictions of our current GTM abilities.
      6. Develop your market opportunity sizing using the Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook.

    Download the Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:
    Product marketers that size the product market opportunity and account for the limitations posed by competitors, current sales coverage, brand permission, and awareness, provide their organizations with valuable insights into which inhibitors to growth should be addressed.

    Visualization of market opportunity sizes as circles within bigger circles, 'Penetrated Market' being the smallest and 'Global Market' being the largest.

    1.4.1 Size the product market opportunity

    Your goal is two-fold: Determine the target market size, and develop a realistic 12–24 month forecast to support your business case
    1. Open the Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook.
    2. Follow the instructions within.
    3. When finished, download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation and update the Product Market Opportunity Size slide with your calculated Product Market Opportunity Size.

    Download the Product Market Opportunity Sizing Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    “Segmentation, targeting and positioning are the three pillars of modern marketing. Great segmentation is the bedrock for GTM success but is overlooked by so many.” (Product Marketing Alliance)

    Step 1.5

    Outline Digital and Tech Requirements

    Activities

    Designing your go-to-market strategy does not require a robust customer experience management (CXM) platform, but implementing your strategy during the next steps of Go-to-Market – Build then Launch – certainly does.

    Review info-Tech’s CXM blueprint to build a more complete, end-to-end customer interaction solution portfolio that encompasses CRM alongside other critical components.

    The CXM blueprint also allows you to develop strategic requirements for CRM based on customer personas and external market analysis called for during your GTM Strategy design.

    Diagram of 'Customer Relationship Management' surrounded by its components: 'Web Experience Management Platform', 'E-Commerce & Point-of-Sale Solutions', 'Social Media Management Platform', 'Customer Intelligence Platform', 'Customer Service Management Tools', and 'Marketing Management Suite'.

    These steps outlined in the CXM blueprint, will help you:

    • Assess your CRM application(s) and the environment in which they exist. Take a business-first strategy to prioritize optimization efforts.
    • Validate CRM capabilities, user satisfaction, issues around data, vendor management, and costs to build out an optimization strategy
    • Pull this all together to develop a prioritized optimization roadmap.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Marketing Operations, Digital, IT
    • Project workstream leads as appropriate

    Outcomes of this step

    • After inquiries with appropriate analysts, client will be able to assess what new application and technology support is required to support Go To Market process.

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    Step 1.6

    Identify features and capabilities that will drive competitive differentiation

    Activities
    • 1.6.1 Hold a session with key stakeholders including sales, customer success, product, and product marketing to develop a hypothesis of features and capabilities vs. competitors: differentiators, parity areas, and gaps (DPG).
    • Optional for clients with buyer reviews and key competitive reviews within target product category:
      • 1.6.2 Request from SoftwareReviews a 2X2 Matrix Report of Importance vs. Satisfaction for both features and capabilities within your product market/category to identify areas of competitive DPG.
      • 1.6.3 Hold an Inquiry with covering ITRG analysts in your product category to have them validate key areas of competitive DPG.
    • 1.6.4 Document competitive DPG and build out your hypothesis for product build as you ready for customer interviews to validate that hypothesis.

    This step will provide processes to help you:

    • Understand and document competitive differentiation, parity, and gaps

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project workstream leads in product marketing, competitive intelligence, product management, and customer success

    Outcomes of this step

    • Develop a clear understanding of what differentiated capabilities to promote, which parity items to mention in marketing, and which areas are competitive gaps
    • Develop a hypothesis of what areas need to be developed during the Build phase of the Go-to-Market lifecycle

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    Assess current capabilities and competitive differentiation vs. buyer needs

    Taking buyer needs ratings from step 1.3, assess your current and key competitive capabilities against buyer needs for both feature and non-feature capabilities. Incorporate into your initial product hypothesis.

    Example bar chart for 'Competitive Differentiation, Parity and Gaps – Features' comparing ratings of 'Buyer Need', 'Our Current Capabilities', and 'Competitive Capabilities' for each 'Feature'.

    • Rank features in order of buyer need from step 1.3.
    • Prioritize development needs where current capabilities are rated low. Spot areas for competitive differentiation especially in high buyer-need areas.
    Perform the analysis for non-feature capabilities such as:
    • ease of use
    • security
    • availability of training
    • service model

    Optional: Validate feature and capability importance with buyer reviews

    Request from your SoftwareReviews Engagement Manager the “Importance vs. Satisfaction” analysis for your product(s) feature and non-feature capabilities under consideration for your GTM Strategy

    Satisfaction
    Fix Promote
    Importance

    Low Satisfaction
    High Importance

    These features are important to their market and will highlight any differentiators to avoid market comparison.

    High Satisfaction
    High Importance

    These are real strengths for the organization and should be promoted as broadly as possible.

    Low Satisfaction
    Low Importance

    These features are not important for the market and are unlikely to drive sales if marketing material focuses on them. Rationalize investment in these areas.

    High Satisfaction
    Low Importance

    Features are relatively strong, so highlight that these features can meet customer needs
    Review Maintain

    Overall Category Product Feature Satisfaction Importance

    • Importance is based on how strongly satisfaction for a feature of a software suite correlates to the overall Likeliness to Recommend
    • Importance is relative – low scores do not necessarily indicate the product is not important, just that it’s not as important as other features

    (Optional for clients with buyer reviews and key competitive reviews within target product category.)

    Optional: Feature importance vs. satisfaction

    Example: ERP “Vendor A” ratings and recommended key actions. Incorporate this analysis into your product concept if updating an existing solution. Have versions of the below run for specific competitors.

    Importance vs. Satisfaction map for Features, as shown on the previous slide, but with examples mapped onto it using a legend, purple squares are 'Enterprise Resource Planning' and green triangles are 'Vendor A'.

    Features in the “Fix” quadrant should be addressed in this GTM Strategy cycle.

    Features in the “Review” quadrant are low in both buyer satisfaction and importance, so vendors are wise to hold on further investments and instead focus on “Fix.”

    Features in the “Promote” quadrant are high in buyer importance and satisfaction, and should be called out in marketing and selling.

    Features in the “Maintain” quadrant are high in buyer satisfaction, but lower in importance than other features – maintain investments here.

    (Optional for clients with buyer reviews and key competitive reviews within target product category.)

    Optional: Capabilities importance vs. satisfaction

    Example: ERP “Vendor A” capabilities ratings and recommended key actions. Incorporate this analysis into your product concept for non-feature areas if updating an existing solution. Have versions of the below run for specific competitors.

    Importance vs. Satisfaction map for Capabilities with examples mapped onto it using a legend, purple squares are 'Enterprise Resource Planning' and green triangles are 'Vendor A'.

    Capabilities in the “Fix” quadrant should be addressed in this GTM Strategy cycle.

    Capabilities in the “Review” quadrant are low in both buyer satisfaction and importance, so vendors are wise to hold on further investments and instead focus on “Fix.”

    Capabilities in the “Promote” quadrant are high in buyer importance and satisfaction, and should be called out in marketing and selling.

    Capabilities in the “Maintain” quadrant are high in buyer satisfaction, but lower in importance than other features – maintain investments here.

    (Optional for clients with buyer reviews and key competitive reviews within target product category.)

    Develop a competitively differentiated value proposition

    Combining internal competitive knowledge with insights from buyer interviews and buyer reviews; establish which key features that will competitively differentiate your product when delivered

    Example bar chart for 'Competitive Differentiation, Parity and Gaps – Features and Capabilities' comparing ratings of 'Your Product' and 'Competitor A' with high buyer importance at the top, low at the bottom, and rankings of each 'Differentiator', 'Parity', and 'Gap'.

    • Identify what buyers need that will differentiate your product features and company capabilities from key competitors.
    • Determine which features and company capabilities, ideally lower in buyer importance, can achieve/maintain competitive parity.
    • Determine which features and company capabilities, ideally much lower in buyer importance, that can exist in a state of competitive gap.

    Step 1.7

    Select the Most Effective Routes to Market

    Activities
    • 1.7.1 Understand a framework for deciding how to approach evaluating each available channel including freemium/ecommerce, inside sales, field sales, and channel partner.
    • 1.7.2 Gather data that will inform option consideration.
    • 1.7.3 Apply to decision framework and present to key stakeholders for a decision.

    This step will provide processes to help you:

    • Understand the areas to consider when choosing a sales channel
    • Support your decision by making a specific channel recommendation

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project workstream leads in Sales, Sales Operations, Product Marketing, and Customer Success

    Outcomes of this step

    • Clarity around channel choice for this specific go-to-market strategy cycle
    • Pros and cons of choices with rationale for selected channel

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    Your “route-to-market” – channel strategy

    Capture buyer channel preferences in Step 1.3, and research alternatives using the following framework

    Inside vs. Field Sales – Selling software during COVID has taught us that you can successfully sell software using virtual conferencing tools, social media, the telephone, and even texting and webchat – so is the traditional model of field/territory-based sellers being replaced with inside/virtual sellers who can either work at home, or is there a benefit to being in the office with colleagues?

    Solutions vs. Individual Products – Do your buyers prefer to buy a complete solution from a channel partner or a solutions integrator that puts all the pieces together, and can handle training and servicing, for a more complete buyer solution?

    Channel Partner vs. Build Sales Force – Are there channel partners that, given your product is targeting a new buyer with whom you have no relationship, can leverage their existing relationships, quicken adoption of your products, and lower your cost of sales?

    Fully Digital – Is your application one where users can get started for free then upgrade with more advanced features without the use of a field or inside sales person? Do you possess the e-commerce platform to support this?

    While there are other considerations beyond the above to consider, decide which channel approach will work best for this GTM Strategy.

    Flowchart on how to capture 'Buyer Channel Preferences' with five possible outcomes: 'Freemium/e-commerce', 'Use specified channel partner', 'Establish channel partner', 'Use Inside Sales', and 'Use Field Sales'.

    Channel Partnerships are Expanding

    “One estimate is that for every dollar a firm spends on its SaaS platform, it spends four times that amount with systems integrators and other channel partners.

    And as technologies are embedded inside other products, services, and solutions, effective selling requires more partners.

    Salesforce, for example, is recruiting thousands of new partners, while Microsoft is reportedly adding over 7,000 partners each month.” (HBR, 2021)

    Step 1.8

    Craft an Initial GTM Strategy Presentation for Executive Review and Status Check

    Activities
    • 1.8.1 Finalize the set of slides within the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation that best illustrates the many key findings and recommended decisions that have been made during the Explore phase of the GTM Strategy.
      • Test whether all key deliverables have been created, especially those that must be in place in order to support future phases and steps.
      • Schedule a Steering Committee meeting and present your findings with the goal to gain support to proceed to the Design phase of GTM Strategy.

    This step will provide processes to help you:

    • Work with your colleagues to consolidate the findings from Phase 1 of the GTM Strategy
    • Create a slide deck with your colleagues for presentation to the Steering Committee to gain approvals to proceed to Phase 2

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project workstream leads in Sales, Sales Operations, Product Marketing, and Customer Success
    • Steering Committee

    Outcomes of this step

    • Slide deck to present to the Steering Committee
    • Approvals to move to Phase 2 of the GTM Strategy

    Phase 1 - Formulate a hypothesis and run discovery on key fundamentals

    Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3 Step 1.4 Step 1.5 Step 1.6 Step 1.7 Step 1.8

    1.8.1 Build your GTM Strategy deck for Steering Committee approval

    1. As you near completion of the Go-to-Market Strategy Phase, Explore Step, an important test to pass before proceeding to the Design step of GTM Strategy, is to answer several key questions:
      1. Have you properly sized the market opportunity for the focus of this GTM cycle?
      2. Have you defined a unique value proposition of what buyers are looking for?
      3. And have you aligned stakeholders on the target customer persona and flushed out an accurate buyer journey?
    2. If the answer is “no” you need to return to these steps and ensure completion.
    3. Pull together a summary review deck, schedule a meeting with the Steering Committee, present to-date findings for approval to move on to Phase 2.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Sample of the 'PLAN' section of the GTM Strategy optimization diagram with 'GTM Explore Review' circled in red.

    The presentation you create contains:

    • Team composition and roles and responsibilities
    • Steps in overall process
    • Goals and objectives
    • Timelines and work plan
    • Initial product and launch concept
    • Buyer persona and journey
    • Competitive differentiation
    • Channel strategy

    Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

    Phase 2

    Design your initial product and business case

    Phase 1

    1.1 Select Steering Cmte/team, build aligned vision for GTM

    1.2 Buyer personas, journey, initial messaging

    1.3 Build initial product hypothesis

    1.4 Size market opportunity

    1.5 Outline digital/tech requirements

    1.6 Competitive SWOT

    1.7 Select routes to market

    1.8 Craft GTM Strategy deck

    Phase 2

    2.1 Brand consistency check

    2.2 Formulate packaging and pricing

    2.3 Craft buyer-valid product concept

    2.4 Build campaign plan and targets

    2.5 Develop cost budgets across all areas

    2.6 Draft product business case

    2.7 Update GTM Strategy deck

    Phase 3

    3.1 Assess tech/tools support for all GTM phases

    3.2 Outline sales enablement and Customer Success plan

    3.3 Build awareness plan

    3.4 Finalize business case

    3.5 Final GTM Plan deck

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Branding consistency check
    • Formulate packaging and pricing
    • Craft buyer-validated product concept
    • Build initial campaign plan and targets
    • Develop budgets for creative, content, and media purchases
    • Draft product business case
    • Update GTM Strategy deck

    This phase involves the following stakeholders:

    • Steering Committee
    • Working group leaders

    To complete this phase, you will need:

    Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation TemplateGo-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist WorkbookBuyer Persona and Journey blueprintGo-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook
    Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template deliverable.Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook deliverable.Sample of the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint deliverable.Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook deliverable.
    Use the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template to document the results from the following activities:
    • Documenting your GTM strategy stakeholders
    • Documenting your GTM strategy working team
    Use the Go-to-Market Strategy RACI and Launch Checklist Workbook to:
    • Review the scope of roles and responsibilities required
    • Document the roles and responsibilities of your teams
    Use the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint to:
    • Interview sales and customers/prospects to inform product concepts, understand persona and later, flesh out buyer journeys
    Use the Go-to-Market Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook to:
    • Tally budgets from across key functions involved in GTM Strategy
    • Compare with forecasted revenues to assess gross margins

    Step 2.1

    Compare Emerging Messaging and Positioning With Existing Brand for Consistency

    Activities

    Share messaging documented with the buyer journey with branding/creative and/or Marketing VP/CMO to ensure consistency with overall corporate messaging. Use the “Brand Diagnostic” on the following slide as a quick check.

    For those marketers that see the need for a re-brand, please:
    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Later during the Build phase of GTM, marketing assets, digital platforms, sales enablement, and sales training will be created where actual messaging can be written with brand guidelines aligned.

    This step is to assess whether you we need to budget extra funds for any rebranding.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • After completing the buyer journey and identifying messaging, test with branding/CMO that new messaging aligns with current:
      • Company positioning
      • Messaging
      • Brand imagery

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Product marketing
    • Branding/creative
    • CMO

    Outcomes of this step

    • Check – Y/N on brand alignment
    • Adjustments made to current branding or new product messaging to gain alignment

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    Brand identity

    Re-think tossing a new product into the same old marketing engine. Ask if your branding today and on this new offering needs help.

    If you answer “no” to any of the following questions, you may need to re-think your brand. Does your brand:

    • recognize buyer pain points and convey clear pain-relief?
    • convey unique value that is clearly distanced from key competitors?
    • resonate with how target personas see themselves (e.g. rebellious, intelligent, playful, wise, etc.) and convey the “feeling” (e.g. relief, security, confidence, inspiration, etc.) buyers seek?
    • offer proof points via customer testimonials (vs. claimed value)?
    • tell a truly customer-centric story that is all about them (vs. what you want them to know about you)?
    • use words (e.g. quality, speed, great service, etc.) that equate to how buyers actually see you? Is your tone of voice going to resonate with your target buyer?
    • present in a clean, simple, and truly unique way? And will your brand identity stand the test of time?
    • represent feedback gleaned from prospects as well as customers?

    “Nailing an impactful brand identity is a critical part of Growth Marketing.

    Without a well-crafted and maintained brand identity, your marketing will always feel flat and one-dimensional.” (Lean Labs, 2021)

    Step 2.2

    Formulate Packaging and Pricing

    Activities
    • 2.2.1 Leverage what was learned in Phase 1 from buyer interviews to create an initial packaging and initial pricing approach.
      • Packaging success is driven by knowing what the buyer values are, how newly proposed functionality may work with other applications, and how well the buyer(s) work in teams.
      • Develop pricing using cost-plus, value/ROI, and competitive/market pricing comparisons.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Approaches to establishing price points for software products
    • Checking if pricing supports emerging product revenue plan

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Product Marketing
    • Product Management
    • Pricing (if a function)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Pricing that is validated through buyer interviews and consistent with overall company pricing guardrails
    • Packaging that can be delivered

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    2.2.1 Formulate packaging and pricing

    Goal: Incorporate buyer benefits into your MVP that delivers the buyer value that compels them to purchase and drives the business case

    1. Leverage findings from buyer interviews and feature prioritization found in Step 1.3 to arrive at initial feature inclusion.
    2. Leverage feedback from customer interviews and competitive pricing analysis to arrive at an initial target price offer.
    3. Go to the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation and use the slides labeled “Go-to-Market Strategy, Overall Project Plan.”

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Refer to the findings from buyer persona interviews

    Sample of the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint deliverable.

    Step 2.3

    Build a Buyer-Validated Product Concept

    Activities
    • 2.2.1 Add to your initial product concept from Phase 1, the pricing and packaging approach.
      • Take the concept out to buyers to get their feedback – not on UX design, that will come later, but to ensure the value is clear to the buyers, and to raise confidence in the product concept.
      • As with previous customer and prospect interviews, use the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint with its accompanying interview guide and focus on the product related questions.
      • Generate your slides to present and discuss with buyers, capture feedback, and refine the product concept.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Hold buyer interviews to review the product design
    • Validate concept and commercial variables – not UX design, that comes later

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Product Marketing
    • Product Management

    Outcomes of this step

    • Customer validated product concept that meets the business plan

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    2.3.1 The best new product hypothesis doesn’t always come from your best customers

    Goal: Validate your product concept and business case

    1. Key areas to validate during product concept feedback:
      1. Feature/capability-build priorities – Which set of features and capabilities (i.e. service model, etc.) must be delivered in a minimum viable product (MVP) that delivers unique and competitively differentiating buyer value so we have win rates that support the business case?
      2. Packaging/Pricing – Are their features/capabilities that are not in base offering but offered as add-ons or not at all? Are their different packaging options that must be delivered given different customer segments and appropriate price points? (E.g. a small- to-medium sized business (SMB) version, Freemium, or Basic vs. Premium offerings?
      3. Routes to Market/Channel – Ensure you validate your channel strategy as work/effort will be needed to arrive at channel sales and marketing enablement.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    “Innovation opportunities almost always come from understanding a company’s worst customers or customers it doesn’t serve” (Harvard Business School Press, 1997)

    2.3.2 How your prospects buy will inform upcoming campaign design

    Goal: During product validation interviews, further validate the buyer journey to identify asset types to be created/sourced for launch campaign design

    1. Leverage findings from buyer interviews with a focus on buyer journey questions/answers found in Step 1.3 and further validated during product concept feedback in step 2.3.
    2. Your goal is to uncover the following key areas (see next slide for illustration):
      1. Validate the steps buyers take throughout the buyer journey – when you validate buyer steps and what the buyer is doing and thinking as they make a buying decision determines if you are supporting the right process.
      2. Validate the human vs. non-human/digital interaction type for each step – this determines whether your lead gen engine or your salesforce (or channel partner) will deliver the marketing assets and sales collateral.
      3. Describe the asset-types most valued by buyers during each step – this will provide the guidance your demand gen/field marketers need to either work with product marketing and creative to design and build, or source the right marketing asset and sales collateral for your lead gen engine and to support sales enablement.
      4. Identify which channels – this will give your digital team the guidance they need to design the “where” to place the assets within your lead gen engine. Feedback from customer interviews and competitive pricing analysis to arrive at an initial target price for offering is shown on the next slide.
    3. Use the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation to complete the buyer journey slide with key findings.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Refer to the findings from buyer persona interviews

    Sample of the Buyer Persona and Journey blueprint deliverable.

    Answers you need to map buyer journey

    Your buyer interviews – whether during earlier steps or here during product concept validation – will give specific answers to all areas in green text below. Understanding channels, asset-types, and crafting your key messaging are essential for next steps.

    Table outlining an example buyer's journey with fields in green text that are to be to replaced with answers from your buyer interviews.

    Step 2.4

    Build Your Initial Campaign Plan and Targets

    Activities
    • 2.4.1. While product management and marketing is working on the business case, the campaign team is designing their launch campaign.
    • Expand from the product concept and build out the entire launch campaign identifying dates, CTA’s, channels, and asset types needed that will be built during the Build phase.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Outline deployment plan of activities and outcomes
    • Draw up specs for needed assets, web-page changes, emails, target segments, and targets for leads generated

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Field Marketing
    • Product Marketing

    Outcomes of this step

    • The initial draft of the campaign plan that outlines multichannel activities, dates, and assets that need to be sourced and/or created

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    2.4.1 Document your campaign plan

    2 hours

    On the following Awareness and Lead Gen Engine slide:
    1. Tailor the slide to describe your lead generation engine as you will use it when you get to latter steps to describe the activities in your lead gen engine and weigh them for go-to-market strategy.
    2. Use the template to see what makes up a typical lead gen and awareness building engine to see what you may be missing, as well as to record your current engine “parts.”
      • Note: The “Goal” image in upper right is meant as a reminder that marketers should establish a goal for Sales Qualified Leads (SQL’s) delivered to field sales for each campaign.

    On the Product and Launch Concept slides:

    1. Update the slides with findings from 2.3 and 2.4.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    “Only 32% of marketers – and 29% of B2B marketers – said the process of planning campaigns went very well. Just over half were sure they had selected the right business goal for a given marketing project and only 42% were confident they identified the right audience – which is, of course, a critical determinant for achieving success.” (MIT Sloan Management Review)

    Launch campaign

    Our Goal for [Campaign name] is to generate X SQL’s

    Flowchart of the steps to take when a campaign is launched, from 'Organic Website Visits' and 'Go Live' to future 'Sales Opportunities'. A key is present to decipher various icons.

    Awareness

    PR/EXTERNAL COMMS:

    Promote release in line with company story

    • [Executive Name] interview with [Publication Y] on [Launch Topic X] – Mo./Day
    • Press Release on new enhancements – Mo./Day
    • [Executive Name] interview with [Publication Z] on [Launch Topic X] – Mo./Day
    ANALYST RELATIONS:

    Receive analyst feedback pre-launch and brief with final releases messaging/positioning

    • Inquiry with [Key Analysts] on [Launch Topic X] – Mo./Day, pre launch
    • Press Release shared on new enhancements – Launch day minus two days
    • Analyst briefing with [Key Analysts] on [Launch Topic X] – Launch day minus two days

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    2.4.2 Campaign targets

    Goal: Establish a Marketing-Influenced Win target that will be achieved for this launch

    We advise setting a target for the launch campaign. Here is a suggested approach:
    1. Understand what % of all sales wins are touched by marketing either through first or last touch attribution. This is the % of Marketing-Influenced Wins (MIWs).
    2. Determine what sales wins are needed to attain product revenue targets for this launch.
    3. Apply the actual company MIW % to the number of deals that must be closed to achieve target product launch revenues. This becomes the MIW target for this launch campaign.
    4. Then, using your average marketing funnel conversion rates working backwards from MIWs to Opportunities, Sales Accepted Leads (SALs), Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs), Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), up to website visits.
    5. Update the slides with findings from 2.3 and 2.4.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    “Marketing should quantify its contribution to the business. One metric many clients have found valuable is Marketing Influenced Wins (MIW). Measured by what % of sales wins had a last-touch marketing attribution, marketers in the 30% – 40% MIW range are performing well.” (SoftwareReviews Advisory Research)

    Step 2.5

    Develop Initial Budgets Across All Areas

    Activities
    • 2.5.1 Use the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and work with your workstream leads.
      • Capture the costs associated with this GTM Strategy and Launch.
      • Summarize your GTM budget in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation, including the details behind the gross margin calculation for your GTM Strategy/campaign if required.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Field marketing, product marketing, creative, others to identify the specific budget elements needed for this campaign/launch

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Field Marketing
    • Product Marketing
    • Branding/creative

    Outcomes of this step

    • The initial marketing budget for this campaign/launch

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    2.5.1 Develop your GTM Strategy/product launch campaign budget

    Goal: Work with your workstream leads to identify all incremental costs associated with this GTM strategy and product launch

    1. Use the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and adjust to include the areas that are identified by your workstream leads as being applicable to this GTM Strategy and Launch.
      • These should be incremental costs to normal operating and capital budgets and those areas that are fully approved for inclusion by your Steering Committee/Sponsoring Executive.
    2. Begin to Catalog all applicable costs to include all key areas such as:
      • Technology costs for internal use (typically from Marketing Ops), and “core” to product technology costs working with the product team
      • Channel marketing programs, agency (e.g. branding, naming, web design, SEO, content marketing, etc.), T&E, paid media, events, marketing assets, etc.
    3. Note that in the Align Step – Step 3, you will see your workstream leads each develop their individual contributions to both the launch plan as well a budget.

    4. Summarize your initial GTM budget findings in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation, including the details behind the gross margin calculation for your GTM Strategy/campaign if required. Again, you will flush out the final costs within each workstream areas in Phase 3, ”Align.”

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Step 2.6

    Draft Initial Product Business Case

    Activities
    • 2.6.1 Here’s where you begin to pull together all the essential elements of your final business case.
      • For many organizations that require a view of return on investment, you will begin here to shape the key elements that your organization requires for a complete business case to go ahead with the needed investments.
      • The goal is to compare estimated costs to estimated revenues to ensure acceptable margins will be delivered for this GTM strategy/product launch.
      • The culmination of work to get to this calculation will continue through Phase 3; however, the following slide illustrates the kind of visualization that will be possible with our approach.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • A product revenue forecast is created, alignment with sales/sales targets is created for a minimum viable product (MVP) that meets the buyer’s needs at the price point established/validated

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Product management
    • Product marketing
    • Sales leadership

    Outcomes of this step

    • The important measures of:
      • Product revenue forecast
      • Supported MVP features

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    Gross Margin Estimates – part of a complete product business case

    Your goal: Earn more than you spend! This projection of estimated gross margins should be part of your product launch business case. The GTM initiative lead and workstream leads are charged with estimating incremental costs, and product and sales must work together on the revenue forecast.

    Net Return

    We estimate our 12 month gross profit to be ….

    Quarterly Revenues

    Based on sales forecast, our quarterly/monthly revenues are ….

    Estimated Expenses

    Incremental up-front costs are expected to be ….

    Example 'P&L waterfall for Product X Launch' with notes. Green bars are 'Increase', red bars are 'Decrease', and blue bars are 'Total'. Red bar note: 'Your estimated incremental up-front costs', Green bar note: 'Your estimated net incremental revenues vs. costs', Blue bar note: 'Your estimated net gross profit for this product launch and campaign', 'END' note: 'Extend for suitable period'.

    2.6.1 Develop your initial product business case

    Goal: Focused on the Product Concept areas related to product Market Fit, Buyer Needs and Market Opportunity, Product Managers will summarize in order to gain approval for Build

    1. Using the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation, product managers should ensure the product concept slide(s) support the rationale to move to Build phase. Key areas include:
      1. Adequate market opportunity size – that is worth the incremental investment
      2. Acceptable costs/investment to pursue the opportunity – design, creative services for branding, web design, product naming, asset creation, copywriting, translation services not available in-house
      3. Well-defined product market fit – review buyer interviews that identify buyer pain points and ideas that will deliver needed business value
      4. Buyer-validated commercials – buyer-validated pricing and packaging
      5. Product development budget and staffing support to build viable MVP & beyond roadmap – development budget and staffing is in place/budgeted to deliver MVP by target date and continue to ensure attainment of product revenue targets
      6. Unique product value proposition that is competitively differentiated – to drive acceptable win rates
      7. Product Sales Forecast – that when compared to costs meets company investment hurdle rates
      8. Sales Leadership support for achieving sales forecast and supported sales/channel resourcing plan – sales leadership has taken on forecasted revenues as an incremental sales quota and has budget for additional hiring, enablement, and training for attainment.
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation and complete the slides summarizing these key areas that support the business case for the next phases of Build and Launch.

    Product Business Case Checklist:

    • Acceptably large enough product market opportunity
    • Well-defined competitive differentiation
    • Buyer-validated product-market fit
    • Buyer-validated and competitive commercials (i.e. pricing, packaging)
    • An MVP with roadmap that aligns to buyer needs and buyer-validated price points
    • A 24–36 month sales forecast with CRO sign-up and support for attainment
    • Costs of launch vs. forecasted revenues to gauge gross margins

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Step 2.7

    Update the GTM Strategy Presentation Deck for Executive Review and Sign-off

    Activities
    • 2.7.1 Update the deck with Phase 2 findings culminating in the business case.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Drop into the GTM Strategy deck the summary findings from the team’s work
    • Write an executive summary that garners executive support for needed funds, signed-up-for sales targets, agreed upon launch timing
    • Steering Committee alignment on above and next steps

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Steering Committee
    • Workstream leads

    Outcomes of this step

    • Executive support for the GTM Strategy plan and approval to proceed to Phase 3

    Phase 2 – Validate designs with buyers and solidify product business case

    Step 2.1 Step 2.2 Step 2.3 Step 2.4 Step 2.5 Step 2.6 Step 2.7

    2.7.1 Update your GTM Strategy deck for Design Steering Committee approval

    1. As you near completion of the Go-to-Market Strategy Phase – Design Step, while your emerging business case is important, it will be finalized in the Align Step.
    2. An important test to pass before proceeding to the Align step of the GTM Strategy, is to answer several key questions:
      1. Have you validated the product value proposition with buyers?
      2. Is the competitive differentiation clear for this offering?
      3. Did Sales support the business case by signing up for the incremental quota?
      4. Has product defined an MVP that aligns with the buyer value needed to drive purchases?
      • If the answer is “no” you need to return to these steps and ensure completion
    3. Pull together a summary review deck, schedule a meeting with the Steering Committee, and present to-date findings for approval to move onto Phase 3.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Sample of the 'PLAN' section of the GTM Strategy optimization diagram with 'GTM Design Review' circled in red.

    The presentation you create contains:

    • Timelines and a work plan
    • Expanded product concept to include your packaging and pricing approach
    • Feedback from buyers on validated product concept especially commercial elements
    • Expanded campaign plan and marketing budget
    • Initial product business case

    Build a More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

    Phase 3

    Align stakeholder plans to prep for build

    Phase 1

    1.1 Select Steering Cmte/team, build aligned vision for GTM

    1.2 Buyer personas, journey, initial messaging

    1.3 Build initial product hypothesis

    1.4 Size market opportunity

    1.5 Outline digital/tech requirements

    1.6 Competitive SWOT

    1.7 Select routes to market

    1.8 Craft GTM Strategy deck

    Phase 2

    2.1 Brand consistency check

    2.2 Formulate packaging and pricing

    2.3 Craft buyer-valid product concept

    2.4 Build campaign plan and targets

    2.5 Develop cost budgets across all areas

    2.6 Draft product business case

    2.7 Update GTM Strategy deck

    Phase 3

    3.1 Assess tech/tools support for all GTM phases

    3.2 Outline sales enablement and Customer Success plan

    3.3 Build awareness plan

    3.4 Finalize business case

    3.5 Final GTM Plan deck

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    1. Assess tech/tools support for all GTM phases
    2. Map lead generation plan
    3. Outline Customer Success plan
    4. Build awareness plan (PR/AR, etc.)
    5. Finalize product business case
    6. Final GTM planning deck and Steering Committee review

    This phase involves the following stakeholders:

    • Steering Committee
    • Working group leaders

    To complete this phase, you will need:

    Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook
    Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template deliverable. Sample of the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook deliverable.
    Use the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template to document the results from the following activities:
    • Documenting your GTM Strategy Stakeholders
    • Documenting your GTM Strategy Working Team
    Use the Go-to-Market Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook to:
    • Tally budgets from across key functions involved in the GTM Strategy
    • Compare with forecasted revenues to assess gross margins

    Step 3.1

    Assess Technology and Tools Support for Your GTM Strategy as Well as Future Phases of GTM

    Activities
    • 3.1.1 Have Marketing Operations document what tech stack improvements are required in order to get the team to a successful launch. Understand costs and implementation timelines and work it into the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • After completing your initial survey in Step 1, complete requirements building for needed technology and tools acquisition/upgrade in campaign management, sales opportunity management, and analytics.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Marketing operations/digital
    • IT

    Outcomes of this step

    • Build a business requirement against which to evaluate new/upgraded vendor tools to support the entire GTM process

    Phase 3 – Align functional plans with a compelling business case for product build

    Step 3.1 Step 3.2 Step 3.3 Step 3.4 Step 3.5

    3.1.1 Technology plan and investments

    Goal: Outline the results of our analysis and Info-Tech analyst guidance regarding supporting systems, tools, and technologies to support our go-to-market strategy

    1. Plans, timings, and incremental costs related to, but not limited to, the following apps/tools/technologies:
      1. Lead management/Marketing automation
      2. Marketing analytics
      3. Sales Opportunity Management System (OMS) and Configure, Price, and Quote (CPQ) applications
      4. Sales engagement
      5. Sales analytics
      6. Customer service and support/Customer interaction hub
      7. Customer data management and analytics
      8. Customer experience platforms
      9. Marketing content management
      10. Creative tools
      11. Share of voice and social platform management
      12. Etc.
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and complete by adding costs identified in above areas that are specific to this go-to-market strategy, Build, and Launch initiative. Record in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation completing the areas within the slides related to the Product and Launch Concepts and Business Case.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Step 3.2

    Outline Sales Enablement and Support for Customer Success to Include Onboarding and Ongoing Engagement

    Activities
    • 3.3.1 Sales Enablement – develop the sales enablement and training plan for Launch to include activities, responsible parties, dates for delivery, etc.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Finalize the customer success training and support plan
    • Onboarding scripts
    • Changes to help screens in application
    • Timing to plan for Quality Acceptance

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Customer Success lead
    • Product management
    • Product marketing

    Outcomes of this step

    • Plan for creation of copy, assets, and rollout pan to support clients and client segments for Launch

    Phase 3 – Align functional plans with a compelling business case for product build

    Step 3.1 Step 3.2 Step 3.3 Step 3.4 Step 3.5

    3.2.1 Outline sales enablement

    Goal: Outline sales collateral, updates to sales proposals, CPQ, Opportunity Management Systems, and sales training

    1. Describe the requirements for sales enablement to include elements such as:
      1. Sales collateral
      2. Client-facing presentations
      3. Sales proposal updates
      4. Updates to Configure, Price, and Quote (CPQ) applications
      5. Updates to Opportunity Management System (OMS) applications
      6. Sales demo versions of the new product
      7. Sales communication plans
      8. Sales training and certification programs
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and add the costs identified in above areas that are specific to this go-to-market strategy, Build, and Launch initiative. Record as well in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation completing the areas within the slides related to the Product and Launch Concepts and Business Case.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    3.2.2 Outline customer success

    Goal: Outline customer support/success requirements and plan

    1. Plans, timings, and incremental costs for the following:
      1. Onboarding scripts for the new solution
      2. Updates to retention lifecycle
      3. FAQ answers
      4. Updates to online help/support system
      5. “How-to” videos
      6. Live chat updates
      7. Updates to “provide feedback” system
      8. Updates to Quarterly Business Review slides
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and add the costs identified in above areas that are specific to this go-to-market strategy, Build, and Launch initiative. Record in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation and complete the areas within the slides related to the Product and Launch Concepts and Business Case.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Step 3.3

    Build an Awareness Plan Covering Media, Social Media, and Industry Analysts

    Activities
    • 3.4.1 Corp Comms/PR/AR – develop the overall awareness plans for executive interviews, articles placed, social drops, analyst briefing dates, and internal associate comms if required.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Outline outbound communications plans including press releases, social posts, etc.
    • Describe dates for AR outreach to covering analysts
    • Develop the internal communications plan

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Corporate Comms lead
    • Creative
    • Analyst relations
    • Social media marketing lead

    Outcomes of this step

    • Plan for creation of copy, assets, and rollout pan to support awareness building, external communications, and internal communications if required

    Phase 3 – Align functional plans with a compelling business case for product build

    Step 3.1 Step 3.2 Step 3.3 Step 3.4 Step 3.5

    3.3.1 Internal communications plan

    Goal: Outline complete internal communications plan. For large-scale changes (i.e. rebranding, M&A, etc.) HR may drive significant volume of employee communications working with Corporate Comms

    1. Plans, timings, and incremental costs for the following:
      1. Complete a comms plan with dates, messages, and channels
      2. Team member roles and responsibilities
      3. Intranet article and posting schedules
      4. Creation of new office signage, merchandise, etc. for employee kits
      5. Pre-launch announcements schedule
      6. Launch day communications, events, and activities
      7. Post launch update schedule and messages for launch success
      8. Incremental staffing and resources/budget requirements
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and add costs identified in above areas that are specific to this go-to-market strategy, Build, and Launch initiative. Record as well in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation completing the areas related to the Product and Launch Concepts and Business Case.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    3.3.2 PR and External Communications Plan

    Goal: Outline complete internal communications plan. For large scale changes (i.e. rebranding, M&A, etc.) HR may drive significant volume of employee communications working with Corporate Comms

    1. Plans, timings, and incremental costs for the following:
      1. List of Tier 1 and Tier 2 media authors covering the [product/initiative] market area
      2. Schedule of launch briefings, with any non-analyst influencers
      3. Timing of press releases
      4. Required supporting executives and stakeholders for each of the above meetings
      5. Slide deck/media kit for the above and planned questions to support needed feedback
      6. Media Site materials especially to support media questions and requests for briefings
      7. Social postings calendar of activities and key messages plan
      8. Publish data of [product/initiative] relevant articles with set-back schedules
      9. Cultivation of reference customers and client testimonials for media outreach
      10. Requirements for additional staffing to cover product/initiative new market and analysts
      11. Internal and external events calendar to invite media
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and add the costs identified in the above areas that are specific to this go-to-market strategy, Build, and Launch initiative. Record in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation by completing the areas related to the Product and Launch Concepts and Business Case.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    3.3.3 Analyst relations plan

    Goal: Outline incremental costs in analyst communications, engagement, and access to research

    1. Plans, timings, and incremental costs for the following:
      1. List of Tier 1 and Tier 2 analysts for the [product/initiative] market area
      2. Schedule of inquiries, pre-launch briefings, launch briefings, and post-launch feedback
      3. Required supporting executives and stakeholders for each of the above meetings
      4. Analyst deck for each of the above and planned questions to support needed feedback
      5. Analyst Site materials to support 2nd and 3rd Tier analysts’ questions and requests for briefings
      6. Social postings calendar of activities and key messages
      7. Resources to respond to analyst blogs and/or social posts regarding your product/initiative area
      8. Timing of important and relevant analyst document/methodology publishing dates with set-back schedules
      9. Cultivation of reference customers and client testimonials to coincide with analyst outreach for research and for buyer review sites/reviews data gathering
      10. Requirements for additional staffing to cover product/initiative new market and analysts
      11. Events calendar where analysts will be presenting on this product/initiative market
    2. Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook and add the costs identified in the above areas that are specific to this go-to-market strategy, Build and Launch initiative. Record in the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation by completing the areas related to the Product and Launch Concepts and Business Case.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Step 3.4

    Finalize Product Business Case With Collaborative Input From Product, Sales, and Marketing

    Activities
    • 3.5.1 Convene the team to align sales, marketing, and product around the business case.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Refine the product business case initiated in Phase 2
    • Align product revenue forecast with sales revenue forecast
    • Align MVP features to be developed during “GTM – Build” with customer validated product-market fit

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project lead
    • Product management
    • Product marketing

    Outcomes of this step

    • Product business case

    Phase 3 – Align functional plans with a compelling business case for product build

    Step 3.1 Step 3.2 Step 3.3 Step 3.4 Step 3.5

    3.4.1 Final product Build and Launch business case

    Goal: Beyond the product business case, factor in costs for technology, campaigning, sales enablement, and customer success in order to gain approval for Build and Launch

    1. Using the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation, workstream leads and Go-to-Market Initiative leaders will finalize the anticipated incremental costs, and when compared to projected product revenues, present to the Steering Committee including CFO for final approval before moving to Build and Launch.
    2. To present a complete business case, key cost areas include:
      1. All the areas outlined up through Step 3.4 plus:
      2. Technology/MarTech Stack incremental costs
      3. Channel programs, branding/agency, pricing, packaging/product, and T&E incremental costs
      4. Campaign related – creative, content marketing, paid media, events, SEO, lists/data
      5. Sales Enablement, Customer Support/Success incremental costs
      6. Internal communications/events/activities/signage costs
      7. PR/AR/Media incremental costs
    3. Compare to final Sales/Product agreed projected revenues, in order to calculate estimated gross margins

    Go to the Go-to-Market Budget Workbook as outlined in prior steps and document final incremental costs and projected revenues and summarize within the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Cost Budget and Revenue Forecast Workbook

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Product Build and Launch Business Case Checklist:

    • Acceptably large enough product market opportunity
    • Well-defined competitive differentiation
    • Buyer-validated product-market fit
    • Buyer-validated and competitive commercials (i.e. pricing, packaging)
    • An MVP with roadmap that aligns with buyer needs and buyer validated price points
    • A 24–36 month sales forecast with CRO sign-up and support for attainment
    • Incremental product development, tech, marketing, sales, customer success, AR/PR costs vs. forecasted revenues fall within acceptable margins

    Step 3.5

    Develop Your Final Executive Presentation to Request Approval and Proceed to GTM Build Phase

    Activities
    • 3.6.1 Update the Product, Launch, Journey, and Business Case slides included within the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template with Phase 3 findings culminating in the business case.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Update the previously created slides with findings from Phase 3
    • Hold a Steering Committee meeting and present findings for approval

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Steering Committee
    • Workstream leads

    Outcomes of this step

    • GTM Strategy approved to move to GTM Build

    Phase 3 – Align functional plans with a compelling business case for product build

    Step 3.1 Step 3.2 Step 3.3 Step 3.4 Step 3.5

    3.5.1 Update your GTM Strategy deck for Align Steering Committee approval

    1. As you near completion of the Go-to-Market Strategy Phase – Align Step, an important test to pass before proceeding to the Design step of GTM Strategy, is to answer several key questions:
      1. Are Sales, Product, and Marketing all aligned and in agreement on the business case?
      2. Are the gross margin calculations acceptable to the Steering Committee? CFO? CEO?
    2. If the answer is “no” you need to return to prior steps and ensure completion.
    3. Pull together a summary review deck, schedule a meeting with the Steering Committee, present to-date findings for approval to move on to Build Phase.
    4. Once your final business case is accepted, you are ready to move on to the GTM Build and Launch phases. These phases are covered in sperate SoftwareReviews blueprints.

    Download the Go-to-Market Strategy Presentation Template

    Sample of the 'PLAN' section of the GTM Strategy optimization diagram with 'GTM Align Review' circled in red.

    The presentation you create contains:

    • Timelines and work plan updates
    • Tech stack needs/modifications
    • An expanded product concept to include packaging and pricing approach
    • Asset-type concepts for marketing campaigns, sales collateral, website, and social
    • Outline of initial Launch dates
    • Outline of initial customer success, awareness/PR/AR plans, and sales training plans
    • Final business case

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Problem Solved – A More Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

    By guiding your team through the Go-to-Market planning process applied to an actual GTM Strategy, you have built an important set of capabilities that underpins today’s well-managed software companies. By following the step-by-step process outlined in this blueprint, you have delivered a host of benefits that include the following:

    • Alignment of Product, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success around a deeper understanding of your target buyers and what it takes to build competitive differentiation.
    • You have calculated your product market opportunity and whether it’s worth the investment in the long-term, and for the short term you have estimated gross margins as an important part of the business case.
    • Built executive support and confidence by leading a disparate team in complex decision making that is fact and evidence based to make more effective go/no go decisions related to investing in new products.
    • And finally, because you and your team have demonstrated their ability to align programs toward a common goal and program-manage a complex initiative through to successful completion, you have led your team to develop the “institutional muscle” to take on equally complex initiatives such as acquisition integration, rebranding, launching in a new region, etc.

    Therefore, developing the capabilities to manage a complex go-to-market strategy is akin to building company scalability and is sought after as a professional development opportunity that each executive should have on his/her résumé.

    If you would like additional support, contact us and we’ll make sure you get the professional expertise you need.

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    info@softwarereviews.com 1-888-670-8889

    Bibliography

    Acosta, Danette. “Average Customer Retention Rate by Industry.” Profitwell.com. Accessed Jan. 2022.

    Ashkenas, Ron, and Patrick Finn. “The Go-To-Market Approach Startups Need to Adopt.” Harvard Business Review, June 2016. Accessed Jun. 2021.

    Bilardi, Emma. “ How to Create Buyer Personas.” Product Marketing Alliance, July 2020. Accessed Dec. 2021.

    Cespedes, Frank V. “Defining a Post-Pandemic Channel Strategy.” Harvard Business Review, Apr. 2021. Accessed Jul. 2021.

    Chapman, Lawrence. “A Visual Guide to Product Launches.” Product Marketing Alliance. Accessed Jul. 2021.

    Chapman, Lawrence. “Everything You Need To Know About Go-To-Market Strategies.” Product Marketing Alliance. Accessed Jul. 2021.

    Christiansen, Clayton. “The Innovators Dilemma.” Harvard Business School Press, 1997.

    Drzewicki, Matt. “Digital Marketing Maturity: The Path to Success.” MIT Sloan Management Review. Accessed Dec. 2021.

    “Go-To-Market Refresher,” Product Marketing Alliance. Accessed Jul. 2021

    Harrison, Liz; Dennis Spillecke, Jennifer Stanley, and Jenny Tsai. “Omnichannel in B2B sales: The new normal in a year that has been anything but.” McKinsey & Company, 15 March, 2021. Accessed Dec. 2021.

    Jansen, Hasse. “Buyer Personas – 33 Mind Blowing Stats.” Boardview, 19 Feb. 2016. Accessed Jan. 2022.

    Scott, Ryan. “Creating a Brand Identity: 20 Questions to Consider.” Lean Labs, Jun 2021. Accessed Jul. 2021.

    Smith, Michael L., and James Erwin. “Role and Responsibility Charting (RACI).” DOCSearch. Accessed Jan. 2022. Web.

    “What is the Total Addressable Market (TAM).” Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), n.d. Accessed Jan. 2022.

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    • Understand support agreements and vendor offerings. Organizations satisfied with their storage purchase spent more effort evaluating support capabilities of vendors and assessing current and future requirements.
    • Determine costs to scale-up your storage. More than 35% of organizations report dissatisfaction with costs to scale their solutions by adding disks or disk trays, following their initial contract, making it crucial to establish scaling costs with your vendor.

    Impact and Result

    • Get peace of mind knowing that the quote you’re about to sign delivers the solution and capabilities around software and support that you think you are getting.
    • Understand contract discounting levels and get advice around where further discounting can be negotiated with the reseller.
    • Future-proof your purchase by capitalizing on Info-Tech’s exposure to other clients’ past experiences.

    Purchase Storage Without Buyer's Remorse Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Purchase storage without buyer's remorse

    Ensure the purchase is the lowest cost with fewest future headaches.

    • Storyboard: Purchase Storage Without Buyer's Remorse

    2. Evaluate storage vendors and their product capabilities

    Select the most appropriate offering for business needs at a competitive price point.

    3. Ensure vendors reveal all details regarding strengths and weaknesses

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    • Storage Reseller Interrogation Script
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    Business Intelligence and Reporting

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    The challenge

    • Your business partners need an environment that facilitates flexible data delivery.
    • Your data and BI strategy must continuously adapt to new business realities and data sources to stay relevant.
    • The pressure to go directly to the solution design is high.  

    Our advice

    Insight

    • A BI initiative is not static. It must be treated as a living platform to adhere to changing business goals and objectives. Only then will it support effective decision-making.
    • Hear the voice of the business; that is the "B" in BI.
    • Boys and their toys... The solution to better intelligence often lies not in the tool but the BI practices.
    • Build a roadmap that starts with quick-wins to establish base support for your initiative.

    Impact and results 

    • Use the business goals and objectives to drive your BI initiatives.
    • Focus first on what you already have in your company's business intelligence landscape before investing in a new tool that will only complicate things.
    • Understand the core of what your users need by leveraging different approaches to pinpointing BI capabilities.
    • Create a roadmap that details the iterative deliveries of your business intelligence initiative. Show both the short and long term.

    The roadmap

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    Get started

    Our concise executive brief shows why you should create or refresh your business intelligence (BI) strategy. We'll show you our methodology and the ways we can help you in handling this.

    Upon ordering you receive the complete guide with all files zipped.

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    Understand critical business information and analyze your current business intelligence landscape.

    • Build a Next-Generation BI with a Game-Changing BI Strategy – Phase 1: Understand the Business Context and BI Landscape (ppt)
    • BI Strategy and Roadmap Template (doc)
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    Assess your current maturity level and define the future state.

    • Build a Next-Generation BI with a Game-Changing BI Strategy – Phase 2: Evaluate the Current BI Practice (ppt)
    • BI Practice Assessment Tool – Example 1 (xls)
    • BI Practice Assessment Tool – Example 2 (xls)

    Create your BI roadmap

    Create business intelligence focused initiatives for continuous improvement.

    • Build a Next-Generation BI with a Game-Changing BI Strategy – Phase 3: Create a BI Roadmap for Continuous Improvement (ppt)
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    The ESG Imperative and Its Impact on Organizations

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    • Global regulatory climate disclosure requirements are still evolving and are not consistent.
    • Sustainability is becoming a corporate imperative, but IT’s role is not fully clear.
    • The environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data challenge is large and continually expanding in scope.
    • Collecting the necessary data and managing ethical issues across supply chains is a daunting task.
    • Communicating long-term value is difficult when customer and employee expectations are shifting.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • An organization's approach to ESG cannot be static or tactical. It is a moving landscape that requires a flexible, holistic approach across the organization. Cross-functional coordination is essential in order to be ready to respond to changing conditions.
    • Even though the ESG data requirements are large and continually expanding in scope, many organizations have well-established data frameworks and governance practices in place to meet regulatory obligations such as Sarbanes–Oxley that should used as a starting point.

    Impact and Result

    • Organizations will have greater success if they focus their ESG program efforts on the ESG factors that will have a material impact on their company performance and their key stakeholders.
    • Continually evaluating the evolving ESG landscape and its impact on key stakeholders will enable organizations to react quickly to changing conditions.
    • A successful ESG program requires a collaborative and integrated approach across key business stakeholders.
    • Delivering high-quality metrics and performance indicators requires a flexible and digital data approach, where possible, to enable data interoperability.

    The ESG Imperative and Its Impact on Organizations Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. The ESG Imperative and Its Impact on Organizations Deck – Learn why sustainability is becoming a key measurement of corporate performance and how to set your organization up for success.

    Understand the foundational components and drivers of the broader concept of sustainability: environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and IT’s roles within an organization’s ESG program. Learn about the functional business areas involved, the roles they play and how they interact with each other to drive program success.

    • The ESG Imperative and Its Impact on Organizations Storyboard

    Infographic

    Further reading

    The ESG Imperative and Its Impact on Organizations

    Design to enable an active response to changing conditions.

    Analyst Perspective

    Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is a corporate imperative that is tied to long-term value creation. An organization's social license to operate and future corporate performance depends on managing ESG factors well.

    Central to an ESG program is having a good understanding of the ESG factors that may have a material impact on enterprise value and key internal and external stakeholders. A comprehensive ESG strategy supported by strong governance and risk management is also essential to success.

    Capturing relevant data and applying it within risk models, metrics, and internal and external reports is necessary for sharing your ESG story and measuring your progress toward meeting ESG commitments. Consequently, the data challenges have received a lot of attention, and IT leaders have a role to play as strategic partner and enabler to help address these challenges. However, ESG is more than a data challenge, and IT leaders need to consider the wider implications in managing third parties, selecting tools, developing supporting IT architecture, and ensuring ethical design.

    For many organizations, the ESG program journey has just begun, and collaboration between IT and risk, procurement, and compliance will be critical in shaping program success.

    This is a picture of Donna Bales, Principal Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group

    Donna Bales
    Principal Research Director
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    • Global regulatory climate disclosure requirements are still evolving and are not consistent.
    • Sustainability is becoming a corporate imperative, but IT's role is not fully clear.
    • The ESG data challenge is large and continually expanding in scope.
    • Collecting the necessary data and managing ethical issues across supply chains is a daunting task.
    • Communicating long-term value is difficult when customer and employee expectations are shifting.

    Common Obstacles

    • The data necessary for data-driven insights and accurate disclosure is often hampered by inaccurate and incomplete primary data.
    • Other challenges include:
      • Approaching ESG holistically and embedding it into existing governance, risk, and IT capabilities.
      • Building knowledge and adapting culture throughout all levels of the organization.
      • Monitoring stakeholder sentiment and keeping strategy aligned to expectations.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    • Use this blueprint to educate yourself on ESG factors and the broader concept of sustainability.
    • Learn about Info-Tech's ESG program approach and use it as a framework to begin your ESG program journey.
    • Identify changes that may be needed in your organizational operating model, strategy, governance, and risk management approach.
    • Discover areas of IT that may need to be prioritized and resourced.

    Info-Tech Insight

    An organization's approach to ESG cannot be static or tactical. ESG is a moving landscape that requires a flexible, holistic approach across the organization. It must become part of the way you work and enable an active response to changing conditions.

    This is an image of Info-Tech's thoughtmap for eight steps of the ESG Program Journey

    Putting ESG in context

    ESG has moved beyond the tipping point to corporate table stakes

    • In recent years, ESG issues have moved from voluntary initiatives driven by corporate responsibility teams to an enterprise-wide strategic imperative.
    • Organizations are no longer being measured by financial performance but by how they contribute to a sustainable and equitable future, such as how they support sustainable innovation through their business models and their focus on collaboration and inclusion.
    • A corporation's efforts toward sustainability is measured by three components: environmental, social, and governance.

    Sustainability

    The ability of a corporation and broader society to endure and survive over the long term by managing adverse impacts well and promoting positive opportunities.

    This is an image of the United Nation's 17 sustainable goals.

    Source: United Nations

    Putting "E," "S," and "G" in context

    Corporate sustainability depends on managing ESG factors well

    • Environmental, social, and governance are the component pieces of a sustainability framework that is used to understand and measure how an organization impacts or is affected by society as a whole.
    • Human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning since the mid twentieth century, have increased greenhouse gas concentration, resulting in observable changes to the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere.
    • The E in ESG relates to the positive and negative impacts an organization may have on the environment, such as the energy it takes in and the waste it discharges.
    • The S in ESG is the most ambiguous component in the framework, as social impact relates not only to risks but also prosocial behaviour. It's the most difficult to measure but can have significant financial and reputational impact on corporations if material and poorly managed.
    • The G in ESG is foundational to the realization of S and E. It encompasses how well an organization integrates these considerations into the business and how well the organization engages with key stakeholders, receives feedback, and is transparent with its intentions.

    Common examples of ESG issues include: Environmental: Climate change, greenhouse gas emissions (CHG), deforestation, biodiversity, pollution, water, waste, extended producer responsibility, etc. Social: Customer relations, employee relations, labor, human rights, occupational health and safety, community relations, supply chains, etc. Governance: Board management practices, succession planning, compensation, diversity, equity and inclusion, regulatory compliance, corruption, fraud, data hygiene and security, etc. Source: Getting started with ESG - Sustainalytics

    Understanding the drivers behind ESG

    $30 trillion is expected to be transferred from the baby boomers to Generation Z and millennials over the next decade
    – Accenture

    Drivers

    • The rapid rise of ESG investing
    • The visibility of climate change is driving governments, society, and corporations to act and to initiate and support net zero goals.
    • A younger demographic that has strong convictions and financial influence
    • A growing trend toward mandatory climate and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) disclosures required by global regulators
    • Recent emphasis by regulators on board accountability and fiduciary duty
    • Greater societal awareness of social issues and sustainability
    • A new generation of corporate leadership that is focused on sustainable innovation

    The evolving regulatory landscape

    Global regulators are mobilizing toward mandatory regulatory climate disclosure

    Canada

    • Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) NI 51-107 Disclosure of Climate-related Matters

    Europe

    • European Commission, Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)
    • European Commission, EU Supply Chain Act
    • Germany – The German Supply Chain Act (GSCA)
    • Financial Conduct Authority UK, Proposal (DP 21/4) Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and investment labels
    • UK Modern Slavery Act, 2015

    United States

    • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 33-11042– The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors
    • SEC 33-11038 Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure
    • Nasdaq Board Diversity Rule (5605(f))

    New Zealand

    • New Zealand, The Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021

    Begin by setting your purpose

    Consider your role as a corporation in society and your impact on key stakeholders

    • The impact of a corporation can no longer be solely measured by financial impact but also its impact on social good. Corporations have become real-world actors that impact and are affected by the environment, people, and society.
    • An ESG program should start with defining your organization's purpose in terms of corporate responsibility, the role it will play, and how it will endure over time through managing adverse impacts and promoting positive impacts.
    • Corporations should look inward and outward to assess the material impact of ESG factors on their organization and key internal and external stakeholders.
    • Once stakeholders are identified, consider how the ESG factors might be perceived by delving into what matters to stakeholders and what drives their behavior.

    Understanding your stakeholder landscape is essential to achieving ESG goals

    Internal Stakeholders: Board; Management; Employees. External Stakeholders: Activists; Regulators; Customers; Lenders; Government; Investors; Stakeholders; Community; Suppliers

    Assess ESG impact

    Materiality assessments help to prioritize your ESG strategy and enable effective reporting

    • The concept of materiality as it relates to ESG is the process of gaining different perspectives on ESG issues and risks that may have significant impact (both positive and negative) on or relevance to company performance.
    • The objective of a materiality assessment is to identify material ESG issues most critical to your organization by looking a broad range of social and environmental factors. Its purpose is to narrow strategic focus and enable an organization to assess the impact of financial and non-financial risks aggregately.
    • It helps to make the case for ESG action and strategy, assess financial impact, get ahead of long-term risks, and inform communication strategies.
    • Organizations can leverage assessment tools from Sustainalytics or SASB Standards to help assess ESG risks or use guidance or benchmarking information from industry associations.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Survey key stakeholders to obtain a more holistic viewpoint of expectations and the industry landscape and gain credibility through the process.

    Use a materiality matrix to understand ESG exposure

    This is an image of a materiality matrix used to understand ESG exposure.

    Example: Beverage Company

    Follow a holistic approach

    To deliver on your purpose, sustainability must be integrated throughout the organization

    • An ESG program cannot be implemented in a silo. It must be anchored on its purpose and supported by a strong governance structure that is intertwined with other functional areas.
    • Effective governance is essential to instill trust, support sound decision making, and manage ESG.
    • Governance extends beyond shareholder rights to include many other factors, such as companies' interactions with competitors, suppliers, and governments. More transparency is sought on:
      • Corporate behavior, executive pay, and oversight of controls.
      • Board diversity, compensation, and skill set.
      • Oversight of risk management, particularly risks related to fraud, product, data, and cybersecurity

    "If ESG is the framework of non-financial risks that may have a material impact on the company's stakeholders, corporate governance is the process by which the company's directors and officers manage those risks."
    – Zurich Insurance

    A pyramid is depicted. The top of the pyramid is labeled Continual Improvement, and the following terms are inside this box. Governance: Strategy; Risk Management; Metrics & Targets. At the bottom of the pyramid is a box with right facing arrows, labeled Transparency and Disclosure. This is Informed by the TCFD Framework

    Governance and organization approach

    There is no one-size-fits-all approach

    47% of companies reported that the full board most commonly oversees climate related risks and opportunities while 20% delegate to an existing board governance committee (EY Research, 2021).

    • The organizational approach to ESG will differ across industry segments and corporations depending on material risks and their upstream and downstream value change. However, the accountability for ESG sits squarely at the CEO and board level.
    • Some organizations have taken the approach of hiring a Chief Sustainability Officer to work alongside the CEO on execution of ESG goals and stakeholder communication, while others use other members of the strategic leadership to drive the desired outcomes.
    Governance Layer Responsibilities
    Board
    • Overall accountability lies with the full board. Some responsibilities may be delegated to newly formed dedicated ESG governance committee.
    Oversight
    Executive leadership
    • Accountable for sustainability program success and will work with CEO to set ESG purpose and goals.
    Oversight and strategic direction
    Management
    • Senior management drives execution; sometimes led by a cross-functional committee.
    Execution

    Strategy alignment

    "74% of finance leaders say that investors increasingly use nonfinancial information in their decision-making."

    – "Aligning nonfinancial reporting..." EY, 2020

    • Like any journey, the ESG journey requires knowing where you are starting from and where you are heading to.
    • Once your purpose is crystalized, identify and surface gaps between where you want to go as an organization (your purpose and goals) and what you need to deliver as an organization to meet the expectations of your internal and external stakeholders (your output).
    • Using the results of the materiality assessment, weigh the risk, opportunities, and financial impact to help prioritize and determine vulnerabilities and where you might excel.
    • Finally, evaluate and make changes to areas of your business that need development to be successful (culture, accountability and board structure, ethics committee, etc.)

    Gap analysis example for delivering reporting requirements

    Organizational Goals

    • Regulatory Disclosure
      • Climate
      • DEI
      • Cyber governance
    • Performance Tracking/Annual Reporting
      • Corporate transparency on ESG performance via social, annual circular
    • Evidence-Based Business Reporting
      • Risk
      • Board
      • Suppliers

    Risk-size your ESG goals

    When integrating ESG risks, stick with a proven approach

    • Managing ESG risks is central to making sound organizational decisions regarding sustainability but also to anticipating future risks.
    • Like any new risk type, ESG risk should be interwoven into your current risk management and control framework via a risk-based approach.
    • Yet ESG presents some new risk challenges, and some risk areas may need new control processes or enhancements.
    NET NEW ENHANCEMENT
    Climate disclosure Data quality management
    Assurance specific to ESG reporting Risk sensing and assessment
    Supply chain transparency tied back to ESG Managing interconnections
    Scenario analysis
    Third-party ratings and monitoring

    Info-Tech Insight

    Integrate ESG risks early, embrace uncertainty by staying flexible, and strive for continual improvement.

    A funnel chart is depicted. The inputs to the funnel are: Strategy - Derive ESG risks from strategy, and Enterprise Risk Appetite. Inside the funnel, are the following terms: ESG; Data; Cyber. The output of the funnel is: Evidence based reporting ESG Insights & Performance metrics

    Managing supplier risks

    Suppliers are a critical input into an organization's ESG footprint

    "The typical consumer company's supply chain ... [accounts] for more than 80% of greenhouse-gas emissions and more than 90% of the impact on air, land, water, biodiversity, and geological resources."
    – McKinsey & Company, 2016

    • Although companies are accustomed to managing third parties via procurement processes, voluntary due-diligence, and contractual provisions, COVID-19 surfaced fragility across global supply chains.
    • The mismanagement of upstream and downstream risks of supply chains can harm the reputation, operations, and financial performance of businesses.
    • To build resiliency to and visibility of supply chain risk, organizations need to adapt current risk management programs, procurement practices, and risk assessment tools and techniques.
    • Procurement departments have an enhanced function, effectively acting as gatekeepers by performing due diligence, evaluating performance, and strengthening the supplier relationship through continual feedback and dialogue.
    • Technologies such as blockchain and IoT are starting to play a more dominant role in supply chain transparency.

    Raw materials are upstream and consumers are downstream.

    "Forty-five percent of survey respondents say that they either have no visibility into their upstream supply chain or that they can see only as far as their first-tier suppliers."
    – "Taking the pulse of shifting supply chains," McKinsey & Company, 2022

    Metrics and targets

    Metrics are key to stakeholder transparency, measuring performance against goals, and surfacing organizational blind spots

    • ESG metrics are qualitative or quantitative insights that measure organizations' performance against ESG goals. Along with traditional business metrics, they assist investors with assessing the long-term performance of companies based on non-financial ESG risks and opportunities.
    • Metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and key risk indicators (KRIs) are used to measure how ESG factors affect an organization and how an organization may impact any of the underlying issues related to each ESG factor.
    • There are several reporting standards that offer specific ESG performance metrics, such as the Global Reporting Institute (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and World Economic Forum (WEF).
    • For climate-related disclosures, global regulators are converging on the Task Force for Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD) and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

    Example metrics for ESG factors

    Example metrics for environment include greenhouse gas emissions, water footprint, renewable energy share, and % of recycled material. Example social metrics include rates of injury, proportion of spend on local supplies, and percentage of gender or ethnic groups in management roles. Example governance metrics include annual CEO compensation compared to median, number of PII data breaches, and completed number of supplier assessments.

    The impact of ESG on IT

    IT plays a critical role in achieving ESG goals

    • IT groups have a critical role to play in helping organizations develop strategic plans to meet ESG goals, measure performance, monitor risks, and deliver on disclosure requirements.
    • IT's involvement extends from the CIO providing input at a strategic level to leading the charge within IT to instill new goals and adapt the culture toward one focused on sustainability.
    • To set the tone, CIOs should begin by updating their IT governance structure and setting ESG goals for IT.
    • IT leaders will need to think about resource use and efficiency and incorporate this into their IT strategy.

    Info-Tech Insight

    IT leaders need to work collaboratively with risk management to optimize decision making and continually improve ESG performance and disclosure.

    "A great strategy meeting is a meeting of the minds."
    – Max McKeown

    The data challenge

    The ESG data requirement is large and continually expanding in scope

    • To meet ESG objectives, corporations are challenged with collecting non-financial data from across functional business and geographical locations and from their supplier base and supply chains.
    • One of the biggest impediments to ESG implementation is the lack of high-quality data and of mature processes and tools to support data collection.
    • The data challenge is compounded by the availability and usability of data, immature and fragmented standards that hinder comparability, and workflow integration.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Keep your data model flexible and digital where possible to enable data interoperability.

    A flow chart is depicted. the top box is labeled ESG Program. Below that are Boxes labeled Tactical and Strategic. Below the Tactical Box, is a large X showing a lack of connection to the following points: Duplicative; Inefficient/Costly. Below the box labeled Strategic are the following terms: Data-Driven; Reusable; Digital.

    "You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data."
    – Daniel Keys Moran

    It's more than a data challenge

    Organizations will rely on IT for execution, and IT leaders will need to be ready

    Data Management: Aggregated Reporting; Supplier Management; Cyber Management; Operational Management; Ethical Design(AI, Blockchain); IT Architecture; Resource Efficiency; Processing & Tooling; Supplier Assessment.

    Top impacts on IT departments

    1. ESG requires corporations to keep track of ESG-related risks of third parties. This will mean more robust assessments and monitoring.
    2. Many areas of ESG are new and will require new processes and tools.
    3. The SEC has upped the ante recently, requiring more rigorous accountability and reporting on cyber incidents.
    4. New IT systems and architecture may be needed to support ESG programs.
    5. Current reporting frameworks may need updating as regulators move to digital.
    6. Ethical design will need to be considered when AI is used to support risk/data management and when it is used as part of product solutions.

    Key takeaways

    • It's critical for organizations to look inward and outward to assess the material impact of ESG factors on their organization and key internal and external stakeholders.
    • ESG requires a flexible, holistic approach across the organization. It must become part of the way you work and enable an active response to changing conditions.
    • ESG introduces new risks that should not be viewed in isolation but interwoven into your current risk management and control framework via a risk-based approach.
    • Identify and integrate risks early, embrace uncertainty by staying flexible, and strive for continual improvement.
    • Metrics are key to telling your ESG story. Place the appropriate importance on the information that will be reported.
    • Recognize that the data challenge is complex and evolving and design your data model to be flexible, interoperable, and digital.
    • IT's role is far reaching, and IT will have a critical part in managing third parties, selecting tools, developing supporting IT architecture, and using ethical design.

    Definitions

    TERM DEFINITON
    Corporate Social Responsibility Management concept whereby organizations integrate social and environmental concerns in their operations and interactions with their stakeholders.
    Chief Sustainability Officer Steers sustainability commitments, helps with compliance, and helps ensure internal commitments are met. Responsibilities may extend to acting as a liaison with government and public affairs, fostering an internal culture, acting as a change agent, and leading delivery.
    ESG An acronym that stands for environment, social, and governance. These are the three components of a sustainability program.
    ESG Standard Contains detailed disclosure criteria including performance measures or metrics. Standards provide clear, consistent criteria and specifications for reporting. Typically created through consultation process.
    ESG Framework A broad contextual model for information that provides guidance and shapes the understanding of a certain topic. It sets direction but does not typically delve into the methodology. Frameworks are often used in conjunction with standards.
    ESG Factors The factors or issues that fall under the three ESG components. Measures the sustainability performance of an organization.
    ESG Rating An aggregated score based on the magnitude of an organization's unmanaged ESG risk. Ratings are provided by third-party rating agencies and are increasingly being used for financing, transparency to investors, etc.
    ESG Questionnaire ESG surveys or questionnaires are administered by third parties and used to assess an organization's sustainability performance. Participation is voluntary.
    Key Risk Indicator (KRI) A measure to indicate the potential presence, level, or trend of a risk.
    Key Performance Indicator (KPI) A measure of deviation from expected outcomes to help a firm see how it is performing.
    Materiality Material topics are topics that have a direct or indirect impact on an organization's ability to create, preserve, or erode economic, environment and social impact for itself and its stakeholder and society as a whole
    Materiality Assessment A materiality assessment is a tool to identify and prioritize the ESG issues most critical to the organization.
    Risk Sensing The range of activities carried out to identify and understand evolving sources of risk that could have a significant impact on the organization (e.g. social listening).
    Sustainability The ability of an organization and broader society to endure and survive over the long term by managing adverse impacts well and promoting positive opportunities.
    Sustainalytics Now part of Morningstar. Sustainalytics provides ESG research, ratings, and data to institutional investors and companies.
    UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) provide an essential methodological foundation for how impacts across all dimensions should be assessed.

    Reporting & standard frameworks

    STANDARD DEFINITION AND FOCUS
    CDP CDP has created standards and metrics for comparing sustainability impact. Focuses on environmental data (e.g. carbon, water, and forests) and on data disclosure and benchmarking.
    (Formally Carbon Disclosure Project) Audience: All stakeholders
    Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Heavy on corporate governance and company performance. Equal balance of economic, environmental, and social.
    Audience: All stakeholders
    Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) International standards organization that has a set of standards to help organizations understand and communicate their impacts on climate change and social responsibility. The standard has a strong emphasis on transparency and materiality, especially on social issues.
    Audience: All stakeholders
    International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Standard-setting board that sits within the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation. The IFRS Foundation is a not-for-profit, public-interest organization established to develop high-quality, understandable, enforceable, and globally accepted accounting and sustainability disclosure standards.
    Audience: Investor-focused
    United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) Global partnership across sectors and industries to achieve sustainable development for all (17 Global Goals)
    Audience: All stakeholders
    Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Industry-specific standards to help corporations select topics that may impact their financial performance. Focus on material impacts on financial condition or operating performance.
    Audience: Investor-focused
    Task Force Of Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD; created by the Financial Stability Board) Standards framework focused on the impact of climate risk on financial and operating performance. More broadly the disclosures inform investors of positive and negative measures taken to build climate resilience and make transparent the exposure to climate-related risk.
    Audience: Investors, financial stakeholders

    Bibliography

    Anne-Titia Bove and Steven Swartz, McKinsey, "Starting at the source: Sustainability in supply chains", 11 November 2016

    Accenture, "The Greater Wealth Transfer – Capitalizing on the intergenerational shift in wealth", 2012

    Beth Kaplan, Deloitte, "Preparing for the ESG Landscape, Readiness and reporting ESG strategies through controllership playbook", 15 February 2022

    Bjorn Nilsson et al, McKinsey & Company, "Financial institutions and nonfinancial risk: How corporates build resilience," 28 February 2022

    Bolden, Kyle, Ernst and Young, "Aligning nonfinancial reporting with your ESG strategy to communicate long-term value", 18 Dec. 2020

    Canadian Securities Administrators, "Canadian securities regulators seek comment on climate-related disclosure requirements", 18 October 2021

    Carol A. Adams et al., Global Risk Institute, "The double-materiality concept, Application and issues", May 2021

    Dunstan Allison-Hope et al, BSR, "Impact-Based Materiality, Why Companies Should-Focus Their Assessments on Impacts Rather than Perception", 3 February 2022

    EcoVadis, "The World's Most Trusted Business Sustainability Ratings",

    Ernst and Young, "Four opportunities for enhancing ESG oversight", 29 June 2021

    Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, The Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains (Gesetz über die unternehmerischen Sorgfaltspflichten in Lieferketten)", Published into Federal Law Gazette, 22, July 2021

    "What Every Company Needs to Know", Sustainalytics

    Global Risk Institute, The GRI Perspective, "The materiality madness: why definitions matter", 22 February 2022

    John P Angkaw "Applying ERM to ESG Risk Management", 1 August 2022

    Hillary Flynn et al., Wellington Management, "A guide to ESG materiality assessments", June 2022

    Katie Kummer and Kyle Lawless, Ernst and Young, "Five priorities to build trust in ESG", 14 July 2022

    Knut Alicke et al., McKinsey & Company, "Taking the pulse of shifting supply chains", 26 August 2022

    Kosmas Papadopoulos and Rodolfo Arauj. The Harvard School Forum on Corporate Governance, "The Seven Sins of ESG Management", 23 September 2020

    KPMG, Sustainable Insight, "The essentials of materiality assessment", 2014

    Lorraine Waters, The Stack, "ESG is not an environmental issue, it's a data one", 20 May 2021

    Marcel Meyer, Deloitte, "What is TCFD and why does it matter? Understanding the various layers and implications of the recommendations",

    Michael W Peregnne et al., "The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, The Important Legacy of the Sarbanes Oxley Act," 30 August 2022

    Michael Posner, Forbes, "Business and Human Rights: Looking Ahead To The Challenges Of 2022", 15 December 2021

    Myles Corson and Tony Kilmas, Ernst and Young, "How the CFO can balance competing demands and drive future growth", 3 November 2020

    Novisto, "Navigating Climate Data Disclosure", 2022

    Novisto, "XBRL is coming to corporate sustainability reporting", 17 April 2022

    "Official Journal of the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector", 9 December 2019

    Osler, "ESG and the future of sustainability", Podcast, 01 June 2022

    Osler, "The Rapidly Evolving World of ESG Disclosure: ISSB draft standards for sustainability and climate related disclosures", 19 May 2022

    Sarwar Choudhury and Zach Johnston, Ernst and Young "Preparing for Sox-Like ESG Regulation", 7 June 2022

    Securities and Exchange Commission, "The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-related Disclosures for Investors", 12 May 2022

    "Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC Proposes Rules on Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure by Public Companies, 9 May 2022

    Sean Brown and Robin Nuttall, McKinsey & Company, "The role of ESG and purpose", 4 January 2022

    Statement by Chair Gary Gensler, "Statement on ESG Disclosure Proposal", 25 May 2022

    Svetlana Zenkin and Peter Hennig, Forbes, "Managing Supply Chain Risk, Reap ESG Rewards", 22 June 2022

    Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures, "Final Report, Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures", June 2017

    World Economic Forum, "Why sustainable governance and corporate integrity are crucial for ESG", 29 July 2022

    World Economic Forum (in collaboration with PwC) "How to Set Up Effective Climate Governance on Corporate Boards, Guiding Principles and questions", January 2019

    World Economic Forum, "Defining the "G" in ESG Governance Factors at the Heart of Sustainable Business", June 2022

    World Economic Forum, "The Risk and Role of the Chief Integrity Officer: Leadership Imperatives in and ESG-Driven World", December 2021

    World Economic Forum, "How to Set Up Effective Climate Governance on Corporate Boards Guiding principles and questions", January 2019

    Zurich Insurance, "ESG and the new mandate for corporate governance", 2022

    Measure IT Project Value

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    • Parent Category Name: Portfolio Management
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    • People treat benefits as a box to tick on the business case, deflating or inflating them to facilitate project approval.
    • Even if benefits are properly defined, they are usually forgotten once the project is underway.
    • Subsequent changes to project scope may impact the viability of the project’s business benefits, resulting in solutions that do not deliver expected value.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • It is rare for project teams or sponsors to be held accountable for managing and/or measuring benefits. The assumption is often that no one will ask if benefits have been realized after the project is closed.
    • The focus is largely on the project’s schedule, budget, and scope, with little attention paid to the value that the project is meant to deliver to the organization.
    • Without an objective stakeholder to hold people accountable for defining benefits and demonstrating their delivery, benefits will continue to be treated as red tape.
    • Sponsors will not take the time to define benefits properly, if at all. The project team will not take the time to ensure they are still achievable as the project progresses. When the project is complete, no one will investigate actual project success.

    Impact and Result

    • The project sponsor and business unit leaders must own project benefits; IT is only accountable for delivering the solution.
    • IT can play a key role in this process by establishing and supporting a benefits realization process. They can help business unit leaders and sponsors define benefits properly, identify meaningful metrics, and report on benefits realization effectively.
    • The project management office is ideally suited to facilitate this process by providing tools and templates, and a consistent and comparable view across projects.
    • Project managers are accountable for delivering the project, not for delivering the benefits of the project itself. However, they must ensure that changes to project scope are assessed for impact on benefits viability.

    Measure IT Project Value Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should establish a benefits legitimacy practice, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Establish benefits legitimacy during portfolio Intake

    This phase will help you define a benefits management process to help support effective benefits definition during portfolio intake.

    • Deliver Project Value With a Benefits Legitimacy Initiative – Phase 1: Establish Benefits Legitimacy During Portfolio Intake
    • Project Sponsor Role Description Template
    • Benefits Commitment Form Template
    • Right-Sized Business Case Template

    2. Maintain benefits legitimacy throughout project planning and execution

    This phase will help you define a process for effective benefits management during project planning and the execution intake phase.

    • Deliver Project Value With a Benefits Legitimacy Initiative – Phase 2: Maintain Benefits Legitimacy Throughout Project Planning and Execution
    • Project Benefits Documentation Workbook
    • Benefits Legitimacy Workflow Template (PDF)
    • Benefits Legitimacy Workflow Template (Visio)

    3. Close the deal on project benefits

    This phase will help you define a process for effectively tracking and reporting on benefits realization post-project.

    • Deliver Project Value With a Benefits Legitimacy Initiative – Phase 3: Close the Deal on Project Benefits
    • Portfolio Benefits Tracking Tool
    • Benefits Lag Report Template
    • Benefits Legitimacy Handbook Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Measure IT Project Value

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Analyze the Current State of Benefits Management

    The Purpose

    Assess the current state of benefits management at your organization and establish a realistic target state.

    Establish project and portfolio baselines for benefits management.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Set achievable workshop goals and align stakeholder expectations.

    Establish a solid foundation for benefits management success.

    Activities

    1.1 Introductions and overview.

    1.2 Discuss attendee expectations and goals.

    1.3 Complete Info-Tech’s PPM Current State Scorecard.

    1.4 Perform right-wrong-confusing-missing analysis.

    1.5 Define target state for benefits management.

    1.6 Refine project levels.

    Outputs

    Info-Tech’s PPM Current State Scorecard report

    Right-wrong-confusing-missing analysis

    Stakeholder alignment around workshop goals and target state

    Info-Tech’s Project Intake Classification Matrix

    2 Establish Benefits Legitimacy During Portfolio Intake

    The Purpose

    Establish organizationally specific benefit metrics and KPIs.

    Develop clear roles and accountabilities for benefits management.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An articulation of project benefits and measurements.

    Clear checkpoints for benefits communication during the project are defined.

    Activities

    2.1 Map the current portfolio intake process.

    2.2 Establish project sponsor responsibilities and accountabilities for benefits management.

    2.3 Develop organizationally specific benefit metrics and KPIs.

    2.4 Integrate intake legitimacy into portfolio intake processes.

    Outputs

    Info-Tech’s Project Sponsor Role Description Template

    Info-Tech’s Benefits Commitment Form Template

    Intake legitimacy process flow and RASCI chart

    Intake legitimacy SOP

    3 Maintain Benefits Legitimacy Throughout Project Planning and Execution

    The Purpose

    Develop a customized SOP for benefits management during project planning and execution.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Ensure that all changes to the project have been recorded and benefits have been updated in preparation for deployment.

    Updated benefits expectations are included in the final sign-off package.

    Activities

    3.1 Map current project management process and audit project management documentation.

    3.2 Identify appropriate benefits control points.

    3.3 Customize project management documentation to integrate benefits.

    3.4 Develop a deployment legitimacy process flow.

    Outputs

    Customized project management toolkit

    Info-Tech’s Project Benefits Documentation Workbook

    Deployment of legitimacy process flow and RASCI chart

    Deployment of legitimacy SOP

    4 Close the Deal on Project Benefits

    The Purpose

    Develop a post-project benefits realization process.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Clear project sponsorship accountabilities for post-project benefits tracking and reporting.

    A portfolio level benefits tracking tool for reporting on benefits attainment.

    Activities

    4.1 Identify appropriate benefits control points in the post-project process.

    4.2 Configure Info-Tech’s Portfolio Benefits Tracking Tool.

    4.3 Define a post-project benefits reporting process.

    4.4 Formalize protocol for reporting on, and course correcting, benefit lags.

    4.5 Develop a post-project legitimacy process flow.

    Outputs

    Info-Tech’s Portfolio Benefits Tracking Tool

    Post-Project legitimacy process flow and RASCI chart

    Post-Project Legitimacy SOP

    Info-Tech’s Benefits Legitimacy Handbook

    Info-Tech’s Benefits Legitimacy Workflow Template

    Master the Public Cloud IaaS Acquisition Models

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    • Parent Category Name: Vendor Management
    • Parent Category Link: /vendor-management

    Understanding the differences in IaaS platform agreements, purchasing options, associated value, and risks. What are your options for:

    • Upfront or monthly payments
    • Commitment discounts
    • Support options
    • Migration planning and support

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    IaaS platforms offer similar technical features, but they vary widely on their procurement model. By fully understanding the procurement differences and options, you will be able to purchase wisely, save money both long and short term, and mitigate investment risk.

    Most vendors have similar processes and options to buy. Finding a transparent explanation and summary of each platform in a side-by-side review is difficult.

    • Are vendor reps being straight forward?
    • What are the licensing requirements?
    • What discounts or incentives can I negotiate?
    • How much do I have to commit to and for how long?

    Impact and Result

    This project will provide several benefits for both IT and the business. It includes:

    • Best IaaS platform to support current and future procurement requirements.
    • Right-sized cloud commitment tailored to the organization’s budget.
    • Predictable and controllable spend model.
    • Flexible and reliable IT infrastructure that supports the lines of business.
    • Reduced financial and legal risk.

    Master the Public Cloud IaaS Acquisition Models Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to learn how the public cloud IaaS procurement models compare. Review Info-Tech’s methodology and understand the top three platforms, features, and benefits to support and inform the IaaS vendor choice.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Educate

    Learn the IaaS basics, terminologies, purchasing options, licensing requirements, hybrid options, support, and organization requirements through a checklist process.

    • Master the Public Cloud IaaS Acquisition Models – Phase 1: Educate
    • Public Cloud Procurement Checklist
    • Microsoft Public Cloud Licensing Guide

    2. Evaluate

    Review and understand the features, downsides, and differences between the big three players.

    • Master the Public Cloud IaaS Acquisition Models – Phase 2: Evaluate
    • Public Cloud Procurement Comparison Summary

    3. Execute

    Decide on a primary vendor that meets requirements, engage with a reseller, negotiate pricing incentives, migration costs, review, and execute the agreement.

    • Master the Public Cloud IaaS Acquisition Models – Phase 3: Execute
    • Public Cloud Acquisition Executive Summary Template

    Infographic

    Build Your BizDevOps Playbook

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    • Today’s rapidly scaling and increasingly complex products create mounting pressure on delivery teams to release new features and changes quickly and with sufficient quality.
    • Many organizations see BizDevOps as a solution to help meet this demand. However, they often lack the critical cross-functional collaboration and team-sport culture that are critical for success.
    • The industry provides little consensus and guidance on how to prepare for the transition to BizDevOps.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • BizDevOps is cultural, not driven by tools. It is about delivering high-quality and valuable releases to stakeholders through collective ownership, continuous collaboration, and team-first behaviors supported by tools.
    • BizDevOps begins with a strong foundation in five key areas. The crux of successful BizDevOps is centered on the strategic adoption and optimization of building great requirements, collaborative practices, iterative delivery, application management, and high-fidelity environments.
    • Teams take STOCK of what it takes to collaborate effectively. Teams and stakeholders must show up, trust the delivery method and people, orchestrate facilitated activities, clearly communicate and knowledge share every time they collaborate.

    Impact and Result

    • Bring the right people to the table. BizDevOps brings significant organizational, process and technology changes to improve delivery effectiveness. Include the key roles in the definition and validation of your BizDevOps vision and practices.
    • Focus on the areas that matter. Review your current circumstances and incorporate the right practices that addresses your key challenges and blockers to becoming BizDevOps.
    • Build your BizDevOps playbook. Gain a broad understanding of the key plays and practices that makes a successful BizDevOps organization. Verify and validate these practices in order to tailor them to your context. Keep your playbook live.

    Build Your BizDevOps Playbook Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Find out why you should implement BizDevOps, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Get started with BizDevOps

    Set the right expectations with your stakeholders and define the context of your BizDevOps implementation.

    • Build Your BizDevOps Playbook – Phase 1: Get Started With BizDevOps
    • BizDevOps Playbook

    2. Tailor your BizDevOps playbook

    Tailor the plays in your BizDevOps playbook to your circumstances and vision.

    • Build Your BizDevOps Playbook – Phase 2: Tailor Your BizDevOps Playbook
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Build Your BizDevOps Playbook

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Set Your Expectations

    The Purpose

    Discuss the goals of your BizDevOps playbook.

    Identify the various perspectives who should be included in the BizDevOps discussion.

    Level set expectations of your BizDevOps implementation.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Identification of the key roles who should be included in the BizDevOps discussion.

    Learning of key practices to support your BizDevOps vision and goals.

    Your vision of BizDevOps in your organization.

    Activities

    1.1 Define BizDevOps.

    1.2 Understand your key stakeholders.

    1.3 Define your objectives.

    Outputs

    Your BizDevOps definition

    List of BizDevOps stakeholders

    BizDevOps vision and objectives

    2 Set the Context

    The Purpose

    Understand the various methods to initiate the structuring of facilitated collaboration.

    Share a common way of thinking and behaving with a set of principles.

    Focus BizDevOps adoption on key areas of software product delivery.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A chosen collaboration method (Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban) to facilitate collaboration

    A mutually understanding and beneficial set of guiding principles

    Areas where BizDevOps will see the most benefit

    Activities

    2.1 Select your foundation method.

    2.2 Define your guiding principles.

    2.3 Focus on the areas that matter.

    Outputs

    Chosen collaboration model

    List of guiding principles

    High-level assessment of delivery practices and its fit for BizDevOps

    3 Tailor Your BizDevOps Playbook

    The Purpose

    Review the good practices within Info-Tech’s BizDevOps Playbook.

    Tailor your playbook to reflect your circumstances.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Understanding of the key plays involved in product delivery

    Product delivery plays that reflect the challenges and opportunities of your organization and support your BizDevOps vision

    Activities

    3.1 Review and tailor the plays in your playbook

    Outputs

    High-level discussion of key product delivery plays and its optimization to support BizDevOps

    Define Your Cloud Vision

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    The cloud permeates the enterprise technology discussion. It can be difficult to separate the hype from the value. Should everything go to the cloud, or is that sentiment stoked by vendors looking to boost their bottom lines? Not everything should go to the cloud, but coming up with a systematic way to determine what belongs where is increasingly difficult as offerings get more complex.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    Don’t think about the cloud as an inevitable next step for all workloads. The cloud is merely another tool in the toolbox, ready to be used when appropriate and put away when it’s not needed. Cloud-first isn’t always the way to go.

    Impact and Result

    • Evaluate workloads’ suitability for the cloud using Info-Tech’s methodology to select the optimal migration (or non-migration) path based on the value of cloud characteristics.
    • Codify risks tied to workloads’ cloud suitability and plan mitigations.
    • Build a roadmap of initiatives for actions by workload and risk mitigation.
    • Define a cloud vision to share with stakeholders.

    Define Your Cloud Vision Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define Your Cloud Vision – A step-by-step guide to generating, validating, and formalizing your cloud vision.

    The cloud vision storyboard walks readers through the process of generating, validating and formalizing a cloud vision, providing a framework and tools to assess workloads for their cloud suitability and risk.

    • Define Your Cloud Vision – Phases 1-4

    2. Cloud Vision Executive Presentation – A document that captures the results of the exercises, articulating use cases for cloud/non-cloud, risks, challenges, and high-level initiative items.

    The executive summary captures the results of the vision exercise, including decision criteria for moving to the cloud, risks, roadblocks, and mitigations.

    • Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    3. Cloud Vision Workbook – A tool that facilitates the assessment of workloads for appropriate service model, delivery model, support model, and risks and roadblocks.

    The cloud vision workbook comprises several assessments that will help you understand what service model, delivery model, support model, and risks and roadblocks you can expect to encounter at the workload level.

    • Cloud Vision Workbook
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Define Your Cloud Vision

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Understand the Cloud

    The Purpose

    Align organizational goals to cloud characteristics.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An understanding of how the characteristics particular to cloud can support organizational goals.

    Activities

    1.1 Generate corporate goals and cloud drivers.

    1.2 Identify success indicators.

    1.3 Explore cloud characteristics.

    1.4 Explore cloud service and delivery models.

    1.5 Define cloud support models and strategy components.

    1.6 Create state summaries for the different service and delivery models.

    1.7 Select workloads for further analysis.

    Outputs

    Corporate cloud goals and drivers

    Success indicators

    Current state summaries

    List of workloads for further analysis

    2 Assess Workloads

    The Purpose

    Evaluate workloads for cloud value and action plan.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Action plan for each workload.

    Activities

    2.1 Conduct workload assessment using the Cloud Strategy Workbook tool.

    2.2 Discuss assessments and make preliminary determinations about the workloads.

    Outputs

    Completed workload assessments

    Workload summary statements

    3 Identify and Mitigate Risks

    The Purpose

    Identify and plan to mitigate potential risks in the cloud project.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A list of potential risks and plans to mitigate them.

    Activities

    3.1 Generate a list of risks and potential roadblocks associated with the cloud.

    3.2 Sort risks and roadblocks and define categories.

    3.3 Identify mitigations for each identified risk and roadblock

    3.4 Generate initiatives from the mitigations.

    Outputs

    List of risks and roadblocks, categorized

    List of mitigations

    List of initiatives

    4 Bridge the Gap and Create the Strategy

    The Purpose

    Clarify your vision of how the organization can best make use of cloud and build a project roadmap.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A clear vision and a concrete action plan to move forward with the project.

    Activities

    4.1 Review and assign work items.

    4.2 Finalize the decision framework for each of the following areas: service model, delivery model, and support model.

    4.3 Create a cloud vision statement

    Outputs

    Cloud roadmap

    Finalized task list

    Formal cloud decision rubric

    Cloud vision statement

    5 Next Steps and Wrap-Up

    The Purpose

    Complete your cloud vision by building a compelling executive-facing presentation.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Simple, straightforward communication of your cloud vision to key stakeholders.

    Activities

    5.1 Build the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Outputs

    Completed cloud strategy executive presentation

    Completed Cloud Vision Workbook.

    Further reading

    Define Your Cloud Vision

    Define your cloud vision before it defines you

    Analyst perspective

    Use the cloud’s strengths. Mitigate its weaknesses.

    The cloud isn’t magic. It’s not necessarily cheaper, better, or even available for the thing you want it to do. It’s not mysterious or a cure-all, and it does take a bit of effort to systematize your approach and make consistent, defensible decisions about your cloud services. That’s where this blueprint comes in.

    Your cloud vision is the culmination of this effort all boiled down into a single statement: “This is how we want to use the cloud.” That simple statement should, of course, be representative of – and built from – a broader, contextual strategy discussion that answers the following questions: What should go to the cloud? What kind of cloud makes sense? Should the cloud deployment be public, private, or hybrid? What does a migration look like? What risks and roadblocks need to be considered when exploring your cloud migration options? What are the “day 2” activities that you will need to undertake after you’ve gotten the ball rolling?

    Taken as a whole, answering these questions is difficult task. But with the framework provided here, it’s as easy as – well, let’s just say it’s easier.

    Jeremy Roberts

    Research Director, Infrastructure and Operations

    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    • You are both extrinsically motivated to move to the cloud (e.g. by vendors) and intrinsically motivated by internal digital transformation initiatives.
    • You need to define the cloud’s true value proposition for your organization without assuming it is an outsourcing opportunity or will save you money.
    • Your industry, once cloud-averse, is now normalizing the use of cloud services, but you have not established a basic cloud vision from which to develop a strategy at a later point.

    Common Obstacles

    • Organizations jump to the cloud before defining their cloud vision and without any clear plan for realizing the cloud’s benefits.
    • Many organizations have a foot in the cloud already, but these decisions have been made in an ad hoc rather than systematic fashion.
    • You lack a consistent framework to assess your workloads’ suitability for the cloud.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    • Evaluate workloads’ suitability for the cloud using Info-Tech’s methodology to select the optimal migration (or non-migration) path based on the value of cloud characteristics.
    • Codify risks tied to workloads’ cloud suitability and plan mitigations.
    • Build a roadmap of initiatives for actions by workload and risk mitigation.
    • Define a cloud vision to share with stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Insight: 1) Base migration decisions on cloud characteristics. If your justification for the migration is simply getting your workload out of the data center, think again. 2) Address the risks up front in your migration plan. 3) The cloud changes roles and calls for different skill sets, but Ops is here to stay.

    Your challenge

    This research is designed to help organizations who need to:

    • Identify workloads that are good candidates for the cloud.
    • Develop a consistent, cost-effective approach to cloud services.
    • Outline and mitigate risks.
    • Define your organization’s cloud archetype.
    • Map initiatives on a roadmap.
    • Communicate your cloud vision to stakeholders so they can understand the reasons behind a cloud decision and differentiate between different cloud service and deployment models.
    • Understand the risks, roadblocks, and limitations of the cloud.

    “We’re moving from a world where companies like Oracle and Microsoft and HP and Dell were all critically important to a world where Microsoft is still important, but Amazon is now really important, and Google also matters. The technology has changed, but most of the major vendors they’re betting their business on have also changed. And that’s super hard for people..” –David Chappell, Author and Speaker

    Common obstacles

    These barriers make this challenge difficult to address for many organizations:

    • Organizations jump to the cloud before defining their cloud vision and without any clear plan for realizing the cloud’s benefits.
    • Many organizations already have a foot in the cloud, but the choice to explore these solutions was made in an ad hoc rather than systematic fashion. The cloud just sort of happened.
    • The lack of a consistent assessment framework means that some workloads that probably belong in the cloud are kept on premises or with hosted services providers – and vice versa.
    • Securing cloud expertise is remarkably difficult – especially in a labor market roiled by the global pandemic and the increasing importance of cloud services.

    Standard cloud challenges

    30% of all cloud spend is self-reported as waste. Many workloads that end up in the cloud don’t belong there. Many workloads that do belong in the cloud aren’t properly migrated. (Flexera, 2021)

    44% of respondents report themselves as under-skilled in the cloud management space. (Pluralsight, 2021)

    Info-Tech’s approach

    Goals and drivers

    • Service model
      • What type of cloud makes the most sense for workload archetypes? When does it make sense to pick SaaS over IaaS, for example?
    • Delivery model
      • Will services be delivered over the public cloud, a private cloud, or a hybrid cloud? What challenges accompany this decision?
    • Migration Path
      • What does the migration path look like? What does the transition to the cloud look like, and how much effort will be required? Amazon’s 6Rs framework captures migration options: rehosting, repurchasing, replatforming, and refactoring, along with retaining and retiring. Each workload should be assessed for its suitability for one or more of these paths.
    • Support model
      • How will services be provided? Will staff be trained, new staff hired, a service provider retained for ongoing operations, or will a consultant with cloud expertise be brought on board for a defined period? The appropriate support model is highly dependent on goals along with expected outcomes for different workloads.

    Highlight risks and roadblocks

    Formalize cloud vision

    Document your cloud strategy

    The Info-Tech difference:

    1. Determine the hypothesized value of cloud for your organization.
    2. Evaluate workloads with 6Rs framework.
    3. Identify and mitigate risks.
    4. Identify cloud archetype.
    5. Plot initiatives on a roadmap.
    6. Write action plan statement and goal statement.

    What is the cloud, how is it deployed, and how is service provided?

    Cloud Characteristics

    1. On-demand self-service: the ability to access reosurces instantly without vendor interaction
    2. Broad network access: all services delivered over the network
    3. Resource pooling: multi-tenant environment (shared)
    4. Rapid elasticity: the ability to expand and retract capabilities as needed
    5. Measured service: transparent metering

    Service Model:

    1. Software-as-a-Service: all but the most minor configuration is done by the vendor
    2. Platform-as-a-Service: customer builds the application using tools provided by the provider
    3. Infrastructure-as-a-Service: the customer manages OS, storage, and the application

    Delivery Model

    1. Public cloud: accessible to anyone over the internet; multi-tenant environment
    2. Private cloud: provisioned for a single organization with multiple units
    3. Hybrid cloud: two or more connected clouds; data is portage across them
    4. Community cloud: provisioned for a specific group of organizations

    (National Institute of Standards and Technology)

    A workload-first approach will allow you to take full advantage of the cloud’s strengths

    • Under all but the most exceptional circumstances, good cloud strategies will incorporate different service models. Very few organizations are “IaaS shops” or “SaaS shops,” even if they lean heavily in one direction.
    • These different service models (including non-cloud options like colocation and on-premises infrastructure) each have different strengths. Part of your cloud strategy should involve determining which of the services makes the most sense for you.
    • Own the cloud by understanding which cloud (or non-cloud!) offering makes the most sense for you given your unique context.

    Migration paths

    In a 2016 blog post, Amazon introduced a framework for understanding cloud migration strategies. The framework presented here is slightly modified – including a “relocate” component rather than a “retire” component – but otherwise hews close to the standard.

    These migration paths reflect organizational capabilities and desired outcomes in terms of service models – cloud or otherwise. Retention means keeping the workload where it is, in a datacenter or a colocation service, or relocating to a colocation or hosted software environment. These represent the “non-cloud” migration paths.

    In the graphic on the right, the paths within the red box lead to the cloud. Rehosting means lifting and shifting to an infrastructure environment. Migrating a virtual machine from your VMware environment on premises to Azure Virtual machines is a quick way to realize some benefits from the cloud. Migrating from SQL Server on premises to a cloud-based SQL solution looks a bit more like changing platforms (replatforming). It involves basic infrastructure modification without a substantial architectural component.

    Refactoring is the most expensive of the options and involves engaging the software development lifecycle to build a custom solution, fundamentally rewriting the solution to be cloud native and take advantage of cloud-native architectures. This can result in a PaaS or an IaaS solution.

    Finally, repurchasing means simply going to market and procuring a new solution. This may involve migrating data, but it does not require the migration of components.

    Migration Paths

    Retain (Revisit)

    • Keep the application in its current form, at least for now. This doesn’t preclude revisiting it in the future.

    Relocate

    • Move the workload between datacenters or to a hosted software/colocation provider.

    Rehost

    • Move the application to the cloud (IaaS) and continue to run it in more or less the same form as it currently runs.

    Replatform

    • Move the application to the cloud and perform a few changes for cloud optimizations.

    Refactor

    • Rewrite the application, taking advantage of cloud-native architectures.

    Repurchase

    • Replace with an alternative, cloud-native application and migrate the data.

    Support model

    Support models by characteristic

    Duration of engagement Specialization Flexibility
    Internal IT Indefinite Varies based on nature of business Fixed, permanent staff
    Managed Service Provider Contractually defined General, some specialization Standard offering
    Consultant Project-based Specific, domain-based Entirely negotiable

    IT services, including cloud services, can be delivered and managed in multiple ways depending on the nature of the workload and the organization’s intended path forward. Three high-level options are presented here and may be more or less valuable based on the duration of the expected engagement with the service (temporary or permanent), the skills specialization required, and the flexibility necessary to complete the job.

    By way of example, a highly technical, short-term project with significant flexibility requirements might be a good fit for an expensive consultant, whereas post-implementation maintenance of a cloud email system requires relatively little specialization and flexibility and would therefore be a better fit for internal management.

    There is no universally applicable rule here, but there are some workloads that are generally a good fit for the cloud and others that are not as effective, with that fit being conditional on the appropriate support model being employed.

    Risks, roadblocks, and strategy components

    No two cloud strategies are exactly alike, but all should address 14 key areas. A key step in defining your cloud vision is an assessment of these strategy components. Lower maturity does not preclude an aggressive cloud strategy, but it does indicate that higher effort will be required to make the transition.

    Component Description Component Description
    Monitoring What will system owners/administrators need visibility into? How will they achieve this? Vendor Management What practices must change to ensure effective management of cloud vendors?
    Provisioning Who will be responsible for deploying cloud workloads? What governance will this process be subject to? Finance Management How will costs be managed with the transition away from capital expenditure?
    Migration How will cloud migrations be conducted? What best practices/standards must be employed? Security What steps must be taken to ensure that cloud services meet security requirements?
    Operations management What is the process for managing operations as they change in the cloud? Data Controls How will data residency, compliance, and protection requirements be met in the cloud?
    Architecture What general principles must apply in the cloud environment? Skills and roles What skills become necessary in the cloud? What steps must be taken to acquire those skills?
    Integration and interoperability How will services be integrated? What standards must apply? Culture and adoption Is there a cultural aversion to the cloud? What steps must be taken to ensure broad cloud acceptance?
    Portfolio Management Who will be responsible for managing the growth of the cloud portfolio? Governing bodies What formal governance must be put in place? Who will be responsible for setting standards?

    Cloud archetypes – a cloud vision component

    Once you understand the value of the cloud, your workloads’ general suitability for cloud, and your proposed risks and mitigations, the next step is to define your cloud archetype.

    Your organization’s cloud archetype is the strategic posture that IT adopts to best support the organization’s goals. Info-Tech’s model recognizes seven archetypes, divided into three high-level archetypes.

    After consultation with your stakeholders, and based on the results of the suitability and risk assessment activities, define your archetype. The archetype feeds into the overall cloud vision and provides simple insight into the cloud future state for all stakeholders.

    The cloud vision itself is captured in a “vision statement,” a short summary of the overall approach that includes the overall cloud archetype.

    We can best support the organization's goals by:

    More Cloud

    Less Cloud

    Cloud Focused Cloud-Centric Providing all workloads through cloud delivery.
    Cloud-First Using the cloud as our default deployment model. For each workload, we should ask “why NOT cloud?”
    Cloud Opportunistic Hybrid Enabling the ability to transition seamlessly between on-premises and cloud resources for many workloads.
    Integrated Combining cloud and traditional infrastructure resources, integrating data and applications through APIs or middleware.
    Split Using the cloud for some workloads and traditional infrastructure resources for others.
    Cloud Averse Cloud-Light Using traditional infrastructure resources and limiting our use of the cloud to when it is absolutely necessary.
    Anti-Cloud Using traditional infrastructure resources and avoiding use of the cloud wherever possible.

    Info-Tech’s methodology for defining your cloud vision

    1. Understand the Cloud 2. Assess Workloads 3. Identify and Mitigate Risks 4. Bridge the Gap and Create the Vision
    Phase Steps
    1. Generate goals and drivers
    2. Explore cloud characteristics
    3. Create a current state summary
    4. Select workloads for analysis
    1. Conduct workload assessments
    2. Determine workload future state
    1. Generate risks and roadblocks
    2. Mitigate risks and roadblocks
    3. Define roadmap initiatives
    1. Review and assign work items
    2. Finalize cloud decision framework
    3. Create cloud vision
    Phase Outcomes
    1. List of goals and drivers
    2. Shared understanding of cloud terms
    3. Current state of cloud in the organization
    4. List of workloads to be assessed
    1. Completed workload assessments
    2. Defined workload future state
    1. List of risks and roadblocks
    2. List of mitigations
    3. Defined roadmap initiatives
    1. Cloud roadmap
    2. Cloud decision framework
    3. Completed Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Insight summary

    The cloud may not be right for you – and that’s okay!

    Don’t think about the cloud as an inevitable next step for all workloads. The cloud is merely another tool in the toolbox, ready to be used when appropriate and put away when it’s not needed. Cloud first isn’t always the way to go.

    Not all clouds are equal

    It’s not “should I go to the cloud?” but “what service and delivery models make sense based on my needs and risk tolerance?” Thinking about the cloud as a binary can force workloads into the cloud that don’t belong (and vice versa).

    Bottom-up is best

    A workload assessment is the only way to truly understand the cloud’s value. Work from the bottom up, not the top down, understand what characteristics make a workload cloud suitable, and strategize on that basis.

    Your accountability doesn’t change

    You are still accountable for maintaining available, secure, functional applications and services. Cloud providers share some responsibility, but the buck stops where it always has: with you.

    Don’t customize for the sake of customization

    SaaS providers make money selling the same thing to everyone. When migrating a workload to SaaS, work with stakeholders to pursue standardization around a selected platform and avoid customization where possible.

    Best of both worlds, worst of both worlds

    Hybrid clouds are in fashion, but true hybridity comes with additional cost, administration, and other constraints. A convoy moves at the speed of its slowest member.

    The journey matters as much as the destination

    How you get there is as important as what “there” actually is. Any strategy that focuses solely on the destination misses out on a key part of the value conversation: the migration strategy.

    Blueprint benefits

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    This presentation captures the results of the exercises and presents a complete vision to stakeholders including a desired target state, a rubric for decision making, the results of the workload assessments, and an overall risk profile.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    This workbook includes the standard cloud workload assessment questionnaire along with the results of the assessment. It also includes the milestone timeline for the implementation of the cloud vision.

    Blueprint benefits

    IT Benefits

    • A consistent approach to the cloud takes the guesswork out of deployment decisions and makes it easier for IT to move on to the execution stage.
    • When properly incorporated, cloud services come with many benefits, including automation, elasticity, and alternative architectures (micro-services, containers). The cloud vision project will help IT readers articulate expected benefits and work towards achieving them.
    • A clear framework for incorporating organizational goals into cloud plans.

    Business benefits

    • Simple, well-governed access to high-quality IT resources.
    • Access to the latest and greatest in technology to facilitate remote work.
    • Framework for cost management in the cloud that incorporates OpEx and chargebacks/showbacks. A clear understanding of expected changes to cost modeling is also a benefit of a cloud vision.
    • Clarity for stakeholders about IT’s response (and contribution to) IT strategic initiatives.

    Measure the value of this blueprint

    Don’t take our word for it:

    • The cloud vision material in various forms has been offered for several years, and members have generally benefited substantially, both from cloud vision workshops and from guided implementations led by analysts.
    • After each engagement, we send a survey that asks members how they benefited from the experience. Of 30 responses, the cloud vision research has received an average score of 9.8/10. Real members have found significant value in the process.
    • Additionally, members reported saving between 2 and 120 days (for an average of 17), and financial savings ranged from $1,920 all the way up to $1.27 million, for an average of $170,577.90! If we drop outliers on both ends, the average reported value of a cloud vision engagement is $37, 613.
    • Measure the value by calculating the time saved from using Info-Tech’s framework vs. a home-brewed cloud strategy alternative and by comparing the overall cost of a guided implementation or workshop with the equivalent offering from another firm. We’re confident you’ll come out ahead.

    9.8/10 Average reported satisfaction

    17 Days Average reported time savings

    $37, 613 Average cost savings (adj.)

    Executive Brief Case Study

    Industry: Financial

    Source: Info-Tech workshop

    Anonymous financial institution

    A small East Coast financial institution was required to develop a cloud strategy. This strategy had to meet several important requirements, including alignment with strategic priorities and best practices, along with regulatory compliance, including with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

    The bank already had a significant cloud footprint and was looking to organize and formalize the strategy going forward.

    Leadership needed a comprehensive strategy that touched on key areas including the delivery model, service models, individual workload assessments, cost management, risk management and governance. The output had to be consumable by a variety of audiences with varying levels of technical expertise and had to speak to IT’s role in the broader strategic goals articulated earlier in the year.

    Results

    The bank engaged Info-Tech for a cloud vision workshop and worked through four days of exercises with various IT team members. The bank ultimately decided on a multi-cloud strategy that prioritized SaaS while also allowing for PaaS and IaaS solutions, along with some non-cloud hosted solutions, based on organizational circumstances.

    Bank cloud vision

    [Bank] will provide innovative financial and related services by taking advantage of the multiplicity of best-of-breed solutions available in the cloud. These solutions make it possible to benefit from industry-level innovations, while ensuring efficiency, redundancy, and enhanced security.

    Bank cloud decision workflow

    • SaaS
      • Platform?
        • Yes
          • PaaS
        • No
          • Hosted
        • IaaS
          • Other

    Non-cloud

    Cloud

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    "Our team has already made this crticial project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

    Guided Implementation

    "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

    Workshop

    "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off imediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

    Consulting

    "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge the take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.

    Guided Implementation

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    A typical GI is between 8 to 12 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

    Phase 1

    • Call #1: Discuss current state, challenges, etc.
    • Call #2: Goals, drivers, and current state.

    Phase 2

    • Call #3: Conduct cloud suitability assessment for selected workloads.

    Phase 3

    • Call #4: Generate and categorize risks.
    • Call #5: Begin the risk mitigation conversation.

    Phase 4

    • Call #6: Complete the risk mitigation process
    • Call #7: Finalize vision statement and cloud decision framework.

    Workshop Overview

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Offsite day
    Understand the cloud Assess workloads Identify and mitigate risks Bridge the gap and create the strategy Next steps and wrap-up (offsite)
    Activities

    1.1 Introduction

    1.2 Generate corporate goals and cloud drivers

    1.3 Identify success indicators

    1.4 Explore cloud characteristics

    1.5 Explore cloud service and delivery models

    1.6 Define cloud support models and strategy components

    1.7 Create current state summaries for the different service and delivery models

    1.8 Select workloads for further analysis

    2.1 Conduct workload assessments using the cloud strategy workbook tool

    2.2 Discuss assessments and make preliminary determinations about workloads

    3.1 Generate a list of risks and potential roadblocks associated with the cloud

    3.2 Sort risks and roadblocks and define categories

    3.3 Identify mitigations for each identified risk and roadblock

    3.4 Generate initiatives from the mitigations

    4.1 Review and assign work items

    4.2 Finalize the decision framework for each of the following areas:

    • Service model
    • Delivery model
    • Support model

    4.3 Create a cloud vision statement

    5.1 Build the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation
    Deliverables
    1. Corporate goals and cloud drivers
    2. Success indicators
    3. Current state summaries
    4. List of workloads for further analysis
    1. Completed workload assessments
    2. Workload summary statements
    1. List of risks and roadblocks, categorized
    2. List of mitigations
    3. List of initiatives
    1. Finalized task list
    2. Formal cloud decision rubric
    3. Cloud vision statement
    1. Completed cloud strategy executive presentation
    2. Completed cloud vision workbook

    Understand the cloud

    Build the foundations of your cloud vision

    Phase 1

    Phase 1

    Understand the Cloud

    Phase 1

    1.1 Generate goals and drivers

    1.2 Explore cloud characteristics

    1.3 Create a current state summary

    1.4 Select workloads for analysis

    Phase 2

    2.1 Conduct workload assessments

    2.2 Determine workload future states

    Phase 3

    3.1 Generate risks and roadblocks

    3.2 Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    3.3 Define roadmap initiatives

    Phase 4

    4.1 Review and assign work items

    4.2 Finalize cloud decision framework

    4.3 Create cloud vision

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    1.1.1 Generate organizational goals

    1.1.2 Define cloud drivers

    1.1.3 Define success indicators

    1.3.1 Record your current state

    1.4.1 Select workloads for further assessment

    This phase involves the following participants:

    IT management, the core working group, security, infrastructure, operations, architecture, engineering, applications, non-IT stakeholders.

    It starts with shared understanding

    Stakeholders must agree on overall goals and what “cloud” means

    The cloud is a nebulous term that can reasonably describe services ranging from infrastructure as a service as delivered by providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft through its Azure platform, right up to software as a service solutions like Jira or Salesforce. These solutions solve different problems – just because your CRM would be a good fit for a migration to Salesforce doesn’t mean the same system would make sense in Azure or AWS.

    This is important because the language we use to talk about the cloud can color our approach to cloud services. A “cloud-first” strategy will mean something different to a CEO with a concept of the cloud rooted in Salesforce than it will to a system administrator who interprets it to mean a transition to cloud-hosted virtual machines.

    Add to this the fact that not all cloud services are hosted externally by providers (public clouds) and the fact that multiple delivery models can be engaged at once through hybrid or multi-cloud approaches, and it’s apparent that a shared understanding of the cloud is necessary for a coherent strategy to take form.

    This phase proceeds in four steps, each governed by the principle of shared understanding. The first requires a shared understanding of corporate goals and drivers. Step 2 involves coming to a shared understanding of the cloud’s unique characteristics. Step 3 requires a review of the current state. Finally, in Step 4, participants will identify workloads that are suitable for analysis as candidates for the cloud.

    Step 1.1

    Generate goals and drivers

    Activities

    1.1.1 Define organizational goals

    1.1.2 Define cloud drivers

    1.1.3 Define success indicators

    Generate goals and drivers

    Explore cloud characteristics

    Create a current state summary

    Select workloads for analysis

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT management
    • Core working group
    • Security
    • Applications
    • Infrastructure
    • Service management
    • Leadership

    Outcomes of this step

    • List of organizational goals
    • List of cloud drivers
    • Defined success indicators

    What can the cloud do for you?

    The cloud is not valuable for its own sake, and not all users derive the same value

    • The cloud is characterized by on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service. Any or all of those characteristics might be enough to make the cloud appealing, but in most cases, there is an overriding driver.
    • Multiple paths may lead to the cloud. Consider an organization with a need to control costs by showing back to business units, or perhaps by reducing capital expenditure – the cloud may be the most appropriate way to effect these changes. Conversely, an organization expanding rapidly and with a need to access the latest and greatest technology might benefit from the elasticity and pooled resources that major cloud providers can offer.
    • In these cases, the destination might be the same (a cloud solution) but the delivery model – public, private, or hybrid – and the decisions made around the key strategy components, including architecture, provisioning, and cost management, will almost certainly be different.
    • Defining goals, understanding cloud drivers, and – crucially – understanding what success means, are all therefore essential elements of the cloud vision process.

    1.1.1 Generate organizational goals

    1-3 hours

    Input

    • Strategy documentation

    Output

    • Organizational goals

    Materials

    • Whiteboard (digital/physical)

    Participants

    • IT leadership
    • Infrastructure
    • Applications
    • Security
    1. As a group, brainstorm organizational goals, ideally based on existing documentation
      • Review relevant corporate and IT strategies.
      • If you do not have access to internal documentation, review the standard goals on the next slide and select those that are most relevant for you.
    2. Record the most important business goals in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation. Include descriptions where possible to ensure wide readability.
    3. Make note of these goals. They should inform the answers to prompts offered in the Cloud Vision Workbook and should be a consistent presence in the remainder of the visioning exercise. If you’re conducting the session in person, leave the goals up on a whiteboard and make reference to them throughout the workshop.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Standard COBIT 19 enterprise goals

    1. Portfolio of competitive products and services
    2. Managed business risk
    3. Compliance with external laws and regulations
    4. Quality of financial information
    5. Customer-oriented service culture
    6. Business service continuity and availability
    7. Quality of management information
    8. Optimization of internal business process functionality
    9. Optimization of business process costs
    10. Staff skills, motivation, and productivity
    11. Compliance with internal policies
    12. Managed digital transformation programs
    13. Product and business innovation

    1.1.2 Define cloud drivers

    30-60 minutes

    Input

    • Organizational goals
    • Strategy documentation
    • Management/staff perspective

    Output

    • List of cloud drivers

    Materials

    • Sticky notes
    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • IT leadership
    • Infrastructure
    • Applications
    • Security
    1. Cloud drivers sit at a level of abstraction below organizational goals. Keeping your organizational goals in mind, have each participant in the session write down how they expect to benefit from the cloud on a sticky note.
    2. Solicit input one at a time and group similar responses. Encourage participants to bring forward their cloud goals even if similar goals have been mentioned previously. The number of mentions is a useful way to gauge the relative weight of the drivers.
    3. Once this is done, you should have a few groups of similar drivers. Work with the group to name each category. This name will be the driver reported in the documentation.
    4. Input the results of the exercise into the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation, and include descriptions based on the constituent drivers. For example, if a driver is titled “do more valuable work,” the constituent drivers might be “build cloud skills,” “focus on core products,” and “avoid administration work where possible.” The description would be based on these components.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    1.1.3 Define success indicators

    1 hour

    Input

    • Cloud drivers
    • Organizational goals

    Output

    • List of cloud driver success indicators

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • IT leadership
    • Infrastructure
    • Applications
    • Security
    1. On a whiteboard, draw a table with each of the cloud drivers (identified in 1.1.2) across the top.
    2. Work collectively to generate success indicators for each cloud driver. In this case, a success indicator is some way you can report your progress with the stated driver. It is a real-world proxy for the sometimes abstract phenomena that make up your drivers. Think about what would be true if your driver was realized.
      1. For example, if your driver is “faster access to resources,” you might consider indicators like developer satisfaction, project completion time, average time to provision, etc.
    3. Once you are satisfied with your list of indicators, populate the slide in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation for validation from stakeholders.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Step 1.2

    Explore cloud characteristics

    Activities

    Understand the value of the cloud:

    • Review delivery models
    • Review support models
    • Review service models
    • Review migration paths

    Understand the Cloud

    Generate goals and drivers

    Explore cloud characteristics

    Create a current state summary

    Select workloads for analysis

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group
    • Architecture
    • Engineering
    • Security

    Outcomes of this step

    • Understanding of cloud service models and value

    Defining the cloud

    Per NIST, the cloud has five fundamental characteristics. All clouds have these characteristics, even if they are executed in somewhat different ways between delivery models, service models, and even individual providers.

    Cloud characteristics

    On-demand self-service

    Cloud customers are capable of provisioning cloud resources without human interaction (e.g. contacting sales), generally through a web console.

    Broad network access

    Capabilities are designed to be delivered over a network and are generally intended for access by a wide variety of platform types (cloud services are generally device-agnostic).

    Resource pooling

    Multiple customers (internal, in the case of private clouds) make use of a highly abstracted shared infrastructure managed by the cloud provider.

    Rapid elasticity

    Customers are capable of provisioning additional resources as required, pulling from a functionally infinite pool of capacity. Cloud resources can be spun-down when no longer needed.

    Measured service

    Consumption is metered based on an appropriate unit of analysis (number of licenses, storage used, compute cycles, etc.) and billing is transparent and granular.

    Cloud delivery models

    The NIST definition of cloud computing outlines four cloud delivery models: public, private, hybrid, and community clouds. A community cloud is like a private cloud, but it is provisioned for the exclusive use of a like-minded group of organizations, usually in a mutually beneficial, non-competitive arrangement. Universities and hospitals are examples of organizations that can pool their resources in this way without impacting competitiveness. The Info-Tech model covers three key delivery models – public, private, and hybrid, and an overarching model (multi-cloud) that can comprise more than one of the other models – public + public, public + hybrid, etc.

    Public

    The cloud service is provisioned for access by the general public (customers).

    Private

    A private cloud has the five key characteristics, but is provisioned for use by a single entity, like a company or organization.

    Hybrid

    Hybridity essentially refers to interoperability between multiple cloud delivery models (public +private).

    Multi

    A multi-cloud deployment requires only that multiple clouds are used without any necessary interoperability (Nutanix, 2019).

    Public cloud

    This is what people generally think about when they talk about cloud

    • The public cloud is, well, public! Anyone can make use of its resources, and in the case of the major providers, capacity is functionally unlimited. Need to store exabytes of data in the cloud? No problem! Amazon will drive a modified shipping container to your datacenter, load it up, and “migrate” it to a datacenter.
    • Public clouds offer significant variety on the infrastructure side. Major IaaS providers, like Microsoft and Amazon, offer dozens of services across many different categories including compute, networking, and storage, but also identity, containers, machine learning, virtual desktops, and much, much more. (See a list from Microsoft here, and Amazon here)
    • There are undoubtedly strengths to the public cloud model. Providers offer the “latest and greatest” and customers need not worry about the details, including managing infrastructure and physical locations. Providers offer built-in redundancy, multi-regional deployments, automation tools, management and governance solutions, and a variety of leading-edge technologies that would not be feasible for organizations to run in-house, like high performance compute, blockchain, or quantum computing.
    • Of course, the public cloud is not all sunshine and rainbows – there are downsides as well. It can be expensive; it can introduce regulatory complications to have to trust another entity with your key information. Additionally, there can be performance hiccups, and with SaaS products, it can be difficult to monitor at the appropriate (per-transaction) level.

    Prominent examples include:

    AWS

    Microsoft

    Azure

    Salesforce.com

    Workday

    SAP

    Private cloud

    A lower-risk cloud for cloud-averse customers?

    • A cloud is a cloud, no matter how small. Some IT shops deploy private clouds that make use of the five key cloud characteristics but provisioned for the exclusive use of a single entity, like a corporation.
    • Private clouds have numerous benefits. Some potential cloud customers might be uncomfortable with the shared responsibility that is inherent in the public cloud. Private clouds allow customers to deliver flexible, measured services without having to surrender control, but they require significant overhead, capital expenditure, administrative effort, and technical expertise.
    • According to the 2021 State of the Cloud Report, private cloud use is common, and the most frequently cited toolset is VMware vSphere, followed by Azure Stack, OpenStack, and AWS Outposts. Private cloud deployments are more common in larger organizations, which makes sense given the overhead required to manage such an environment.

    Private cloud adoption

    The images shows a graph titled Private Cloud Adoption for Enterprises. It is a horizontal bar graph, with three segments in each bar: dark blue marking currently use; mid blue marking experimenting; and light blue marking plan to use.

    VMware and Microsoft lead the pack among private cloud customers, with Amazon and Red Hat also substantially present across private cloud environments.

    Hybrid cloud

    The best of both worlds?

    Hybrid cloud architectures combine multiple cloud delivery models and facilitate some level of interoperability. NIST suggests bursting and load balancing as examples of hybrid cloud use cases. Note: it is not sufficient to simply have multiple clouds running in parallel – there must be a toolset that allows for an element of cross-cloud functionality.

    This delivery model is attractive because it allows users to take advantage of the strengths of multiple service models using a single management pane. Bursting across clouds to take advantage of additional capacity or disaster recovery capabilities are two obvious use cases that appeal to hybrid cloud users.

    But while hybridity is all the rage (especially given the impact Covid-19 has had on the workplace), the reality is that any hybrid cloud user must take the good with the bad. Multiple clouds and a management layer can be technically complex, expensive, and require maintaining a physical infrastructure that is not especially valuable (“I thought we were moving to the cloud to get out of the datacenter!”).

    Before selecting a hybrid approach through services like VMware Cloud on AWS or Microsoft’s Azure Stack, consider the cost, complexity, and actual expected benefit.

    Amazon, Microsoft, and Google dominate public cloud IaaS, but IBM is betting big on hybrid cloud:

    The image is a screencap of a tweet from IBM News. The tweet reads: IBM CEO Ginni Rometty: Hybrid cloud is a trillion dollar market and we'll be number one #Think2019.

    With its acquisition of Red Hat in 2019 for $34 billion, Big Blue put its money where its mouth is and acquired a substantial hybrid cloud business. At the time of the acquisition, Red Hat’s CEO, Jim Whitehurst, spoke about the benefit IBM expected to receive:

    “Joining forces with IBM gives Red Hat the opportunity to bring more open source innovation to an even broader range of organizations and will enable us to scale to meet the need for hybrid cloud solutions that deliver true choice and agility” (Red Hat, 2019).

    Multi-cloud

    For most organizations, the multi-cloud is the most realistic option.

    Multi-cloud is popular!

    The image shows a graph titled Multi-Cloud Architectures Used, % of all Respondents. The largest percentage is Apps siloed on different clouds, followed by DAta integration between clouds.

    Multi-cloud solutions exist at a different layer of abstraction from public, private, and even hybrid cloud delivery models. A multi-cloud architecture, as the name suggests, requires the user to be a customer of more than one cloud provider, and it can certainly include a hybrid cloud deployment, but it is not bound by the same rules of interoperability.

    Many organizations – especially those with fewer resources or a lack of a use case for a private cloud – rely on a multi-cloud architecture to build applications where they belong, and they manage each environment separately (or occasionally with the help of cloud management platforms).

    If your data team wants to work in AWS and your enterprise services run on basic virtual machines in Azure, that might be the most effective architecture. As the Flexera 2021 State of the Cloud Report suggests, this architecture is far more common than the more complicated bursting or brokering architectures characteristic of hybrid clouds.

    NIST cloud service models

    Software as a service

    SaaS has exploded in popularity with consumers who wish to avail themselves of the cloud’s benefits without having to manage underlying infrastructure components. SaaS is simple, generally billed per-user per-month, and is almost entirely provider-managed.

    Platform as a service

    PaaS providers offer a toolset for their customers to run custom applications and services without the requirement to manage underlying infrastructure components. This service model is ideal for custom applications/services that don’t benefit from highly granular infrastructure control.

    Infrastructure as a service

    IaaS represents the sale of components. Instead of a service, IaaS providers sell access to components, like compute, storage, and networking, allowing for customers to build anything they want on top of the providers’ infrastructure.

    Cloud service models

    • This research focuses on five key service models, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Moving right from “on-prem,” customers gradually give up more control over their environments to cloud service providers.
    • An entirely premises-based environment means that the customer is responsible for everything ranging from the dirt under the datacenter to application-level configurations. Conversely, in a SaaS environment, the provider is responsible for everything but those top-level application configurations.
    • A managed service provider or other third party can manage any or of the components of the infrastructure stack. A service provider may, for example, build a SaaS solution on top of another provider’s IaaS, or might offer configuration assistance with a commercially available SaaS.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Not all workloads fit well in the cloud. Many environments will mix service models (e.g. SaaS for some workloads, some in IaaS, some on-premises), and this can be perfectly effective. It must be consistent and intentional, however.

    On-prem Co-Lo IaaS PaaS SaaS
    Application Application Application Application Application
    Database Database Database Database Database
    Runtime/ Middleware Runtime/ Middleware Runtime/ Middleware Runtime/ Middleware Runtime/ Middleware
    OS OS OS OS OS
    Hypervisor Hypervisor Hypervisor Hypervisor Hypervisor
    Server Network Storage Server Network Storage Server Network Storage Server Network Storage Server Network Storage
    Facilities Facilities Facilities Facilities Facilities

    Organization has control

    Organization or vendor may control

    Vendor has control

    Analytics folly

    SaaS is good, but it’s not a panacea

    Industry: Healthcare

    Source: Info-Tech workshop

    Situation

    A healthcare analytics provider had already moved a significant number of “non-core workloads” to the cloud, including email, HRIS, and related services.

    The company CEO was satisfied with the reduced effort required by IT to manage SaaS-based workloads and sought to extend the same benefits to the core analytics platform where there was an opportunity to reduce overhead.

    Complication

    Many components of the health analytics service were designed to run specifically in a datacenter and were not ready to be migrated to the cloud without significant effort/refactoring. SaaS was not an option because this was a core platform – a SaaS provider would have been the competition.

    That left IaaS, which was expensive and would not bring the expected benefits (reduced overhead).

    Results

    The organization determined that there were no short-term gains from migrating to the cloud. Due to the nature of the application (its extensive customization, the fact that it was a core product sold by the company) any steps to reduce operational overhead were not feasible.

    The CEO recognized that the analytics platform was not a good candidate for the cloud and what distinguished the analytics platform from more suitable workloads.

    Migration paths

    In a 2016 blog post, Amazon Web Services articulated a framework for cloud migration that incorporates elements of the journey as well as the destination. If workload owners do not choose to retain or retire their workloads, there are four alternatives. These alternatives all stack up differently along five key dimensions:

    1. Value: does the workload stand to benefit from unique cloud characteristics? To what degree?
    2. Effort: how much work would be required to make the transition?
    3. Cost: how much money is the migration expected to cost?
    4. Time: how long will the migration take?
    5. Skills: what skills must be brought to bear to complete the migration?

    Not all migration paths can lead to all destinations. Rehosting generally means IaaS, while repurchasing leads to SaaS. Refactoring and replatforming have some variety of outcomes, and it becomes possible to take advantage of new IaaS architectures or migrate workloads over fully to SaaS.

    As part of the workload assessment process, use the five dimensions (expanded upon on the next slide) to determine what migration path makes sense. Preferred migration paths form an important part of the overall cloud vision process.

    Retain (Revisit)

    • Keep the application in its current form, at least for now. This doesn’t preclude revisiting it in the future.

    Retire

    • Get rid of the application completely.

    Rehost

    • Move the application to the cloud (IaaS) and continue to run it in more or less the same form as it currently runs.

    Replatform

    • Move the application to the cloud and perform a few changes for cloud optimizations.

    Refactor

    • Rewrite the application, taking advantage of cloud native architectures.

    Repurchase

    • Replace with an alternative, cloud-native application and migrate the data.

    Migration paths – relative value

    Migration path Value Effort Cost Time Skills
    Retain No real change in the absolute value of the workload if it is retained. No effort beyond ongoing workload maintenance. No immediate hard dollar costs, but opportunity costs and technical debt abound. No time required! (At least not right away…) Retaining requires the same skills it has always required (which may be more difficult to acquire in the future).
    Rehire A retired workload can provide no value, but it is not a drain! Spinning a service down requires engaging that part of the lifecycle. N/A Retiring the service may be simple or complicated depending on its current role. N/A
    Rehost Some value comes with rehosting, but generally components stay the same (VM here vs. a VM there). Minimal effort required, especially with automated tools. The effort will depend on the environment being migrated. Relatively cheap compared to other options. Rehosting infrastructure is the simplest cloud migration path and is useful for anyone in a hurry. Rehosting is the simplest cloud migration path for most workloads, but it does require basic familiarity with cloud IaaS.

    Replatform

    Replatformed workloads can take advantage of cloud-native services (SQL vs. SQLaaS). Replatforming is more effortful than rehosting, but less effortful than refactoring. Moderate cost – does not require fundamental rearchitecture, just some tweaking. Relatively more complicated than a simple rehost, but less demanding than a refactor. Platform and workload expertise is required; more substantial than a simple rehost.
    Refactor A fully formed, customized cloud-based workload that can take advantage of cloud-native architectures is generally quite valuable. Significant effort required based on the requirement to engage the full SDLC. Significant cost required to engage SDLC and rebuild the application/service. The most complicated and time-consuming. The most complicated and time-consuming.
    Repurchase Repurchasing is the quickest way to achieve cloud-native value. There are compromises, however (high cost, vendor-lock-in). Repurchasing is the quickest way to achieve cloud-native value. There are compromises, however (high cost, vendor-lock-in). Repurchasing is the quickest way to achieve cloud-native value. There are compromises, however (high cost, vendor-lock-in). Configuration – especially for massive projects – can be time consuming, but in general repurchasing can be quite fast. Buying software does require knowledge of requirements and integrations, but is otherwise quite simple.

    Where should you get your cloud skills?

    Cloud skills are certainly top of mind right now. With the great upheaval in both work patterns and in the labor market more generally, expertise in cloud-related areas is simultaneously more valuable and more difficult to procure. According to Pluralsight’s 2021 “State of Upskilling” report, 44% of respondents report themselves under-skilled in the cloud management area, making cloud management the most significant skill gap reported on the survey.

    Everyone left the office. Work as we know it is fundamentally altered for a generation or more. Cloud services shot up in popularity by enabling the transition. And yet there is a gap – a prominent gap – in skilling up for this critically important future. What is the cloud manager to do?

    Per the framework presented here, that manager has three essential options. They may take somewhat different forms depending on specific requirements and the quirks of the local market, but the options are:

    1. Train or hire internal resources: This might be easier said than done, especially for more niche skills, but makes sense for workloads that are critical to operations for the long term.
    2. Engage a managed service provider: MSPs are often engaged to manage services where internal IT lacks bandwidth or expertise.
    3. Hire a consultant: Consultants are great for time-bound implementation projects where highly specific expertise is required, such as a migration or implementation project.

    Each model makes sense to some degree. When evaluating individual workloads for cloud suitability, it is critical to consider the support model – both immediate and long term. What makes sense from a value perspective?

    Cloud decisions – summary

    A key component of the Info-Tech cloud vision model is that it is multi-layered. Not every decision must be made at every level. At the workload level, it makes sense to select service models that make sense, but each workload does not need its own defined vision. Workload-level decisions should be guided by an overall strategy but applied tactically, based on individual workload characteristics and circumstances.

    Conversely, some decisions will inevitably be applied at the environment level. With some exceptions, it is unlikely that cloud customers will build an entire private/hybrid cloud environment around a single solution; instead, they will define a broader strategy and fit individual workloads into that strategy.

    Some considerations exist at both the workload and environment levels. Risks and roadblocks, as well as the preferred support model, are concerns that exist at both the environment level and at the workload level.

    The image is a Venn diagram, with the left side titled Workload level, and the right side titled Environment Level. In the left section are: service model and migration path. On the right section are: Overall vision and Delivery model. In the centre section are: support model and Risks and roadblocks.

    Step 1.3

    Create a current state summary

    Activities

    1.3.1 Record your current state

    Understand the Cloud

    Generate goals and drivers

    Explore cloud characteristics

    Create a current state summary

    Select workloads for analysis

    This step involves the following participants: Core working group

    Outcomes of this step

    • Current state summary of cloud solutions

    1.3.1 Record your current state

    30 minutes

    Input

    • Knowledge of existing cloud workloads

    Output

    • Current state cloud summary for service, delivery, and support models

    Materials

    • Whiteboard

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • Infrastructure team
    • Service owners
    1. On a whiteboard (real or virtual) draw a table with each of the cloud service models across the top. Leave a cell below each to list examples.
    2. Under each service model, record examples present in your environment. The purpose of the exercise is to illustrate the existence of cloud services in your environment or the lack thereof, so there is no need to be exhaustive. Complete this in turn for each service model until you are satisfied that you have created an effective picture of your current cloud SaaS state, IaaS state, etc.
    3. Input the results into their own slide titled “current state summary” in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation.
    4. Repeat for the cloud delivery models and support models and include the results of those exercises as well.
    5. Create a short summary statement (“We are primarily a public cloud consumer with a large SaaS footprint and minimal presence in PaaS and IaaS. We retain an MSP to manage our hosted telephony solution; otherwise, everything is handled in house.”

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Step 1.4

    Select workloads for current analysis

    Activities

    1.4.1 Select workloads for assessment

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group

    Outcomes of this step

    • List of workloads for assessment

    Understand the cloud

    Generate goals and drivers

    Explore cloud characteristics

    Create a current state summary

    Select workloads for analysis

    1.4.1 Select workloads for assessment

    30 minutes

    Input

    • Knowledge of existing cloud workloads

    Output

    • List of workloads to be assessed

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • IT management
    1. In many cases, the cloud project is inspired by a desire to move a particular workload or set of workloads. Solicit feedback from the core working group about what these workloads might be. Ask everyone in the meeting to suggest a workload and record each one on a sticky note or white board (virtual or physical).
    2. Discuss the results with the group and begin grouping similar workloads together. They will be subject to the assessments in the Cloud Vision Workbook, so try to avoid selecting too many workloads that will produce similar answers. It might not be obvious, but try to think about workloads that have similar usage patterns, risk levels, and performance requirements, and select a representative group.
    3. You should embrace counterintuition by selecting a workload that you think is unlikely to be a good fit for the cloud if you can and subjecting it to the assessment as well for validation purposes.
    4. When you have a list of 4-6 workloads, record them on tab 2 of the Cloud Vision Workbook.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    Assess your cloud workloads

    Build the foundations of your cloud vision

    Phase 2

    Phase 2

    Evaluate Cloud Workloads

    Phase 1

    1.1 Generate goals and drivers

    1.2 Explore cloud characteristics

    1.3 Create a current state summary

    1.4 Select workloads for analysis

    Phase 2

    2.1 Conduct workload assessments

    2.2 Determine workload future states

    Phase 3

    3.1 Generate risks and roadblocks

    3.2 Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    3.3 Define roadmap initiatives

    Phase 4

    4.1 Review and assign work items

    4.2 Finalize cloud decision framework

    4.3 Create cloud vision

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Conduct workload assessments
    • Determine workload future state

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Subject matter experts
    • Core working group
    • IT management

    Define Your Cloud Vision

    Work from the bottom up and assess your workloads

    A workload-first approach will help you create a realistic vision.

    The concept of a cloud vision should unquestionably be informed by the nature of the workloads that IT is expected to provide for the wider organization. The overall cloud vision is no greater than the sum of its parts. You cannot migrate to the cloud in the abstract. Workloads need to go – and not all workloads are equally suitable for the transition.

    It is therefore imperative to understand which workloads are a good fit for the cloud, which cloud service models make the most sense, how to execute the migration, what support should look like, and what risks and roadblocks you are likely to encounter as part of the process.

    That’s where the Cloud Vision Workbook comes into play. You can use this tool to assess as many workloads as you’d like – most people get the idea after about four – and by the end of the exercise, you should have a pretty good idea about where your workloads belong, and you’ll have a tool to assess any net new or previously unconsidered workloads.

    It’s not so much about the results of the assessment – though these are undeniably important – but about the learnings gleaned from the collaborative assessment exercise. While you can certainly fill out the assessment without any additional input, this exercise is most effective when completed as part of a group.

    Introducing the Cloud Vision Workbook

    • The Cloud Vision Workbook is an Excel tool that answers the age old question: “What should I do with my workloads?”
    • It is divided into eight tabs, each of which offers unique value. Start by reading the introduction and inputting your list of workloads. Work your way through tabs 3-6, completing the suitability, migration, management, and risk and roadblock assessments, and review the results on tab 7.
    • If you choose to go through the full battery of assessments for each workload, expect to answer and weight 111 unique questions across the four assessments. This is an intensive exercise, so carefully consider which assessments are valuable to you, and what workloads you have time to assess.
    • Tab 8 hosts the milestone timeline and captures the results of the phase 3 risk and mitigation exercise.

    Understand Cloud Vision Workbook outputs

    The image shows a graphic with several graphs and lists on it, with sections highlighted with notes. At the top, there's the title Database with the note Workload title (populated from tab 2). Below that, there is a graph with the note Relative suitability of the five service models. The Risks and roadblocks section includes the note: The strategy components – the risks and roadblocks – are captured relative to one another to highlight key focus areas. To the left of that, there is a Notes section with the note Notes populated based on post-assessment discussion. At the bottom, there is a section titled Where should skills be procured?, with the note The radar diagram captures the recommended support model relative to the others (MSP, consultant, internal IT). To the right of that, there is a section titled Migration path, with the note that Ordered list of migration paths. Note: a disconnect here with the suggested service model may indicate an unrealistic goal state.

    Step 2.1

    Conduct workload assessments

    Activities

    2.1.1 Conduct workload assessments

    2.1.2 Interpret your results

    Phase Title

    Conduct workload assessments

    Determine workload future state

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group
    • Workload subject matter experts

    Outcomes of this step

    • Completed workload assessments

    2.1.1 Conduct workload assessments

    2 hours per workload

    Input

    • List of workloads to be assessed

    Output

    • Completed cloud vision assessments

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • Service owners/workload SMEs
    1. The Cloud Vision Workbook is your one stop shop for all things workload assessment. Open the tool to tab 2 and review the workloads you identified at the end of phase 1. Ensure that these are correct. Once satisfied, project the tool (virtually, if necessary) so that all participants can see the assessment questions.
    2. Work through tabs 3-6, answering the questions and assigning a multiplier for each one. A higher multiplier increases the relative weight of the question, giving it a greater impact on the overall outcome.
    3. Do your best to induce participants to offer opinions. Consensus is not absolutely necessary, but it is a good goal. Ask your participants if they agree with initial responses and occasionally take the opposite position (“I’m surprised you said agree – I would have thought we didn’t care about CapEx vs. OpEx”). Stimulate discussion.
    4. Highlight any questions that you will need to return to or run by someone not present. Include a placeholder answer, as the tool requires all cells to be filled for computation.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    2.1.2 Interpret your results

    10 minutes

    Input

    • Completed cloud vision assessments

    Output

    • Shared understanding of implications

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • Service owners/workload SMEs
    1. Once you’ve completed all 111 questions for each workload, you can review your results on tab 7. On tab 7, you will see four populated graphics: cloud suitability, migration path, “where should skills be procured?”, and risks and roadblocks. These represent the components of the overall cloud vision that you will present to stakeholders.
    2. The “cloud suitability” chart captures the service model that the assessment judges to be most suitable for the workload. Ask those present if any are surprised by the output. If there is any disagreement, discuss the source of the surprise and what a more realistic outcome would be. Revisit the assessment if necessary.
    3. Conduct a similar exercise with each of the other outputs. Does it make sense to refactor the workload based on its cloud suitability? Does the fact that we scored so highly on the “consultant” support model indicate something about how we handle upskilling internally? Does the profile of risks and roadblocks identified here align with expectations? What should be ranked higher? What about lower?
    4. Once everyone is generally satisfied with the results, close the tool and take a break! You’ve earned it.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    Understand the cloud strategy components

    Each cloud strategy will take a slightly different form, but all should contain echoes of each of these components. This process will help you define your vision and direction, but you will need to take steps to execute on that vision. The remainder of the cloud strategy, covered in the related blueprint Document Your Cloud Strategy comprises these fourteen topics divided across three categories: people, governance, and technology. The workload assessment covers these under risks and roadblocks and highlights areas that may require specific additional attention. When interpreting the results, think of these areas as comprising things that you will need to do to make your vision a reality.

    People

    • Skills and roles
    • Culture and adoption
    • Governing bodies

    Governance

    • Architecture
    • Integration and interoperability
    • Operations management
    • Cloud portfolio management
    • Cloud vendor management
    • Finance management
    • Security
    • Data controls

    Technology

    • Monitoring
    • Provisioning
    • Migration

    Strategy component: People

    People form the core of any good strategy. As part of your cloud vision, you will need to understand the implications a cloud transition will have on your staff and users, whether those users are internal or external.

    Component Description Challenges
    Skills and roles The move to the cloud will require staff to learn how to handle new technology and new operational processes. The cloud is a different way of procuring IT resources and may require the definition of new roles to handle things like cost management and provisioning. Staff may not have the necessary experience to migrate to a cloud environment or to effectively manage resources once the cloud transition is made. Cloud skills are difficult to hire for, and with the ever-changing nature of the platforms themselves, this shows no sign of abating. Redefining roles can also be politically challenging and should be done with due care and consideration.
    Culture and adoption If you build it, they will come…right? It is not always the case that a new service immediately attracts users. Ensuring that organizational culture aligns with the cloud vision is a critical success factor. Equally important is ensuring that cloud resources are used as intended. Those unfamiliar with cloud resources may be less willing to learn to use them. If alternatives exist (e.g. a legacy service that has not been shut down), or if those detractors are influential, this resistance may impede your cloud execution. Also, if the cloud transition involves significant effort or a fundamental rework (e.g. a DevOps transition) this role redefinition could cause some internal turmoil.
    Governing bodies A large-scale cloud deployment requires formal governance. Formal governance requires a governing body that is ultimately responsible for designing the said governance. This could take the form of a “center of excellence” or may rest with a single cloud architect in a smaller, less complicated environment. Governance is difficult. Defining responsibilities in a way that includes all relevant stakeholders without paralyzing the decision-making process is difficult. Implementing suggestions is a challenge. Navigating the changing nature of service provision (who can provision their own instances or assign licenses?) can be difficult as well. All these concerns must be addressed in a cloud strategy.

    Strategy component: Governance

    Without guardrails, the cloud deployment will grow organically. This has strengths (people tend to adopt solutions that they select and deploy themselves), but these are more than balanced out by the drawbacks that come with inconsistency, poor administration, duplication of services, suboptimal costing, and any number of other unique challenges. The solution is to develop and deploy governance. The following list captures some of the necessary governance-related components of a cloud strategy.

    Component Description Challenges
    Architecture Enterprise architecture is an important function in any environment with more than one interacting workload component (read: any environment). The cloud strategy should include an approach to defining and implementing a standard cloud architecture and should assign responsibility to an individual or group. Sometimes the cloud transition is inspired by the desire to rearchitect. The necessary skills and knowledge may not be readily available to design and transition to a microservices-based environment, for example, vs. a traditional monolithic application architecture. The appropriateness of a serverless environment may not be well understood, and it may be the case that architects are unfamiliar with cloud best practices and reference architectures.
    Integration and interoperability Many services are only highly functional when integrated with other services. What is a database without its front-end? What is an analytics platform without its data lake? For the cloud vision to be properly implemented, a strategy for handling integration and interoperability must be developed. It may be as simple as “all SaaS apps must be compatible with Okta” but it must be there. Migration to the cloud may require a fundamentally new approach to integration, moving away from a point-to-point integrations and towards an ESB or data lake. In many cases, this is easier said than done. Centralization of management may be appealing, but legacy applications – or those acquired informally in a one-off fashion – might not be so easy to integrate into a central management platform.
    Operations management Service management (ITIL processes) must be aligned with your overall cloud strategy. Migrating to the cloud (where applicable) will require refining these processes, including incident, problem, request, change, and configuration management, to make them more suitable for the cloud environment. Operations management doesn’t go away in the cloud, but it does change in line with the transition to shared responsibility. Responding to incidents may be more difficult on the cloud when troubleshooting is a vendor’s responsibility. Change management in a SaaS environment may be more receptive than staff are used to as cloud providers push changes out that cannot be rolled back.

    Strategy component: Governance (cont.)

    Component Description Challenges
    Cloud portfolio management This component refers to the act of managing the portfolio of cloud services that is available to IT and to business users. What requirements must a SaaS service meet to be onboarded into the environment? How do we account for exceptions to our IaaS policy? What about services that are only available from a certain provider? Rationalizing services offers administrative benefits, but may make some tasks more difficult for end users who have learned things a certain way or rely on niche toolsets. Managing access through a service catalog can also be challenging based on buy-in and ongoing administration. It is necessary to develop and implement policy.
    Cloud vendor management Who owns the vendor management function, and what do their duties entail? What contract language must be standard? What does due diligence look like? How should negotiations be conducted? What does a severing of the relationship look like? Cloud service models are generally different from traditional hosted software and even from each other (e.g. SaaS vs. PaaS). There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to dealing with vendors. Also relevant: the skills that it takes to build and maintain a system are not necessarily the same as those required to coherently interact with a cloud vendor.
    Finance management Cloud services are, by definition, subject to a kind of granular, operational billing that many shops might not be used to. Someone will need to accurately project and allocate costs, while ensuring that services are monitored for cost abnormalities. Cloud cost challenges often relate to overall expense (“the cloud is more expensive than an alternative solution”), expense variability (“I don’t know what my budget needs to be this quarter”), and cost complexity (“I don’t understand what I’m paying for – what’s an Elastic Beanstalk?”).
    Security The cloud is not inherently more or less secure than a premises-based alternative, though the risk profile can be different. Applying appropriate security governance to ensure workloads are compliant with security requirements is an essential component of the strategy.

    Technical security architecture can be a challenge, as well as navigating the shared responsibility that comes with a cloud transition. There are also a plethora of cloud-specific security tools like cloud access security brokers (CASBs), cloud security posture management (CSPM) solutions, and even secure access services edge (SASE) technology.

    Data controls Data residency, classification, quality, and protection are important considerations for any cloud strategy. With cloud providers taking on outsized responsibility, understanding and governing data is essential. Cloud providers like to abstract away from the end user, and while some may be able to guarantee residency, others may not. Additionally, regulations may prevent some data from going to the cloud, and you may need to develop a new organizational backup strategy to account for the cloud.

    Strategy component: Technology

    Good technology will never replace good people and effective process, but it remains important in its own right. A migration that neglects the undeniable technical components of a solid cloud strategy is doomed to mediocrity at best and failure at worst. Understanding the technical implications of the cloud vision – particularly in terms of monitoring, provisioning, and migration – makes all the difference. You can interpret the results of the cloud workload assessments by reviewing the details presented here.

    Component Description Challenges
    Monitoring The cloud must be monitored in line with performance requirements. Staff must ensure that appropriate tools are in place to properly monitor cloud workloads and that they are capturing adequate and relevant data. Defining requirements for monitoring a potentially unfamiliar environment can be difficult, as can consolidating on a monitoring solution that both meets requirements and covers all relevant areas. There may be some upskilling and integration work required to ensure that monitoring works as required.
    Provisioning How will provisioning be done? Who will be responsible for ensuring the right people have access to the right resources? What tooling must be deployed to support provisioning goals? What technical steps must be taken to ensure that the provisioning is as seamless as possible? There is the inevitable challenge of assigning responsibility and accountability in a changing infrastructure and operations environment, especially if the changes are substantial (e.g. a fundamental operating model shift, reoriented around the cloud). Staff may also need to familiarize themselves with cloud-based provisioning tools like Ansible, Terraform, or even CloudFormation.
    Migration The act of migrating is important as well. In some cases, the migration is as simple as configuring the new environment and turning it up (e.g. with a net new SaaS service). In other cases, the migration itself can be a substantial undertaking, involving large amounts of data, a complicated replatforming/refactoring, and/or a significant configuration exercise.

    Not all migration journeys are created equal, and challenges include a general lack of understanding of the requirements of a migration, the techniques that might be necessary to migrate to a particular cloud (there are many) and the disruption/risk associated with moving large amounts of data. All of these challenges must be considered as part of the overall cloud strategy, whether in terms of architectural principles or skill acquisition (or both!).

    Step 2.2

    Determine workload future state

    Activities

    2.2.1 Determine workload future state

    Conduct workload assessments

    Determine workload future state

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT management
    • Core working group

    Outcomes of this step

    • Completed workload assessments
    • Defined workload future state

    2.2.1 Determine workload future state

    1-3 hours

    Input

    • Completed workload assessments

    Output

    • Preliminary future state outputs

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook
    • Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • Service owners
    • IT management
    1. After you’ve had a chance to validate your results, refer to tab 7 of the tool, where you will find a blank notes section.
    2. With the working group, capture your answers to each of the following questions:
      1. What service model is the most suitable for the workload? Why?
      2. How will we conduct the migration? Which of the six models makes the most sense? Do we have a backup plan if our primary plan doesn’t work out?
      3. What should the support model look like?
      4. What are some workload-specific risks and considerations that must be taken into account for the workload?
    3. Once you’ve got answers to each of these questions for each of the workloads, include your summary in the “notes” section of tab 7.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Paste the output into the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    • The Cloud Vision Workbook output is a compact, consumable summary of each workload’s planned future state. Paste each assessment in as necessary.
    • There is no absolutely correct way to present the information, but the output is a good place to start. Do note that, while the presentation is designed to lead with the vision statement, because the process is workload-first, the assessments are populated prior to the overall vision in a bottom-up manner.
    • Be sure to anticipate the questions you are likely to receive from any stakeholders. You may consider preparing for questions like: “What other workloads fit this profile?” “What do we expect the impact on the budget to be?” “How long will this take?” Keep these and other questions in mind as you progress through the vision definition process.

    The image shows the Cloud Vision Workbook output, which was described in an annotated version in an earlier section.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Keep your audience in mind. You may want to include some additional context in the presentation if the results are going to be presented to non-technical stakeholders or those who are not familiar with the terms or how to interpret the outputs.

    Identify and Mitigate Risks

    Build the foundations of your cloud vision

    PHASE 3

    Phase 3

    Identify and Mitigate Risks

    Phase 1

    1.1 Generate goals and drivers

    1.2 Explore cloud characteristics

    1.3 Create a current state summary

    1.4 Select workloads for analysis

    Phase 2

    2.1 Conduct workload assessments

    2.2 Determine workload future states

    Phase 3

    3.1 Generate risks and roadblocks

    3.2 Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    3.3 Define roadmap initiatives

    Phase 4

    4.1 Review and assign work items

    4.2 Finalize cloud decision framework

    4.3 Create cloud vision

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Generate risks and roadblocks
    • Mitigate risks and roadblocks
    • Define roadmap initiatives

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Core working group
    • Workload subject matter experts

    You know what you want to do, but what do you have to do?

    What questions remain unanswered?

    There are workload-level risks and roadblocks, and there are environment-level risks. This phase is focused primarily on environment-level risks and roadblocks, or those that are likely to span multiple workloads (but this is not hard and fast rule – anything that you deem worth discussing is worth discussing). The framework here calls for an open forum where all stakeholders – technical and non-technical, pro-cloud and anti-cloud, management and individual contributor – have an opportunity to articulate their concerns, however specific or general, and receive feedback and possible mitigation.

    Start by soliciting feedback. You can do this over time or in a single session. Encourage anyone with an opinion to share it. Focus on those who are likely to have a perspective that will become relevant at some point during the creation of the cloud strategy and the execution of any migration. Explain the preliminary direction; highlight any major changes that you foresee. Remind participants that you are not looking for solutions (yet), but that you want to make sure you hear any and every concern as early as possible. You will get feedback and it will all be valuable.

    Before cutting your participants loose, remind them that, as with all business decisions, the cloud comes with trade-offs. Not everyone will have every wish fulfilled, and in some cases, significant effort may be needed to get around a roadblock, risks may need to be accepted, and workloads that looked like promising candidates for one service model or another may not be able to realize that potential. This is a normal and expected part of the cloud vision process.

    Once the risks and roadblocks conversation is complete, it is the core working group’s job to propose and validate mitigations. Not every risk can be completely resolved, but the cloud has been around for decades – chances are someone else has faced a similar challenge and made it through relatively unscathed. That work will inevitably result in initiatives for immediate execution. Those initiatives will form the core of the initiative roadmap that accompanies the completed Cloud Vision Executive Presentation.

    Step 3.1

    Generate risks and roadblocks

    Activities

    3.1.1 Generate risks and roadblocks

    3.1.2 Generate mitigations

    Identify and mitigate risks

    Generate risks and roadblocks

    Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    Define roadmap initiatives

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group
    • IT management
    • Infrastructure
    • Applications
    • Security
    • Architecture

    Outcomes of this step

    • List of risks and roadblocks

    Understand risks and roadblocks

    Risk

    • Something that could potentially go wrong.
    • You can respond to risks by mitigating them:
      • Eliminate: take action to prevent the risk from causing issues.
      • Reduce: take action to minimize the likelihood/severity of the risk.
      • Transfer: shift responsibility for the risk away from IT, towards another division of the company.
      • Accept: where the likelihood or severity is low, it may be prudent to accept that the risk could come to fruition.

    Roadblock

    • There are things that aren’t “risks” that we care about when migrating to the cloud.
    • We know, for example, that a complicated integration situation will create work items for any migration – this is not an “unknown.”
    • We respond to roadblocks by generating work items.

    3.1.1 Generate risks and roadblocks

    1.5 hours

    Input

    • Completed cloud vision assessments

    Output

    • List of risks and roadblocks

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Sticky notes

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • Service owners/workload SMEs
    • Anyone with concerns about the cloud
    1. Gather your core working group – and really anyone with an intelligent opinion on the cloud – into a single meeting space. Give the group 5-10 minutes to list anything they think could present a difficulty in transitioning workloads to the cloud. Write each risk/roadblock on its own sticky note. You will never be 100% exhaustive, but don’t let anything your users care about go unaddressed.
    2. Once everyone has had time to write down their risks and roadblocks, have everyone share one by one. Make sure you get them all. Overlap in risks and roadblocks is okay! Group similar concerns together to give a sort of heat map of what your participants are concerned about. (This is called “affinity diagramming.”)
    3. Assign names to these categories. Many of these categories will align with the strategy components discussed in the previous phase (governance, security, etc.) but some will be specific whether by nature or by degree.
    4. Sort each of the individual risks into its respective category, collapsing any exact duplicates, and leaving room for notes and mitigations (see the next slide for a visual).

    Understand risks and roadblocks

    The image is two columns--on the left, the column is titled Affinity Diagramming. Below the title, there are many colored blocks, randomly arranged. There is an arrow pointing right, to the same coloured blocks, now sorted by colour. In the right column--titled Categorization--each colour has been assigned a category, with subcategories.

    Step 3.2

    Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    Activities

    3.2.1 Generate mitigations

    Identify and mitigate risks

    Generate risks and roadblocks

    Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    Define roadmap initiatives

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group

    Outcomes of this step

    • List of mitigations

    Is the public cloud less secure?

    This is the key risk-related question that most cloud customers will have to answer at some point: does migrating to the cloud for some services increase their exposure and create a security problem?

    As with all good questions, the answer is “it depends.” But what does it depend on? Consider these cloud risks and potential mitigations:

    1. Misconfiguration: An error grants access to unauthorized parties (as happened to Capital One in 2019). This can be mitigated by careful configuration management and third-party tooling.
    2. Unauthorized access by cloud provider/partner employees: Though rare, it is possible that a cloud provider or partner can be a vector for a breach. Careful contract language, choosing to own your own encryption keys, and a hybrid approach (storing data on-premises) are some possible ways to address this problem.
    3. Unauthorized access to systems: Cloud services are designed to be accessed from anywhere and may be accessed by malicious actors. Possible mitigations include risk-based conditional access, careful identity access management, and logging and detection.

    “The cloud is definitely more secure in that you have much more control, you have much more security tooling, much more visibility, and much more automation. So it is more secure. The caveat is that there is more risk. It is easier to accidentally expose data in the cloud than it is on-premises, but, especially for security, the amount of tooling and visibility you get in cloud is much more than anything we’ve had in our careers on-premises, and that’s why I think cloud in general is more secure.” –Abdul Kittana, Founder, ASecureCloud

    Breach bests bank

    No cloud provider can protect against every misconfiguration

    Industry: Finance

    Source: The New York Times, CNET

    Background

    Capital One is a major Amazon Web Services customer and is even featured on Amazon’s site as a case study. That case study emphasizes the bank’s commitment to the cloud and highlights how central security and compliance were. From the CTO: “Before we moved a single workload, we engaged groups from across the company to build a risk framework for the cloud that met the same high bar for security and compliance that we meet in our on-premises environments. AWS worked with us every step of the way.”

    Complication

    The cloud migration was humming along until July 2019, when the bank suffered a serious breach at the hands of a hacker. That hacker was able to steal millions of credit card applications and hundreds of thousands of Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and Canadian social insurance numbers.

    According to investigators and to AWS, the breach was caused by an open reverse proxy attack against a misconfigured web app firewall, not by an underlying vulnerability in the cloud infrastructure.

    Results

    Capital One reported that the breach was expected to cost it $150 million, and AWS fervently denied any blame. The US Senate got involved, as did national media, and Capital One’s CEO issued a public apology, writing, “I sincerely apologize for the understandable worry this incident must be causing those affected, and I am committed to making it right.”

    It was a bad few months for IT at Capital One.

    3.2.1 Generate mitigations

    3-4.5 hours

    Input

    • Completed cloud vision assessments

    Output

    • List of risks and roadblocks

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Sticky notes

    Participants

    • Core working group
    • Service owners/workload SMEs
    • Anyone with concerns about the cloud
    1. Recall the four mitigation strategies: eliminate, reduce, transfer, or accept. Keep these in mind as you work through the list of risks and roadblocks with the core working group. For every individual risk or roadblock raised in the initial generation session, suggest a specific mitigation. If the concern is “SaaS providers having access to confidential information,” a mitigation might be encryption, specific contract language, or proof of certifications (or all the above).
    2. Work through this for each of the risks and roadblocks, identifying the steps you need to take that would satisfy your requirements as you understand them.
    3. Once you have gone through the whole list – ideally with input from SMEs in particular areas like security, engineering, and compliance/legal – populate the Cloud Vision Workbook (tab 8) with the risks, roadblocks, and mitigations (sorted by category). Review tab 8 for an example of the output of this exercise.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    Cloud Vision Workbook – mitigations

    The image shows a large chart titled Risks, roadblocks, and mitigations, which has been annotated with notes.

    Step 3.3

    Define roadmap initiatives

    Activities

    3.3.1 Generate roadmap initiatives

    Identify and mitigate risks

    Generate risks and roadblocks

    Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    Define roadmap initiatives

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group

    Outcomes of this step

    • Defined roadmap initiatives

    3.3.1 Generate roadmap initiatives

    1 hour

    Input

    • List of risk and roadblock mitigations

    Output

    • List of cloud initiatives

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. Executing on your cloud vision will likely require you to undertake some key initiatives, many of which have already been identified as part of your mitigation exercise. On tab 8 of the Cloud Vision Workbook, review the mitigations you created in response to the risks and roadblocks identified. Initiatives should generally be assignable to a party and should have a defined scope/duration. For example, “assess all net new applications for cloud suitability” might not be counted as an initiative, but “design a cloud application assessment” would likely be.
    2. Design a timeline appropriate for your specific needs. Generally short-term (less than 3 months), medium-term (3-6 months), and long-term (greater than 6 months) will work, but this is entirely based on preference.
    3. Review and validate the parameters with the working group. Consider creating additional color-coding (highlighting certain tasks that might be dependent on a decision or have ongoing components).

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    Bridge the gap and create the vision

    Build the foundations of your cloud vision

    Phase 4

    Phase 4

    Bridge the Gap and Create the Vision

    Phase 1

    1.1 Generate goals and drivers

    1.2 Explore cloud characteristics

    1.3 Create a current state summary

    1.4 Select workloads for analysis

    Phase 2

    2.1 Conduct workload assessments

    2.2 Determine workload future states

    Phase 3

    3.1 Generate risks and roadblocks

    3.2 Mitigate risks and roadblocks

    3.3 Define roadmap initiatives

    Phase 4

    4.1 Review and assign work items

    4.2 Finalize cloud decision framework

    4.3 Create cloud vision

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Assign initiatives and propose timelines
    • Build a delivery model rubric
    • Build a service model rubric
    • Built a support model rubric
    • Create a cloud vision statement
    • Map cloud workloads
    • Complete the Cloud Vision presentation

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • IT management, the core working group, security, infrastructure, operations, architecture, engineering, applications, non-IT stakeholders

    Step 4.1

    Review and assign work items

    Activities

    4.1.1 Assign initiatives and propose timelines

    Bridge the gap and create the vision

    Review and assign work items

    Finalize cloud decision framework

    Create cloud vision

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group
    • IT management

    Outcomes of this step

    • Populated cloud vision roadmap

    4.1.1 Assign initiatives and propose timelines

    1 hour

    Input

    • List of cloud initiatives

    Output

    • Initiatives assigned by responsibility and timeline

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. Once the list is populated, begin assigning responsibility for execution. This is not a RACI exercise, so focus on the functional responsibility. Once you have determined who is responsible, assign a timeline and include any notes. This will form the basis of a more formal project plan.
    2. To assign the initiative to a party, consider 1) who will be responsible for execution and 2) if that responsibility will be shared. Be as specific as possible, but be sure to be consistent to make it easier for you to sort responsibility later on.
    3. When assigning timelines, we suggest including the end date (when you expect the project to be complete) rather than the start date, though whatever you choose, be sure to be consistent. Make use of the notes column to record anything that you think any other readers will need to be aware of in the future, or details that may not be possible to commit to memory.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    Step 4.2

    Finalize cloud decision framework

    Activities

    4.2.1 Build a delivery model rubric

    4.2.2 Build a service model rubric

    4.2.3 Build a support model rubric

    Bridge the gap and create the vision

    Review and assign work items

    Finalize cloud decision framework

    Create cloud vision

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group

    Outcomes of this step

    • Cloud decision framework

    4.2.1 Build a delivery model rubric

    1 hour

    Input

    • List of cloud initiatives

    Output

    • Initiatives assigned by responsibility and timeline

    Materials

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. Now that we have a good understanding of the cloud’s key characteristics, the relative suitability of different workloads for the cloud, and a good understanding of some of the risks and roadblocks that may need to be overcome if a cloud transition is to take place, it is time to formalize a delivery model rubric. Start by listing the delivery models on a white board vertically – public, private, hybrid, and multi-cloud. Include a community cloud option as well if that is feasible for you. Strike any models that do not figure into your vision.
    2. Create a table style rubric for each delivery model. Confer with the working group to determine what characteristics best define workloads suitable for each model. If you have a hybrid cloud option, you may consider workloads that are highly dynamic; a private cloud hosted on-premises may be more suitable for workloads that have extensive regulatory requirements.
    3. Once the table is complete, include it in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Vision for the cloud future state (example)

    Delivery model Decision criteria
    Public cloud
    • Public cloud is the primary destination for all workloads as the goal is to eliminate facilities and infrastructure management
    • Offers features, broad accessibility, and managed updates along with provider-managed facilities and hardware
    Legacy datacenter
    • Any workload that is not a good fit for the public cloud
    • Dependency (like a USB key for license validation)
    • Performance requirements (e.g. workloads highly sensitive to transaction thresholds)
    • Local infrastructure components (firewall, switches, NVR)

    Summary statement: Everything must go! Public cloud is a top priority. Anything that is not compatible (for whatever reason) with a public cloud deployment will be retained in a premises-based server closet (downgraded from a full datacenter). The private cloud does not align with the overall organizational vision, nor does a hybrid solution.

    4.2.2 Build a service model rubric

    1 hour

    Input

    • Output of workload assessments
    • Output of risk and mitigation exercise

    Output

    • Service model rubric

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. This next activity is like the delivery model activity, but covers the relevant cloud service models. On a whiteboard, make a vertical list of the cloud service models (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, etc.) that will be considered for workloads. If you have an order of preference, place your most preferred at the top, your least preferred at the bottom.
    2. Describe the circumstances under which you would select each service model. Do your best to focus on differentiators. If a decision criterion appears for multiple service models, consider refining or excluding it. (For additional information, check out Info-Tech’s Reimagine IT Operations for a Cloud-First World blueprint.)
    3. Create a summary statement to capture your overall service model position. See the next slide for an example. Note: this can be incorporated into your cloud vision statement, so be sure that it reflects your genuine cloud preferences.
    4. Record the results in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Vision for the cloud future state (example)

    Service model Decision criteria
    SaaS

    SaaS first; opt for SaaS when:

    • A SaaS option exists that meets all key business requirements
    • There is a strong desire to have someone else (the vendor) manage infrastructure components/the platform
    • Not particularly sensitive to performance thresholds
    • The goal is to transition management of the workload outside of IT
    • SaaS is the only feasible way to consume the desired service
    PaaS
    • Highly customized service/workload – SaaS not feasible
    • Still preferable to offload as much management as possible to third parties
    • Customization required, but not at the platform level
    • The workload is built using a standard framework
    • We have the time/resources to replatform
    IaaS
    • Service needs to be lifted and shifted out of the datacenter quickly
    • Customization is required at the platform level/there is value in managing components
    • There is no need to manage facilities
    • Performance is not impacted by hosting the workload offsite
    • There is value in right-sizing the workload over time
    On-premises Anything that does not fit in the cloud for performance or other reasons (e.g. licensing key)

    Summary statement: SaaS will be the primary service model. All workloads will migrate to the public cloud where possible. Anything that cannot be migrated to SaaS will be migrated to PaaS. IaaS is a transitory step.

    4.2.3 Build a support model rubric

    1 hour

    Input

    • Results of the cloud workload assessments

    Output

    • Support model rubric

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. The final rubric covered here is that for the support model. Where will you procure the skills necessary to ensure the vision’s proper execution? Much like the other rubric activities, write the three support models vertically (in order of preference, if you have one) on a whiteboard.
    2. Next to each model, describe the circumstances under which you would select each support model. Focus on the dimensions: the duration of the engagement, specialization required, and flexibility required. If you have existing rules/practices around hiring consultants/MSPs, consider those as well.
    3. Once you have a good list of decision criteria, form a summary statement. This should encapsulate your position on support models and should mention any notable criteria that will contribute to most decisions.
    4. Record the results in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Vision for the cloud future state (example)

    Support model Decision criteria
    Internal IT

    The primary support model will be internal IT going forward

    • Chosen where the primary work required is administrative
    • Where existing staff can manage the service in the cloud easily and effectively
    • Where the chosen solution fits the SaaS service model
    Consultant
    • Where the work required is time-bound (e.g. a migration/refactoring exercise)
    • Where the skills do not exist in house, and where the skills cannot easily be procured (specific technical expertise required in areas of the cloud unfamiliar to staff)
    • Where opportunities for staff to learn from consultant SMEs are valuable
    • Where ongoing management and maintenance can be handled in house
    MSP
    • Where an ongoing relationship is valued
    • Where ongoing administration and maintenance are disproportionately burdensome on IT staff (or where this administration and maintenance is likely to be burdensome)
    • Where the managed services model has already been proven out
    • Where specific expertise in an area of technology is required but this does not rise to the need to hire an FTE (e.g. telephony)

    Summary statement: Most workloads will be managed in house. A consultant will be employed to facilitate the transition to micro-services in a cloud container environment, but this will be transitioned to in-house staff. An MSP will continue to manage backups and telephony.

    Step 4.3

    Create cloud vision

    Activities

    4.3.1 Create a cloud vision statement

    4.3.2 Map cloud workloads

    4.3.3 Complete the Cloud Vision Presentation

    Review and assign work items

    Finalize cloud decision framework

    Create cloud vision

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core working group
    • IT management

    Outcomes of this step

    Completed Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    4.3.1 Create a cloud vision statement

    1 hour

    Input

    • List of cloud initiatives

    Output

    • Initiatives assigned by responsibility and timeline

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. Now that you know what service models are appropriate, it’s time to summarize your cloud vision in a succinct, consumable way. A good vision statement should have three components:
      • Scope: Which parts of the organization will the strategy impact?
      • Goal: What is the strategy intended to accomplish?
      • Key differentiator: What makes the new strategy special?
    2. On a whiteboard, make a chart with three columns (one column for each of the features of a good mission statement). Have the group generate a list of words to describe each of the categories. Ideally, the group will produce multiple answers for each category.
    3. Once you’ve gathered a few different responses for each category, have the team put their heads down and generate pithy mission statements that capture the sentiments underlying each category.
    4. Have participants read their vision statements in front of the group. Use the rest of the session to produce a final statement. Record the results in the Cloud Strategy Executive Presentation.

    Example vision statement outputs

    “IT at ACME Corp. hereby commits to providing clients and end users with an unparalleled, productivity-enabling technology experience, leveraging, insofar as it is possible and practical, cloud-based services.”

    “At ACME Corp. our employees and customers are our first priority. Using new, agile cloud services, IT is devoted to eliminating inefficiency, providing cutting-edge solutions for a fast-paced world, and making a positive difference in the lives of our colleagues and the people we serve.”

    As a global leader in technology, ACME Corp. is committed to taking full advantage of new cloud services, looking first to agile cloud options to optimize internal processes wherever efficiency gaps exist. Improved efficiency will allow associates to spend more time on ACME’s core mission: providing an unrivalled customer experience.”

    Scope

    Goal

    Key differentiator

    4.3.2 Map cloud workloads

    1 hour

    Input

    • List of workloads
    • List of acceptable service models
    • List of acceptable migration paths

    Output

    • Workloads mapped by service model/migration path

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Sticky notes

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. Now that you have defined your overall cloud vision as well as your service model options, consider aligning your service model preferences with your migration path preferences. Draw a table with your expected migration strategies across the top (retain, retire, rehost, replatform, refactor, repurchase, or some of these) and your expected service models across the side.
    2. On individual sticky notes, write a list of workloads in your environment. In a smaller environment, this list can be exhaustive. Otherwise take advantage of the list you created as part of phase 1 along with any additional workloads that warrant discussion.
    3. As a group, go through the list, placing the sticky notes first in the appropriate row based on their characteristics and the decision criteria that have already been defined, and then in the appropriate column based on the appropriate migration path. (See the next slide for an example of what this looks like.)
    4. Record the results in the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation. Note: not every cell will be filled; some migration path/service model combinations are impossible or otherwise undesirable.

    Cloud Vision Executive Presentation

    Example cloud workload map

    Repurchase Replatform Rehost Retain
    SaaS

    Office suite

    AD

    PaaS SQL Database
    IaaS File Storage DR environment
    Other

    CCTV

    Door access

    4.3.3 Complete the Cloud Vision Presentation

    1 hour

    Input

    • List of cloud initiatives

    Output

    • Initiatives assigned by responsibility and timeline

    Materials

    • Cloud Vision Workbook

    Participants

    • Core working group
    1. Open the Cloud Vision Executive Presentation to the second slide and review the templated executive brief. This comprises several sections (see the next slide). Populate each one:
      • Summary of the exercise
      • The cloud vision statement
      • Key cloud drivers
      • Risks and roadblocks
      • Top initiatives and next steps
    2. Review the remainder of the presentation. Be sure to elaborate on any significant initiatives and changes (where applicable) and to delete any slides that you no longer require.

    Cloud Vision Workbook

    Sample cloud vision executive summary

    • From [date to date], a cross-functional group representing IT and its constituents met to discuss the cloud.
    • Over the course of the week, the group identified drivers for cloud computing and developed a shared vision, evaluated several workloads through an assessment framework, identified risks, roadblocks, and mitigations, and finally generated initiatives and next steps.
    • From the process, the group produced a summary and a cloud suitability assessment framework that can be applied at the level of the workload.

    Cloud Vision Statement

    [Organization] will leverage public cloud solutions and retire existing datacenter and colocation facilities. This transition will simplify infrastructure administration, support, and security, while modernizing legacy infrastructure and reducing the need for additional capital expenditure.

    Cloud Drivers Retire the datacenter Do more valuable work
    Right-size the environment Reduce CapEx
    Facilitate ease of mgmt. Work from anywhere
    Reduce capital expenditure Take advantage of elasticity
    Performance and availability Governance Risks and roadblocks
    Security Rationalization
    Cost Skills
    Migration Remaining premises resources
    BC, backup, and DR Control

    Initiatives and next steps

    • Close the datacenter and colocation site in favor of a SaaS-first cloud approach.
    • Some workloads will migrate to infrastructure-as-a-service in the short term with the assistance of third-party consultants.

    Document your cloud strategy

    You did it!

    Congratulations! If you’ve made it this far, you’ve successfully articulated a cloud vision, assessed workloads, developed an understanding (shared with your team and stakeholders) of cloud concepts, and mitigated risks and roadblocks that you may encounter along your cloud journey. From this exercise, you should understand your mission and vision, how your cloud plans will interact with any other relevant strategic plans, and what successful execution looks like, as well as developing a good understanding of overall guiding principles. These are several components of your overall strategy, but they do not comprise the strategy in its entirety.

    How do you fix this?

    First, validate the results of the vision exercise with your stakeholders. Socialize it and collect feedback. Make changes where you think changes should be made. This will become a key foundational piece. The next step is to formally document your cloud strategy. This is a separate project and is covered in the Info-Tech blueprint Document Your Cloud Strategy.

    The vision exercise tells you where you want to go and offers some clues as to how to get there. The formal strategy exercise is a formal documentation of the target state, but also captures in detail the steps you’ll need to take, the processes you’ll need to refine, and the people you’ll need to hire.

    A cloud strategy should comprise your organizational stance on how the cloud will change your approach to people and human resources, technology, and governance. Once you are confident that you can make and enforce decisions in these areas, you should consider moving on to Document Your Cloud Strategy. This blueprint, Define Your Cloud Vision, often serves as a prerequisite for the strategy documentation conversation(s).

    Appendix

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Additional Support

    Research Contributors

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Vendor Resources

    Bibliography

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Problem Solved

    You have now documented what you want from the cloud, what you mean when you say “cloud,” and some preliminary steps you can take to make your vision a reality.

    You now have at your disposal a framework for identifying and evaluating candidates for their cloud suitability, as well as a series of techniques for generating risks and mitigations associated with your cloud journey. The next step is to formalize your cloud strategy using the takeaways from this exercise. You’re well on your way to a completed cloud strategy!

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech workshop.

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshops@infotech.com

    1-888-670-8889

    Additional Support

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

    Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

    Generate drivers for cloud adoption

    Work with stakeholders to understand the expected benefits of the cloud migration and how these drivers will impact the overall vision.

    Conduct workload assessments

    Assess your individual cloud workloads for their suitability as candidates for the cloud migration.

    Bibliography

    “2021 State of the Cloud Report.” Flexera, 2021. Web.

    “2021 State of Upskilling Report.” Pluralsight, 2021. Web.

    “AWS Snowmobile.” Amazon Web Services, n.d. Web.

    “Azure products.” Microsoft, n.d. Web.

    “Azure Migrate Documentation.” Microsoft, n.d. Web.

    Bell, Harold. “Multi-Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud: What’s the Difference?” Nutanix, 2019. Web.

    “Cloud Products.” Amazon Web Services, n.d. Web.

    “COBIT 2019 Framework: Introduction and Methodology.” ISACA, 2019. Web.

    Edmead, Mark T. “Using COBIT 2019 to Plan and Execute an Organization’s Transformation Strategy.” ISACA, 2020. Web.

    Flitter, Emily, and Karen Weise. “Capital One Data Breach Compromises Data of Over 100 Million.” The New York Times, 29 July 2019. Web.

    Gillis, Alexander S. “Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM).” TechTarget, 2021. Web.

    “’How to Cloud’ with Capital One.” Amazon Web Services, n.d. Web.

    “IBM Closes Landmark Acquisition of Red Hat for $34 Billion; Defines Open, Hybrid Cloud Future.” Red Hat, 9 July 2019. Web.

    Mell, Peter, and Timothy Grance. “The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing.” National Institute of Standards and Technology, Sept. 2011. Web.

    Ng, Alfred. “Amazon Tells Senators it Isn't to Blame for Capital One Breach.” CNET, 2019. Web.

    Orban, Stephen. “6 Strategies for Migrating Applications to the Cloud.” Amazon Web Services, 2016. Web.

    Sullivan, Dan. “Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB).” TechTarget, 2021. Web.

    “What Is Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)?” Cisco, n.d. Web.

    Monitor IT Employee Experience

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}543|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 10.0/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $29,096 Average $ Saved
    • member rating average days saved: 19 Average Days Saved
    • Parent Category Name: Engage
    • Parent Category Link: /engage
    • In IT, high turnover and sub-optimized productivity can have huge impacts on IT’s ability to execute SLAs, complete projects on time, and maintain operations effectively.
    • With record low unemployment rates in IT, retaining top employees and keeping them motivated in their jobs has never been more critical.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • One bad experience can cost you your top employee. Engagement is the sum total of the day-to-day experiences your employees have with your company.
    • Engagement, not pay, drives results. Engagement is key to your team's productivity and ability to retain top talent. Approach it systematically to learn what really drives your team.
    • It’s time for leadership to step up. As the CIO, it’s up to you to take ownership of your team’s engagement.

    Impact and Result

    • Info-Tech tools and guidance will help you initiate an effective conversation with your team around engagement, and avoid common pitfalls in implementing engagement initiatives.
    • Monitoring employee experience continuously using the Employee Experience Monitor enables you to take a data-driven approach to evaluating the success of your engagement initiatives.

    Monitor IT Employee Experience Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should focus on employee experience to improve engagement in IT, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand how our tools will help you construct an effective employee engagement program.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Start monitoring employee experience

    Plan out your employee engagement program and launch the Employee Experience Monitor survey for your team.

    • Drive IT Performance by Monitoring Employee Experience – Phase 1: Start Monitoring Employee Experience
    • None
    • None
    • EXM Setup Guide
    • EXM Training Guide for Managers
    • None
    • EXM Communication Template

    2. Analyze results and ideate solutions

    Interpret your Employee Experience Monitor results, understand what they mean in the context of your team, and involve your staff in brainstorming engagement initiatives.

    • Drive IT Performance by Monitoring Employee Experience – Phase 2: Analyze Results and Ideate Solutions
    • EXM Focus Group Facilitation Guide
    • Focus Group Facilitation Guide Driver Definitions

    3. Select and implement engagement initiatives

    Select engagement initiatives for maximal impact, create an action plan, and establish open and ongoing communication about engagement with your team.

    • Drive IT Performance by Monitoring Employee Experience – Phase 3: Measure and Communicate Results
    • Engagement Progress One-Pager
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Monitor IT Employee Experience

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Launch the EXM

    The Purpose

    Set up the EXM and collect a few months of data to build on during the workshop.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Arm yourself with an index of employee experience and candid feedback from your team to use as a starting point for your engagement program.

    Activities

    1.1 Identify EXM use case.

    1.2 Identify engagement program goals and obstacles.

    1.3 Launch EXM.

    Outputs

    Defined engagement goals.

    EXM online dashboard with three months of results.

    2 Explore Engagement

    The Purpose

    To understand the current state of engagement and prepare to discuss the drivers behind it with your staff.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Empower your leadership team to take charge of their own team's engagement.

    Activities

    2.1 Review EXM results to understand employee experience.

    2.2 Finalize focus group agendas.

    2.3 Train managers.

    Outputs

    Customized focus group agendas.

    3 Hold Employee Focus Groups

    The Purpose

    Establish an open dialogue with your staff to understand what drives their engagement.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Understand where in your team’s experience you can make the most impact as an IT leader.

    Activities

    3.1 Identify priority drivers.

    3.2 Identify engagement KPIs.

    3.3 Brainstorm engagement initiatives.

    3.4 Vote on initiatives within teams.

    Outputs

    Summary of focus groups results

    Identified engagement initiatives.

    4 Select and Plan Initiatives

    The Purpose

    Learn the characteristics of successful engagement initiatives and build execution plans for each.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Choose initiatives with the greatest impact on your team’s engagement, and ensure you have the necessary resources for success.

    Activities

    4.1 Select engagement initiatives with IT leadership.

    4.2 Discuss and decide on the top five engagement initiatives.

    4.3 Create initiative project plans.

    4.4 Build detailed project plans.

    4.5 Present project plans.

    Outputs

    Engagement project plans.

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

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    • member rating overall impact: N/A
    • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
    • member rating average days saved: N/A
    • Parent Category Name: Operations Management
    • Parent Category Link: /i-and-o-process-management
    • Your team’s time is burned up by incident response.
    • Manual repetitive work uses up expensive resources.
    • You don’t have the visibility to ensure the availability the business demands.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Sell the project to the business.
    • Leverage the Operations Center to improve IT Operations.

    Impact and Result

    • Clarify lines of accountability and metrics for success.
    • Implement targeted initiatives and track key metrics for continual improvement.

    Optimize the IT Operations Center Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should Optimize the IT Operations Center, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Lightning Phase: Pluck Low-Hanging Fruit for Quick Wins

    Get quick wins to demonstrate early value for investments in IT Operations.

    • Optimize the IT Operations Center – Lightning Phase: Pluck Low-Hanging Fruit for Quick Wins

    2. Get buy-in

    Get buy-in from business stakeholders by speaking their language.

    • Optimize the IT Operations Center – Phase 1: Get Buy-In
    • IT Operations Center Prerequisites Assessment Tool
    • IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation
    • IT Operations Center Continual Improvement Tracker

    3. Define accountability and metrics

    Formalize process and task accountability and develop targeted metrics.

    • Optimize the IT Operations Center – Phase 2: Define Accountability and Metrics
    • IT Operations Center RACI Charts Template

    4. Assess gaps and prioritize initiatives

    Identify pain points and determine the top solutions.

    • Optimize the IT Operations Center – Phase 3: Assess Gaps and Prioritize Initiatives
    • IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker
    • IT Operations Center Initiative Prioritization Tool

    5. Launch initiatives and track metrics

    Lay the foundation for implementation and continual improvement.

    • Optimize the IT Operations Center – Phase 4: Launch Initiatives and Track Metrics
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Check Foundation

    The Purpose

    Ensure base maturity in IT Operations processes.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Verify that foundation is in place to proceed with Operations Center project.

    Activities

    1.1 Evaluate base maturity.

    Outputs

    IT Operations Center Prerequisites Assessment Tool

    2 Define Accountabilities

    The Purpose

    Define accountabilities for Operations processes and tasks.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Documented accountabilities.

    Activities

    2.1 Pluck low-hanging fruit for quick wins.

    2.2 Complete process RACI.

    2.3 Complete task RACI.

    Outputs

    Project plan

    Process RACI

    Task RACI

    3 Map the Challenge

    The Purpose

    Define metrics and identify accountabilities and gaps.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    List of initiatives to address pain points.

    Activities

    3.1 Define metrics.

    3.2 Define accountabilities.

    3.3 Identify gaps.

    Outputs

    IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker

    4 Build Action Plan

    The Purpose

    Develop an action plan to boost KPIs.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Action plan and success criteria.

    Activities

    4.1 Prioritize initiatives.

    Outputs

    IT Operations Center Initiative Prioritization Tool

    5 Map Out Implementation

    The Purpose

    Build an implementation plan for continual improvement.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Continual improvement against identified metrics and KPIs.

    Activities

    5.1 Build implementation plan.

    Outputs

    IT Operations Center Continual Improvement Tracker

    Further reading

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Stop burning budget on non-value-adding activities.

    ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

    The Network Operations Center is not in Kansas anymore.

    "The old-school Network Operations Center of the telecom world was heavily peopled and reactionary. Now, the IT Operations Center is about more than network monitoring. An effective Operations Center provides visibility across the entire stack, generates actionable alerts, resolves a host of different incidents, and drives continual improvement in the delivery of high-quality services.
    IT’s traditional siloed approach cannot provide the value the business demands. The modern Operations Center breaks down these silos for the end-to-end view required for a service-focused approach."

    Derek Shank,
    Research Analyst, Infrastructure & Operations
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Our understanding of the problem

    This Research Is Designed For:

    • IT Operations Managers
    • IT Infrastructure Managers
    • CIOs

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Improve reliability of services.
    • Reduce the cost of incident response.
    • Reduce the cost of manual repetitive work (MRW).

    This Research Will Also Assist

    • Business Analysts
    • Project Managers
    • Business Relationship Managers

    This Research Will Help Them

    • Develop appropriate non-functional requirements.
    • Integrate non-functional requirements into solution design and project implementation.

    Executive Summary

    Situation

    • Your team’s time is burned up by incident response.
    • MRW burns up expensive resources.
    • You don’t have the visibility to ensure the availability the business demands.

    Complication

    • The increasing complexity of technology has resulted in siloed teams of specialists.
    • The business views IT Operations as a cost center and doesn’t want to provide resources to support improvement initiatives.

    Resolution

    • Pluck low-hanging fruit for quick wins.
    • Obtain buy-in from business stakeholders by speaking their language.
    • Clarify lines of accountability and metrics for success.
    • Implement targeted initiatives and track key metrics for continual improvement.

    Info-Tech Insight

    1. Sell the project to the business. Your first job is a sales job because executive sponsorship is key to project success.
    2. Worship the holy trinity of metrics: impact of downtime, cost of incident response, and time spent on manual repetitive work (MRW).
    3. Invest in order to profit. Improving the Operations Center takes time and money. Expect short-term pain to realize long-term gain.

    The role of the Network Operations Center has changed

    • The old approach was technology siloed and the Network Operations Center (NOC) only cared about the network.
    • The modern Operations Center is about ensuring high availability of end-user services, and requires cross-functional expertise and visibility across all the layers of the technology stack.
    A pie chart is depicted. The data displayed on the chart, in decreasing order of size, include: Applications; Servers; LAN; WAN; Security; Storage. Source: Metzler, n.d.

    Most organizations lack adequate visibility

    • The rise of hybrid cloud has made environments more complex, not less.
    • The increasing complexity makes monitoring and incident response more difficult than ever.
    • Only 31% of organizations use advanced monitoring beyond what is offered by cloud providers.
    • 69% perform no monitoring, basic monitoring, or rely entirely on the cloud provider’s monitoring tools.
    A Pie chart is depicted. Two data are represented on the chart. The first, representing 69% of the chart, is: Using no monitoring, basic monitoring, or relying only on the cloud vendor's monitoring. the second, representing 31% of the chart, is Using advanced monitoring beyond what cloud vendors provide. Source: InterOp ITX, 2018

    Siloed service level agreements cannot ensure availability

    You can meet high service level agreements (SLAs) for functional silos, but still miss the mark for service availability. The business just wants things to work!

    this image contains Info-Tech's SLA-compliance rating chart, which displays the categories: Available, behaving as expected; Slow/degraded; and Unavailable, for each of: Webserver; Database; Storage; Network; Application; and, Business Service

    The cost of downtime is massive

    Increasing reliance on IT makes downtime hurt more than ever.
    98% of enterprises lose $100,000+.
    81% of enterprises lose $300,000+ per hour of downtime.

    This is a bar graph, showing the cost per hour of downtime, against the percentage of enterprises.

    Source: ITIC, 2016

    IT is asked to do more with less

    Most IT budgets are staying flat or shrinking.

    57% of IT departments expect their budget to stay flat or to shrink from 2018 to 2019.

    This image contains a pie chart with two data, one is labeled: Increase; representing 43% of the chart. The other datum is labeled: Shrink or stay flat, and represents 57% of the chart.

    Unify and streamline IT Operations

    A well-run Operations Center ensures high availability at reasonable cost. Improving your Operations Center results in:

    • Higher availability
    • Increased reliability
    • Improved project capacity
    • Higher business satisfaction

    Measure success with the holy trinity of metrics

    Focus on reducing downtime, cost of incident response, and MRW.

    This image contains a Funnel Chart showing the inputs: Downtime; Cost of Incident Response; MRW; and the output: Reduce for continual improvement

    Start from the top and employ a targeted approach

    Analyze data to get buy-in from stakeholders, and use our tools and templates to follow the process for continual improvement in IT Operations.

    This image depicts a cycle, which includes: Data analysis; Executive Sponsorship; Success Criteria; Gap Assessment; Initiatives; Tracking & Measurement

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

    Workshop

    "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

    Consulting

    "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Optimize the IT Operations Center – project overview

    Launch the Project

    Identify Enterprise Services

    Identify Line of Business Services

    Complete Service Definitions

    Best-Practice Toolkit

    🗲 Pluck Low-Hanging Fruit for Quick Wins

    1.1 Ensure Base Maturity Is in Place

    1.2 Make the Case

    2.1 Define Accountabilities

    2.2 Define Metrics

    3.1 Assess Gaps

    3.2 Plan Initiatives

    4.1 Lay Foundation

    4.2 Launch and Measure

    Guided Implementations

    Discuss current state.

    Review stakeholder presentation.

    Review RACIs.

    Review metrics.

    Discuss gaps.

    Discuss initiatives.

    Review plan and metric schedule.

    Onsite Workshop Module 1:

    Clear understanding of project objectives and support obtained from the business.

    Module 2:

    Enterprise services defined and categorized.

    Module 3:

    LOB services defined based on user perspective.

    Module 4:

    Service record designed according to how IT wishes to communicate to the business.

    Phase 1 Results:

    Stakeholder presentation

    Phase 2 Results:
    • RACIs
    • Metrics
    Phase 3 Results:
    • Gaps list
    • Prioritized list of initiatives
    Phase 4 Results:
    • Implementation plan
    • Continual improvement tracker

    Workshop overview

    Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Pre-Workshop Workshop Day 1 Workshop Day 2 Workshop Day 3 Workshop Day 4
    Activities

    Check Foundation

    Define Accountabilities

    Map the Challenge

    Build Action Plan

    Map Out Implementation

    1.1 Ensure base maturity.

    🗲 Pluck low-hanging fruit for quick wins.

    2.1 Complete process RACI.

    2.2 Complete task RACI.

    3.1 Define metrics.

    3.2 Define accountabilities.

    3.2 Identify gaps.

    4.1 Prioritize initiatives.

    5.1 Build implementation plan.

    Deliverables
    1. IT Operations Center Prerequisites Assessment Tool
    1. IT Operations Center RACI Charts Template
    1. IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker
    1. IT Operations Center Initiative Prioritization Tool
    1. IT Operations Center Continual Improvement Tracker

    PHASE 🗲

    Pluck Low-Hanging Fruit for Quick Wins

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Conduct a ticket-trend analysis

    Generate reports on tickets from your IT service management (ITSM) tool. Look for areas that consume the most resources, such as:

    • Recurring tickets.
    • Tickets that have taken a long time to resolve.
    • Tickets that could have been resolved at a lower tier.
    • Tickets that were unnecessarily or improperly escalated.

    Identify issues

    Analyze the tickets:

    • Look for recurring tickets that may indicate underlying problems.
    • Ask tier 2 and 3 technicians to flag tickets that could have been resolved at a lower tier.
    • Identify painful and/or time consuming service requests.
    • Flag any manual repetitive work.

    Write the issues on a whiteboard.

    Oil & Gas IT reduces manual repetitive maintenance work

    CASE STUDY
    Industry Oil & Gas
    Source Interview

    Challenge

    The company used a webserver to collect data from field stations for analytics. The server’s version did not clear its cache – it filled up its own memory and would not overwrite, so it would just lock up and have to be rebooted manually.

    Solution

    The team found out that the volumes and units of data would cause the memory to fill at a certain time of the month. They wrote a script to reboot the machine and set up a planned outage during the appropriate weekend each month.

    Results

    The team never had to do manual reboots again – though they did have to tweak their reboot script not to rely on their calendar, after a shift in production broke the pattern between memory consumption and the calendar.

    Rank the issues

    🗲.1.1 10 minutes

    1. Assign each participant five sticky dots to use for voting.
    2. Have each participant place any number of dots beside the issue(s) of their choice.
    3. Count the dots and rank the top three most important issues.

    INPUT

    • List of issues

    OUTPUT

    • Top three issues

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers
    • Sticky dots

    Participants

    • Operations Manager
    • Infrastructure Manager
    • I&O team members

    Brainstorm solutions

    🗲.1.2 10 minutes

    1. Write the three issues at the top of a whiteboard, each at the head of its own column.
    2. Focusing on one issue at a time, brainstorm potential solutions for each issue. Have one person write all the proposed solutions on the board beneath the issue.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Do not censor or evaluate the proposed solutions at this time. During brainstorming, focus on coming up with as many potential solutions as possible, no matter how infeasible or outlandish.

    INPUT

    • Top three issues

    OUTPUT

    • Potential solutions

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Operations Manager
    • Infrastructure Manager
    • I&O team members

    Evaluate and rank potential solutions

    🗲.1.3 30 minutes

    1. Score the solutions from 1-5 on each of the two dimensions:
    • Attainability
    • Probable efficacy
  • Identify the top scoring solution for each issue. In the event of a tie, vote to determine the winner.
  • Info-Tech Insight

    Quick wins are the best of both worlds. To get a quick win, pick a solution that is both readily attainable and likely to have high impact.

    INPUT

    • Potential solutions

    OUTPUT

    • Ranked list of solutions

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Markers

    Participants

    • Operations Manager
    • Infrastructure Manager
    • I&O team members

    Develop metrics to measure the effectiveness of solutions

    You should now have a top potential solution for each pain point.

    For each pain point and proposed solution, identify the metric that would indicate whether the solution had been effective or not. For example:

    • Pain point: Too many unnecessary escalations for SharePoint issues.
    • Solution: Train tier 1 staff to resolve SharePoint tickets.
    • Metric: % of SharePoint tickets resolved at tier 1.

    Design solutions

    • Some solutions explain themselves. E.g., hire an extra service desk person.
    • Others require more planning and design, as they involve a bespoke solution. E.g., improve asset management process or automate onboarding of new users.
    • For the solutions that require planning, take the time to design each solution fully before rushing to implement it.

    Build solutions

    • Build any of the solutions that require building. For example, any scripting for automations requires the writing of those scripts, and any automated ticket routing requires configuration of your ITSM tool.
    • Part of the build phase for many solutions should also involve designing the tests of those solutions.

    Test solutions – refine and iterate

    • Think about the expected outcome and results of the solutions that require testing.
    • Test each solution under production-like circumstances to see if the results and behavior are as expected.
    • Refine and iterate upon the solutions as necessary, and test again.

    Implement solutions and measure results

    • Before implementing each solution, take a baseline measurement of the metric that will measure success.
    • Implement the solutions using your change management process.
    • After implementation, measure the success of the solution using the appropriate metric.
    • Document the results and judge whether the solution has been effective.

    Use the top result as a case study to obtain buy-in

    Your most effective solution will make a great case study.

    Write up the results and input the case study into the IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation.

    This image contains a screenshot of info-tech's default format for presenting case studies.

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts

    this is a picture of an Info-Tech Analyst
    • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
    • Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
    • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.
    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:
    🗲.1.2 This image contains a screenshot from section 🗲.1.2 of this blueprint.

    Identify issues

    Look for areas that aren’t working optimally.

    🗲.1.3 this image contains a screenshot from section 🗲.1.3 of this blueprint.

    Evaluate and rank potential solutions

    Sort the wheat from the chaff and plan for quick wins.

    PHASE 1

    Get Buy-In

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Step 1.1: Ensure Base Maturity Is in Place

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Assess maturity of base IT Operations processes.

    Outcomes of this step

    • Completed IT Operations Center Prerequisites Assessment Tool

    Base processes underpin the Operations Center

    • Before you optimize your Operations Center, you should have foundational ITSM processes in place: service desk, and incident, problem, and change management.
    • Attempting to optimize Operations before it rests on a solid foundation can only lead to frustration.

    IT Operations Center

    • Service Desk
    • Incident Management
    • Problem Management
    • Change Management

    Info-Tech Insight

    ITIL isn’t dead. New technology such as cloud solutions and advanced monitoring tools have transformed how ITSM processes are implemented, but have not obviated them.

    Assess maturity of prerequisite processes

    1.1.1 IT Operations Center Prerequisites Assessment Tool

    • Don’t try to prematurely optimize your Operations Center.
    • Before undertaking this project, you should already have a base level of maturity in the four foundational IT Operations processes.
    • Complete the IT Operations Center Prerequisites Assessment Tool to assess your current level in service desk, incident management, problem management, and change management.
    this image contains a screenshot from Info-Tech's IT Operations Center Prerequisite Assessment

    Make targeted improvements on prerequisite processes if necessary

    If there are deficiencies in any of your foundational processes, take the time to remedy those first before proceeding with Optimize the IT Operations Center. See Info-Tech’s other blueprints:

    Standardize the Service Desk

    Strengthen your service desk to build a strong ITSM foundation.

    Incident and Problem Management

    Don’t let persistent problems govern your department.

    Optimize Change Management

    Turn and face the change with a right-sized change management process.

    Step 1.2: Make the Case

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Estimate the impact of downtime for top five applications.
    • Estimate the cost of incident response.
    • Estimate the cost of MRW.
    • Set success metrics and estimate the ROI of the Operations Center project.
    • IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation

    Obtaining buy-in is critical

    Buy-in from top-level stakeholders is critical to the success of the project.

    Before jumping into your initiatives, take the time to make the case and bring the business on board.

    Factors that “prevent us from improving the NOC”

    This image contains a graph of factors that prevent us from improving the NOC. In decreasing order, they include: Lack of strategic guidance from our vendors; The unwillingness of our management to accept new risk; Lack of adequate software tools; Our internal processes; Lack of management vision; Lack of funding; and Lack of personnel resources. There is a red circle drawn around the last three entries, with the words: Getting Buy-in Removes the Top Three Roadblocks to Improvement!. Source: Metzier, n.d

    List your top five applications

    List your top five applications for business criticality.

    Don’t agonize over decisions at this point.

    Generally, the top applications will be customer facing, end-user facing for the most critical business units, or critical for health and safety.

    Estimate impact of downtime

    • Come up with a rough, back-of-the-napkin estimate of the hourly cost of downtime for each application.
    • Complete page two of the IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation.
    • Estimate loss of revenue per hour, loss of productivity per hour, and IT cost per incident resolution hour.
    • Pull a report on incident hours/outages in the past year from your ITSM tool. Multiply the total cost per incident hour by the incident hours per year to determine the current cost per year of service disruptions for each service.
    • Add up the cost for each of the top five services.
    • Now you can show the business a hard value number that quantifies your availability issues.

    Estimate salary cost of non-value-adding work

    Complete page three of the IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation.

    • Estimate annual wage cost of incident response: multiply incident response hours per year (take from your ITSM tool) by the average hourly wage of incident responders.
    • Estimate annual cost of MRW: multiply MRW hours per year (take from ITSM tool or from time-keeping tool, or use best guess based on talking to staff members) by the average hourly wage of IT staff performing MRW.
    • Add the two numbers together to calculate the non-value-adding IT salary cost per year.
    • Express the previous number as a percentage of total IT salary. Everything that is not incident response or MRW is value-adding work.

    Now you have the holy trinity of metrics: set some targets

    The holy trinity of metrics:

    • Cost of downtime
    • % of salary on incident response
    • % of salary on MRW

    You want to reduce the above numbers. Set some back-of-the-napkin targets for percentage reductions for each of these areas. These are high-level metrics that business stakeholders will care about.

    Take your best guess at targets. Higher maturity organizations will have less potential for reduction from a percentage point of view (eventually you hit diminishing returns), while organizations just beginning to optimize their Operations Center have the potential for huge gains.

    Calculate the potential gains of targets

    Complete page five of the IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation.

    • Multiply the targeted/estimated % reductions of the costs by your current costs to determine the potential savings/benefits.
    • Do a back-of-the napkin estimate of the cost of the Operations Center improvement project. Use reasonable numbers for cost of personnel time and cost of tools, and be sure to include ongoing personnel time costs – your time isn’t free and continual improvement takes work and effort.
    • Calculate the ROI.

    Fill out the case study

    • Complete page six of the IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation. If you completed the lightning phase, use the results of your own quick win project(s) as an example of feasibility.
    • If you did not complete the lightning phase, delete this slide, or use an example of what other organizations have achieved to demonstrate feasibility.
    This image contains a screenshot of info-tech's default format for presenting case studies.

    Present to stakeholders

    • Deliver the presentation to key stakeholders.
    • Focus on the high-level story that the current state is costing real dollars and wages, and that these losses can be minimized through process improvements.
    • Be up front that many of the numbers are based on estimates, but be prepared to defend the reasonableness of the estimates.

    Gain buy-in and identify project sponsor

    • If the business is on board with the project, determine one person to be the executive sponsor for the project. This person should have a strong desire to see the project succeed, and should have some skin in the game.

    Formalize communication with the project sponsor

    • Establish how you will communicate with the sponsor throughout the project (e.g. weekly or monthly e-mail updates, bi-weekly meetings).
    • Set up a regular/recurring cadence and stick to it, so it can be put on auto-pilot. Be clear about who is responsible for initiating communication and sticking to the reporting schedule.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Tailor communication to the sponsor. The project sponsor is not the project manager. The sponsor’s role is to drive the project forward by allocating appropriate resources and demonstrating highly visible support to the broader organization. The sponsor should be kept in the loop, but not bothered with minutiae.

    Note the starting numbers for the holy trinity

    Use the IT Operations Center Continual Improvement Tracker:

    • Enter your starting numbers for the holy trinity of metrics.
    • After planning and implementing initiatives, this tracker will be used to update against the holy trinity to assess the success of the project on an ongoing basis and to drive continual improvement.

    PHASE 2

    Define Accountability and Metrics

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Step 2.1: Define Accountabilities

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Formalize RACI for key processes.
    • Formalize RACI for key tasks.

    Outcomes of this step

    • Completed RACIs

    List key Operations Center processes

    Compile a list of processes that are key for the Operations Center.

    These processes should include the four foundational processes:

    • Service Desk
    • Incident Management
    • Problem Management
    • Change Management

    You may also want to include processes such as the following:

    • Event Management
    • Configuration Management

    Avoid listing processes you have yet to develop – stick with those already playing a role in your current state.

    Formalize RACI for key processes

    Use the IT Operations Center RACI Charts Template. Complete a RACI for each of the key processes involved in the IT Operations Center.

    RACI:

    • Responsible (does the work on a day-to-day basis)
    • Accountable (reviews, signs off, and is held accountable for outcomes)
    • Consulted (input is sought to feed into decision making)
    • Informed (is given notification of outcomes)

    As a best practice, no more than one person should be responsible or accountable for any given process. The same person can be both responsible and accountable for a given process, or it could be two different people.

    Avoid making someone accountable for a process if they do not have full visibility into the process for appropriate oversight, or do not have time to give the process sufficient attention.

    Formalize RACI for IT tasks

    Now think about the actual tasks or work that goes on in IT. Which roles and individuals are accountable for which tasks or pieces of work?

    In this case, more than one role/person can be listed as responsible or accountable in the RACI because we’re talking about types or categories of work. No conflict will occur because these individuals will be responsible or accountable for different pieces of work or individual tasks of the same type. (e.g. all service desk staff are responsible for answering phones and inputting tickets into the ITSM tool, but no more than one staff member is responsible for the input of any given ticket from a specific phone call).

    Step 2.2: Define Metrics

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Cascade operational metrics from the holy trinity.
    • Evaluate metrics and identify key performance indicators (KPIs).
    • Cascade performance assessment (PA) metrics to support KPIs.
    • Build feedback loop for PA metrics.

    Outcomes of this step

    • KPIs
    • PA metrics

    Metrics must span across silos for shared accountability

    To adequately support the business goals of the organization, IT metrics should span across functional silos.

    Metrics that span across silos foster shared accountability across the IT organization.

    Metrics supported by all groups

    three grain silos are depicted. below, are the words IT Groups, with arrows pointing from the words to each of the three silos.

    Cascade operational metrics from the holy trinity

    Focus on the holy trinity of metrics.

    From these, cascade down to operational metrics that contribute to the holy trinity. It is possible that an operational metric may support more than one trinity metric. For example:

    a flow chart is depicted. two input circles point toward a central circle, and two output circles point away. the input circles include: Cost of Downtime; Cost of Incident Response. The central circle reads: Mean time to restore service. the output circles include the words: Tier 1 Resolution Rate; %% of Known Errors Captured in ITSM Tool.

    Evaluate metrics and identify KPIs

      • Evaluate your operational metrics and determine which ones are likely to have the largest impact on the holy trinity of metrics.
      • Identify the ten metrics likely to have the most impact: these will be your KPIs moving forward.
      • Enter these KPIs into the IT Operations Center Continual Improvement Tracker.
      this image depicts a cycle around the term KPI. The cycle includes: Objective; Measurement; optimization; strategy; performance; evaluation

    Beware how changing variables/context can affect metrics

    • Changes in context can affect metrics drastically. It’s important to keep the overall context in mind to avoid being led astray by certain numbers taken in isolation.
    • For example, a huge hiring spree might exhaust the stock of end-user devices, requiring time to procure hardware before the onboarding tickets can be completely fulfilled. You may have improved your onboarding process through automation, but see a large increase in average time to onboard a new user. Keep an eye out for such anomalies or fluctuations, and avoid putting too much stock in any single operational KPI.
    • Remember, operational KPIs are just a heuristic tool to support the holy trinity of metrics.

    Determine accountability for KPIs

    • For each operational KPI, assign one person to be accountable for that KPI.
    • Be sure the person in charge has the necessary authority and oversight over the processes and personnel that most affect that KPI – otherwise it makes little sense to hold the individual accountable.
    • Consulting your process RACIs is a good place to start.
    • Record the accountable person for each KPI in the IT Operations Center Continual Improvement Tracker.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Match accountability with authority. The person accountable for each KPI should be the one who has the closet and most direct control over the work and processes that most heavily impact that KPI.

    Cascade PA metrics to support KPIs

    KPIs are ultimately driven by how IT does its work, and how individuals work is driven by how their performance is assessed and evaluated.

    For the top KPIs, be sure there are individual PA metrics in place that support the KPI, and if not, develop the appropriate PA metrics.

    For example:

    • KPI: Mean time to resolve incidents
    • PA metric: % of escalations that followed SOP (e.g. not holding onto a ticket longer than supposed to)
    • KPI: Number of knowledge base articles written
    • PA metric: Number of knowledge base articles written/contributed to

    Communicate key changes in PA metrics

    Any changes from the previous step will take time and effort to implement and make stick.

    Changing people’s way of working is extremely difficult.

    Build a communication and implementation plan about rolling out these changes, emphasize the benefits for everyone involved, and get buy-in from the affected staff members.

    Build feedback loops for PA metrics

    Now that PA metrics support your Operations Center’s KPIs, you should create frequent feedback loops to drive and boost those PA metrics.

    Once per year or once per quarter is not frequent enough. Managers should meet with their direct reports at least monthly and review their reports’ performance against PA metrics.

    Use a “set it and forget it” implementation, such as a recurring task or meeting in your calendar.

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts

    this is a picture of an Info-Tech Analyst

    • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
    • Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
    • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.
    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:
    2.2.1 This image contains a screenshot from section 2.2.1 of this blueprint.

    Cascade operational metrics from the holy trinity

    Rank goals based on business impact and stakeholder pecking order.

    2.2.2 this image contains a screenshot from section 2.2.2 of this blueprint.

    Determine accountability for KPIs

    Craft a concise and compelling elevator pitch that will drive the project forward.

    PHASE 3

    Assess Gaps and Prioritize Initiatives

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Step 3.1: Assess Gaps

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Assess visibility provided by monitoring.
    • Assess process workflows and identify areas for automation.
    • Assess requests and identify potential for automation.
    • Assess Operations Center staff capabilities.
    • Conduct a root cause analysis on the gaps/pain points.

    Outcomes of this step

    • List of gaps
    • List of root causes

    Measure current state of KPIs and identify lagging ones

    Take a baseline measurement of each operational KPI.

    If historical data is available, compare the present state measurement to data points collected over the last year or so.

    Review the measured KPIs.

    Identify any KPIs that seem lagging or low, or that may be particularly important to influence.

    Record lagging KPIs in the IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    Assess visibility provided by monitoring

    List the top five most critical business services supported by IT.
    Assess the current state of your monitoring tools.

    For each business service, rate the level of visibility your monitoring tools allow from the following options:

    1. We have no visibility into the service, or lack visibility into crucial elements.
    2. We have basic visibility (up/down) into all the IT components that support the service.
    3. We have basic visibility (up/down) into the end service itself, in addition to all the IT components that make it up.
    4. We have some advanced visibility into some aspects of the service and/or its IT components.
    5. We have a full, end-to-end view of performance across all the layers of the stack, as well as the end business service itself.

    Identify where more visibility may be necessary

    For most organizations it isn’t practical to have complete visibility into everything. For the areas in which visibility is lacking into key services, think about whether more visibility is actually required or not. Consider some of the following questions:

    • How great is the impact of this service being unavailable?
    • Would greater visibility into the service significantly reduce the mean time to restore the service in the event of incidents?

    Record any deficiencies in the IT Operations CenterGap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    Assess alerting

    Assess alerting for your most critical services.

    Consider whether any of the following problems occur:

    • Often receive no alert(s) in the event of critical outages of key services (we find out about critical outages from the service desk).
    • We are regularly overwhelmed with too many alerts to investigate properly.
    • Our alerts are rarely actionable.
    • We often receive many false alerts.

    Identify areas for potential improvement in the managing of alerts. Record any deficiencies in the IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    Assess process workflows and identify areas for automation

    Review your process flows for base processes such as Service Desk, Incident Management, Problem Management, and Change Management.

    Identify areas in the workflows where there may be defects, inefficiencies, or potential for improvement or automation.

    Record any deficiencies in the IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    See the blueprint Prepare for Cognitive Service Management for process workflows and areas to look for automation possibilities.

    Prepare for Cognitive Service Management

    Make ready for AI-assisted IT operations.

    Assess requests and identify potential for automation

    • Assess the most common work orders or requests handled by the Operations Center group (i.e. this does not include requests fulfilled by the help desk).
    • Which work orders are the most painful? That is, what common work orders involve the greatest effort or the most manual work to fulfill?
    • Fulfillment of common, recurring work orders is MRW, and should be reduced or removed if possible.
    • Consider automation of certain work orders, or self-service delivery.
    • Record any deficiencies in the IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    Assess Operations Center staff capabilities

    • Assess the skills and expertise of your team members.
    • Consider some of the following:
      • Are there team members who could perform their job more effectively by picking up certain skills or proficiencies?
      • Are there team members who have the potential to shift into more valuable or useful roles, given the appropriate training?
      • Are there individual team members whose knowledge is crucial for operations, and whose function cannot be taken up by others?

    Record any deficiencies in the IT Operations Center Gap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Train to avoid pain. All too often organizations expose themselves to significant key person risk by relying on the specialized skills and knowledge of one team member. Use cross training to remedy such single points of failure before the risk materializes.

    Brainstorm pain points

    Brainstorm any pain points not discussed in the previous areas.

    Pain points can be specific operational issues that have not yet been considered. For example:

    • Tom is overwhelmed with tickets.
    • Our MSP often breaches SLA.
    • We don’t have a training budget.

    Record any deficiencies in the IT Operations CenterGap and Initiative Tracker tool.

    Conduct a root cause analysis on the gaps/pain points

    • Pain points can often be symptoms of other deficiencies, or somewhat removed from the actual problem.
    • Using the 5 Whys, conduct a root cause analysis on the pain points for which the causes are not obvious.
    • For each pain point, ask “why” for a sequence of five times, attempting to proceed to the root cause of the issue. This root cause is the true gap that needs to be remedied to resolve the pain point.
    • For example:
      • The Wi-Fi network often goes down in the afternoon.
        • Why?: Its bandwidth gets overloaded.
        • Why?: Many people are streaming video.
        • Why?: There’s a live broadcast of a football game at that time.
      • Possible solutions:
        • Block access to the streaming services.
        • Project the game on a screen in a large conference room and encourage everyone to watch it there.

    Step 3.2: Plan Initiatives

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Brainstorm initiatives to boost KPIs and address gaps.
    • Prioritize potential initiatives.
    • Decide which initiatives to include on the roadmap.

    Outcomes of this step

    • Targeted improvement roadmap

    Brainstorm initiatives to boost KPIs and address gaps

    Prioritize potential initiatives

    3.2.1 IT Operations Center Initiative Prioritization Tool

    • Use the IT Operations Center Initiative Prioritization Tool.
    • Enter the initiatives into the tool.
    • For each initiative, input the following ranking criteria:
      • The metric/KPI’s estimated degree of impact on the holy trinity.
      • The gap or pain point’s estimated degree of impact on the metric/KPI.
      • The initiative’s estimated degree of positive impact on the gap or pain point
      • The initiative’s attainability.
    • Estimate the resourcing capacity required for each initiative.
    • For accurate capacity assessment, input as “force include” all current in-flight projects handled by the Operations Center group (including those unrelated to the Operations Center project).

    Decide which initiatives to include on the roadmap

    • Not all initiatives will be worth pursuing – and especially not all at once.
    • Consider the results displayed on the final tab of the IT Operations CenterInitiative Prioritization Tool.
    • Based on the prioritization and taking capacity into account, decide which initiatives to include on your roadmap.
    • Sometimes, for operational or logistical reasons, it may make sense to schedule an initiative at a time other than its priority might dictate. Make such exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

    Assign an owner to each initiative, and provide resourcing

    • For each initiative, assign one person to be the owner of that initiative.
    • Be sure that person has the authority and the bandwidth necessary to drive the initiative forward.
    • Secure additional resourcing for any initiatives you want to include on your roadmap that are lacking capacity.

    Info-Tech Insight

    You must invest resources in order to reduce the time spent on non-value-adding work.

    "The SRE model of working – and all of the benefits that come with it – depends on teams having ample capacity for engineering work. If toil eats up that capacity, the SRE model can’t be launched or sustained. An SRE perpetually buried under toil isn’t an SRE, they are just a traditional long-suffering SysAdmin with a new title."– David N. Blank-Edelman

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts

    this is a picture of an Info-Tech Analyst

    • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
    • Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
    • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.
    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:
    3.1.1 This image contains a screenshot from section 3.1.1 of this blueprint.

    Conduct a root cause analysis on the gaps/pain points

    Find out the cause, so you can come up with solutions.

    3.2.1 this image contains a screenshot from section 3.2.1 of this blueprint.

    Prioritize potential initiatives

    Don’t try to boil the ocean. Target what’s manageable and what will have the most impact.

    PHASE 4

    Launch Initiatives and Track Metrics

    Optimize the IT Operations Center

    Step 4.1: Lay Foundation

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Build initiative communication plan.
    • Develop a testing plan for each technical initiative.

    Outcomes of this step

    • Communication plan
    • Testing plan(s)

    Expect resistance to change

    • It’s not as simple as rolling out what you’ve designed.
    • Anything that affects people’s way of working will inevitably be met with suspicion and pushback.
    • Be prepared to fight the battle.
    • "The hardest part is culture. You must get people to see the value of automation. Their first response is ‘We've been doing it this way for 10 years, why do we need to do it another way?’ It's hard to get someone out of their comfort zone to learn something new, especially when they've been at an organization for 20 years. You need to give them incentives."– Cyrus Kalatbari, Senior IT Architect, Infrastructure/Cloud

    Communicate changes in advance, along with their benefits!

    • Communicate changes well in advance of the date(s) of implementation.
    • Emphasize the benefits of the changes – not just for the organization, but for employees and staff members.
    • Advance communication of changes helps make them more palatable, and builds trust in employees by making them feel informed of what’s going on.

    Involve IT staff in design and implementation of changes

    • As you communicate the coming changes, take the opportunity to involve any affected staff members who have not yet participated in the project.
    • Solicit their feedback and get them to help design and implement the initiatives that involve significant changes to their roles.

    Develop a testing plan for each technical initiative

    • Some initiatives, such as appointing a new change manager or hiring a new staff member, do not make sense to test.
    • On the other hand, technical initiatives such as automation scripts, new monitoring tools or dashboards, and changed alert thresholds should be tested thoroughly before implementation.
    • For each technical initiative, think about the expected results and performance if it were to run in production, and build a test plan to ensure it behaves as expected and there are no corner cases.

    Test technology initiatives and iterate if necessary

    • Test each technical initiative under a variety of circumstances, with as close an environment to production as possible.
    • Try to develop corner cases or unusual or unexpected situations, and see if any of these will break the functionality or produce unintended or unexpected results.
    • Document the results of the testing, and iterate on the initiative and test again if necessary.

    "The most important things – and the things that people miss – are prerequisites and expected results. People jump out and build scripts, then the scripts go into the ditch, and they end up debugging in production." – Darin Stahl, Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations

    Step 4.2: Launch and Measure

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Launch initiatives and track adoption and effectiveness.
    • Investigate initiatives that appear ineffective.
    • Measure success with the holy trinity.

    Outcomes of this step

    • Continual improvement roadmap

    Establish a review cycle for each metric

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Don’t measure what doesn’t matter. If a metric is not going to be reviewed or reported on for informational or decision-making purposes, it should not be tracked.

    Launch initiatives and track adoption and effectiveness

    • Launch the initiatives.
    • Some initiatives will need to proceed through your change management process in order to roll out, but others will not.
    • Track the adoption of initiatives that require it.
      • Some initiatives will require tracking of adoption, whereas others will not.
      • For example, hiring a new service desk staff member does not require tracking of adoption, but implementing a new process for ticket handling does.
      • The implementation plan should include a way to measure the adoption of such initiatives, and regularly review the numbers to see if the implementation has been successful.
    • For all initiatives, measure their effectiveness by continuing to track the KPI/metric that the initiative is intended to influence.

    Assess metrics according to review cycle for continual improvement

    • Assess metrics according to the review cycle.
    • Note whether metrics are improving in the right direction or not.
    • Correlate changes in the metrics with measures of the adoption of the initiatives – see whether initiatives that have been adopted are moving the needle on the KPIs they are intended to.

    Investigate initiatives that appear ineffective

    • If the adoption of an initiative has succeeded, but the expected impact of that initiative on the KPI has not taken place, investigate further and conduct a root causes analysis to determine why this is the case.
    • Sometimes, anomalies or fluctuations will occur that cause the KPI not to move in accordance with the success of the initiative. In this case, it’s just a fluke and the initiative can still be successful in influencing the KPI over the long term.
    • Other times, the initiative may prove mostly or entirely ineffective, either due to misdesign of the initiative itself, a change of circumstances, or other compounding factors or complexities. If the initiative proves ineffective, consider iterating modifications of the initiative and continuing to measure the effect on KPIs – or perhaps killing the initiative altogether.
    • Remember that experimentation is not a bad thing – it’s okay that not every initiative will always prove worthwhile.

    Measure success with the holy trinity

    • Report to business stakeholders on the effect on the holy trinity of metrics at least annually.
    • Calculate the ROI of the project after two years and compare the results to the targeted ROI you initially presented in the IT Operations Center Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation.
    This image contains a Funnel Chart showing the inputs: Downtime; Cost of Incident Response; MRW; and the output: Reduce for continual improvement

    Iterate on the Operations Center process for continual improvement

    This image depicts a cycle, which includes: Data analysis; Executive Sponsorship; Success Criteria; Gap Assessment; Initiatives; Tracking & Measurement

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts

    this is a picture of an Info-Tech Analyst

    • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
    • Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
    • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.
    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:
    4.1.1This image contains a screenshot from section 3.1.1 of this blueprint.

    Communicate changes in advance, along with their benefits!

    Rank goals based on business impact and stakeholder pecking order.

    4.1.2 this image contains a screenshot from section 3.2.1 of this blueprint.

    Develop a testing plan for each technical initiative

    Craft a concise and compelling elevator pitch that will drive the project forward.

    Research contributors and experts
    This is a picture of Cyrus Kalatbari, IT infrastructure/cloud architect

    Cyrus Kalatbari, IT Infrastructure/Cloud Architect

    Cyrus’ in-depth knowledge cutting across I&O and service delivery has enhanced the IT operations of multiple enterprise-class clients.

    This is a picture of Derek Cullen, Chief Technology Officer

    Derek Cullen, Chief Technology Officer

    Derek is a proven leader in managing enterprise-scale development, deployment, and integration of applications, platforms, and systems, with a sharp focus on organizational transformation and corporate change.

    This is a picture of Phil Webb, Senior Manager

    Phil Webb, Senior Manager – Unified Messaging and Mobility

    Phil specializes in service delivery for cloud-based and hybrid technology solutions, spanning requirements gathering, solution design, new technology introduction, development, integration, deployment, production support, change/release delivery, maintenance, and continuous improvement.

    This is a picture of Richie Mendoza, IT Services Delivery Consultant

    Richie Mendoza, IT Services Delivery Consultant

    Ritchie’s accomplishments include pioneering a cloud capacity management process and presenting to the Operations team and to higher management, while providing a high level of technical leadership in all phases of capacity management activities.

    This is a picture of Rob Thompson, Solutions Architect

    Rob Thomson, Solutions Architect

    Rob is an IT leader with a track record of creating and executing digital transformation initiatives to achieve the desired outcomes by integrating people, process, and technology into an efficient and effective operating model.

    Related Info-Tech research

    Create a Configuration Management Roadmap

    Right-size your CMDB to improve IT operations.

    Harness Configuration Management Superpowers

    Build a CMDB around the IT services that are most important to the organization.

    Develop an IT Infrastructure Services Playbook

    Automation, SDI, and DevOps – build a cheat sheet to manage a changing Infrastructure & Operations environment.

    Develop an Availability and Capacity Management Plan

    Manage capacity to increase uptime and reduce costs.

    Establish a Program to Enable Effective Performance Monitoring

    Maximize the benefits of infrastructure monitoring investments by diagnosing and assessing transaction performance, from network to server to end-user interface.

    Bibliography

    Baker, Dan, and Hal Baylor. “How Benchmarking & Streamlining NOC Operations Can Lower Costs & Boost Effectiveness.” Top Operator, Mar. 2017. Web.

    Blank-Edelman, David. Seeking SRE: Conversations About Running Production Systems at Scale. O'Reilly, 2018. Web.

    CA Technologies. “IT Transformation to Next-Generation Operations Centers: Assure Business Service Reliability by Optimizing IT Operations.” CA Technologies, 2014. Web.

    Ditmore, Jim. “Improving Availability: Where to Start.” Recipes for IT, n.d. Web.

    Ennis, Shawn. “A Phased Approach for Building a Next-Generation Network Operations Center.” Monolith Software, 2009. Web.

    Faraclas, Matt. “Why Does Infrastructure Operations Still Suck?” Ideni, 25 Feb. 2016. Web.

    InterOp ITX. “2018 State of the Cloud.” InterOp ITX, Feb. 2018. Web.

    ITIC. “Cost of Hourly Downtime Soars: 81% of Enterprises Say it Exceeds $300K On Average.” ITIC, 2 Aug. 2016. Web.

    Joe the IT Guy. “Availability Management Is Harder Than it Looks.” Joe the IT Guy, 10 Feb. 2016. Web.

    ---. “Do Quick Wins Exist for Availability Management?” Joe the IT Guy, 15 May 2014. Web.

    Lawless, Steve. “11 Top Tips for Availability Management.” Purple Griffon, 4 Jan. 2019. Web.

    Metzler, Jim. “The Next Generation Network Operations Center: How the Focus on Application Delivery is Redefining the NOC.” Ashton, Metzler & Associates, n.d. Web.

    Nilekar, Shirish. “Beyond Redundancy: Improving IT Availability.” Network Computing, 28 Aug. 2015. Web.

    Slocum, Mac. “Site Reliability Engineering (SRE): A Simple Overview.” O’Reilly, 16 Aug. 2018. Web.

    Spiceworks. “The 2019 State of IT.” Spiceworks, 2019. Web

    Optimize the Current Testing Process for Enterprise Mobile Applications

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    • Your team has little or no experience in mobile testing.
    • You need to optimize current testing processes to include mobile.
    • You need to conduct an RFP for mobile testing tools.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • One-size-fits-all testing won’t work for mobile. The testing tools are fragmented.
    • Mobile offers many new test cases, so organizations can expect to spend more time testing.

    Impact and Result

    • Identify and address gaps between your current testing process and a target state that includes mobile testing.
    • Establish project value metrics to ensure business and technical requirements are met.

    Optimize the Current Testing Process for Enterprise Mobile Applications Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Assess the current testing state

    Determine a starting point for architecture and discuss pain points that will drive reusability.

    • Storyboard: Optimize the Current Testing Process for Enterprise Mobile Applications
    • Mobile Testing Project Charter Template
    • Visual SOP Template for Application Testing

    2. Determine the target state testing framework

    Document a preliminary list of test requirements and create vendor RFP and scoring.

    • Test Requirements Tool
    • Request for Proposal (RFP) Template

    3. Implement testing tools to support the testing SOP

    Create an implementation rollout plan.

    • Project Planning and Monitoring Tool

    Infographic

    Workshop: Optimize the Current Testing Process for Enterprise Mobile Applications

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Assess the Fit for Test Process Optimization

    The Purpose

    Understand mobile testing pain points.

    Evaluate current statistics and challenges around mobile testing and compare with your organization.

    Realize the benefits of mobile testing.

    Understand the differences of mobile testing.

    Assess your readiness for optimizing testing to include mobile.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Preliminary understanding of how mobile testing is different from conventional approaches to testing apps.

    Understanding of how mobile testing can optimize your current testing process.

    Activities

    1.1 Understand the pain points experienced with mobile testing

    1.2 Evaluate current statistics and challenges of mobile testing and compare your organization

    1.3 Realize the benefits that come from mobile testing

    1.4 Understand the differences between mobile app testing and conventional app testing

    1.5 Assess your readiness for optimizing the testing process to include mobile

    Outputs

    Organizational state assessment for mobile testing

    2 Structure & Launch the Project

    The Purpose

    Identify stakeholders for testing requirements gathering.

    Create a project charter to obtain project approval.

    Present and obtain project charter sign-off.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Well documented project charter.

    Approval to launch the project.

    Activities

    2.1 Identify stakeholders for testing requirements gathering

    2.2 Create a project charter to obtain project approval

    2.3 Present & obtain project charter sign-off

    Outputs

    Project objectives and scope

    Project roles and responsibilities

    3 Assess Current Testing State

    The Purpose

    Document your current non-mobile testing processes.

    Create a current testing visual SOP.

    Determine current testing pain points.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Thorough understanding of current testing processes and pain points.

    Activities

    3.1 Document your current non-mobile testing processes

    3.2 Create a current state visual SOP

    3.3 Determine current testing pain points

    Outputs

    Documented current testing processes in the form of a visual SOP

    List of current testing pain points

    4 Determine Target State Testing Framework

    The Purpose

    Determine your target state for mobile testing.

    Choose vendors for the RFP process.

    Evaluate selected vendor(s) against testing requirements.

    Design mobile testing visual SOP(s).

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Prioritized list of testing requirements for mobile.

    Vendor selection for mobile testing solutions through an RFP process.

    New SOP designed to include both current testing and mobile testing processes.

    Activities

    4.1 Determine your target state for mobile testing by following Info-Tech’s framework as a starting point

    4.2 Design new SOP to include testing for mobile apps

    4.3 Translate all considered visual SOP mobile injections into requirements

    4.4 Document the preliminary list of test requirements in the RFP

    4.5 Determine which vendors to include for the RFP process

    4.6 Reach out to vendors for a request for proposal

    4.7 Objectively evaluate vendors against testing requirements

    4.8 Identify and assess the expected costs and impacts from determining your target state

    Outputs

    List of testing requirements for mobile

    Request for Proposal

    5 Implement Testing Tools to Support Your Testing SOP

    The Purpose

    Develop an implementation roadmap to integrate new testing initiatives.

    Anticipate potential roadblocks during implementation rollout.

    Operationalize mobile testing and ensure a smooth hand-off to IT operations.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Creation of implementation project plan.

    List of approaches to mitigate potential implementation roadblocks.

    Achieving clean hand-off to IT ops team.

    Activities

    5.1 Develop a project plan to codify your current understanding of the scope of work

    5.2 Anticipate potential roadblocks during your tool’s implementation

    5.3 Operationalize your testing tools and ensure a smooth hand-off from the project team

    Outputs

    Mobile testing metrics implementation plan

    6 Conduct Your Retrospectives

    The Purpose

    Conduct regular retrospectives to consider areas for improvement.

    Adjust your processes, systems, and testing tools to improve performance and usability.

    Revisit implementation metrics to communicate project benefits.

    Leverage the lessons learned and apply them to other projects.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Project specific metrics.

    Discovery of areas to improve.

    Activities

    6.1 Conduct regular retrospectives to consider areas for improvement

    6.2 Revisit your implementation metrics to communicate project benefits to business stakeholders

    6.3 Adjust your processes, systems, and testing tools to improve performance and usability

    6.4 Leverage the lessons learned and apply them to other IT projects

    Outputs

    Steps to improve your mobile testing

    Get Started With Customer Advocacy

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    Getting started with customer advocacy (CA) is no easy task. Many customer success professionals carry out ad hoc customer advocacy activities to address immediate needs but lack a more strategic approach.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Customer success leaders must reposition their CA program around growth; the recognition that customer advocacy is a strategic growth initiative is necessary to succeed in today’s competitive market.
    • Get key stakeholders on board early – especially Sales!
    • Always link your CA efforts back to retention and growth.
    • Make building genuine relationships with your advocates the cornerstone of your CA program.

    Impact and Result

    • Enable the organization to identify and develop meaningful relationships with top customers and advocates.
    • Understand the concepts and benefits of CA and how CA can be used to improve marketing and sales and fuel growth and competitiveness.
    • Follow SoftwareReviews’ methodology to identify where to start to apply CA within the organization.
    • Develop a customer advocacy proof of concept/pilot program to gain stakeholder approval and funding to get started with or expand efforts around customer advocacy.

    Get Started With Customer Advocacy Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Get Started With Customer Advocacy Executive Brief – An overview of why customer advocacy is critical to your organization and the recommended approach for getting started with a pilot program.

    Understand the strategic benefits and process for building a formal customer advocacy program. To be successful, you must reposition CA as a strategic growth initiative and continually link any CA efforts back to growth.

    • Get Started With Customer Advocacy Storyboard

    2. Define Your Advocacy Requirements – Assess your current customer advocacy efforts, identify gaps, and define your program requirements.

    With the assessment tool and steps outlined in the storyboard, you will be able to understand the gaps and pain points, where and how to improve your efforts, and how to establish program requirements.

    • Customer Advocacy Maturity Assessment Tool

    3. Win Executive Approval and Launch Pilot – Develop goals, success metrics, and timelines, and gain approval for your customer advocacy pilot.

    Align on pilot goals, key milestones, and program elements using the template and storyboard to effectively communicate with stakeholders and gain executive buy-in for your customer advocacy pilot.

    • Get Started With Customer Advocacy Executive Presentation Template

    Infographic

    Further reading

    Get Started With Customer Advocacy

    Develop a customer advocacy program to transform customer satisfaction into revenue growth.

    EXECUTIVE BRIEF

    Analyst perspective

    Customer advocacy is critical to driving revenue growth

    The image contains a picture of Emily Wright.

    Customer advocacy puts the customer at the center of everything your organization does. By cultivating a deep understanding of customer needs and how they define value and by delivering positive experiences throughout the customer journey, organizations inspire and empower customers to become evangelists for their brands or products. Both the client and solution provider enjoy satisfying and ongoing business outcomes as a result.

    Focusing on customer advocacy is critical for software solutions providers. Business-to-business (B2B) buyers are increasingly looking to their peers and third-party resources to arm themselves with information on solutions they feel they can trust before they choose to engage with solution providers. Your satisfied customers are now your most trusted and powerful resource.

    Customer advocacy helps build strong relationships with your customers, nurtures brand advocacy, gives your marketing messaging credibility, and differentiates your company from the competition; it’s critical to driving revenue growth. Companies that develop mature advocacy programs can increase Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) by 16% (Wharton Business School, 2009), increase customer retention by 35% (Deloitte, 2011), and give themselves a strong competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

    Emily Wright
    Senior Research Analyst, Advisory
    SoftwareReviews

    Executive summary

    Your Challenge

    Ad hoc customer advocacy (CA) efforts and reference programs, while still useful, are not enough to drive growth. Providers increase their chance for success by assessing if they face the following challenges:

    • Lack of referenceable customers that can turn into passionate advocates, or a limited pool that is at risk of burnout.
    • Lack of references for all key customer types, verticals, etc., especially in new growth segments or those that are hard to recruit.
    • Lack of a consistent program for gathering customer feedback and input to make improvements and increase customer satisfaction.
    • Lack of executive and stakeholder (e.g. Sales, Customer Success, channel partners, etc.) buy-in for the importance and value of customer advocacy.

    Building a strong customer advocacy program must be a high priority for customer service/success leaders in today’s highly competitive software markets.

    Common Obstacles

    Getting started with customer advocacy is no easy task. Many customer success professionals carry out ad hoc customer advocacy activities to address immediate needs but lack a more strategic approach. What separates them from success are several nagging obstacles:

    • Efforts lack funding and buy-in from stakeholders.
    • Senior management doesn’t fully understand the business value of a customer advocacy program.
    • Duplicate efforts are taking place between Sales, Marketing, product teams, etc., because ownership, roles, and responsibilities have not been determined.
    • Relationships are guarded/hoarded by those who feel they own the relationship (e.g. Sales, Customer Success, channel partners, etc.).
    • Customer-facing staff often lack the necessary skills to foster customer advocacy.

    SoftwareReviews’ Approach

    This blueprint will help leaders of customer advocacy programs get started with developing a formalized pilot program that will demonstrate the value of customer advocacy and lay a strong foundation to justify rollout. Through SoftwareReviews’ approach, customer advocacy leaders will:

    • Enable the organization to identify and develop meaningful relationships with top customers and advocates.
    • Understand the concepts and benefits of CA and how CA can be used to improve marketing and sales and fuel growth and competitiveness.
    • Follow SoftwareReviews’ methodology to identify where to start to apply CA within the organization.
    • Develop a customer advocacy proof of concept/pilot program to gain stakeholder approval and funding to get started with or expand efforts around customer advocacy.

    What is customer advocacy?

    “Customer advocacy is the act of putting customer needs first and working to deliver solution-based assistance through your products and services." – Testimonial Hero, 2021

    Customer advocacy is designed to keep customers loyal through customer engagement and advocacy marketing campaigns. Successful customer advocacy leaders experience decreased churn while increasing return on investment (ROI) through retention, acquisition, and cost savings.

    Businesses that implement customer advocacy throughout their organizations find new ways of supporting customers, provide additional customer value, and ensure their brands stand unique among the competition.

    Customer Advocacy Is…

    • An integral part of any marketing and/or business strategy.
    • Essential to improving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
    • Focused on delivering value to customers.
    • Not only a set of actions, but a mindset that should be fostered and reinforced through a customer-centric culture.
    • Mutually beneficial relationships for both company and customer.

    Customer Advocacy Is Not…

    • Only referrals and testimonials.
    • Solely about what you can get from your advocates.
    • Brand advocacy. Brand advocacy is the desired outcome of customer advocacy.
    • Transactional. Brand advocates must be engaged.
    • A nice-to-have.
    • Solved entirely by software. Think about what you want to achieve and how a software solution can you help you reach those goals.

    SoftwareReviews Insight

    Customer advocacy has evolved into being a valued company asset versus a simple referral program – success requires an organization-wide customer-first mindset and the recognition that customer advocacy is a strategic growth initiative necessary to succeed in today’s competitive market.

    Customer advocacy: Essential to high retention

    When customers advocate for your company and products, they are eager to retain the value they receive

    • Customer acts of advocacy correlate to high retention.
    • Acts of advocacy won’t happen unless customers feel their interests are placed ahead of your company’s, thereby increasing satisfaction and customer success. That’s the definition of a customer-centric culture.
    • And yet your company does receive significant benefits from customer advocacy:
      • When customers advocate and renew, your costs go down and margins rise because it costs less to keep a happy customer than it does to bring a new customer onboard.
      • When renewal rates are high, customer lifetime value increases, also increasing profitability.

    Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing customer (Huify, 2018).

    Increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95% (Bain & Company, cited in Harvard Business Review, 2014).

    SoftwareReviews Insight

    Don’t overlook the value of customer advocacy to retention! Despite the common knowledge that it’s far easier and cheaper to sell to an existing customer than to sell to a new prospect, most companies fail to leverage their customer advocacy programs and continue to put pressure on Marketing to focus their budgets on customer acquisition.

    Customer advocacy can also be your ultimate growth strategy

    In your marketing and sales messaging, acts of advocacy serve as excellent proof points for value delivered.

    Forty-five percent of businesses rank online reviews as a top source of information for selecting software during this (top of funnel) stage, followed closely by recommendations and referrals at 42%. These sources are topped only by company websites at 54% (Clutch, 2020).

    With referrals coming from customer advocates to prospects via your lead gen engine and through seller talk tracks, customer advocacy is central to sales, marketing, and customer experience success.

    ✓ Advocates can help your new customers learn your solution and ensure higher adoption and satisfaction.
    ✓ Advocates can provide valuable, honest feedback on new updates and features.

    The image contains a picture to demonstrate the cycle of customer advocacy. The image has four circles, with one big circle in the middle and three circles surrounding with arrows pointing in both directions in between them. The middle circle is labelled customer advocacy. The three circles are labelled: sales, customer success, marketing.

    “A customer advocacy program is not just a fancy buzz word or a marketing tool that’s nice to have. It’s a core discipline that every major brand needs to integrate into their overall marketing, sales and customer success strategies if they expect to survive in this trust economy. Customer advocacy arguably is the common asset that runs throughout all marketing, sales and customer success activities regardless of the stage of the buyer’s journey and ties it all together.” – RO Innovation, 2017

    Positive experience drives acts of advocacy

    More than price or product, experience now leads the way in customer advocacy and retention

    Advocacy happens when customers recommend your product. Our research shows that the biggest drivers of likeliness to recommend and acts of customer advocacy are the positive experiences customers have with vendors and their products, not product features or cost savings. Customers want to feel that:

    1. Their productivity and performance is enhanced and the vendor is helping them to innovate and grow as a company.
    2. Their vendor inspires them and helps them to continually improve.
    3. They can rely on the vendor and the product they purchased.
    4. They are respected by the vendor.
    5. They can trust that the vendor will be on their side and save them time.

    The image contains a graph to demonstrate the correlation of likeliness to recommend a satisfaction driver. Where anything above a 0.5 indicates a strong driver of satisfaction.

    Note that anything above 0.5 indicates a strong driver of satisfaction.
    Source: SoftwareReviews buyer reviews (based on 82,560 unique reviews).

    SoftwareReviews Insight

    True customer satisfaction comes from helping customers innovate, enhancing their performance, inspiring them to continually improve, and being reliable, respectful, trustworthy, and conscious of their time. These true drivers of satisfaction should be considered in your customer advocacy and retention efforts. The experience customers have with your product and brand is what will differentiate your brand from competitors, drive advocacy, and ultimately, power business growth. Talk to a SoftwareReviews advisor to learn how users rate your product on these satisfaction drivers in the SoftwareReviews Emotional Footprint Report.

    Yet challenges exist for customer advocacy program leaders

    Customer success leaders without a strong customer advocacy program feel numerous avoidable pains:

    • Lack of compelling stories and proof points for the sales team, causing long sales cycles.
    • Heavy reliance on a small pool of worn-out references.
    • Lack of references for all needed customer types, verticals, etc.
    • Lack of a reliable customer feedback process for solution improvements.
    • Overspending on acquiring new customers due to a lack of customer proof points.
    • Missed opportunities that could grow the business (customer lifetime value, upsell/cross-sell, etc.).

    Marketing, customer success, and sales teams experiencing any one of the above challenges must consider getting started with a more formalized customer advocacy program.

    Obstacles to customer advocacy programs

    Leaders must overcome several barriers in developing a customer advocacy program:

    • Stakeholders are often unclear on the value customer advocacy programs can bring and require proof of benefits to invest.
    • Efforts are duplicated among sales, marketing, product, and customer success teams, given ownership and collaboration practices are ill-defined or nonexistent.
    • There is a culture of guarding or hoarding customer relationships by those who feel they own the relationship, or there’s high turnover among employees who own the customer relationships.
    • The governance, technology, people, skills, and/or processes to take customer advocacy to the next level are lacking.
    • Leaders don’t know where to start with customer advocacy, what needs to be improved, or what to focus on first.

    A lack of customer centricity hurts organizations

    12% of people believe when a company says they put customers first. (Source: HubSpot, 2019)

    Brands struggle to follow through on brand promises, and a mismatch between expectations and lived experience emerges. Customer advocacy can help close this gap and help companies live up to their customer-first messaging.

    42% of companies don’t conduct any customer surveys or collect feedback. (Source: HubSpot, 2019)

    Too many companies are not truly listening to their customers. Companies that don’t collect feedback aren’t going to know what to change to improve customer satisfaction. Customer advocacy will orient companies around their customer and create a reliable feedback loop that informs product and service enhancements.

    Customer advocacy is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity for solution providers

    B2B buyers increasingly turn to peers to learn about solutions:

    “84% of B2B decision makers start the buying process with a referral.” (Source: Influitive, Gainsight & Pendo, 2020)

    “46% of B2B buyers rely on customer references for information before purchasing.” (Source: RO Innovation, 2017)

    “91% of B2B purchasers’ buying decisions are influenced by word-of-mouth recommendations.” (Source: ReferralRock, 2022)

    “76% of individuals admit that they’re more likely to trust content shared by ‘normal’ people than content shared by brands.” (Source: TrustPilot, 2020)

    By ignoring the importance of customer advocacy, companies and brands are risking stagnation and missing out on opportunities to gain competitive advantage and achieve growth.

    Getting Started With Customer Advocacy: SoftwareReviews' Approach

    1 BUILD
    Build the business case
    Identify your key stakeholders, steering committee, and working team, understand key customer advocacy principles, and note success barriers and ways to overcome them as your first steps.

    2 DEVELOP
    Develop your advocacy requirements
    Assess your current customer advocacy maturity, identify gaps in your current efforts, and develop your ideal advocate profile.

    3 WIN
    Win executive approval and implement pilot
    Determine goals and success metrics for the pilot, establish a timeline and key project milestones, create advocate communication materials, and finally gain executive buy-in and implement the pilot.

    SoftwareReviews Insight
    Building and implementing a customer advocacy pilot will help lay the foundation for a full program and demonstrate to executives and key stakeholders the impact on revenue, retention, and CLV that can be achieved through coordinated and well-planned customer advocacy efforts.

    Customer advocacy benefits

    Our research benefits customer advocacy program managers by enabling them to:

    • Explain why having a centralized, proactive customer advocacy program is important.
    • Clearly communicate the benefits and business case for having a formalized customer advocacy program.
    • Develop a customer advocacy pilot to provide a proof of concept (POC) and demonstrate the value of customer advocacy.
    • Assess the maturity of your current customer advocacy efforts and identify what to improve and how to improve to grow your customer advocacy function.

    "Advocacy is the currency for business and the fuel for explosive growth. Successful marketing executives who understand this make advocacy programs an essential part of their go-to-market strategy. They also know that advocacy isn't something you simply 'turn on': ... ultimately, it's about making human connections and building relationships that have enduring value for everyone involved."
    - Dan Cote, Influitive, Dec. 2021

    Case Study: Advocate impact on sales at Genesys

    Genesys' Goal

    Provide sales team with compelling customer reviews, quotes, stories, videos, and references.

    Approach to Advocacy

    • Customers were able to share their stories through Genesys' customer hub GCAP as quotes, reviews, etc., and could sign up to host reference forum sessions for prospective customers.
    • Content was developed that demonstrated ROI with using Genesys' solutions, including "top-tier logos, inspiring quotes, and reference forums featuring some of their top advocates" (Influitive, 2021).
    • Leveraged customer advocacy-specific software solution integration with the CRM to easily identify reference recommendations for Sales.

    Advocate Impact on Sales

    According to Influitive (2021), the impacts were:

    • 386% increase in revenue influences from references calls
    • 82% of revenue has been influence by reference calls
    • 78 reference calls resulted in closed-won opportunities
    • 250 customers and prospects attended 7 reference forums
    • 112 reference slides created for sales enablement
    • 100+ quotes were collect and transformed into 78 quote slides

    Who benefits from getting started with customer advocacy?

    This Research Is Designed for:

    • Customer advocacy leaders and marketers who are looking to:
      • Take a more strategic, proactive, and structured approach to customer advocacy.
      • Find a more effective and reliable way to gather customer feedback and input on products and services.
      • Develop and nurture a customer-oriented mindset throughout the organization.
      • Improve marketing credibility both within the company and outside to prospective customers.

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Explain why having a centralized, proactive customer advocacy program is important.
    • Clearly communicate the benefits and business case for having a formalized customer advocacy program.
    • Develop a customer advocacy pilot to provide a proof of concept (POC) and demonstrate the value of customer advocacy.
    • Assess the maturity of your current customer advocacy efforts and identify what to improve and how to improve to grow your customer advocacy function.

    This Research Will Also Assist:

    • Customer success leaders and sales directors who are responsible for:
      • Gathering customer references and testimonials.
      • Referral or voice of the customer (VoC) programs.

    This Research Will Help Them:

    • Align stakeholders on an overall program of identifying ideal advocates.
    • Coordinate customer advocacy efforts and actions.
    • Gather and make use of customer feedback to improve products, solutions, and service provided.
    • Provide an amazing customer experience throughout the entirety of the customer journey.

    SoftwareReviews’ methodology for getting started with customer advocacy

    Phase Steps

    1. Build the business case

    1. Identify your key stakeholders, steering committee, and working team
    2. Understand the concepts and benefits of customer advocacy as they apply to your organization
    3. Outline barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics

    2. Develop your advocacy requirements

    1. Assess your customer advocacy maturity using the SoftwareReviews CA Maturity Assessment Tool
    2. Identify gaps/pains in current CA efforts and add tasks to your action plan
    3. Develop ideal advocate profile/identify target advocate segment(s)

    3. Create implementation plan and pitch CA pilot

    1. Determine pilot goals and success metrics
    2. Establish timeline and create advocate communication materials
    3. Gain executive buy-in and implement pilot

    Phase Outcomes

    1. Common understanding of CA concepts and benefits
    2. Buy-in from CEO and head of Sales
    3. List of opportunities, risks, and risk mitigation tactics
    1. Identification of gaps in current customer advocacy efforts and/or activities
    2. Understanding customer advocacy readiness
    3. Identification of ideal advocate profile/target segment
    4. Basic actions to bridge gaps in CA efforts
    1. Clear objective for CA pilot
    2. Key metrics for program success
    3. Pilot timelines and milestones
    4. Executive presentation with business case for CA

    Insight summary

    Customer advocacy is a critical strategic growth initiative
    Customer advocacy (CA) has evolved into being a highly valued company asset as opposed to a simple referral program, but not everyone in the organization sees it that way. Customer success leaders must reposition their CA program around growth instead of focusing solely on retention and communicate this to key stakeholders. The recognition that customer advocacy is a strategic growth initiative is necessary to succeed in today’s competitive market.

    Get key stakeholders on board early – especially Sales!
    Work to bring the CEO and the head of Sales on your side early. Sales is the gatekeeper – they need to open the door to customers to turn them into advocates. Clearly reposition CA for growth and communicate that to the CEO and head of Sales; wider buy-in will follow.

    Identify the highest priority segment for generating acts of advocacy
    By focusing on the highest priority segment, you accomplish a number of things: generating growth in a critical customer segment, proving the value of customer advocacy to key stakeholders (especially Sales), and setting a strong foundation for customer advocacy to build upon and expand the program out to other segments.

    Always link your CA efforts back to retention and growth
    By clearly demonstrating the impact that customer advocacy has on not only retention but also overall growth, marketers will gain buy-in from key stakeholders, secure funding for a full CA program, and gain the resources needed to expand customer advocacy efforts.

    Focus on providing value to advocates
    Many organizations take a transactional approach to customer advocacy, focusing on what their advocates can do for them. To truly succeed with CA, focus on providing your advocates with value first and put them in the spotlight.

    Make building genuine relationships with your advocates the cornerstone of your CA program
    "57% of small businesses say that having a relationship with their consumers is the primary driver of repeat business" (Factory360).

    Guided Implementation

    What does our GI on getting started with building customer advocacy look like?

    Build the Business Case

    Call #1: Identify key stakeholders. Map out motivations and anticipate any concerns or objections. Determine steering committee and working team. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #2: Discuss concepts and benefits of customer advocacy as they apply to organizational goals. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #3: Discuss barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #4: Finalize CA goals, opportunities, and risks and develop business case. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Develop Your Advocacy Requirements

    Call #5: Review the SoftwareReviews CA Maturity Assessment Tool. Assess your current level of customer advocacy maturity. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #6: Review gaps and pains in current CA efforts. Discuss tactics and possible CA pilot program goals. Begin adding tasks to action plan. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Call #7: Discuss ideal advocate profile and target segments. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Call #8: Validate and finalize ideal advocate profile. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Win Executive Approval and Implement Pilot

    Call #9: Discuss CA pilot scope. Discuss performance metrics and KPIs. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #10: Determine timeline and key milestones. Plan next call –2 weeks.

    Call #11: Develop advocate communication materials. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #12: Review final business case and coach on executive presentation. Plan next call – 1 week.

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is series of calls with a SoftwareReviews Advisory analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization. For guidance on marketing applications, we can arrange a discussion with an Info-Tech analyst. Your engagement managers will work with you to schedule analyst calls.


    Customer Advocacy Workshop

    Pre-Workshop Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Post-Workshop
    Activities Identify Stakeholders & CA Pilot Team Build the Business Case Assess Current CA Efforts Develop Advocacy Goals & Ideal Advocate Profile Develop Project Timelines, Materials, and Exec Presentation Next Steps and Wrap-Up (offsite) Pitch CA Pilot
    0.1 Identify key stakeholders to involve in customer advocacy pilot and workshop; understand their motivations and anticipate possible concerns. 1.1 Review key CA concepts and identify benefits of CA for the organization.
    1.2 Outline barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics.
    2.1 Assess your customer advocacy maturity using the SoftwareReviews CA Maturity Assessment Tool.
    2.2 Identify gaps/pains in current CA efforts.
    2.3 Prioritize gaps from diagnostic and any other critical pain points.
    3.1 Identify and document the ideal advocate profile and target customer segment for pilot.
    3.2 Determine goal(s) and success metrics for program pilot.
    4.1 Develop pilot timelines and key milestones.
    4.2 Outline materials needed and possible messaging.
    4.3 Build the executive buy-in presentation.
    5.1 Complete in-progress deliverables from the previous four days. 6.1 Present to executive team and stakeholders.
    6.2 Gain executive buy-in and key stakeholder approval.
    6.3 Execute CA pilot.
    Deliverables
    1. Rationale for CA pilot; clear benefits, and how they apply to the organization.
    2. Documented barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics.
    1. CA Maturity Assessment results.
    2. Identification of gaps in current customer advocacy efforts and/or activities.
    1. Documented ideal advocate profile/target customer segment.
    2. Clear goal(s) and success metrics for CA pilot.
    1. Documented pilot timelines and key milestones.
    2. Draft/outlines of advocate materials.
    3. Draft executive presentation with business case for CA.
    1. Finalized implementation plan for CA pilot.
    2. Finalized executive presentation with business case for CA.
    1. Buy-in from decision makers and key stakeholders.

    Contact your account representative for more information.
    workshops@infotech.com
    1-888-670-8889

    Get started!

    Know your target market and audience, deploy well-designed strategies based on shared values, and make meaningful connections with people.

    Phase 1
    Build the Business Case

    Phase 2
    Develop Your Advocacy Requirements

    Phase 3
    Win Executive Approval and Implement Pilot

    Phase 1: Build the Business Case

    Steps
    1.1 Identify your key stakeholders, steering committee, and working team
    1.2 Understand the concepts and benefits of customer advocacy as they apply to your organization
    1.3 Outline barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics

    Phase Outcome

    • Common understanding of CA concepts and benefits
    • Buy-in from CEO and head of Sales
    • List of barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics

    Build the business case

    Step 1.1 Identify your key stakeholders, steering committee, and working team

    Total duration: 2.5-8.0 hours

    Objective
    Identify, document, and finalize your key stakeholders to know who to involve and how to get them onboard by truly understanding the forces of influence.

    Output

    • Robust stakeholder list with key stakeholders identified.
    • Steering committee and working team decided.

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Identified stakeholders
    • Workstream leads

    MarTech
    None

    Tools

    1.1.1 Identify Stakeholders
    (60-120 min.)

    Identify
    Using the guidance on slide 28, identify all stakeholders who would be involved or impacted by your customer advocacy pilot by entering names and titles into columns A and B on slide 27 "Stakeholder List Worksheet."

    Document
    Document as much information about each stakeholder as possible in columns C, D, E, and F into the table on slide 27.

    1.1.2 Select Steering Committee & Working Team
    (60-90 min.)

    Select
    Using the guidance on slides 28 and 29 and the information collected in the table on slide 27, identify the stakeholders that are steering committee members, functional workstream leads, or operations; document in column G on slide 27.

    Document
    Open the Executive Presentation Template to slides 5 and 6 and document your final steering committee and working team selections. Be sure to note the Executive Sponsor and Program Manager on slide 5.

    Tips & Reminders

    1. It is critical to identify "key stakeholders"; a single missed key stakeholder can disrupt an initiative. A good way to ensure that nobody is missed is to first uncover as many stakeholders as possible and later decide how important they are.
    2. Ensure steering committee representation from each department this initiative would impact or that may need to be involved in decision-making or problem-solving endeavors.

    Consult Info-Tech's Manage Stakeholder Relations blueprint for additional guidance on identifying and managing stakeholders, or contact one of our analysts for more personalized assistance and guidance.

    Stakeholder List Worksheet

    *Possible Roles
    Executive Sponsor
    Program Manager
    Workstream Lead
    Functional Lead
    Steering Committee
    Operations
    A B C D E F G
    Name Position Decision Involvement
    (Driver / Approver / Contributor / Informe
    Direct Benefit?
    (Yes / No)
    Motivation Concerns *Role in Customer Advocacy Pilot
    E.g. Jane Doe VP, Customer Success A N
    • Increase customer retention
    • Customer advocate burnout
    Workstream Lead

    Customer advocacy stakeholders

    What to consider when identifying stakeholders required for CA:
    Customer advocacy should be done as a part of a cross-functional company initiative. When identifying stakeholders, consider:

    • Who can make the ultimate decision on approving the CA program?
    • Who are the senior leadership members you need buy-in from?
    • Who do you need to support the CA program?
    • Who is affected by the CA program?
    • Who will help you build the CA program?
    • Where and among who is there enthusiasm for customer advocacy?
    • Consider stakeholders from Customer Success, Marketing, Sales, Product, PR & Social, etc.
    Key Roles Supporting an Effective Customer Advocacy Pilot
    Executive Sponsor
    • Owns the function at the management/C-suite level
    • Responsible for breaking down barriers and ensuring alignment with organizational strategy
    • CMO, VP of Marketing, and in SMB providers, the CEO
    Program Manager
    • Typically, a senior member of the marketing team
    • Responsible for organizing the customer advocacy pilot, preparing summary executive-level communications, and approval requests
    • Program manages the customer advocacy pilot, and in many cases, the continued formal program
    • Product Marketing Director, or other Marketing Director, who has strong program management skills, has run large-scale marketing or product programs, and is familiar with the stakeholder roles and enabling technologies
    Functional / Workstream Leads
    • Works alongside the Program Manager on planning and implementing the customer advocacy pilot and ensures functional workstreams are aligned with pilot objectives
    • Typical customer advocacy pilots will have a team comprised of representatives from Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success
    Steering Committee
    • Comprised of C-suite/management-level individuals that guide key decisions, approve requests, and mitigate any functional conflicts
    • Responsible for validating goals and priorities, enabling adequate resourcing, and critical decision making
    • CMO, CRO/Head of Sales, Head of Customer Success
    Operations
    • Comprised of individuals whose application and tech tools knowledge and skills support integration of customer advocacy functions into existing tech stack/CRM (e.g. adding custom fields into CRM)
    • Responsible for helping select technology that enables customer advocacy program activities
    • CRM, Marketing Applications, and Analytics Managers, IT Managers

    Customer advocacy working team

    Consider the skills and knowledge required for planning and executing a customer advocacy pilot.

    Workstream leads should have strong project management and collaboration skills and deep understanding of both product and customers (persona, journeys, satisfaction, etc.).

    Required Skills Suggested Functions
    • Project management
    • CRM knowledge
    • Marketing automation experience
    • MarTech knowledge
    • Understanding of buyer persona and journey
    • Product knowledge
    • Understanding of executive-level goals for the pilot
    • Content creation
    • Customer advocacy experience, if possible
    • Customer satisfaction
    • Email and event marketing experience
    • Customer Success
    • Marketing
    • Sales
    • Product
    • PR/Corporate Comms.

    Build the business case

    Step 1.2 Understand key concepts and benefits of customer advocacy

    Total duration: 2.0-4.0 hours

    Objective
    Understand customer advocacy and what benefits you seek from your customer advocacy program, and get set up to best communicate them to executives and decision makers.

    Output

    • Documented customer advocacy benefits

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead

    MarTech
    None

    Tools

    1.2.1 Discuss Key Concepts
    (60-120 min.)

    Envision
    Schedule a visioning session with key stakeholders and share the Get Started With Customer Advocacy Executive Brief (slides 3-23 in this deck).

    Discuss how key customer advocacy concepts can apply to your organization and how CA can contribute to organizational growth.

    Document
    Determine the top benefits sought from the customer advocacy program pilot and record them on slides 4 and 12 in the Executive Presentation Template.

    Finalize
    Work with the Executive Sponsor to finalize the "Message from the CMO" on slide 4 in the Executive Presentation Template.

    Tips & Reminders

    Keep in mind that while we're starting off broadly, the pilot for your customer advocacy program should be narrow and focused in scope.

    Build the business case

    Step 1.3 Understand barriers to success, risks, and risk mitigation tactics

    Total duration: 2.0-8.0 hours

    Objective
    Anticipate threats to pilot success; identify barriers to success, any possible risks, and what can be done to reduce the chances of a negative pilot outcome.

    Output

    • Awareness of barriers
    • Tactics to mitigate risk

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Key stakeholders

    MarTech
    None

    Tools

    1.3.1 Brainstorm Barriers to Success & Possible Risks
    (60-120 min.)

    Identify
    Using slide 7 of the Executive Presentation Template, brainstorm any barriers to success that may exist and risks to the customer advocacy program pilot success. Consider the people, processes, and technology that may be required.

    Document
    Document all information on slide 7 of the Executive Presentation Template.

    1.3.2 Develop Risk Mitigation Tactics
    (60-300 min.)

    Develop
    Brainstorm different ways to address any of the identified barriers to success and reduce any risks. Consider the people, processes, and technology that may be required.

    Document
    Document all risk mitigation tactics on slide 7 of the Executive Presentation Template.

    Tips & Reminders
    There are several types of risk to explore. Consider the following when brainstorming possible risks:

    • Damage to brand (if advocate guidance not provided)
    • Legal (compliance with regulations and laws around contact, incentives, etc.)
    • Advocate burnout
    • Negative advocate feedback

    Phase 2: Develop Your Advocacy Requirements

    Steps
    2.1 Assess your customer advocacy maturity
    2.2 Identify and document gaps and pain points
    2.3 Develop your ideal advocate profile

    Phase Outcome

    • Identification of gaps in current customer advocacy efforts or activities
    • Understanding of customer advocacy readiness and maturity
    • Identification of ideal advocate profile/target segment
    • Basic actions to bridge gaps in CA efforts

    Develop your advocacy requirements

    Step 2.1 Assess your customer advocacy maturity

    Total duration: 2.0-8.0 hours

    Objective
    Use the Customer Advocacy Maturity Assessment Tool to understand your organization's current level of customer advocacy maturity and what to prioritize in the program pilot.

    Output

    • Current level of customer advocacy maturity
    • Know areas to focus on in program pilot

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Key stakeholders

    MarTech
    None

    Tools

    2.1.1 Diagnose Current Customer Advocacy Maturity
    (60-120 min.)

    Diagnose
    Begin on tab 1 of the Customer Advocacy Maturity Assessment Tool and read all instructions.

    Navigate to tab 2. Considering the current state of customer advocacy efforts, answer the diagnostic questions in the Diagnostic tab of the Customer Advocacy Maturity Assessment Tool.

    After completing the questions, you will receive a diagnostic result on tab 3 that will identify areas of strength and weakness and make high-level recommendations for your customer advocacy program pilot.

    2.1.2 Discuss Results
    (60-300 min.)

    Discuss
    Schedule a call to discuss your customer advocacy maturity diagnostic results with a SoftwareReviews Advisor.

    Prioritize the recommendations from the diagnostic, noting which will be included in the program pilot and which require funding and resources to advance.

    Transfer
    Transfer results into slides 8 and 11 of the Executive Presentation Template.

    Tips & Reminders
    Complete the diagnostic with a handful of key stakeholders identified in the previous phase. This will help provide a more balanced and accurate assessment of your organization’s current level of customer advocacy maturity.

    Develop your advocacy requirements

    Step 2.2 Identify and document gaps and pain points

    Total duration: 2.5-8.0 hours

    Objective
    Understand the current pain points within key customer-related processes and within any current customer advocacy efforts taking place.

    Output

    • Prioritized list of pain points that could be addressed by a customer advocacy program.

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Key stakeholders

    MarTech
    None

    Tools

    2.2.1 Identify Pain Points
    (60-120 min.)

    Identify
    Identify and list current pain points being experienced around customer advocacy efforts and processes around sales, marketing, customer success, and product feedback.

    Add any gaps identified in the diagnostic to the list.

    Transfer
    Transfer key information into slide 9 of Executive Presentation Template.

    2.2.2 Prioritize Pain Points
    (60-300 min.)

    Prioritize
    Indicate which pains are the most important and that a customer advocacy program could help improve.

    Schedule a call to discuss the outputs of this step with a SoftwareReviews Advisor.

    Document
    Document priorities on slide 9 of Executive Presentation Template.

    Tips & Reminders

    Customer advocacy won't solve for everything; it's important to be clear about what pain points can and can't be addressed through a customer advocacy program.

    Develop your advocacy requirements

    Step 2.3 Develop your ideal advocate profile

    Total duration: 3.0-9.0 hours

    Objective
    Develop an ideal advocate persona profile that can be used to identify potential advocates, guide campaign messaging, and facilitate advocate engagement.

    Output

    • Ideal advocate persona profile

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Key stakeholders
    • Sales lead
    • Marketing lead
    • Customer Success lead
    • Product lead

    MarTech
    May require the use of:

    • CRM or marketing automation platform
    • Available and up-to-date customer database

    Tools

    2.3.1 Brainstorm Session Around Ideal Advocate Persona
    (60-150 min.)

    Brainstorm
    Lead the team to prioritize an initial, single, most important persona and to collaborate to complete the template.

    Choose your ideal advocate for the pilot based on your most important audience. Start with firmographics like company size, industry, and geography.

    Next, consider satisfaction levels and behavioral attributes, such as renewals, engagement, usage, and satisfaction scores.

    Identify motivations and possible incentives for advocate activities.

    Document
    Use slide 10 of the Executive Presentation Template to complete this exercise.

    2.3.2 Review and Refine Advocate Persona
    (60-300 min.)

    Review & Refine
    Place the Executive Presentation Template in a shared drive for team collaboration. Encourage the team to share persona knowledge within the shared drive version.

    Hold any necessary follow-up sessions to further refine persona.

    Validate
    Interview advocates that best represent your ideal advocate profile on their type of preferred involvement with your company, their role and needs when it comes to your solution, ways they'd be willing to advocate, and rewards sought.

    Confirm
    Incorporate feedback and inputs into slide 10 of the Executive Presentation Template. Ensure everyone agrees on persona developed.

    Tips & Reminders

    1. When identifying potential advocates, choose based on your most important audience.
    2. Ensure you're selecting those with the highest satisfaction scores.
    3. Ideally, select candidates that have, on their own, advocated previously such as in social posts, who may have acted as a reference, or who have been highly visible as a positive influence at customer events.
    4. Knowing motivations will determine the type of acts of advocacy they would be most willing to perform and the incentives for participating in the program.

    Consider the following criteria when identifying advocates and developing your ideal advocate persona:

    Demographics Firmographics Satisfaction & Needs/Value Sought Behavior Motivation
    Role - user, decision-maker, etc. Company size: # of employees Satisfaction score Purchase frequency & repeat purchases (renewals), upgrades Career building/promotion
    Department Company size: revenue NPS score Usage Collaboration with peers
    Geography CLV score Engagement (e.g. email opens, response, meetings) Educate others
    Industry Value delivered (outcomes, occasions used, etc.) Social media interaction, posts Influence (on product, service)
    Tenure as client Benefits sought
    Account size ($) Minimal and resolved service tickets, escalations
    1. When identifying potential advocates, choose based on your most important audience/segments. 2. Ensure you're selecting those with the highest satisfaction, NPS, and CLV scores. 3. When identifying potential advocates, choose based on high engagement and interaction, regular renewals, and high usage. 4. Knowing motivations will determine the type of acts of advocacy they would be most willing to perform and incentives for participating in the program.

    Phase 3: Win Executive Approval and Implement Pilot

    Steps
    3.1 Determine pilot goals and success metrics
    3.2 Establish timeline and create advocate communication materials
    3.3 Gain executive buy-in and implement pilot

    Phase Outcome

    • Clear objective for CA pilot
    • Key metrics for program success
    • Pilot timelines and milestones
    • Executive presentation with business case for CA

    Win executive approval and implement pilot

    Step 3.1 Determine pilot goals and success metrics

    Total duration: 2.0-4.0 hours

    Objective
    Set goals and determine the scope for the customer advocacy program pilot.

    Output

    • Documented business objectives for the pilot
    • Documented success metrics

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Key stakeholders
    • Sales lead
    • Marketing lead
    • Customer Success lead
    • Product lead

    MarTech
    May require to use, set up, or install platforms like:

    • Register to a survey platform
    • CRM or marketing automation platform

    Tools

    3.1.1 Establish Pilot Goals
    (60-120 min.)

    Set
    Organize a meeting with department heads and review organizational and individual department goals.

    Using the Venn diagram on slide 39 in this deck, identify customer advocacy goals that align with business goals. Select the highest priority goal for the pilot.

    Check that the goal aligns with benefits sought or addresses pain points identified in the previous phase.

    Document
    Document the goals on slides 9 and 16 of the Executive Presentation Template.

    3.1.2 Establish Pilot Success Metrics
    (60-120 min.)

    Decide
    Decide how you will measure the success of your program pilot using slide 40 in this document.

    Document
    Document metrics on slide 16 of the Executive Presentation Template.

    Tips & Reminders

    1. Don't boil the ocean. Pick the most important goal that can be achieved through the customer advocacy pilot to gain executive buy-in and support or resources for a formal customer advocacy program. Once successfully completed, you'll be able to tackle new goals and expand the program.
    2. Keep your metrics simple, few in number, and relatively easy to track

    Connect customer advocacy goals with organizational goals

    List possible customer advocacy goals, identifying areas of overlap with organizational goals by taking the following steps:

    1. List organizational/departmental goals in the green oval.
    2. List possible customer advocacy program goals in the purple oval.
    3. Enter goals that are covered in both the Organizational Goals and Customer Advocacy Goals sections into the Shared Goals section in the center.
    4. Highlight the highest priority goal for the customer advocacy program pilot to tackle.
    Organizational Goals Shared Goals Customer Advocacy Goals
    Example Example: Gain customer references to help advance sales and improve win rates Example: Develop pool of customer references
    [insert goal] [insert goal] Example: Gather customer feedback
    [insert goal] [insert goal] [insert goal]
    [insert goal] [insert goal] [insert goal]

    Customer advocacy success metrics for consideration

    This table provides a starting point for measuring the success of your customer advocacy pilot depending on the goals you've set.

    This list is by no means exhaustive; the metrics here can be used, or new metrics that would better capture success measurement can be created and tracked.

    Metric
    Revenue influenced by reference calls ($ / % increase)
    # of reference calls resulting in closed-won opportunities
    # of quotes collected
    % of community growth YoY
    # of pieces of product feedback collected
    # of acts of advocacy
    % membership growth
    % product usage amongst community members
    # of social shares, clicks
    CSAT score for community members
    % of registered qualified leads
    # of leads registered
    # of member sign-ups
    # of net-new referenceable customers
    % growth rate of products used by members
    % engagement rate
    # of published third-party reviews
    % increase in fulfilled RFPs

    When selecting metrics, remember:
    When choosing metrics for your customer advocacy pilot, be sure to align them to your specific goals. If possible, try to connect your advocacy efforts back to retention, growth, or revenue.

    Do not choose too many metrics; one per goal should suffice.

    Ensure that you can track the metrics you select to measure - the data is available and measuring won't be overly manual or time-consuming.

    Win executive approval and implement pilot

    Step 3.2 Establish timeline and create advocate communication materials

    Total duration: 2.5-8.0 hours

    Objective
    Outline who will be involved in what roles and capacities and what tasks and activities need to completed.

    Output

    • Timeline and milestones
    • Advocate program materials

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Key stakeholders
    • Sales lead
    • Marketing lead
    • Customer Success lead
    • Product lead

    MarTech
    None

    Tools

    3.2.1 Establish Timeline & Milestones
    (30-60 min.)

    List & Assign
    List all key tasks, phases, and milestones on slides 13, 14, and 15 in the Executive Presentation Template.

    Include any activities that help close gaps or address pain points from slide 9 in the Executive Presentation Template.

    Assign workstream leads on slide 15 in the Executive Presentation Template.

    Finalize all tasks and activities with working team.

    3.2.2 Design & Build Advocate Program Materials
    (180-300 min.)

    Decide
    Determine materials needed to recruit advocates and explain the program to advocate candidates.

    Determine the types of acts of advocacy you are looking for.

    Determine incentives/rewards that will be provided to advocates, such as access to new products or services.

    Build
    Build out all communication materials.

    Obtain incentives.

    Tips & Reminders

    1. When determining incentives, use the validated ideal advocate profile for guidance (i.e. what motivates your advocates?).
    2. Ensure to leave a buffer in the timeline if the need to adjust course arises.

    Win executive approval and implement pilot

    Step 3.3 Implement pilot and gain executive buy-in

    Total duration: 2.5-8.0 hours

    Objective
    Successfully implement the customer advocacy pilot program and communicate results to gain approval for full-fledged program.

    Output

    • Deliver Executive Presentation
    • Successful customer advocacy pilot
    • Provide regular updates to stakeholders, executives

    Participants

    • Customer advocacy lead
    • Workstream leads

    MarTech
    May require the use of:

    • CRM or Marketing Automation Platform
    • Available and up-to-date customer database

    Tools

    3.3.1 Complete & Deliver Executive Presentation
    (60-120 min.)

    Present
    Finalize the Executive Presentation.

    Hold stakeholder meeting and introduce the program pilot.

    3.3.2 Gain Executive Buy-in
    (60-300 min.)

    Pitch
    Present the final results of the customer advocacy pilot using the Executive Presentation Template and gain approval.

    3.3.3 Implement the Customer Advocacy Program Pilot
    (30-60 min.)

    Launch
    Launch the customer advocacy program pilot. Follow the timelines and activities outlined in the Executive Presentation Template. Track/document all advocate outreach, activity, and progress against success metrics.

    Communicate
    Establish a regular cadence to communicate with steering committee, stakeholders. Use the Executive Presentation Template to present progress and resolve roadblocks if/as they arise.

    Tips & Reminders

    1. Continually collect feedback and input from advocates and stakeholders throughout the process.
    2. Don't be afraid to make changes on the go if it helps to achieve the end goal of your pilot.
    3. If the pilot program was successful, consider scaling it up and rolling it out to more customers.

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Mission Accomplished

    • You successfully launched your customer advocacy program pilot and demonstrated clear benefits and ROI. By identifying the needs of the business and aligning those needs with key customer advocacy activities, marketers and customer advocacy leaders can prioritize the most important tasks for the pilot while also identifying potential opportunities for expansion pending executive approval.
    • SoftwareReviews' comprehensive and tactical approach takes you through the steps to build the foundation for a strategic customer advocacy program. Our methodology ensures that a customer advocacy pilot is developed to deliver the desired outcomes and ROI, increasing stakeholder buy-in and setting up your organization for customer advocacy success.

    If you would like additional support, contact us and we'll make sure you get the professional expertise you need.

    Contact your account representative for more information.
    info@softwarereviews.com
    1-888-670-8889

    Related SoftwareReviews Research

    Measure and Manage the Customer Satisfaction Metrics That Matter the Most
    Understand what truly keeps your customer satisfied. Measure what matters to improve customer experience and increase satisfaction and advocacy.

    • Understand the true drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among your customer segments.
    • Establish process and cadence for effective satisfaction measurement and monitoring.
    • Know where resources are needed most to improve satisfaction levels and increase retention.

    Develop the Right Message to Engage Buyers
    Sixty percent of marketers find it hard to produce high-quality content consistently. SaaS marketers have an even more difficult job due to the technical nature of content production.

    • Create more compelling and relevant content that aligns with a buyer's needs and journey.
    • Shrink marketing and sales cycles.
    • Increase the pace of content production.

    Create a Buyer Persona and Journey
    Get deeper buyer understanding and achieve product-market fit, with easier access to market and sales.

    • Reduce time and resources wasted chasing the wrong prospects.
    • Increase open and click-through rates.
    • Perform more effective sales discovery.
    • Increase win rate.

    Bibliography

    "15 Award-Winning Customer Advocacy Success Stories." Influitive, 2021. Accessed 8 June 2023.

    "Advocacy Marketing." Influitive, June 2016. Accessed 26 Oct. 2021.

    Andrews, Marcus. "42% of Companies Don’t Listen to their Customers. Yikes." HubSpot, June 2019. Accessed 2 Nov. 2021.

    "Before you leap! Webcast." Point of Reference, Sept. 2019. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.

    "Brand Loyalty: 5 Interesting Statistics." Factory360, Jan. 2016. Accessed 2 Nov. 2021.

    Brenner, Michael. "The Data Driven Guide to Customer Advocacy." Marketing Insider Group, Sept. 2021. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

    Carroll, Brian. "Why Customer Advocacy Should Be at the Heart of Your Marketing." Marketing Insider Group, Sept. 2017. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

    Cote, Dan. "Advocacy Blooms and Business Booms When Customers and Employees Engage." Influitive, Dec. 2021. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

    "Customer Success Strategy Guide." ON24, Jan. 2021. Accessed 2 Nov. 2021.

    Dalao, Kat. "Customer Advocacy: The Revenue-Driving Secret Weapon." ReferralRock, June 2017. Accessed 7 Dec. 2021.

    Frichou, Flora. "Your guide to customer advocacy: What is it, and why is it important?" TrustPilot, Jan. 2020. Accessed 26 Oct. 2021.

    Gallo, Amy. "The Value of Keeping the Right Customers." Harvard Business Review, Oct. 2014. Accessed 10 March 2022.

    Huhn, Jessica. "61 B2B Referral Marketing Statistics and Quotes." ReferralRock, March 2022. Accessed 10 March 2022.

    Kemper, Grayson. "B2B Buying Process: How Businesses Purchase B2B Services and Software." Clutch, Feb. 2020. Accessed 6 Jan. 2022.

    Kettner, Kyle. "The Evolution of Ambassador Marketing." BrandChamp.io, Oct. 2018. Accessed 2 Nov. 2021.

    Landis, Taylor. "Customer Retention Marketing vs. Customer Acquisition Marketing." OutboundEngine, April 2022. Accessed 23 April 2022.

    Miels, Emily. "What is customer advocacy? Definition and strategies." Zendesk Blog, June 2021. Accessed 27 Oct. 2021.

    Mohammad, Qasim. "The 5 Biggest Obstacles to Implementing a Successful B2B Customer Advocacy Program." HubSpot, June 2018. Accessed 6 Jan. 2022.

    Murphy, Brandon. "Brand Advocacy and Social Media - 2009 GMA Conference." Deloitte, Dec. 2009. Accessed 8 June 2023.

    Patel, Neil. "Why SaaS Brand Advocacy is More Important than Ever in 2021." Neil Patel, Feb. 2021. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.

    Pieri, Carl. "The Plain-English Guide to Customer Advocacy." HubSpot, Apr. 2020. Accessed 27 Oct. 2021.

    Schmitt, Philipp; Skiera, Bernd; Van den Bulte, Christophe. "Referral Programs and Customer Value." Wharton Journal of Marketing, Jan. 2011. Accessed 8 June 2023.

    "The Complete Guide to Customer Advocacy." Gray Group International, 2020. Accessed 15 Oct. 2021.

    "The Customer-powered Enterprise: Playbook." Influitive, Gainsight & Pendo. 2020. Accessed 26 Oct. 2021.

    "The Winning Case for a Customer Advocacy Solution." RO Innovation, 2017. Accessed 26 Oct. 2021.

    Tidey, Will. "Acquisition vs. Retention: The Importance of Customer Lifetime Value." Huify, Feb. 2018. Accessed 10 Mar. 2022.

    "What a Brand Advocate Is and Why Your Company Needs One." RockContent, Jan. 2021. Accessed 7 Feb. 2022.

    "What is Customer Advocacy? A Definition and Strategies to Implement It." Testimonial Hero, Oct. 2021. Accessed 26 Jan. 2022.

    Build a Security Metrics Program to Drive Maturity

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}266|cart{/j2store}
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    • member rating average dollars saved: $22,947 Average $ Saved
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    • Parent Category Name: Security Processes & Operations
    • Parent Category Link: /security-processes-and-operations
    • Many security leaders put off adding metrics to their program because they don't know where to start or how to assess what is worth measuring.
    • Sometimes, this uncertainty causes the belief that their security programs are not mature enough for metrics to be worthwhile.
    • Because metrics can become very technical and precise,it's easy to think that they're inherently complicated (not true).

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • The best metrics are tied to goals.
    • Tying your metrics to goals ensures that you are collecting metrics for a specific purpose rather than just to watch the numbers change.

    Impact and Result

    • A metric, really, is just a measure of success against a given goal. Gradually, programs will achieve their goals and set new more specific goals, and with them come more-specific metrics.
    • It is not necessary to jump into highly technical metrics right away. A lot can be gained from metrics that track behaviors.
    • A metrics program can be very simple and still effectively demonstrate the value of security to the organization. The key is to link your metrics to the goals or objectives the security team is pursuing, even if they are simple implementation plans (e.g. percentage of departments that have received security training course).

    Build a Security Metrics Program to Drive Maturity Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should build a security metrics program, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Link security metrics to goals to boost maturity

    Develop goals and KPIs to measure your progress.

    • Build a Security Metrics Program to Drive Maturity – Phase 1: Link Security Metrics to Goals to Boost Maturity
    • Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool
    • KPI Development Worksheets

    2. Adapt your reporting strategy for various metric types

    Learn how to present different types of metrics.

    • Build a Security Metrics Program to Drive Maturity – Phase 2: Adapt Your Reporting Strategy for Various Metric Types
    • Security Metrics KPX Dashboard
    • Board-Level Security Metrics Presentation Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Build a Security Metrics Program to Drive Maturity

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Current State, Initiatives, and Goals

    The Purpose

    Create a prioritized list of goals to improve the security program’s current state.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Insight into the current program and the direct it needs to head in.

    Activities

    1.1 Discuss current state and existing approach to metrics.

    1.2 Review contract metrics already in place (or available).

    1.3 Determine security areas that should be measured.

    1.4 Determine what stakeholders are involved.

    1.5 Review current initiatives to address those risks (security strategy, if in place).

    1.6 Begin developing SMART goals for your initiative roadmap.

    Outputs

    Gap analysis results

    SMART goals

    2 KPI Development

    The Purpose

    Develop unique KPIs to measure progress against your security goals.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Learn how to develop KPIs

    Prioritized list of security goals

    Activities

    2.1 Continue SMART goal development.

    2.2 Sort goals into types.

    2.3 Rephrase goals as KPIs and list associated metric(s).

    2.4 Continue KPI development.

    Outputs

    KPI Evolution Worksheet

    3 Metrics Prioritization

    The Purpose

    Determine which metrics will be included in the initial program launch.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A set of realistic and manageable goals-based metrics.

    Activities

    3.1 Lay out prioritization criteria.

    3.2 Determine priority metrics (implementation).

    3.3 Determine priority metrics (improvement & organizational trend).

    Outputs

    Prioritized metrics

    Tool for tracking and presentation

    4 Metrics Reporting

    The Purpose

    Strategize presentation based around metric type to indicate organization’s risk posture.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Develop versatile reporting techniques

    Activities

    4.1 Review metric types and discuss reporting strategies for each.

    4.2 Develop a story about risk.

    4.3 Discuss the use of KPXs and how to scale for less mature programs.

    Outputs

    Key Performance Index Tool and presentation materials

    Further reading

    Build a Security Metrics Program to Drive Maturity

    Good metrics come from good goals.

    ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

    Metrics are a maturity driver.

    "Metrics programs tend to fall into two groups: non-existent and unhelpful.

    The reason so many security professionals struggle to develop a meaningful metrics program is because they are unsure of what to measure or why.

    The truth is, for metrics to be useful, they need to be tied to something you care about – a state you are trying to achieve. In other words, some kind of goal. Used this way, metrics act as the scoreboard, letting you know if you’re making progress towards your goals, and thus, boosting your overall maturity."

    Logan Rohde, Research Analyst, Security Practice Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive summary

    Situation

    • Many security leaders put off adding metrics to their program because they don't know where to start or how to assess what is worth measuring.

    Complication

    • Sometimes, this uncertainty causes the belief that their security programs are not mature enough for metrics to be worthwhile.
    • Because metrics can become very technical and precise, it's easy to think they're inherently complicated (not true).

    Resolution

    • A metric, really, is just a measure of success against a given goal. Gradually, programs will achieve their goals and set new, more specific goals, and with them comes more specific metrics.
    • It is not necessary to jump into highly technical metrics right away. A lot can be gained from metrics that track behaviors.
    • A metrics program can be very simple and still effectively demonstrate the value of security to the organization. The key is to link your metrics to the goals or objectives the security team is pursuing, even if they are simple implementation plans (e.g. percentage of departments that have received security training).

    Info-Tech Insight

    1. Metrics lead to maturity, not vice versa
      • Tracking metrics helps you assess progress and regress in your security program. This helps you quantify the maturity gains you’ve made and continue to make informed strategic decisions.
    2. The best metrics are tied to goals
      • Tying your metrics to goals ensures that you are collecting metrics for a specific purpose rather than just to watch the numbers change.

    Our understanding of the problem

    This Research is Designed For:

    • CISO

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Understand the value of metrics.
    • Right-size a metrics program based on your organization’s maturity and risk profile.
    • Tie metrics to goals to create meaningful KPIs.
    • Develop strategies to effectively communicate the right metrics to stakeholders.

    This Research Will Also Assist:

    • CIO
    • Security Manager
    • Business Professionals

    This Research Will Help Them:

    • Become informed on the metrics that matter to them.
    • Understand that investment in security is an investment in the business.
    • Feel confident in the progress of the organization’s security strategy.

    Info-Tech’s framework integrates several best practices to create a best-of-breed security framework

    Information Security Framework

    Governance

    • Context and Leadership
      • Information Security Charter
      • Information Security Organizational Structure
      • Culture and Awareness
    • Evaluation and Direction
      • Security Risk Management
      • Security Policies
      • Security Strategy and Communication
    • Compliance, Audit, and Review
      • Security Compliance Management
      • External Security Audit
      • Internal Security Audit
      • Management Review of Security

    Management

    • Prevention
      • Identity Security
        • Identity and Access Management
      • Data Security
        • Hardware Asset Management
        • Data Security & Privacy
      • Infrastructure Security
        • Network Security
        • Endpoint Security
        • Malicious Code
        • Application Security
        • Vulnerability Management
        • Cryptography Management
        • Physical Security
        • Cloud Security
      • HR Security
        • HR Security
      • Change and Support
        • Configuration and Change Management
        • Vendor Management
    • Detection
      • Security Threat Detection
      • Log and Event Management
    • Response and Recovery
      • Security Incident Management
      • Information Security in BCM
      • Security eDiscovery and Forensics
      • Backup and Recovery
    • Measurement
      • Metrics Program
      • Continuous Improvement

    Metrics help to improve security-business alignment

    While business leaders are now taking a greater interest in cybersecurity, alignment between the two groups still has room for improvement.

    Key statistics show that just...

    5% of public companies feel very confident that they are properly secured against a cyberattack.

    41% of boards take on cybersecurity directly rather than allocating it to another body (e.g. audit committee).

    19% of private companies do not discuss cybersecurity with the board.

    (ISACA, 2018)

    Info-Tech Insight

    Metrics help to level the playing field

    Poor alignment between security and the business often stems from difficulties with explaining how security objectives support business goals, which is ultimately a communication problem.

    However, metrics help to facilitate these conversations, as long as the metrics are expressed in practical, relatable terms.

    Security metrics benefit the business

    Executives get just as much out of management metrics as the people running them.

    1. Metrics assuage executives’ fears
      • Metrics help executives (and security leaders) feel more at ease with where the company is security-wise. Metrics help identify areas for improvement and gaps in the organization’s security posture that can be filled. A good metrics program will help identify deficiencies in most areas, even outside the security program, helping to identify what work needs to be done to reduce risk and increase the security posture of the organization.
    2. Metrics answer executives’ questions
      • Numbers either help ease confusion or signify other areas for improvement. Offering quantifiable evidence, in a language that the business can understand, offers better understanding and insight into the information security program. Metrics also help educate on types of threats, staff needed for security, and budget needs to decrease risk based on management’s threat tolerance. Metrics help make an organization more transparent, prepared, and knowledgeable.
    3. Metrics help to continually prove security’s worth
      • Traditionally, the security team has had to fight for a seat at the executive table, with little to no way to communicate with the business. However, the new trend is that the security team is now being invited before they have even asked to join. This trend allows the security team to better communicate on the organization’s security posture, describe threats and vulnerabilities, present a “plan of action,” and get a pulse on the organization’s risk tolerance.

    Common myths make security metrics seem challenging

    Security professionals have the perception that metrics programs are difficult to create. However, this attitude usually stems from one of the following myths. In reality, security metrics are much simpler than they seem at first, and they usually help resolve existing challenges rather than create new ones.

    Myth Truth
    1 There are certain metrics that are important to all organizations, based on maturity, industry, etc. Metrics are indications of change; for a metric to be useful it needs to be tied to a goal, which helps you understand the change you're seeing as either a positive or a negative. Industry and maturity have little bearing here.
    2 Metrics are only worthwhile once a certain maturity level is reached Metrics are a tool to help an organization along the maturity scale. Metrics help organizations measure progress of their goals by helping them see which tactics are and are not working.
    3 Security metrics should focus on specific, technical details (e.g. of systems) Metrics are usually a means of demonstrating, objectively, the state of a security program. That is, they are a means of communicating something. For this reason, it is better that metrics be phrased in easily digestible, non-technical terms (even if they are informed by technical security statistics).

    Tie your metrics to goals to make them worthwhile

    SMART metrics are really SMART goals.

    Specific

    Measurable

    Achievable

    Realistic

    Timebound

    Achievable: What is an achievable metric?

    When we say that a metric is “achievable,” we imply that it is tied to a goal of some kind – the thing we want to achieve.

    How do we set a goal?

    1. Determine what outcome you are trying to achieve.
      • This can be small or large (e.g. I want to determine what existing systems can provide metrics, or I want a 90% pass rate on our monthly phishing tests).
    2. Decide what indicates that you’ve achieved your goal.
      • At what point would you be satisfied with the progress made on the initiative(s) you’re working on? What conditions would indicate victory for you and allow you to move on to another goal?
    3. Develop a key performance indicator (KPI) to measure progress towards that goal.
      • Now that you’ve defined what you’re trying to achieve, find a way to indicate progress in relative or relational terms (e.g. percentage change from last quarter, percentage of implementation completed, ratio of programs in place to those still needing implementation).

    Info-Tech’s security metrics methodology is repeatable and iterative to help boost maturity

    Security Metric Lifecycle

    Start:

    Review current state and decide on priorities.

    Set a SMART goal for improvement.

    Develop an appropriate KPI.

    Use KPI to monitor program improvement.

    Present metrics to the board.

    Revise metrics if necessary.

    Metrics go hand in hand with your security strategy

    A security strategy is ultimately a large goal-setting exercise. You begin by determining your current maturity and how mature you need to be across all areas of information security, i.e. completing a gap analysis.

    As such, linking your metrics program to your security strategy is a great way to get your metrics program up and running – but it’s not the only way.

    Check out the following Info-Tech resource to get started today:

    Build an Information Security Strategy

    The value of security metrics goes beyond simply increasing security

    This blueprint applies to you whether you need to develop a metrics program from scratch or optimize and update your current strategy.

    Value of engaging in security metrics:

    • Increased visibility into your operations.
    • Improved accountability.
    • Better communication with executives as a result of having hard evidence of security performance.
    • Improved security posture through better understanding of what is working and what isn’t within the security program.

    Value of Info-Tech’s security metrics blueprint:

    • Doesn’t overwhelm you and allows you to focus on determining the metrics you need to worry about now without pressuring you to do it all at once.
    • Helps you develop a growth plan as your organization and metrics program mature, so you continue to optimize.
    • Creates effective communication. Prepares you to present the metrics that truly matter to executives rather than confusing them with unnecessary data. Pay attention to metric accuracy and reproducibility. No management wants inconsistent reporting.

    Impact

    Short term: Streamline your program. Based on your organization’s specific requirements and risk profile, figure out which metrics are best for now while also planning for future metrics as your organization matures.

    Long term: Once the program is in place, improvements will come with increased visibility into operations. Investments in security will be encouraged when more evidence is available to executives, contributing to overall improved security posture. Potential opportunities for eventual cost savings also exist as there is more informed security spending and fewer incidents.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

    Workshop

    “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked-off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

    Consulting

    “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Link Security Metrics to Goals to Boost Maturity – Project Overview

    1. Link Security Metrics to Goals to Boost Maturity 2. Adapt Your Reporting Strategy for Various Metric Types
    Best-Practice Toolkit

    1.1 Review current state and set your goals

    1.2 Develop KPIs and prioritize your goals

    1.3 Implement and monitor the KPI to track goal progress

    2.1 Review best practices for presenting metrics

    2.2 Strategize your presentation based on metric type

    2.3 Tailor presentation to your audience

    2.4 Use your metrics to create a story about risk

    2.5 Revise your metrics

    Guided Implementations
    • Call 1: Setting Goals
    • Call 2: KPI Development
    • Call 1: Best Practices and Reporting Strategy
    • Call 2: Build a Dashboard and Presentation Deck
    Onsite Workshop Module 1: Current State, Initiatives, Goals, and KPIs Module 2: Metrics Reporting

    Phase 1 Outcome:

    • KPI development and populated metrics tracking tool.

    Phase 2 Outcome:

    • Reporting strategy with dashboard and presentation deck.

    Workshop overview

    Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Workshop Day 1 Workshop Day 2 Workshop Day 3 Workshop Day 4 Workshop Day 5
    Activities

    Current State, Initiatives, and Goals

    • Discuss current state and existing approach to metrics.
    • Review contract metrics already in place (or available).
    • Determine security areas that should be measured.
    • Determine which stakeholders are involved.
    • Review current initiatives to address those risks (security strategy, if in place).
    • Begin developing SMART goals for your initiative roadmap.

    KPI Development

    • Continue SMART goal development.
    • Sort goals into types.
    • Rephrase goals as KPIs and list associated metric(s).
    • Continue KPI development.

    Metrics Prioritization

    • Lay out prioritization criteria.
    • Determine priority metrics (implementation).
    • Determine priority metrics (improvement & organizational trend).

    Metrics Reporting

    • Review metric types and discuss reporting strategies for each.
    • Develop a story about risk.
    • Discuss the use of KPXs and how to scale for less mature programs.

    Offsite Finalization

    • Review and finalization of documents drafted during workshop.
    Deliverables
    1. Gap analysis results
    1. Completed KPI development templates
    1. Prioritized metrics and tool for tracking and presentation.
    1. Key Performance Index tool and presentation materials.
    1. Finalization of completed deliverables

    Phase 1

    Link Security Metrics to Goals to Boost Maturity


    Phase 1

    1.1 Review current state and set your goals

    1.2 Develop KPIs and prioritize your goals

    1.3 Implement and monitor KPIs

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Current state assessment
    • Setting SMART goals
    • KPI development
    • Goals prioritization
    • KPI implementation

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Security Team

    Outcomes of this phase

    • Goals-based KPIs
    • Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    Phase 1 outline

    Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of two to three advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 1: Link Security Metrics to Goals to Boost Maturity

    Proposed Time to Completion: 2-4 weeks

    Step 1.1: Setting Goals

    Start with an analyst kick-off call:

    • Determine current and target maturity for various security programs.
    • Develop SMART Goals.

    Then complete these activities…

    • CMMI Assessment

    Step 1.2 – 1.3: KPI Development

    Review findings with analyst:

    • Prioritize goals
    • Develop KPIs to track progress on goals
    • Track associated metrics

    Then complete these activities…

    • KPI Development

    With these tools & templates:

    • KPI Development Worksheet
    • Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    Phase 1 Results & Insights:

    • Basic Metrics program

    1.1 Review current state and set your goals

    120 minutes

    Let’s put the security program under the microscope.

    Before program improvement can take place, it is necessary to look at where things are at presently (in terms of maturity) and where we need to get them to.

    In other words, we need to perform a security program gap analysis.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    The most thorough way of performing this gap analysis is by completing Info-Tech’s Build an Information Security Strategy blueprint, as it will provide you with a prioritized list of initiatives to boost your security program maturity.

    Completing an abbreviated gap analysis...

    • Security Areas
    • Network Security
    • Endpoint Security
    • Vulnerability Management
    • Identity Access Management
    • Incident Management
    • Training & Awareness
    • Compliance, Audit, & Review
    • Risk Management
    • Business Alignment & Governance
    • Data Security
    1. Using the CMMI scale on the next slide, assess your maturity level across the security areas to the left, giving your program a score from 1-5. Record your assessment on a whiteboard.
    2. Zone in on your areas of greatest concern and choose 3 to 5 areas to prioritize for improvement.
    3. Set a SMART goal for improvement, using the criteria on goals slides.

    Use the CMMI scale to contextualize your current maturity

    Use the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) scale below to help you understand your current level of maturity across the various areas of your security program.

    1. Initial
      • Incident can be managed. Outcomes are unpredictable due to lack of a standard operating procedure.
    2. Repeatable
      • Process in place, but not formally implemented or consistently applied. Outcomes improve but still lack predictability.
    3. Defined
      • Process is formalized and consistently applied. Outcomes become more predictable, due to consistent handling procedure.
    4. Managed
      • Process shows signs of maturity and can be tracked via metrics. Moving towards a predictive approach to incident management.
    5. Optimizing
      • Process reaches a fully reliable level, though improvements still possible. Regularity allows for process to be automated.

    (Adapted from the “CMMI Institute Maturity Model”)

    Base your goals around the five types of metrics

    Choose goals that make sense – even if they seem simple.

    The most effective metrics programs are personalized to reflect the goals of the security team and the business they work for. Using goals-based metrics allows you to make incremental improvements that can be measured and reported on, which makes program maturation a natural process.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Before setting a SMART goal, take a moment to consider your maturity for each security area, and which metric type you need to collect first, before moving to more ambitious goals.

    Security Areas

    • Network Security
    • Endpoint Security
    • Vulnerability Management
    • Identity Access Management
    • Incident Management
    • Training & Awareness
    • Compliance, Audit & Review
    • Risk Management
    • Business Alignment & Governance
    • Data Security
    Metric Type Description
    Initial Probe Determines what can be known (i.e. what sources for metrics exist?).
    Baseline Testing Establishes organization’s normal state based on current metrics.
    Implementation Focuses on setting up a series of related processes to increase organizational security (i.e. roll out MFA).
    Improvement Sets a target to be met and then maintained based on organizational risk tolerance.
    Organizational Trends Culls together several metrics to track (sometimes predict) how various trends affect the organization’s overall security. Usually focuses on large-scale issues (e.g. likelihood of a data breach).

    Set SMART goals for your security program

    Specific

    Measurable

    Achievable

    Realistic

    Timebound

    Now that you have determined which security areas you’d like to improve, decide on a goal that meets the SMART criteria.

    Examples of possible goals for various maturity levels:

    1. Perform initial probe to determine number of systems capable of providing metrics by the end of the week.
    2. Take baseline measurements each month for three months to determine organization’s baseline state.
    3. Implement a vulnerability management program to improve baseline state by the end of the quarter.
    4. Improve deployment of critical patches by applying 90% of them within the set window by the end of the year.
    5. Demonstrate how vulnerability management affects broad organizational trends at quarterly report to senior leadership.

    Compare the bolded text in these examples with the metric types on the previous slide

    Record and assess your goals in the Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    1.1 Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    Use tab “2. Identify Security Goals” to document and assess your goals.

    To increase visibility into the cost, effort, and value of any given goal, assess them using the following criteria:

    • Initial Cost
    • Ongoing Cost
    • Initial Staffing
    • Ongoing Staffing
    • Alignment w/Business
    • Benefit

    Use the calculated Cost/Effort Rating, Benefit Rating, and Difference Score later in this project to help with goal prioritization.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    If you have already completed a security strategy with Info-Tech resources, this work may likely have already been done. Consult your Information Security Program Gap Analysis Tool from the Build an Information Security Strategy research.

    1.2 Develop KPIs and prioritize your goals

    There are two paths to success.

    At this time, it is necessary to evaluate the priorities of your security program.

    Option 1: Progress to KPI Development

    • If you would like practice developing KPIs for multiple goals to get used to the process, move to KPI development and then assess which goals you can pursue now based on resources available, saving the rest for later.

    Option 2: Progress to Prioritization of Goals

    • If you are already comfortable with KPI development and do not wish to create extras for later use, then prioritize your goals first and then develop KPIs for them.

    Phase 1 Schematic

    • Gap Analysis
    • Set SMART Goals (You are here.)
      • Develop KPIs
    • Prioritize Goals
    • Implement KPI & Monitor
    • Phase 2

    Develop a key performance indicator (KPI)

    Find out if you’re meeting your goals.

    Terms like “key performance indicator” may make this development practice seem more complicated than it really is. A KPI is just a single metric used to measure success towards a goal. In relational terms (i.e. as a percentage, ratio, etc.) to give it context (e.g. % of improvement over last quarter).

    KPI development is about answering the question: what would indicate that I have achieved my goal?

    To develop a KPI follow these steps:

    1. Review the case study on the following slides to get a sense of how KPIs can start simple and general and get more specific and complex over time.
    2. Using the example to the right, sort your SMART goals from step 1.1 into the various metric types, then determine what success would look like for you. What outcome are you trying to achieve? How will you know when you’ve achieved it?
    3. Fill out the KPI Development Worksheets to create sample KPIs for each of the SMART goals you have created. Ensure that you complete the accompanying KPI Checklist.

    KPIs differ from goal to goal, but their forms follow certain trends

    Metric Type KPI Form
    Initial Probe Progress of probe (e.g. % of systems checked to see if they can supply metrics).
    Baseline Testing What current data shows (e.g. % of systems needing attention).
    Implementation Progress of the implementation (e.g. % of complete vulnerability management program implementation).
    Improvement The threshold or target to be achieved and maintained (e.g. % of incidents responded to within target window).
    Organizational Trends The interplay of several KPIs and how they affect the organization’s risk posture (e.g. assessing the likelihood for a data breach).

    Explore the five metric types

    1. Initial Probe

    Focused on determining how many sources for metrics exist.

    • Question: What am I capable of knowing?
    • Goal: To determine what level of insight we have into our security processes.
    • Possible KPI: % of systems for which metrics are available.
    • Decision: Do we have sufficient resources available to collect metrics?

    2. Baseline Testing

    Focused on gaining initial insights about the state of your security program (what are the measurements?).

    • Question: Does this data suggest areas for improvement?
    • Goal: To create a roadmap for improvement.
    • Possible KPI: % of systems that provide useful metrics to measure improvement.
    • Decision: Is it necessary to acquire tools to increase, enhance, or streamline the metrics-gathering process?

    Info-Tech Insight

    Don't lose hope if you lack resources to move beyond these initial steps. Even if you are struggling to pull data, you can still draw meaningful metrics. The percent or ratio of processes or systems you lack insight into can be very valuable, as it provides a basis to initiate a risk-based discussion with management about the organization's security blind spots.

    Explore the five metric types (cont’d)

    3. Program Implementation

    Focused on developing a basic program to establish basic maturity (e.g. implement an awareness and training program).

    • Question: What needs to be implemented to establish basic maturity?
    • Goal: To begin closing the gap between current and desired maturity.
    • Possible KPI: % of implementation completed.
    • Decision: Have we achieved a formalized and repeatable process?

    4. Improvement

    Focused on attaining operational targets to lower organizational risk.

    • Question: What other related activities could help to support this goal (e.g. regular training sessions)?
    • Goal: To have metrics operate above or below a certain threshold (e.g. lower phishing-test click rate to an average of 10% across the organization)
    • Possible KPI: Phishing click rate %
    • Decision: What other metrics should be tracked to provide insight into KPI fluctuations?

    Info-Tech Insight

    Don't overthink your KPI. In many cases it will simply be your goal rephrased to express a percentage or ratio. In others, like the example above, it makes sense for them to be identical.

    5. Organizational Impact

    Focused on studying several related KPIs (Key Performance Index, or KPX) in an attempt to predict risks.

    • Question: What risks does the organization need to address?
    • Goal: To provide high-level summaries of several metrics that suggest emerging or declining risks.
    • Possible KPI: Likelihood of a given risk (based on the trends of the KPX).
    • Decision: Accept the risk, transfer the risk, mitigate the risk?

    Case study: Healthcare example

    Let’s take a look at KPI development in action.

    Meet Maria, the new CISO at a large hospital that desperately needs security program improvements. Maria’s first move was to learn the true state of the organization’s security. She quickly learned that there was no metrics program in place and that her staff were unaware what, if any, sources were available to pull security metrics from.

    After completing her initial probe into available metrics and then investigating the baseline readings, she determined that her areas of greatest concern were around vulnerability and access management. But she also decided it was time to get a security training and awareness program up and running to help mitigate risks in other areas she can’t deal with right away.

    See examples of Maria’s KPI development on the next four slides...

    Info-Tech Insight

    There is very little variation in the kinds of goals people have around initial probes and baseline testing. Metrics in these areas are virtually always about determining what data sources are available to you and what that data actually shows. The real decisions start in determining what you want to do based on the measures you’re seeing.

    Metric development example: Vulnerability Management

    See examples of Maria’s KPI development on the next four slides...

    Implementation

    Goal: Implement vulnerability management program

    KPI: % increase of insight into existing vulnerabilities

    Associated Metric: # of vulnerability detection methods

    Improvement

    Goal: Improve deployment time for patches

    KPI: % of critical patches fully deployed within target window

    • Associated Metric 1: # of critical vulnerabilities not patched
    • Associated Metric 2: # of patches delayed due to lack of staff
    • Associated Metric X

    Metric development example: Identity Access Management

    Implementation

    Goal: Implement MFA for privileged accounts

    KPI: % of privileged accounts with MFA applied

    Associated Metric: # of privileged accounts

    Improvement

    Goal: Remove all unnecessary privileged accounts

    KPI: % of accounts with unnecessary privileges

    • Associated Metric 1: # of privileged accounts
    • Associated Metric 2: # of necessary privileged accounts
    • Associated Metric X

    Metric development example: Training and Awareness

    Implementation

    Goal: Implement training and awareness program

    KPI: % of organization trained

    Associated Metric: # of departments trained

    Improvement

    Goal: Improve time to report phishing

    KPI: % of phishing cases reported within target window

    • Associated Metric 1: # of phishing tests
    • Associated Metric 2: # of training sessions
    • Associated Metric X

    Metric development example: Key Performance Index

    Organizational Trends

    Goal: Predict Data Breach Likelihood

    • KPX 1: Insider Threat Potential
      • % of phishing cases reported within target window
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of phishing tests
          • # of training sessions
      • % of critical patches fully deployed within target window
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of critical vulnerabilities not patched
          • # of patches delayed due to lack of staff
      • % of accounts with unnecessary privileges
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of privileged accounts
          • # of necessary privileged accounts
    • KPX 2: Data Leakage Issues
      • % of incidents related to unsecured databases
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of unsecured databases
          • # of business-critical databases
      • % of misclassified data
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of misclassified data reports
          • # of DLP false positives
      • % of incidents involving data-handling procedure violations.
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of data processes with SOP
          • # of data processes without SOP
    • KPX 3: Endpoint Vulnerability Issues
      • % of unpatched critical systems
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of unpatched systems
          • # of missed patches
      • % of incidents related to IoT
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of IoT devices
          • # of IoT unsecure devices
      • % of incidents related to BYOD
        • Associated Metrics:
          • # of end users doing BYOD
          • # of BYOD incidents

    Develop Goals-Based KPIs

    1.2 120 minutes

    Materials

    • Info-Tech KPI Development Worksheets

    Participants

    • Security Team

    Output

    • List of KPIs for immediate and future use (can be used to populate Info-Tech’s KPI Development Tool).

    It’s your turn.

    Follow the example of the CISO in the previous slides and try developing KPIs for the SMART goals set in step 1.1.

    • To begin, decide if you are starting with implementation or improvement metrics.
    • Enter your goal in the space provided on the left-hand side and work towards the right, assigning a KPI to track progress towards your goal.
    • Use the associated metrics boxes to record what raw data will inform or influence your KPI.
      • Associated metrics are connected to the KPI box with a segmented line. This is because these associated metrics are not absolutely necessary to track progress towards your goal.
      • However, if a KPI starts trending in the wrong direction, these associated metrics would be used to determine where the problem has occurred.
    • If desired, bundle together several related KPIs to create a key performance index (KPX), which is used to forecast the likelihood of certain risks that would have a major business impact (e.g. potential for insider threat, or risk for a data breach).

    Record KPIs and assign them to goals in the Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    1.2 Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    Document KPI metadata in the tool and optionally assign them to a goal.

    Tab “3. Identify Goal KPIs” allows you to record each KPI and its accompanying metadata:

    • Source
    • Owner
    • Audience
    • KPI Target
    • Effort to Collect
    • Frequency of Collection
    • Comments

    Optionally, each KPI can be mapped to goals defined on tab “2. Identify Security Goals.”

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Ensure your metadata is comprehensive, complete, and realistic. A different employee should be able to use only the information outlined in the metadata to continue collecting measurements for the program.

    Complete Info-Tech’s KPI Development Worksheets

    1.2 KPI Development Worksheet

    Use these worksheets to model the maturation of your metrics program.

    Follow the examples contained in this slide deck and practice creating KPIs for:

    • Implementation metrics
    • Improvement metrics
    • Organizational trends metrics

    As well as drafting associated metrics to inform the KPIs you create.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Keep your metrics program manageable. This exercise may produce more goals, metrics, and KPIs than you deal with all at once. But that doesn’t mean you can’t save some for future use.

    Build an effort map to prioritize your SMART goals

    1.2 120 minutes

    Materials

    • Whiteboard
    • Sticky notes
    • Laptop

    Participants

    • Security team
    • Other stakeholders

    Output

    • Prioritized list of SMART goals

    An effort map visualizes a cost and benefit analysis. It is a quadrant output that visually shows how your SMART goals were assessed. Use the calculated Cost/Effort Rating and Benefit Rating values from tab “2. Identify Security Goals” of the Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool to aid this exercise.

    Steps:

    1. Establish the axes and colors for your effort map:
      1. X-axis (horizontal) - Security benefit
      2. Y-axis (vertical) - Overall cost/effort
      3. Sticky color - Business alignment
    2. Create sticky notes for each SMART goal and place them onto the effort map based on your determined axes.
      • Goal # Example Security Goal - Benefit (1-12) - Cost (1-12)

    The image shows a matric with four quadrants. The X-axis is labelled Low Benefit on the left side and High benefit on the right side. The Y-axis is labelled Low cost at the top and High cost at the bottom. The top left quadrant is labelled Could Dos, the top right quadrant is labelled Must Dos, the lower left quadrant is labelled May Not Dos, and the lower right quadrant is Should Dos. On the right, there are three post-it style notes, the blue one labelled High Alignment, the yellow labelled Medium Alignment, and the pink labelled Low Alignment.

    1.3 Implement and monitor the KPI to track goal progress

    Let’s put your KPI into action!

    Now that you’ve developed KPIs to monitor progress on your goals, it’s time to use them to drive security program maturation by following these steps:

    1. Review the KPI Development Worksheets (completed in step 1.2) for your prioritized list of goals. Be sure that you are able to track all of the associated metrics you have identified.
    2. Track the KPI and associated metrics using Info-Tech’s KPI Development Tool (see following slide).
    3. Update the data as necessary according to your SMART criteria of your goal.

    A Word on Key Risk Indicators...

    The term key risk indicator (KRI) gets used in a few different ways. However, in most cases, KRIs are closely associated with KPIs.

    1. KPIs and KRIs are the same thing
      • A KPI, at its core, is really a measure of risk. Sometimes it is more effective to emphasize that risk rather than performance (i.e. the data shows you’re not meeting your goal).
    2. KRI is KPI going the wrong way
      • After achieving the desired threshold for an improvement goal, our new goal is usually to maintain such a state. When this balance is upset, it indicates that settled risk has once again become active.
    3. KRI as a predictor of emerging risks
      • When organizations reach a highly mature state, they often start assessing how events external to the organization can affect the optimal performance of the organization. They monitor such events or trends and try to predict when the organization is likely to face additional risks.

    Track KPIs in the Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    1.3 Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    Once a metric has been measured, you have the option of entering that data into tab “4. Track Metrics” of the Tool.

    Tracking metric data in Info-Tech's tool provides the following data visualizations:

    • Sparklines at the end of each row (on tab “4. Track Metrics”) for a quick sense of metric performance.
    • A metrics dashboard (on tab “5. Graphs”) with three graph options in two color variations for each metric tracked in the tool, and an overall metric program health gauge.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Be diligent about measuring and tracking your metrics. Record any potential measurement biases or comments on measurement values to ensure you have a comprehensive record for future use. In the tool, this can be done by adding a comment to a cell with a metric measurement.

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. While onsite, our analysts will work with you and your team to facilitate the activities outlined in the blueprint.

    Getting key stakeholders together to formalize the program, while getting started on data discovery and classification, allows you to kickstart the overall program.

    In addition, leverage over-the-phone support through Guided Implementations included in advisory memberships to ensure the continuous improvement of the classification program even after the workshop.

    Logan Rohde

    Research Analyst – Security, Risk & Compliance Info-Tech Research Group

    Ian Mulholland

    Senior Research Analyst – Security, Risk & Compliance Info-Tech Research Group

    Call 1-888-670-8889 for more information.

    Phase 2

    Adapt Your Reporting Strategy for Various Metric Types


    Phase 2

    2.1 Review best practices for presenting metrics

    2.2 Strategize your presentation based on metric type

    2.3 Tailor your presentation to your audience

    2.4 Use your metrics to create a story about risk

    2.5 Revise Metrics

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Develop reporting strategy
    • Use metrics to create a story about risk
    • Metrics revision

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Security Team

    Outcomes of this phase

    • Metrics Dashboard
    • Metrics Presentation Deck

    Phase 2 outline

    Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of two to three advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 2: Adapt Your Reporting Strategy for Various Metric Types

    Proposed Time to Completion: 2-4 weeks

    Step 2.1 – 2.3: Best Practices and Reporting Strategy

    Start with an analyst kick-off call:

    • Do’s and Don’ts of reporting metrics.
    • Strategize presentation based on metric type.

    Then complete these activities…

    • Strategy development for 3-5 metrics

    Step 2.4 – 2.5: Build a Dashboard and Presentation Deck

    Review findings with analyst:

    • Review strategies for reporting.
    • Compile a Key Performance Index.
    • Revise metrics.

    Then complete these activities…

    • Dashboard creation
    • Presentation development

    With these tools & templates:

    • Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool Template
    • Security Metrics KPX Dashboard Tool

    Phase 2 Results & Insights:

    • Completed reporting strategy with presentable dashboard

    2.1 Review best practices for presenting metrics

    Avoid technical details (i.e. raw data) by focusing on the KPI.

    • KPIs add context to understand the behavior and associated risks.

    Put things in terms of risk; it's the language you both understand.

    • This usually means explaining what will happen if not addressed and what you recommend.
    • There are always three options:
      • Address it completely
      • Address it partially
      • Do not address it (i.e. accept the risk)

    Explain why you’re monitoring metrics in terms of the goals you’re hoping to achieve.

    • This sets you up well to explain what you've been doing and why it's important for you to meet your goals.

    Choose between KPI or KRI as the presentation format.

    • Base your decision on whether you are trying to emphasize current success or risk.

    Match presentation with the audience.

    • Board presentations will be short; middle-management ones may be a bit longer.
    • Maximize your results by focusing on the minimum possible information to make sure you sufficiently get your point across.
    • With the board, plan on showing no more than three slides.

    Read between the lines.

    • It can be difficult to get time with the board, so you may find yourself in a trial and error position, so pay attention to cues or suggestions that indicate the board is interested in something.
    • If you can, make an ally to get the inside scoop on what the board cares about.

    Read the news if you’re stuck for content.

    • Board members are likely to have awareness (and interest) in large-scale risks like data breaches and ransomware.

    Present your metrics as a story.

    • Summarize how the security program looks to you and why the metrics lead you to see it this way.

    2.2 Strategize your presentation based on metric type (1 of 5)

    Metric Type: Initial Probe

    Scenario: Implementing your first metrics program.

    • All metrics programs start with determining what measurements you are capable of taking.

    Decisions: Do you have sufficient insight into the program? (i.e. do you need to acquire additional tools to collect metrics?)

    Strategy: If there are no barriers to this (e.g. budget), then focus your presentation on the fact that you are addressing the risk of not knowing what your organization's baseline state is and what potential issues exist but are unknown. This is likely the first phase of an improvement plan, so sketching the overall plan is a good idea too.

    • If budget is an issue, explain the risks associated with not knowing and what you would need to make it happen.

    Possible KPIs:

    • % of project complete.
    • % of systems that provide worthwhile metrics.

    Strategize your presentation based on metric type (2 of 5)

    Metric Type: Baseline Testing

    Scenario: You've taken the metrics to determine what your organization’s normal state is and you're now looking towards addressing your gaps or problem areas.

    Decisions: What needs to be prioritized first and why? Are additional resources required to make this happen?

    Strategy: Explain your impression of the organization's normal state and what you plan to do about it. In other words, what goals are you prioritizing and why? Be sure to note any challenges that may occur along the way (e.g. staffing).

    • If the board doesn't like to open their pocketbook, your best play is to explain what stands to happen (or is happening) if risks are not addressed.

    Possible KPIs:

    • % of goals complete.
    • % of metrics indicating urgent attention needed.

    Strategize your presentation based on metric type (3 of 5)

    Metric Type: Implementation

    Scenario: You are now implementing solutions to address your security priorities.

    Decisions: What, to you, would establish the basis of a program?

    Strategy: Focus on what you're doing to implement a certain security need, why, and what still needs to be done when you’re finished.

    • Example: To establish a training and awareness program, a good first step is to actually hold training sessions with each department. A single lecture is simple but something to build from. A good next step would be to hold regular training sessions or implement monthly phishing tests.

    Possible KPIs:

    • % of implementation complete (e.g. % of departments trained).

    Strategize your presentation based on metric type (4 of 5)

    Metric Type: Improvement

    Scenario: Now that a basic program has been established, you are looking to develop its maturity to boost overall performance (i.e. setting a new development goal).

    Decisions: What is a reasonable target, given the organization's risk tolerance and current state?

    Strategy: Explain that you're now working to tighten up the security program. Note that although things are improving, risk will always remain, so we need to keep it within a threshold that’s proportionate with our risk tolerance.

    • Example: Lower phishing-test click rate to 10% or less. Phishing will always be a risk, and just one slip up can have a huge effect on business (i.e. lost money).

    Possible KPIs:

    • % of staff passing the phishing test.
    • % of employees reporting phishing attempts within time window.

    Strategize your presentation based on metric type (5 of 5)

    Metric Type: Organizational Trends

    Scenario: You've reached a mature state and now how several KPIs being tracked. You begin to look at several KPIs together (i.e. a KPX) to assess the organization's exposure for certain broad risk trends.

    Decisions: Which KPIs can be used together to look at broader risks?

    Strategy: Focus on the overall likelihood of a certain risk and why you've chosen to assess it with your chosen KPIs. Spend some time discussing what factors affect the movement of these KPIs, demonstrating how smaller behaviors create a ripple effect that affects the organization’s exposure to large-scale risks.

    Possible KPX: Insider Threat Risk

    • % of phishing test failures.
    • % of critical patches missed.
    • % of accounts with unnecessary privileges.

    Change your strategy to address security challenges

    Even challenges can elicit useful metrics.

    Not every security program is capable of progressing smoothly through the various metric types. In some cases, it is impossible to move towards goals and metrics for implementation, improvement, or organizational trends because the security program lacks resources.

    Info-Tech Insight

    When your business is suffering from a lack of resources, acquiring these resources automatically becomes the goal that your metrics should be addressing. To do this, focus on what risks are being created because something is missing.

    When your security program is lacking a critical resource, such as staff or technology, your metrics should focus on what security processes are suffering due to this lack. In other words, what critical activities are not getting done?

    KPI Examples:

    • % of critical patches not deployed due to lack of staff.
    • % of budget shortfall to acquire vulnerability scanner.
    • % of systems with unknown risk due to lack of vulnerability scanner.

    2.3 Tailor presentation to your audience

    Metrics come in three forms...

    1. Raw Data

    • Taken from logs or reports, provides values but not context.
    • Useful for those with technical understanding of the organization’s security program.

    2. Management-Level

    • Raw data that has been contextualized and indicates performance of something (i.e. a KPI).
    • Useful for those with familiarity with the overall state of the security program but do not have a hands-on role.

    3. Board-Level

    • KPI with additional context indicating overall effect on the organization.
    • Useful for those removed from the security program but who need to understand the relationship between security, business goals, and cyber risk.

    For a metric to be useful it must...

    1. Be understood by the audience it’s being presented to.
      • Using the criteria on the left, choose which metric form is most appropriate.
    2. Indicate whether or not a certain target or goal is being met.
      • Don’t expect metrics to speak for themselves; explain what the indications and implications are.
    3. Drive some kind of behavioral or strategic change if that target or goal is not being met.
      • Metrics should either affirm that things are where you want them to be or compel you to take action to make an improvement. If not, it is not a worthwhile metric.

    As a general rule, security metrics should become decreasingly technical and increasingly behavior-based as they are presented up the organizational hierarchy.

    "The higher you travel up the corporate chain, the more challenging it becomes to create meaningful security metrics. Security metrics are intimately tied to their underlying technologies, but the last thing the CEO cares about is technical details." – Ben Rothke, Senior Information Security Specialist, Tapad.

    Plan for reporting success

    The future of your security program may depend on this presentation; make it count.

    Reporting metrics is not just another presentation. Rather, it is an opportunity to demonstrate and explain the value of security.

    It is also a chance to correct any misconceptions about what security does or how it works.

    Use the tips on the right to help make your presentation as relatable as possible.

    Info-Tech Insight

    There is a difference between data manipulation and strategic presentation: the goal is not to bend the truth, but to present it in a way that allows you to show the board what they need to see and to explain it in terms familiar to them.

    General Tips for a Successful Presentation

    Avoid jargon; speak in practical terms

    • The board won’t receive your message if they can’t understand you.
    • Explain things as simply as you can; they only need to know enough to make decisions about addressing cyber risk.

    Address compliance

    • Boards are often interested in compliance, so be prepared to talk about it, but clarify that it doesn't equal security.
    • Instead, use compliance as a bridge to discussing areas of the security program that need attention.

    Have solid answers

    • Try to avoid answering questions with the answer, “It depends.”
      • Depends on what?
      • Why?
      • What do you recommend?
    • The board is relying on you for guidance, so be prepared to clarify what the board is asking (you may have to read between the lines to do this).
    • Also address the pain points of board members and have answers to their questions about how to resolve them.

    2.4 Use your metrics to create a story about risk

    Become the narrator of your organization’s security program.

    Security is about managing risk. This is also its primary value to the organization. As such, risk should be the theme of the story you tell.

    "Build a cohesive story that people can understand . . . Raw metrics are valuable from an operations standpoint, but at the executive level, it's about a cohesive story that helps executives understand the value of the security program and keeps the company moving forward. "– Adam Ely, CSO and Co-Founder, Bluebox Security, qtd. by Tenable, 2016

    How to Develop Your Own Story...

    1. Review your security program goals and the metrics you’re using to track progress towards them. Then, decide which metrics best tell this story (i.e. what you’re doing and why).
      • Less is more when presenting metrics, so be realistic about how much your audience can digest in one sitting.
      • Three metrics is usually a safe number; choose the ones that are most representative of your goals.
    2. Explain why you chose the goals you did (i.e. what risks were you addressing?). Then, make an honest assessment of how the security program is doing as far as meeting those goals:
      • What’s going well?
      • What still needs improvement?
      • What about your metrics suggests this?
    3. Address how risks have changed and explain your new recommended course of action.
      • What risks were present when you started?
      • What risks remain despite your progress?
      • How do these risks affect the business operation and what can security do to help?

    Story arc for security metrics

    The following model encapsulates the basic trajectory of all story development.

    Use this model to help you put together your story about risk.

    Introduction: Overall assessment of security program.

    Initial Incident: Determination of the problems and associated risks.

    Rising Action: Creation of goals and metrics to measure progress.

    Climax: Major development indicated by metrics.

    Falling Action: New insights gained about organization’s risks.

    Resolution: Recommendations based on observations.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Follow this model to ensure that your metrics presentation follows a coherent storyline that explains how you assessed the problem, why you chose to address it the way you did, what you learned in doing so, and finally what should be done next to boost the security program’s maturity.

    Use a nesting-doll approach when presenting metrics

    Move from high-level to low-level to support your claims

    1. Avoid the temptation to emphasize technical details when presenting metrics. The importance of a metric should be clear from just its name.
    2. This does not mean that technical details should be disregarded entirely. Your digestible, high-level metrics should be a snapshot of what’s taking place on the security ground floor.
    3. With this in mind, we should think of our metrics like a nesting doll, with each metrics level being supported by the one beneath it.

    ...How do you know that?

    Board-Level KPI

    Mgmt.-Level KPI

    Raw Data

    Think of your lower-level metrics as evidence to back up the story you are telling.

    When you’re asked how you arrived at a given conclusion, you know it’s time to go down a level and to explain those results.

    Think of this like showing your work.

    Info-Tech Insight

    This approach is built into the KPX reporting format, but can be used for all metric types by drawing from your associated metrics and goals already achieved.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool

    Choose the dashboard tool that makes the most sense for you.

    Info-Tech provides two options for metric dashboards to meet the varying needs of our members.

    If you’re just starting out, you’ll likely be inclined towards the dashboard within the Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool (seen here).

    The image shows a screenshot of the Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool.

    But if you’ve already got several KPIs to report on, you may prefer the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard Tool, featured on the following slides.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Not all graphs will be needed in all cases. When presenting, consider taking screenshots of the most relevant data and displaying them in Info-Tech’s Board-Level Security Metrics Presentation Template.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image shows a screenshot of the Definitions section of the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    1. Start by customizing the definitions on tab 1 to match your organization’s understanding of high, medium, and low risk across the three impact areas (functional, informational, and recoverability).
    2. Next, enter up to 5 business goals that your security program supports.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image shows a screenshot of tab 2 of the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard.

    1. On tab 2, enter the large-scale risk you are tracking
    2. Proceed by naming each of your KPXs after three broad risks that – to you – contribute to the large-scale risk.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image is the same screenshot from the previous section, of tab 2 of the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard.

    1. Then, add up to five KPIs aimed at managing more granular risks that contribute to the broad risk.
    2. Assess the frequency and impact associated with these more granular risks to determine how likely it is to contribute to the broad risk the KPX is tracking.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image is the same screenshot of tab 2 of the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard.

    1. Repeat as necessary for the other KPXs on tab 2.
    2. Repeat steps 3-7 for up to two more large-scale risks and associated KPXs on tabs 3 and 4.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image shows a chart titled Business Alignment, with sample Business Goals and KPXs filled in.

    1. If desired, complete the Business Alignment evaluation (located to the right of KPX 2 on tabs 2-4) to demonstrate how well security is supporting business goals.

    "An important key to remember is to be consistent and stick to one framework once you've chosen it. As you meet with the same audiences repeatedly, having the same framework for reference will ensure that your communications become smoother over time." – Caroline Wong, Chief Strategy Officer, Cobalt.io

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image shows a screenshot of the dashboard on tab 5 of the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard.

    1. Use the dashboard on tab 5 to help you present your security metrics to senior leadership.

    Use one of Info-Tech’s dashboards to present your metrics

    2.4 Security Metrics KPX Dashboard

    Use Info-Tech’s Security Metrics KPX Dashboard to track and show your work.

    The image shows the same screenshot of Tab 2 of the Security Metrics KPX Dashboard that was shown in previous sections.

    Best Practice:

    This tool helps you convert your KPIs into the language of risk by assessing frequency and severity, which helps to make the risk relatable for senior leadership. However, it is still useful to track fluctuations in terms of percentage. To do this, track changes in the frequency, severity, and trend scores from quarter to quarter.

    Customize Info-Tech’s Security Metrics Presentation Template

    2.4 Board-Level Security Metrics Presentation Template

    Use the Board-Level Security Metrics Presentation Template deck to help structure and deliver your metrics presentation to the board.

    To make the dashboard slide, simply copy and paste the charts from the dashboard tool and arrange the images as needed.

    Adapt the status report and business alignment slides to reflect the story about risk that you are telling.

    2.5 Revise your metrics

    What's next?

    Now that you’ve made it through your metrics presentation, it’s important to reassess your goals with feedback from your audience in mind. Use the following workflow.

    The image shows a flowchart titled Metrics-Revision Workflow. The flowchart begins with the question Have you completed your goal? and then works through multiple potential answers.

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. While onsite, our analysts will work with you and your team to facilitate the activities outlined in the blueprint.

    Getting key stakeholders together to formalize the program, while getting started on data discovery and classification, allows you to kickstart the overall program.

    In addition, leverage over-the-phone support through Guided Implementations included in advisory memberships to ensure the continuous improvement of the classification program even after the workshop.

    Logan Rohde

    Research Analyst – Security, Risk & Compliance Info-Tech Research Group

    Ian Mulholland

    Senior Research Analyst – Security, Risk & Compliance Info-Tech Research Group

    Call 1-888-670-8889 for more information.

    Insight breakdown

    Metrics lead to maturity, not vice versa.

    • Tracking metrics helps you assess progress and regress in your security program, which helps you quantify the maturity gains you’ve made.

    Don't lose hope if you lack resources to move beyond baseline testing.

    • Even if you are struggling to pull data, you can still draw meaningful metrics. The percent or ratio of processes or systems you lack insight into can be very valuable, as it provides a basis to initiate a risk-based discussion with management about the organization's security blind spots.

    The best metrics are tied to goals.

    • Tying your metrics to goals ensures that you are collecting metrics for a specific purpose rather than just to watch the numbers change.

    Summary of accomplishment

    Knowledge Gained

    • Current maturity assessment of security areas
    • Setting SMART goals
    • Metric types
    • KPI development
    • Goals prioritization
    • Reporting and revision strategies

    Processes Optimized

    • Metrics development
    • Metrics collection
    • Metrics reporting

    Deliverables Completed

    • KPI Development Worksheet
    • Security Metrics Determination and Tracking Tool
    • Security Metrics KPX Dashboard Tool
    • Board-Level Security Metrics Presentation Template

    Research contributors and experts

    Mike Creaney, Senior Security Engineer at Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

    Peter Chestna, Director, Enterprise Head of Application Security at BMO Financial Group

    Zane Lackey, Co-Founder / Chief Security Officer at Signal Sciences

    Ben Rothke, Senior Information Security Specialist at Tapad

    Caroline Wong, Chief Strategy Officer at Cobalt.io

    2 anonymous contributors

    Related Info-Tech research

    Build an Information Security Strategy

    Tailor best practices to effectively manage information security.

    Implement a Security Governance and Management Program

    Align security and business objectives to get the greatest benefit from both.

    Bibliography

    Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). ISACA. Carnegie Mellon University.

    Ely, Adam. “Choose Security Metrics That Tell a Story.” Using Security Metrics to Drive Action: 33 Experts Share How to Communicate Security Program Effectiveness to Business Executives and the Board Eds. 2016. Web.

    https://www.ciosummits.com/Online_Assets_Tenable_eBook-_Using_Security_Metrics_to_Drive_Action.pdf

    ISACA. “Board Director Concerns about Cyber and Technology Risk.” CSX. 11 Sep. 2018. Web.

    Rothke, Ben. “CEOs Require Security Metrics with a High-Level Focus.” Using Security Metrics to Drive Action: 33 Experts Share How to Communicate Security Program Effectiveness to Business Executives and the Board Eds. 2016. Web.

    https://www.ciosummits.com/Online_Assets_Tenable_eBook-_Using_Security_Metrics_to_Drive_Action.pdf

    Wong, Caroline. Security Metrics: A Beginner’s Guide. McGraw Hill: New York, 2012.

    Define Requirements for Outsourcing the Service Desk

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}493|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: N/A
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    • Parent Category Name: Service Desk
    • Parent Category Link: /service-desk
    • In organizations where technical support is viewed as non-strategic, many see outsourcing as a cost-effective way to provide this support. However, outsourced projects often fall short of their goals in terms of cost savings and the quality of support. 
    • Significant administrative work and up-front costs are required to outsource the service desk, and poor planning often results in project failure and a decrease of end-user satisfaction.
    • A complete turnover of the service desk can result in lost knowledge and control over processes, and organizations without an exit strategy can struggle to bring their service desk back in house and return the confidence of end users.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Outsourcing is easy. Realizing the expected cost, quality, and focus benefits is hard. Successful outsourcing without being directly involved in service desk management is almost impossible.
    • You don’t need to standardize before you outsource, but you still need to conduct your due diligence. If you outsource without thinking about how you want the future to work, you will likely be unsatisfied with the result.
    • If cost is your only driver for outsourcing, understand that it comes at a cost. Customer service quality will likely be less, and your outsourcer may not add on frills such as Continual Improvement. Be careful that your specialists don’t end up spending more time working on incidents and service requests.

    Impact and Result

    • First decide if outsourcing is the correct step; there may be more preliminary work to do beforehand.
    • Assess requirements and make necessary adjustments before developing an outsource RFP.
    • Clearly define the project and produce an RFP to provide to vendors.
    • Plan for long-term success, not short-term gain.
    • Prepare to retain some of the higher-level service desk work.

    Define Requirements for Outsourcing the Service Desk Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define Requirements for Outsourcing the Service Desk Deck – A step-by-step document to walk you through building a strategy for efficient service desk outsourcing.

    This storyboard will help you craft a project charter, create an RFP, and outline strategies to build a long-term relationship with the vendor.

    • Define Requirements for Outsourcing the Service Desk – Storyboard
    • Service Desk Outsourcing Requirements Database Library

    2. Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter Template and Requirements Library – Best-of-breed templates to help you determine processes and build a strategy to outsource them.

    These templates will help you determine your service desk requirements and document your proposed service desk outsourcing strategy.

    • Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter Template

    3. Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template – A structured document to help you outline expectations and communicate requirements to managed service providers.

    This template will allow you to create a detailed RFP for your outsourcing agreement, document the statement of work, provide service overview, record exit conditions, and document licensing model and estimated pricing.

    • Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    4. Service Desk Outsourcing Reference Interview Template and Scoring Tool – Materials to help you conduct efficient briefings and select the best vendor to fulfill your service desk requirements.

    Use the Reference Interview Template to outline a list of questions for interviewing current/previous customers of your candidate vendors. These interviews will help you with unbiased vendor scoring. The RFP Vendor Scoring Tool will help you facilitate vendor briefings with your list of questions and score candidate vendors efficiently through quantifying evaluations.

    • Service Desk Outsourcing Reference Interview Template
    • Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Scoring Tool

    Infographic

    Further reading

    Define Requirements for Outsourcing the Service Desk

    Prepare your RFP for long-term success, not short-term gains

    Define Requirements for Outsourcing the Service Desk

    Prepare your RFP for long-term success, not short-term gains

    EXECUTIVE BRIEF

    Analyst Perspective

    Outsource services with your eyes wide open.

    Cost reduction has traditionally been an incentive for outsourcing the service desk. This is especially the case for organizations that don't have minimal processes in place and those that need resources and skills to fill gaps.

    Although cost reduction is usually the main reason to outsource the service desk, in most cases service desk outsourcing increases the cost in a short run. But without a proper model, you will only outsource your problems rather than solving them. A successful outsourcing strategy follows a comprehensive plan that defines objectives, assigns accountabilities, and sets expectations for service delivery prior to vendor outreach.

    For outsourcing the service desk, you should plan ahead, work as a group, define requirements, prepare a strong RFP, and contemplate tension metrics to ensure continual improvement. As you build a project charter to outline your strategy for outsourcing your IT services, ensure you focus on better customer service instead of cost optimization. Ensure that the outsourcer can support your demands, considering your long-term achievement.

    Think about outsourcing like a marriage deed. Take into account building a good relationship before beginning the contract, ensure to include expectations in the agreement, and make it possible to exit the agreement if expectations are not satisfied or service improvement is not achieved.

    This is a picture of Mahmoud Ramin, PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Infrastructure and Operations, Info-Tech Research Group

    Mahmoud Ramin, PhD
    Senior Research Analyst
    Infrastructure and Operations
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    In organizations where technical support is viewed as non-strategic, many see outsourcing as a cost-effective way to provide this support. However, outsourcing projects often fall short of their goals in terms of cost savings and quality of support.

    Common Obstacles

    Significant administrative work and up-front costs are required to outsource the service desk, and poor planning often results in project failure and the decrease of end-user satisfaction.

    A complete turnover of the service desk can result in lost knowledge and control over processes, and organizations without an exit strategy can struggle to bring their service desk back in house and reestablish the confidence of end users.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    • First decide if outsourcing is the correct step; there may be more preliminary work to do beforehand.
    • Assess requirements and make necessary adjustments before developing an outsource RFP.
    • Clearly define the project and produce an RFP to provide to vendors.
    • Plan for long-term success, not short-term gains.
    • Prepare to retain some of the higher-level service desk work.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Outsourcing is easy. Realizing all of the expected cost, quality, and focus benefits is hard. Successful outsourcing without being directly involved in service desk management is almost impossible.

    Your challenge

    This research is designed to help organizations that need to:

    • Outsource the service desk or portions of service management to improve service delivery.
    • Improve and repatriate existing outsourcing outcomes by becoming more engaged in the management of the function. Regular reviews of performance metrics, staffing, escalation, knowledge base content, and customer satisfaction are critical.
    • Understand the impact that outsourcing would have on the service desk.
    • Understand the potential benefits that outsourcing can bring to the organization.

    This image contains a donut chart with the following information: Salaries and Benefits - 68.50%; Technology - 9.30%; Office Space and Facilities Expense - 14.90%; Travel, Training, and Office Supplies - 7.30%

    Source: HDI 2017

    About 68.5% of the service desk fund is allocated to agent salaries, while only 9.3% of the service desk fund is spent on technology. The high ratio of salaries and expenses over other expense drives organizations to outsource their service desk without taking other considerations into account.

    Info-Tech Insight

    The outsourcing contract must preserve your control, possession, and ownership of the intellectual property involved in the service desk operation. From the beginning of the process, repatriation should be viewed as a possibility and preserved as a capability.

    Your challenge

    This research helps organizations who would like to achieve these goals:

    • Determine objectives and requirements to outsource the service desk.
    • Develop a project charter and build an outsourcing strategy to efficiently define processes to reduce risk of failure.
    • Build an outsourcing RFP and conduct interviews to identify the best candidate for service delivery.
    • Build a long-term relationship with an outsourcing vendor, making sure the vendor is able to satisfy all requirements.
    • Include a continual improvement plan in the outsourcing strategy and contain the option upon service delivery dissatisfaction.

    New hires require between 10 and 80 hours of training (Forward Bpo Inc., 2019).

    A benchmark study by Zendesk from 45,000 companies reveals that timely resolution of issues and 24/7 service are the biggest factors in customer service experience.

    This image contains a bar graph with the following data: Timely issue resolution; 24/7 support; Friendly agent; Desired contact method; Not to repeat info; Proactive support; Self-serve; Call back; Rewards & freebies

    These factors push many businesses to consider service desk outsourcing to vendors that have capabilities to fulfill such requirements.

    Common obstacles

    These barriers make this challenge difficult to address for many organizations:

    • In most cases, organizations must perform significant administrative work before they can make a move. Those that fail to properly prepare impede a smooth transition, the success of the vendor, and the ability to repatriate.
    • Successful outsourcing comes from the recognition that an organization is experiencing complete turnover of its service desk staff. These organizations engage the vendor to transition knowledge and process to ensure continuity of quality.
    • IT realizes the most profound hidden costs of outsourcing when the rate of ticket escalation increases, diminishing the capacity of senior technical staff for strategic project work.

    Many organizations may not get the value they expect from outsourcing in their first year.

    Common Reasons:

    • Overall lack of due diligence in the outsourcing process
    • Unsuitable or unclear service transition plan
    • Poor service provider selection and management

    Poor transition planning results in delayed benefits and a poor relationship with your outsourcing service provider. A poor relationship with your service provider results in poor communication and knowledge transfer.

    Key components of a successful plan:

    1. Determine goals and identify requirements before developing an RFP.
    2. Finalize your outsourcing project charter and get ready for vendor evaluation.
    3. Assess and select the most appropriate provider; manage the transition and vendor relationship.

    Outsource the service desk properly, and you could see a wide range of benefits

    Service Desk Outsourcing: Ability to scale up/down; Reduce fixed costs; Refocus IT efforts on core activities; Access to up-to-date technology; Adhere to  ITSM best practices; Increased process optimization; Focus IT efforts on advanced expertise; Reframe to shift-left;

    Info-Tech Insight

    In your service desk outsourcing strategy, rethink downsizing first-level IT service staff. This can be an opportunity to reassign resources to more valuable roles, such as asset management, development or project backlog. Your current service desk staff are most likely familiar with the current technology, processes, and regulations within IT. Consider the ways to better use your existing resources before reducing headcount.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    Determine Goals

    Conduct activities in the blueprint to pinpoint your current challenges with the service desk and find out objectives to outsource customer service.

    Define Requirements

    You need to be clear about the processes that will be outsourced. Considering your objectives, we'll help you discover the processes to outsource, to help you achieve your goals.

    Develop RFP

    Your expectations should be documented in a formal proposal to help vendors provide solid information about how they will satisfy your requirements and what their plan is.

    Build Long-Term Relationship

    Make sure to plan for continual improvement by setting expectations, tracking the services with proper metrics, and using efficient communication with the provider. Think about the rainy day and include exit conditions for ending the relationship if needed.

    Info-Tech's methodology

    1. Define the Goal

    2. Design an Outsourcing Strategy

    3. Develop an RFP and Make a Long-Term Relationship

    Phase Steps

    1.1 Identify goals and objectives

    1.2 Assess outsourcing feasibility

    2.1 Identify project stakeholders

    2.2 Outline potential risks and constraints

    3.1 Prepare service overview and responsibility matrix

    3.2 Define approach to vendor relationship management

    3.3 Manage the outsource relationship

    Phase Outcomes

    Service Desk Outsourcing Vision and Goals

    Service Desk Processes to Outsource

    Outsourcing Roles and Responsibilities

    Outsourcing Risks and Constraints

    Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter

    Service Desk Outsourcing RFP

    Continual Improvement Plan

    Exit Strategy

    This is an image of the strategy which you will use to build your requirements for outsourcing the service desk.  it includes: 1. Define the Goal; 2. Design an Outsourcing Strategy; 3. Develop RFP and long-term relationship.

    Insight summary

    Focus on value

    Outsourcing is easy. Realizing all of the expected cost, quality, and focus benefits is hard. Successful outsourcing without being directly involved in service desk management is almost impossible.

    Define outsourcing requirements

    You don't need to standardize before you outsource, but you still need to conduct your due diligence. If you outsource without thinking about how you want the future to work, you will likely be unsatisfied with the result.

    Don't focus on cost

    If cost is your only driver for outsourcing, understand that there will be other challenges. Customer service quality will likely be less, and your outsourcer may not add on frills such as Continual Improvement. Be careful that your specialists don't end up spending more time working on incidents and service requests.

    Emphasize on customer service

    A bad outsourcer relationship will result in low business satisfaction with IT overall. The service desk is the face of IT, and if users are dissatisfied with the service desk, then they are much likelier to be dissatisfied with IT overall.

    Vendors are not magicians

    They have standards in place to help them succeed. Determine ITSM best practices, define your requirements, and adjust process workflows accordingly. Your staff and end users will have a much easier transition once outsourcing proceeds.

    Plan ahead to guarantee success

    Identify outsourcing goals, plan for service and system integrations, document standard incidents and requests, and track tension metrics to make sure the vendor does the work efficiently. Aim for building a long-term relationship but contemplate potential exit strategy.

    Blueprint deliverables

    Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

    This is a screenshot from the Service Desk Outsourcing Requirements Database Library

    Service Desk Outsourcing Requirements Database Library

    Use this library to guide you through processes to outsource

    This is a screenshot from the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Use this template to craft a proposal for outsourcing your service desk

    This is a screenshot from the Service Desk Outsourcing Reference Interview Template

    Service Desk Outsourcing Reference Interview Template

    Use this template to verify vendor claims on service delivery with pervious or current customers

    This is a screenshot from the Service Desk Outsourcing Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    Service Desk Outsourcing Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    Use this tool to evaluate RFP submissions

    Key deliverable:

    This is a screenshot from the key deliverable, Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter

    Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter

    Document your project scope and outsourcing strategy in this template to organize the project for efficient resource and requirement allocation

    Blueprint benefits

    IT Benefits

    Business Benefits

    • Determine current challenges with the service desk and identify services to outsource.
    • Make the project charter for an efficient outsourcing strategy that will lead to higher satisfaction from IT.
    • Select the best outsource vendor that will satisfy most of the identified requirements.
    • Reduce the risk of project failure with efficient planning.
    • Understand potential feasibility of service desk outsourcing and its possible impact on business satisfaction.
    • Improve end-user satisfaction through a better service delivery.
    • Conduct more efficient resource allocation with outsourcing customer service.
    • Develop a long-term relationship between the enterprise and vendor through a continual improvement plan.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

    Guided Implementation

    "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

    Workshop

    "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

    Consulting

    "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Guided Implementation

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3

    Call #1: Scope your specific challenges and objectives

    Call #3: Identify project stakeholders, and potential risks and constraints

    Call #5: Create a detailed RFP

    Call #6: Identify strategy risks.

    Call #2: Assess outsourcing feasibility and processes to outsourceCall #4: Create a list of metrics to ensure efficient reporting

    Call #7: Prepare for vendor briefing and scoring each vendor

    Call #8: Build a communication plan

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    A typical GI is between 8 to 10 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

    Phase 1

    Define the goal

    Define the goal

    Design an outsourcing strategy

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    1.1 Identify goals and objectives

    1.2 Assess outsourcing feasibility

    2.1 Identify project stakeholders

    2.2 Outline potential risks and constraints

    3.1 Prepare a service overview and responsibility matrix

    3.2 Define your approach to vendor relationship management

    3.3 Manage the outsource relationship

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Analysis outsourcing objectives
    • Assess outsourcing feasibility
    • Identify services and processes to outsource

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Service Desk Team
    • IT Leadership

    Define requirements for outsourcing service desk support

    Step 1.1

    Identify goals and objectives

    Activities

    1.1.1 Find out why you want to outsource your service desk

    1.1.2 Document the benefits of outsourcing your service desk

    1.1.3 Identify your outsourcing vision and goals

    1.1.4 Prioritize service desk outsourcing goals to help structure your mission statement

    1.1.5 Craft a mission statement that demonstrates your decision to reach your outsourcing objectives

    Define the goal

    This step requires the following inputs:

    • List of strengths and weaknesses of the service desk
    • Challenges with the service desk

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • IT Leadership
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers

    Outcomes of this step

    • Service desk outsourcing vision and goals
    • Benefits of outsourcing the service desk
    • Mission statement

    What is your rationale to outsource the service desk?

    Potential benefits of outsourcing the service desk:

    • Bring in the expertise and knowledge to manage tickets according to best-practice guidelines
    • Reduce the timeline to response and resolution
    • Improve IT productivity
    • Enhance IT services and improve performance
    • Augment relationship between IT and business through service-level improvement
    • Free up the internal team and focus IT on complex projects and higher priority tasks
    • Speed up service desk optimization
    • Improve end-user satisfaction through efficient IT services
    • Reduce impact of incidents through effective incident management
    • Increase service consistency via turnover reduction
    • Expand coverage hour and access points
    • Expand languages to service different geographical areas

    1.1.1 Find out why you want to outsource your service desk

    1 hour

    Service desk is the face of IT. Service desk improvement increases IT efficiency, lowers operation costs, and enhances business satisfaction.

    Common challenges that result in deciding to outsource the service desk are:

    Participants: IT Director, Service Desk Manager, Service Desk Team

    ChallengeExample
    Lack of tier 1 supportStartup does not have a dedicated service desk to handle incidents and provide services to end users.
    Inefficient ticket handlingMTTR is very high and end users are frustrated with their issues not getting solved quickly. Even if they call service desk, they are put on hold for a long time. Due to these inefficiencies, their daily work is greatly impacted.
    Restricted service hoursCompany headquartered in Texas does not have resources to provide 24/7 IT service. When users in the East Asia branch have a laptop issue, they must wait until the next day to get response from IT. This has diminished their satisfaction.
    Restricted languagesCompany X is headquartered in New York. An end user not fluent in English from Madrid calls in for support. It takes five minutes for the agent to understand the issue and log a ticket.
    Ticket backlogIT is in firefighting mode, very busy with taking care of critical incidents and requests from upper management. Almost no one is committed to the SLA because of their limited availability.

    Brainstorm your challenges with the service desk. Why have you decided to outsource your service desk? Use the above table as a sample.

    1.1.2 Document benefits of outsourcing your service desk

    1 hour

    1. Review the challenges with your current service desk identified in activity 1.1.1.
    2. Discuss possible ways to tackle these challenges. Be specific and determine ways to resolve these issues if you were to do it internally.
    3. Determine potential benefits of outsourcing the service desk to IT, business, and end users.
    4. For each benefit, describe dependencies. For instance, to reduce the number of direct calls (benefit), users should have access to service desk as a single point of contact (dependency).
    5. Document this activity in the Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter Template.

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Input

    • List of challenges with the current service desk from activity 1.1.1

    Output

    • Benefits of outsourcing the service desk

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers
    • Sticky notes
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Team
    • IT Managers

    Why should you not consider cost reduction as a primary incentive to outsourcing the service desk?

    Assume that some of the costs will not go away with outsourcing

    When you outsource, the vendor's staff tend to gradually become less effective as:

    • They are managed by metrics to reduce costs by escalating sooner, reducing talk time, and proposing questionable solutions.
    • Turnover results in new employees that get insufficient training.

    You must actively manage the vendor to identify and resolve these issues. Many organizations find that service desk management takes more time after they outsource.

    You need to keep spending on service desk management, and you may not get away from technology infrastructure spending.

    Info-Tech Insight

    In their first year, almost 42% of Info-Tech's clients do not get the real value of outsourcing services as expected. This iss primarily because of misalignment of organizational goals with outcomes of the outsourced services.

    Consider the hidden costs of outsourcing

    Expected Costs

    Unexpected Costs

    Example

    Transition CostsSeverance and staff retention
    • Cost to adapt to vendor standards
    • Training cost of vendor staff
    • Lost productivity
    • Format for requirements
    • Training report developers to work with vendor systems
    FeesPrice of the engagement
    • Extra fees for additional services
    • Extra charges for uploading data to cloud storage
    • Portal access
    Management CostsTime directing account
    • Time directly managing vendor staff
    • Checking deliverables for errors
    • Disputing penalty amounts
    Rework CostsDowntime, defect rate, etc. (quality metrics measured in SLAs)
    • Time spent adapting deliverables for unanticipated requirements
    • Time spent assuring the quality and usefulness of deliverables
    • Completing quality assurance and updating knowledgebase articles
    • Adapting reporting for presentation to stakeholders

    Determine strategies to avoid each hidden cost

    Costs related to transitioning into the engagementAdapting to standards and training costs

    Adapting to standards: Define the process improvements you will need to work with each potential vendor.

    Training costs for vendor staff: Reduce training costs by keeping the same vendor staff on all of your projects.

    Fee-related costs

    Fees for additional services (that you thought were included)

    Carefully review each proposed statement of work to identify and reduce extra fees. Understand why extra fees occur in the SLA, the contract, and the proposed statement of work, and take steps to protect yourself and the vendor.

    Management-related costs

    Direct management of vendor staff and dispute resolution

    Direct management of vendor staff: Avoid excessive management costs by defining a two-tier management structure on both sides of the engagement.

    Time spent resolving disputes: Avoid prolonged resolution costs by defining terms of divorce for the engagement up front.

    Rework costs

    Unanticipated requirements and integration with existing systems

    Unanticipated requirements: Use a two-stage process to define requirements, starting with business people and then with review by technical staff.

    Integration with existing systems: Obtain a commitment from vendors that deliverables will conform to standards at points of integration with your systems.

    Your outsourcing strategy should address the reasons you decided to outsource

    A clear vision of strategic objectives prior to entering an outsourcing agreement will allow you to clearly communicate these objectives to the Managed Service Provider (MSP) and use them as a contracted basis for the relationship.

    • Define the business' overall approach to outsourcing along with the priorities, rules, and principles that will drive the outsourcing strategy and every subsequent outsourcing decision and activity.
    • Define specific business, service, and technical goals for the outsourcing project and relevant measures of success.

    "People often don't have a clear direction around what they're trying to accomplish. The strategic goals should be documented. Is this a cost-savings exercise? Is it because you're deficient in one area? Is it because you don't have the tools or expertise to run the service desk yourself? Figure out what problem you're trying to solve by outsourcing, then build your strategy around that.
    – Jeremy Gagne, Application Support Delivery Manager, Allegis Group

    Most organizations are driven to consider outsourcing their service desk hoping to improve the following:

    • Ability to scale (train people and acquire skills)
    • Focus on core competencies
    • Decrease capital costs
    • Access latest technology without large investment
    • Resolve labor force constraints
    • Gain access to special expertise without paying a full salary
    • Save money overall

    Info-Tech Insight

    Use your goals and objectives as a management tool. Clearly outline your desired project outcomes to both your in-house team and the vendor during implementation and monitoring. It will allow a common ground to unite both parties as the project progresses.

    Mitigate pitfalls that lay in the way of desired outcomes of outsourcing

    Desired outcomePitfalls to overcome
    IT can focus on core competencies and strategic initiatives rather than break-fix tasks.Escalation to second- and third-level support usually increases when the first level has been outsourced. Outsourcers will have less experience with your typical incidents and will give up on trying to solve some issues more quickly than your internal level-one staff.
    Low outsourcing costs compared to the costs needed to employ internal employees in the same role. Due to lack of incentive to decrease ticket volume, costs are likely to increase. As a result, organizations often find themselves paying more overall for an outsourced service desk than if they had a few dedicated IT service desk employees in-house.
    Improved employee morale as a result of being able to focus on more interesting tasks.Management often expects existing employee morale to increase as a result of shifting their focus to core and strategic tasks, but the fear of diminished job security often spreads to the remaining non-level-one employees.

    1.1.3 Identify outsourcing vision and goals

    Identify the goals and objectives of outsourcing to inform your strategy.

    Participants: IT Director, Service Desk Manager, Service Desk Team

    1-2 hours

    1. Meet with key business stakeholders and the service desk staff who were involved in the decision to outsource.
    2. As a group, review the results from activity 1.1.1 (challenges with current service desk operations) and identify the goals and objectives of the outsourcing initiative.
    3. Determine the key performance indicator (KPI) for each goal.
    4. Identify the impacted stakeholder/s for each goal.
    5. Discuss checkpoint schedule for each goal to make sure the list stays updated.

    Use the sample table as a starting point:

    1. Document your table in the Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter Template.
    IDGoal DescriptionKPIImpacted StakeholdersCheckpoint Schedule
    1Provide capacity to take calls outside of current service desk work hours
    • Decreased in time to response
    • Decreased time to resolve
    • IT Entire organization
    • Every month
    2Take calls in different languages
    • Improved service delivery in different geographical regions
    • Improved end-user satisfaction
    • End users
    • Every month
    3Provide field support at remote sites with no IT presence without having to fly out an employee
    • 40% faster incident resolution and request fulfillment
    • Entire organization
    • Every month
    4Improve ease of management by vendor helping with managing and optimizing service desk tasks
    • Improved service management efficiency
    • Entire organization
    • Every 3 months

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Evaluate organizational demographics to assess outsourcing rationale

    The size, complexity, and maturity of your organization are good indicators of service desk direction with regards to outsourcing.

    Organization Size

    • As more devices, applications, systems, and users are added to the mix, vendor costs will increase but their ability to meet business needs will decrease.
    • Small organizations are often either rejected by vendors for being too small or locked into a contract that is overkill for their actual needs (and budget).

    Complexity

    • Highly customized environments and organizations with specialized applications or stringent regulatory requirements are very difficult to outsource for a reasonable cost and acceptable quality.
    • In these cases, the vendor is required to train skilled support or ends up escalating more tickets back to second- and third-level support.

    Requirements

    • Organizations looking to outsource must have defined outsourcing requirements before looking at vendors.
    • Without a requirement assessment, the vendor won't have guidelines to follow and you won't be able to measure their adherence.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Although less adherence to service desk best practices can be one of the main incentives to outsourcing the service desk, IT should have minimal processes in place to be able to set expectations with targeting vendors.

    1.1.4 Prioritize service desk outsourcing goals to help structure mission statement

    0.5-1 hour

    The evaluation process for outsourcing the service desk should be done very carefully. Project leaders should make sure they won't panic internal resources and impact their performance through the transition period.

    If the outsourcing process is rushed, it will result in poor evaluation, inefficient decision making, and project failure.

    1. Refer to results in activity 1.1.3. Discuss the service desk outsourcing goals once again.
    2. Brainstorm the most important objectives. Use sticky notes to prioritize the items from the most important to the least important.
    3. Edit the order accordingly.

    Input

    • Project goals from activity 1.1.3

    Output

    • Prioritized list of outsourcing goals

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers
    • Sticky notes
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Team
    • IT Managers

    Download the Project Charter Template

    1.1.5 Craft a mission statement that demonstrates your decision to reach outsourcing objectives

    Participants: IT Director, Service Desk Manager

    0.5-1 hour

    The IT mission statement specifies the function's purpose or reason for being. The mission should guide each day's activities and decisions. The mission statement should use simple and concise terminology and speak loudly and clearly, generating enthusiasm for the organization.

    Strong IT mission statements:

    • Articulate the IT function's purpose and reason for existence
    • Describe what the IT function does to achieve its vision
    • Define the customers of the IT function
    • Can be described as:
      • Compelling
      • Easy to grasp
      • Sharply focused
      • Inspirational
      • Memorable
      • Concise

    Sample mission statements:

    • To help fulfill organizational goals, IT has decided to empower business stakeholders with outsourcing the service desk.
    • To support efficient IT service provision, better collaboration, and effective communication, [Company Name] has decided to outsource the service desk.
    • [Company Name] plans to outsource the service desk so it can identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies with current service desk processes and enable [Company Name] to innovate and support business growth.
    • Considering the goals and benefits determined in the previous activities, outline a mission statement.
    • Document your outsourcing mission statement in the "Project Overview" section of the Project Charter Template.

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Step 1.2

    Assess outsourcing feasibility

    Activities

    1.2.1 Create a baseline of customer experience

    1.2.2 Identify service desk processes to outsource

    1.2.3 Design an outsourcing decision matrix for service desk processes and services

    1.2.4 Discuss if you need to outsource only service desk or if additional services would benefit from outsourcing too

    Define the goal

    This step requires the following inputs:

    • List of service desk tasks and responsibilities

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • IT Leadership
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Infrastructure Manager

    Outcomes of this step

    • End-user satisfaction with the service desk
    • List of processes and services to outsource

    1.2.1 Create a baseline of customer experience

    Solicit targeted department feedback on IT's core service capabilities, communications, and business enablement from end users. Use this feedback to assess end-user satisfaction with each service, broken down by department and seniority level.

    1. Complete an end-user satisfaction survey to define the current state of your IT services, including service desk (timeliness and effectiveness). With Info-Tech's end-user satisfaction program, an analyst will help you set up the diagnostic and will go through the report with you.
    2. Evaluate survey results.
    3. Communicate survey results with team leads and discuss the satisfaction rates and comments of the end users.
    4. Schedule to launch another survey one year after outsourcing the service desk.
    5. Your results will be compared to the following year's results to analyze the overall success/failure of your outsourcing project.

    A decrease of business and end-user satisfaction is a big drive to outsourcing the service desk. Conduct a customer service survey to discover your end-user experience prior to and after outsourcing the service desk.

    Don't get caught believing common misconceptions: outsourcing doesn't mean sending away all the work

    First-time outsourcers often assume they are transferring most of the operations over to the vendor, but this is often not the case.

    1. Management of performance, SLAs, and customer satisfaction remain the responsibility of your organization.
    2. Service desk outsource vendors provide first-line response. This includes answering the phones, troubleshooting simple problems, and redirecting requests that are more complex.
    3. The vendor is often able to provide specialized support for standard applications (and for customized applications if you'll pay for it). However, the desktop support still needs someone onsite, and that service is very expensive to outsource.
    4. Tickets that are focused on custom applications and require specialized or advanced support are escalated back to your organization's second- and third-level support teams.

    Switching to a vendor won't necessarily improve your service desk maturity

    You should have minimal requirements before moving.

    Whether managing in-house or outsourcing, it is your job to ensure core issues have been clarified, processes defined, and standards maintained. If your processes are ad-hoc or non-existent right now, outsourcing won't fix them.

    You must have the following in place before looking to outsource:

    • Defined reporting needs and plans
    • Formalized skill-set requirements
    • Problem management and escalation guidelines
    • Ticket templates and classification rules
    • Workflow details
    • Knowledge base standards

    Info-Tech Insight

    If you expect your problems to disappear with outsourcing, they might just get worse.

    Define long-term requirements

    Anticipate growth throughout the lifecycle of your outsourcing contract and build that into the RFP

    • Most outsourcing agreements typically last three to five years. In that time, you risk outgrowing your service provider by neglecting to define your long-term service desk requirements.
    • Outgrowing your vendor before your contract ends can be expensive due to high switching costs. Managing multiple vendors can also be problematic.
    • It is crucial to define your service desk requirements before developing a request for proposal to make sure the service you select can meet your organization's needs.
    • Make sure that the business is involved in this planning stage, as the goals of IT need to scale with the growth strategy of the business. You may select a vendor with no additional capacity despite the fact that your organization has a major expansion planned to begin two years from now. Assessing future requirements also allows you to culture match with the vendor. If your outlooks and practices are similar, the match will likely click.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Don't select a vendor for what your company is today – select a vendor for what your company will be years from now. Define your future service desk requirements in addition to your current requirements and leave room for growth and development.

    You can't outsource everything

    Manage the things that stay in-house well or suffer the consequences.

    "You can't outsource management; you can only outsource supervision." Barry Cousins, Practice Lead, Info-Tech Research Group

    What can be the vendor in charge of?

    What stays in-house?

    • Call and email answering
    • Ongoing daily ticket creation and tracking
    • Tier 1 support
    • Internal escalation to Level 2 support
    • External escalation to specialized Level 2 and Level 3 support
    • Knowledge base article creation
    • Service desk-related hardware acquisition and maintenance
    • Service desk software acquisition and maintenance
    • Security and access management
    • Disaster recovery
    • Staff acquisition
    • Facilities
    • The role of the Service Desk Manager
    • Skills and training standards
    • Document standardization
    • Knowledge base quality assurance and documentation standardization
    • Self-service maintenance, promotion, and ownership
    • Short and long-term tracking of vendor performance

    Info-Tech Insight

    The need for a Service Desk Manager does not go away when you outsource. In fact, the need becomes even stronger and never diminishes.

    Assess current service desk processes before outsourcing

    Process standards with areas such as documentation, workflow, and ticket escalation should be in place before the decision to outsource has been made.

    Every effective service desk has a clear definition of the services that they are performing for the end user. You can't provide a service without knowing what the services are.

    MSPs typically have their own set of standards and processes in play. If your service desk is not at a similar level of maturity, outsourcing will not be pleasant.

    Make sure that your metrics are reported consistently and that they tell a story.

    "Establish baseline before outsourcing. Those organizations that don't have enough service desk maturity before outsourcing should work with the outsourcer to establish the baseline."
    – Yev Khobrenkov, Enterprise Consultant, Solvera Solutions

    Info-Tech Insight

    Outsourcing vendors are not service desk builders; they're service desk refiners. Switching to a vendor won't improve your maturity; you must have a certain degree of process maturity and standardization before moving.

    Case Study

    INDUSTRY: Cleaning Supplies

    SOURCE: PicNet

    Challenge

    • Reckitt Benckiser of Australia determined that its core service desk needed to be outsourced.
    • It would retain its higher level service desk staff to work on strategic projects.
    • The MSP needed to fulfill key requirements outlined by Reckitt Benckiser.

    Solution

    • Reckitt Benckiser recognized that its rapidly evolving IT needs required a service desk that could fulfill the following tasks:
    • Free up internal IT staff.
    • Provide in-depth understanding of business apps.
    • Offer efficient, cost-effective support onsite.
    • Focus on continual service improvement (CSI).

    Results

    • An RFP was developed to support the outsourcing strategy.
    • With the project structure outlined and the requirements of the vendor for the business identified, Reckitt Benckiser could now focus on selecting a vendor that met its needs.

    1.2.1 Identify service desk processes to outsource

    2-3 hours

    Review your prioritized project goals from activity 1.1.4.

    Brainstorm requirements and use cases for each goal and describe each use case. For example: To improve service desk timeliness, IT should improve incident management, to resolve incidents according to the defined SLA and based on ticket priority levels.

    Discuss if you're outsourcing just incident management or both incident management and request fulfillment. If both, determine what level of service requests will be outsourced? Will you ask the vendor to provide a service catalog? Will you outsource self-serve and automation?

    Document your findings in the service desk outsourcing requirements database library.

    Input

    • Outsourcing project goals from activity 1.1.4

    Output

    • List of processes to outsource

    Materials

    • Sticky notes
    • Markers
    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Team

    Download the Requirements Database Library

    1.2.2 Design an outsourcing decision matrix for service desk processes and services

    Participants: IT Director, Service Desk Manager, Infrastructure manager

    2-3 hours

    Most successful service desk outsourcing engagements have a primary goal of freeing up their internal resources to work on complex tasks and projects. The key outsourcing success factor is to find out internal services and processes that are standardized or should be standardized, and then determine if they can be outsourced.

    1. Review the list of identified service desk processes from activity 1.2.1.
    2. Discuss the maturity level of each process (low, medium, high) and document under the maturity column of the Outsource the Service Desk Requirements Database Library.
    3. Use the following decision matrix for each process. Discuss which tasks are important to strategic objectives, which ones provide competitive advantage, and which ones require specialized in-house knowledge.
    4. Identify processes that receive high vendor's performance advantage. For instance, access to talent, lower cost at scale, and access to technology.
    5. In your outsourcing assessment, consider a narrow scope of engagement and a broad view of what is important to business outcome.
    6. Based on your findings, determine the priority of each process to be outsourced. Document results in the service desk outsourcing requirements database library, and section 4.1 of the service desk outsourcing project charter.
    • Important to strategic objectives
    • Provides competitive advantage
    • Specialized in-house knowledge required

    This is an image of a quadrant analysis, where the X axis is labeled Vendor's Performance Advantage, and the Y axis is labeled Importance to Business Outcomes.

    • Talent/access to skills
    • Economies of scale/lower cost at scale
    • Access to technology

    Download the Requirements Database Library

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Maintain staff and training: you need to know who is being hired, how, and why

    Define documentation rules to retain knowledge

    • Establish a standard knowledge article template and list of required information.
    • Train staff on the requirements of knowledge base creation and management. Help them understand the value of the time spent recording their work.
    • It is your responsibility to assure the quality of each knowledge article. Outline accountabilities for internal staff and track for performance evaluations.

    For information on better knowledge management, refer to Info-Tech's blueprint Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy.

    Expect to manage stringent skills and training standards

    • Plan on being more formal about a Service Manager position and spending more time than you allocated previously.
    • Complete a thorough assessment of the skills you need to keep the service desk running smoothly.
    • Don't forget to account for any customized or proprietary systems. How will you train vendor staff to accommodate your needs? What does their turnaround look like: would it be more likely that you acquire a dependable employee in-house?
    • Staffing requirements need to be actively monitored to ensure the outsourcer doesn't have degradation of quality or hiring standards. Don't assume that things run well – complete regular checks and ask for access to audit results.
    • Are the systems and data being accessed by the vendor highly sensitive or subject to regulatory requirements? If so, it is your job to ensure that vendor staff are being screened appropriately.

    Does your service desk need to integrate to other IT services?

    A common challenge when outsourcing multiple services to more than one vendor is a lack of collaboration and communication between vendors.

    • Leverage SIAM capabilities to integrate service desk tasks to other IT services, if needed.
    • "Service Integration and Management (SIAM) is a management methodology that can be applied in an environment that includes services sourced from a number of service providers" (Scopism Limited, 2020).
    • SIAM supports cross-functional integrations. Organizations that look for a single provider will be less likely to get maximum benefits from SIAM.

    There are three layers of entities in SIAM:

    • Customer Organization: The customer who receives services, who defines the relationship with service providers.
    • Service Integrator: End-to-end service governance and integration is done at this layer, making sure all service providers are committed to their services.
    • Service Provider: Responsible party for service delivery according to contract. It can be combination of internal provider, managed by internal agreements, and external provider, managed by SLAs between providers and customer organization.

    Use SIAM to obtain better results from multiple service providers

    In the SIAM model, the customer organization keeps strategic, governance, and business activities, while integrating other services (either internally or externally).

    This is an image of the SIAM model

    SIAM Layers. Source: SIAM Foundation BoK

    Utilize SIAM to obtain better results from multiple service providers

    SIAM reduces service duplication and improves service delivery via managing internal and external service providers.

    To utilize the SIAM model, determine the following components:

    • Service providers
    • Service consumers
    • Service outcomes
    • Service obstacles and boundaries
    • Service dependencies
    • Technical requirements and interactions for each service
    • Service data and information including service levels

    To learn more about adopting SIAM, visit Scopism.

    1.2.3 Discuss if you need to outsource only service desk or if additional services would benefit from outsourcing too

    1-2 hours

    • Discuss principles and goals of SIAM and how integrating other services can apply within your processes.
    • Review the list of service desk processes and tasks to be outsourced from activities 1.2.1 and 1.2.2.
    • Brainstorm a list of other services that are outsourced/need to be outsourced.
    • Determine providers of each service (both internal and external). Document the other services to be integrated in the project charter template and requirements database library.

    Input

    • SIAM objectives
    • List of service desk processes to outsource

    Output

    • List of other services to outsource and integrate in the project

    Materials

    • Sticky notes
    • Markers
    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Team

    Download the Requirements Database Library

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Establish requirements for problem management in the outsourcing plan

    Your MSP should not just fulfill SLAs – they should be a proactive source of value.

    Problem management is a group effort. Make sure your internal team is assisted with sufficient and efficient data by the outsourcer to conduct a better problem management.

    Clearly state your organization's expectations for enabling problem management. MSPs may not necessarily need, and cannot do, problem management; however, they should provide metrics to help you discover trends, define recurring issues, and enable root cause analysis.

    For more information on problem management, refer to Info-Tech's blueprint Improve Incident and Problem Management.

    PROBLEM MANAGEMENT

    INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

    INTAKE: Ticket data from incident management is needed for incident matching to identify problems. Critical Incidents are also a main input to problem management.

    EVENT MANAGEMENT

    INTAKE: SMEs and operations teams monitoring system health events can identify indicators of potential future issues before they become incidents.

    APPLICATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, and SECURITY TEAMS

    ACTION: Problem tickets require investigation from relevant SMEs across different IT teams to identify potential solutions or workarounds.

    CHANGE MANAGEMENT

    OUTPUT: Problem resolution may need to go through Change Management for proper authorization and risk management.

    Outline problem management protocols to gain value from your service provider

    • For example, with a deep dive into ticket trend analysis, your MSP should be able to tell you that you've had a large number of tickets on a particular issue in the past month, allowing you to look into means to resolve the issue and prevent it from reoccurring.
    • A proactive MSP should be able to help your service levels improve over time. This should be built into the KPIs and metrics you ask for from the outsourcer.

    Sample Scenario

    Your MSP tracks ticket volume by platform.

    There are 100 network tickets/month, 200 systems tickets/month, and 5,000 end-user tickets/month.

    Tracking these numbers is a good start, but the real value is in the analysis. Why are there 5,000 end-user tickets? What are the trends?

    Your MSP should be providing a monthly root-cause analysis to help improve service quality.

    Outcomes:

    1. Meeting basic SLAs tells a small part of the story. The MSP is performing well in a functional sense, but this doesn't shed any insight on what kind of knowledge or value is being added.
    2. The MSP should provide routine updates on ticket trends and other insights gained through data analysis.
    3. A commitment to continual improvement will provide your organization with value throughout the duration of the outsourcing agreement.

    Phase 2

    Design an Outsourcing Strategy

    Define the goal

    Design an outsourcing strategy

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    1.1 Identify goals and objectives

    1.2 Assess outsourcing feasibility

    2.1 Identify project stakeholders

    2.2 Outline potential risks and constraints

    3.1 Prepare a service overview and responsibility matrix

    3.2 Define your approach to vendor relationship management

    3.3 Manage the outsource relationship

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Identify roles and responsibilities
    • Determine potential risks of outsourcing the service desk
    • Build a list of metrics

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Service Desk Team
    • IT Leadership

    Define requirements for outsourcing service desk support

    Step 2.1

    Identify project stakeholders

    Activity

    2.1.1 Identify internal outsourcing roles and responsibilities

    Design an Outsourcing Strategy

    This step requires the following inputs:

    • List of service desk roles
    • Service desk outsourcing goals

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Project Team
    • Service Desk Manager

    Outcome of this step

    • Outsourcing roles and responsibilities

    Design an outsourcing strategy to capture the vision of your service desk

    An outsourcing strategy is crucial to the proper accomplishment of an outsourcing project. By taking the time to think through your strategy beforehand, you will have a clear idea of your desired outcomes. This will make your RFP of higher quality and will result in a much easier negotiation process.

    Most MSPs are prepared to offer a standard proposal to clients who do not know what they want. These are agreements that are doomed to fail. A clearly defined set of goals (discussed in Phase 1), risks, and KPIs and metrics (covered in this phase) makes the agreement more beneficial for both parties in the long run.

    1. Identify goals and objectives
    2. Determine mission statement
    3. Define roles and responsibilities
    4. Identify risks and constraints
    5. Define KPIs and metrics
    6. Complete outsourcing strategy

    A successful outsourcing initiative depends on rigorous preparation

    Outsourcing is a garbage in, garbage out initiative. You need to give your service provider the information they need to provide an effective product.

    • Data quality is critical to your outsourcing initiative's success.
    • Your vendor will be much better equipped to help you and to better price its services if it has a thorough understanding of your IT environment.
    • This means more than just building a catalog of your hardware and software. You will need to make available documented policies and processes so you and your vendor can understand where they fit in.
    • Failure to completely document your environment can lead to a much longer time to value as your provider will have to spend much more time (and thus much more money) getting their service up and running.

    "You should fill the gap before outsourcing. You should make sure how to measure tickets, how to categorize, and what the cost of outsourcing will be. Then you'll be able to outsource the execution of the service. Start your own processes and then outsource their execution."
    – Kris Krishan, Head of IT and business systems, Waymo

    Case Study

    Digital media company built an outsourcing strategy to improve customer satisfaction

    INDUSTRY: Digital Media

    SOURCE: Auxis

    Challenge

    A Canadian multi-business company with over 13,000 employees would like to maintain a growing volume of digital content with their endpoint management.

    The client operated a tiered model service desk. Tier 1 was outsourced, and tier 2 tasks were done internally, for more complex tasks and projects.

    As a result of poor planning and defining goals, the company had issues with:

    • Low-quality ticket handling
    • High volume of tickets escalated to tier 2, restraining them from working on complex tickets
    • High turn over and a challenge with talent retention
    • Insufficient documentation to train external tier 1 team
    • Long resolution time and low end-user satisfaction

    Solution

    The company structured a strategy for outsourcing service desk and defined their expectations and requirements.

    They engaged with another outsourcer that would fulfill their requirements as planned.

    With the help of the outsourcer's consulting team, the client was able to define the gaps in their existing processes and system to:

    • Implement a better ticketing system that could follow best-practices guidelines
    • Restructure the team so they would be able to handle processes efficiently

    Results

    The proactive planning led to:

    • Significant improvement in first call resolution (82%).
    • MTTR improvement freed tier 2 to focus on business strategic objectives and allowed them to work on higher-value activities.
    • With a better strategy around outsourcing planning, the company saved 20% of cost compared to the previous outsourcer.
    • As a result of this partnership, the company is providing a 24/7 structure in multiple languages, which is aligned with the company's growth.
    • Due to having a clear strategy built for the project, the client now has better visibility into metrics that support long-term continual improvement plans.

    Define roles and responsibilities for the outsourcing transition to form the base of your outsourcing strategy

    There is no "I" in outsource; make sure the whole team is involved

    Outsourcing is a complete top-to-bottom process that involves multiple levels of engagement:

    • Management must make high-level decisions about staffing and negotiate contract details with the vendor.
    • Service desk employees must execute on the documentation and standardization of processes in an effort to increase maturity.
    • Roles and responsibilities need to be clearly defined to ensure that all aspects of the transition are completed on time.
    • Implement a full-scale effort that involves all relevant staff. The most common mistake is to have the project design follow the same top-down pattern as the decision-making process.

    Info-Tech Insight

    The service desk doesn't operate in isolation. The service desk interfaces with many other parts of the organization (such as finance, purchasing, field support, etc.), so it's important to ensure you engage stakeholders from other departments as well. If you only engage the service desk staff in your discussions around outsourcing strategy and RFP development, you may miss requirements that will come up when it's too late.

    2.1.1 Identify internal outsourcing roles and responsibilities

    2 hours

    1. The sample RACI chart in section 5 of the Project Charter Template outlines which positions are responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each major task within the outsourcing project.
    2. Responsible, is the group that is responsible for the execution and oversight of activities for the project. Accountable is the owner of the task/process, who is accountable for the results and outcomes. Consulted is the subject matter expert (SME) who is actively involved in the task/process and consulted on decisions. Informed is not actively involved with the task/process and is updated about decisions around the task/process.
    3. Make sure that you assign only one person as accountable per process. There can be multiple people responsible for each task. Consulted and Informed are optional for each task.
    4. Complete the RACI chart with recommended participants, and document in your service desk outsourcing project charter, under section 5.

    Input

    • RACI template
    • Org chart

    Output

    • List of roles and responsibilities for outsource project

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Team

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Step 2.2

    Outline potential risks and constraints

    Activities

    2.2.1 Identify potential risks and constraints that may impact achievement of objectives

    2.2.2 Arrange groups of tension metrics to balance your reporting

    Design an Outsourcing Strategy

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Outsourcing objectives
    • Potential risks

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Project Team
    • Service Desk Manager

    Outcomes of this step

    • Mitigation strategy for each risk
    • Service desk metrics

    Know your constraints to reduce surprises during project implementation

    No service desk is perfect; know your limits and plan accordingly

    Define your constraints to outsourcing the service desk.

    Consider all types of constraints and opportunities, including:

    • Business forces
    • Economic cycles
    • Disruptive tech
    • Regulation and compliance issues
    • Internal organizational issues

    Within the scope of a scouring decision, define your needs and objectives, measure those as much as possible, and compare them with the "as-is" situation.

    Start determining what alternative approaches/scenarios the organization could use to fill the gaps. Start a comparison of scenarios against drivers, goals, and risks.

    Constraints

    Goals and objectives

    • Budget
    • Maturity
    • Compliance
    • Regulations
    • Outsourcing Strategy

    Plan ahead for potential risks that may impede your strategy

    Risk assessment must go hand-in-hand with goal and objective planning

    Risk is inherent with any outsourcing project. Common outsourcing risks include:

    • Lack of commitment to the customer's goals from the vendor.
    • The distraction of managing the relationship with the vendor.
    • A perceived loss of control and a feeling of over-dependence on your vendor.
    • Managers may feel they have less influence on the development of strategy.
    • Retained staff may feel they have become less skilled in their specialist field.
    • Unanticipated expenses that were assumed to be offered by the vendor.
    • Savings only result from high capital investment in new projects on the part of the customer.

    Analyze the risks associated with a specific scenario. This analysis should identify and understand the most common sourcing and vendor risks using a risk-reward analysis for selected scenarios. Use tools and guidelines to assess and manage vendor risk and tailor risk evaluation criteria to the types of vendors and products.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Plan for the worst to prevent it from happening. Evaluating risk should cover a wide variety of scenarios including the worst possible cases. This type of thinking will be crucial when developing your exit strategy in a later exercise.

    2.2.1 Identify potential risks and constraints that may impact achievement of objectives

    1-3 hours

    1. Brainstorm any potential risks that may arise through the outsourcing project. Describe each risk and categorize both its probability of occurring and impact on the organization as high (H), medium (M), or low (L), using the table below:
    Risk Description

    Probability(H/M/L)

    Impact(H/M/L)Planned Mitigation
    Lack of documentationMMUse cloud-based solution to share documents.
    Knowledge transferLMDetailed knowledge-sharing agreement in place in the RFP.
    Processes not followedLHClear outline and definition of current processes.
    1. Identify any constraints for your outsourcing strategy that may restrict, limit, or place certain conditions on the outsourcing project.
      • This may include budget restrictions or staffing limitations.
      • Identifying constraints will help you be prepared for risks and will lessen their impact.
    2. Document risks and constraints in section 6 of the Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter Template.

    Input

    • RACI template
    • Org chart

    Output

    • List of roles and responsibilities for outsource project

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Team

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Define service tiers and roles to develop clear vendor SLAs

    Management of performance, SLAs, and customer satisfaction remain the responsibility of your organization.

    Define the tiers and/or services that will be the responsibility of the MSP, as well as escalations and workflows across tiers. A sample outsourced structure is displayed here:

    External Vendor

    Tickets beyond the scope of the service desk staff need to be escalated back to the vendor responsible for the affected system.

    Tier 3

    Tickets that are focused on custom applications and require specialized or advanced support are escalated back to your organization's second- and third-level support teams.

    Tier 2

    The vendor is often able to provide specialized support for standard applications. However, the desktop support still needs someone onsite as that service is very expensive to outsource.

    Tier 1

    Service desk outsource vendors provide first-line response. This includes answering the phones, troubleshooting simple problems, and redirecting requests that are more complex.

    Info-Tech Insight

    If you outsource everything, you'll be at the mercy of consultancy or professional services shops later on. You won't have anyone in-house to help you deploy anything; you're at the mercy of a consultant to come in and tell you what to do and how much to spend. Keep your highly skilled people in-house to offset what you'd have to pay for consultancy. If you need to repatriate your service desk later on, you will need skills in-house to do so.

    Don't become obsessed with managing by short-term metrics – look at the big picture

    "Good" metric results may simply indicate proficient reactive fixing; long-term thinking involves implementing proactive, balanced solutions.

    KPIs demonstrate that you are running an effective service desk because:

    • You close an average of 300 tickets per week
    • Your first call resolution is above 90%
    • Your talk time is less than five minutes
    • Surveys reveal clients are satisfied

    While these results may appear great on the surface, metrics don't tell the whole story.

    The effort from any support team seeks to balance three elements:

    FCR: Time; Resources; Quality

    First-Contact Resolution (FCR) Rate

    Percentage of tickets resolved during first contact with user (e.g. before they hang up or within an hour of submitting ticket). Could be measured as first-contact, first-tier, or first-day resolution.

    End-User Satisfaction

    Perceived value of the service desk measured by a robust annual satisfaction survey of end users and/or transactional satisfaction surveys sent with a percentage of tickets.

    Ticket Volume and Cost Per Ticket

    Monthly operating expenses divided by average ticket volume per month. Report ticket volume by department or ticket category, and look at trends for context.

    Average Time to Resolve (incidents) or Fulfill (service requests)

    Time elapsed from when a ticket is "open" to "resolved." Distinguish between ticket resolution vs. closure, and measure time for incidents and service requests separately.

    Focus on tension metrics to achieve long-term success

    Tension metrics help create a balance by preventing teams from focusing on a single element.

    For example, an MSP built incentives around ticket volume for their staff, but not the quality of tickets. As a result, the MSP staff rushed through tickets and gamed the system while service quality suffered.

    Use metrics to establish baselines and benchmarking data:

    • If you know when spikes in ticket volumes occur, you can prepare to resource more appropriately for these time periods
    • Create KB articles to tackle recurring issues and assist tier 1 technicians and end users.
      • Employ a root cause analysis to eliminate recurring tickets.

    "We had an average talk time of 15 minutes per call and I wanted to ensure they could handle those calls in 15 minutes. But the behavior was opposite, [the vendor] would wrap up the call, transfer prematurely, or tell the client they'd call them back. Service levels drive behavior so make sure they are aligned with your strategic goals with no unintended consequences."
    – IT Services Manager, Banking

    Info-Tech Insight

    Make sure your metrics work cooperatively. Metrics should be chosen that cause tension on one another. It's not enough to rely on a fast service desk that doesn't have a high end-user satisfaction rate or runs at too high a cost; there needs to be balance.

    2.2.2 Arrange groups of tension metrics to balance your reporting

    1-3 hours

    1. Define KPIs and metrics that will be critical to service desk success.
    2. Distribute sticky notes of different colors to participants around the table.
    3. Select a space to place the sticky notes – a table, whiteboard, flip chart, etc. – and divide it into three zones.
    4. Refer to your defined list of goals and KPIs from activity 1.1.3 and discuss metrics to fulfill each KPI. Note that each goal (critical success factor, CSF) may have more than one KPI. For instance:
      1. Goal 1: Increase end-user satisfaction; KPI 1: Improve average transactional survey score. KPI 2: Improve annual relationship survey score.
      2. Goal 2: Improve service delivery; KPI 1: Reduce time to resolve incidents. KPI 2: Reduce time to fulfill service requests.
    5. Recall that tension metrics must form a balance between:
      1. Time
      2. Resources
      3. Quality
    6. Record the results in section 7 of the Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter Template.

    Input

    • Service desk outsourcing goals
    • Service desk outsourcing KPIs

    Output

    • List of service desk metrics

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Sticky notes
    • Markers
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • Project Team
    • Service Desk Manager

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Phase 3

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    Define the goal

    Design an outsourcing strategy

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    1.1 Identify goals and objectives

    1.2 Assess outsourcing feasibility

    2.1 Identify project stakeholders

    2.2 Outline potential risks and constraints

    3.1 Prepare a service overview and responsibility matrix

    3.2 Define your approach to vendor relationship management

    3.3 Manage the outsource relationship

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Build your outsourcing RFP
    • Set expectations with candidate vendors
    • Score and select your vendor
    • Manage your relationship with the vendor

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers

    Define requirements for outsourcing service desk support

    Step 3.1

    Prepare a service overview and responsibility matrix

    Activities

    3.1.1 Evaluate your technology, people, and process requirements

    3.1.2 Outline which party will be responsible for which service desk processes

    This step requires the following inputs:

    • Service desk processes and requirements

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers

    Outcomes of this step

    • Knowledge management and technology requirements
    • Self-service requirements

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    Create a detailed RFP to ensure your candidate vendor will fulfill all your requirements

    At its core, your RFP should detail the outcomes of your outsourcing strategy and communicate your needs to the vendor.

    The RFP must cover business needs and the more detailed service desk functions required. Many enterprises only consider the functionality they need, while ignoring operational and selection requirements.

    Negotiate a supply agreement with the preferred outsourcer for delivery of the required services. Ensure your RFP covers:

    1. Service specification
    2. Service levels
    3. Roles and responsibilities
    4. Transition period and acceptance
    5. Prices, payment, and duration
    6. Agreement administration
    7. Outsourcing issues

    In addition to defining your standard requirements, don't forget to take into consideration the following factors when developing your RFP:

    • Employee onboarding and hardware imaging for new users
    • Applications you need current and future support for
    • Reporting requirements
    • Self-service options
    • Remote support needs and locations

    Although it may be tempting, don't throw everything over the wall at your vendor in the RFP. Evaluate your service desk functions in terms of quality, cost effectiveness, and the value provided from the vendor. Organizations should only outsource functions that the vendor can operate better, faster, or cheaper.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Involve the right stakeholders in developing your RFP, not just service desk. If only service desk is involved in RFP discussion, the connection between tier 1 and specialists will be broken, as some processes are not considered from IT's point of view.

    Identify ITSM solution requirements

    Your vendor probably uses a different tool to manage their processes; make sure its capabilities align with the vision of your service desk.

    Your service desk and outsourcing strategy were both designed with your current ITSM solution in mind. Before you hand the reins to an MSP, it is crucial that you outline how your current ITSM solution is being used in terms of functionality.

    Find out if it's better to have the MSP use their own ITSM tools or your ITSM solution.

    Benefits of operating within your own ITSM while outsourcing the service desk:

    Disadvantages of using your own ITSM while outsourcing the service desk:

    • If you provide the service catalog, it's easier to control your ITSM tool yourself.
    • Using your own ITSM and giving access to the outsourcer will allow you to build your dashboard and access your operational metrics rather than relying on the MSP to provide you with metrics.
    • Usage of the current tool may be extended across multiple departments, so it may be in the best interest of your business to have the vendor adopt usage of the current tool.
    • While many ITSM solutions have similar functions, innate differences do exist between them. Outsourcers mostly want to operate in their own ticketing solution. As other departments besides IT may be using the service management tool, you will need to have the same tool across the organization. This makes purchasing the new ITSM license very expensive, unless you operate in the same ITSM as the outsourcer.
    • You need your vendor to be able to use the system you have in order to meet your requirements, which will limit your options in the market.
    • If the outsourcer is using your ITSM, you should provide training to them.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Defining your tool requirements can be a great opportunity to get the tool functionality you always wanted. Many MSPs offer enterprise-level ITSM tools and highly mature processes that may tempt you to operate within their ITSM environment. However, first define your goals for such a move, as well as pros and cons of operating in their service management tool to weigh if its benefits overweigh its downfalls.

    Case Study

    Lone Star College learned that it's important to select a vendor whose tool will work with your service desk

    INDUSTRY: Education

    SOURCE: ServiceNow

    Challenge

    Lone Star College has an end-user base of over 100,000 staff and students.

    The college has six campuses across the state of Texas, and each campus was using its own service desk and ITSM solution.

    Initially, the decision was to implement a single ITSM solution, but organizational complexity prevented that initiative from succeeding.

    A decision was made to outsource and consolidate the service desks of each of the campuses to provide more uniform service to end users.

    Solution

    Lone Star College selected a vendor that implemented FrontRange.

    Unfortunately, the tool was not the right fit for Lone Star's service and reporting needs.

    After some discussion, the outsourcing vendor made the switch to ServiceNow.

    Some time later, a hybrid outsourced model was implemented, with Lone Star and the vendor combining to provide 24/7 support.

    Results

    The consolidated, standardized approach used by Lone Star College and its vendor has created numerous benefits:

    • Standardized reporting
    • High end-user satisfaction
    • All SLAs are being met
    • Improved ticket resolution times
    • Automated change management.

    Lone Star outsourced in order to consolidate its service desks quickly, but the tools didn't quite match.

    It's important to choose a tool that works well with your vendor's, otherwise the same standardization issues can persist.

    Design your RFP to help you understand what the vendor's standard offerings are and what it is capable of delivering

    Your RFP should be worded in a way that helps you understand what your vendor's standard offerings are because that's what they're most capable of delivering. Rather than laying out all your requirements in a high level of detail, carefully craft your questions in a probing way. Then, understand what your current baseline is, what your target requirements are, and assess the gap.

    Design the RFP so that responses can easily be compared against one another.

    It is common to receive responses that are very different – RFPs don't provide a response framework. Comparing vastly different responses can be like comparing apples to oranges. Not only are they immensely time consuming to score, their scores also don't end up accurately reflecting the provider's capabilities or suitability as a vendor.

    If your RFP is causing a ten minute printer backlog, you're doing something wrong.

    Your RFP should not be hundreds of pages long. If it is, there is too much detail.

    Providing too much detail can box your responses in and be overly limiting on your responses. It can deter potentially suitable provider candidates from sending a proposal.

    Request
    For
    Proposal

    "From bitter experience, if you're too descriptive, you box yourself in. If you're not descriptive enough, you'll be inundated with questions or end up with too few bidders. We needed to find the best way to get the message across without putting too much detail around it."
    – Procurement Manager, Utilities

    Info-Tech's Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template contains nine sections

    1. Statement of work
      • Purpose, coverage, and participation ààInsert the purpose and goals of outsourcing your service desk, using steps 1.1 findings in this blueprint as reference.
    2. General information
      • Information about the document, enterprise, and schedule of events ààInsert the timeline you developed for the RFP issue and award process in this section.
    3. Proposal preparation instructions
      • The vendor's understanding of the RFP, good faith statement, points of contact, proposal submission, method of award, selection and notification.
    4. Service overview
      • Information about organizational perspective, service desk responsibility matrix, vendor requirements, and service level agreements (SLAs).
    5. Scope of work, specifications and requirements
      • Technical and functional requirements à Insert the requirements gathered in Phase 1 in this section of the RFP. Remember to include both current and future requirements.
    6. Exit conditions
      • Overview of exit strategy and transition process.
    7. Vendor qualifications and references
    8. Account management and estimated pricing
    9. Vendor certification
    This is a screenshot of the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template.

    The main point of focus in this document is defining your requirements (discussed in Phase 1) and developing proposal preparation instructions.

    The rest of the RFP consists mostly of standard legal language. Review the rest of the RFP template and adapt the language to suit your organization's standards. Check with your legal departments to make sure the RFP adheres to company policies.

    3.1.1 Evaluate your technology, people, and process requirements

    1-2 hours

    1. Review the outsourcing goals you identified in Phase 1 (activity 1.1.3).
    2. For each goal, divide the defined requirements from your requirements database library (activity 1.2.1) into three areas:
      1. People Requirements
      2. Process Requirements
      3. Technical Requirements
    3. Group your requirements based on characteristics (e.g. recovery capabilities, engagement methodology, personnel, etc.).
    4. Validate these requirements with the relevant stakeholders.
    5. Document your results in section 4 of the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template.

    Input

    • Identified key requirements

    Output

    • Refined requirements to input into the RFP

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers

    Download the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Assess knowledge management and technology requirements to enable the outsourcer with higher quality work

    Retain ownership of the knowledgebase to foster long-term growth of organizational intelligence

    With end users becoming more and more tech savvy, organizational intelligence is becoming an increasingly important aspect of IT support. Modern employees are able and willing to troubleshoot on their own before calling into the service desk. The knowledgebase and FAQs largely facilitate self-serve trouble shooting, both of which are not core concerns for the outsource vendor.

    Why would the vendor help you empower end users and decrease ticket volume when it will lead to less revenue in the future? Ticket avoidance is not simply about saving money by removing support. It's about the end-user community developing organizational intelligence so that it doesn't need as much technical support.

    Organizational intelligence occurs when shared knowledge and insight is used to make faster, better decisions.

    When you outsource, the flow of technical insight to your end-user community slows down or stops altogether unless you proactively drive it. Retain ownership of the knowledgebase and ensure that the content is:

    1. Validated to ensure it accurately describes the best solution.
    2. Actionable to ensure it prescribes repeatable, verifiable steps.
    3. Contextual to ensure the reader knows when NOT to apply the knowledge.
    4. Maintained to ensure the solution remains current.
    5. Applied, since knowledge is a cost with no benefit unless you apply it and turn it into organizational intelligence.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Include knowledge management process in your ticket handling workflows to make sure knowledge is transferred to the MSP and end users. For more information on knowledge management, refer to Info-Tech's Standardize the Service Desk and Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy blueprints.

    Assess self-service requirements in your outsourcing plan

    When outsourcing the service desk, determine who will take ownership of the self-service portal.

    Nowadays, outsourcers provide innovative services such as self-serve options. However, bear in mind that the quality of such services is a differentiating factor. A well-maintained portal makes it easy to:

    • Report incidents efficiently via use-case-based forms
    • Place requests via a business-oriented service catalog
    • Automate request processes
    • Give visibility on ticket status
    • Access knowledgebase articles
    • Provide status on critical systems
    • Look for services by both clicking service lists and searching them
    • Provide 24/7 service via interactive communication with live agent and AI-powered machine
    • Streamline business process in multiple departments rather than only IT

    In the outsourcing process, determine your expectations from your vendor on self-serve options and discuss how they will fulfill these requirements. Similar to other processes, work internally to define a list of services your organization is providing that you can pass over to the outsourcer to convert to a service catalog.

    Use Info-Tech's Sample Enterprise Services document to start determining your business's services.

    Assess admin rights in your outsourcing plan to give access to the outsourcer while you keep ownership

    Provide accessibility to account management to improve self-service, which enables:

    • Group owners to be named who can add or remove people from their operating units
    • Users to update attributes such as photos, address, phone number
    • Synchronization with HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems) to enable two-way communication on attribute updates
    • Password reset self-service

    Ensure the vendor has access rights to execute regular clean up to help:

    • Find stale and inactive user and computer accounts (inactive, expired, stale, never logged in)
    • Bulk move and disable capabilities
    • Find empty groups and remove
    • Find and assess NTFS permissions
    • Automated tasks to search and remediate

    Give admin rights to outsourcer to enable reporting and auditing capabilities, such as:

    • Change tracking and notifications
    • Password reset attempts, account unlocks, permission and account changes
    • Anomaly detection and remediation
    • Privilege abuse, such as password sharing

    Info-Tech Insight

    Provide your MSP with access rights to enable the service desk to have account management without giving too much authentication. This way you'll enable moving tickets to the outsourcer while you keep ownership and supervision.

    3.1.2 Outline which party will be responsible for which service desk processes

    1-2 hours

    This activity is an expansion to the outcomes of activity 1.2.1, where you determined the outsourcing requirements and the party to deliver each requirement.

    1. Add your identified tasks from the requirements database library to the service desk responsibility matrix (section 4.2 of the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template).
    2. Break each task down into more details. For instance, incident management may include tier 1, tier 2/3, KB creation and update, reporting, and auditing.
    3. Refer to section 4.1 of your Project Charter to review the responsible party for each use case.
    4. Considering the use cases, assess whether your organization, the MSP, or both parties will be responsible for the task.
    5. Document the results in section 4.2 of the RFP.

    Input

    • Identified key requirements

    Output

    • Responsible party to deliver each task

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers

    Download the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Step 3.2

    Define your approach to vendor relationship management

    Activities

    3.2.1 Define your SLA requirements

    3.2.2 Score each vendor to mitigate the risk of failure

    3.2.3 Score RFP responses

    3.2.4 Get referrals, conduct reference interviews and evaluate responses for each vendor

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    This step requires the following inputs:

    • Service desk outsourcing RFP
    • List of service desk outsourcing requirements

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers

    Outcomes of this step

    • Service desk SLA
    • RFP scores

    Don't rush to judgment; apply due diligence when selecting your vendor

    The most common mistake in vendor evaluation is moving too quickly. The process leading to an RFP evaluation can be exhausting, and many organizations simply want to be done with the whole process and begin outsourcing.

    The most common mistake in vendor evaluation is moving too quickly. The process leading to an RFP evaluation can be exhausting, and many organizations simply want to be done with the whole process and begin outsourcing.

    1. Call around to get referrals for each vendor
    2. Create a shortlist
    3. Review SLAs and contract terms
    4. Select your vendor

    Recognize warning signs in the MSP's proposal to ensure a successful negotiation

    Vendors often include certain conditions in their proposals that masquerade as appealing but may spell disaster. Watch for these red flags:

    1. Discounted Price
      • Vendors know the market value of their competitors' services. Price is not what sets them apart; it's the type of services offered as well as the culture present.
      • A noticeably low price is often indicative of a desperate organization that is not focused on quality managed services.
    2. No Pushback
      • Vendors should work to customize their proposal to suit both their capabilities and your needs. No pushback means they are not invested in your project as deeply as they should be.
      • You should be prepared for and welcome negotiations; they're a sign that both sides are reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.
    3. Continual SLA Improvement
      • Continual improvement is a good quality that your vendor should have, but it needs to have some strategic direction.
      • Throwing continual SLA improvement into the deal may seem great, but make sure that you'll benefit from the value-added service. Otherwise, you'll be paying for services that you don't actually need.

    Clearly define core vendor qualities before looking at any options

    Vendor sales and marketing people know just what to say to sway you: don't talk to them until you know what you're looking for.

    Geography

    Do you prefer global or local data centers? Do you need multiple locations for redundancy in case of disaster? Will language barriers be a concern?

    Contract Length

    Ensure you can terminate a poor arrangement by having shorter terms with optional renewals. It's better to renew and renegotiate if one side is losing in the deal in order to keep things fair. Don't assume that proposed long-term cost savings will provide a satisfactory service.

    Target Market

    Vendors are aiming at different business segments, from startups to large enterprises. Some will accept existing virtual machines, and others enforce compliance to appeal to government and health agencies.

    SLA

    A robust SLA strengthens a vendor's reliability and accountability. Agencies with special needs should have room in negotiations for customization. Providers should also account for regular SLA reviews and updates. Vendors should be tracking call volume and making projections that should translate directly to SLAs.

    Support

    Even if you don't need a vendor with 24/7 availability, vendors who cannot support this timing should be eliminated. You may want to upgrade later and will want to avoid the hassle of switching.

    Maturity

    Vendors must have the willingness and ability to improve processes and efficiencies over time. Maintaining the status-quo isn't acceptable in the constantly evolving IT world.

    Cost

    Consider which model makes the most sense: will you go with per call or per user pricing? Which model will generate vendor motivation to continually improve and meet your long-term goals? Watch out for variable pricing models.

    Define your SLA requirements so your MSP can create a solution that fits

    SLAs ensure accountability from the service provider and determine service price

    SLAs define the performance of the service desk and clarify what the provider and customer can expect in their outsourcing relationship.

    • Service categories
    • The acceptable range of end-user satisfaction
    • The scope of what functions of the service desk are being measured (availability, time to resolve, time to respond, etc.)
    • Credits and penalties for achieving or missing targets
    • Frequency of measurement/reporting
    • Provisions and penalties for ending the contractual relationship early
    • Management and communication structure
    • Escalation protocol for incidents relating to tiers 2 or 3

    Each MSP's RFP response will help you understand their basic SLA terms and enhanced service offerings. You need to understand the MSP's basic SLA terms to make sure they are adequate enough for your requirements. A well-negotiated SLA will balance the requirements of the customer and limit the liability of the provider in a win/win scenario.

    For more information on defining service level requirements, refer to Info-Tech's blueprint Reduce Risk With Rock-Solid Service-Level Agreements.

    3.2.1 Define your SLA requirements

    2-3 hours

    • As a team, review your current service desk SLA for the following items:
      • Response time
      • Resolution time
      • Escalation time
      • End-user satisfaction
      • Service availability
    • Use the sample table as a starting point to determine your current incident management SLA:
    • Determine your SLA expectations from the outsourcer.
    • Document your SLA expectations in section 4.4 of the RFP template.

    Participants: IT Managers, Service Desk Manager, Project Team

    Response
    PriorityResponse SLOResolution SLOEscalation Time
    T1
    Severity 1CriticalWithin 10 minutes4 hours to resolveImmediate
    Severity 2HighWithin 1 business hour8 business hours to resolve20 minutes
    Severity 3MediumWithin 4 business hours24 business hours to resolveAfter 20 minutes without progress
    Severity 4LowSame day (8 hours)72 business hours to resolve After 1 hour without progress
    SLO ResponseTime it takes for service desk to respond to service request or incident. Target response is 80% of SLO
    SLO ResolutionTime it takes to resolve incident and return business services to normal. Target resolution is 80% of SLO

    Download the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Get a detailed plan from your selected vendor before signing a contract

    Build a standard process to evaluate candidate vendors

    Use section 5 of Info-Tech's Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template for commonly used questions and requirements for outsourcing the service desk. Ask the right questions to secure an agreement that meets your needs. If you are already in a contract with an MSP, tale the opportunity of contract renewal to improve the contract and service.

    This is a screenshot of the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template.

    Download the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Add your finalized assessment questions into Info-Tech's Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Scoring Tool to aggregate responses in one repository for comparison. Since the vendors are asked to respond in a standard format, it is easier to bring together all the responses to create a complete view of your options.

    This is an image of the Service Desk Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    Download the Service Desk Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    3.2.2 Score each vendor to mitigate the risk of failure

    1-2 hours

    Include the right requirements for your organization and analyze candidate vendors on their capability to satisfy them.

    1. Use section 5 of the RFP template to convert your determined requirements into questions to address in vendor briefings.
    2. Review the questions in the context of near- and long-term service desk outsourcing needs. In the template, we have separated requirements into 7 categories:
      • Vendor Requirements (VR)
      • Vendor Qualifications/Engagement/Administration Capabilities (VQ)
      • Service Operations (SO)
      • Service Support (SS)
      • Service Level Agreement (SLA)
      • Transition Processes (TP)
      • Account Management (AM)
    3. Define the priority for each question:
      • Required
      • Desired
      • Optional
    4. Leave the compliance and comments to when you brief with vendors.

    Input

    • Technical and functional requirements

    Output

    • Priority level for each requirement
    • Completed list of requirement questions

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Markers
    • Laptops

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers

    Download the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    3.2.3 Score RFP responses

    2-3 hours

    1. Enter the requirements questions into the RFP Scoring Tool and use it during vendor briefings.
    2. Copy the Required and Desired priority requirements from the previous activity into the RFP Questions column.
    3. Evaluate each RFP response against the RFP criteria based on the scoring scale.
    4. The Results section in the tool shows the vendor ranking based on their overall scores.
    5. Compare potential outsourcing partners considering scores on individual requirements categories and based on overall scores.

    Input

    • Completed list of requirement questions
    • Priority level for each requirement

    Output

    • List of top vendors for outsourcing the service desk

    Materials

    • Service Desk Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers
    • IT Director/CIO

    Download the Service Desk Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    3.2.3 Get referrals, conduct reference interviews, and evaluate responses for each vendor

    1. Outline a list of questions to conduct reference interviews with past/present clients of your candidate vendors.
    2. Use the reference interview template as a starting point. As a group review the questions and edit them to a list that will fulfill your requirements.
    3. Ask your candidate vendors to provide you with a list of three to five clients that have/had used their services. Make sure that vendors enforce the interview will be kept anonymous and names and results won't be disclosed.
    4. Ask vendors to book a 20-30 minute call with you and their client.
    5. Document your interview comments in your updated reference interview template.
    6. Update the RFP scoring tool accordingly.

    Input

    • List of top vendors for outsourcing the service desk

    Output

    • Updated list of top vendors for outsourcing the service desk

    Materials

    • Service Desk Outsourcing Reference Interview Template
    • Service Desk Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers

    Download the Service Desk Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    Compare pricing models of outsourcing services

    It's a common sales tactic to use a low price as an easy solution. Carefully evaluate the vendors on your short-list and ensure that SLAs, culture, and price all match to your organization.

    Research different pricing models and accurately assess which model fits your organization. Consider the following pricing models:

    Pay per technician

    In this model, a flat rate is allocated to agents tackling your service desk tickets. This is a good option for building long-term relationship with outsourcer's agents and efficient knowledge transfer to the external team; however, it's not ideal for small organizations that deal with few tickets. This is potentially an expensive model for small teams.

    Pay per ticket

    This model considers the number of tickets handled by the outsourcer. This model is ideal if you only want to pay for your requirement. Although the internal team needs to have a close monitoring strategy to make sure the outsourcer's efficiency in ticket resolution.

    Pay per call

    This is based on outbound and inbound calls. This model is proper for call centers and can be less expensive than the other models; however, tracking is not easy, as you should ensure service desk calls result in efficient resolution rather than unnecessary follow-up.

    Pay per time (minutes or hours)

    The time spent on tickets is considered in this model. With this model, you pay for the work done by agents, so that it may be a good and relatively cheap option. As quicker resolution SLA is usually set by the organization, customer satisfaction may drop, as agents will be driven to faster resolution, not necessarily quality of work.

    Pay per user

    This model is based on number of all users, or number of users for particular applications. In this model, correlation between number of users and number of tickets should be taken into account. This is an ideal model if you want to deal with impact of staffing changes on service price. Although you should first track metrics such as mean time to resolve and average number of tickets so you can prevent unnecessary payment based on number of users when most users are not submitting tickets.

    Step 3.3

    Manage the outsource relationship

    Activities

    3.3.1 Analyze your outsourced service desk for continual improvement

    3.3.2 Make a case to either rehabilitate your outsourcing agreement or exit

    3.3.3 Develop an exit strategy in case you need to end your contract early

    Develop an RFP and make a long-term relationship

    This step requires the following inputs:

    • Service desk SLA
    • List of impacted stakeholder groups
    • List of impacts and benefits of the outsourced service desk

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers

    Outcomes of this step

    • Communication plan
    • Vendor management strategy

    Ensure formality of your vendor management practice

    A service desk outsourcing project is an ongoing initiative. Build a relationship plan to make sure the outsourcer complies with the agreement.

    This is an iamge of the cycle of relationship management and pre-contract management.

    Monitor Vendor Performance

    Key Activity:

    Measure performance levels with an agreed upon standard scorecard.

    Manage Vendor Risk

    Key Activity:

    Periodical assessment of the vendors to ensure they are meeting compliance standards.

    Manage Vendor Contracts and Relationships

    Key Activity:
    Manage the contracts and renewal dates, the level of demand for the services/products provided, and the costs accrued.

    COMPLETE Identify and Evaluate Vendors

    Key Activity:
    Develop a plan with procurement and key internal stakeholders to define clear, consistent, and stable requirements.

    COMPLETE Select a Vendor

    Key Activity:
    Develop a consistent and effective process for selecting the most appropriate vendor.

    Manage Vendor Contracts and Relationships

    Key Activity:
    Contracts are consistently negotiated to ensure the vendor and the client have a documented and consistent understanding of mutual expectations.

    Expect the vendor to manage processes according to your standards

    You need this level of visibility into the service desk process, whether in-house or outsourced

    Each of these steps requires documentation – either through standard operating procedures, SLAs, logs, or workflow diagrams.

    • Define key operating procedures and workflows
    • Record, classify, and prioritize tickets
    • Verify, approve, and fulfill tickets
    • Investigate, diagnose, and allocate tickets
    • Resolve, recover, and close tickets
    • Track and report

    "Make sure what they've presented to you is exactly what's happening."
    – Service Desk Manager, Financial Services

    Manage the vendor relationship through regular communication

    Regular contact with your MSP provides opportunities to address issues that emerge

    Designate a relationship manager to act as a liaison at the business to be a conduit between the business and the MSP.

    • The relationship manager will take feedback from the MSP and relate it back to you to bridge the technical and business gap between the two.

    Who should be involved

    • Routine review meetings should involve the MSP and your relationship manager.
    • Technical knowledge may be needed to address specific issues, but business knowledge and relationship management skills are absolutely required.
    • Other stakeholders and people who are deeply invested in the vendor relationship should be invited or at least asked to contribute questions and concerns.

    What is involved

    • Full review of the service desk statistics, escalations, staffing changes, process changes, and drivers of extra billing or cost.
    • Updates to key documentation for the issues listed above and changes to the knowledgebase.
    • Significant drivers of customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
    • Changes that have/are being proposed that can impact any of the above.

    Communicate changes to end users to avoid push back and get buy-in

    Top-down processes for outsourcing will leave end users in the dark

    • Your service desk staff has been involved in the outsourcing process the entire time, but end users are affected all the same.
    • The service desk is the face of IT. A radical shift in service processes and points of contact can be detrimental to not only the service desk, but all of IT.
    • Communicating the changes early to end users will both help them cope with the change and help the MSP achieve better results.
      • An internal communication plan should be rolled out in order to inform and educate end users about the changes associated with outsourcing the service desk.
    • Your relationship manager should be tasked with communicating the changes to end users. The focus should be on addressing questions or concerns about the transition while highlighting the value gained through outsourcing to an MSP.
    • Service quality is a two-way street; the end user needs to be informed of proper protocols and points of contact so that the service desk technicians can fulfill their duties to the best of their ability.

    "When my company decided to outsource, I performed the same role but for a different company. There was a huge disruption to the business flow and a lack of communication to manage the change. The transition took weeks before any end users figured out what the new processes were for submitting a ticket and who to ask for help, and from a personal side, it became difficult to maintain relationships with colleagues."
    – IT Specialist for a financial institution

    Info-Tech Insight

    Educate the enterprise on expectations and processes that are handled by the MSP. Identify stakeholder groups affected by the outsourced processes then build a communication plan on what's been changed, what the benefits are, and how they will be impacted. Determine a timeline for communicating these initiatives and how these announcements will be made. Use InfoTech's Sample Communication Plan as a starting point.

    Build a continual improvement plan to make sure your MSP is efficiently delivering services according to expectations

    Ensure that your quality assurance program is repeatable and applicable to the outsourced services

    1. Design a QA scorecard that can help you assess steps the outsourcer agents should follow. Keep the questionnaire high level but specific to your environment. The scorecard should include questions that follow the steps to take considering your intake channels. For instance, if end users can reach the service desk via phone, chat, and email, build your QA around assessing customer service for call, chat, and ticket quality.
    2. Build a training program for agents: Develop an internal monitoring plan to relay detailed feedback to your MSP. Assess performance and utilize KBs as training materials for coaching agents on challenging transactions.
    3. Everything that goes to your service desk has to be documented; there will be no organic transfer of knowledge and experience.
    4. You need to let your MSP know how their efforts are impacting the performance of your organization. Measure your internal performance against the external performance of your service desk.
    5. Constant internal check-ins ensure that your MSP is meeting the SLAs outlined in the RFP.
    6. Routine reporting of metrics and ticket trends allow you to enact problem management. Otherwise, you risk your MSP operating your service desk with no internal feedback from its owner.
    7. Use metrics to determine the service desk functionality.

    Consider the success story of your outsourced service desk

    Build a feedback program for your outsourced services. Utilize transactional surveys to discover and tell outsourcing success to the impacted stakeholders.

    Ensure you apply steps for providing feedback to make sure processes are handled as expected. Service desk is the face of IT. Customer satisfaction on ticket transactions reflects satisfaction with IT and the organization.

    Build customer satisfaction surveys and conduct them for every transaction to get a better sense of outsourced service desk functionality. Collaborate with the vendor to make sure you build a proper strategy.

    • Build a right list of questions. Multiple and lengthy questions may lead to survey taking fatigue. Make sure you ask the right questions and give an option to the customer to comment any additional notes.
    • Give the option to users to rate the transaction. Make the whole process very seamless and doable in a few seconds.
    • Ensure to follow-up on negative feedback. This will help you find gaps in services and provide training to improve customer service.

    3.3.1 Analyze your outsourced service desk for continual improvement

    1 hour

    1. In this project, you determined the KPIs based on your service desk objectives (activity 2.2.2).
    2. Refer to your list of metrics in section 7 of the Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter.
    3. Think about what story you want to tell and determine what factors will help move the narrative.
    4. Discuss how often you would like to track these metrics. Determine the audience for each metric.
    5. Provide the list to the MSP to create reports with auto-distribution.

    Input

    • Determined CSFs and KPIs

    Output

    • List of metrics to track, including frequency to report and audience to report to

    Materials

    • Service Desk Outsourcing Project Charter

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers
    • Project Managers

    Download the Project Charter Template

    Reward the MSP for performance instead of "punishing" them for service failure

    Turn your vendor into a true partner by including an "earn back" condition in the contract

    MSPs often offer clients credit requests (service credits) for their service failures, which are applied to the previous month's monthly recurring charge. They are applied to the last month's MRC (monthly reoccurring charges) at the end of term and then the vendor pays out the residual.

    However, while common, service credits are not always perceived to be a strong incentive for the provider to continually focus on improvement of mean-time-to-respond/mean-time-to-resolve.

    • Engage the vendor as a true partner within a relationship only based upon Service Credits.
    • Suggest the vendor include a minor change to the non-performance processes within the final agreement: the vendor implements an "earn back" condition in the agreement.
    • Where a bank of service credits exists because of non-performance, if the provider exceeds the SLA performance metrics for a number of consecutive months (two is common), then an amount of any prior credits received by client is returned to the provider as an earn back for improved performance.
    • This can be a useful mechanism to drive improved performance.

    Measure the outsourced service desk ROI constantly to drive efficient decisions for continual improvement or an exit plan

    Efficient outsourced service desk causes positive impacts on business satisfaction. To address the true value of the services outsourced, you should evaluate the return on investment (ROI) in these areas: Emotional ROI, Time ROI, Financial ROI

    Emotional ROI

    Service desk's main purpose should be to provide topnotch services to end users. Build a customer experience program and leverage transactional surveys and relationship surveys to constantly analyze customer feedback on service quality.

    Ask yourself:

    • How have the outsourced services improved customer satisfaction?
    • How has the service desk impacted the business brand?
    • Have these services improved agents' job satisfaction?
    • What is the NPS score of the service desk?
    • What should we do to reduce the detractor rate and improve satisfaction leveraging the outsourced service desk?

    Time ROI

    Besides customer satisfaction, SLA commitment is a big factor to consider when conducting ROI analysis.

    Ask these questions:

    • Have we had improvement in FCR?
    • What are the mean time to resolve incidents and mean time to fulfill requests?
    • Is the cost incurred to outsourced services worth improvement in such metrics?

    Financial ROI

    As already mentioned in Phase 1, the main motivation for outsourcing the service desk should not be around cost reduction, but to improve performance. Regardless, it's still important to understand the financial implications of your decision.

    To evaluate the financial impact of your outsourced service desk, ask these questions:

    • How much have the outsourced services impacted our business financially?
    • How much are we paying compared to when it was done internally?
    • Considering the emotional, time, and effort factors, is it worth bringing the services in house or changing the vendor?

    3.3.2 Make a case to either rehabilitate your outsourcing agreement or exit

    3-4 hours

    1. Refer to the results of activity 2.2.2. for the list of metrics and the metrics dashboard over the past quarter.
    2. Consider emotional and time ROI, assess end-user satisfaction and SLA, and run a report comparison with the baseline that you built prior to outsourcing the service desk.
    3. Estimate the organization's IT operating expenses over the next five years if you stay with the vendor.
    4. Estimate the organization's IT operating expenses over the next five years if you switch the vendor.
    5. Estimate the organization's IT operating expenses over the next five years if you repatriate the service desk.
    6. Estimate the non-recurring costs associated with the move, such as the penalty for early contract termination, data center moving costs, and cost of potential business downtime during the move. Sum them to determine the investment.
    7. Calculate the return on investment. Discuss and decide whether the organization should consider rehabilitating the vendor agreement or ending the partnership.

    Input

    • Outsourced service desk metrics
    • Operating expenses

    Output

    • Return on investment

    Materials

    • List of metrics
    • Laptop
    • Markers
    • Flip chart/whiteboard

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers

    For more information on conducting this activity, refer to InfoTech's blueprint Terminate the IT Infrastructure Outsourcing Relationship

    Define exit conditions to complete your contract with your MSP

    The end of outsourcing is difficult. Your organization needs to maintain continuity of service during the transition. Your MSP needs to ensure that its resources can be effectively transitioned to the next deployment with minimal downtime. It is crucial to define your exit conditions so that both sides can prepare accordingly.

    • Your exit conditions must be clearly laid out in the contract. Create a list of service desk functions and metrics that are important to your organization's success. If your MSP is not meeting those needs or performance levels, you should terminate your services.
    • Most organizations accomplish this through a clear definition of hard and measurable KPIs and metrics that must be achieved and what will happen in the case these metrics are not being regularly met. If your vendor doesn't meet these requirements as defined in your contract, you then have a valid reason and the ability to leave the agreement.

    Examples of exit conditions:

    • Your MSP did not meet their SLAs on priority 1 or 2 tickets two times within a month.
    • If they didn't meet the SLA twice in that 30 days, you could terminate the contract penalty-free.

    Info-Tech Insight

    If things start going south with your MSP, negotiate a "get well plan." Outline your problems to the MSP and have them come back to you with a list of how they're going to fix these problems to get well before you move forward with the contract.

    Try to rehabilitate before you repatriate

    Switching service providers or ending the contract can be expensive and may not solve your problems. Try to rehabilitate your vendor relationship before immediately ending it.

    You may consider terminating your outsourcing agreement if you are dissatisfied with the current agreement or there has been a change in circumstances (either the vendor has changed, or your organization has changed).

    Before doing so, consider the challenges:

    1. It can be very expensive to switch providers or end a contract.
    2. Switching vendors can be a large project involving transfer of knowledge, documentation, and data.
    3. It can be difficult to maintain service desk availability, functionality, and reliability during the transition.

    Diagnose the cause of the problem before assuming it's the MSP's fault. The issue may lie with poorly defined requirements and processes, lack of communication, poor vendor management, or inappropriate SLAs. Re-assess your strategy and re-negotiate your contract if necessary.

    Info-Tech Insight

    There are many reasons why outsourcing relationships fail, but it's not always the vendor's fault.

    Clients often think their MSP isn't doing a great job, but a lot of the time the reason comes back to the client. They may not have provided sufficient documentation on processes, were not communicating well, didn't have a regular point of contact, and weren't doing regular service reviews. Before exiting the relationship, evaluate why it's not working and try to fix things first.

    Don't stop with an exit strategy, you also need to develop a transition plan

    Plan out your transition timeline, taking into account current contract terms and key steps required. Be prepared to handle tickets immediately upon giving notice.

    • Review your outsourcing contract with legal counsel to identify areas of concern for lock-in or breech.
    • Complete a cost/benefit analysis.
    • Bring intellectual property (including ticket data, knowledge base articles, and reports) back in-house (if you'd like to repatriate the service desk) or transfer to the next service desk vendor (if you're outsourcing to another MSP).
    • Review and update service desk standard processes (escalation, service levels, ticket templates, etc.).
    • Procure service desk software, licenses, and necessary hardware as needed.
    • Train the staff (internal for repatriating the service desk, or external for the prospective MSP).
    • Communicate the transition plan and be prepared to start responding to tickets immediately.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Develop a transition plan about six months before the contract notice date. Be proactive by constantly tracking the MSP, running ROI analyses and training staff before moving the services to the internal team or the next MSP. This will help you manage the transition smoothly and handle intake channels so that upon potential exit, users won't be disrupted.

    3.3.3 Develop an exit strategy in case you need to end your contract early

    3-4 hours

    Create a plan to be prepared in case you need to end your contract with the MSP early.

    Your exit strategy should encompass both the conditions under which you would need to end your contract with the MSP and the next steps you will take to transition your services.

    1. Define the exit conditions you plan to negotiate into your contract with the MSP:
      • Identify the performance levels you will require your MSP to meet.
      • Identify the actions you expect the MSP to take if they fail to meet these performance levels.
      • Identify the conditions under which you would leave the contract early.
    2. Develop a strategy for transitioning services in the event you need to leave your contract with the MSP:
      • Will you hand the responsibility to a new MSP or repatriate the service desk back in-house?
      • How will you maintain services through the transition?
    3. Document your exit strategy in section 6 of the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template.

    Input

    • Outsourced service desk metrics
    • Operating expenses

    Output

    • Return on investment

    Materials

    • List of metrics
    • Laptop
    • Markers
    • Flip chart/whiteboard

    Participants

    • IT Director/CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • IT Managers

    Download the Service Desk Outsourcing RFP Template

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Problem Solved

    You have now re-envisioned your service desk by building a solid strategy for outsourcing it to a vendor. You first analyzed your challenges with the current service desk and evaluated the benefits of outsourcing services. Then you went through requirements assessment to find out which processes should be outsourced. Thereafter, you developed an RFP to communicate your proposal and evaluate the best candidates.

    You have also developed a continual improvement plan to ensure the outsourcer provides services according to your expectations. Through this plan, you're making sure to build a good relationship through incentivizing the vendor for accomplishments rather than punishing for service failures. However, you've also contemplated an exit plan in the RFP for potential consistent service failures.

    Ideally, this blueprint has helped you go beyond requirements identification and served as a means to change your mindset and strategy for outsourcing the service desk efficiently to gain long-term benefits.

    if you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop

    Contact your account representative for more information

    workshops@infotech.com

    1-888-670-8889

    Additional Support

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop

    To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.

    Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech's historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

    This is a picture of Info-Tech analyst Mahmoud Ramin

    Contact your account representative for more information.
    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

    This is a screenshot of activity 1.2.1 found in this blueprint

    Identify Processes to Outsource
    Identify service desk tasks that will provide the most value upon outsourcing.

    This is a screenshot of activity 3.2.2 found in this blueprint

    Score Candidate Vendors
    Evaluate vendors on their capabilities for satisfying your service desk requirements.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Standardize the Service Desk

    • Improve customer service by driving consistency in your support approach and meeting SLAs.

    Outsource IT Infrastructure to Improve System Availability, Reliability, and Recovery

    • There are very few IT infrastructure components you should be housing internally – outsource everything else.

    Terminate the IT Infrastructure Outsourcing Relationship

    • There must be 50 ways to leave your vendor.

    Research Contributors and Experts

    Yev Khovrenkov; Enterprise Consultant, Solvera Solutions

    Kamil Salagan; I&O Manager, Bartek Ingredients

    Satish Mekerira; VP of IT, Coherus BioSciences

    Kris Krishan; Head of IT and Business Systems, Waymo

    Kris Arthur; Infra & Security Director, SEKO Logistics

    Valance Howden; Principal Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group

    Sandi Conrad; Principal Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group

    Graham Price; Senior Director of Executive Services, Info-Tech Research Group

    Barry Cousins; Practice Lead, Info-Tech Research Group

    Mark Tauschek; VP of I&O Research, Info-Tech Research Group

    Darin Stahl; Principal Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group

    Scott Yong; Principal Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group

    A special thank-you to five anonymous contributors

    Bibliography

    Allnutt, Charles. "The Ultimate List of Outsourcing Statistics." MicroSourcing, 2022. Accessed July 2022.
    "Considerations for outsourcing the service desk. A guide to improving your service desk and service delivery performance through outsourcing." Giva. Accessed May 2022.
    Hurley, Allison. "Service Desk Outsourcing | Statistics, Challenges, & Benefits." Forward BPO Inc., 2019. Accessed June 2022.
    Mtsweni, Patricia, et al. "The impact of outsourcing information technology services on business operations." South African Journal of Information Management, 2021, Accessed May 2022.
    "Offshore, Onshore or Hybrid–Choosing the Best IT Outsourcing Model." Calance, 2021. Accessed June 2022. Web.
    "Service Integration and Management (SIAM) Foundation Body of Knowledge." Scopism, 2020. Accessed May 2022.
    Shultz, Aaron. "IT Help Desk Outsourcing Pricing Models Comparison." Global Help Desk Services. Accessed June 2022. Web.
    Shultz, Aaron. "4 Steps to Accurately Measure the ROI of Outsourced Help Desk Services" Global Help Desk Services, Accessed June 2022. Web.
    Sunberg, John. "Great Expectations: What to Look for from Outsourced Service Providers Today." HDI. Accessed June 2022. Web.
    Walters, Grover. "Pivotal Decisions in outsourcing." Muma Case Review, 2019. Accessed May 2022.
    Wetherell, Steve. "Outsourced IT Support Services: 10 Steps to Better QA" Global Held Desk Services. Accessed May 2022. Web.

    Scale Business Process Automation

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    • Parent Category Name: Optimization
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    • Business process automation (BPA) adoption gained significant momentum as your business leaders saw the positive outcomes in your pilots, such as improvements in customer experience, operational efficiencies, and cost optimizations.
    • Your stakeholders are ready to increase their investments in more process automation solutions. They want to scale initial successes to other business and IT functions.
    • However, it is unclear how BPA can be successfully scaled and what benefits can be achieved from it.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    The shift from isolated, task-based automations in your pilot to value-oriented, scaled automations brings new challenges and barriers to your organization such as:

    • Little motivation or tolerance to change existing business operations to see the full value of BPA.
    • Overinvesting in current BPA technologies to maximize the return despite available alternatives that can do the same tasks better.
    • BPA teams are ill-equipped to meet the demands and complexities of scaled BPA implementations.

    Impact and Result

    • Ground your scaling expectations. Set realistic and achievable goals centered on driving business value to the entire organization by optimizing and automating end-to-end business processes.
    • Define your scaling journey. Tailor your scaling approach according to your ability to ease BPA implementation, to broaden BPA adoption, and to loosen BPA constraints.
    • Prepare to scale BPA. Cement your BPA management and governance foundations to support BPA scaling using the lessons learned from your pilot implementation.

    Scale Business Process Automation Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Scale Business Process Automation Deck – A guide to learn the opportunities and values of scaling business process automation.

    This research walks you through the level setting of your scaled business process automation (BPA) expectations, factors to consider in defining your scaled BPA journey, and assessing your readiness to scale BPA.

    • Scale Business Process Automation Storyboard

    2. Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment – A tool to help you evaluate your readiness to scale business process automation.

    Use this tool to identify key gaps in the people, processes, and technologies you need to support the scaling of business process automation (BPA). It also contains a canvas to facilitate your discussions around business process automation with your stakeholders and BPA teams.

    • Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Scale Business Process Automation

    Take a value-first approach to automate the processes that matter

    Analyst Perspective

    Scaling business process automation (BPA) is an organization-wide commitment

    Business and IT must work together to ensure the right automations are implemented and BPA is grown and matured in a sustainable way. However, many organizations are not ready to make this commitment. Managing the automation demand backlog, coordinating cross-functional effort and organizational change, and measuring BPA value are some of the leading factors challenging scaling BPA.

    Pilot BPA with the intent to scale it. Pilots are safe starting points to establish your foundational governance and management practices and build the necessary relationships and collaborations for you to be successful. These factors will then allow you to explore more sophisticated, complicated, and innovative opportunities to drive new value to your team, department, and organization.

    A picture of Andrew Kum-Seun

    Andrew Kum-Seun
    Research Director,
    Application Delivery and Management
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    • Business process automation (BPA) adoption gained significant momentum as your business leaders see the positive outcomes in your pilots, such as improvements in customer experience, operational efficiencies, and cost optimizations.
    • Your stakeholders are ready to increase their investments in more process automation solutions. They want to scale initial successes to other business and IT functions.
    • However, it is unclear how BPA can be successfully scaled and what benefits can be achieved from it.

    Common Obstacles

    The shift from isolated, task-based automations in your pilot to value-oriented and scaled automations brings new challenges and barriers to your organization:

    • Little motivation or tolerance to change existing business operations to see the full value of BPA.
    • Overinvesting in current BPA technologies to maximize return despite available alternatives that can do the same tasks better.
    • BPA teams are ill-equipped to meet the demands and complexities of scaled BPA implementations.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    • Ground your scaling expectations. Set realistic and achievable goals centered on driving business value to the entire organization by optimizing and automating end-to-end business processes.
    • Define your scaling journey. Tailor your scaling approach according to your ability to ease BPA implementation, to broaden BPA adoption, and to loosen BPA constraints.
    • Prepare to scale BPA. Cement your BPA management and governance foundations to support BPA scaling using the lessons learned from your pilot implementation.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Take a value-first approach in your scaling business process automation (BPA) journey. Low-risk, task-oriented automations are good starting points to introduce BPA but constrain the broader returns your organization wants. Business value can only scale when everything and everyone in your processes are working together to streamline the entire value stream rather than the small gains from optimizing small, isolated automations.

    Scale Business Process Automation

    Take a value-first approach to automate the processes that matter

    Pilot Your BPA Capabilities

    • Learn the foundation practices to design, deliver, and support BPA.
    • Understand the fit and value of BPA.
    • Gauge the tolerance for business operational change and system risk.

    See Info-Tech's Build a Winning Business Process Automation Playbook blueprint for more information.

    Build Your Scaling BPA Vision

    Apply Lessons Learned to Scale

    1. Ground Your Scaling Expectations
      Set realistic and achievable goals centered on driving business value to the entire organization by optimizing and automating end-to-end business processes.
    2. Define Your Scaling Journey
      Tailor your scaling approach according to your ability to ease BPA implementation, to broaden BPA adoption, and to loosen BPA constraints.
    3. Prepare to Scale BPA
      Cement your BPA management and governance foundations to support BPA scaling using the lessons learned from your pilot implementation.

    Research deliverable

    Design and communicate your approach to scale business process automation with Info-Tech's Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment:

    • Level set your scaled BPA goals and objectives.
    • Discuss and design your scaled BPA journey.
    • Identify the gaps and improvements needed to scale your BPA practices and implementation.

    A screenshot from Info-Tech's Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment

    Step 1.1

    Ground Your Scaling Expectations

    Activities

    1.1.1 Define Your Scaling Objectives

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    Outcomes of this step

    Scaling BPA objectives

    Organizations want to scale their initial BPA success

    Notable Initial Benefits

    1. Time Saved: "In the first day of live operations, the robots were saving 51 hours each day or the equivalent of six people working an eight-hour shift." – Brendan MacDonald, Director of Customer Compliance Operations, Ladbrokes (UiPath)
    2. Documentation & Knowledge Sharing: "If certain people left, knowledge of some processes would be lost and we realized that we needed a reliable process management system in place." – Peta Kinnane, Acting Audit and Risk Coordinator, Liverpool City Council (Nintex)
    3. Improved Service Delivery: "Thanks to this automation, our percentage of triaged and assigned tickets is now 100%. Nothing falls through the cracks. It has also improved the time to assignment. We assign tickets 2x faster than before." – Sebastian Goodwin, Head of Cybersecurity, Nutanix (Workato)

    Can We Gain More From Automation?

    The Solution

    As industries evolve and adopt more tools and technology, their products, services, and business operating models become more complex. Task- and desktop-based automations are often not enough. More sophisticated and scaled automations are needed to simplify and streamline the process from end-to-end of complex operations and align them with organizational goals.

    Stakeholders see automation as an opportunity to scale the business

    The value of scaling BPA is dependent on the organization's ability to scale with it. In other words, stakeholders should see an increase in business value without a substantial increase in resources and operational costs (e.g., there should be little difference if sending out 10 emails versus 1000).

    Examples of how business can be scaled with automation

    • Processes triggered by incoming documents or email: in these processes, an incoming document or email (that has semi-structured or unstructured data) is collected by a script or an RPA bot. This document is then processed with a machine learning model that validates it either by rules or ML models. The validated and enriched machine-readable data is then passed on to the next system of record.
    • The accounts payable process: this process includes receiving, processing, and paying out invoices from suppliers that provided goods or services to the company. While manual processing can be expensive, take too much time, and lead to errors, businesses can automate this process with machine learning and document extraction technologies like optical characters recognition (OCR), which converts texts containing images into characters that can be readable by computers to edit, compute, and analyze.
    • Order management: these processes include retrieving email and relevant attachments, extracting information that tells the business what its customers want, updating internal systems with newly placed orders or modifications, or taking necessary actions related to customer queries.
    • Enhance customer experience: [BPA tools] can help teams develop and distribute customer loyalty offers faster while also optimizing these offers with customer insights. Now, enterprises can more easily guarantee they are delivering the relevant solutions their clients are demanding.

    Source: Stefanini Group

    Scaling BPA has its challenges

    Perceived Lack of Opportunities

    Pilot BPA implementations often involve the processes that are straightforward to automate or are already shortlisted to optimize. However, these low-hanging fruits will run out. Discovering new BPA opportunities can be challenged for a variety of reasons, such as:

    • Lack of documentation and knowledge
    • Low user participation or drive to change
    • BPA technology limitations and constraints

    Perceived Lack of Opportunities

    BPA is not a cheap investment. A single RPA bot, for example, can cost between $5,000 to $15,000. This cost does not include the added cost for training, renewal fees, infrastructure set up and other variable and reoccurring costs that often come with RPA delivery and support (Blueprint). This reality can motivate BPA owners to favor existing technologies over other cheaper and more effective alternatives in an attempt boost their return on investment.

    Ill-Equipped Support Teams

    Good technical skills and tools, and the right mindset are critical to ensure BPA capabilities are deployed effectively. Low-code no-code (LCNC) can help but success isn't guaranteed. Lack of experience with low-code platforms is the biggest obstacle in low-code adoption according to 60% of respondents (Creatio). The learning curve has led some organizations to hire contractors to onboard BPA teams, hire new employees, or dedicate significant funding and resources to upskill internal resources.

    Shift your objectives from task-based efficiencies to value-driven capabilities

    How can I improve myself?

    How can we improve my team?

    How can we improve my organization?

    Objectives

    • Improve worker productivity
    • Improve the repeatability and predictability of the process
    • Deliver outputs of consistent quality and cadence
    • Increase process, tool, and technology confidence
    • Increase the team's throughput, commitment, and load
    • Apply more focus on cognitive and complex tasks
    • Reduce the time to complete error-prone, manual, and routine collaborations
    • Deliver insightful, personalized, and valuable outputs
    • Drive more value in existing pipelines and introduce new value streams
    • Deliver consistent digital experiences involving different technologies
    • Automatically tailor a customer's experience to individual preferences
    • Forecast and rapidly respond to customer issues and market trends

    Goals

    • Learn the fit of BPA & set the foundations
    • Improve the practices & tools and optimize the performance
    • Scale BPA capabilities throughout the organization

    Gauge the success of your scaled BPA

    BPA Practice Effectiveness

    Key Question: Are stakeholders satisfied with how the BPA practice is meeting their automation needs?

    Examples of Metrics:

    • User satisfaction
    • Automation request turnaround time
    • Throughput of BPA team

    Automation Solution Quality

    Key Question: How do your automation solutions perform and meet your quality standards?

    Examples of Metrics:

    • Licensing and operational costs
    • Service level agreement and uptime/downtime
    • Number of defects

    Business Value Delivery

    Key Question: How has automation improved the value your employees, teams, and the organization delivers?

    Examples of Metrics:
    Increase in revenue generation
    Reduction in operational costs
    Expansion of business capabilities with minimal increases in costs and risks

    1.1.1 Define your scaling objectives

    5 minutes

    1. Complete the following fields to build your scaled business process automation canvas:
      1. Problem that scaling BPA is intending to solve
      2. Your vision for scaling BPA
      3. Stakeholders
      4. Scaled BPA business and IT objectives and metrics
      5. Business capabilities, processes, and application systems involved
      6. Notable constraints, roadblocks, and challenges to your scaled BPA success
    2. Document your findings and discussions in Info-Tech's Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment.

    Output

    Scaled BPA value canvas

    Participants

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    Record the results in the 2. Value Canvas Tab in the Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment.

    1.1.1 cont'd

    Scaled BPA Value Canvas Template:

    A screenshot of Scaled BPA Value Canvas Template

    Align your objectives to your application portfolio strategy

    Why is an application portfolio strategy important for BPA?

    • All business process optimizations are designed, delivered, and managed to support a consistent interpretation of the business and IT vision and goals.
    • Clear understanding of the sprawl, criticality, and risks of automation solutions and applications to business capabilities.
    • BPA initiatives are planned, prioritized, and coordinated alongside modernization, upgrades, and other changes to the application portfolio.
    • Resources, skills, and capacities are strategically allocated to meet BPA demand considering other commitments in the backlog and roadmap.
    • BPA expectations and practices uphold the persona, values, and principles of the application team.

    What is an application portfolio strategy?

    An application portfolio strategy details the direction, activities, and tactics to deliver on the promise of your application portfolio. It often includes:

    • Portfolio vision and goals
    • Application, automation, and process portfolio
    • Values and principles
    • Portfolio health
    • Risks and constraints
    • Strategic roadmap

    See our Application Portfolio Management Foundations blueprint for more information.

    Leverage your BPA champions to drive change and support scaling initiatives

    An arrow showing the steps to Leverage your BPA champions to drive change and support scaling initiatives

    Expected Outcome From Your Pilot: Your pilot would have recognized the roles that know how to effectively apply good BPA practices (e.g., process analysis and optimization) and are familiar with the BPA toolset. These individuals are prime candidates who can standardize your Build a Winning Business Process Automation Playbook, upskill interested teams, and build relationships among those involved in the delivery and use of BPA.

    Step 1.2

    Define Your Scaling Journey

    Activities

    1.2.1 Discuss Your BPA Opportunities
    1.2.2 Lay Out Your Scaling BPA Journey

    Scale Business Process Automation

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    Outcomes of this step

    • List of scaling BPA opportunities
    • Tailored scaling journey

    Maintain a healthy demand pipeline

    A successful scaled BPA practice requires a continuous demand for BPA capabilities and the delivery of minimum viable automations (MVA) held together by a broader strategic roadmap.

    An image of a healthy demand pipeline.  it flows from opportunities to trends, with inputs from internal and external sources.

    An MVA focuses on a single and small process use case, involves minimal possible effort to improve, and is designed to satisfy a specific user group. Its purpose is to maximize learning and value and inform the further scaling of the BPA technology, approach, or practice.

    See our Build a Winning Business Process Automation Playbook blueprint for more information.

    Investigate how BPA trends can drive more value for the organization

    • Event-Driven Automation
      Process is triggered by a schedule, system output, scenario, or user (e.g., voice-activated, time-sensitive, system condition)
    • Low- & No-Code Automation build and management are completed through an easy-to-learn scripting language and/or a GUI.
    • Intelligent Document Processing
      Transform documents for better analysis, processing and handling (e.g., optical character recognition) by a tool or system.
    • End-to-End Process Automation & Transparency
      Linking cross-functional processes to enable automation of the entire value stream with seamless handoffs or triggers.
    • Orchestration of Different BPA Technologies
      Integrating and sequencing the execution of multiple automation solutions through a single console.
    • Cognitive Automation
      AI and other intelligent technologies automate information-intensive processes, including semi and unstructured data and human thinking simulation.
    • Intelligent Internet-of-Things
      Connecting process automation technologies to physical environments with sensors and other interaction devices (e.g., computer vision).
    • Ethical Design
      Optimizing processes that align to the moral value, principles, and beliefs of the organization (e.g., respects data privacy, resists manipulative patterns).
    • User Profiling & Tailored Experiences
      Customizing process outputs and user experience with user-defined configurations or system and user activity monitoring.
    • Process Mining & Discovery
      Gleaning optimization opportunities by analyzing system activities (mining) or monitoring user interactions with applications (discovery).

    1.2.1 Discuss your BPA opportunities

    5 minutes

    1. Review the goals and objectives of your initiative and the expectations you want to gain from scaling BPA.
    2. Discuss how BPA trends can be leveraged in your organization.
    3. List high priority scaling BPA opportunities.

    Output

    • Scaled BPA opportunities

    Participants

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    Create your recipe for success

    Your scaling BPA recipe (approach) can involve multiple different flavors of various quantities to fit the needs and constraints of your organization and workers.

    What and how many ingredients you need is dependent on three key questions:

    1. How can we ease BPA implementation?
    2. How can we broaden the BPA scope?
    3. How can we loosen constraints?

    Personalize Scaling BPA To Your Taste

    • Extend BPA Across Business Units (Horizontal)
    • Integrate BPA Across Your Application Architecture (Vertical)
    • Embed AI/ML Into Your Automation Technologies
    • Empower Users With Business-Managed Automations
    • Combine Multiple Technologies for End-to-End Automation
    • Increase the Volume and Velocity of Automation
    • Automate Cognitive Processes and Making Variable Decisions

    Answer these questions in the definition of your scaling BPA journey

    Seeing the full value of your scaling approach is dependent on your ability to support BPA adoption across the organization

    How can we ease BPA implementation?

    • Good governance practices (e.g., role definitions, delivery and management processes, technology standards).
    • Support for innovation and experimentation.
    • Interoperable and plug-and-play architecture.
    • Dedicated technology management and support, including resources, documents, templates and shells.
    • Accessible and easy-to-understand knowledge and document repository.

    How can we broaden BPA scope?

    • Provide a unified experience across processes, fragmented technologies, and siloed business functions.
    • Improve intellectually intensive activities, challenging decision making and complex processes with more valuable insights and information using BPA.
    • Proactively react to business and technology environments and operational changes and interact with customers with unattended automation.
    • Infuse BPA technologies into your product and service to expand their functions, output quality, and reliability.

    How can we loosen constraints?

    • Processes are automated without the need for structured data and optimized processes, and there is no need to work around or avoid legacy applications.
    • Workers are empowered to develop and maintain their own automations.
    • Coaching, mentoring, training, and onboarding capabilities.
    • Accessibility and adoption of underutilized applications are improved with BPA.
    • BPA is used to overcome the limitations or the inefficiencies of other BPA technologies.

    1.2.2 Lay out your scaling BPA journey

    5 minutes

    1. Review the goals and objectives of your initiative, the expectations you want to gain from scaling BPA, and the various scaling BPA opportunities.
    2. Discuss the different scaling BPA flavors (patterns) and how each flavor is applicable to your situation. Ask yourself these key questions:
      1. How can we ease BPA implementation?
      2. How can we broaden the BPA scope?
      3. How can we loosen constraints?
    3. Design the broad steps of your scaling BPA journey. See the following slide for an example.
    4. Document your findings and discussions in Info-Tech's Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment.

    Record the results in the 3. Scaled BPA Journey Tab in the Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment.

    Output

    • Scaled BPA journey

    Participants

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    1.2.2 cont'd

    An image of the marker used to identify Continuous business process optimization and automation Continuous business process optimization and automation
    An image of the marker used to identify Scope of Info-Tech's Build Your Business Process Automation Playbook blueprintScope of Info-Tech's Build Your Business Process Automation Playbook blueprint

    Example:

    An example of the BPA journey.  Below are the links included in the journey.

    Continuously review and realign expectations

    Optimizing your scaled BPA practices and applying continuous improvements starts with monitoring the process after implementation.

    Purpose of Monitoring

    1. Diligent monitoring confirms your scaled BPA implementation is performing as desired and meeting initial expectations.
    2. Holding reviews of your BPA practice and implementations helps assess the impact of marketplace and business operations changes and allows the organization to stay on top of trends and risks.

    Metrics

    Metrics are an important aspect of monitoring and sustaining the scaled practice. The metrics will help determine success and find areas where adjustments may be needed.

    Hold retrospectives to identify any practice issues to be resolved or opportunities to undertake

    The retrospective gives your organization the opportunity to review themselves and brainstorm solutions and a plan for improvements to be actioned. This session is reoccurring, typically, after key milestones. While it is important to allow all participants the opportunity to voice their opinions, feelings, and experiences, retrospectives must be positive, productive, and time boxed.

    Step 1.3

    Prepare to Scale BPA

    Activities

    1.3.1 Assess Your Readiness to Scale BPA

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    Outcomes of this step

    • Scale BPA readiness assessment

    Prepare to scale by learning from your pilot implementations

    "While most organizations are advised to start with automating the 'low hanging fruit' first, the truth is that it can create traps that will impede your ability to achieve RPA at scale. In fact, scaling RPA into the organizational structure is fundamentally different from implementing a conventional software product or other process automation."
    – Blueprint

    What should be the takeaways from your pilot?

    Degree of Required BPA Support

    • Practices needed to address the organization's tolerance to business process changes and automation adoption.
    • Resources, budget and skills needed to configure and orchestrate automation technologies to existing business applications and systems.

    Technology Integration & Compatibility

    • The BPA technology and application system's flexibility to be enhanced, modified, and removed.
    • Adherence to data and system quality standards (e.g., security, availability) across all tools and technologies.

    Good Practices Toolkit

    • A list of tactics, techniques, templates, and examples to assist teams assessing and optimizing business processes and applying BPA solutions in your organization's context.
    • Strategies to navigate common blockers, challenges, and risks.

    Controls & Measures

    • Defined guardrails aligned to your organization's policies and risk tolerance
    • Key metrics are gathered to gauge the value and performance of your processes and automations for enhancements and further scaling.

    Decide how to architect and govern your BPA solutions

    Centralized

    A single body and platform to coordinate, execute, and manage all automation solutions.

    An image of the Centralized approach to governing BPA solutions.

    Distributed

    Automation solutions are locally delivered and managed whether that is per business unit, type of technology, or vendor. Some collaboration and integration can occur among solutions but might be done without a holistic strategy or approach.

    An image of the Distributed approach to governing BPA solutions.

    Hybrid

    Automation solutions are locally delivered and managed and executed for isolated use cases. Broader and complex automations are centrally orchestrated and administered.

    An image of the Hybrid approach to governing BPA solutions.

    Be prepared to address the risks with scaling BPA

    "Companies tend to underestimate the complexity of their business processes – and bots will frequently malfunction without an RPA design team that knows how to anticipate and prepare for most process exceptions. Unresolved process exceptions rank among the biggest RPA challenges, prompting frustrated users to revert to manual work."
    – Eduardo Diquez, Auxis, 2020

    Scenarios

    • Handling Failures of Dependent Systems
    • Handling Data Corruption & Quality Issues
    • Alignment to Regulatory & Industry Standards
    • Addressing Changes & Regressions to Business Processes
    • "Run Away" & Hijacked Automations
    • Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Information

    Recognize the costs to support your scaled BPA environment

    Cost Factors

    Automation Operations
    How will chaining multiple BPA technologies together impact your operating budget? Is there a limit on the number of active automations you can have at a single time?

    User Licenses
    How many users require access to the designer, orchestrator, and other functions of the BPA solution? Do they also require access to dependent applications, services, and databases?

    System Enhancements
    Are application and system upgrades and modernizations needed to support BPA? Is your infrastructure, data, and security controls capable of handling BPA demand?

    Supporting Resources
    Are dedicated resources needed to support, govern, and manage BPA across business and IT functions? Are internal resources or third-party providers preferred?

    Training & Onboarding
    Are end users and supporting resources trained to deliver, support, and/or use BPA? How will training and onboarding be facilitated: internally or via third party providers?

    Create a cross-functional and supportive body to lead the scaling of BPA

    Your supportive body is a cross-functional group of individuals promoting collaboration and good BPA practices. It enables an organization to extract the full benefits from critical systems, guides the growth and evolution of strategic BPA implementations, and provides critical expertise to those that need it. A supportive body distinctly caters to optimizing and strengthening BPA governance, management, and operational practices for a single technology or business function or broadly across the entire organization encompassing all BPA capabilities.

    What a support body is not:

    • A Temporary Measure
    • Exclusive to Large Organizations
    • A Project Management Office
    • A Physical Office
    • A Quick Fix

    See our Maximize the Benefits from Enterprise Applications With a Center of Excellence blueprint for more information.

    What are my options?

    Center of Excellence (CoE)
    AND
    Community of Practice (CoP)

    CoEs and CoPs provide critical functions

    An image of the critical functions provided by CoE and CoP.

    Shift your principles as you scale BPA

    As BPA scales, users and teams must not only think of how a BPA solution operates at a personal and technical level or what goals it is trying to achieve, but why it is worth doing and how the outcomes of the automated process will impact the organization's reputation, morality, and public perception.

    An image of the journey from Siloed BPA to Scaled BPA.

    "I think you're going to see a lot of corporations thinking about the corporate responsibility of [organizational change from automation], because studies show that consumers want and will only do business with socially responsible companies."

    – Todd Lohr

    Source: Appian, 2018.

    Assess your readiness to scale BPA

    Vision & Objectives
    Clear direction and goals of the business process automation practice.

    Governance
    Defined BPA roles and responsibilities, processes, and technology controls.

    Skills & Competencies
    The capabilities users and support roles must have to be successful with BPA.

    Business Process Management & Optimization
    The tactics to document, analyze, optimize, and monitor business processes.

    Business Process Automation Delivery
    The tactics to review the fit of automation solutions and deliver and support according to end user needs and preferences.

    Business Process Automation Platform
    The capabilities to manage BPA platforms and ensure it supports the growing needs of the business.

    1.3.1 Assess your readiness to scale BPA

    5 minutes

    1. Review your scaling BPA journey and selected patterns.
    2. Conduct a readiness assessment using the 4. Readiness Assessment tab in Info-Tech's Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment.
    3. Brainstorm solutions to improve the capability or address the gaps found in this assessment.

    Output

    • Scaled BPA readiness assessment

    Participants

    • Business Process Owners
    • Product Owners
    • Application Directors
    • Business Architects
    • BPA Delivery & Support Teams

    Record the results in the 4. Readiness Assessment tab in Info-Tech's Scale Business Process Automation Readiness Assessment.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

    Workshop

    “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

    Consulting

    “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Bibliography

    Alston, Roland. "With the Rise of Intelligent Automation, Ethics Matter Now More than Ever." Appian, 4 Sept. 2018. Web.
    "Challenges of Achieving RPA at Scale." Blueprint, N.d. Web.
    Dilmegani, Cem. "RPA Benefits: 20 Ways Bots Improve Businesses in 2023," AI Multiple, 9 Jan 2023. Web.
    Diquez, Eduardo. "Struggling To Scale RPA? Discover The Secret to Success." Auxis, 30 Sept. 2020. Web.
    "How much does Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Really Cost?" Blueprint, 14 Sept. 2021. Web.
    "Liverpool City Council improves document process with Nintex." Nintex, n.d. Web.
    "The State of Low-Code/No-Code." Creatio, 2021. Web.
    "Using automation to enhance security and increase IT NPS to 90+ at Nutanix." Workato, n.d. Web.
    "What Is Hyperautomation? A Complete Guide To One Of Gartner's Top Tech Trends." Stefanini Group, 26 Mar. 2021. Web.

    Deliver a Customer Service Training Program to Your IT Department

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    • Parent Category Name: Service Desk
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    • The scope of service that the service desk must provide has expanded. With the growing complexity of technologies to support, it becomes easy to forget the customer service side of the equation. Meanwhile, customer expectations for prompt, frictionless, and exceptional service from anywhere have grown.
    • IT departments struggle to hire and retain talented service desk agents with the right mix of technical and customer service skills.
    • Some service desk agents don’t believe or understand that customer service is an integral part of their role.
    • Many IT leaders don’t ask for feedback from users to know if there even is a customer service problem.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • There’s a common misconception that customer service skills can’t be taught, so no effort is made to improve those skills.
    • Even when there is a desire to improve customer service, it’s hard for IT teams to make time for training and improvement when they’re too busy trying to keep up with tickets.
    • A talented service desk agent with both great technical and customer service skills doesn’t have to be a rare unicorn, and an agent without innate customer service skills isn’t a lost cause. Relevant and impactful customer service habits, techniques, and skills can be taught through practical, role-based training.
    • IT leaders can make time for this training through targeted, short modules along with continual on-the-job coaching and development.

    Impact and Result

    • Good customer service is critical to the success of the service desk. How a service desk treats its customers will determine its customers' satisfaction with not only IT but also the company as a whole.
    • Not every technician has innate customer service skills. IT managers need to provide targeted, practical training on what good customer service looks like at the service desk.
    • One training session is not enough to make a change. Leaders must embed the habits, create a culture of engagement and positivity, provide continual coaching and development, regularly gather customer feedback, and seek ways to improve.

    Deliver a Customer Service Training Program to Your IT Department Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should deliver customer service training to your team, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    • Deliver a Customer Service Training Program to Your IT Department – Executive Brief
    • Deliver a Customer Service Training Program to Your IT Department Storyboard

    1. Deliver customer service training to your IT team

    Understand the importance of customer service training, then deliver Info-Tech's training program to your IT team.

    • Customer Service Training for the Service Desk – Training Deck
    • Customer Focus Competency Worksheet
    • Cheat Sheet: Service Desk Communication
    • Cheat Sheet: Service Desk Written Communication
    [infographic]

    Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications

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    • Parent Category Name: Mobile Development
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    • CEOs see mobile for employees as their top mandate for upcoming technology innovation initiatives, making security a key competency for development.
    • Unsecure mobile applications can cause your employees to question the mobile applications’ integrity for handling sensitive data, limiting uptake.
    • Secure mobile development tends to be an afterthought, where vulnerabilities are tested for post-production rather than during the build process.
    • Developers lack the expertise, processes, and proper tools to effectively enhance applications for mobile security.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Organizations currently react to security issues. Info-Tech recommends a proactive approach to ensure a secure software development life cycle (SSDLC) end-to-end.
    • Organizations currently lack the secure development practices to provide highly secure mobile applications that end users can trust.
    • Enable your developers with five key secure development techniques from Info-Tech’s development toolkit.

    Impact and Result

    • Embed secure development techniques into your SDLC.
    • Create a repeatable process for your developers to continually evaluate and optimize mobile application security for new threats and corresponding mitigation steps.
    • Build capabilities within your team based on Info-Tech’s framework by supporting ongoing security improvements through monitoring and metric analysis.

    Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should adopt secure development techniques for mobile application development, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Assess secure mobile development processes

    Determine the current security landscape of mobile application development.

    • Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications – Phase 1: Assess Secure Mobile Development Practices
    • Systems Architecture Template
    • Mobile Application High-Level Design Requirements Template

    2. Implement and test secure mobile techniques

    Incorporate the various secure development techniques into current development practices.

    • Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications – Phase 2: Implement and Test Secure Mobile Techniques

    3. Monitor and support secure mobile applications

    Create a roadmap for mobile optimization initiatives.

    • Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications – Phase 3: Monitor and Support Secure Mobile Applications
    • Mobile Optimization Roadmap
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Assess Your Secure Mobile Development Practices

    The Purpose

    Identification of the triggers of your secure mobile development initiatives.

    Assessment of the security vulnerabilities in your mobile applications from an end-user perspective.

    Identification of the execution of your mobile environment.

    Assessment of the mobile threats and vulnerabilities to your systems architecture.

    Prioritization of your mobile threats.

    Creation of your risk register.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Key opportunity areas where a secure development optimization initiative can provide tangible benefits.

    Identification of security requirements.

    Prioritized list of security threats.

    Initial mobile security risk register created. 

    Activities

    1.1 Establish the triggers of your secure mobile development initiatives.

    1.2 Assess the security vulnerabilities in your mobile applications from an end-user perspective.

    1.3 Understand the execution of your mobile environment with a systems architecture.

    1.4 Assess the mobile threats and vulnerabilities to your systems architecture.

    1.5 Prioritize your mobile threats.

    1.6 Begin building your risk register.

    Outputs

    Mobile Application High-Level Design Requirements Document

    Systems Architecture Diagram

    2 Implement and Test Your Secure Mobile Techniques

    The Purpose

    Discovery of secure development techniques to apply to current development practices.

    Discovery of new user stories from applying secure development techniques.

    Discovery of new test cases from applying secure development techniques.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Areas within your code that can be optimized for improving mobile application security.

    New user stories created in relation to mitigation steps.

    New test cases created in relation to mitigation steps.

    Activities

    2.1 Gauge the state of your secure mobile development practices.

    2.2 Identify the appropriate techniques to fill gaps.

    2.3 Develop user stories from security development gaps identified.

    2.4 Develop test cases from user story gaps identified.

    Outputs

    Mobile Application High-Level Design Requirements Document

    3 Monitor and Support Your Secure Mobile Applications

    The Purpose

    Identification of key metrics used to measure mobile application security issues.

    Identification of secure mobile application and development process optimization initiatives.

    Identification of enablers and blockers of your mobile security optimization.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Metrics for measuring application security.

    Modified triaging process for addressing security issues.

    Initiatives for development optimization.

    Enablers and blockers identified for mobile security optimization initiatives.

    Process for developing your mobile optimization roadmap.

    Activities

    3.1 List the metrics that would be gathered to assess the success of your mobile security optimization.

    3.2 Adjust and modify your triaging process to enhance handling of security issues.

    3.3 Brainstorm secure mobile application and development process optimization initiatives.

    3.4 Identify the enablers and blockers of your mobile security optimization.

    3.5 Define your mobile security optimization roadmap.

    Outputs

    Mobile Optimization Roadmap

    z-Series Modernization and Migration

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    Under the best of circumstances, mainframe systems are complex, expensive, and difficult to scale. In today’s world, applications written for mainframe legacy systems also present significant operational challenges to customers compounded by the dwindling pool of engineers who specialize in these outdated technologies. Many organizations want to migrate their legacy applications to the cloud but to do so they need to go through a lengthy migration process that is made more challenging by the complexity of mainframe applications.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    The most common tactic is for the organization to better realize their z/Series options and adopt a strategy built on complexity and workload understanding. To make the evident, obvious, the options here for the non-commodity are not as broad as with commodity server platforms and the mainframe is arguably the most widely used and complex non-commodity platform on the market.

    Impact and Result

    This research will help you:

    • Evaluate the future viability of this platform.
    • Assess the fit and purpose, and determine TCO
    • Develop strategies for overcoming potential challenges.
    • Determine the future of this platform for your organization.

    z/Series Modernization and Migration Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. z/Series Modernization and Migration Guide – A brief deck that outlines key migration options and considerations for the z/Series platform.

    This blueprint will help you assess the fit, purpose, and price; develop strategies for overcoming potential challenges; and determine the future of z/Series for your organization.

    • z/Series Modernization and Migration Storyboard

    2. Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool – A tool that provides organizations with a framework for TCO.

    Use this tool to play with the pre-populated values or insert your own amounts to compare possible database decisions, and determine the TCO of each. Note that common assumptions can often be false; for example, open-source Cassandra running on many inexpensive commodity servers can actually have a higher TCO over six years than a Cassandra environment running on a larger single expensive piece of hardware. Therefore, calculating TCO is an essential part of the database decision process.

    • Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    z/Series Modernization and Migration

    The biggest migration is yet to come.

    Executive Summary

    Info-Tech Insight

    “A number of market conditions have coalesced in a way that is increasingly driving existing mainframe customers to consider running their application workloads on alternative platforms. In 2020, the World Economic Forum noted that 42% of core skills required to perform existing jobs are expected to change by 2022, and that more than 1 billion workers need to be reskilled by 2030.” – Dale Vecchio

    Your Challenge

    It seems like anytime there’s a new CIO who is not from the mainframe world there is immediate pressure to get off this platform. However, just as there is a high financial commitment required to stay on System Z, moving off is risky and potentially more costly. You need to truly understand the scale and complexity ahead of the organization.

    Common Obstacles

    Under the best of circumstances, mainframe systems are complex, expensive, and difficult to scale. In today’s world, applications written for mainframe legacy systems also present significant operational challenges to customers compounded by the dwindling pool of engineers who specialize in these outdated technologies. Many organizations want to migrate their legacy applications to the cloud, but to do so they need to go through a lengthy migration process that is made more challenging by the complexity of mainframe applications.

    Info-Tech Approach

    The most common tactic is for the organization to better realize its z/Series options and adopt a strategy built on complexity and workload understanding. To make the evident, obvious: the options here for the non-commodity are not as broad as with commodity server platforms and the mainframe is arguably the most widely used and complex non-commodity platform on the market.

    Review

    We help IT leaders make the most of their z/Series environment

    Problem statement:

    The z/Series remains a vital platform for many businesses and continues to deliver exceptional reliability and performance and play a key role in the enterprise. With the limited and aging resources at hand, CIOs and the like must continually review and understand their migration path with the same regard as any other distributed system roadmap.

    This research is designed for:

    IT strategic direction decision makers.

    IT managers responsible for an existing z/Series platform.

    Organizations evaluating platforms for mission critical applications.

    This research will help you:

    1. Evaluate the future viability of this platform.
    2. Assess the fit and purpose, and determine TCO.
    3. Develop strategies for overcoming potential challenges.
    4. Determine the future of this platform for your organization.

    Analyst Perspective

    Good Luck.

    Darin Stahl.

    Modernize the mainframe … here we go again.

    Prior to 2020, most organizations were muddling around in “year eleven of the four-year plan” to exit the mainframe platform where a medium-term commitment to the platform existed. Since 2020, it appears the appetite for the mainframe platform changed. Again. Discussions mostly seem to be about what the options are beyond hardware outsourcing or re-platforming to “cloud” migration of workloads – mostly planning and strategy topics. A word of caution: it would appear unwise to stand in front of the exit door for fear of being trampled.

    Hardware expirations between now and 2025 are motivating hosting deployments. Others are in migration activities, and some have already decommissioned and migrated but now are trying to rehab the operations team now lacking direction and/or structure.

    There is little doubt that modernization and “digital transformation” trends will drive more exit traffic, so IT leaders who are still under pressure to get off the platform need to assess their options and decide. Being in a state of perpetually planning to get off the mainframe handcuffs your ability to invest in the mainframe, address deficiencies, and improve cost-effectiveness.

    Darin Stahl
    Principal Research Advisor, Infrastructure & Operations Research
    Info-Tech Research Group

    The mainframe “fidget spinner”

    Thinking of modernizing your mainframe can cause you angst so grab a fidget spinner and relax because we have you covered!

    External Business Pressures:

    • Digital transformation
    • Modernization programs
    • Compliance and regulations
    • TCO

    Internal Considerations:

    • Reinvest
    • Migrate to a new platform
    • Evaluate public and vendor cloud alternatives
    • Hosting versus infrastructure outsourcing

    Info-Tech Insight

    With multiple control points to be addressed, care must be taken to simplify your options while addressing all concerns to ease operational load.

    The analyst call review

    “Who has Darin talked with?” – Troy Cheeseman

    Dating back to 2011, Darin Stahl has been the primary z/Series subject matter expert within the Infrastructure & Operations Research team. Below represents the percentage of calls, per industry, where z/Series advisory has been provided by Darin*:

    37% - State Government

    19% - Insurance

    11% - Municipality

    8% - Federal Government

    8% - Financial Services

    5% - Higher Education

    3% - Retail

    3% - Hospitality/Resort

    3% - Logistics and Transportation

    3% - Utility

    Based on the Info-Tech call history, there is a consistent cross section of industry members who not only rely upon the mainframe but are also considering migration options.

    Note:

    Of course, this only represents industries who are Info-Tech members and who called for advisory services about the mainframe.

    There may well be more Info-Tech members with mainframes who have no topic to discuss with us about the mainframe specifically. Why do we mention this?

    We caution against suggesting things like, ”somewhat less than 50% of mainframes live in state data centers” or any other extrapolated inference from this data.

    Our viewpoint and discussion is based on the cases and the calls that we have taken over the years.

    *37+ enterprise calls were reviewed and sampled.

    Scale out versus scale up

    For most workloads “scale out" (e.g. virtualized cloud or IaaS ) is going to provide obvious and quantifiable benefits.

    However, with some workloads (extremely large analytics or batch processing ) a "scale up" approach is more optimal. But the scale up is really limited to very specific workloads. Despite some assumptions, the gains made when moving from scale up to scale out are not linear.

    Obviously, when you scale out from a performance perspective you experience a drop in what a single unit of compute can do. Additionally, there will be latency introduced in the form of network overhead, transactions, and replication into operations that were previously done just bypassing object references within a single frame.

    Some applications or use cases will have to be architected or written differently (thinking about the high-demand analytic workloads at large scale). Remember the “grid computing” craze that hit us during the early part of this century? It was advantageous for many to distribute work across a grid of computing devices for applications but the advantage gained was contingent on the workload able to be parsed out as work units and then pulled back together through the application.

    There can be some interesting and negative consequences for analytics or batch operations in a large scale as mentioned above. Bottom line, as experienced previously with Microfocus mainframe ports to x86, the batch operations simply take much longer to complete.

    Big Data Considerations*:

    • Value: Data has no inherent value until it’s used to solve a business problem.
    • Variety: The type of data being produced is increasingly diverse and ranges from email and social media to geo-spatial and photographic data. This data may be difficult to process using a structured data model.
    • Volume: The sheer size of the datasets is growing exponentially, often ranging from terabytes to petabytes. This is complicating traditional data management strategies.
    • Velocity: The increasing speed at which data is being collected and processed is also causing complications. Big data is often time sensitive and needs to be captured in real time as it is streaming into the enterprise.

    *Build a Strategy for Big Data Platforms

    Consider your resourcing

    Below is a summary of concerns regarding core mainframe skills:

    1. System Management (System Programmers): This is the most critical and hard-to-replace skill since it requires in-depth low-level knowledge of the mainframe (e.g. at the MVS level). These are skills that are generally not taught anymore, so there is a limited pool of experienced system programmers.
    2. Information Management System (IMS) Specialists: Requires a combination of mainframe knowledge and data analysis skills, which makes this a rare skill set. This is becoming more critical as business intelligence takes on an ever-increasing focus in most organizations.
    3. Application Development: The primary concern here is a shortage of developers skilled in older languages such as COBOL. It should be noted that this is an application issue; for example, this is not solved by migrating off mainframes.
    4. Mainframe Operators: This is an easier skill set to learn, and there are several courses and training programs available. An IT person new to mainframes could learn this position in about six weeks of on-the-job training.
    5. DB2 Administration: Advances in database technology have simplified administration (not just for DB2 but also other database products). As a result, as with mainframe operators, this is a skill set that can be learned in a short period of time on the job.

    The Challenge

    An aging workforce, specialized skills, and high salary expectations

    • Mainframe specialists, such as system programmers and IMS specialists, are typically over 50, have a unique skill set, and are tasked with running mission-critical systems.

    The In-House Solution:

    Build your mentorship program to create a viable succession plan

    • Get your money’s worth out of your experienced staff by having them train others.
    • Operator skills take about six weeks to learn. However, it takes about two years before a system programmer trainee can become fully independent. This is similar to the learning curve for other platforms; however, this is a more critical issue for mainframes since organizations have far fewer mainframe specialists to fall back on when senior staff retire or move on.

    Understand your options

    Migrate to another platform

    Use a hosting provider

    Outsource

    Re-platform (cloud/vendors)

    Reinvest

    There are several challenges to overcome in a migration project, from finding an appropriate alternative platform to rewriting legacy code. Many organizations have incurred huge costs in the attempt, only to be unsuccessful in the end, so make this decision carefully.

    Organizations often have highly sensitive data on their mainframes (e.g. financial data), so many of these organizations are reluctant to have this data live outside of their four walls. However, the convenience of using a hosting provider makes this an attractive option to consider.

    The most common tactic is for the organization to adopt some level of outsourcing for the non-commodity platform, retaining the application support/development in-house.

    A customer can “re-platform” the non-commodity workload into public cloud offerings or in a few offerings
    “re-host.”

    If you’re staying with the mainframe and keeping it in-house, it’s important to continue to invest in this platform, keep it current, and look for opportunities to optimize its value.

    Migrate

    Having perpetual plans to migrate handcuffs your ability to invest in your mainframe, extend its value, and improve cost effectiveness.

    If this sounds like your organization, it’s time to do the analysis so you can decide and get clarity on the future of the mainframe in your organization.

    1. Identify current performance, availability, and security requirements. Assess alternatives based on this criteria.
    2. Review and use Info-Tech’s Mainframe TCO Comparison Tool to compare mainframe costs to the potential alternative platform.
    3. Assess the business risks and benefits. Can the alternative deliver the same performance, reliability, and security? If not, what are the risks? What do you gain by migrating?
    4. If migration is still a go, evaluate the following:
    • Do you have the expertise or a reliable third party to perform the migration, including code rewrites?
    • How long will the migration take? Can the business function effectively during this transition period?
    • How much will the migration cost? Is the value you expect to gain worth the expense?

    *3 of the top 4 challenges related to shortfalls of alternative platforms

    The image contains a bar graph that demonstrates challenges related to shortfalls of alternative platforms.

    *Source: Maximize the Value of IBM Mainframes in My Business

    Hosting

    Using a hosting provider is typically more cost-effective than running your mainframe in-house.

    Potential for reduced costs

    • Hosting enables you to reduce or eliminate your mainframe staff.
    • Economies of scale enable hosting providers to reduce software licensing costs. They also have more buying power to negotiate better terms.
    • Power and cooling costs are also transferred to the hosting provider.

    Reliable infrastructure and experienced staff

    • A quality hosting provider will have 24/7 monitoring, full redundancy, and proven disaster recovery capabilities.
    • The hosting provider will also have a larger mainframe staff, so they don’t have the same risk of suddenly being without those advanced critical skills.

    So, what are the risks?

    • A transition to a hosting provider usually means eliminating or significantly reducing your in-house mainframe staff. With that loss of in-house expertise, it will be next to impossible to bring the mainframe back in-house, and you become highly dependent on your hosting provider.

    Outsourcing

    The most common tactic is for the organization to adopt some level of outsourcing for the non-commodity platform, retaining the application support/development in-house.

    The options here for the non-commodity (z/Series, IBM Power platforms, for example) are not as broad as with commodity server platforms. More confusingly, the term “outsourcing” for these can include:

    Traditional/Colocation – A customer transitions their hardware environment to a provider’s data center. The provider can then manage the hardware and “system.”

    Onsite Outsourcing – Here a provider will support the hardware/system environment at the client’s site. The provider may acquire the customer’s hardware and provide software licenses. This could also include hiring or “rebadging” staff supporting the platform. This type of arrangement is typically part of a larger services or application transformation. While low risk, it is not as cost-effective as other deployment models.

    Managed Hosting – A customer transitions their legacy application environment to an off-prem hosted multi-tenanted environment. It will provide the most cost savings following the transition, stabilization, and disposal of existing environment. Some providers will provide software licensing, and some will also support “Bring Your Own,” as permitted by IBM terms for example.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Technical debt for non-commodity platforms isn’t only hardware based. Moving an application written for the mainframe onto a “cheaper” hardware platform (or outsourced deployment) leaves the more critical problems and frequently introduces a raft of new ones.

    Re-platform – z/Series COBOL Cloud

    Re-platforming is not trivial.

    While the majority of the coded functionality (JCLs, programs, etc.) migrate easily, there will be a need to re-code or re-write objects – especially if any object, code, or location references are not exactly the same in the new environment.

    Micro Focus has solid experience in this but if consider it within the context of an 80/20 rule (the actual metrics might be much better than that), meaning that some level of rework would have to be accomplished as an overhead to the exercise.

    Build that thought into your thinking and business case.

    AWS Cloud

    • Astadia (an AWS Partner) is re-platforming mainframe workloads to AWS. With its approach you reuse the original application source code and data to AWS services. Consider reviewing Amazon’s “Migrating a Mainframe to AWS in 5 Steps.”

    Azure Cloud

    Micro Focus COBOL (Visual COBOL)

    • Micro Focus' Visual COBOL also supports running COBOL in Docker containers and managing and orchestrating the containers with Kubernetes. I personally cannot imagine what sort of drunken bender decision would lead me to move COBOL into Docker and then use Kubernetes to run in GCP but there you are...if that's your Jam you can do it.

    Re-platform – z/Series (Non-COBOL)

    But what if it's not COBOL?

    Yeah, a complication for this situation is the legacy code.

    While re-platforming/re-hosting non-COBOL code is not new, we have not had many member observations compared to the re-platforming/re-hosting of COBOL functionality initiatives.

    That being said, there are a couple of interesting opportunities to explore.

    NTT Data Services (GLOBAL)

    • Most intriguing is the re-hosting of a mainframe environment into AWS. Not sure if the AWS target supports NATURAL codebase; it does reference Adabas however (Re-Hosting Mainframe Applications to AWS with NTT DATA Services). Nevertheless, NTT has supported re-platforming and NATURAL codebase environments previously.

    ModernSystems (or ModSys) has relevant experience.

    • ModSys is the resulting entity following a merger between BluePhoenix and ATERAS a number of years ago. ATERAS is the entity I find references to within my “wayback machine” for member discussions. There are also a number of published case studies still searchable about ATERAS’ successful re-platforming engagements, including the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) most famously after the Accenture project to rewrite it failed.

    ATOS, as a hosting vendor mostly referenced by customers with global locations in a short-term transition posture, could be an option.

    Lastly, the other Managed Services vendors with NATURAL and Adabas capabilities:

    Reinvest

    By contrast, reducing the use of your mainframe makes it less cost-effective and more challenging to retain in-house expertise.

    • For organizations that have migrated applications off the mainframe (at least partly to reduce dependency on the platform), inevitably there remains a core set of mission critical applications that cannot be moved off for reasons described on the “Migrate” slide. This is when the mainframe becomes a costly burden:
      • TCO is relatively high due to low utilization.
      • In-house expertise declines as workload declines and current staffing allocations become harder to justify.
    • Organizations that are instead adding capacity and finding new ways to use this platform have lower cost concerns and resourcing challenges. The charts below illustrate this correlation. While some capacity growth is due to normal business growth, some is also due to new workloads, and it reflects an ongoing commitment to the platform.

    *92% of organizations that added capacity said TCO is lower than for commodity servers (compared to 50% of those who did not add capacity)

    *63% of organizations that added capacity said finding resources is not very difficult (compared to 42% of those who did not add capacity)

    The image contains a bar graph as described in the above text. The image contains a bar graph as described in the above text.

    *Maximize the Value of IBM Mainframes in My Business

    An important thought about data migration

    Mainframe data migrations – “VSAM, IMS, etc.”

    • While the application will be replaced and re-platformed, there is the historical VIN data remaining in the VSAM files and access via the application. The challenge is that a bulk conversion can add upfront costs and delay the re-platforming of the application functionality. Some shops will break the historical data migration into a couple of phases.
    • While there are technical solutions to accessing VSAM data stores, what I have observed with other members facing a similar scenario is a need to “shrink” the data store over time. The technical accesses to historical VSAM records would also have a lifespan, and rather than kicking the can down the road indefinitely, many have turned to a process-based solution allowing them to shrink the historical data store over time. I have observed three approaches to the handling or digitization of historical records like this:

    Temporary workaround. This would align with a technical solution allowing the VASM files to be accessed using platforms other than on mainframe hardware (Micro Focus or other file store trickery). This can be accomplished relatively quickly but does run the risk of technology obsolesce for the workaround at some point in the future.

    Bulk conversion. This method would involve the extract/transform/load of the historical records into the new application platform. Often the order of the conversion is completed on work newest to oldest (the idea is that the newest historical records would have the highest likelihood of an access need), but all files would be converted to the new application and the old data store destroyed.

    Forward convert, which would have files undergo the extract/transform/load conversion into the new application as they are accessed or reopened. This method would keep historical records indefinitely or until they are converted – or the legal retention schedule allows for their destruction (hopefully no file must be kept forever). This could be a cost-efficient approach since the historical files remaining on the VSAM platform would be shrunk over time based on demand from the district attorney process. The conversion process could be automated and scripted, with a QR step allowing for the records to be deleted from the old platform.

    Info-Tech Insight

    It is not usual for organizations to leverage options #2 and #3 above to move the functionality forward while containing the scope creep and costs for the data conversions.

    Enterprise class job scheduling

    Job scheduling or data center automation?

    • Enterprise class job scheduling solutions enable complex unattended batched programmatically conditioned task/job scheduling.
    • Data center automation (DCIM) software automates and orchestrates the processes and workflow for infrastructure operations including provisioning, configuring, patching of physical, virtual, and cloud servers, and monitoring of tasks involved in maintaining the operations of a data center or Infrastructure environment.
    • While there maybe some overlap and or confusion between data center automation and enterprise class job scheduling solutions, data center automation (DCIM) software solutions are least likely to have support for non-commodity server platforms and lack robust scheduling functionality.

    Note: Enterprise job scheduling is a topic with low member interest or demand. Since our published research is driven by members’ interest and needs, the lack of activity or member demand would obviously be a significant influence into our ability to aggregate shared member insight, trends, or best practices in our published agenda.

    Data Center Automation (DCIM) Software

    Orchestration/Provisioning Software

    Enterprise class job scheduling features

    The feature set for these tools is long and comprehensive. The feature list below is not exhaustive as specific tools may have additional product capabilities. At a minimum, the solutions offered by the vendors in the list below will have the following capabilities:

    • Automatic restart and recovery
    • File management
    • Integration with security systems such as AD
    • Operator alerts
    • Ability to control spooling devices
    • Cross-platform support
    • Cyclical scheduling
    • Deadline scheduling
    • Event-based scheduling / triggers
    • Inter-dependent jobs
    • External task monitoring (e.g. under other sub-systems)
    • Multiple calendars and time-zones
    • Scheduling of packaged applications (such as SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards)
    • The ability to schedule web applications (e.g. .net, java-based)
    • Workload analysis
    • Conditional dependencies
    • Critical process monitoring
    • Event-based automation (“self-healing” processes in response to common defined error conditions)
    • Graphical job stream/workflow visualization
    • Alerts (job failure notifications, task thresholds (too long, too quickly, missed windows, too short, etc.) via multiple channels
    • API’s supporting programmable scheduler needs
    • Virtualization support
    • Workload forecasting and workload planning
    • Logging and message data supporting auditing capabilities likely to be informed by or compliant with regulatory needs such as Sarbanes, Gramme-Leach
    • Historical reporting
    • Auditing reports and summaries

    Understand your vendors and tools

    List and compare the job scheduling features of each vendor.

    • This is not presented as an exhaustive list.
    • The list relies on observations aggregated from analyst engagements with Info-Tech Research Group members. Those member discussions tend to be heavily tilted toward solutions supporting non-commodity platforms.
    • Nothing is implied about a solution suitability or capability by the order of presentation or inclusion or absence in this list.

    ✓ Advanced Systems Concepts

    ✓ BMC

    ✓ Broadcom

    ✓ HCL

    ✓ Fortra

    ✓ Redwood

    ✓ SMA Technologies

    ✓ StoneBranch

    ✓ Tidal Software

    ✓ Vinzant Software

    Info-Tech Insight

    Creating vendor profiles will help quickly filter the solution providers that directly meet your z/Series needs.

    Advanced Systems Concepts

    ActiveBatch

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in 1981, ASCs ActiveBatch “provides a central automation hub for scheduling and monitoring so that business-critical systems, like CRM, ERP, Big Data, BI, ETL tools, work order management, project management, and consulting systems, work together seamlessly with minimal human intervention.”*

    URL

    advsyscon.com

    Coverage:

    Global

    Amazon EC2

    Hadoop Ecosystem

    IBM Cognos

    DataStage

    IBM PureData (Netezza)

    Informatica Cloud

    Microsoft Azure

    Microsoft Dynamics AX

    Microsoft SharePoint

    Microsoft Team Foundation Server

    Oracle EBS

    Oracle PeopleSoft

    SAP

    BusinessObjects

    ServiceNow

    Teradata

    VMware

    Windows

    Linux

    Unix

    IBM i

    *Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc.


    BMC

    Control-M

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in 1980, BMCs Control-M product “simplifies application and data workflow orchestration on premises or as a service. It makes it easy to build, define, schedule, manage, and monitor production workflows, ensuring visibility, reliability, and improving SLAs.”*

    URL

    bmc.com/it-solutions/control-m.html

    Coverage:

    Global

    AWS

    Azure

    Google Cloud Platform

    Cognos

    IBM InfoSphere

    DataStage

    SAP HANA

    Oracle EBS

    Oracle PeopleSoft

    BusinessObjects

    ServiceNow

    Teradata

    VMware

    Windows

    Linux

    Unix

    IBM i

    IBM z/OS

    zLinux

    *BMC

    Broadcom

    Atomic Automation

    Autosys Workload Automation

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Broadcom offers Atomic Automation and Autosys Workload Automation which ”gives you the agility, speed and reliability required for effective digital business automation. From a single unified platform, Atomic centrally provides the orchestration and automation capabilities needed accelerate your digital transformation and support the growth of your company.”*

    URL

    broadcom.com/products/software/automation/automic-automation

    broadcom.com/products/software/automation/autosys

    Coverage:

    Global


    Windows

    MacOS

    Linux

    UNIX

    AWS

    Azure

    Google Cloud Platform

    VMware

    z/OS

    zLinux

    System i

    OpenVMS

    Banner

    Ecometry

    Hadoop

    Oracle EBS

    Oracle PeopleSoft

    SAP

    BusinessObjects

    ServiceNow

    Teradata

    VMware

    Windows

    Linux

    Unix

    IBM i

    *Broadcom

    HCL

    Workload Automation

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    “HCL Workload Automation streamlined modelling, advanced AI and open integration for observability. Accelerate the digital transformation of modern enterprises, ensuring business agility and resilience with our latest version of one stop automation platform. Orchestrate unattended and event-driven tasks for IT and business processes from legacy to cloud and kubernetes systems.”*

    URL

    hcltechsw.com/workload-automation

    Coverage:

    Global


    Windows

    MacOS

    Linux

    UNIX

    AWS

    Azure

    Google Cloud Platform

    VMware

    z/OS

    zLinux

    System i

    OpenVMS

    IBM SoftLayer

    IBM BigInsights

    IBM Cognos

    Hadoop

    Microsoft Dynamics 365

    Microsoft Dynamics AX

    Microsoft SQL Server

    Oracle E-Business Suite

    PeopleSoft

    SAP

    ServiceNow

    Apache Oozie

    Informatica PowerCenter

    IBM InfoSphere DataStage

    Salesforce

    BusinessObjects BI

    IBM Sterling Connect:Direct

    IBM WebSphere MQ

    IBM Cloudant

    Apache Spark

    *HCL Software

    Fortra

    JAMS Scheduler

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Fortra’s “JAMS is a centralized workload automation and job scheduling solution that runs, monitors, and manages jobs and workflows that support critical business processes.

    JAMS reliably orchestrates the critical IT processes that run your business. Our comprehensive workload automation and job scheduling solution provides a single pane of glass to manage, execute, and monitor jobs—regardless of platforms or applications.”*

    URL

    jamsscheduler.com

    Coverage:

    Global


    OpenVMS

    OS/400

    Unix

    Windows

    z/OS

    SAP

    Oracle

    Microsoft

    Infor

    Workday

    AWS

    Azure

    Google Cloud Compute

    ServiceNow

    Salesforce

    Micro Focus

    Microsoft Dynamics 365

    Microsoft Dynamics AX

    Microsoft SQL Server

    MySQL

    NeoBatch

    Netezza

    Oracle PL/SQL

    Oracle E-Business Suite

    PeopleSoft

    SAP

    SAS

    Symitar

    *JAMS

    Redwood

    Redwood SaaS

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in 1993 and delivered as a SaaS solution, ”Redwood lets you orchestrate securely and reliably across any application, service or server, in the cloud or on-premises, all inside a single platform. Automation solutions are at the core of critical business operations such as forecasting, replenishment, reconciliation, financial close, order to cash, billing, reporting, and more. Enterprises in every industry — from manufacturing, utility, retail, and biotech to healthcare, banking, and aerospace.”*

    URL

    redwood.com

    Coverage:

    Global


    OpenVMS

    OS/400

    Unix

    Windows

    z/OS

    SAP

    Oracle

    Microsoft

    Infor

    Workday

    AWS

    Azure

    Google Cloud Compute

    ServiceNow

    Salesforce

    Github

    Office 365

    Slack

    Dropbox

    Tableau

    Informatica

    SAP BusinessObjects

    Cognos

    Microsoft Power BI

    Amazon QuickSight

    VMware

    Xen

    Kubernetes

    *Redwood

    Fortra

    Robot Scheduler

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    “Robot Schedule’s workload automation capabilities allow users to automate everything from simple jobs to complex, event-driven processes on multiple platforms and centralize management from your most reliable system: IBM i. Just create a calendar of when and how jobs should run, and the software will do the rest.”*

    URL

    fortra.com/products/job-scheduling-software-ibm-i

    Coverage:

    Global


    IBM i (System i, iSeries, AS/400)

    AIX/UNIX

    Linux

    Windows

    SQL/Server

    Domino

    JD Edwards EnterpriseOne

    SAP

    Automate Schedule (formerly Skybot Scheduler)

    *Fortra

    SMA Technologies

    OpCon

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in1980, SMA offers to “save time, reduce error, and free your IT staff to work on more strategic contributions with OpCon from SMA Technologies. OpCon offers powerful, easy-to-use workload automation and orchestration to eliminate manual tasks and manage workloads across business-critical operations. It's the perfect fit for financial institutions, insurance companies, and other transactional businesses.”*

    URL

    smatechnologies.com

    Coverage:

    Global

    Windows

    Linux

    Unix

    z/Series

    IBM i

    Unisys

    Oracle

    SAP

    Microsoft Dynamics AX

    Infor M3

    Sage

    Cegid

    Temenos

    FICS

    Microsoft Azure Data Management

    Microsoft Azure VM

    Amazon EC2/AWS

    Web Services RESTful

    Docker

    Google Cloud

    VMware

    ServiceNow

    Commvault

    Microsoft WSUS

    Microsoft Orchestrator

    Java

    JBoss

    Asysco AMT

    Tuxedo ART

    Nutanix

    Corelation

    Symitar

    Fiserv DNA

    Fiserv XP2

    *SMA Technologies

    StoneBranch

    Universal Automation Center (UAC)

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in 1999, ”the Stonebranch Universal Automation Center (UAC) is an enterprise-grade business automation solution that goes beyond traditional job scheduling. UAC's event-based workload automation solution is designed to automate and orchestrate system jobs and tasks across all mainframe, on-prem, and hybrid IT environments. IT operations teams gain complete visibility and advanced control with a single web-based controller, while removing the need to run individual job schedulers across platforms.”*

    URL

    stonebranch.com/it-automation-solutions/enterprise-job-scheduling

    Coverage:

    Global

    Windows

    Linux

    Unix

    z/Series

    Apache Kafka

    AWS

    Databricks

    Docker

    GitHub

    Google Cloud

    Informatica

    Jenkins

    Jscape

    Kubernetes

    Microsoft Azure

    Microsoft SQL

    Microsoft Teams

    PagerDuty

    PeopleSoft

    Petnaho

    RedHat Ansible

    Salesforce

    SAP

    ServiceNow

    Slack

    SMTP and IMAP

    Snowflake

    Tableau

    VMware

    *Stonebranch

    Tidal Software

    Workload Automation

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in 1979, Tidal’s Workload Automation will “simplify management and execution of end-to-end business processes with our unified automation platform. Orchestrate workflows whether they're running on-prem, in the cloud or hybrid environments.”*

    URL

    tidalsoftware.com

    Coverage:

    Global

    CentOS

    Linux

    Microsoft Windows Server

    Open VMS

    Oracle Cloud

    Oracle Enterprise Linux

    Red Hat Enterprise Server

    Suse Enterprise

    Tandem NSK

    Ubuntu

    UNIX

    HPUX (PA-RISC, Itanium)

    Solaris (Sparc, X86)

    AIX, iSeries

    z/Linux

    z/OS

    Amazon AWS

    Microsoft Azure

    Oracle OCI

    Google Cloud

    ServiceNow

    Kubernetes

    VMware

    Cisco UCS

    SAP R/3 & SAP S/4HANA

    Oracle E-Business

    Oracle ERP Cloud

    PeopleSoft

    JD Edwards

    Hadoop

    Oracle DB

    Microsoft SQL

    SAP BusinessObjects

    IBM Cognos

    FTP/FTPS/SFTP

    Informatica

    *Tidal

    Vinzant Software

    Global ECS

    Workload Management:

    Summary

    Founded in 1987, Global ECS can “simplify operations in all areas of production with the GECS automation framework. Use a single solution to schedule, coordinate and monitor file transfers, database operations, scripts, web services, executables and SAP jobs. Maximize efficiency for all operations across multiple business units intelligently and automatically.”*

    URL

    vinzantsoftware.com

    Coverage:

    Global

    Windows

    Linux

    Unix

    iSeries

    SAP R/3 & SAP S/4HANA

    Oracle, SQL/Server

    *Vizant Software

    Activity

    Scale Out or Scale Up

    Activities:

    1. Complete the Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool.
    2. Compare total lifecycle costs to determine TCO.

    This activity involves the following participants:

    IT strategic direction decision makers

    IT managers responsible for an existing z/Series platform

    Organizations evaluating platforms for mission critical applications

    Outcomes of this step:

    • Completed Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool

    Info-Tech Insight

    This checkpoint process creates transparency around agreement costs with the business and gives the business an opportunity to re-evaluate its requirements for a potentially leaner agreement.

    Scale out versus scale up activity

    The Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool provides organizations with a framework for estimating the costs associated with purchasing and licensing for a scale-up and scale-out environment over a multi-year period.

    Use this tool to:

    • Compare the pre-populated values.
    • Insert your own amounts to contrast possible database decisions and determine the TCO of each.
    The image contains screenshots of the Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Watch out for inaccurate financial information. Ensure that the financials for cost match your maintenance and contract terms.

    Use the Scale Up vs. Scale Out TCO Tool to determine your TCO options.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services

    Acquiring a service is like buying an experience. Don’t confuse the simplicity of buying hardware with buying an experience.

    Outsource IT Infrastructure to Improve System Availability, Reliability, and Recovery

    There are very few IT infrastructure components you should be housing internally – outsource everything else.

    Build Your Infrastructure Roadmap

    Move beyond alignment: Put yourself in the driver’s seat for true business value.

    Define Your Cloud Vision

    Make the most of cloud for your organization.

    Document Your Cloud Strategy

    Drive consensus by outlining how your organization will use the cloud.

    Build a Strategy for Big Data Platforms

    Know where to start and where to focus attention in the implementation of a big data strategy.

    Create a Better RFP Process

    Improve your RFPs to gain leverage and get better results.

    Research Authors

    Darin Stahl.

    Darin Stahl, Principal Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group

    Darin is a Principal Research Advisor within the Infrastructure Practice, and leveraging 38+ years of experience, his areas of focus include: IT Operations Management, Service Desk, Infrastructure Outsourcing, Managed Services, Cloud Infrastructure, DRP/BCP, Printer Management, Managed Print Services, Application Performance Monitoring/ APM, Managed FTP, non-commodity servers (z/Series, mainframe, IBM i, AIX, Power PC).

    Troy Cheeseman.

    Troy Cheeseman, Practice Lead, Info-Tech Research Group

    Troy has over 25 years of IT management experience and has championed large enterprise-wide technology transformation programs, remote/home office collaboration and remote work strategies, BCP, IT DRP, IT Operations and expense management programs, international right placement initiatives, and large technology transformation initiatives (M&A). Additionally, he has deep experience working with IT solution providers and technology (cloud) start-ups.

    Bibliography

    “AWS Announces AWS Mainframe Modernization.” Business Wire, 30 Nov. 2021.
    de Valence, Phil. “Migrating a Mainframe to AWS in 5 Steps with Astadia?” AWS, 23 Mar. 2018.
    Graham, Nyela. “New study shows mainframes still popular despite the rise of cloud—though times are changing…fast?” WatersTechnology, 12 Sept. 2022.
    “Legacy applications can be revitalized with API.” MuleSoft, 2022.
    Vecchio, Dale. “The Benefits of Running Mainframe Applications on LzLabs Software Defined Mainframe® & Microsoft Azure.” LzLabs Sites, Mar. 2021.

    Decide What's Important and What Is Less So

    • Large vertical image:
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    • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
    • member rating average days saved: N/A

    Redefining the business impact analysis through the lens of value

    The Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is one of the most misunderstood processes in the modern enterprise. For many, the term conjures images of dusty binders filled with disaster recovery plans. A compliance checkbox exercise focused solely on what to do when the servers are smoking or the building is flooded. This view, while not entirely incorrect, is dangerously incomplete. It relegates the BIA to a reactive, insurance-policy mindset when it should be a proactive, strategic intelligence tool.

    Yes, I got that one from AI. LOL. So recognizable. But you know what? There is truth in this.

    A modern BIA is not about planning for disaster; it's about understanding and protecting value. That is the one thing we must keep in mind at all times. The BIA really is a deep-dive into the DNA of the organization. It maps the connections between information assets, operational processes, and business outcomes. It answers the critical question, "What matters? Why does it matter? And what is the escalating cost of its absence?"

    To achieve this clarity, the entire process must be built upon a single, non-negotiable foundation: comprehensive information asset classification. Without knowing what you have, where it is, and what it's worth, any attempt at risk management is simply guesswork. You risk spending millions protecting low/mid-value data while leaving the crown jewels exposed (I guess your Ciso will have said something 😊). This article will deconstruct the journey from foundational asset classification to a mature, value-driven impact analysis, providing a blueprint for transforming the BIA from a tactical chore into a strategic imperative.

    The cornerstone of resilience: information asset classification

    Before you can assess the impact of losing an asset, you must first understand the asset itself. Information asset classification is the systematic process of inventorying, categorizing, and assigning business value to your organization's data. In an era of petabyte-scale data sprawl across on-premise servers, cloud environments, and countless SaaS applications, this is no small feat. It is, however, the most critical investment in the entire risk management lifecycle.

    Classification forces an organization to look beyond the raw data and evaluate it through two primary lenses: criticality and sensitivity.

    • Criticality is a measure of importance. It answers the question: "How much damage would the business suffer if this asset were unavailable or corrupted?" This is directly tied to the operational functions that depend on the asset. The criticality of a customer database, for instance, is determined by the impact on the sales, marketing, and support functions that would grind to a halt without it. This translates to the availability rating. 

    • Sensitivity is a measure of secrecy. It answers the question: "What is the potential harm if this asset were disclosed to unauthorized parties?" This considers reputational damage, competitive disadvantage, legal penalties, and customer privacy violations.  This translates to the confidentiality rating.

    Without this dual understanding, it's impossible to implement a proportional and cost-effective security program. The alternative is a one-size-fits-all approach, which invariably leads to one of two expensive failures:

    1. Overprotection: Applying the highest level of security controls to all information is prohibitively expensive and creates unnecessary operational friction. It's like putting a bank vault door on a broom closet.

    2. Underprotection: Applying a baseline level of security to all assets leaves your most critical and sensitive information dangerously vulnerable. It exposes your organization to unacceptable risk. Remember assigning an A2 rating to all of your infra? Simply because "infra" cannot be related to specific business processes. The "we'll take care of it at the higher levels" approach leads to exactly this issue.

    The ultimate goal of classification is to tie security efforts directly to business objectives, and ensure that the investment in protection is always proportional to the value of the asset being protected. The term proportionality is also embedded in new European legislation.

    A practical framework for executing classification exercises

    While the concept is straightforward, the execution can be complex. A successful classification program requires a structured approach that moves from high-level policy to granular implementation. in this first stage, we're gonna talk about data.

    Step 1: Define the Classification Levels

    The first step is to establish a simple, intuitive classification scheme. When you complicate it, you lose your people. Most organizations find success with a three- or four-tiered model, which is easy for employees to understand and apply. For example:

    • Public: Information intended for public consumption with no negative impact from disclosure (e.g., marketing materials, press releases).

    • Internal: Information for use within the organization but not overly sensitive. Its disclosure would be inconvenient but not damaging (e.g., internal memos on non-sensitive topics, general project plans).

    • Confidential: Sensitive business information that, if disclosed, could cause measurable damage to the organization's finances, operations, or reputation (e.g., business plans, financial forecasts, customer lists).

    • Restricted or secret: The most sensitive data that could cause severe financial or legal damage if compromised. Access is strictly limited on a need-to-know basis (e.g., trade secrets, source code, PII, M&A details).

    Step 2: Tackle the Data Inventory Problem

    This is often the most challenging phase: identifying and locating all information assets. You must create a comprehensive inventory, and detail not just the data itself but its entire context:

    • Data Owners: The business leader accountable for the data and for determining its classification.

    • Data Custodians: The IT or operational teams responsible for implementing and managing the security controls on the data.

    • Location: Where does the data live? Is it in a specific database, a cloud storage bucket, a third-party application, or a physical filing cabinet?

    • External Dependencies: Crucially, this inventory must extend beyond the company's walls. Which third-party vendors (payroll processors, cloud hosting providers, marketing agencies) handle, store, or transport your data? Their security posture is now part of your risk surface. In Europe, this is now a foundation of your data management through GDPR, DORA, AI Act and other legislation. 

    Step 3: Establish a Lifecycle Approach

    Information isn't static. Its value and handling requirements can change over its lifecycle. Your classification process must define clear rules for each stage:

    • Creation: How is data classified when it's first created? How is it marked (e.g., digital watermarks, document headers)?

    • Storage & Use: What security controls apply to each classification level at rest and in transit (e.g., encryption standards, access control rules)? What about legislative initiatives?

    • Archiving & Retention: How long must the data be kept to meet business needs and or legal requirements? What about external storage?

    • Destruction: What are the approved methods for securely destroying the data (e.g., cryptographic erasure, physical shredding) once it's no longer required?

    Without clear, consistent handling standards for each level, the classification labels themselves are meaningless. The classification directly dictates the required security measures.

    The hierarchy of importance: the top-down approach to how to determine criticality

    Once assets are inventoried, the next step is to systematically determine their criticality. Randomly assigning importance to thousands of assets is futile. A far more effective method is a top-down, hierarchical approach that mirrors the structure of the business itself. This method creates a clear "chain of criticality," where the importance of a technical asset is directly derived from the value of the business function it supports.

    Level 1: Rank the Business Units

    The process begins at the highest level with senior management. I would say, the board. They need to decide what the business is all about. (This is in line with the DORA rules in Europe.) The core business units or departments of the organization are ranked based on their contribution to the company's mission. This ranking is often based on revenue generation, but it can also factor in strategic importance, market position, or essential support functions. For example, the "Production" and "Sales" units might be ranked higher than "Internal HR Administration." This initial ranking provides the foundational context for all subsequent decisions. I want to make something crystal clear, This ranking is not a moral judgment. Obviously the HR and Well-Being departments play a pivotal role in the value-delivery of the company. Happy employees make for happy customers.  

    But, being a bit Wall-Streety about it, the sales department generating the biggest returns is probably second only to the business unit producing the product for said sales department. And with that I just said that the person holding the wrench, who knows your critical production machine, is your most valuable HR asset. Just saying.

    Level 2: Identify Critical Functions Within Each Unit

    With the business units prioritized, the next step is to drill down into each one and identify its critical operational functions. The focus here is on processes, not technology. For the top-ranked "Sales" unit, critical functions might include:

    • SF-01: Processing New Customer Orders

    • SF-02: Managing the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System

    • SF-03: Generating Sales Quotes

    • SF-04: Closing the Sale

    These functions are then rated against each other within the business unit to create a prioritized list of what truly matters for that unit to achieve its goals.

    And here I'm going to give you some food for thought. There will be a superficial geographical difference in importance. If you value continuity then new business may not be the top critical department. I can imagine this is completely counter intuitive. But remember that it is cheaper to keep and upsell an existing client than it is to acquire a new one.

    Level 3: Map the Supporting Assets and Resources

    Only now, once you have clearly defined the critical business functions and prioritized them, can you finally map the specific assets and resources they depend on. These are the people, technology, and facilities that enable the function. For the critical function "Processing New Customer Orders," the supporting assets might include:

    • Application: SAP ERP System (Module SD)

    • Database: Oracle Customer Order Database

    • Hardware: Primary ERP Server Cluster

    • Personnel: Sales team and Order Entry team

    The criticality of the "Oracle Customer Order Database" is now clear. It is not sitting in a vacuum; it is critically important because it is an essential asset for a top-priority function (SF-01) within a top-ranked business unit ("Sales"). This top-down structure provides an unambiguous, business-justified view of risk that is defensible and easily understood by management. It allows you to see precisely how a technical risk (e.g., a vulnerability in the Oracle database) can bubble up to impact a core business operation.

    From Criticality to Consequence: Mastering Impact Analysis

    With a clear understanding of what's important, the BIA can now finally move to its core purpose: analyzing the tangible and intangible impacts of a disruption over time. A robust impact analysis avoids "impact inflation." This is the common tendency to only focus on unrealistic scenarios.  Or on self-importance assurances. That just causes management to discount your findings. A more credible approach uses a range of outcomes that paint a realistic picture of escalating damage over time.

    Your analysis should assess the loss of the four core pillars of information security:

    • Loss of Confidentiality: The unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. The impact can range from legal fines for a data breach to the loss of competitive advantage from a leaked product design.

    • Loss of Integrity: The unauthorized or improper modification of data. This can lead to flawed decision-making based on corrupted reports, financial fraud, or a complete loss of trust in the system.

    • Loss of Availability: The inability to access a system or process. This is the most common focus of traditional BIA, leading to lost productivity, missed sales, and an inability to deliver services.

    • Insecurity around Authenticity: Your ability to ensure you receive data from the expected party. 

    And here it is the CIAA rating.

    Qualitative vs. Quantitative Analysis

    Impacts can be measured in two ways, and the most effective BIAs use a combination of both:

    • Qualitative Analysis: This uses descriptive scales (e.g., High, Medium, Low) to assess impacts that are difficult to assign a specific monetary value to. This is ideal for measuring things like reputational damage, loss of customer confidence, or employee morale. Its main advantage is that it quickly prioritizes risks, but it lacks the financial precision needed for a cost-benefit analysis of controls.

    • Quantitative Analysis: This assigns a specific monetary value ($) to the impact. This is used for measurable losses like lost revenue per hour, regulatory fines, or the cost of manual workarounds. The major advantage is that it provides clear financial data to justify security investments. For example, "This outage will cost us $100,000 per hour in lost sales" is a powerful statement when requesting funding for a high-availability solution.

    A mature analysis might use scenario modeling—walking through a small set of plausible disruption scenarios with business stakeholders to define a range of outcomes (minimum, maximum, and most likely). This provides a far more nuanced and credible dataset that aligns with how management views other business risks.

    The additional lens: The Customer Value Chain Contribution (CVCC)©

    To elevate the BIA from an internal exercise to a truly strategic tool, we can apply one more lens: the Customer Value Chain Contribution (CVCC)©. This approach reframes the impact analysis to focus explicitly on the customer. Instead of just asking, "What is the impact on our business?" we ask, "What is the impact on our customer's experience and our ability to deliver value to them?"

    The CVCC method involves mapping your critical processes and assets to specific stages of the customer journey. For example:

    • Awareness/Acquisition: A disruption to the company website or marketing automation platform directly impacts your ability to attract new customers.

    • Conversion/Sale: An outage of the e-commerce platform or CRM system prevents customers from making purchases, directly impacting revenue and frustrating users at a key moment.

    • Service Delivery/Fulfillment: A failure in the warehouse management or logistics system means orders can't be fulfilled, breaking promises made to the customer.

    • Support/Retention: If the customer support ticketing system is down, customers with problems can't get help, leading to immense frustration and potential churn.

    By analyzing impact through the CVCC lens, the consequences become far more vivid and compelling. "Loss of the CRM system" becomes "a complete inability to process new sales leads or support existing customers, causing direct revenue loss and significant reputational damage." This framing aligns the BIA directly with the ultimate goal of any business: creating and retaining satisfied customers. It transforms the discussion from technical risk to the preservation of the customer relationship and the value chain that supports it.

    From document to real value

    When you build your BIA on this framework, meaning that it is rooted in sound asset classification, structured by the correct top-down criticality analysis, and enriched by the customer-centric view of impact, then it is no longer a static document. It becomes the dynamic, strategic blueprint for organizational resilience.

    These insights generate business decisions:

    • Prioritized risk mitigation: they show exactly where to focus security efforts and resources for the greatest return on investment.

    • Justified security spending: they provide the quantitative and qualitative data needed to make a compelling business case for new security controls, technologies, and processes.

    • Informed recovery planning: they establish clear, business-justified Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) that form the foundation of any effective business continuity and disaster recovery plan.

    I'm convinced that in the end, this expanded vision of the business impact analysis is about embedding the right analytical understanding of value and risk into the fabric of the organization. I want you to move beyond the fear of disaster and toward a confident, proactive posture of resilience. Like that, you ensure that in a world of constant change and disruption, the things that truly matter are always understood, always protected, and always available.

    Always happy to chat.

    Agile Enterprise Architecture Operating Model

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    • Parent Category Name: Strategy & Operating Model
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    Establish an enterprise architecture practice that:

    • Leverages an operating model that promotes/supports agility within the organization.
    • Embraces business, data, application, and technology architectures in an optimal mix.
    • Is Agile in itself and will be sustainable and reactive to business needs, staying relevant and “profitable” – continuously delivering business value.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Use your business and EA strategy and design principles to right-size standardized operating models to fit your EA organization’s needs.
    • You need to define a sound set of design principles before commencing with the design of your EA organization.
    • The EA operating model structure should be rigid but pliable enough to fit the needs of the stakeholders it provides services to.
    • A phased approach and a good communication strategy is key to the success of the new EA organization.
    • Start with one group and work out the hurdles before rolling it out organization-wide.
    • Make sure that you communicate regularly on wins but also on hurdles and how to overcome them.

    Impact and Result

    • The organization design approach proposed will aim to provide twofold agility: the ability to stretch and shrink depending on business requirements and the promotion of agility in architecture delivery.
    • By recognizing that agility comes in different flavors, organizations using more traditional design patterns will also benefit from the approach advocated by this blueprint.

    Agile Enterprise Architecture Operating Model Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out create an Agile EA operating model to execute the EA function, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Design your EA operating model

    You need to define a sound set of design principles before commencing with the design of your EA organization.

    • Agile EA Operating Model Communication Deck
    • Agile EA Operating Model Workbook
    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Data Architect
    • Enterprise Architect

    2. Define your EA organizational structure

    The EA operating model structure should be rigid but pliable enough to fit the needs of the stakeholders it provide services to.

    • EA Views Taxonomy
    • EA Operating Model Template
    • Architecture Board Charter Template
    • EA Policy Template
    • EA Compliance Waiver Form Template

    3. Implement the EA operating model

    A phased approach and a good communications strategy are key to the success of the new EA organization.

    • EA Roadmap
    • EA Communication Plan Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Agile Enterprise Architecture Operating Model

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 EA Function Design

    The Purpose

    Identify how EA looks within the organization and ensure all the necessary skills are accounted for within the function.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    EA is designed to be the most appropriately placed and structured for the organization.

    Activities

    1.1 Place the EA department.

    1.2 Define roles for each team member.

    1.3 Find internal and external talent.

    1.4 Create job descriptions with required proficiencies.

    Outputs

    EA organization design

    Role-based skills and competencies

    Talent acquisition strategy

    Job descriptions

    2 EA Engagement Model

    The Purpose

    Create a thorough engagement model to interact with stakeholders.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An understanding of each process within the engagement model.

    Create stakeholder interaction cards to plan your conversations.

    Activities

    2.1 Define each engagement process for your organization.

    2.2 Document stakeholder interactions.

    Outputs

    EA Operating Model Template

    EA Stakeholder Engagement Model Template

    3 EA Governance

    The Purpose

    Develop EA boards, alongside a charter and policies to effectively govern the function.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Governance that aids the EA function instead of being a bureaucratic obstacle.

    Adherence to governace.

    Activities

    3.1 Outline the architecture review process.

    3.2 Position the architecture review board.

    3.3 Create a committee charter.

    3.4 Make effective governance policy.

    Outputs

    Architecture Board Charter Template

    EA Policy Template

    4 Architecture Development Framework

    The Purpose

    Create an operating model that is influenced by universal standards including TOGAF, Zachmans, and DoDAF.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A thoroughly articulated development framework.

    Understanding of the views that influence each domain.

    Activities

    4.1 Tailor an architecture development framework to your organizational context.

    Outputs

    EA Operating Model Template

    Enterprise Architecture Views Taxonomy

    5 Operational Plan

    The Purpose

    Create a change management and communication plan or roadmap to execute the operating model.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Build a plan that takes change management and communication into consideration to achieve the wanted benefits of an EA program.

    Effectively execute the roadmap.

    Activities

    5.1 Create a sponsorship action plan.

    5.2 Outline a communication plan.

    5.3 Execute a communication roadmap.

    Outputs

    Sponsorship Action Plan

    EA Communication Plan Template

    EA Roadmap

    Enhance PPM Dashboards and Reports

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    • Parent Category Name: Portfolio Management
    • Parent Category Link: /portfolio-management
    • Your organization has introduced project portfolio management (PPM) processes that require new levels of visibility into the project portfolio that were not required before.
    • Key PPM decision makers are requesting new or improved dashboards and reports to help support making difficult decisions.
    • Often PPM dashboards and reports provide too much information and are difficult to navigate, resulting in information overload and end-user disengagement.
    • PPM dashboards and reports are laborious to maintain; ineffective dashboards end up wasting scarce resources, delay decisions, and negatively impact the perceived value of the PMO.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Well-designed dashboards and reports help actively engage stakeholders in effective management of the project portfolio by communicating information and providing support to key PPM decision makers. This tends to improve PPM performance, making resource investments into reporting worthwhile.
    • Observations and insights gleaned from behavioral studies and cognitive sciences (largely ignored in PPM literature) can help PMOs design dashboards and reports that avoid information overload and that provide targeted decision support to key PPM decision makers.

    Impact and Result

    • Enhance your PPM dashboards and reports by carrying out a carefully designed enhancement project. Start by clarifying the purpose of PPM dashboards and reports. Establish a focused understanding of PPM decision-support needs, and design dashboards and reports to address these in a targeted way.
    • Conduct a thorough review of all existing dashboards and reports, evaluating the need, effort, usage, and satisfaction of each report to eliminate any unnecessary or ineffective dashboards and design improved dashboards and reports that will address these gaps.
    • Design effective and targeted dashboards and reports to improve the engagement of senior leaders in PPM and help improve PPM performance.

    Enhance PPM Dashboards and Reports Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should enhance your PPM reports and dashboards, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Establish a PPM dashboard and reporting enhancement project plan

    Identify gaps, establish a list of dashboards and reports to enhance, and set out a roadmap for your dashboard and reporting enhancement project.

    • Enhance PPM Dashboards and Reports – Phase 1: Establish a PPM Dashboard and Reporting Enhancement Project Plan
    • PPM Decision Support Review Workbook
    • PPM Dashboard and Reporting Audit Workbook
    • PPM Dashboard and Reporting Audit Worksheets – Exisiting
    • PPM Dashboard and Reporting Audit Worksheets – Proposed
    • PPM Metrics Menu
    • PPM Dashboard and Report Enhancement Project Charter Template

    2. Design and build enhanced PPM dashboards and reporting

    Gain an understanding of how to design effective dashboards and reports.

    • Enhance PPM Dashboards and Reports – Phase 2: Design and Build New or Improved PPM Dashboards and Reporting
    • PPM Dashboard and Report Requirements Workbook
    • PPM Executive Dashboard Template
    • PPM Dashboard and Report Visuals Template
    • PPM Capacity Dashboard Operating Manual

    3. Implement and maintain effective PPM dashboards and reporting

    Officially close and evaluate the PPM dashboard and reporting enhancement project and transition to an ongoing and sustainable PPM dashboard and reporting program.

    • Enhance PPM Dashboards and Reports – Phase 3: Implement and Maintain Effective PPM Dashboards and Reporting
    • PPM Dashboard and Reporting Program Manual
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Enhance PPM Dashboards and Reports

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Establish a PPM Dashboard and Reporting Enhancement

    The Purpose

    PPM dashboards and reports will only be effective and valuable if they are designed to meet your organization’s specific needs and priorities.

    Conduct a decision-support review and a thorough dashboard and report audit to identify the gaps your project will address.

    Take advantage of the planning stage to secure sponsor and stakeholder buy-in.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Current-state assessment of satisfaction with PPM decision-making support.

    Current-state assessment of all existing dashboards and reports: effort, usage, and satisfaction.

    A shortlist of dashboards and reports to improve that is informed by actual needs and priorities.

    A shortlist of dashboards and reports to create that is informed by actual needs and priorities.

    The foundation for a purposeful and focused PPM dashboard and reporting program that is sustainable in the long term.

    Activities

    1.1 Engage in PPM decision-making review.

    1.2 Perform a PPM dashboard and reporting audit and gap analysis.

    1.3 Identify dashboards and/or reports needed.

    1.4 Plan the PPM dashboard and reporting project.

    Outputs

    PPM Decision-Making Review

    PPM Dashboard and Reporting Audit

    Prioritized list of dashboards and reports to be improved and created

    Roadmap for the PPM dashboard and reporting project

    2 Design New or Improved PPM Dashboards and Reporting

    The Purpose

    Once the purpose of each PPM dashboard and report has been identified (based on needs and priorities) it is important to establish what exactly will be required to produce the desired outputs.

    Gathering stakeholder and technical requirements will ensure that the proposed and finalized designs are realistic and sustainable in the long term.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Dashboard and report designs that are informed by a thorough analysis of stakeholder and technical requirements.

    Dashboard and report designs that are realistically sustainable in the long term.

    Activities

    2.1 Review the best practices and science behind effective dashboards and reporting.

    2.2 Gather stakeholder requirements.

    2.3 Gather technical requirements.

    2.4 Build wireframe options for each dashboard or report.

    2.5 Review options: requirements, feasibility, and usability.

    2.6 Finalize initial designs.

    2.7 Design and record the input, production, and consumption workflows and processes.

    Outputs

    List of stakeholder requirements for dashboards and reports

    Wireframe design options

    Record of the assessment of each wireframe design: requirements, feasibility, and usability

    A set of finalized initial designs for dashboards and reports.

    Process workflows for each initial design

    3 Plan to Roll Out Enhanced PPM Dashboards and Reports

    The Purpose

    Ensure that enhanced dashboards and reports are actually adopted in the long term by carefully planning their roll-out to inputters, producers, and consumers.

    Plan to train all stakeholders, including report consumers, to ensure that the reports generate the decision support and PPM value they were designed to.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An informed, focused, and scheduled plan for rolling out dashboards and reports and for training the various stakeholders involved.

    Activities

    3.1 Plan for external resourcing (if necessary): vendors, consultants, contractors, etc.

    3.2 Conduct impact analysis: risks and opportunities.

    3.3 Create an implementation and training plan.

    3.4 Determine PPM dashboard and reporting project success metrics.

    Outputs

    External resourcing plan

    Impact analysis and risk mitigation plan

    Record of the PPM dashboard and reporting project success metrics

    Optimize the Mentoring Program to Build a High-Performing Learning Organization

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    • Parent Category Name: Employee Development
    • Parent Category Link: /train-and-develop
    • Many organizations have introduced mentoring programs without clearly defining and communicating the purpose and goals around having a program; they simply jumped on the mentoring bandwagon.
    • As a result, these programs have little impact. They don’t add value for mentors, mentees, or the organization.
    • It can be difficult to design a program that is well-suited to your organization, will be adopted by employees, and will drive the results you are looking for.
    • In particular, it is difficult to successfully match mentors and mentees so both derive maximum value from the endeavor.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • As workforce composition shifts, there is a need for mentoring programs to move beyond the traditional senior–junior format option; organizational culture and goals will dictate the best approach.
    • An organization’s mentoring program doesn’t need to be restricted to one format; individual preferences and goals should also factor in. Be open to choosing format on a case-by-case basis.
    • Be sure to gain upper management buy-in and support early to ensure mentoring becomes a valued part of your organization.
    • Ensure that goal setting, communication, ongoing support for participants, and evaluation all play a role in your mentoring program.

    Impact and Result

    • Mentoring can have a significant positive impact on mentor, mentee, and organization.
    • Mentees gain guidance and advice on their career path and skill development. Mentors often experience re-engagement with their job and the satisfaction of helping another person.
    • Mentoring participants benefit from obtaining different perspectives of both the business and work-related problems. Participation in a mentoring program has been linked to greater access to promotions, pay raises, and increased job satisfaction.
    • Mentoring can have a number of positive outcomes for the organization, including breaking down silos, transferring institutional knowledge, accelerating leadership skills, fostering open communication and dialogue, and resolving conflict.

    Optimize the Mentoring Program to Build a High-Performing Learning Organization Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Align the mentoring program with the organizational culture and goals

    Build a best-fit program that creates a learning culture.

    • Storyboard: Optimize the Mentoring Program to Build a High Performing Learning Organization

    2. Assess the organizational culture and current mentoring program

    Align mentoring practices with culture to improve the appropriateness and effectiveness of the program.

    • Mentoring Program Diagnostic

    3. Align mentoring practices with culture to improve the appropriateness and effectiveness of the program.

    Track project progress and have all program details defined in a central location.

    • Mentoring Project Plan Template
    • Peer Mentoring Guidelines
    • Mentoring Program Guidelines

    4. Gather feedback from the mentoring program participants

    Evaluate the success of the program.

    • Mentoring Project Feedback Surveys Template

    5. Get mentoring agreements in place

    Improve your mentoring capabilities.

    • Mentee Preparation Checklist
    • Mentoring Agreement Template
    [infographic]

    Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives

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    • Parent Category Name: Storage & Backup Optimization
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    • You don’t understand the difference between a backup and an archive or when to use one or the other.
    • Data is not constant. It is ever-changing and growing. How do you protect it?
    • You just replaced an application that was in use since day one, and even though you have a fully functional replacement, you would like to archive that original application just in case.
    • You want to save money, so you use your backup solution to archive data, but you know that is not ideal. What is the correct solution?

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    Keep in mind that backups are for recovery while archives are for discovery. Backups and archives are often confused but understanding the differences can result in significant savings of time and money. Backing up and archiving may be considered IT tasks, but recovery and discovery are capabilities the business wants and is willing to pay for.

    Impact and Result

    Archives and backups are not the same, and there is a use case for each. Sometimes minor adjustments may be required to make the use case work. Understanding the basics of backups and archives can lead to significant savings at a monetary and effort level.

    Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives

    What is the difference between a backup and a data archive? When should I use one over the other? They are not the same and confusing the two concepts could be expensive.

    • Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives Storyboard
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives

    They are not the same, and confusing the two concepts could be expensive

    Analyst Perspective

    Backups and archives are not interchangeable, but they can complement each other.

    Photo of P.J. Ryan, Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations, Info-Tech Research Group.

    Backups and archives are two very different operations that are quite often confused or misplaced. IT and business leaders are tasked with protecting corporate data from a variety of threats. They also must conform to industry, geographical, and legal compliance regulations. Backup solutions keep the data safe from destruction. If you have a backup, why do you also need an archive? Archive solutions hold data for a long period of time and can be searched. If you have an archive, why do you also need a backup solution? Backups and archives used to be the same. Remember when you would keep the DAT tape in the same room as the argon gas fire suppression system for seven years? Now that's just not feasible. Some situations require a creative approach or a combination of backups and archives.

    Understand the difference between archives and backups and you will understand why the two solutions are necessary and beneficial to the business.

    P.J. Ryan
    Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge
    • You don’t understand the difference between a backup and an archive or when to use one over the other.
    • Data is not constant. It is ever-changing and growing. How do you protect it?
    • You just replaced an application that had been in use since day one, and even though you have a fully functional replacement, you would like to archive that original application just in case.
    • You want to save money, so you use your backup solution to archive data, but you know that is not ideal. What is the correct solution?
    Common Obstacles
    • Storage costs can be expensive, as can some backup and archiving solutions.
    • Unclear requirements definition to decide between backups or archives.
    • Historically, people referred to archiving as tossing something into a box and storing it away indefinitely. Data archiving has a different meaning.
    • Executives want retired applications preserved but do not provide reasons or requirements.
    Info-Tech’s Approach
    • Spend wisely. Why spend money on an archive solution when a backup will suffice? Don’t leave money on the table.
    • Be creative and assess each backup or archive situation carefully. A custom solution may be required.
    • Backup your production data for the purpose of restoring it and adhere to the 3-2-1 rule of backups (Naviko.com).
    • Archive your older data to an alternate storge platform to save space, allow for searchability, and provide retention parameters.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Keep in mind that backups are for recovery while archives are for discovery. Backups and archives are often confused but understanding the differences can result in significant savings of time and money. Backing up and archiving may be considered IT tasks but recovery and discovery are capabilities the business wants and is willing to pay for.

    Archive

    What it IS

    A data archive is an alternate location for your older, infrequently accessed production data. It is indexed and searchable based on keywords. Archives are deleted after a specified period based on your retention policy or compliance directives.

    What it IS NOT

    Archives are not an emergency copy of your production data. They are not any type of copy of your production data. Archives will not help you if you lose your data or accidentally delete a file. Archives are not multiple copies of production data from various recovery points.

    Why use it

    Archives move older data to an alternate location. This frees up storage space for your current data. Archives are indexed and can be searched for historical purposes, compliance reasons, or in the event of a legal matter where specific data must be provided to a legal team.

    Tips & Tricks – Archiving

    • Archiving will move older data to an alternate location. This will free up storage space in the production environment.
    • Archiving solutions index the data to allow for easier searchability. This will aid in common business searches as well as assist with any potential legal searches.
    • Archiving allows companies to hold onto data for historical purposes as well as for specific retention periods in compliance with industry and regional regulations such as SOX, GDPR, FISMA, as well as others (msp360.com).

    Backup

    What it IS

    A backup is a copy of your data from a specific day and time. It is primarily used for recovery or restoration if something happens to the production copy of data. The restore will return the file or folder to the state it was in at the time of the backup.

    Backups occur frequently to ensure the most recent version of data is copied to a safe location.

    A typical backup plan makes a copy of the data every day, once a week, and once a month. The data is stored on tapes, disk, or using cloud storage.

    What it IS NOT

    Backups are not designed for searching or discovery. If you backup your email and must go to that backup in search of all email pertaining to a specific topic, you must restore the full backup and then search for that specific topic or sender. If you kept all the monthly backups for seven years, that will mean repeating that process 84 times to have a conclusive search, assuming you have adequate storage space to restore the email database 84 times.

    Backups do not free up space.

    Why use it

    Backups protect your data in the event of disaster, deletion, or accidental damage. A good backup strategy will include multiple backups on different media and offsite storage of at least one copy.

    Tips & Tricks – Backups

    • Production data should be backed up on a regular basis, ideally once a day or more frequently if possible.
    • Backups are intended to restore data when it gets deleted, over-written, or otherwise compromised. Most restore requests are from the last 24 to 48 hours, so it may be advantageous to keep a backup readily available on disk for a quick restore when needed.
    • Some vendors and industry subject matter experts advocate the use of a 3-2-1 rule when it comes to backups:
      • Keep three copies of your production data
      • In at least two separate locations (some advocate two different formats), and
      • One copy should be offsite (nakivo.com)

    Cold Storage

    • Cold storage refers to a storage option offered by some cloud vendors. In the context of the discussion between backups and archives, it can be an option for a dedicated backup solution for a specific period. Cost is low and the data is protected from destruction.
    • If an app has been replaced and all data transferred to the replacement solution but for some reason the company wishes to hold onto the data, you want a backup, not an archive. Extract the data, convert it into MongoDB or a similar solution, and drop it into cheap cloud storage (cold storage) for less than $5 per TB/month.

    Case Study

    Understanding the difference between archives and backups could save you a lot of time and money

    INDUSTRY: Manufacturing | SOURCE: Info-Tech Research

    Understanding the difference between an archive and a backup was the first step in solving their challenge.

    A leading manufacturing company found themselves in a position where they had to decide between archiving or doing nothing.

    The company had completed several acquisitions and ended up with multiple legacy applications that had been merged or migrated into replacement solutions. These legacy applications were very important to the original companies and although the data they held had been migrated to a replacement solution, executives felt they should hold onto these applications for a period of time, just in case.

    Some of the larger applications were archived using a modern archiving solution, but when it came to the smaller applications, the cost to add them to the archiving solution greatly exceeded the cost to just keep them running and maintain the associated infrastructure.

    A research advisor from Info-Tech Research Group joined a call with the manufacturing company and discussed their situation. The difference between archives and backups was explained and through the course of the conversation it was discovered that the solution was a modified backup. The application data had already been preserved through the migration, so data could be accessed in the production environment. The requirement to keep the legacy application up and running was not necessary but in compliance with the request to keep the information, the data could be exported from the legacy application into a non-sequential database, compressed, and stored in cloud-based cold storage for less than five dollars per terabyte per month. The manufacturing company’s staff realized that they could apply this same approach to several of their legacy applications and save tens of thousands of dollars in the process.

    Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives

    Backups

    Backups are for recovery. A backup is a snapshot copy of production data at a specific point in time. If the production data is lost, destroyed, or somehow compromised, the data can be restored from the backup.

    Archives

    Archives are for discovery. It is production data that is moved to an alternate location to free up storage space, allow the data to be searchable, and still hold onto the data for historical or compliance purposes.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Archives and backups are not the same, and there is a use case for each. Sometimes minor adjustments may be required to make the use case work. Understanding the basics of backups and archives can lead to significant savings at a monetary and effort level.

    Additional Guidance

    Production data should be backed up.

    The specific backup solution is up to the business.

    Production data that is not frequently accessed should be archived.

    The specific solution to perform and manage the archiving of the data is up to the business

    • Archived data should also be backed up at least once.
    If the app has been replaced and all data transferred, you want a backup not an archive if you want to keep the data.
    • Short term – fence it off.
    • Long term – extract into Mongo then drop it into cheap cloud storage.

    Case Study

    Using tape backups as an archive solution could result in an expensive discovery and retrieval exercise.

    INDUSTRY: Healthcare | SOURCE: Zasio Enterprises Inc.

    “Do not commingle archive data with backup or disaster recovery tapes.”

    A court case in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada involving Guardiola and Renown Health in 2015 is a good example of why using a backup solution to solve an archiving challenge is a bad idea.

    Renown Health used a retention policy that declared any email older than six months of age as inactive and moved that email to a backup tape. Renown Health was ordered by the court to produce emails from a period of time in the past. Renown estimated that it would cost at least $248,000 to produce those emails, based on the effort involved to restore data from each tape and search for the email in question. Renown Health argued that this long and expensive process would result in undue costs.

    The court reviewed the situation and ruled against Renown Health and ordered them to comply with the request (Zasio.com).

    A proper archiving solution would have provided a quick and low-cost method to retrieve the emails in question.

    Backups and archives are complementary to each other

    • Archives are still production data, but the data does not change. A backup is recommended for the archived data, but the frequency of the backups can be lowered.
    • Backups protect you if a disaster strikes by providing a copy of the production data that was compromised or damaged. Archives allow you to access older data that may have just been forgotten, not destroyed or compromised. Archives could also protect you in a legal court case by providing data that is older but may prove your argument in court.

    Archives and backups are not the same.

    Backups copy your data. Archives move your data. Backups facilitate recovery. Archives facilitate discovery.

    Archive Backup
    Definition Move rarely accessed (but still production) data to separate media. Store a copy of frequently used data on a separate media to ensure timely operational recovery.
    Use Case Legal discovery, primary storage reduction, compliance requirements, and audits. Accidental deletion and/or corruption of data, hardware/software failures.
    Method Disk, cloud storage, appliance. Disk, backup appliance, snapshots, cloud.
    Data Older, rarely accessed production data. Current production data.

    Is it a backup or archive?

    • You want to preserve older data for legal and compliance reasons, so you put extra effort into keeping your tape backups safe and secure for seven years. That’s a big mistake that may cost you time and money. You want an archive solution.
    • You replace your older application and migrate all data to the new system, but you want to hold onto the old data, just in case. That’s a backup, not an archive.
    • A long serving senior executive recently left the company. You want to preserve the contents of the executive's laptop in case it is needed in the future. That’s a backup.

    Considerations When Choosing Between Solutions

    1

    Backup or archive?

    2

    What are you protecting?

    3

    Why are you protecting data?

    4

    Solution

    Backup

    Backup and/or archive.
    Additional information required.
    Column 3 may help

    Archive

    Device

    Data

    Application

    Operational Environment

    Operational recovery

    Disaster recovery

    Just in case

    Production storage space reduction

    Retention and preservation

    Governance, risk & compliance

    Backup

    Archive

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Stock image of light grids and flares. Establish an Effective Data Protection Plan

    Give data the attention it deserves by building a strategy that goes beyond backup.

    Stock image of old fuse box switches. Modernize Enterprise Storage

    Current and emerging storage technologies are disrupting the status quo – prepare your infrastructure for the exponential rise in data and its storage requirements.

    Logo for 'Software Reviews' and their information on 'Compare and Evaluate: Data Archiving.'
    Sample of Info-Tech's 'Data Archiving Policy'. Data Archiving Policy

    Bibliography

    “Backup vs. archiving: Know the difference.” Open-E. Accessed 05 Mar 2022.Web.

    G, Denis. “How to build retention policy.” MSP360, Jan 3, 2020. Accessed 10 Mar 2022.

    Ipsen, Adam. “Archive vs Backup: What’s the Difference? A Definition Guide.” BackupAssist, 28 Mar 2017. Accessed 04 Mar 2022.

    Kang, Soo. “Mitigating the expense of E-discovery; Recognizing the difference between back-ups and archived data.” Zasio Enterprises, 08 Oct 2015. Accessed 3 Mar 2022.

    Mayer, Alex. “The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – An Efficient Data Protection Strategy.” Naviko. Accessed 12 Mar 2022.

    “What is Data-Archiving?” Proofpoint. Accessed 07 Mar 2022.

    Explore the Secrets of SAP Software Contracts to Optimize Spend and Reduce Compliance Risk

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    • Parent Category Name: Licensing
    • Parent Category Link: /licensing
    • SAP has strict audit practices, which, in combination with 50+ types of user classifications and manual accounting for some licenses, make maintaining compliance difficult.
    • Mapping and matching SAP products to the environment can be highly complex, leading to overspending and an inability to reduce spend later.
    • Beware of indirect access to SAP applications from third-party applications (e.g. Salesforce).
    • Products that have been acquired by SAP may have altered licensing terms that are innocuously referred to in support renewal documents.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Focus on needs first. Conduct a thorough requirements assessment and document the results. Well-documented license needs will be your core asset in navigating SAP licensing and negotiating your agreement.
    • Examine indirect access possibilities. Understanding how in-house or third-party applications may be accessing the SAP software is critical.
    • Know whats in the contract. Each customer agreement is different and there may be terms that are beneficial. Older agreements may provide both benefits and challenges when evaluating your SAP license position.

    Impact and Result

    • Conduct an analysis to remove inactive and duplicate users as multiple logins may exist and could end up costing the organization license fees when audited.
    • Adopt a cyclical approach to reviewing your SAP licensing and create a reference document to track your software needs, planned licensing, and purchase negotiation points.
    • Learn the “SAP way” of conducting business, which includes a best-in-class sales structure, unique contracts and license use policies, and a hyper-aggressive compliance function. Conducting business with SAP is not typical compared to other vendors, and you will need different tools to emerge successfully from a commercial transaction.
    • Manage SAP support and maintenance spend and policies. Once an agreement has been signed, it can be very difficult to decrease spend, as SAP will reprice products if support is dropped.

    Explore the Secrets of SAP Software Contracts to Optimize Spend and Reduce Compliance Risk Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you need to understand and document your SAP licensing strategy, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Establish licensing requirements

    Begin your proactive SAP licensing journey by understanding which information to gather and assessing the current state and gaps.

    • Explore the Secrets of SAP Software Contracts to Optimize Spend and Reduce Compliance Risk – Phase 1: Establish Licensing Requirements
    • SAP License Summary and Analysis Tool

    2. Evaluate licensing options

    Review current licensing models and determine which licensing models will most appropriately fit your environment.

    • Explore the Secrets of SAP Software Contracts to Optimize Spend and Reduce Compliance Risk – Phase 2: Evaluate Licensing Options

    3. Evaluate agreement options

    Review SAP’s contract types and assess which best fit the organization’s licensing needs.

    • Explore the Secrets of SAP Software Contracts to Optimize Spend and Reduce Compliance Risk – Phase 3: Evaluate Agreement Options

    4. Purchase and manage licenses

    Conduct negotiations, purchase licensing, and finalize a licensing management strategy.

    • Explore the Secrets of SAP Software Contracts to Optimize Spend and Reduce Compliance Risk – Phase 4: Purchase and Manage Licenses
    [infographic]

    Select the Optimal Disaster Recovery Deployment Model

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    • Parent Category Name: DR and Business Continuity
    • Parent Category Link: /business-continuity
    • DR deployment has many possibilities. It becomes overwhelming and difficult to sift through all of the options and understand what makes sense for your organization.
    • The combination of high switching costs and the pressure to move applications to cloud leaves managers overwhelmed and complacent with their current DR model.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    1. Cut to the chase and evaluate the feasibility of cloud first. Gauge your organization’s current capabilities for DR in the cloud before becoming infatuated with the idea.
    2. A mixed model gives you the best of both worlds. Diversify your strategy by identifying fit for purpose and balancing the work required to maintain various models.
    3. Begin with the end in mind. Commit to mastering the selected model and leverage your vendor relationship for effective DR.

    Impact and Result

    • By efficiently eliminating models that are not suited for your organization and narrowing the scope of DR deployment possibilities, you spend more time focusing on what works rather than what doesn’t.
    • Taking a funneled approach ensures that you are not wasting time evaluating application-level considerations when organizational constraints prevent you from moving forward.
    • Comparing the total cost of ownership among candidate models helps demonstrate to the business the reason behind choosing one method over another.

    Select the Optimal Disaster Recovery Deployment Model Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should build the optimal DR deployment model, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Target the relevant DR options for your organization

    Complete Phase 1 to outline your DR site requirements, review any industry or organizational constraints on your DR strategy, and zero in on relevant DR models.

    • Select the Optimal Disaster Recovery Deployment Model – Phase 1: Target Relevant DR Options for Your Organization
    • DR Decision Tree (Visio)
    • DR Decision Tree (PDF)
    • Application Assessment Tool for Cloud DR

    2. Conduct a comprehensive analysis and vet the DR vendors

    Complete Phase 2 to explore possibilities of deployment models, conduct a TCO comparison analysis, and select the best-fit model.

    • Select the Optimal Disaster Recovery Deployment Model – Phase 2: Conduct a Comprehensive Analysis and Vet the DR Vendors
    • DR Solution TCO Comparison Tool

    3. Make the case and plan your transition

    Complete Phase 3 to assess outsourcing best practices, address implementation considerations, and build an executive presentation for business stakeholders.

    • Select the Optimal Disaster Recovery Deployment Model – Phase 3: Make the Case and Plan Your Transition
    • DR Solution Executive Presentation Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Select the Optimal Disaster Recovery Deployment Model

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Target Relevant DR Options for Your Organization

    The Purpose

    Identify potential DR models

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Take a funneled approach and avoid getting lost among all of the DR models available

    Activities

    1.1 Define DR site requirements

    1.2 Document industry and organizational constraints

    1.3 Identify potential DR models

    Outputs

    Determine the type of site, replication, and risk mitigation initiatives required

    Rule out unfit models

    DR Decision Tree

    Application Assessment Tool for Cloud DR

    2 Conduct a Comprehensive Analysis of Appropriate Models

    The Purpose

    Explore relevant DR models

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Develop supporting evidence for the various options

    Activities

    2.1 Explore pros and cons of potential solutions

    2.2 Understand the use case for DRaaS

    2.3 Review DR model diagrams

    Outputs

    Qualitative analysis on candidate models

    Evaluate the need for DRaaS

    DR diagrams for candidate models

    3 Build the DR Solution TCO Comparison Tool

    The Purpose

    Determine best cost models

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Save money by selecting the most cost effective option to meet your DR requirements

    Activities

    3.1 Gather hardware requirements for production site

    3.2 Define capacity requirements for DR

    3.3 Compare cost across various models

    Outputs

    Populate the production summary tab in TCO tool

    Understand how much hardware will need to be on standby and how much will be procured at the time of disaster

    Find the most cost effective method

    4 Make the Case and Plan Your Transition

    The Purpose

    Build support from business stakeholders by having a clear and defendable proposal for DR

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Effective and ready DR deployment model

    Activities

    4.1 Address implementation considerations for network, capacity, and day-to-day operations

    4.2 Build presentation for business stakeholders

    Outputs

    Define implementation projects necessary for deployment and appoint staff to execute them

    PowerPoint presentation to summarize findings from the course of the project

    Application Development Quality

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    • Parent Category Name: Applications
    • Parent Category Link: /applications
    Apply quality assurance across your critical development process steps to secure quality to product delivery

    Maximize Value From Your Value-Added Reseller (VAR)

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    • Parent Category Name: Vendor Management
    • Parent Category Link: /vendor-management

    Organizations need to understand their value-added reseller (VAR) portfolio and the greater VAR landscape to better:

    • Manage the VAR portfolio.
    • Understand additional value each VAR can provide.
    • Maximize existing VAR commitments.
    • Evaluate the VARs’ performance.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    VARs typically charge more for products because they are in some way adding value. If you’re not leveraging any of the provided value, you’re likely wasting money and should use a basic commodity-type reseller for procurement.

    Impact and Result

    This project will provide several benefits to Vendor Management and Procurement:

    • Defined VAR value and performance tracking.
    • Manageable portfolio of VARs that fully benefit the organization.
    • Added training, licensing advice, faster quoting, and invoicing resolution.
    • Reduced deployment and logistics costs.

    Maximize Value From Your Value-Added Reseller (VAR) Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our informative Executive Brief to find out why you should maximize value from your value-added reseller, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the three ways to better manage your VARs improve performance and reduce costs.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Organize and prioritize

    Organize all your VARs and create a manageable portfolio detailing their value, specific, product, services, and certifications.

    • Maximize Value From Your Value-Added Reseller – Phase 1: Organize and Prioritize
    • VAR Listing and Prioritization Tool

    2. “EvaluRate” your VARs

    Create an in-depth evaluation of the VARs’ capabilities.

    • Maximize Value From Your Value-Added Reseller – Phase 2: EvaluRate Your VARs
    • VAR Features Checklist Tool
    • VAR Profile and EvaluRation Tool

    3. Consolidate and reduce

    Assess each VAR for low performance and opportunity to increase value or consolidate to another VAR and reduce redundancy.

    • Maximize Value From Your Value-Added Reseller – Phase 3: Consolidate and Reduce

    4. Maximize their value

    Micro-manage your primary VARs to ensure performance to commitments and maximize their value.

    • Maximize Value From Your Value-Added Reseller – Phase 4: Maximize Their Value
    • VAR Information and Scorecard Workbook
    [infographic]

    State of Hybrid Work in IT

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    • Parent Category Name: Attract & Select
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    Hybrid work is here, but there is no consensus among industry leaders on how to do it right. IT faces the dual challenge of supporting its own employees while enabling the success of the broader organization. In the absence of a single best practice to adopt, how can IT departments make the right decisions when it comes to the new world of hybrid?

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Don’t make the mistake of emulating the tech giants, unless they are your direct competition. Instead, look to organizations that have walked your path in terms of scope, organizational goals, industry, and organizational structure. Remember, your competitors are not just those who compete for the same customers but also those who compete for your employees.
    • Hybrid and remote teams require more attention, connection, and leadership from managers. The shift from doing the day-to-day to effectively leading is critical for the success of nontraditional work models. As hybrid and remote work become engrained in society, organizations must ensure that the concept of the “working manager” is as obsolete as the rotary telephone.

    Impact and Result

    Read this concise report to learn:

    • What other IT organizations are doing in the new hybrid world.
    • How hybrid has impacted infrastructure, operations, and business relations.
    • How to succeed at building a highly effective hybrid team.
    • How Info-Tech can help you make hybrid an asset for your IT department.

    State of Hybrid Work in IT Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report – A walkthrough of the latest data on the impact of the hybrid work revolution in IT.

    Read this report to learn how IT departments are using the latest trends in hybrid work for greater IT effectiveness. Understand what work models are best for IT, how IT can support a remote organization, and how hybrid work changes team dynamics.

    • State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trends Report

    Infographic

    Further reading

    State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report

    When tech giants can’t agree and best practices change by the minute, forge your own path to your next normal.

    Hybrid is here. Now how do we do this?

    The pandemic has catapulted hybrid work to the forefront of strategic decisions an organization needs to make. According to our State of Hybrid Work in IT survey conducted in July of 2022, nearly all organizations across all industries are continuing some form of hybrid or remote work long-term (n=518). Flexible work location options are the single greatest concern for employees seeking a new job. IT departments are tasked with not only solving hybrid work questions for their own personnel but also supporting a hybrid-first organization, which means significant changes to technology and operations.

    Faced with decisions that alter the very foundation of how an organization functions, IT leaders are looking for best practices and coming up empty. The world of work has changed quickly and unexpectedly. If you feel you are “winging it” in the new normal, you are not alone.

    95% of organizations are continuing some form of hybrid or remote work.

    n=518

    47% of respondents look at hybrid work options when evaluating a new employer, vs. 46% who look at salary.

    n=518

    Hybrid work model decision tree

    Your organization, your employees, your goals – your hybrid work

    The days of a “typical” workplace have passed. When it comes to the new world of hybrid work, there is no best-of-breed example to follow.

    Among the flood of contradictory decisions made by industry leaders, your IT organization must forge its own path, informed by the needs of your employees and your organizational goals.

    All IT work models can support the broader organization. However, IT is more effective in a hybrid work mode.

    Stay informed on where your industry is headed, but learn from, rather than follow, industry leaders.

    All industries reported primarily using partial, balanced & full hybrid work models.

    All industries reported some fully remote work, ranging from 2-10% of organizations surveyed.

    Construction and healthcare & life sciences did not require any fully in-office work. Other industries, between 1-12% required fully in-office work.

    The image contains a screenshot of the Enablement of Organizational Goals.

    Move beyond following tech giants

    The uncomfortable truth about hybrid work is that there are many viable models, and the “best of breed” depends on who you ask. In the post-pandemic workspace, for every work location model there is an industry leader that has made it functional. And yet this doesn’t mean that every model will be viable for your organization.

    In the absence of a single best practice, rely on an individualized cost-benefit assessment rooted in objective feasibility criteria. Every work model – whether it continues your status quo or overhauls the working environment – introduces risk. Only in the context of your particular organization does that risk become quantifiable.

    Don’t make the mistake of emulating the tech giants, unless they are your direct competition. Instead, look to organizations that have walked your path in terms of scope, organizational goals, industry, and organizational structure.

    External

    Internal

    Political

    Economic

    Social

    Technological

    Legal

    Environmental

    Operations

    Culture

    Resources

    Risk

    Benefit

    Employee Preferences

    Comparative

    Your competitors

    Info-Tech Insight

    Remember, your competitors are not just those who compete for the same customers but also those who compete for your employees.

    IT must balance commitments to both the organization and its employees

    IT has two roles: to effectively support the broader organization and to function effectively within the department. It therefore has two main stakeholder relationships: the organization it supports and the employees it houses. Hybrid work impacts both. Don't make the mistake of overweighting one relationship at the expense of the other. IT will only function effectively when it addresses both.

    Track your progress with the right metrics

    IT and the organization

    • Business satisfaction with IT
    • Perception of IT value

    Diagnostic tool: Business Vision

    IT and its employees

    • Employee engagement

    Diagnostic tool:
    Employee Engagement Surveys

    This report contains:

    1. IT and the Organization
      1. IT Effectiveness
        in a Hybrid World
      2. The Impact of Hybrid on Infrastructure & Operations
    2. IT and Its Employees
      1. What Hybrid Means for the IT Workforce
      2. Leadership for Hybrid IT Teams

    This report is based on organizations like yours

    The image contains graphs that demonstrate demographics of organizations.

    This report is based on organizations like yours

    The image contains two graphs that demonstrate a breakdown of departments in an organization.

    This report is based on organizations like yours

    The image contains two graphs that demonstrate the workforce type and operating budget.


    This report is based on organizations like yours

    The image contains two graphs that demonstrate organization maturity and effectiveness score.

    At a high level, hybrid work in IT is everywhere

    INDUSTRY

    • Arts & Entertainment (including sports)
    • Retail & Wholesale
    • Utilities
    • Transportation & Warehousing
    • Not-for-Profit (incl. professional associations)
    • Education
    • Professional Services
    • Manufacturing
    • Media, Information, Telecom & Technology
    • Construction
    • Gaming & Hospitality
    • Government
    • Healthcare & Life Sciences
    • Financial Services (incl. banking & insurance)

    ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE

    Small

    <100

    Medium

    101-5,000

    Large

    >5,000

    Employees

    POSITION LEVEL

    • Executive
    • Director
    • Supervisor/Manager
    • Student/Contractor/Team Member

    100% of industries, organizational sizes, and position levels reported some form of hybrid or remote work.

    Work model breakdown at the respondent level

    5% 21% 30% 39% 5%

    No Remote
    Work

    Partial Hybrid

    Balanced Hybrid

    Full Hybrid

    Full Remote

    Work

    n=516

    Industry lens: Work location model

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates the work location model with the work model breakdown at the respondent level.

    Percentage of IT roles currently in a hybrid or remote work arrangement

    The image contains a screenshot of two graphs that demonstrate the percentage of IT roles currently in a hybrid or remote work arrangement.

    Work location model by organization size

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates work location model by organization size.

    Hybrid work options

    The image contains a screenshot of two pie graphs that demonstrate hybrid work options.

    Expense reimbursement

    28% 27% 22% 26% 13% 4%

    None

    Internet/home phone

    Just internet

    Home office setup

    Home utilities

    Other

    NOTES

    n=518

    Home office setup: One-time lump-sum payment

    Home utilities: Gas, electricity, lights, etc.

    Other: Office supplies, portion of home rent/mortgage payments, etc.

    01 TECHNOLOGY

    IT and the Organization

    Section 1

    The promise of hybrid work for IT department effectiveness and the costs of making it happen

    In this section:

    1. IT Effectiveness in a Hybrid World
    2. The Impact of Hybrid on Infrastructure & Operations

    Hybrid work models in IT bolster effectiveness

    IT’s effectiveness, meaning its ability to enable organizational goal attainment, is its ultimate success metric. In the post-pandemic world, this indicator is intimately tied to IT’s work location model, as well as IT’s ability to support the work location model used by the broader organization.

    In 2022, 90% of organizations have embraced some form of hybrid work (n=516). And only a small contingent of IT departments have more than 90% of roles still working completely in office, with no remote work offered (n=515).

    This outcome was not unexpected, given the unprecedented success of remote work during the pandemic. However, the implications of this work model were far less certain. Would productivity remain once the threat of layoffs had passed? Would hybrid work be viable in the long term, once the novelty wore off? Would teams be able to function collaboratively without meeting face to face? Would hybrid allow a great culture
    to continue?

    All signs point to yes. For most IT departments, the benefits of hybrid work outweigh its costs. IT is significantly more effective when some degree of remote or hybrid work is present.

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph on how hybrid work models in IT bolster effectiveness.

    n=518

    Remote Work Effectiveness Paradox

    When IT itself works fully onsite, lower effectiveness is reported (6.2). When IT is tasked with supporting fully, 100% remote organizations (as opposed to being fully remote only within IT), lower effectiveness is reported then as well (5.9). A fully remote organization means 100% virtual communication, so the expectations placed on IT increase, as do the stakes of any errors. Of note, hybrid work models yield consistent effectiveness scores when implemented at both the IT and organizational levels.

    IT has risen to the challenge of hybrid

    Despite the challenges initially posed by hybrid and remote organizations, IT has thrived through the pandemic and into this newly common workplace.

    Most organizations have experienced an unchanged or increased level of service requests and incidents. However, for the majority of organizations, service desk support has maintained (58%) or improved (35%). Only 7% of IT organizations report decreased service desk support.

    Is your service desk able to offer the same level of support compared to the pre-pandemic/pre-hybrid work model?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates service desk levels.

    How has the volume of your service requests/incidents changed?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates volume of service requests/incidents changed.

    Has hybrid work impacted your customer satisfaction scores?

    The image contains a graph that demonstrates if hybrid work impacted customer satisfaction scores.

    Industry lens: Volume of service requests

    It is interesting to note that service request volumes have evolved similarly across industries, mirroring the remarkable consistency with which hybrid work has been adopted across disparate fields, from construction to government.

    Of note are two industries where the volume of service requests mostly increased: government and media, information, telecom & technology.

    With the global expansion of digital products and services through the pandemic, it’s no surprise to see volumes increase for media, information, telecom & technology. With government, the shift from on premises to rapid and large-scale hybrid or remote work for administrative and knowledge worker roles likely meant additional support from IT to equip employees and end users with the necessary tools to carry out work offsite.

    How has the volume of your service requests/incidents changed?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates the volume of service requests/incidents changed.

    The transition to hybrid was worth the effort

    Hybrid and remote work have been associated with greater productivity and organizational benefits since before the pandemic. During emergency remote work, doubts arose about whether productivity would be maintained under such extreme circumstances and were quickly dispelled. The promise of remote productivity held up.

    Now, cautiously entering a “new normal,” the question has emerged again. Will long-term hybrid work bring the same benefits?

    The expectations have held up, with hybrid work benefits ranging from reduced facilities costs to greater employee performance.

    Organizational hybrid work may place additional strain on IT,
    but it is clear IT can handle the challenge. And when it does,
    the organizational benefits are tremendous.

    88% of respondents reported increased or consistent Infrastructure & Operations customer satisfaction scores.

    What benefits has the organization achieved as a result of moving to a hybrid work model?

    The image contains a bar graph that demonstrates the benefits of a hybrid work model.

    n=487

    Hybrid has sped up modernization of IT processes and infrastructure

    Of the organizations surveyed, the vast majority reported significant changes to both the process and the technology side of IT operations. Four key processes affected by the move to hybrid were:

    • Incident management
    • Service request support
    • Asset management
    • Change management

    Within Infrastructure & Operations, the area with the greatest degree
    of change was network architecture (reported by 44% of respondents), followed closely by service desk (41%) and recovery workspaces and mitigations (40%).

    63% of respondents reported changes to conference room technology to support hybrid meetings.

    n=496

    IT Infrastructure & Operations changes, upgrades, and modernization

    The image contains a screenshot of a bar graph that demonstrates IT Infrastructure & Operations Changes, Upgrades, and Modernizations.

    What process(es) had the highest degree of change in response to supporting hybrid work?

    The image contains a screenshot of a bar graph that demonstrates the highest degree of change in response to supporting hybrid work.

    Hybrid has permanently changed deployment strategy

    Forty-five percent of respondents reported significant changes to deployment as a result of hybrid work, with an additional 42% reporting minor changes. Only 13% of respondents stated that their deployment processes remained unchanged following the shift to hybrid work.

    With the ever-increasing globalization of business, deployment modernization practices such as the shift to zero touch are no longer optional or a bonus. They are a critical part of business operation that bring efficiency benefits beyond just supporting hybrid work.

    The deployment changes brought on by hybrid span across industries. Even in manufacturing, with the greatest proportion of respondents reporting “no change” to deployment practices (33%), most organizations experienced some degree of change.

    Has a hybrid work model led you to make any changes to your deployment, such as zero touch, to get equipment to end users?

    The image contains a graph to demonstrate if change was possible with hybrid models.

    Industry lens: Deployment changes

    Has a hybrid work model led you to make any changes to your deployment, such as zero touch, to get equipment to end users?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates deployment changes at an industry lens.

    Hybrid work has accelerated organizational digitization

    Over half of respondents reported significantly decreased reliance on printed copies as a result of hybrid. While these changes were on the horizon for many organizations even before the pandemic, the necessity of keeping business operations running during lockdowns meant that critical resources could be invested in these processes. As a result, digitization has leapt forward.

    This represents an opportunity for businesses to re-evaluate their relationships with printing vendors. Resources spent on printing can be reduced or reallocated, representing additional savings as a result of moving to hybrid. Additionally, many respondents report a willingness – and ability – from vendors to partner with organizations in driving innovation and enabling digitization.

    With respect to changes pertaining to hard copies/printers as a result of your hybrid work model:

    The image contains a screenshot of a bar graph that demonstrates how hybrid work has accelerated organizational digitization.

    Hybrid work necessitates network and communications modernization

    The majority (63%) of respondents reported making significant changes to conference room technology as a result of hybrid work. A significant proportion (30%) report that such changes were not needed, but this includes organizations who had already set up remote communication.

    An important group is the remaining 8% of respondents, who cite budgetary restrictions as a key barrier in making the necessary technology upgrades. Ensure the business case for communication technology appropriately reflects the impact of these upgrades, and reduce the impact of legacy technology where possible:

    • Recognize not just meeting efficiency but also the impact on culture, engagement, morale, and external and internal clients.
    • Connect conference room tech modernization to the overall business goals and work it into the IT strategy.
    • Leverage the scheduling flexibility available in hybrid work arrangements to reduce reliance on inadequate conference technology by scheduling in-person meetings where possible and necessary.

    Have you made changes/upgrades
    to the conference room technology to support hybrid meetings?
    (E.g. Some participants joining remotely, some participants present in a conference room)

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates if network and communications modernization was needed.

    How we can help

    Metrics

    Resources

    Create a Work-From-Anywhere IT Strategy

    Stabilize Infrastructure & Operations During Work-From-Anywhere

    Sustain Work-From-Home in the New Normal

    Establish a Communication & Collaboration Systems Strategy

    Modernize the Network

    Simplify Remote Deployment With Zero-Touch Provisioning

    For a comprehensive list of resources, visit
    Info-Tech’s Hybrid Workplace Research Center

    02 PEOPLE

    IT and Its Employees

    Section 2

    Cultivate the dream team in a newly hybrid world

    In this section:

    1. What Hybrid Means for the IT Workforce
    2. Leadership for IT Hybrid Teams

    Hybrid means permanent change to how IT hires

    Since before the pandemic, the intangibles of having a job that works with your lifestyle have been steadily growing in importance. Considerations like flexible work options, work-life balance, and culture are more important to employees now than they were two years ago, and employers must adapt.

    Salary alone is no longer enough to recruit the best talent, nor is it the key to keeping employees engaged and productive. Hybrid work options are the single biggest concern for IT professionals seeking new employment, just edging out salary. This means employers must not offer just some work flexibility but truly embrace a hybrid environment.

    The image contains a screenshot of several graphs that compare results from 2019 to 2021 on what is important to employees.

    What are you considering when looking at a potential employer?

    The image contains a screenshot of a bar graph that demonstrates what needs to be considered when looking at a potential employer.

    A recession may not significantly impact hybrid work decisions overall

    Declining economic conditions suggest that a talent market shift may be imminent. Moving toward a recession may mean less competition for top talent, but this doesn't mean hybrid will be left behind as a recruitment tactic.

    Just over half of IT organizations surveyed are considering expanding hybrid work or moving to fully remote work even in a recession. Hybrid work is a critical enabler of organizational success when resources are scarce, due to the productivity benefits and cost savings it has demonstrated. Organizations that recognize this and adequately invest in hybrid tools now will have equipped themselves with an invaluable tool for weathering a recession storm, should one come.

    What impact could a potential recession in the coming year have on your decisions around your work location?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates the potential impact of a recession.

    Hybrid work may help small organizations in a declining economy

    The potential for a recession has a greater impact on the workforce decisions of small organizations. They likely face greater financial pressures than medium and large-sized organizations, pressures that could necessitate halting recruitment efforts or holding firm on current salaries and health benefits.

    A reliance on intangible benefits, like the continuation of hybrid work, may help offset some of negative effects of such freezes, including the risk of lower employee engagement and productivity. Survey respondents indicated that hybrid work options (47%) were slightly more important to them than salary/compensation (46%) and significantly more important than benefits (29%), which could work in favor of small organizations in keeping the critical employees needed to survive an economic downturn.

    Small

    Medium Large
    90% 82% 66%

    Currently considering some form of hiring/salary freeze or cutbacks, if a recession occurs

    NOTES

    n=520

    Small: <101 employees

    Medium: 101-5000 employees

    Large: >5,000 employees

    Hybrid mitigates the main challenge of remote work

    One advantage of hybrid over remote work is the ability to maintain an in-office presence, which provides a failsafe should technology or other barriers stand in the way of effective distance communication. To take full advantage of this, teams should coordinate tasks with location, so that employees get the most out of the unique benefits of working in office and remotely.

    Activities to prioritize for in-office work:

    • Collaboration and brainstorming
    • Team-building activities
    • Introductions and onboarding

    Activities to prioritize for remote work:

    • Individual focus time

    As a leader, what are your greatest concerns with hybrid work?

    The image contains a bar graph that demonstrates concerns about hybrid work as an employer.

    Hybrid necessitates additional effort by managers

    When it comes to leading a hybrid team, there is no ignoring the impact of distance on communication and team cohesion. Among leaders’ top concerns are employee wellbeing and the ability to pick up on signs of demotivation among team members.

    The top two tactics used by managers to mitigate these concerns center on increasing communication:

    • Staying available through instant messaging.
    • Increasing team meetings.

    Tactics most used by highly effective IT departments

    The image contains a screenshot of tactics most used by highly effective IT departments.

    Team success is linked to the number of tools at the manager’s disposal

    The most effective hybrid team management tools focus on overcoming the greatest obstacle introduced by remote work: barriers to communication and connection.

    The most effective IT organizations use a variety of tactics. For managers looking to improve hybrid team effectiveness, the critical factor is less the tactic used and more the ability to adapt their approach to their team’s needs and incorporate team feedback. As such, IT effectiveness is linked to the total number of tactics used by managers.

    IT department effectiveness

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates IT department effectiveness.

    Autonomy is key to hybrid team success

    Not all hybrid work models are created equal. IT leaders working with hybrid teams have many decisions to make, from how many days will be spent in and out of office to how much control employees get over which days they work remotely.

    Employee and manager preferences are largely aligned regarding the number of days spent working remotely or onsite: Two to three days in office is the most selected option for both groups, although overall manager preferences lean slightly toward more time spent in office.

    Comparison of leader and employee preference for days in-office

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that compares leader and employee preference for days in-office.

    Do employees have a choice in the days they work in office/offsite?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates if employees have a choice in the days they work in office or offsite.

    For most organizations, employees get a choice of which days they spend working remotely. This autonomy can range from complete freedom to a choice between several pre-approved days depending on team scheduling needs.

    Work is still needed to increase autonomy in hybrid teams

    Organizations’ success in establishing hybrid team autonomy varies greatly post pandemic. Responses are roughly equally split between staff feeling more, less, or the same level of autonomy as before the pandemic. Evaluated in the context of most organizations continuing a hybrid approach, this leads to the conclusion that not all hybrid implementations are being conducted equally effectively when it comes to employee empowerment.

    As an employee, how much control do you have over the decisions related to where, when, and how you work currently?

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates autonomy in hybrid teams.

    Connectedness in hybrid teams lags behind

    A strong case can be made for fostering autonomy and empowerment on hybrid teams. Employees who report lower levels of control than before the pandemic also report lower engagement indicators, such as trust in senior leadership, motivation, and intention to stay with the organization. On the other hand, employees experiencing increased levels of control report gains in these areas.

    The only exception to these gains is the sense of team connectedness, which employees experiencing more control report as lower than before the pandemic. A greater sense of connectedness among employees reporting decreased control may be related to more mandatory in-office time or a sense of connection over shared team-level disengagement.

    These findings reinforce the need for hybrid teams to invest in team building and communication practices and confirm that significant benefits are to be had when a sense of autonomy can be successfully instilled.

    Employees who experience less control than before the pandemic report lowered engagement indicators ... except sense of connectedness

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates less control, means lowered engagement.

    Employees who experience more control than before the pandemic report increased engagement indicators ... except sense of connectedness

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph that demonstrates more control, means increased engagement.

    Case study: Hybrid work at Microsoft Canada

    The Power of Intentionality

    When the pandemic hit, technology was not in question. Flexible work options had been available and widely used, and the technology to support them was in place.

    The leadership team turned their focus to ensuring their culture survived and thrived. They developed a laser-focused approach for engaging their employees by giving their leaders tools to hold conversations. The dialogue was ongoing to allow the organization to adapt to the fast pace of changing conditions.

    Every tactic, plan, and communication started with the question, “What outcome are we striving for?”

    With a clear outcome, tools were created and leaders supported to drive the desired outcome.

    “We knew we had the technology in place. Our concern was around maintaining our strong culture and ensuring continued engagement and connection with our employees.”

    Lisa Gibson, Chief of Staff, Microsoft Canada

    How we can help

    Metrics

    Resources

    Webinar: Effectively Manage Remote Teams

    Build a Better Manager: Manage Your People

    Info-Tech Leadership Training

    Adapt Your Onboarding Process to a Virtual Environment

    Virtual Meeting Primer

    For a comprehensive list of resources, visit
    Info-Tech’s Hybrid Workplace Research Center

    Recommendations

    The last two years have been a great experiment, but it’s not over.

    BE INTENTIONAL

    • Build a team charter on how and when to communicate.
    • Create necessary tools/templates.

    INVOLVE EMPLOYEES

    • Conduct surveys and focus groups.
      Have conversations to understand sentiment.

    ALLOW CHOICE

    • Provide freedom for employees to have some level of choice in hybrid arrangements.

    BE TRANSPARENT

    • Disclose the rationale.
    • Share criteria and decision making.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Hybrid and remote teams require more attention, connection, and leadership from managers. The shift from doing the day-to-day to effectively leading is critical for the success of nontraditional work models. As hybrid and remote work become engrained in society, organizations must ensure that the concept of the “working manager” is as obsolete as the rotary telephone.

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    Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practices

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}157|cart{/j2store}
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    • Parent Category Name: Development
    • Parent Category Link: /development
    • In today’s world, business agility is essential to stay competitive. Quick responses to business needs through efficient development and deployment practices is critical for business value delivery.
    • A mature solution architecture practice is the basic necessity for a business to have technical agility.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    Don’t architect for normal situations. That is a shallow approach and leads to decisions that may seem “right” but will not be able to stand up to system elasticity needs.

    Impact and Result

    • Understand the different parts of a continuous security architecture framework and how they may apply to your decisions.
    • Develop a solution architecture for upcoming work (or if there is a desire to reduce tech debt).

    Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practices Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Solution Architecture Practices Deck – A deck to help you develop an approach for or validate existing solution architecture capability.

    Translate stakeholder objectives into architecture requirements, solutions, and changes. Incorporate architecture quality attributes in decisions to increase your architecture’s life. Evaluate your solution architecture from multiple views to obtain a holistic perspective of the range of issues, risks, and opportunities.

    • Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practices – Phases 1-3

    2. Solution Architecture Template – A template to record the results from the exercises to help you define, detail, and make real your digital product vision.

    Identify and detail the value maps that support the business, and discover the architectural quality attribute that is most important for the value maps. Brainstorm solutions for design decisions for data, security, scalability, and performance.

    • Solution Architecture Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practices

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Vision and Value Maps

    The Purpose

    Document a vision statement for the solution architecture practice (in general) and/or a specific vision statement, if using a single project as an example.

    Document business architecture and capabilities.

    Decompose capabilities into use cases.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Provide a great foundation for an actionable vision and goals that people can align to.

    Develop a collaborative understanding of business capabilities.

    Develop a collaborative understanding of use cases and personas that are relevant for the business.

    Activities

    1.1 Develop vision statement.

    1.2 Document list of value stream maps and their associated use cases.

    1.3 Document architectural quality attributes needed for use cases using SRME.

    Outputs

    Solution Architecture Template with sections filled out for vision statement canvas and value maps

    2 Continue Vision and Value Maps, Begin Phase 2

    The Purpose

    Map value stream to required architectural attributes.

    Prioritize architecture decisions.

    Discuss and document data architecture.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An understanding of architectural attributes needed for value streams.

    Conceptual understanding of data architecture.

    Activities

    2.1 Map value stream to required architectural attributes.

    2.2 Prioritize architecture decisions.

    2.3 Discuss and document data architecture.

    Outputs

    Solution Architecture Template with sections filled out for value stream and architecture attribute mapping; a prioritized list of architecture design decisions; and data architecture

    3 Continue Phase 2, Begin Phase 3

    The Purpose

    Discuss security and threat assessment.

    Discuss resolutions to threats via security architecture decisions.

    Discuss system’s scalability needs.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Decisions for security architecture.

    Decisions for scalability architecture.

    Activities

    3.1 Discuss security and threat assessment.

    3.2 Discuss resolutions to threats via security architecture decisions.

    3.3 Discuss system’s scalability needs.

    Outputs

    Solution Architecture Template with sections filled out for security architecture and scalability design

    4 Continue Phase 3, Start and Finish Phase 4

    The Purpose

    Discuss performance architecture.

    Compile all the architectural decisions into a solutions architecture list.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A complete solution architecture.

    A set of principles that will form the foundation of solution architecture practices.

    Activities

    4.1 Discuss performance architecture.

    4.2 Compile all the architectural decisions into a solutions architecture list.

    Outputs

    Solution Architecture Template with sections filled out for performance and a complete solution architecture

    Further reading

    Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practice

    Ensure your software systems solution is architected to reflect stakeholders’ short- and long-term needs.

    Analyst Perspective

    Application architecture is a critical foundation for supporting the growth and evolution of application systems. However, the business is willing to exchange the extension of the architecture’s life with quality best practices for the quick delivery of new or enhanced application functionalities. This trade-off may generate immediate benefits to stakeholders, but it will come with high maintenance and upgrade costs in the future, rendering your system legacy early.

    Technical teams know the importance of implementing quality attributes into architecture but are unable to gain approval for the investments. Overcoming this challenge requires a focus of architectural enhancements on specific problem areas with significant business visibility. Then, demonstrate how quality solutions are vital enablers for supporting valuable application functionalities by tracing these solutions to stakeholder objectives and conducting business and technical risk and impact assessments through multiple business and technical perspectives.

    this is a picture of Andrew Kum-Seun

    Andrew Kum-Seun
    Research Manager, Applications
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Enhance Your Solution Architecture

    Ensure your software systems solution is architected to reflect stakeholders’ short- and long-term needs.

    EXECUTIVE BRIEF

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    • Most organizations have some form of solution architecture; however, it may not accurately and sufficiently support the current and rapidly changing business and technical environments.
    • To enable quick delivery, applications are built and integrated haphazardly, typically omitting architecture quality practices.

    Common Obstacles

    • Failing to involve development and stakeholder perspectives in design can lead to short-lived architecture and critical development, testing, and deployment constraints and risks being omitted.
    • Architects are experiencing little traction implementing solutions to improve architecture quality due to the challenge of tracing these solutions back to the right stakeholder objectives.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    • Translate stakeholder objectives into architecture requirements, solutions, and changes. Incorporate architecture quality attributes in decisions to increase your architecture’s life.
    • Evaluate your solution architecture from multiple views to obtain a holistic perspective of the range of issues, risks, and opportunities.
    • Regularly review and recalibrate your solution architecture so that it accurately reflects and supports current stakeholder needs and technical environments.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Well-received applications can have poor architectural qualities. Functional needs often take precedence over quality architecture. Quality must be baked into design, execution, and decision-making practices to ensure the right tradeoffs are made.

    A badly designed solution architecture is the root of all technical evils

    A well-thought-through and strategically designed solution architecture is essential for the long-term success of any software system, and by extension, the organization because:

    1. It will help achieve quality attribute requirements (security, scalability, performance, usability, resiliency, etc.) for a software system.
    2. It can define and refine architectural guiding principles. A solution architecture is not only important for today but also a vision for the future of the system’s ability to react positively to changing business needs.
    3. It can help build usable (and reusable) services. In a fast-moving environment, the convenience of having pre-made plug-and-play architectural objects reduces the risk incurred from knee-jerk reactions in response to unexpected demands.
    4. It can be used to create a roadmap to an IT future state. Architectural concerns support transition planning activities that can lead to the successful implementation of a strategic IT plan.

    Demand for quick delivery makes teams omit architectural best practices, increasing downstream risks

    In its need for speed, a business often doesn’t see the value in making sure architecture is maintainable, reusable, and scalable. This demand leads to an organizational desire for development practices and the procurement of vendors that favor time-to-market over long-term maintainability. Unfortunately, technical teams are pushed to omit design quality and validation best practices.

    What are the business impacts of omitting architecture design practices?

    Poor quality application architecture impedes business growth opportunities, exposes enterprise systems to risks, and consumes precious IT budgets in maintenance that could otherwise be used for innovation and new projects.

    Previous estimations indicate that roughly 50% of security problems are the result of software design. […] Flaws in the architecture of a software system can have a greater impact on various security concerns in the system, and as a result, give more space and flexibility for malicious users.(Source: IEEE Software)

    Errors in software requirements and software design documents are more frequent than errors in the source code itself according to Computer Finance Magazine. Defects introduced during the requirements and design phase are not only more probable but also more severe and more difficult to remove. (Source: iSixSigma)

    Design a solution architecture that can be successful within the constraints and complexities set before you

    APPLICATION ARCHITECTURE…

    … describes the dependencies, structures, constraints, standards, and development guidelines to successfully deliver functional and long-living applications. This artifact lays the foundation to discuss the enhancement of the use and operations of your systems considering existing complexities.

    Good architecture design practices can give you a number of benefits:

    Lowers maintenance costs by revealing key issues and risks early. The Systems Sciences Institute at IBM has reported that the cost to fix an error found after product release was 4 to 5 times as much as one uncovered during design.(iSixSigma)

    Supports the design and implementation activities by providing key insights for project scheduling, work allocation, cost analysis, risk management, and skills development.(IBM: developerWorks)

    Eliminates unnecessary creativity and activities on the part of designers and implementers, which is achieved by imposing the necessary constraints on what they can do and making it clear that deviation from constraints can break the architecture.(IBM: developerWorks)

    Use Info-Tech’s Continuous Solution Architecture (CSA) Framework for designing adaptable systems

    Solution architecture is not a one-size-fits-all conversation. There are many design considerations and trade-offs to keep in mind as a product or services solution is conceptualized, evaluated, tested, and confirmed. The following is a list of good practices that should inform most architecture design decisions.

    Principle 1: Design your solution to have at least two of everything.

    Principle 2: Include a “kill switch” in your fault-isolation design. You should be able to turn off everything you release.

    Principle 3: If it can be monitored, it should be. Use server and audit logs where possible.

    Principle 4: Asynchronous is better than synchronous. Asynchronous design is more complex but worth the processing efficiency it introduces.

    Principle 5: Stateless over stateful: State data should only be used if necessary.

    Principle 6: Go horizonal (scale out) over vertical (scale up).

    Principle 7: Good architecture comes in small packages.

    Principle 8: Practice just-in-time architecture. Delay finalizing an approach for as long as you can.

    Principle 9: X-ilities over features. Quality of an architecture is the foundation over which features exist. A weak foundation can never be obfuscated through shiny features.

    Principle 10: Architect for products not projects. A product is an ongoing concern, while a project is short lived and therefore only focused on what is. A product mindset forces architects to think about what can or should be.

    Principle 11: Design for rollback: When all else fails, you should be able to stand up the previous best state of the system.

    Principle 12: Test the solution architecture like you test your solution’s features.

    CSA should be used for every step in designing a solution’s architecture

    Solution architecture is a technical response to a business need, and like all complex evolutionary systems, must adapt its design for changing circumstances.

    The triggers for changes to existing solution architectures can come from, at least, three sources:

    1. Changing business goals
    2. Existing backlog of technical debt
    3. Solution architecture roadmap

    A solution’s architecture is cross-cutting and multi-dimensional and at the minimum includes:

    • Product Portfolio Strategy
    • Application Architecture
    • Data Architecture
    • Information Architecture
    • Operational Architecture

    along with several qualitative attributes (also called non-functional requirements).

    This image contains a chart which demonstrates the relationship between changing hanging business goals, Existing backlog of technical debt, Solution architecture roadmap, and Product Portfolio Strategy, Application Architecture, Data Architecture, Information Architecture and, Operational Architecture

    Related Research: Product Portfolio Strategy

    Integrate Portfolios to Create Exceptional Customer Value

    • Define an organizing principle that will structure your projects and applications in a way that matters to your stakeholders.
    • Bridge application and project portfolio data using the organizing principle that matters to communicate with stakeholders across the organization.
    • Create a dashboard that brings together the benefits of both project and application portfolio management to improve visibility and decision making.

    Deliver on Your Digital Portfolio Vision

    • Recognize that a vision is only as good as the data that backs it up. Lay out a comprehensive backlog with quality built in that can be effectively communicated and understood through roadmaps.
    • Your intent is only a dream if it cannot be implemented ; define what goes into a release plan via the release canvas.
    • Define a communication approach that lets everyone know where you are heading.

    Related Research: Data, Information & Integration Architecture

    Build a Data Architecture Roadmap

    • Have a framework in place to identify the appropriate solution for the challenge at hand. Our three-phase practical approach will help you build a custom and modernized data architecture.
    • Identify and prioritize the business drivers in which data architecture changes would create the largest overall benefit and determine the corresponding data architecture tiers that need to be addressed.
    • Discover the best-practice trends, measure your current state, and define the targets for your data architecture tactics.
    • Build a cohesive and personalized roadmap for restructuring your data architecture. Manage your decisions and resulting changes.

    Build a Data Pipeline for Reporting and Analytics

    • Understand your high-level business capabilities and interactions across them – your data repositories and flows should be just a digital reflection thereof.
    • Divide your data world in logical verticals overlaid with various speed data progression lanes, i.e. build your data pipeline – and conquer it one segment at a time.
    • Use the most appropriate database design pattern for a given phase/component in your data pipeline progression.

    Related Research:Operational Architecture

    Optimize Application Release Management

    • Acquire release management ownership. Ensure there is appropriate accountability for the speed and quality of the releases passing through the entire pipeline.
    • A release manager has oversight over the entire release process and facilitates the necessary communication between business stakeholders and various IT roles.
    • Instill holistic thinking. Release management includes all steps required to push release and change requests to production along with the hand-off to Operations and Support. Increase the transparency and visibility of the entire pipeline to ensure local optimizations do not generate bottlenecks in other areas.
    • Standardize and lay a strong release management foundation. Optimize the key areas where you are experiencing the most pain and continually improve.

    Build Your Infrastructure Roadmap

    • Increased communication. More information being shared to more people who need it.
    • Better planning. More accurate information being shared.
    • Reduced lead times. Less due diligence or discovery work required as part of project implementations.
    • Faster delivery times. Less low-value work, freeing up more time for project work.

    Related Research:Security Architecture

    Identify Opportunities to Mature the Security Architecture

    • A right-sized security architecture can be created by assessing the complexity of the IT department, the operations currently underway for security, and the perceived value of a security architecture within the organization. This will bring about a deeper understanding of the organizational infrastructure.
    • Developing a security architecture should also result in a list of opportunities (i.e. initiatives) that an organization can integrate into a roadmap. These initiatives will seek to improve security operations and strengthen the IT department’s understanding of security’s role within the organization.
    • A better understanding of the infrastructure will help to save time on determining the correct technologies required from vendors, and therefore, cut down on the amount of vendor noise.
    • Creating a defensible roadmap will assist with justifying future security spend.

    Key deliverable:

    Solution Architecture Template
    Record the results from the exercises to help you define, detail, and make real your digital product vision.

    Blueprint Deliverables

    Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

    This image contains screenshots of the deliverables which will be discussed later in this blueprint

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.

    Guided Implementation

    Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track

    Workshop

    We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place

    Consulting

    Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. we need assistance through the entirety of this project.

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options

    Workshop Overview

    Contact your account representative for more information. workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
    Exercises
    1. Articulate an architectural vision
    2. Develop dynamic value stream maps
    1. Create a conceptual map between the value stream, use case, and required architectural attribute
    2. Create a prioritized list of architectural attributes
    3. Develop a data architecture that supports transactional and analytical needs
    1. Document security architecture risks and mitigations
    2. Document scalability architecture
    1. Document performance-enhancing architecture
    2. Bring it all together
    Outcomes
    1. Architecture vision
    2. Dynamic value stream maps (including user stories/personas)
    1. List of required architectural attributes
    2. Architectural attributes prioritized
    3. Data architecture design decisions
    1. Security threat and risk analysis
    2. Security design decisions
    3. Scalability design decisions
    1. Performance design decisions
    2. Finalized decisions

    Guided Implementation

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.
    This GI is between 8 to 10 calls over the course of approximately four to six months.

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 2
    Call #1:
    Articulate an architectural vision.
    Call #4:
    Continue discussion on value stream mapping and related use cases.
    Call #6:
    Document security design decisions.
    Call #2:
    Discuss value stream mapping and related use cases.
    Call #5:
    • Map the value streams to required architectural attribute.
    • Create a prioritized list of architectural attributes.
    Call #7:
    • Document scalability design decisions.
    • Document performance design decisions.
    Call #3:
    Continue discussion on value stream mapping and related use cases.
    Call #8:
    Bring it all together.

    Phase 1: Visions and Value Maps

    Phase 1

    1.1 Articulate an Architectural Vision
    1.2 Develop Dynamic Value Stream Maps
    1.3 Map Value Streams, Use Cases, and Required Architectural Attributes
    1.4 Create a Prioritized List of Architectural Attributes

    Phase 2

    2.1 Develop a Data Architecture That Supports Transactional and Analytical Needs
    2.2 Document Security Architecture Risks and Mitigations

    Phase 3

    3.1 Document Scalability Architecture
    3.2 Document Performance Enhancing Architecture
    3.3 Combine the Different Architecture Design Decisions Into a Unified Solution Architecture

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Determine a vision for architecture outcomes
    • Draw dynamic value stream maps
    • Derive architectural design decisions
    • Prioritize design decisions

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Enterprise Architect

    Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practice

    Let’s get this straight: You need an architectural vision

    If you start off by saying I want to architect a system, you’ve already lost. Remember what a vision is for!

    An architectural vision...

    … is your North Star

    Your product vision serves as the single fixed point for product development and delivery.

    … aligns stakeholders

    It gets everyone on the same page.

    … helps focus on meaningful work

    There is no pride in being a rudderless ship. It can also be very expensive.

    And eventually...

    … kick-starts your strategy

    We know where to go, we know who to bring along, and we know the steps to get there. Let’s plan this out.

    An architectural vision is multi-dimensional

    Who is the target customer (or customers)?

    What is the key benefit a customer can get from using our service or product?

    Why should they be engaged with you?

    What makes our service or product better than our competitors?

    (Adapted from Crossing the Chasm)

    Info-Tech Insight

    It doesn’t matter if you are delivering value to internal or external stakeholders, you need a product vision to ensure everyone understands the “why.”

    Use a canvas as the dashboard for your architecture

    The solution architecture canvas provides a single dashboard to quickly define and communicate the most important information about the vision. A canvas is an effective tool for aligning teams and providing an executive summary view.

    This image contains a sample canvas for you to use as the dashboard for your architecture. The sections are: Solution Name, Tracking Info, Vision, Business Goals, Metrics, Personas, and Stakeholders.

    Leverage the solution architecture canvas to state and inform your architecture vision

    This image contains the sample canvas from the previous section, with annotations explaining what to do for each of the headings.

    1.1 Craft a vision statement for your solution’s architecture

    1. Use the product canvas template provided for articulating your solution’s architecture.

    *If needed, remove or add additional data points to fit your purposes.

    There are different statement templates available to help form your product vision statements. Some include:

    • For [our target customer], who [customer’s need], the [product] is a [product category or description] that [unique benefits and selling points]. Unlike [competitors or current methods], our product [main differentiators].
    • We believe (in) a [noun: world, time, state, etc.] where [persona] can [verb: do, make, offer, etc.], for/by/with [benefit/goal].
    • To [verb: empower, unlock, enable, create, etc.] [persona] to [benefit, goal, future state].
    • Our vision is to [verb: build, design, provide] the [goal, future state] to [verb: help, enable, make it easier to...] [persona].

    (Adapted from Crossing the Chasm)

    Download the Solution Architecture Template and document your vision statement.

    Input

    • Business Goals
    • Product Portfolio Vision

    Output

    • Solution Architecture Vision

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • IT Leadership
    • Business Leadership

    Solution Architecture Canvas: Refine your vision statement

    This image contains a screenshot of the canvas from earlier in the blueprint, with only the annotation for Solution Name: Vision, unique value proposition, elevator pitch, or positioning statement.

    Understand your value streams before determining your solution’s architecture

    Business Strategy

    Sets and communicates the direction of the entire organization.

    Value Stream

    Segments, groups, and creates a coherent narrative as to how an organization creates value.

    Business Capability Map

    Decomposes an organization into its component parts to establish a common language across the organization.

    Execution

    Implements the business strategy through capability building or improvement projects.

    Identify your organization’s goals and define the value streams that support them

    Goal

    Revenue Growth

    Value Streams

    Stream 1- Product Purchase
    Stream 2- Customer Acquisition
    stream 3- Product Financing

    There are many techniques that help with constructing value streams and their capabilities.

    Domain-driven design is a technique that can be used for hypothesizing the value maps, their capabilities, and associated solution architecture.

    Read more about domain-driven design here.

    Value streams can be external (deliver value to customers) or internal (support operations)

      External Perspective

    1. Core value streams are mostly externally facing: they deliver value to either an external/internal customer and they tie to the customer perspective of the strategy map.
    • E.g. customer acquisition, product purchase, product delivery

    Internal Perspective

  • Support value streams are internally facing: they provide the foundational support for an organization to operate.
    • E.g. employee recruitment to retirement

    Key Questions to Ask While Evaluating Value Streams

    • Who are your customers?
    • What benefits do we deliver to them?
    • How do we deliver those benefits?
    • How does the customer receive the benefits?
    This image contains an example of value streams. The main headings are: Customer Acquisitions, Product Purchase, Product Delivery, Confirm Order, Product Financing, and Product Release.

    Value streams highlight the what, not the how

    Value chains set a high-level context, but architectural decisions still need to be made to deal with the dynamism of user interaction and their subsequent expectations. User stories (and/or use cases) and themes are great tools for developing such decisions.

    Product Delivery

    1. Order Confirmation
    2. Order Dispatching
    3. Warehouse Management
    4. Fill Order
    5. Ship Order
    6. Deliver Order

    Use Case and User Story Theme: Confirm Order

    This image shows the relationship between confirming the customer's order online, and the Online Buyer, the Online Catalog, the Integrated Payment, and the Inventory Lookup.

    The use case Confirming Customer’s Online Order has four actors:

    1. An Online Buyer who should be provided with a catalog of products to purchase from.
    2. An Online Catalog that is invoked to display its contents on demand.
    3. An Integrated Payment system for accepting an online form of payment (credit card, Bitcoins, etc.) in a secure transaction.
    4. An Inventory Lookup module that confirms there is stock available to satisfy the Online Buyer’s order.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Each use case theme links back to a feature(s) in the product backlog.

    Related Research

    Deliver on Your Digital Portfolio Vision

    • Recognize that a vision is only as good as the data that backs it up. Lay out a comprehensive backlog with quality built in that can be effectively communicated and understood through roadmaps.
    • Your intent is only a dream if it cannot be implemented – define what goes into a release plan via the release canvas.
    • Define a communication approach that lets everyone know where you are heading.

    Document Your Business Architecture

    • Recognize the opportunity for architecture work, analyze the current and target states of your business strategy, and identify and engage the right stakeholders.
    • Model the business in the form of architectural blueprints.
    • Apply business architecture techniques such as strategy maps, value streams, and business capability maps to design usable and accurate blueprints of the business.
    • Drive business architecture forward to promote real value to the organization.
    • Assess your current projects to determine if you are investing in the right capabilities. Conduct business capability assessments to identify opportunities and to prioritize projects.

    1.2 Document dynamic value stream maps

    1. Create value stream maps that support your business objectives.
    • The value stream maps could belong to existing or new business objectives.
  • For each value stream map:
    • Determine use case(s), the actors, and their expected activity.

    *Refer to the next slide for an example of a dynamic value stream map.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for documentation of dynamic value stream map

    Input

    • Business Goals
    • Some or All Existing Business Processes
    • Some or All Proposed New Business Processes

    Output

    • Dynamic Value Stream Maps for Multiple Use Roles and Use Cases

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect

    Example: Dynamic value stream map

    Loan Provision*

    *Value Stream Name: Usually has the same name as the capability it illustrates.

    Loan Application**; Disbursement of Fund**; Risk Management**; Service Accounts**

    **Value Stream Components: Specific functions that support the successful delivery of a value stream.

    Disbursement of Funds

    This image shows the relationship between depositing the load into the applicant's bank account, and the Applicant's bank, the Loan Applicant, and the Loan Supplier.

    Style #1:

    The use case Disbursement of Funds has three actors:

    1. A Loan Applicant who applied for a loan and got approved for one.
    2. A Loan Supplier who is the source for the funds.
    3. The Applicant’s Bank that has an account into which the funds are deposited.

    Style # 2:

    Loan Provision: Disbursement of Funds
    Use Case Actors Expectation
    Deposit Loan Into Applicant’s Bank Account
    1. Loan Applicant
    2. Loan Supplier
    3. Applicant’s Bank
    1. Should be able to see deposit in bank account
    2. Deposit funds into account
    3. Accept funds into account

    Mid-Phase 1 Checkpoint

    By now, the following items are ideally completed:

    • Mid-Phase 1 Checkpoint

    Start with an investigation of your architecture’s qualitative needs

    Quality attributes can be viewed as the -ilities (e.g. scalability, usability, reliability) that a software system needs to provide. A system not meeting any of its quality attribute requirements will likely not function as required. Examples of quality attributes are:

    1. Slow system response time
    2. Security breaches that result in loss of personal data
    3. A product feature upgrade that is not compatible with previous versions
    Examples of Qualitative Attributes
    Performance Compatibility Usability Reliability Security Maintainability
    • Response Time
    • Resource Utilization
    • System Capacity
    • Interoperability
    • Accessibility
    • User Interface
    • Intuitiveness
    • Availability
    • Fault Tolerance
    • Recoverability
    • Integrity
    • Non-Repudiation
    • Modularity
    • Reusability
    • Modifiability
    • Testability

    Focus on quality attributes that are architecturally significant.

    • Not every system requires every quality attribute.
    • Pay attention to those attributes without which the solution will not be able to satisfy a user’s abstract* expectation.
    • This set can be considered Architecturally Significant Requirements (ASR). ASR concern scenarios have the most impact on the architecture of the software system.
    • ASR are fundamental needs of the system and changing them in the future can be a costly and difficult exercise.

    *Abstract since attributes like performance and reliability are not directly measurable by a user.

    Stimulus Response Measurement Environmental Context

    For applicable use cases: (*Adapted from S Carnegie Mellon University, 2000)

    1. Determine the Stimulus (temporal, external, or internal) that puts stress on the system. For example, a VPN-accessed hospital management system is used for nurses to login at 8am every weekday.
    2. Describe how the system should Respond to the stimulus. For example, the hospital management system should complete a nurse login under 10ms on initiation of the HTTPS request.
    3. Set a Measurement criteria for determining the success of the response to the stimulus. For example, the system should be able to successfully respond to 98% of the HTTPS requests the first time.
    4. Note the environmental context under which the stimulus occurs, including any unusual conditions in effect.
    • The hospital management system needs to respond in under 10ms under typical load or peak load?
    • What is the time variance of peak loads, for example, an e-commerce system during a Black Friday sale?
    • How big is the peak load?

    Info-Tech Insight

    Three out of four is bad. Don’t architect for normal situations because the solution will be fragile and prone to catastrophic failure under unexpected events.
    Read article: Retail sites crash under weight of online Black Friday shoppers.

    Discover and evaluate the qualitative attributes needed for use cases or user stories

    Deposit Loan Into Applicant’s Bank Account

    Assume analysis is being done for a to-be developed system.

    User Loan Applicant
    Expectations On login to the web system, should be able to see accurate bank balance after loan funds are deposited.
    User signs into the online portal and opens their account balance page.
    Expected Response From System System creates a connection to the data source and renders it on the screen in under 10ms.
    Measurement Under Normal Loads:
    • Response in 10ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Under Peak Loads:
    • Response in 15ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Quality Attribute Required Required Attribute # 1: Performance
    • Design Decision: Reduce latency by placing authorization components closer to user’s location.
    Required Attribute # 2: Data Reliability
    • Design Decision: Use event-driven ETL pipelines.
    Required Attribute # 3: Scalability
    • Design Decision: Following Principle # 4 of the CSA (JIT Architecture), delay decision until necessary.

    Use cases developed in Phase 1.2 should be used here. (Adapted from the ATAM Utility Tree Method for Quality Attribute Engineering)

    Reduce technical debt while you are at it

    Deposit Loan Into Applicant’s Bank Account

    Assume analysis is being done for a to-be developed system.

    UserLoan Applicant
    ExpectationsOn login to the web system, should be able to see accurate bank balance after loan funds are deposited.
    User signs into the online portal and opens their account balance page.
    Expected Response From SystemSystem creates a connection to the data source and renders it on the screen in under 10ms.
    MeasurementUnder Normal Loads:
    • Response in 10ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Under Peak Loads:
    • Response in 15ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Quality Attribute RequiredRequired Attribute # 1: Performance
    • Design Decision: Reduce latency by placing authorization components closer to user’s location.

    Required Attribute # 2: Data Reliability

    • Expected is 15ms or less under peak loads, but average latency is 21ms.
    • Design Decision: Use event-driven ETL pipelines.

    Required Attribute # 3: Scalability

    • Data should not be stale and should sync instantaneously, but in some zip codes data synchronization is taking 8 hours.
    • Design Decision: Investigate integrations and flows across application, database, and infrastructure. (Note: A dedicated section for discussing scalability is presented in Phase 2.)

    1.3 Create a conceptual map between the value streams, use cases, and required architectural attributes

    1. For selected use cases completed in Phase 1.2:
    • Map the value stream to its associated use cases.
    • For each use case, list the required architectural quality attributes.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for mapping value stream components to their required architectural attribute.

    Input

    • Use Cases
    • User Roles
    • Stimulus to System
    • Response From System
    • Response Measurement

    Output

    • List of Architectural Quality Attributes

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Infrastructure Architect

    Example for Phase 1.3

    Loan Provision

    Loan Application → Disbursement of Funds → Risk Management → Service Accounts

    Value Stream Component Use Case Required Architectural Attribute
    Loan Application UC1: Submit Loan Application
    UC2: Review Loan Application
    UC3: Approve Loan Application
    UCn: ……..
    UC1: Resilience, Data Reliability
    UC2: Data Reliability
    UC3: Scalability, Security, Performance
    UCn: …..
    Disbursement of Funds UC1: Deposit Funds Into Applicant’s Bank Account
    UCn: ……..
    UC1: Performance, Scalability, Data Reliability
    Risk Management ….. …..
    Service Accounts ….. …..

    1.2 Document dynamic value stream maps

    1. Create value stream maps that support your business objectives.
    • The value stream maps could belong to existing or new business objectives.
  • For each value stream map:
    • Determine use case(s), the actors, and their expected activity.

    *Refer to the next slide for an example of a dynamic value stream map.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for documentation of dynamic value stream map

    Input

    • Business Goals
    • Some or All Existing Business Processes
    • Some or All Proposed New Business Processes

    Output

    • Dynamic Value Stream Maps for Multiple Use Roles and Use Cases

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect

    Example: Dynamic value stream map

    Loan Provision*

    *Value Stream Name: Usually has the same name as the capability it illustrates.

    Loan Application**; Disbursement of Fund**; Risk Management**; Service Accounts**

    **Value Stream Components: Specific functions that support the successful delivery of a value stream.

    Disbursement of Funds

    This image shows the relationship between depositing the load into the applicant's bank account, and the Applicant's bank, the Loan Applicant, and the Loan Supplier.

    Style #1:

    The use case Disbursement of Funds has three actors:

    1. A Loan Applicant who applied for a loan and got approved for one.
    2. A Loan Supplier who is the source for the funds.
    3. The Applicant’s Bank that has an account into which the funds are deposited.

    Style # 2:

    Loan Provision: Disbursement of Funds
    Use Case Actors Expectation
    Deposit Loan Into Applicant’s Bank Account
    1. Loan Applicant
    2. Loan Supplier
    3. Applicant’s Bank
    1. Should be able to see deposit in bank account
    2. Deposit funds into account
    3. Accept funds into account

    Mid-Phase 1 Checkpoint

    By now, the following items are ideally completed:

    • Mid-Phase 1 Checkpoint

    Start with an investigation of your architecture’s qualitative needs

    Quality attributes can be viewed as the -ilities (e.g. scalability, usability, reliability) that a software system needs to provide. A system not meeting any of its quality attribute requirements will likely not function as required. Examples of quality attributes are:

    1. Slow system response time
    2. Security breaches that result in loss of personal data
    3. A product feature upgrade that is not compatible with previous versions
    Examples of Qualitative Attributes
    Performance Compatibility Usability Reliability Security Maintainability
    • Response Time
    • Resource Utilization
    • System Capacity
    • Interoperability
    • Accessibility
    • User Interface
    • Intuitiveness
    • Availability
    • Fault Tolerance
    • Recoverability
    • Integrity
    • Non-Repudiation
    • Modularity
    • Reusability
    • Modifiability
    • Testability

    Focus on quality attributes that are architecturally significant.

    • Not every system requires every quality attribute.
    • Pay attention to those attributes without which the solution will not be able to satisfy a user’s abstract* expectation.
    • This set can be considered Architecturally Significant Requirements (ASR). ASR concern scenarios have the most impact on the architecture of the software system.
    • ASR are fundamental needs of the system and changing them in the future can be a costly and difficult exercise.

    *Abstract since attributes like performance and reliability are not directly measurable by a user.

    Stimulus Response Measurement Environmental Context

    For applicable use cases: (*Adapted from S Carnegie Mellon University, 2000)

    1. Determine the Stimulus (temporal, external, or internal) that puts stress on the system. For example, a VPN-accessed hospital management system is used for nurses to login at 8am every weekday.
    2. Describe how the system should Respond to the stimulus. For example, the hospital management system should complete a nurse login under 10ms on initiation of the HTTPS request.
    3. Set a Measurement criteria for determining the success of the response to the stimulus. For example, the system should be able to successfully respond to 98% of the HTTPS requests the first time.
    4. Note the environmental context under which the stimulus occurs, including any unusual conditions in effect.
    • The hospital management system needs to respond in under 10ms under typical load or peak load?
    • What is the time variance of peak loads, for example, an e-commerce system during a Black Friday sale?
    • How big is the peak load?

    Info-Tech Insight

    Three out of four is bad. Don’t architect for normal situations because the solution will be fragile and prone to catastrophic failure under unexpected events.
    Read article: Retail sites crash under weight of online Black Friday shoppers.

    Discover and evaluate the qualitative attributes needed for use cases or user stories

    Deposit Loan Into Applicant’s Bank Account

    Assume analysis is being done for a to-be developed system.

    User Loan Applicant
    Expectations On login to the web system, should be able to see accurate bank balance after loan funds are deposited.
    User signs into the online portal and opens their account balance page.
    Expected Response From System System creates a connection to the data source and renders it on the screen in under 10ms.
    Measurement Under Normal Loads:
    • Response in 10ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Under Peak Loads:
    • Response in 15ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Quality Attribute Required Required Attribute # 1: Performance
    • Design Decision: Reduce latency by placing authorization components closer to user’s location.
    Required Attribute # 2: Data Reliability
    • Design Decision: Use event-driven ETL pipelines.
    Required Attribute # 3: Scalability
    • Design Decision: Following Principle # 4 of the CSA (JIT Architecture), delay decision until necessary.

    Use cases developed in Phase 1.2 should be used here. (Adapted from the ATAM Utility Tree Method for Quality Attribute Engineering)

    Reduce technical debt while you are at it

    Deposit Loan Into Applicant’s Bank Account

    Assume analysis is being done for a to-be developed system.

    UserLoan Applicant
    ExpectationsOn login to the web system, should be able to see accurate bank balance after loan funds are deposited.
    User signs into the online portal and opens their account balance page.
    Expected Response From SystemSystem creates a connection to the data source and renders it on the screen in under 10ms.
    MeasurementUnder Normal Loads:
    • Response in 10ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Under Peak Loads:
    • Response in 15ms or less
    • Data should not be stale
    Quality Attribute RequiredRequired Attribute # 1: Performance
    • Design Decision: Reduce latency by placing authorization components closer to user’s location.

    Required Attribute # 2: Data Reliability

    • Expected is 15ms or less under peak loads, but average latency is 21ms.
    • Design Decision: Use event-driven ETL pipelines.

    Required Attribute # 3: Scalability

    • Data should not be stale and should sync instantaneously, but in some zip codes data synchronization is taking 8 hours.
    • Design Decision: Investigate integrations and flows across application, database, and infrastructure. (Note: A dedicated section for discussing scalability is presented in Phase 2.)

    1.3 Create a conceptual map between the value streams, use cases, and required architectural attributes

    1. For selected use cases completed in Phase 1.2:
    • Map the value stream to its associated use cases.
    • For each use case, list the required architectural quality attributes.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for mapping value stream components to their required architectural attribute.

    Input

    • Use Cases
    • User Roles
    • Stimulus to System
    • Response From System
    • Response Measurement

    Output

    • List of Architectural Quality Attributes

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Infrastructure Architect

    Prioritize architectural quality attributes to ensure a right-engineered solution

    Trade-offs are inherent in solution architecture. Scaling systems may impact performance and weaken security, while fault-tolerance and redundancy may improve availability but at higher than desired costs. In the end, the best solution is not always perfect, but balanced and right-engineered (versus over- or under-engineered).

    Loan Provision

    Loan Application → Disbursement of Funds → Risk Management → Service Accounts

    1. Map architecture attributes against the value stream components.
    • Use individual use cases to determine which attributes are needed for a value stream component.
    This image contains a screenshot of the table showing the importance of scalability, resiliance, performance, security, and data reliability for loan application, disbursement of funds, risk management, and service accounts.

    In our example, the prioritized list of architectural attributes are:

    • Security (4 votes for Very Important)
    • Data Reliability (2 votes for Very Important)
    • Scalability (1 vote for Very Important and 1 vote for Fairly Important) and finally
    • Resilience (1 vote for Very Important, 0 votes for Fairly Important and 1 vote for Mildly Important)
    • Performance (0 votes for Very Important, 2 votes for Fairly Important)

    1.4 Create a prioritized list of architectural attributes (from 1.3)

    1. Using the tabular structure shown on the previous slide:
    • Map each value stream component against architectural quality attributes.
    • For each mapping, indicate its importance using the green, blue, and yellow color scheme.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template and document the list of architectural attributes by priority.

    Input

    • List of Architectural Attributes From 1.3

    Output

    • Prioritized List of Architectural Attributes

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Infrastructure Architect

    End of Phase 1

    At the end of this Phase, you should have completed the following activities:

    • Documented a set of dynamic value stream maps along with selected use cases.
    • Using the SRME framework, identified quality attributes for the system under investigation.
    • Prioritized quality attributes for system use cases.

    Phase 2: Multi-Purpose Data and Security Architecture

    Phase 1

    1.1 Articulate an Architectural Vision
    1.2 Develop Dynamic Value Stream Maps
    1.3 Map Value Streams, Use Cases, and Required Architectural Attributes
    1.4 Create a Prioritized List of Architectural Attributes

    Phase 2

    2.1 Develop a Data Architecture That Supports Transactional and Analytical Needs
    2.2 Document Security Architecture Risks and Mitigations

    Phase 3

    3.1 Document Scalability Architecture
    3.2 Document Performance Enhancing Architecture
    3.3 Combine the Different Architecture Design Decisions Into a Unified Solution Architecture

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Understand the scalability, performance, resilience, and security needs of the business.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Enterprise Architect

    Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practice

    Fragmented data environments need something to sew them together

    • A full 93% of enterprises have a multi-cloud strategy, with 87% having a hybrid-cloud environment in place.
    • On average, companies have data stored in 2.2 public and 2.2 private clouds as well as in various on-premises data repositories.
    This image contains a breakdown of the cloud infrastructure, including single cloud versus multi-cloud.

    Source: Flexera

    In addition, companies are faced with:

    • Access and integration challenges (Who is sending the data? Who is getting it? Can we trust them?)
    • Data format challenges as data may differ for each consumer and sender of data
    • Infrastructure challenges as data repositories/processors are spread out over public and private clouds, are on premises, or in multi-cloud and hybrid ecosystems
    • Structured vs. unstructured data

    A robust and reliable integrated data architecture is essential for any organization that aspires to be relevant and impactful in its industry.

    Data’s context and influence on a solution’s architecture cannot be overestimated

    Data used to be the new oil. Now it’s the life force of any organization that has serious aspirations of providing profit-generating products and services to customers. Architectural decisions about managing data have a significant impact on the sustainability of a software system as well as on quality attributes such as security, scalability, performance, and availability.

    Storage and Processing go hand in hand and are the mainstay of any data architecture. Due to their central position of importance, an architecture decision for storage and processing must be well thought through or they become the bottleneck in an otherwise sound system.

    Ingestion refers to a system’s ability to accept data as an input from heterogenous sources, in different formats, and at different intervals.

    Dissemination is the set of architectural design decisions that make a system’s data accessible to external consumers. Major concerns involve security for the data in motion, authorization, data format, concurrent requests for data, etc.

    Orchestration takes care of ensuring data is current and reliable, especially for systems that are decentralized and distributed.

    Data architecture requires alignment with a hybrid data management plan

    Most companies have a combination of data. They have data they own using on-premises data sources and on the cloud. Hybrid data management also includes external data, such as social network feeds, financial data, and legal information amongst many others.

    Data integration architectures have typically been put in one of two major integration patterns:

    Application to Application Integration (or “speed matters”) Analytical Data Integrations (or “send it to me when its all done”)
    • This domain is concerned with ensuring communication between processes.
    • Examples include patterns such as Service-Oriented Architecture, REST, Event Hubs and Enterprise Service Buses.
    • This domain is focused on integrating data from transactional processes towards enterprise business intelligence. It supports activities that require well-managed data to generate evidence-based insights.
    • Examples of this pattern are ELT, enterprise data warehouses, and data marts.

    Sidebar

    Difference between real-time, batch, and streaming data movements

    Real-Time

    • Reacts to data in seconds or even quicker.
    • Real-time systems are hard to implement.

    Batch

    • Batch processing deals with a large volume of data all at once and data-related jobs are typically completed simultaneously in non-stop, sequential order.
    • Batch processing is an efficient and low-cost means of data processing.
    • Execution of batch processing jobs can be controlled manually, providing further control over how the system treats its data assets.
    • Batch processing is only useful if there are no requirements for data to be fresh and current. Real-time systems are suited to processing data that requires these attributes.

    Streaming

    • Stream processing allows almost instantaneous analysis of data as it streams from one device to another.
    • Since data is analyzed quickly, storage may not be a concern (since only computed data is stored while raw data can be dispersed).
    • Streaming requires the flow of data into the system to equal the flow of data computing, otherwise issues of data storage and performance can rise.

    Modern data ingestion and dissemination frameworks keep core data assets current and accessible

    Data ingestion and dissemination frameworks are critical for keeping enterprise data current and relevant.

    Data ingestion/dissemination frameworks capture/share data from/to multiple data sources.

    Factors to consider when designing a data ingestion/dissemination architecture

    What is the mode for data movement?

    • The mode for data movement is directly influenced by the size of data being moved and the downstream requirements for data currency.
    • Data can move in real-time, as a batch, or as a stream.

    What is the ingestion/dissemination architecture deployment strategy?

    • Outside of critical security concerns, hosting on the cloud vs. on premises leads to a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and a higher return on investment (ROI).

    How many different and disparate data sources are sending/receiving data?

    • Stability comes if there is a good idea about the data sources/recipient and their requirements.

    What are the different formats flowing through?

    • Is the data in the form of data blocks? Is it structured, semi-unstructured, or unstructured?

    What are expected performance SLAs as data flow rate changes?

    • Data change rate is defined as the size of changes occurring every hour. It helps in selecting the appropriate tool for data movement.
    • Performance is a derivative of latency and throughput, and therefore, data on a cloud is going to have higher latency and lower throughput then if it is kept on premises.
    • What is the transfer data size? Are there any file compression and/or file splits applied on the data? What is the average and maximum size of a block object per ingestion/dissemination operation?

    What are the security requirements for the data being stored?

    • The ingestion/dissemination framework should be able to work through a secure tunnel to collect/share data if needed.

    Sensible storage and processing strategy can improve performance and scalability and be cost-effective

    The range of options for data storage is staggering...

    … but that’s a good thing because the range of data formats that organizations must deal with is also richer than in the past.

    Different strokes for different workloads.

    The data processing tool to use may depend upon the workloads the system has to manage.

    Expanding upon the Risk Management use case (as part of the Loan Provision Capability), one of the outputs for risk assessment is a report that conducts a statistical analysis of customer profiles and separates those that are possibly risky. The data for this report is spread out across different data systems and will need to be collected in a master data management storage location. The business and data architecture team have discussed three critical system needs, noted below:

    Data Management Requirements for Risk Management Reporting Data Design Decision
    Needs to query millions of relational records quickly
    • Strong indexing
    • Strong caching
    • Message queue
    Needs a storage space for later retrieval of relational data
    • Data storage that scales as needed
    Needs turnkey geo-replication mechanism with document retrieval in milliseconds
    • Add NoSQL with geo-replication and quick document access

    Keep every core data source on the same page through orchestration

    Data orchestration, at its simplest, is the combination of data integration, data processing, and data concurrency management.

    Data pipeline orchestration is a cross-cutting process that manages the dependencies between your data integration tasks and scheduled data jobs.

    A task or application may periodically fail, and therefore, as a part of our data architecture strategy, there must be provisions for scheduling, rescheduling, replaying, monitoring, retrying, and debugging the entire data pipeline in a holistic way.

    Some of the functionality provided by orchestration frameworks are:

    • Job scheduling
    • Job parametrization
    • SLAs tracking, alerting, and notification
    • Dependency management
    • Error management and retries
    • History and audit
    • Data storage for metadata
    • Log aggregation
    Data Orchestration Has Three Stages
    Organize Transform Publicize
    Organizations may have legacy data that needs to be combined with new data. It’s important for the orchestration tool to understand the data it deals with. Transform the data from different sources into one standard type. Make transformed data easily accessible to stakeholders.

    2.1 Discuss and document data architecture decisions

    1. Using the value maps and associated use cases from Phase 1, determine the data system quality attributes.
    2. Use the sample tabular layout on the next slide or develop one of your own.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for documenting data architecture decisions.

    Input

    • Value Maps and Use Cases

    Output

    • Initial Set of Data Design Decisions

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Infrastructure Architect

    Example: Data Architecture

    Data Management Requirements for Risk Management Reporting Data Design Decision
    Needs to query millions of relational records quickly
    • Strong indexing
    • Strong caching
    • Message queue
    Needs a storage space for later retrieval of relational data
    • Data storage that scales as needed
    Needs turnkey geo-replication mechanism with document retrieval in milliseconds
    • Add NoSQL with geo-replication and quick document access

    There is no free lunch when making the most sensible security architecture decision; tradeoffs are a necessity

    Ensuring that any real system is secure is a complex process involving tradeoffs against other important quality attributes (such as performance and usability). When architecting a system, we must understand:

    • Its security needs.
    • Its security threat landscape.
    • Known mitigations for those threats to ensure that we create a system with sound security fundamentals.

    The first thing to do when determining security architecture is to conduct a threat and risk assessment (TRA).

    This image contains a sample threat and risk assessment. The steps are Understand: Until we thoroughly understand what we are building, we cannot secure it. Structure what you are building, including: System boundary, System structure, Databases, Deployment platform; Analyze: Use techniques like STRIDE and attack trees to analyze what can go wrong and what security problems this will cause; Mitigate: The security technologies to use, to mitigate your concerns, are discussed here. Decisions about using single sign-on (SSO) or role-based access control (RBAC), encryption, digital signatures, or JWT tokens are made. An important part of this step is to consider tradeoffs when implementing security mechanisms; validate: Validation can be done by experimenting with proposed mitigations, peer discussion, or expert interviews.

    Related Research

    Optimize Security Mitigation Effectiveness Using STRIDE

    • Have a clear picture of:
      • Critical data and data flows
      • Organizational threat exposure
      • Security countermeasure deployment and coverage
    • Understand which threats are appropriately mitigated and which are not.
    • Generate a list of initiatives to close security gaps.
    • Create a quantified risk and security model to reassess program and track improvement.
    • Develop measurable information to present to stakeholders.

    The 3A’s of strong security: authentication, authorization, and auditing

    Authentication

    Authentication mechanisms help systems verify that a user is who they claim to be.

    Examples of authentication mechanisms are:

    • Two-Factor Authentication
    • Single Sign-On
    • Multi-Factor Authentication
    • JWT Over OAUTH

    Authorization

    Authorization helps systems limit access to allowed features, once a user has been authenticated.

    Examples of authentication mechanisms are:

    • RBAC
    • Certificate Based
    • Token Based

    Auditing

    Securely recording security events through auditing proves that our security mechanisms are working as intended.

    Auditing is a function where security teams must collaborate with software engineers early and often to ensure the right kind of audit logs are being captured and recorded.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Defects in your application software can compromise privacy and integrity even if cryptographic controls are in place. A security architecture made after thorough TRA does not override security risk introduced due to irresponsible software design.

    Examples of threat and risk assessments using STRIDE and attack trees

    STRIDE is a threat modeling framework and is composed of:

    • Spoofing or impersonation of someone other than oneself
    • Tampering with data and destroying its integrity
    • Repudiation by bypassing system identity controls
    • Information disclosure to unauthorized persons
    • Denial of service that prevents system or parts of it from being used
    • Elevation of privilege so that attackers get rights they should not have
    Example of using STRIDE for a TRA on a solution using a payment system This image contains a sample attack tree.
    Spoofing PayPal Bad actor can send fraudulent payment request for obtaining funds.
    Tampering PayPal Bad actor accesses data base and can resend fraudulent payment request for obtaining funds.
    Repudiation PayPal Customer claims, incorrectly, their account made a payment they did not authorize.
    Disclosure PayPal Private service database has details leaked and made public.
    Denial of Service PayPal Service is made to slow down through creating a load on the network, causing massive build up of requests
    Elevation of Privilege PayPal Bad actor attempts to enter someone else’s account by entering incorrect password a number of times.

    2.2 Document security architecture risks and mitigations

    1. Using STRIDE, attack tree, or any other framework of choice:
    • Conduct a TRA for use cases identified in Phase 1.2
  • For each threat identified through the TRA, think through the implications of using authentication, authorization, and auditing as a security mechanism.
  • Download the Solution Architecture Template for documenting data architecture decisions.

    Input

    • Dynamic Value Stream Maps

    Output

    • Security Architecture Risks and Mitigations

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • Security Team
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect

    Examples of threat and risk assessments using STRIDE

    Example of using STRIDE for a TRA on a solution using a payment system
    Threat System Component Description Quality Attribute Impacted Resolution
    Spoofing PayPal Bad actor can send fraudulent payment request for obtaining funds. Confidentiality Authorization
    Tampering PayPal Bad actor accesses data base and can resend fraudulent payment request for obtaining funds. Integrity Authorization
    Repudiation PayPal Customer claims, incorrectly, their account made a payment they did not authorize. Integrity Authentication and Logging
    Disclosure PayPal Private service database has details leaked and made public. Confidentiality Authorization
    Denial of Service PayPal Service is made to slow down through creating a load on the network, causing massive build up of requests Availability N/A
    Elevation of Privilege PayPal Bad actor attempts to enter someone else’s account by entering incorrect password a number of times. Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability Authorization

    Phase 3: Upgrade Your System’s Availability

    Phase 1

    1.1 Articulate an Architectural Vision
    1.2 Develop Dynamic Value Stream Maps
    1.3 Map Value Streams, Use Cases, and Required Architectural Attributes
    1.4 Create a Prioritized List of Architectural Attributes

    Phase 2

    2.1 Develop a Data Architecture That Supports Transactional and Analytical Needs
    2.2 Document Security Architecture Risks and Mitigations

    Phase 3

    3.1 Document Scalability Architecture
    3.2 Document Performance Enhancing Architecture
    3.3 Combine the Different Architecture Design Decisions Into a Unified Solution Architecture

    This phase will walk you through the following activities:

    • Examine architecture for scalable and performant system designs
    • Integrate all design decisions made so far into a solution design decision log

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Business Architect
    • Product Owner
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Enterprise Architect

    Enhance Your Solution Architecture Practice

    In a cloud-inspired system architecture, scalability takes center stage as an architectural concern

    Scale and scope of workloads are more important now than they were, perhaps, a decade and half back. Architects realize that scalability is not an afterthought. Not dealing with it at the outset can have serious consequences should an application workload suddenly exceed expectations.

    Scalability is …

    … the ability of a system to handle varying workloads by either increasing or decreasing the computing resources of the system.

    An increased workload could include:

    • Higher transaction volumes
    • A greater number of users

    Architecting for scalability is …

    … not easy since organizations may not be able to accurately judge, outside of known circumstances, when and why workloads may unexpectedly increase.

    A scalable architecture should be planned at the:

    • Application Level
    • Infrastructure Level
    • Database Level

    The right amount and kind of scalability is …

    … balancing the demands of the system with the supply of attributes.

    If demand from system > supply from system:

    • Services and products are not useable and deny value to customers.

    If supply from system > demand from system:

    • Excess resources have been paid for that are not being used.

    When discussing the scalability needs of a system, investigate the following, at a minimum:

    • In case workloads increase due to higher transaction volumes, will the system be able to cope with the additional stress?
    • In situations where workloads increase, will the system be able to support the additional stress without any major modifications being made to the system?
    • Is the cost associated with handling the increased workloads reasonable for the benefit it provides to the business?
    • Assuming the system doesn’t scale, is there any mechanism for graceful degradation?

    Use evidence-based decision making to ensure a cost-effective yet appropriate scaling strategy

    The best input for an effective scaling strategy is previously gathered traffic data mapped to specific circumstances.

    In some cases, either due to lack of monitoring or the business not being sure of its needs, scalability requirements are hard to determine. In such cases, use stated tactical business objectives to design for scalability. For example, the business might state its desire to achieve a target revenue goal. To accommodate this, a certain number of transactions would need to be conducted, assuming a particular conversion rate.

    Scaling strategies can be based on Vertical or Horizontal expansion of resources.
    Pros Cons
    Vertical
    Scale up through use of more powerful but limited number of resources
    • May not require frequent upgrades.
    • Since data is managed through a limited number of resources, it is easier to share and keep current.
    • Costly upfront.
    • Application, database, and infrastructure may not be able to make optimal use of extra processing power.
    • As the new, more powerful resource is provisioned, systems may experience downtime.
    • Lacks redundancy due to limited points of failure.
    • Performance is constrained by the upper limits of the infrastructure involved.
    Horizontal
    Scale out through use of similarly powered but larger quantity of resources
    • Cost-effective upfront.
    • System downtime is minimal, when scaling is being performed.
    • More redundance and fault-tolerance is possible since there are many nodes involved, and therefore, can replace failed nodes.
    • Performance can scale out as more nodes are added.
    • Upgrades may occur more often than in vertical scaling.
    • Increases machine footprints and administrative costs over time.
    • Data may be partitioned on multiple nodes, leading to administrative and data currency challenges.

    Info-Tech Insight

    • Scalability is the one attribute that sparks a lot of trade-off discussions. Scalable solutions may have to compromise on performance, cost, and data reliability.
    • Horizontal scalability is mostly always preferable over vertical scalability.

    Sidebar

    The many flavors of horizontal scaling

    Traffic Shard-ing

    Through this mechanism, incoming traffic is partitioned around a characteristic of the workload flowing in. Examples of partitioning characteristics are user groups, geo-location, and transaction type.

    Beware of:

    • Lack of data currency across shards.

    Copy and Paste

    As the name suggests, clone the compute resources along with the underlying databases. The systems will use a load balancer as the first point of contact between itself and the workload flowing in.

    Beware of:

    • Though this is a highly scalable model, it does introduce risks related to data currency across all databases.
    • In case master database writes are frequent, it could become a bottleneck for the entire system.

    Productization Through Containers

    This involves breaking up the system into specific functions and services and bundling their business rules/databases into deployable containers.

    Beware of:

    • Too many containers introduce the need to orchestrate the distributed architecture that results from a service-oriented approach.

    Start a scalability overview with a look at the database(s)

    To know where to go, you must know where you are. Before introducing architectural changes to database designs, use the right metrics to get an insight into the root cause of the problem(s).

    In a nutshell, the purpose of scaling solutions is to have the technology stack do less work for the most requested services/features or be able to effectively distribute the additional workload across multiple resources.

    For databases, to ensure this happens, consider these techniques:

    • Reuse data through caching on the server and/or the client. This eliminates the need for looking up already accessed data. Examples of caching are:
      • In-memory caching of data
      • Caching database queries
    • Implement good data retrieval techniques like indexes.
    • Divide labor at the database level.
      • Through setting up primary-secondary distribution of data. In such a setup, the primary node is involved in writing data to itself and passes on requests to secondary nodes for fulfillment.
      • Through setting up database shards (either horizontally or vertically).
        • In a horizontal shard, a data table is broken into smaller pieces with the same data model but unique data in it. The sum total of the shared databases contains all the data in the primary data table.
        • In a vertical shard, a data table is broken into smaller pieces, but each piece may have a subset of the data columns. The data’s corresponding columns are put into the table where the column resides.

    Info-Tech Insight

    A non-scalable architecture has more than just technology-related ramifications. Hoping that load balancers or cloud services will manage scalability-related issues is bound to have economic impacts as well.

    Sidebar

    Caching Options

    CSA PRINCIPLE 5 applies to any decision that supports system scalability.
    “X-ilities Over Features”

    Database Caching
    Fetches and stores result of database queries in memory. Subsequent requests to the database for the same queries will investigate the cache before making a connection with the database.
    Tools like Memcached or Redis are used for database caching.

    Precompute Database Caching
    Unlike database caching, this style of caching precomputes results of queries that are popular and frequently used. For example, a database trigger could execute several predetermined queries and have them ready for consumption. The precomputed results may be stored in a database cache.

    Application Object Caching
    Stores computed results in a cache for later retrieval. For data sources, which are not changing frequently and are part of a computation output, application caching will remove the need to connect with a database.

    Proxy Caching
    Caches retrieved web pages on a proxy server and makes them available for the next time the page is requested.

    The intra- and inter-process communication of the systems middle tier can become a bottleneck

    To synchronize or not to synchronize?

    A synchronous request (doing one thing at a time) means that code execution will wait for the request to be responded to before continuing.

    • A synchronous request is a blocking event and until it is completed, all following requests will have to wait for getting their responses.
    • An increasing workload on a synchronous system may impact performance.
    • Synchronous interactions are less costly in terms of design, implementation, and maintenance.
    • Scaling options include:
    1. Vertical scale up
    2. Horizontal scale out of application servers behind a load balancer and a caching technique (to minimize data retrieval roundtrips)
    3. Horizonal scale out of database servers with data partitioning and/or data caching technique

    Use synchronous requests when…

    • Each request to a system sets the necessary precondition for a following request.
    • Data reliability is important, especially in real-time systems.
    • System flows are simple.
    • Tasks that are typically time consuming, such as I/O, data access, pre-loading of assets, are completed quickly.

    Asynchronous requests (doing many things at the same time) do not block the system they are targeting.

    • It is a “fire and forget” mechanism.
    • Execution on a server/processor is triggered by the request, however, additional technical components (callbacks) for checking the state of the execution must be designed and implemented.
    • Asynchronous interactions require additional time to be spent on implementation and testing.
    • With asynchronous interactions, there is no guarantee the request initiated any processing until the callbacks check the status of the executed thread.

    Use asynchronous requests when…

    • Tasks are independent in nature and don’t require inter-task communication.
    • Systems flows need to be efficient.
    • The system is using event-driven techniques for processing.
    • Many I/O tasks are involved.
    • The tasks are long running.

    Sidebar

    Other architectural tactics for inter-process communication

    STATELESS SERVICES VERSUS STATEFUL SERVICES
    • Does not require any additional data, apart from the bits sent through with the request.
    • Without implementing a caching solution, it is impossible to access the previous data trail for a transaction session.
    • In addition to the data sent through with the request, require previous data sent to complete processing.
    • Requires server memory to store the additional state data. With increasing workloads, this could start impacting the server’s performance.
    It is generally accepted that stateless services are better for system scalability, especially if vertical scaling is costly and there is expectation that workloads will increase.
    MICROSERVICES VERSUS SERVERLESS FUNCTIONS
    • Services are designed as small units of code with a single responsibility and are available on demand.
    • A microservices architecture is easily scaled horizontally by adding a load balancer and a caching mechanism.
    • Like microservices, these are small pieces of code designed to fulfill a single purpose.
    • Are provided only through cloud vendors, and therefore, there is no need to worry about provisioning of infrastructure as needs increase.
    • Stateless by design but the life cycle of a serverless function is vendor controlled.
    Serverless function is an evolving technology and tightly controlled by the vendor. As and when vendors make changes to their serverless products, your own systems may need to be modified to make the best use of these upgrades.

    A team that does not measure their system’s scalability is a team bound to get a 5xx HTTP response code

    A critical aspect of any system is its ability to monitor and report on its operational outcomes.

    • Using the principle of continuous testing, every time an architectural change is introduced, a thorough load and stress testing cycle should be executed.
    • Effective logging and use of insightful metrics helps system design teams make data-driven decisions.
    • Using principle of site reliability engineering and predictive analytics, teams can be prepared for any unplanned exaggerated stimulus on the system and proactively set up remedial steps.

    Any system, however well architected, will break one day. Strategically place kill-switches to counter any failures and thoroughly test their functioning before releasing to production.

    • Using Principles 2 and 9 of the CSA, (include kill-switches and architect for x-ilities over features), introduce tactics at the code and higher levels that can be used to put a system in its previous best state in case of failure.
    • Examples of such tactics are:
      • Feature flags for turning on/off code modules that impact x-ilities.
      • Implement design patterns like throttling, autoscaling, and circuit breaking.
      • Writing extensive log messages that bubble up as exceptions/error handling from the code base. *Logging can be a performance drag. Use with caution as even logging code is still code that needs CPU and data storage.

    Performance is a system’s ability to satisfy time-bound expectations

    Performance can also be defined as the ability for a system to achieve its timing requirements, using available resources, under expected full-peak load:

    (International Organization for Standardization, 2011)

    • Performance and scalability are two peas in a pod. They are related to each other but are distinct attributes. Where scalability refers to the ability of a system to initiate multiple simultaneous processes, performance is the system’s ability to complete the processes within a mandated average time period.
    • Degrading performance is one of the first red flags about a system’s ability to scale up to workload demands.
    • Mitigation tactics for performance are very similar to the tactics for scalability.

    System performance needs to be monitored and measured consistently.

    Measurement Category 1: System performance in terms of end-user experience during different load scenarios.

    • Response time/latency: Length of time it takes for an interaction with the system to complete.
    • Turnaround time: Time taken to complete a batch of tasks.
    • Throughput: Amount of workload a system is capable of handling in a unit time period.

    Measurement Category 2: System performance in terms of load managed by computational resources.

    • Resource utilization: The average usage of a resource (like CPU) over a period. Peaks and troughs indicate excess vs. normal load times.
    • Number of concurrent connections: Simultaneous user requests that a resource like a server can successfully deal with at once.
    • Queue time: The turnaround time for a specific interaction or category of interactions to complete.

    Architectural tactics for performance management are the same as those used for system scalability

    Application Layer

    • Using a balanced approach that combines CSA Principle 7 (Good architecture comes in small packages) and Principle 10 (Architect for products, not projects), a microservices architecture based on domain-driven design helps process performance. Microservices use lightweight HTTP protocols and have loose coupling, adding a degree of resilience to the system as well. *An overly-engineered microservices architecture can become an orchestration challenge.
    • The code design must follow standards that support performance. Example of standards is SOLID*.
    • Serverless architectures can run application code from anywhere – for example, from edge servers close to an end user – thereby reducing latency.

    Database Layer

    • Using the right database technologies for persistence. Relational databases have implicit performance bottlenecks (which get exaggerated as data size grows along with indexes), and document store database technologies (key-value or wide-column) can improve performance in high-read environments.
    • Data sources, especially those that are frequently accessed, should ideally be located close to the application servers. Hybrid infrastructures (cloud and on premises mixed) can lead to latency when a cloud-application is accessing on-premises data.
    • Using a data partitioning strategy, especially in a domain-driven design architecture, can improve the performance of a system.

    Performance modeling and continuous testing makes the SRE a happy engineer

    Performance modeling and testing helps architecture teams predict performance risks as the solution is being developed.
    (CSA Principle 12: Test the solution architecture like you test your solution’s features)

    Create a model for your system’s hypothetical performance testing by breaking an end-to-end process or use case into its components. *Use the SIPOC framework for decomposition.

    This image contains an example of modeled performance, showing the latency in the data flowing from different data sources to the processing of the data.

    In the hypothetical example of modeled performance above:

    • The longest period of latency is 15ms.
    • The processing of data takes 30ms, while the baseline was established at 25ms.
    • Average latency in sending back user responses is 21ms – 13ms slower than expected.

    The model helps architects:

    • Get evidence for their assumptions
    • Quantitatively isolate bottlenecks at a granular level

    Model the performance flow once but test it periodically

    Performance testing measures the performance of a software system under normal and abnormal loads.

    Performance testing process should be fully integrated with software development activities and as automated as possible. In a fast-moving Agile environment, teams should attempt to:

    • Shift-left performance testing activities.
    • Use performance testing to pinpoint performance bottlenecks.
    • Take corrective action, as quickly as possible.

    Performance testing techniques

    • Normal load testing: Verifies the system’s behavior under the expected normal load to ensure that its performance requirements are met. Load testing can be used to measure response time, responsiveness, turnaround time, and throughput.
    • Expected maximum load testing: Like the normal load testing process, ensures system meets its performance requirements under expected maximum load.
    • Stress testing: Evaluates system behavior when processing loads beyond the expected maximum.

    *In a real production scenario, a combination of these tests are executed on a regular basis to monitor the performance of the system over a given period.

    3.1-3.2 Discuss and document initial decisions made for architecture scalability and performance

    1. Use the outcomes from either or both Phases 1.3 and 1.4.
    • For each value stream component, list the architecture decisions taken to ensure scalability and performance at client-facing and/or business-rule layers.

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for documenting data architecture decisions.

    Input

    • Output From Phase 1.3 and/or From Phase 1.4

    Output

    • Initial Set of Design Decisions Made for System Scalability and Performance

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Infrastructure Architect

    Example: Architecture decisions for scalability and performance

    Value Stream Component Design Decision for User Interface Layer Design Decisions for Middle Processing Layer
    Loan Application Scalability: N/A
    Resilience: Include circuit breaker design in both mobile app and responsive websites.
    Performance: Cache data client.
    Scalability: Scale vertically (up) since loan application processing is very compute intensive.
    Resilience: Set up fail-over replica.
    Performance: Keep servers in the same geo-area.
    Disbursement of Funds *Does not have a user interface Scalability: Scale horizontal when traffic reaches X requests/second.
    Resilience: Create microservices using domain-driven design; include circuit breakers.
    Performance: Set up application cache; synchronous communication since order of data input is important.
    …. …. ….

    3.3 Combine the different architecture design decisions into a unified solution architecture

    Download the Solution Architecture Template for documenting data architecture decisions.

    Input

    • Output From Phase 1.3 and/or From Phase 1.4
    • Output From Phase 2.1
    • Output From Phase 2.2
    • Output From 3.1 and 3.2

    Output

    • List of Design Decisions for the Solution

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/Flip Charts

    Participants

    • Business Architect
    • Application Architect
    • Integration Architect
    • Database Architect
    • Infrastructure Architect

    Putting it all together is the bow that finally ties this gift

    This blueprint covered the domains tagged with the yellow star.

    This image contains a screenshot of the solution architecture framework found earlier in this blueprint, with stars next to Data Architecture, Security, Performance, and Stability.

    TRADEOFF ALERT

    The right design decision is never the same for all perspectives. Along with varying opinions, comes the “at odds with each other set” of needs (scalability vs. performance, or access vs. security).

    An evidence-based decision-making approach using a domain-driven design strategy is a good mix of techniques for creating the best (right?) solution architecture.

    This image contains a screenshot of a table that summarizes the themes discussed in this blueprint.

    Summary of accomplishment

    • Gained understanding and clarification of the stakeholder objectives placed on your application architecture.
    • Completed detailed use cases and persona-driven scenario analysis and their architectural needs through SRME.
    • Created a set of design decisions for data, security, scalability, and performance.
    • Merged the different architecture domains dealt with in this blueprint to create a holistic view.

    Bibliography

    Ambysoft Inc. “UML 2 Sequence Diagrams: An Agile Introduction.” Agile Modeling, n.d. Web.

    Bass, Len, Paul Clements, and Rick Kazman. Software Architecture in Practices: Third Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 2003.

    Eeles, Peter. “The benefits of software architecting.” IBM: developerWorks, 15 May 2006. Web.

    Flexera 2020 State of the Cloud Report. Flexera, 2020. Web. 19 October 2021.

    Furdik, Karol, Gabriel Lukac, Tomas Sabol, and Peter Kostelnik. “The Network Architecture Designed for an Adaptable IoT-based Smart Office Solution.” International Journal of Computer Networks and Communications Security, November 2013. Web.

    Ganzinger, Matthias, and Petra Knaup. “Requirements for data integration platforms in biomedical research networks: a reference model.” PeerJ, 5 February 2015. (https://peerj.com/articles/755/).

    Garlan, David, and Mary Shaw. An Introduction to Software Architecture. CMU-CS-94-166, School of Computer Science Carnegie Mellon University, January 1994.

    Gupta, Arun. “Microservice Design Patterns.” Java Code Geeks, 14 April 2015. Web.

    How, Matt. The Modern Data Warehouse in Azure. O’Reilly, 2020.

    ISO/IEC 17788:2014: Information technology – Cloud computing, International Organization for Standardization, October 2014. Web.

    ISO/IEC 18384-1:2016: Information technology – Reference Architecture for Service Oriented Architecture (SOA RA), International Organization for Standardization, June 2016. Web.

    ISO/IEC 25010:2011(en) Systems and software engineering — Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — System and software quality models. International Organization for Standardization, March 2011. Web.

    Kazman, R., M. Klein, and P. Clements. ATAM: Method for Architecture Evaluation. S Carnegie Mellon University, August 2000. Web.

    Microsoft Developer Network. “Chapter 16: Quality Attributes.” Microsoft Application Architecture Guide. 2nd Ed., 13 January 2010. Web.

    Microsoft Developer Network. “Chapter 2: Key Principles of Software Architecture.” Microsoft Application Architecture Guide. 2nd Ed., 13 January 2010. Web.

    Microsoft Developer Network. “Chapter 3: Architectural Patterns and Styles.” Microsoft Application Architecture Guide. 2nd Ed., 14 January 2010. Web.

    Microsoft Developer Network. “Chapter 5: Layered Application Guidelines.” Microsoft Application Architecture Guide. 2nd Ed., 13 January 2010. Web.

    Mirakhorli, Mehdi. “Common Architecture Weakness Enumeration (CAWE).” IEEE Software, 2016. Web.

    Moore, G. A. Crossing the Chasm, 3rd Edition: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers (Collins Business Essentials) (3rd ed.). Harper Business, 2014.

    OASIS. “Oasis SOA Reference Model (SOA RM) TC.” OASIS Open, n.d. Web.

    Soni, Mukesh. “Defect Prevention: Reducing Costs and Enhancing Quality.” iSixSigma, n.d. Web.

    The Open Group. TOGAF 8.1.1 Online, Part IV: Resource Base, Developing Architecture Views. TOGAF, 2006. Web.

    The Open Group. Welcome to the TOGAF® Standard, Version 9.2, a standard of The Open Group. TOGAF, 2018. Web.

    Watts, S. “The importance of solid design principles.” BMC Blogs, 15 June 2020. 19 October 2021.

    Young, Charles. “Hexagonal Architecture–The Great Reconciler?” Geeks with Blogs, 20 Dec 2014. Web.

    APPENDIX A

    Techniques to enhance application architecture.

    Consider the numerous solutions to address architecture issues or how they will impact your application architecture

    Many solutions exist for improving the layers of the application stack that may address architecture issues or impact your current architecture. Solutions range from capability changes to full stack replacement.

    Method Description Potential Benefits Risks Related Blueprints
    Business Capabilities:
    Enablement and enhancement
    • Introduce new business capabilities by leveraging unused application functionalities or consolidate redundant business capabilities.
    • Increase value delivery to stakeholders.
    • Lower IT costs through elimination of applications.
    • Increased use of an application could overload current infrastructure.
    • IT cannot authorize business capability changes.
    Use Info-Tech’s Document Your Business Architecture blueprint to gain better understanding of business and IT alignment.
    Removal
    • Remove existing business capabilities that don’t contribute value to the business.
    • Lower operational costs through elimination of unused and irrelevant capabilities.
    • Business capabilities may be seen as relevant or critical by different stakeholder groups.
    • IT cannot authorize business capability changes.
    Use Info-Tech’s Build an Application Rationalization Framework to rationalize your application portfolio.
    Business Process:
    Process integration and consolidation
    • Combine multiple business processes into a single process.
    • Improved utilization of applications in each step of the process.
    • Reduce business costs through efficient business processes.
    • Minimize number of applications required to execute a single process.
    • Significant business disruption if an application goes down and is the primary support for business processes.
    • Organizational pushback if process integration involves multiple business groups.
    Business Process (continued):
    Process automation
    • Automate manual business processing tasks.
    • Reduce manual processing errors.
    • Improve speed of delivery.
    • Significant costs to implement automation.
    • Automation payoffs are not immediate.
    Lean business processes
    • Eliminate redundant steps.
    • Streamline existing processes by focusing on value-driven steps.
    • Improve efficiency of business process through removal of wasteful steps.
    • Increase value delivered at the end of the process.
    • Stakeholder pushback from consistently changing processes.
    • Investment from business is required to fit documentation to the process.
    Outsource the process
    • Outsource a portion of or the entire business process to a third party.
    • Leverage unavailable resources and skills to execute the business process.
    • Loss of control over process.
    • Can be costly to bring the process back into the business if desired in the future.
    Business Process (continued):
    Standardization
    • Implement standards for business processes to improve uniformity and reusability.
    • Consistently apply the same process across multiple business units.
    • Transparency of what is expected from the process.
    • Improve predictability of process execution.
    • Process bottlenecks may occur if a single group is required to sign off on deliverables.
    • Lack of enforcement and maintenance of standards can lead to chaos if left unchecked.
    User Interface:
    Improve user experience (UX)
    • Eliminate end-user emotional, mechanical, and functional friction by improving the experience of using the application.
    • UX encompasses both the interface and the user’s behavior.
    • Increase satisfaction and adoption rate from end users.
    • Increase brand awareness and user retention.
    • UX optimizations are only focused on a few user personas.
    • Current development processes do not accommodate UX assessments
    Code:
    Update coding language
    Translate legacy code into modern coding language.
    • Coding errors in modern languages can have lesser impact on the business processes they support.
    • Modern languages tend to have larger pools of coders to hire.
    • Increase availability of tools to support modern languages.
    • Coding language changes can create incompatibilities with existing infrastructure.
    • Existing coding translation tools do not offer 100% guarantee of legacy function retention.
    Code (continued):
    Open source code
    • Download pre-built code freely available in open source communities.
    • Code is rapidly evolving in the community to meet current business needs.
    • Avoid vendor lock-in from proprietary software
    • Community rules may require divulgence of work done with open source code.
    • Support is primarily provided through community, which may not address specific concerns.
    Update the development toolchain
    • Acquire new or optimize development tools with increased testing, build, and deployment capabilities.
    • Increase developer productivity.
    • Increase speed of delivery and test coverage with automation.
    • Drastic IT overhauls required to implement new tools such as code conversion, data migration, and development process revisions.
    Update source code management
    • Optimize source code management to improve coding governance, versioning, and development collaboration.
    • Ability to easily roll back to previous build versions and promote code to other environments.
    • Enable multi-user development capabilities.
    • Improve conflict management.
    • Some source code management tools cannot support legacy code.
    • Source code management tools may be incompatible with existing development toolchain.
    Data:
    Outsource extraction
    • Outsource your data analysis and extraction to a third party.
    • Lower costs to extract and mine data.
    • Leverage unavailable resources and skills to translate mined data to a usable form.
    • Data security risks associated with off-location storage.
    • Data access and control risks associated with a third party.
    Update data structure
    • Update your data elements, types (e.g. transactional, big data), and formats (e.g. table columns).
    • Standardize on a common data definition throughout the entire organization.
    • Ease data cleansing, mining, analysis, extraction, and management activities.
    • New data structures may be incompatible with other applications.
    • Implementing data management improvements may be costly and difficult to acquire stakeholder buy-in.
    Update data mining and data warehousing tools
    • Optimize how data is extracted and stored.
    • Increase the speed and reliability of the data mined.
    • Perform complex analysis with modern data mining and data warehousing tools.
    • Data warehouses are regularly updated with the latest data.
    • Updating data mining and warehousing tools may create incompatibilities with existing infrastructure and data sets.
    Integration:
    Move from point-to-point to enterprise service bus (ESB)
    • Change your application integration approach from point-to-point to an ESB.
    • Increase the scalability of enterprise services by exposing applications to a centralized middleware.
    • Reduce the number of integration tests to complete with an ESB.
    • Single point of failure can cripple the entire system.
    • Security threats arising from centralized communication node.
    Leverage API integration
    • Leverage application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate applications.
    • Quicker and more frequent transfers of lightweight data compared to extract, load, transfer (ETL) practices.
    • Increase integration opportunities with other modern applications and infrastructure (including mobile devices).
    • APIs are not as efficient as ETL when handling large data sets.
    • Changing APIs can break compatibility between applications if not versioned properly.

    Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}373|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 9.5/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $10,000 Average $ Saved
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    • Parent Category Name: Governance, Risk & Compliance
    • Parent Category Link: /governance-risk-compliance
    • Security is still seen as an IT problem rather than a business risk, resulting in security governance being relegated to the existing IT steering committee.
    • Security is also often positioned in the organization where they are not privy to the details of the organization’s overall strategy. Security leaders struggle to get the full enterprise picture.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Work to separate the Information Security Steering Committee (ISSC) from the IT Steering Committee (ITSC). Security transcends the boundaries of IT and needs an independent, eclectic approach to make strategic decisions.
    • Be the lawyer, not the cop. Ground your communications in business terminology to facilitate a solution that makes sense to the entire organization.
    • Develop and stick to the agenda. Continued engagement from business stakeholders requires sticking to a strategic level-focused agenda. Dilution of purpose will lead to dilution in attendance.

    Impact and Result

    • Define a clear scope of purpose and responsibilities for the ISSC to gain buy-in and consensus for security governance receiving independent agenda time from the broader IT organization.
    • Model the information flows necessary to provide the steering committee with the intelligence to make strategic decisions for the enterprise.
    • Determine membership and responsibilities that shift with the evolving security landscape to ensure participation reflects interested parties and that money being spent on security mitigates risk across the enterprise.
    • Create clear presentation material and strategically oriented meeting agendas to drive continued participation from business stakeholders and executive management.

    Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out how to improve your security governance with a security steering committee, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define committee purpose and responsibilities

    Identify the purpose of your committee, determine the capabilities of the committee, and define roles and responsibilities.

    • Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee – Phase 1: Define Committee Purpose and Responsibilities
    • Information Security Steering Committee Charter

    2. Determine information flows, membership & accountabilities

    Determine how information will flow and the process behind that.

    • Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee – Phase 2: Determine Information Flows, Membership & Accountabilities

    3. Operate the Information Security Steering Committee

    Define your meeting agendas and the procedures to support those meetings. Hold your kick-off meeting. Identify metrics to measure the committee’s success.

    • Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee – Phase 3: Operate the Information Security Steering Committee
    • Security Metrics Summary Document
    • Information Security Steering Committee Stakeholder Presentation
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee

    Build an inclusive committee to enable holistic strategic decision making.

    ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

    "Having your security organization’s steering committee subsumed under the IT steering committee is an anachronistic framework for today’s security challenges. Conflicts in perspective and interest prevent holistic solutions from being reached while the two permanently share a center stage.

    At the end of the day, security is about existential risks to the business, not just information technology risk. This focus requires its own set of business considerations, information requirements, and delegated authorities. Without an objective and independent security governance body, organizations are doomed to miss the enterprise-wide nature of their security problems."

    – Daniel Black, Research Manager, Security Practice, Info-Tech Research Group

    Our understanding of the problem

    This Research Is Designed For:

    • CIOs
    • CISOs
    • IT/Security Leaders

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Develop an effective information security steering committee (ISSC) that ensures the right people are involved in critical decision making.
    • Ensure that business and IT strategic direction are incorporated into security decisions.

    This Research Will Also Assist:

    • Information Security Steering Committee (ISSC) members

    This Research Will Help Them:

    • Formalize roles and responsibilities.
    • Define effective security metrics.
    • Develop a communication plan to engage executive management in the organization’s security planning.

    Executive summary

    Situation

    • Successful information security governance requires a venue to address security concerns with participation from across the entire business.
    • Without access to requisite details of the organization – where we are going, what we are trying to do, how the business expects to use its technology – security can not govern its strategic direction.

    Complication

    • Security is still seen as an IT problem rather than a business risk, resulting in security governance being relegated to the existing IT steering committee.
    • Security is also often positioned in the organization where they are not privy to the details of the organization’s overall strategy. Security leaders struggle to get the full enterprise picture.

    Resolution

    • Define a clear scope of purpose and responsibilities for the Information Security Steering Committee to gain buy-in and consensus for security governance receiving independent agenda time from the broader IT organization.
    • Model the information flows necessary to provide the steering committee with the intelligence to make strategic decisions for the enterprise.
    • Determine membership and responsibilities that shift with the evolving security landscape to ensure participation reflects interested parties and that money being spent on security mitigates risk across the enterprise.
    • Create security metrics that are aligned with committee members’ operational goals to incentivize participation.
    • Create clear presentation material and strategically oriented meeting agendas to drive continued participation from business stakeholders and executive management.

    Info-Tech Insight

    1. Work to separate the ISSC from the IT Steering Committee (ITSC). Security transcends the boundaries of IT and needs an independent, eclectic approach to make strategic decisions.
    2. Be the lawyer, not the cop. Ground your communications in business terminology to facilitate a solution that make sense to the entire organization.
    3. Develop and stick to the agenda. Continued engagement from business stakeholders requires sticking to a strategic level-focused agenda. Dilution of purpose will lead to dilution in attendance.

    Empower your security team to act strategically with an ISSC

    Establishing an Information Security Steering Committee (ISSC)

    Even though security is a vital consideration of any IT governance program, information security has increasingly become an important component of the business, moving beyond the boundaries of just the IT department.

    This requires security to have its own form of steering, beyond the existing IT Steering Committee, that ensures continual alignment of the organization’s security strategy with both IT and business strategy.

    An ISSC should have three primary objectives:

    • Direct Strategic Planning The ISSC formalizes organizational commitments to strategic planning, bringing visibility to key issues and facilitating the integration of security controls that align with IT and business strategy.
    • Institute Clear Accountability The ISSC facilitates the involvement and commitment of executive management through clearly defined roles and accountabilities for security decisions, ensuring consistency in participation as the organization’s strategies evolve.
    • Optimize Security Resourcing The ISSC maximizes security by monitoring the implementation of the security strategic plan, making recommendations on prioritization of effort, and securing necessary resources through the planning and budgeting processes, as necessary.

    What does the typical ISSC do?

    Ensuring proper governance over your security program is a complex task that requires ongoing care and feeding from executive management to succeed.

    Your ISSC should aim to provide the following core governance functions for your security program:

    1. Define Clarity of Intent and Direction How does the organization’s security strategy support the attainment of the business and IT strategies? The ISSC should clearly define and communicate strategic linkage and provide direction for aligning security initiatives with desired outcomes.
    2. Establish Clear Lines of Authority Security programs contain many important elements that need to be coordinated. There needs to be clear and unambiguous authority, accountability, and responsibility defined for each element so lines of reporting/escalation are clear and conflicting objectives can be mediated.
    3. Provide Unbiased Oversight The ISSC should vet the organization’s systematic monitoring processes to make certain there is adherence to defined risk tolerance levels and ensure that monitoring is appropriately independent from the personnel responsible for implementing and managing the security program.
    4. Optimize Security Value Delivery Optimized value delivery occurs when strategic objectives for security are achieved and the organization’s acceptable risk posture is attained at the lowest possible cost. This requires constant attention to ensure controls are commensurate with any changes in risk level or appetite.

    Formalize the most important governance functions for your organization

    Creation of an ISSC is deemed the most important governance and oversight practice that a CISO can implement, based on polling of IT security leaders analyzing the evolving role of the CISO.

    Relatedly, other key governance practices reported – status updates, upstream communications, and executive-level sponsorship – are within the scope of what organizations traditionally formalize when establishing their ISSC.

    Vertical bar chart highlighting the most important governance functions according to respondents. The y axis is labelled 'Percentage of Respondents' with the values 0%-60%, and the x axis is labelled 'Governance and Oversight Practices'. Bars are organized from highest percentage to lowest with 'Creation of cross-functional committee to oversee security strategy' at 56%, 'Regularly scheduled reporting on the state of security to stakeholders' at 55%, 'Upstream communication channel from security leadership to CEO' at 46%, and 'Creation of program charter approved by executive-level sponsor' at 37%. Source: Ponemon Institute, 2017; N=184 organizations; 660 respondents.

    Despite the clear benefits of an ISSC, organizations are still falling short

    83% of organizations have not established formal steering committees to evaluate the business impact and risks associated with security decisions. (Source: 2017 State of Cybersecurity Metrics Report)

    70% of organizations have delegated cybersecurity oversight to other existing committees, providing security limited agenda time. (Source: PwC 2017 Annual Corporate Director Survey)

    "This is a group of risk managers an institution would bring together to deal with a response anyway. Having them in place to do preventive discussions and formulate policy to mitigate the liability sets and understand compliance obligations is just powerful." (Kirk Bailey, CISO, University of Washington)

    Prevent the missteps that make 9 out of 10 steering committees unsuccessful

    Why Do Steering Committees Fail?

    1. A lack of appetite for a steering committee from business partners. An effective ISSC requires participation from core members of the organization’s leadership team. The challenge is that most business partners don’t understand the benefits of an ISSC and the responsibilities aren’t tailored to participants’ needs or interests. It’s the CISO’s (or senior IT/security leader’s) responsibility to make this case to stakeholders and right-size the committee responsibilities and membership.
    2. ISSC committees are given inappropriate responsibilities. The steering committee is fundamentally about decision making; it’s not a working committee. Security leadership typically struggles with clarifying these responsibilities on two fronts: either the responsibilities are too vague and there is no clear way to execute on them within a meeting or responsibilities are too tactical and require knowledge that participants do not have. Responsibilities should determine who is on the ISSC, not the other way around.
    3. Lack of process around execution. An ISSC is only valuable if members are able to successfully execute on its mandate. Without well-defined processes it becomes nearly impossible for the ISSC to be actionable. As a result, participants lack the information they need to make critical decisions, agendas are unmet, and meetings are seen as a waste of time.

    Use these icons to help direct you as you navigate this research

    Use these icons to help guide you through each step of the blueprint and direct you to content related to the recommended activities.

    A small monochrome icon of a wrench and screwdriver creating an X.

    This icon denotes a slide where a supporting Info-Tech tool or template will help you perform the activity or step associated with the slide. Refer to the supporting tool or template to get the best results and proceed to the next step of the project.

    A small monochrome icon depicting a person in front of a blank slide.

    This icon denotes a slide with an associated activity. The activity can be performed either as part of your project or with the support of Info-Tech team members, who will come onsite to facilitate a workshop for your organization.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee – project overview

    1. Define Committee Purpose and Responsibilities

    2. Determine Information Flows, Membership & Accountabilities

    3. Operate the Information Security Steering Committee

    Supporting Tool icon

    Best-Practice Toolkit

    1.1 Tailor Info-Tech’s Information Security Steering Committee Charter Template to define terms of reference for the ISSC

    1.2 Conduct a SWOT analysis of your information security governance capabilities

    1.3 Identify the responsibilities and duties of the ISSC

    1.4 Draft the committee purpose statement of your ISSC

    2.1 Define your SIPOC model for each of the ISSC responsibilities

    2.2 Identify committee participants and responsibility cadence

    2.3 Define ISSC participant RACI for each of the responsibilities

    3.1 Define the ISSC meeting agendas and procedures

    3.2 Define which metrics you will report to the ISSC

    3.3 Hold a kick-off meeting with your ISSC members to explain the process, responsibilities, and goals

    3.4 Tailor the Information Security Steering Committee Stakeholder Presentation template

    3.5 Present the information to the security leadership team

    3.6 Schedule your first meeting of the ISSC

    Guided Implementations

    • Identify the responsibilities and duties of the ISSC.
    • Draft the committee purpose of the ISSC.
    • Determine SIPOC modeling of information flows.
    • Determine accountabilities and responsibilities.
    • Set operational standards.
    • Determine effectiveness metrics.
    • Steering committee best practices.
    Associated Activity icon

    Onsite Workshop

    This blueprint can be combined with other content for onsite engagements, but is not a standalone workshop.
    Phase 1 Outcome:
    • Determine the purpose and responsibilities of your information security steering committee.
    Phase 2 Outcome:
    • Determine membership, accountabilities, and information flows to enable operational excellence.
    Phase 3 Outcome:
    • Define agendas and standard procedures to operate your committee.
    • Design an impactful stakeholder presentation.

    Improve Security Governance With a Security Steering Committee

    PHASE 1

    Define Committee Purpose and Responsibilities

    Phase 1: Define Committee Purpose and Responsibilities

    ACTIVITIES:

    • 1.1 Tailor Info-Tech’s Information Security Steering Committee Charter Template to define terms of reference for the ISSC
    • 1.2 Conduct a SWOT analysis of your information security governance capabilities
    • 1.3 Identify the responsibilities and duties of the ISSC
    • 1.4 Draft the committee purpose statement for your ISSC

    OUTCOMES:

    • Conduct an analysis of your current information security governance capabilities and identify opportunities and weaknesses.
    • Define a clear scope of purpose and responsibilities for your ISSC.
    • Begin to customize your ISSC charter.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Balance vision with direction. Purpose and responsibilities should be defined so that they encompass your mission and objectives to the enterprise in clear terms, but provide enough detail that you can translate the charter into operational plans for the security team.

    Tailor Info-Tech’s Information Security Steering Committee Charter Template to define terms of reference for the ISSC

    Supporting Tool icon 1.1

    A charter is the organizational mandate that outlines the purpose, scope, and authority of the ISSC. Without a charter, the steering committee’s value, scope, and success criteria are unclear to participants, resulting in unrealistic stakeholder expectations and poor organizational acceptance.

    Start by reviewing Info-Tech’s template. Throughout the next two sections we will help you to tailor its contents.

    • Committee Purpose: The rationale, benefits of, and overall function of the committee.
    • Organization and Membership: Who is on the committee and how is participation measured against organizational need.
    • Responsibilities and Duties: What tasks/decisions the accountable committee is making.
    • RACI: Who is accountable, responsible, consulted, and informed regarding each responsibility.
    • Committee Procedures and Agendas: Includes how the committee will be organized and how the committee will interact and communicate with interested parties.
    Sample of the Info-Tech deliverable 'Information Security Steering Committee Charter Template'.

    Download the Information Security Steering Committee Charter to customize your organization’s charter

    Conduct a SWOT analysis of your information security governance capabilities

    Associated Activity icon 1.2

    INPUT: Survey outcomes, Governance overview handouts

    OUTPUT: SWOT analysis, Top identified challenges and opportunities

    1. Hold a meeting with your IT leadership team to conduct a SWOT analysis on your current information security governance capabilities.
    2. In small groups, or individually, have each group complete a SWOT analysis for one of the governance areas. For each consider:
      • Strengths: What is currently working well in this area?
      • Weaknesses: What could you improve? What are some of the challenges you’re experiencing?
      • Opportunities: What are some organizational trends that you can leverage? Consider whether your strengths or weaknesses could create opportunities.
      • Threats: What are some key obstacles across people, process, and technology?
    3. Have each team or individual rotate until each person has contributed to each SWOT. Add comments from the stakeholder survey to the SWOT.
    4. As a group, rank the inputs from each group and highlight the top five challenges and the top five opportunities you see for improvement.

    Identify the responsibilities and duties of the ISSC

    Associated Activity icon 1.3

    INPUT: SWOT analysis, Survey reports

    OUTPUT: Defined ISSC responsibilities

    1. With your security leadership team, review the typical responsibilities of the ISSC on the following slides (also included in the templated text of the charter linked below).
    2. Print off the following two slides, and in small teams or individually, identify which responsibilities the ISSC should have in your organization, brainstorm any additional responsibilities, and document reasoning.
    3. Have each team present to the larger group, track the similarities and differences between each of the groups, and come to consensus on the list of categories and responsibilities.
    4. Complete a sanity check: review your SWOT analysis. Do the responsibilities you’ve identified resolve the critical challenges or weaknesses?
    5. As a group, consider the responsibilities and whether you can reasonably implement those in one year or if there are any that will need to wait until year two of the committee.

    Add or modify responsibilities in Info-Tech’s Information Security Steering Committee Charter.

    Typical ISSC responsibilities and duties

    Use the following list of responsibilities to customize the list of responsibilities your ISSC may take on. These should link directly to the Responsibilities and Duties section of your ISSC charter.

    Strategic Oversight

    • Provide oversight and ensure alignment between information security strategy and company objectives.
    • Assess the adequacy of resources and funding to sustain and advance successful security programs and practices for identifying, assessing, and mitigating cybersecurity risks across all business functions.
    • Review controls to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber-attacks or information or data breaches involving company electronic information, intellectual property, data, or connected devices.
    • Review the company’s cyberinsurance policies to ensure appropriate coverage.
    • Provide recommendations, based on security best practices, for significant technology investments.

    Policy Governance

    • Review company policies pertaining to information security and cyberthreats, taking into account the potential for external threats, internal threats, and threats arising from transactions with trusted third parties and vendors.
    • Review privacy and information security policies and standards and the ramifications of updates to policies and standards.
    • Establish standards and procedures for escalating significant security incidents to the ISSC, board, other steering committees, government agencies, and law enforcement, as appropriate.

    Typical ISSC responsibilities and duties (continued)

    Use the following list of responsibilities to customize the list of responsibilities your ISSC may take on. These should link directly to the Responsibilities and Duties section of your ISSC charter.

    Risk Governance

    • Review and approve the company’s information risk governance structure and key risk management processes and capabilities.
    • Assess the company’s high-risk information assets and coordinate planning to address information privacy and security needs.
    • Provide input to executive management regarding the enterprise’s information risk appetite and tolerance.
    • Review the company’s cyber-response preparedness, incident response plans, and disaster recovery capabilities as applicable to the organization’s information security strategy.
    • Promote an open discussion regarding information risk and integrate information risk management into the enterprise’s objectives.

    Monitoring & Reporting

    • Receive periodic reports and coordinate with management on the metrics used to measure, monitor, and manage cyber and IT risks posed to the company and to review periodic reports on selected risk topics as the Committee deems appropriate.
    • Review reports provided by the IT organization regarding the status of and plans for the security of the company’s data stored on internal resources and with third-party providers.
    • Monitor and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the company’s technology security, capabilities for disaster recovery, data protection, cyberthreat detection and cyber incident response, and management of technology-related compliance risks.

    Review the organization’s security strategy to solidify understanding of the ISSC’s purpose

    The ISSC should consistently evolve to reflect the strategic purpose of the security program. If you completed Info-Tech’s Security Strategy methodology, review the results to inform the scope of your committee. If you have not completed Info-Tech’s methodology, determining these details should be achieved through iterative stakeholder consultations.

    Strategy Components

    ISSC Considerations

    Security Pressure Analysis

    Review the ten security domains and your organization’s pressure levels to review the requisite maturity level of your security program. Consider how this may impact the focus of your ISSC.

    Security Drivers/Obligations

    Review how your security program supports the attainment of the organization’s business objectives. By what means should the ISSC support these objectives? This should inform the rationale, benefits, and overall function of the committee.

    Security Strategy Scope and Boundaries

    Consider the scope and boundaries of your security program to reflect on what the program is responsible for securing. Is this reflected adequately in the language of the committee’s purpose? Should components be added or redacted?

    Draft the committee purpose statement of your ISSC

    Associated Activity icon 1.4

    INPUT: SWOT Analysis, Security Strategy

    OUTPUT: ISSC Committee Purpose

    1. In a meeting with your IT leadership team – and considering the organization’s security strategy, defined responsibilities, and opportunities and threats identified – review the example goal statement in the Information Security Steering Committee Charter, and identify whether any of these statements apply to your organization. Select the statements that apply and collaboratively make any changes needed.
    2. Define unique goal statements by considering the following questions:
      • What three things would you realistically list for the ISSC to achieve?
      • If you were to accomplish three things in the next year, what would those be?
    3. With those goal statements in mind, consider the overall purpose of the committee. The purpose statement should be a reflection of what the committee does, why, and the goals.
    4. Have each individual review the example purpose statement and draft what they think a good purpose statement would be.
    5. Present each statement, and work together to determine a best-of-breed statement.

    Alter the Committee Purpose section in the Information Security Steering Committee Charter.

    CIO Priorities 2023

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    • Parent Category Name: IT Strategy
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    CIOs are facing these challenges in 2023:

    • Trying to understand the implications of external trends.
    • Determining what capabilities are most important to support the organization.
    • Understanding how to help the organization pursue new opportunities.
    • Preparing to mitigate new sources of organizational risk.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • While functional leaders may only see their next move, as head of the organization with a complete view of all the pieces, the CIO has full context awareness. It's up to them to assess their gaps, consider the present scenario, and then make their next move.
    • Each priority carries new opportunities for organizations that pursue them.
    • There are also different risks to mitigate as each priority is explored.

    Impact and Result

    • Inform your IT strategy for the year ahead.
    • Identify which capabilities you need to improve.
    • Add initiatives that support your priorities to your roadmap.

    CIO Priorities 2023 Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. CIO Priorities 2023 Report – Read about the priorities on IT leaders' agenda.

    Understand the five priorities that will help navigate the opportunities and risks of the year ahead.

    • CIO Priorities 2023 Report

    Infographic

     

    Further reading

    CIO Priorities 2023

    Engage cross-functional leadership to seize opportunity while protecting the organization from volatility.

    Analyst Perspective

    Take a full view of the board and use all your pieces to win.

    In our Tech Trends 2023 report, we called on CIOs to think of themselves as chess grandmasters. To view strategy as playing both sides of the board, simultaneously attacking the opponent's king while defending your own. In our CIO Priorities 2023 report, we'll continue with that metaphor as we reflect on IT's capability to respond to trends.

    If the trends report is a study of the board state that CIOs are playing with, the priorities report is about what move they should make next. We must consider all the pieces we have at our disposal and determine which ones we can afford to use to seize on opportunity. Other pieces are best used by staying put to defend their position.

    In examining the different capabilities that CIOs will require to succeed in the year ahead, it's apparent that a siloed view of IT isn't going to work. Just like a chess player in a competitive match would never limit themselves to only using their knights or their rooks, a CIO's responsibility is to deploy each of their pieces to win the day. While functional leaders may only see their next move, as head of the organization with a complete view of all the pieces, the CIO has full awareness of the board state.

    It's up to them to assess their gaps, consider the present scenario, and then make their next move.

    This is a picture of Brian Jackson

    Brian Jackson
    Principal Research Director, Research – CIO
    Info-Tech Research Group

    CIO Priorities 2023 is informed by Info-Tech's primary research data of surveys and benchmarks

    Info-Tech's Tech Trends 2023 report and State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report inform the externalities faced by organizations in the year ahead. They imply opportunities and risks that organizations face. Leadership must determine if they will respond and how to do so. CIOs then determine how to support those responses by creating or improving their IT capabilities. The priorities are the initiatives that will deliver the most value across the capabilities that are most in demand. The CIO Priorities 2023 report draws on data from several different Info-Tech surveys and diagnostic benchmarks.

    2023 Tech Trends and Priorities Survey; N=813 (partial), n=521 (completed)
    Info-Tech's Trends and Priorities 2023 Survey was conducted between August 9 and September 9, 2022. We received 813 total responses with 521 completed surveys. More than 90% of respondents work in IT departments. More than 84% of respondents are at a manager level of seniority or higher.

    2023 The State of Hybrid Work in IT Survey; N=518
    The State of Hybrid Work in IT Survey was conducted between July 11 and July 29 and received 518 responses. Nine in ten respondents were at a manager level of seniority or higher.

    Every organization will have its own custom list of priorities based on its internal context. Organizational goals, IT maturity level, and effectiveness of capabilities are some of the important factors to consider. To provide CIOs with a starting point for their list of priorities for 2023, we used aggregate data collected in our diagnostic benchmark tools between August 1, 2021, and October 31, 2022.

    Info-Tech's CEO-CIO Alignment Program is intended to be completed by CIOs and their supervisors (CEO or other executive position [CxO]) and will provide the average maturity level and budget expectations (N=107). The IT Management and Governance Diagnostic will provide the average capability effectiveness and importance ranking to CIOs (N=271). The CIO Business Vision Diagnostic will provide stakeholder satisfaction feedback (N=259).

    The 2023 CIO priorities are based on that data, internal collaboration sessions at Info-Tech, and external interviews with CIOs and subject matter experts.

    Build IT alignment

    Assess your IT processes

    Determine stakeholder satisfaction

    Most IT departments should aim to drive outcomes that deliver better efficiency and cost savings

    Slightly more than half of CIOs using Info-Tech's CEO-CIO Alignment Program rated themselves at a Support level of maturity in 2022. That aligns with IT professionals' view of their organizations from our Tech Trends and Priorities Survey, where organizations are rated at the Support level on average. At this level, IT departments can provide reliable infrastructure and support a responsive IT service desk that reasonably satisfies stakeholders.

    In the future, CIOs aspire to attain the Transform level of maturity. Nearly half of CIOs select this future state in our diagnostic, indicating a desire to deliver reliable innovation and lead the organization to become a technology-driven firm. However, we see that fewer CxOs aspire for that level of maturity from IT. CxOs are more likely than CIOs to say that IT should aim for the Optimize level of maturity. At this level, IT will help other departments become more efficient and lower costs across the organization.

    Whether a CIO is aiming for the top of the maturity scale in the future or not, IT maturity is achieved one step at a time. Aiming for outcomes at the Optimize level will be a realistic goal for most CIOs in 2023 and will satisfy many stakeholders.

    Current and future state of IT maturity

    This image depicts a table showing the Current and future states of IT maturity.

    Trends indicate a need to focus on leadership and change management

    Trends imply new opportunities and risks that an organization must decide on. Organizational leadership determines if action will be taken to respond to the new external context based on its importance compared to current internal context. To support their organizations, IT must use its capabilities to deliver on initiatives. But if a capability's effectiveness is poor, it could hamper the effort.

    To determine what capabilities IT departments may need to improve or create to support their organizations in 2023, we conducted an analysis of our trends data. Using the opportunities and risks implied by the Tech Trends 2023 report and the State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report, we've determined the top capabilities IT will need to respond. Capabilities are defined by Info-Tech's IT Management and Governance Framework.

    Tier 1: The Most Important Capabilities In 2023

    Enterprise Application Selection & Implementation

    Manage the selection and implementation of enterprise applications, off-the-shelf software, and software as a service to ensure that IT provides the business with the most appropriate applications at an acceptable cost.

    Effectiveness: 6.5; Importance: 8.8

    Leadership, Culture, and Values

    Ensure that the IT department reflects the values of your organization. Improve the leadership skills of your team to generate top performance.

    Effectiveness: 6.9; Importance: 9

    Data Architecture

    Manage the business' databases, including the technology, the governance processes, and the people that manage them. Establish the principles, policies, and guidelines relevant to the effective use of data within the organization.

    Effectiveness: 6.3; Importance: 8.8

    Organizational Change Management

    Implement or optimize the organization's capabilities for managing the impact of new business processes, new IT systems, and changes in organizational structure or culture.

    Effectiveness: 6.1; Importance: 8.8

    External Compliance

    Ensure that IT processes and IT-supported business processes are compliant with laws, regulations, and contractual requirements.

    Effectiveness: 7.4; Importance: 8.8

    Info-Tech's Management and Diagnostic Benchmark

    Tier 2: Other Important Capabilities In 2023

    Ten more capabilities surfaced as important compared to others but not as important as the capabilities in tier 1.

    Asset Management

    Track IT assets through their lifecycle to make sure that they deliver value at optimal cost, remain operational, and are accounted for and physically protected. Ensure that the assets are reliable and available as needed.

    Effectiveness: 6.4; Importance: 8.5

    Business Intelligence and Reporting

    Develop a set of capabilities, including people, processes, and technology, to enable the transformation of raw data into meaningful and useful information for the purpose of business analysis.

    Effectiveness: 6.3; Importance: 8.8

    Business Value

    Secure optimal value from IT-enabled initiatives, services, and assets by delivering cost-efficient solutions and services and by providing a reliable and accurate picture of costs and benefits.

    Effectiveness: 6.5; Importance: 8.7

    Cost and Budget Management

    Manage the IT-related financial activities and prioritize spending through the use of formal budgeting practices. Provide transparency and accountability for the cost and business value of IT solutions and services.

    Effectiveness: 6.5; Importance: 8.8

    Data Quality

    Put policies, processes, and capabilities in place to ensure that appropriate targets for data quality are set and achieved to match the needs of the business.

    Effectiveness: 6.4; Importance: 8.9

    Enterprise Architecture

    Establish a management practice to create and maintain a coherent set of principles, methods, and models that are used in the design and implementation of the enterprise's business processes, information systems, and infrastructure.

    Effectiveness: 6.8; Importance: 8.8

    IT Organizational Design

    Set up the structure of IT's people, processes, and technology as well as roles and responsibilities to ensure that it's best meeting the needs of the business.

    Effectiveness: 6.8; Importance: 8.8

    Performance Measurement

    Manage IT and process goals and metrics. Monitor and communicate that processes are performing against expectations and provide transparency for performance and conformance.

    Effectiveness: 6; Importance: 8.4

    Stakeholder Relations

    Manage the relationship between the business and IT to ensure that the stakeholders are satisfied with the services they need from IT and have visibility into IT processes.

    Effectiveness: 6.7; Importance: 9.2

    Vendor Management

    Manage IT-related services provided by all suppliers, including selecting suppliers, managing relationships and contracts, and reviewing and monitoring supplier performance.

    Effectiveness: 6.6; Importance: 8.4

    Defining the CIO Priorities for 2023

    Understand the CIO priorities by analyzing both how CIOs respond to trends in general and how a specific CIO responded in the context of their organization.

    This is an image of the four analyses: 1: Implications; 2: Opportunities and risks; 3: Case examples; 4: Priorities to action.

    The Five CIO Priorities for 2023

    Engage cross-functional leadership to seize opportunity while protecting the organization from volatility.

    1. Adjust IT operations to manage for inflation
      • Business Value
      • Vendor Management
      • Cost and Budget Management
    2. Prepare your data pipeline to train AI
      • Business Intelligence and Reporting
      • Data Quality
      • Data Architecture
    3. Go all in on zero-trust security
      • Asset Management
      • Stakeholder Relations
      • External Compliance
    4. Engage employees in the digital age
      • Leadership, Culture, and Values
      • Organizational Change Management
      • Enterprise Architecture
    5. Shape the IT organization to improve customer experience
      • Enterprise Application Selection & Implementation
      • Performance Measurement
      • IT Organizational Design

    Adjust IT operations to manage for inflation

    Priority 01

    • APO06 Cost and Budget Management
    • APo10 Vendor Management
    • EDM02 Business Value

    Recognize the relative impact of higher inflation on IT's spending power and adjust accordingly.

    Inflation takes a bite out of the budget

    Two-thirds of IT professionals are expecting their budgets to increase in 2023, according to our survey. But not every increase is keeping up with the pace of inflation. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that global inflation rose to 8.8% in 2022. It projects it will decline to 6.5% in 2023 and 4.1% by 2024 (IMF, 2022).

    CIOs must account for the impact of inflation on their IT budgets and realize that what looks like an increase on paper is effectively a flat budget or worse. Applied to our survey takers, an IT budget increase of more than 6.5% would be required to keep pace with inflation in 2023. Only 40% of survey takers are expecting that level of increase. For the 27% expecting an increase between 1-5%, they are facing an effective decrease in budget after the impact of inflation. Those expecting no change in budget or a decrease will be even worse off.

    Looking ahead to 2023, how do you anticipate your IT spending will change compared to spending in 2022?

    Global inflation estimates by year

    2022 8.8%
    2023 6.5%
    2024 4.1%

    International Monetary Fund, 2022

    CIOs are more optimistic about budgets than their supervisors

    Data from Info-Tech's CEO-CIO Alignment Diagnostic benchmark also shows that CIOs and their supervisors are planning for increases to the budget. This diagnostic is designed for a CIO to use with their direct supervisor, whether it's the CEO or otherwise (CxO). Results show that on average, CIOs are more optimistic than their supervisors that they will receive budget increases and headcount increases in the years ahead.

    While 14% of CxOs estimated the IT budget would see no change or a decrease in the next three to five years, only 3% of CIOs said the same. A larger discrepancy is seen in headcount, where nearly one-quarter of CXOs estimated no change or decrease in the years ahead, versus only 10% of CIOs estimating the same.

    When we account for the impact of inflation in 2023, this misalignment between CIOs and their supervisors increases. When adjusting for inflation, we need to view the responses projecting an increase of between 1-5% as an effective decrease. With the inflation adjustment, 26% of CXOs are predicting IT budgets to stay flat or see a decrease compared to only 10% of CIOs.

    CIOs should consider how inflation has affected their projected spending power over the past year and take into account projected inflation rates over the next couple of years. Given that the past decade has seen inflation rates between 2-3%, the higher rates projected will have more of an impact on organizational budgets than usual.

    Expect headcount to stay flat or decline over 3-5 years

    CIO: 10%; CXO: 24%

    IT budget expectations to stay flat or decrease before inflation

    CIO: 13.6 %; CXO: 3.2%

    IT budget expectations to stay flat or decrease adjusted for inflation

    CIO: 25.8%; CXO: 9.7%

    Info-Tech's CEO-CIO Alignment Program

    Opportunities

    Appoint a "cloud economist"

    Organizations that migrated from on-premises data centers to infrastructure as a service shifted their capital expenditures on server racks to operational expenditures on paying the monthly service bill. Managing that monthly bill so that it is in line with desired performance levels now becomes crucial. The expected benefit of the cloud is that an organization can turn the dial up to meet higher demand and turn it down when demand slows. In practice this is sometimes more difficult to execute than anticipated. Some IT departments realize their cloud-based data flows aren't always connected to the revenue-generating activity seen in the business. As a result, a "cloud economist" is needed to closely monitor cloud usage and adjust it to financial expectations. Especially during any recessionary period, IT departments will want to avoid a "bill shock" incident.

    Partner with technology providers

    Keep your friends close and your vendors closer. Look for opportunities to create leverage with your strategic vendors to unlock new opportunities. Identify if a vendor you work with is not entrenched in your industry and offer them the credibility of working with you in exchange for a favorable contract. Offering up your logo for a website listing clients or giving your own time to speak in a customer session at a conference can go a long way to building up some goodwill with your vendors. That's goodwill you'll need when you ask for a new multi-year contract on your software license without annual increases built into the structure.

    Demonstrate IT projects improve efficiency

    An IT department that operates at the Optimize level of Info-Tech's maturity scale can deliver outcomes that lower costs for other departments. IT can defend its own budget if it's able to demonstrate that its initiatives will automate or augment business activities in a way that improves margins. The argument becomes even more compelling if IT can demonstrate it is supporting a revenue-generating initiative or customer-facing experience. CIOs will need to find business champions to vouch for the important contributions IT is making to their area.

    Risks

    Imposition of non-financial reporting requirements

    In some jurisdictions, the largest companies will be required to start collecting information on carbon emissions emitted as a result of business activities by the end of next year. Smaller sized organizations will be next on the list to determine how to meet new requirements issued by various regulators. Risks of failure include facing fines or being shunned by investors. CIOs will need to support their financial reporting teams in collecting the new required data accurately. This will incur new costs as well.

    Rising asset costs

    Acquiring IT equipment is becoming more expensive due to overall inflation and specific pressures around semiconductor supply chains. As a result, more CIOs are extending their device refresh policies to last another year or two. Still, demands for new devices to support new hybrid work models could put pressure on budgets as IT teams are asked to modernize conferencing rooms. For organizations adopting mixed reality headsets, cutting-edge capabilities will come at a premium. Operating costs of devices may also increase as inflation increases costs of the electricity and bandwidth they depend on.

    CASE STUDY
    Leverage your influence in vendor negotiations

    Denise Cornish, Associate VP of IT and Deputy COO,
    Western University of Health Sciences

    Since taking on the lead IT role at Western University in 2020, Denise Cornish has approached vendor management like an auditable activity. She evaluates the value she gets from each vendor relationship and creates a list of critical vendors that she relies upon to deliver core business services. "The trick is to send a message to the vendor that they also need us as a customer that's willing to act as a reference," she says. Cornish has managed to renegotiate a contract with her ERP vendor, locking in a multi-year contract with a very small escalator in exchange for presenting as a customer at conferences. She's also working with them on developing a new integration to another piece of software popular in the education space.

    Western University even negotiated a partnership approach with Apple for a program run with its College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) called the Digital Doctor Bag. The partnership saw Apple agree to pre-package a customer application developed by Western that delivered the curriculum to students and facilitated communications across students and faculty. Apple recognized Western as an Apple Distinguished School, a program that recognizes innovative schools that use Apple products.

    "I like when negotiations are difficult.
    I don't necessarily expect a zero-sum game. We each need to get something out of this and having the conversation and really digging into what's in it for you and what's in it for me, I enjoy that. So usually when I negotiate a vendor contract, it's rare that it doesn't work out."

    CASE STUDY
    Control cloud costs with a simplified approach

    Jim Love, CIO, IT World Canada

    As an online publisher and a digital marketing platform for technology products and services companies, IT World Canada (ITWC) has observed that there are differences in how small and large companies adopt the cloud as their computing infrastructure. For smaller companies, even though adoption is accelerating, there may still be some reluctance to fully embrace cloud platforms and services. While larger companies often have a multi-cloud approach, this might not be practical for smaller IT shops that may struggle to master the skills necessary to effectively manage one cloud platform. While Love acknowledges that the cloud is the future of corporate computing, he also notes that not all applications or workloads may be well suited to run in the cloud. As well, moving data into the cloud is cheap but moving it back out can be more expensive. That is why it is critical to understand your applications and the data you're working with to control costs and have a successful cloud implementation.

    "Standardization is the friend of IT. So, if you can standardize on one platform, you're going to do better in terms of costs."

    From priorities to action

    Go deeper on pursuing your priorities by improving the associated capabilities.

    Improve Cost and Budget Management

    Take control of your cloud costs by providing central financial oversight on the infrastructure-as-a-service provider your organization uses. Create visibility into your operational costs and define policies to control them. Right-size the use of cloud services to stay within organizational budget expectations.

    Take Control of Cloud Costs on AWS

    Take Control of Cloud Costs on Microsoft Azure

    Improve Business Value

    Reduce the funds allocated to ongoing support and impose tougher discipline around change requests to lighten your maintenance burden and make room for investment in net-new initiatives to support the business.

    Free up funds for new initiatives

    Improve Vendor Management

    Lay the foundation for a vendor management process with long-term benefits. Position yourself as a valuable client with your strategic vendors and leverage your position to improve your contract terms.

    Elevate Your Vendor Management Initiative

    Prepare your data pipeline to train AI

    Priority 02

    • ITRG06 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND REPORTING
    • ITRG07 DATA ARCHITECTURE
    • ITRG08 DATA QUALITY

    Keep pace as the market adopts AI capabilities, and be ready to create competitive advantage.

    Today's innovation is tomorrow's expectation

    During 2022, some compelling examples of generative-AI-based products took the world by storm. Images from AI-generating bots Midjourney and Stable Diffusion went viral, flooding social media and artistic communities with images generated from text prompts. Exchanges with OpenAI's ChatGPT bot also caught attention, as the bot was able to do everything from write poetry, to provide directions on a cooking recipe and then create a shopping list for it, to generate working code in a variety of languages. The foundation models are trained with AI techniques that include generative adversarial networks, transformers, and variational autoencoders. The end result is an algorithm that can produce content that's meaningful to people based on some simple direction. The industry is only beginning to come to grips with how this sort of capability will disrupt the enterprise.

    Slightly more than one-third of IT professionals say their organization has already invested in AI or machine learning. It's the sixth-most popular technology to have already invested in after cloud computing (82%), application programming interfaces (64%), workforce management solutions (44%), data lakes (36%), and next-gen cybersecurity (36%). It's ahead of 12 other technologies that IT is already invested in.

    When we asked what technologies organizations planned to invest in for next year, AI rocketed up the list to second place, as it's selected by 44% of IT professionals. It falls behind only cloud computing. This jump up the list makes AI the fastest growing technology for new investment from organizations.

    Many AI capabilities seem cutting edge now, but organizations are prioritizing it as a technology investment. In a couple of years, access to foundational models that produce images, text, or code will become easy to access with a commercial license and an API integration. AI will become embedded in off-the-shelf software and drive many new features that will quickly become commonplace.

    To stay even with the competition and meet customer expectations, organizations will have to work to at least adopt these AI-enhanced products and services. For those that want to create a competitive advantage, they will have to build a data pipeline that is capable of training their own custom AI models based on their unique data sets.

    Which of the following technology categories has your organization already invested in?

    A bar graph is depicted the percentage of organizations which already had invested in the following Categories: Cloud Computing; Application Programming; Next-Gen Cybersecurity; Workforce Management Solutions; Data Lake/Lakehouse; Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning.

    Which of those same technologies does your organization plan to invest in by the end of 2023?

    A bar graph is depicted the percentage of organizations which plan to invest in the following categories by the end of 2023: No-Code / Low-Code Platforms; Next-Gen Cybersecurity; Application Programming Interfaces (APIs); Data Lake / Lakehouse; Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning; Cloud Computing

    Tech Trends 2023 Survey

    Data quality and governance will be critical to customize generative AI

    Data collection and analysis are on the minds of both CIOs and their supervisors. When asked what technologies the business should adopt in the next three to five years, big data (analytics) ranked as most critical to adopt among CIOs and their supervisors. Big data (collection) ranked fourth out of 11 options.

    Organizations that want to drive a competitive advantage from generative AI will need to train these large, versatile models on their own data sets. But at the same time, IT organizations are struggling to provide clean data. The second-most critical gap for IT organizations on average is data quality, behind only organizational change management. Organizations know that data quality is important to support analytics goals, as algorithms can suffer in their integrity if they don't have reliable data to work with. As they say, garbage in, garbage out.

    Another challenge to overcome is the gap seen in IT governance, the sixth largest gap on average. Using data toward training custom generative models will hold new compliance and ethical implications for IT departments to contend with. How user data can be leveraged is already the subject of privacy legislation in many different jurisdictions, and new AI legislation is being developed in various places around the world that could create further demands. In some cases, users are reacting negatively to AI-generated content.

    Biggest capability gaps between rated importance and effectiveness

    This is a Bar graph showing the capability gaps between rated importance and effectiveness.

    IT Management and Governance Diagnostic

    Most critical technologies to adopt rated by CIOs and their supervisors

    This is a Bar graph showing the most critical technologies to adopt as rated by CIO's and their supervisors

    CEO-CIO Alignment Program

    Opportunities

    Enterprise content discovery

    Many organizations still cobble together knowledgebases in SharePoint or some other shared corporate drive, full of resources that no one quite knows how to find. A generative AI chatbot holds potential to be trained on an organization's content and produce content based on an employee's queries. Trained properly, it could point employees to the right resource they need to answer their question or just provide the answer directly.

    Supply chain forecasts

    After Hurricane Ian shut down a Walmart distribution hub, the retailer used AI to simulate the effects on its supply chain. It rerouted deliveries from other hubs based on the predictions and planned for how to respond to demand for goods and services after the storm. Such forecasts would typically take a team of analysts days to compose, but thanks to AI, Walmart had it done in a matter of hours (The Economist, 2022).

    Reduce the costs of AI projects

    New generative AI models of sufficient scale offer advantages over previous AI models in their versatility. Just as ChatGPT can write poetry or dialogue for a play or perhaps a section of a research report (not this one, this human author promises), large models can be deployed for multiple use cases in the enterprise. One AI researcher says this could reduce the costs of an AI project by 20-30% (The Economist, 2022).

    Risks

    Impending AI regulation

    Multiple jurisdictions around the world are pursuing new legislation that imposes requirements on organizations that use AI, including the US, Europe, and Canada. Some uses of AI will be banned outright, such as the real-time use of facial recognition in public spaces, while in other situations people can opt out of using AI and work with a human instead. Regulations will take the risk of the possible outcomes created by AI into consideration, and organizations will often be required to disclose when and how AI is used to reach decisions (Science | Business, 2022). Questions around whether creators can prevent their content from being used for training AI are being raised, with some efforts already underway to collect a list of those who want to opt out. Organizations that adopt a generative AI model today may find it needs to be amended for copyright reasons in the future.

    Bias in the algorithms

    Organizations using a large AI model trained by a third party to complete their tasks or as a foundation to further customize it with their own data will have to contend with the inherent bias of the algorithm. This can lead to unintended negative experiences for users, as it did for MIT Technology Review journalist Melissa Heikkilä when she uploaded her images to AI avatar app Lensa, only to have it render a collection of sexualized portraits. Heikkilä contends that her Asian heritage overly influenced the algorithm to associate her with video-game characters, anime, and adult content (MIT Technology Review, 2022).

    Convincing nonsense

    Many of the generative AI bots released so far often create very good responses to user queries but sometimes create nonsense that at first glance might seem to be accurate. One example is Meta's Galactica bot – intended to streamline scientific research discovery and aid in text generation – which was taken down only three days after being made available. Scientists found that it generated fake research that sounded convincing or failed to do math correctly (Spiceworks, 2022).

    CASE STUDY
    How MLSE enhances the Toronto Raptors' competitiveness with data-driven practices

    Christian Magsisi, Vice President of Venue and Digital Technology, MLSE

    At the Toronto Raptors practice facility, the OVO Athletic Centre, a new 120-foot custom LG video screen towers over the court. The video board is used to playback game clips so coaches can use them to teach players, but it also displays analytics from algorithmic models that are custom-made for each player. Data on shot-making or defensive deflections are just a couple examples of what might inform the players.

    Vice President of Digital Technology Christian Magsisi leads a functional Digital Labs technical group at MLSE. The in-house team builds the specific data models that support the Raptors in their ongoing efforts to improve. The analytics are fed by Noah Analytics, which uses cognitive vision to provide real-time feedback on shot accuracy. SportsVU is a motion capture system that represents how players are positioned on the court, with detail down to which way they are facing and whether their arms are up or down. The third-party vendors provide the solutions to generate the analytics, but it's up to MLSE's internal team to shape them to be actionable for players during a practice.

    "All the way from making sure that a specific player is achieving the results that they're looking for and showing that through data, or finding opportunities for the coaching staff. This is the manifestation of it in real life. Our ultimate goal with the coaches was to be able to take what was on emails or in a report and sometimes even in text message and actually implement it into practice."

    Read the full story on Spiceworks Insights.

    How MLSE enhances the Toronto Raptors' competitiveness with data-driven practices (cont.)

    Humza Teherany, Chief Technology Officer, MLSE

    MLSE's Digital Labs team architects its data insights pipeline on top of cloud services. Amazon Web Services Rekognition provides cognitive vision analysis from video and Amazon Kinesis provides the video processing capabilities. Beyond the court, MLSE uses data to enhance the fan experience, explains CTO Humza Teherany. It begins with having meaningful business goals about where technology can provide the most value. He starts by engaging the leadership of the organization and considering the "art of the possible" when it comes to using technology to unlock their goals.

    Humza Teherany (left) and Christian Magsisi lead MLSE's digital efforts for the pro sports teams owned by the group, including the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Toronto Argonauts. (Photo by Brian Jackson).

    Read the full story on Spiceworks Insights.

    "Our first goal in the entire buildup of the Digital Labs organization has been to support MLSE and all of our teams. We like to do things first. We leverage our own technology to make things better for our fans and for our teams to complete and find incremental advantages where possible."
    Humza Teherany,
    Chief Technology Officer, MLSE

    From priorities to action

    Go deeper on pursuing your priorities by improving the associated capabilities.

    Improve Data Quality

    The performance of AI-assisted tools depends on mature IT operations processes and reliable data sets. Standardize service management processes and build a knowledgebase of structured content to prepare for AI-assisted IT operations.

    Prepare for Cognitive Service Management

    Improve Business Intelligence and Reporting

    Explore the enterprise chatbots that are available to not only assist with customer interactions but also help your employees find the resources they need to do their jobs and retrieve data in real time.

    Explore the best chatbots software

    Improve Data Architecture

    Understand if you are ready to embark on the AI journey and what business use cases are appropriate for AI. Plan around the organization's maturity in people, tools, and operations for delivering the correct data, model development, and model deployment and managing the models in the operational areas.

    Create an Architecture for AI

    Go all in on zero-trust security

    Priority 03

    • BAI09 ASSET MANAGEMENT
    • APO08 STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS
    • MEA03 EXTERNAL COMPLIANCE

    Adopt zero-trust architecture as the new security paradigm across your IT stack and from an organizational risk management perspective.

    Putting faith in zero trust

    The push toward a zero-trust security framework is becoming necessary for organizations for several different reasons over the past couple of years. As the pandemic forced workers away from offices and into their homes, perimeter-based approaches to security were challenged by much wider network footprints and the need to identify users external to the firewall. Supply-chain security became more of a concern with notable attacks affecting many thousands of firms, some with severe consequences. Finally, the regulatory pressure to implement zero trust is rising following President Joe Biden's 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity. It directs federal agencies to implement zero trust. That will impact any company doing business with the federal government, and it's likely that zero trust will propagate through other government agencies in the years ahead. Zero-trust architecture can also help maintain compliance around privacy-focused regulations concerned about personal data (CSO Online, 2022).

    IT professionals are modestly confident that they can meet new government legislation regarding cybersecurity requirements. When asked to rank their confidence on a scale of one to five, the most common answer was 3 out of 5 (38.5%). The next most common answer was 4 out of 5 (33.3%).

    Zero-trust barriers:
    Talent shortage and lack of leadership involvement

    Out of a list of challenges, IT professionals are most concerned with talent shortages leading to capacity constraints in cybersecurity. Fifty-four per cent say they are concerned or very concerned with this issue. Implementing a new zero-trust framework for security will be difficult if capacity only allows for security teams to respond to incidents.

    The next most pressing concern is that cyber risks are not on the radar of executive leaders or the board of directors, with 46% of IT pros saying they are concerned or very concerned. Since zero-trust requires that organizations take an enterprise risk management approach to cybersecurity and involve top decision makers, this reveals another area where organizations may fall short of achieving a zero-trust environment.

    How confident are you that your organization is prepared to meet current and future government legislation regarding cybersecurity requirements? A circle graph is shown with 68.6% colored dark green, and the words: AVG 3.43 written inside the graph.
    a bar graph showing the confidence % for numbers 1-5
    54%

    of IT professionals are concerned with talent shortages leading to capacity constraints in cybersecurity.

    46%

    of IT professionals are concerned that cyber risks are not on the radar of executive leaders or the board of directors.

    Zero trust mitigates risk while removing friction

    A zero-trust approach to security requires organizations to view cybersecurity risk as part of its overall risk framework. Both CIOs and their supervisors agree that IT-related risks are a pain point. When asked to rate the severity of pain points, 58% of CIOs rated IT-related business risk incidents as a minor pain or major pain. Their supervisors were more concerned, with 61% rating it similarly. Enterprises can mitigate this pain point by involving top levels of leadership in cybersecurity planning.

    Organizations can be wary about implementing new security measures out of concern it will put barriers between employees and what they need to work. Through a zero-trust approach that focuses on identity verification, friction can be avoided. Overall, IT organizations did well to provide security without friction for stakeholders over the past 18 months. Results from Info-Tech's CIO Business Vision Diagnostic shows that stakeholders almost all agree friction due to security practices are acceptable. The one area that stands to be improved is remote/mobile device access, where 78.3% of stakeholders view the friction as acceptable.

    A zero-trust approach treats user identity the same regardless of device and whether it is inside or outside of the corporate network. This can remove friction when workers are looking to connect remotely from a mobile device.

    IT-related business risk incidents viewed as a pain point

    CXO 61%
    CIO 58%

    Business stakeholders rate security friction levels as acceptable

    A bar graph is depicted with the following dataset: Regulatory Compliance: 93.80%; Office/Desktop Computing:	86.50%;Data Access/Integrity: 86.10%; Remote/Mobile Device Access:	78.30%;

    CIO Business Vision Diagnostic, N=259

    Opportunities

    Move to identity-driven access control

    Today's approach to access control on the network is to allow every device to exchange data with every other device. User endpoints and servers talk to each other directly without any central governance. In a zero-trust environment, a centralized zero-trust network access broker provides one-to-one connectivity. This allows servers to rest offline until needed by a user with the right access permissions. Users verify their identity more often as they move throughout the network. The user can access the resources and data they need with minimal friction while protecting servers from unauthorized access. Log files are generated for analysis to raise alerts about when an authorized identity has been compromised.

    Protect data with just-in-time authentication

    Many organizations put process in place to make sure data at rest is encrypted, but often when users copy that data to their own devices, it becomes unencrypted, allowing attackers opportunities to exfiltrate sensitive data from user endpoints. Moving to a zero-trust environment where each data access is brokered by a central broker allows for encryption to be preserved. Parties accessing a document must exchange keys to gain access, locking out unauthorized users that don't have both sets of keys to decrypt the data (MIT Lincoln Laboratory, 2022).

    Harness free and open-source tools to deploy zero trust

    IT teams may not be seeing a budget infusion to invest in a new approach to security. By making use of the many free and open-source tools available, they can bootstrap their strategy into reality. Here's a list to get started:

    PingCastle Wrangle your Active Directory and find all the domains that you've long since forgotten about and manage the situation appropriately. Also builds a spoke-and-hub map of your Active Directory.

    OpenZiti Create an overlay network to enable programmable networking that supports zero trust.

    Snyk Developers can automatically find and fix vulnerabilities before they commit their code. This vendor offers a free tier but users that scale up will need to pay.

    sigstore Open-source users and maintainers can use this solution to verify the code they are running is the code the developer intended. Works by stitching together free services to facilitate software signing, verify against a transparent ledger, and provide auditable logs.

    Microsoft's SBOM generation tool A software bill of materials is a requirement in President Biden's Executive Order, intended to provide organizations with more transparency into their software components by providing a comprehensive list. Microsoft's tool will work with Windows, Linux, and Mac and auto-detect a longlist of software components, and it generates a list organized into four sections that will help organizations comprehend their software footprint.

    Risks

    Organizational culture change to accommodate zero trust

    Zero trust requires that top decision makers get involved in cybersecurity by treating it as an equal consideration of overall enterprise risk. Not all boards will have the cybersecurity expertise required, and some executives may not prioritize cybersecurity despite the warnings. Organizations that don't appoint a chief information security officer (CISO) role to drive the cybersecurity agenda from the top will be at risk of cybersecurity remaining an afterthought.

    Talent shortage

    No matter what industry you're in or what type of organization you run, you need cybersecurity. The demand for talent is very high and organizations are finding it difficult to hire in this area. Without the talent needed to mature cybersecurity approaches to a zero-trust model, the focus will remain on foundational principles of patch management to eliminate vulnerabilities and intrusion prevention. Smaller organizations may want to consider a "virtual CISO" that helps shape the organizational strategy on a part-time basis.

    Social engineering

    Many enterprise security postures remain vulnerable to an attack that commandeers an employee's identity to infiltrate the network. Hosted single sign-on models provide low friction and continuity of identity across applications but also offer a single point of failure that hackers can exploit. Phishing scams that are designed to trick an employee into providing their credentials to a fake website or to just click on a link that delivers a malware payload are the most common inroads that criminals take into the corporate network. Being aware of how user behavior influences security is crucial.

    CASE STUDY
    Engage the entire organization with cybersecurity awareness

    Serge Suponitskiy, CIO, Brosnan Risk Consultants

    Brosnan provides private security services to high-profile clients and is staffed by security experts with professional backgrounds in intelligence services and major law enforcement agencies. Safe to say that security is taken seriously in this culture and CIO Serge Suponitskiy makes sure that extends to all back-office staff that support the firm's activities. He's aware that people are often the weakest link in a cybersecurity posture and are prone to being fooled by a phishing email or even a fraudulent phone call. So cybersecurity training is an ongoing activity that takes many forms. He sends out a weekly cybersecurity bulletin that features a threat report and a story about the "scam of the week." He also uses KnowBe4, a tool that simulates phishing attacks and trains employees in security awareness. Suponitskiy advises reaching out to Marketing or HR for help with engaging employees and finding the right learning opportunities.

    "What is financially the best solution to protect yourself? It's to train your employees. … You can buy all of the tools and it's expensive. Some of the prices are going up for no reason. Some by 20%, some by 50%, it's ridiculous. So, the best way is to keep training, to keep educating, and to reimagine the training. It's not just sending this video that no one clicks on or posting a poster no one looks at. … Given the fact we're moving into this recession world, and everyone is questioning why we need to spend more, it's time to reimagine the training approach."

    CASE STUDY
    Focus on micro-segmentation as the foundation of zero trust

    David Senf, National Cybersecurity Strategist, Bell

    As a cybersecurity analyst and advisor that works with Bell's clients, David Senf sees zero-trust security as an opportunity for organizations to put a strong set of mitigating controls in place to defend against the thorny challenge of reducing vulnerabilities in their software supply chain. With major breaches being linked to widely used software in the past couple of years, security teams might find it effective to focus on a different layer of security to prevent certain breaches. With security policy being enforced at a narrow point/perimeter, attacks are in essence blocked from exploiting application vulnerabilities (e.g. you can't exploit what you can see). Organizations must still ensure there is a solid vulnerability management program in place, but surrounding applications with other controls is critical. One aspect of zero trust, micro-segmentation, which is an approach to network management, can limit the damage caused by a breach. The solutions help to map out and protect the different connections between applications that could otherwise be abused for discovery or lateral movement. Senf advises that knowing your inventory of software and the interdependencies between applications is the first step on a zero-trust journey, before putting protection and detection in place.

    "Next year will be a year of a lot more ZTNA, zero-trust network access, being deployed. So, I think that will give organizations more of an understanding of what zero trust is as well, from a really basic perspective. If I can just limit what applications you can see and no one can even see that application, it's undiscoverable because I've got that ZTNA solution in place. … I would see that as a leading area of deployment and coming to understand what zero trust is in 2023."

    From priorities to action

    Go deeper on pursuing your priorities by improving the associated capabilities.

    Improve Asset Management

    Enable reduced friction in the remote user experience by underpinning it with a hardware asset management program. Creating an inventory of devices and effectively tracking them will aid in maintaining compliance, result in stronger policy enforcement, and reduce the harm of a lost or stolen device.

    Implement Hardware Asset Management

    Improve Stakeholder Relations

    Communicate the transition from a perimeter-based security approach to an "Always Verify" approach with a clear roadmap toward implementation. Map key protect surfaces to business goals to demonstrate the importance of zero-trust security in helping the organization succeed. Help the organization's top leadership build awareness of cybersecurity risk.

    Build a Zero Trust Roadmap

    Improve External Compliance

    Manage the challenge of meeting new government requirements to implement zero-trust security and other data protection and cybersecurity regulations with a compliance program. Create a control environment that aligns multiple compliance regimes, and be prepared for IT audits.

    Build a Security Compliance Program

    Engage employees in the digital age

    Priority 04

    • ITRG02 LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, AND VALUES
    • BAI05 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
    • APO03 ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE

    Lead a strong culture through digital means to succeed in engaging the hybrid workforce.

    The new deal for employers in a hybrid work world

    Necessity is the mother of innovation.

    The pandemic's disruption for non-essential workers looks to have a long-lasting, if not permanent, effect on the relationship between employer and employee. The new bargain for almost all organizations is a hybrid work reality, with employees splitting time between the office and working remotely, if not working remotely full-time. IT is in a unique position in the organization as it must not only contend with the shift to this new deal with its own employees but facilitate it for the entire organization.

    With 90% of organizations embracing some form of hybrid work, IT leaders have an opportunity to shift from coping with the new work reality to finding opportunities to improve productivity. Organizations that embrace a hybrid model for their IT departments see a more effective IT department. Organizations that offered no remote work for IT rated their IT effectiveness on average 6.2 out of 10, while organizations with at least 10% of IT roles in a hybrid model saw significantly higher effectiveness. At minimum, organizations with between 50%-70% of IT roles in a hybrid model rated their effectiveness at 6.9 out of 10.

    IT achieved this increase in effectiveness during a disruptive time that often saw IT take on a heavier burden. Remote work required IT to support more users and be involved in facilitating more work processes. Thriving through this challenging time is a win that's worth sharing with the rest of the organization.

    90% of organizations are embracing some form of hybrid work.

    IT's effectiveness compared to % working hybrid or remotely

    A bar graph is shown which compares the effectiveness of IT work with hybrid and full remote work, compared to No Remote Work for IT.

    High effectiveness doesn't mean high engagement

    Despite IT's success with hybrid work, CIOs are more concerned about their staff sufficiency, skill, and engagement than their supervisors. Among clients using our CEO-CIO Alignment Diagnostic, 49% of CIOs considered this issue a major pain point compared to only 32% of CXOs. While IT staff are more effective than ever, even while carrying more of a burden in the digital age, CIOs are still looking to improve staff engagement.

    Info-Tech's State of Hybrid Work Survey illuminates further details about where IT leaders are concerned for their employee engagement. About four in ten IT leaders say they are concerned for employee wellbeing, and almost the same amount say they are concerned they are not able to see signs that employees are demotivated (N=518).

    Boosting IT employees' engagement levels to match their effectiveness will require IT leaders to harness all the tools at their disposal. Communicating culture and effectively managing organizational change in the digital age is a real test of leadership.

    Staff sufficiency, skill, and engagement issues as a major pain point

    CXO 32%
    CIO 49%

    CEO-CIO Alignment Diagnostic

    Opportunities

    Drive effectiveness with a hybrid environment

    IT leaders concerned about the erosion of culture and connectedness due to hybrid work can mitigate those effects with increased and improved communication. Among highly effective IT departments, 55% of IT leaders made themselves highly available through instant messaging chat. Another 54% of highly effective leaders increased team meetings (State of Hybrid Work Survey, n=213). The ability to adapt to the team's needs and use a number of tactics to respond is the most important factor. The greater the number of tactics used to overcome communication barriers, the more effective the IT department (State of Hybrid Work Survey, N=518).

    Modernize the office conference room

    A hybrid work approach emphasizes the importance of not only the technology in the office conference room but the process around how meetings are conducted. Creating an equal footing for all participants regardless of how they join is the goal. In pursuit of that, 63% of organizations say they have made changes or upgrades to their conference room technology (n=496). The conferencing experience can influence employee engagement and work culture and enhance collaboration. IT should determine if the business case exists for upgrades and work to decrease the pain of using legacy solutions where possible (State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report).

    Understand the organizational value chain

    Map out the value chain from the customer perspective and then determine the organizational capabilities involved in delivering on that experience. It is a useful tool for helping IT staff understand how they're connected to the customer experience and organizational mission. It's crucial to identify opportunities to resolve pain points and create more efficiency throughout the organization.

    Risks

    Talent rejects the working model

    Many employees that experienced hybrid work over the past couple of years are finding it's a positive development for work/life balance and aren't interested in a full-time return to the office. Organizations that insist on returning all employees to the office all the time may find that employees choose to leave the organization. Similarly, it could be hard to hire IT talent in a competitive market if the position is required to be onsite every day. Most organizations are providing flexible options to employees and finding ways to manage work in the new digital age.

    Wasted expense on facilities

    Organizations may choose to keep their physical office only to later realize that no one is going to work there. While providing an office space can help foster positive culture through valuable face time, it has to be used intentionally. Managers should plan for specific days that their teams will meet in the office and make sure that work activities take advantage of everyone being in the same place at the same time. Asking everyone to come in so that they can be on a videoconference meeting in their cubicle isn't the point.

    Isolated employees and teams

    Studies on a remote work environment show it has an impact on how many connections each employee maintains within the company. Employees still interact well within their own teams but have fewer interactions across departments. Overall, workers are likely to collaborate just as often as they did when working in the office but with fewer other individuals at the company. Keep the isolating effect of remote work in mind and foster collaboration and networking opportunities across different departments (BBC News, 2022).

    CASE STUDY
    Equal support of in-office and remote work

    Roberto Eberhardt, CIO, Ontario Legislative Assembly

    Working in the legislature of the Ontario provincial government, CIO Roberto Eberhardt's staff went from a fully onsite model to a fully remote model at the outset of the pandemic. Today he's navigating his path to a hybrid model that's somewhere in the middle. His approach is to allow his business colleagues to determine the work model that's needed but to support a technology environment that allows employees to work from home or in the office equally. Every new process that's introduced must meet that paradigm, ensuring it will work in a hybrid environment. For his IT staff, he sees a culture of accountability and commitment to metrics to drive performance measurement as key to the success of this new reality.

    "While it's good in a way, the challenge for us is it became a little more complex because you have to account for all those things in the office environment and in the remote work approach. Everything you do now, you have to say OK well how is this going to work in this world and how will it work in the other world?"

    Creating purpose for IT through strategy

    Mike Russell, Virginia Community College System

    At the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), CIO Mike Russell's IT team supports an organization that governs and delivers services to all community colleges in the state. Russell sees his IT team's purpose as being driven by the organization's mission to ensure success throughout the entire student journey, from enrolment to becoming employed after graduation. That customer-focused mindset starts from the top-level leadership, the chancellor, and the state governor. The VCCS maintains a six-year business plan that informs IT's strategic plan and aligns IT with the mission, and both plans are living documents that get refreshed every two years. Updating the plans provides opportunities for the chancellor to engage the organization and remind everyone of the purpose of their work.

    "The outcome isn't the degree. The outcome we're trying to measure is the job. Did you get the job that you wanted? Whether it's being re-employed or first-time employment, did you get what you were after?"

    From priorities to action

    Go deeper on pursuing your priorities by improving the associated capabilities.

    Improve Leadership, Culture, and Values

    Help leaders manage their teams effectively in a hybrid environment by providing them with the right tools and tactics to manage the challenges of hybrid work. Focus on promoting teamwork and fostering connection.

    Prepare People Leaders for the Hybrid Work Environment

    Improve Organizational Change Management

    Assign accountability for managing the changes that the organization is experiencing in the digital age. Make a people-centric approach that takes human behavior into account and plans to address different needs in different ways. Be proactive about change.

    Master Organizational Change Management Practices

    Improve Enterprise Architecture

    Develop a foundation for aligning IT's activities with business value by creating a right-sized enterprise architecture approach that isn't heavy on bureaucracy. Drive IT's purpose by illustrating how their work contributes to the overall mission and the customer experience.

    Create a Right-Sized Enterprise Architecture Governance Framework

    Shape the IT organization to improve customer experience

    PRIORITY 05

    • BAI03 ENTERPRISE APPLICATION SELECTION & IMPLEMENTATION
    • MEA01 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
    • ITRG01 IT ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN

    Tightly align the IT organization with the organization's value chain from a customer perspective.

    IT's value is defined by faster, better, bigger

    The pandemic motivated organizations to accelerate their digital transformation efforts, digitalizing more of their tasks and organizing the company's value chain around satisfying the customer experience. Now we see organizations taking their foot off the gas pedal of digitalization and shifting their focus to extracting the value from their investments. They want to execute on the digital transformation in their operations and realize the vision they set out to achieve.

    In our Trends Report we compared the emphasis organizations are putting on digitalization to last year. Overall, we see that most organizations shifted fewer of their processes to digital in the past year.

    We also asked organizations what motivated their push toward automation. The most common drivers are to improve efficiency, with almost seven out of ten organizations looking to increase staff on high-level tasks by automating repetitive tasks, 67% also wanting to increase productivity without increasing headcount, and 59% wanting to reduce errors being made by people. In addition, more than half of organizations pursued automation to improve customer satisfaction.

    What best describes your main motivation to pursue automation, above other considerations?

    A bar graph is depicted showing the following dataset: Increase staff focus on high-level tasks by automating repetitive tasks:	69%; Increase productivity of existing staff to avoid increasing headcount:	67%; Reduce errors made by people:	59%; Improve customer satisfaction:	52%; Achieve cost savings through reduction in headcount:	35%; Increase revenue by enabling higher volume of work:	30%

    Tech Trends 2023 Survey

    To what extent did your organization shift its processes from being manually completed to digitally completed during past year?

    A bar graph is depicted showing the extent to which organizations shifted processes from manual to digital during the past year for 2022 and 2023, from Tech Trends 2023 Survey

    With the shift in focus from implementing new applications to support digital transformation to operating in the new environment, IT must shift its own focus to help realize the value from these systems. At the same time, IT must reorganize itself around the new value chain that's defined by a customer perspective.

    IT struggles to deliver business value or support innovation

    Many current IT departments are structured around legacy processes that hinder their ability to deliver business value. CIOs are trying to grapple with the misalignment between the modern business structure and keep up with the demands for innovation and agility.

    Almost nine in ten CIOs say that business frustration with IT's failure to deliver value is a pain point. Their supervisors have a slightly more favorable opinion, with 76% agreeing that it is a pain point.

    Similarly, nine in ten CIOs say that IT limits affecting business innovation and agility is a pain point, while 81% of their supervisors say the same.

    Supervisors say that IT should "ensure benefits delivery" as the most important process (CEO-CIO Alignment Program). This underlines the need to achieve alignment, optimize service delivery, and facilitate innovation. The pain points identified here will need to be resolved to make this possible.

    IT departments will need to contend with a tight labor market and economic volatility in the year ahead. If this drives down resource capacity, it will be even more critical to tightly align with the organization.

    Views business frustration with IT failure to deliver value as a pain point

    CXO 76%
    CIO 88%

    Views IT limits affecting business innovation and agility as a pain point

    CXO 81%
    CIO

    90%

    CEO-CIO Alignment Program

    Opportunities

    Define IT's value by its contributions to enterprise value

    Communicate the performance of IT to stakeholders by attributing positive changes in enterprise value to IT initiatives. For example, if a digital channel helped increase sales in one area, then IT can claim some portion of that revenue. If optimization of another process resulted in cost savings, then IT can claim that as a contribution toward the bottom line. CIOs should develop their handle on how KPIs influence revenues and costs. Keeping tabs on normalized year-over-year revenue comparisons can help demonstrate that IT contributions are making an impact on driving profitability.

    Go with buy versus build if it's a commodity service

    Most back-office functions common to operating a company can be provided by cloud-based applications accessed through a web browser. There's no value in having IT spend time maintaining on-premises applications that require hosting and ongoing maintenance. Organizations that are still accruing technical debt and are unable to modernize will increasingly find it is negatively impacting employee experience, as users expect their working experience to be similar to their experience with consumer applications. In addition, IT will continue to have capacity challenges as resources will be consumed by maintenance. As they seek to outsource some applications, IT will need to consider the geopolitical risk of certain jurisdictions in selecting a provider.

    Redefine how employee performance is tracked

    The concept of "clocking in" for a shift and spending eight hours a day on the job doesn't help guide IT toward its objectives or create any higher sense of purpose. Leaders must work to create a true sense of accountability by reaching consensus on what key performance indicators are important and tasking staff to improve them. Metrics should clearly link back to business outcomes and IT should understand the role they play in delivering a good customer experience.

    Risks

    Lack of talent available to drive transformation

    CIOs are finding it difficult to hire the talent needed to create the capacity they need as digital demands of their organizations increase. This could slow the pace of change as new positions created in IT go unfilled. CIOs may need to consider reskilling and rebalancing workloads of existing staff in the short term and tap outsourcing providers to help make up shortfalls.

    Resistance to change

    New processes may have been given the official rubber stamp, but that doesn't mean staff are adhering to them. Organizations that reorganize themselves must take steps to audit their processes to ensure they're executed the way they intend. Some employees may feel they are being made obsolete or pushed out of their jobs and become disengaged.

    Short-term increased costs

    Restructuring the organization can come with the need for new tools and more training. It may be necessary to operate with redundant staff for the transitional period. Some additional expenses might be incurred for a brief period as the new structure is being put in place.

    Emphasize the value of IT in driving revenue

    Salman Ali, CIO, McDonald's Germany

    As the new CIO to McDonald's Germany, Salman Ali came on board with an early mandate to reorganize the IT department. The challenge is to merge two organizations together: one that delivers core technology services of infrastructure, security, service desk, and compliance and one that delivers customer-facing technology such as in-store touchscreen kiosks and the mobile app for food delivery. He is looking to organize this new-look department around the technology in the hands of both McDonald's staff and its customers. In conversations with his stakeholders, Ali emphasizes the value that IT is driving rather than discussing the costs that go into it. For example, there was a huge cost in integrating third-party meal delivery apps into the point-of-sales system, but the seamless experience it delivers to customers looking to place an order helps to drive a large volume of sales. He plans to reorganize his department around this value-driven approach. The organization model will be executed with clear accountability in place and key performance indicators to measure success.

    "Technology is no longer just an enabler. It's now a strategic business function. When they talk about digital, they are really talking about what's in the customers' hands and what do they use to interact with the business directly? Digital transformation has given technology a new front seat that's really driving the business."

    CASE STUDY
    Overhauling the "heartbeat" of the organization

    Ernest Solomon, Former CIO, LAWPRO

    LAWPRO is a provider of professional liability insurance and title insurance in Canada. The firm is moving its back-office applications from a build approach to a buy approach and focusing its build efforts on customer-facing systems tied to revenue generation. CIO Ernest Solomon says his team has been developing on a legacy platform for two decades, but it's time to modernize. The firm is replacing its legacy platform and moving to a cloud-based system to address technical debt and improve the experience for staff and customers. The claims and policy management platform, the "heartbeat" of the organization, is moving to a software-as-a-service model. At the same time, the firm's customer-facing Title Plus application is being moved to a cloud-native, serverless architecture. Solomon doesn't see the need for IT to spend time building services for the back office, as that doesn't align with the mission of the organization. Instead, he focuses his build efforts on creating a competitive advantage.

    "We're redefining the customer experience, which is how do we move the needle in a positive direction for all the lawyers that interact with us? How do we generate that value-based proposition and improve their interactions with our organization?"

    From priorities to action

    Go deeper on pursuing your priorities by improving the associated capabilities.

    Improve Enterprise Application Selection & Implementation

    Help leaders manage their teams effectively in a hybrid environment by providing them with the right tools and tactics to manage the challenges of hybrid work. Focus on promoting teamwork and fostering connection.

    Embrace Business-Managed Applications

    Improve Performance Measurement

    Drive the most important IT process in the eyes of supervisors by defining business value and linking IT spend to it. Make benefits realization part of your IT governance.

    Maximize Business Value From IT Through Benefits Realization

    Improve IT Organizational Design

    Showcase IT's value to the business by aligning IT spending and staffing to business functions. Provide transparency into business consumption of IT and compare your spending to your peers'.

    IT Spend & Staffing Benchmarking

    The Five Priorities

    Engage cross-functional leadership to seize opportunity while protecting the organization from volatility.

    1. Adjust IT operations to manage for inflation
    2. Prepare your data pipeline to train AI
    3. Go all in on zero-trust security
    4. Engage employees in the digital age
    5. Shape the IT organization to improve customer experience

    Expert Contributors

    In order of appearance

    Denise Cornish, Associate VP of IT and Deputy COO, Western University of Health Sciences

    Jim Love, CIO, IT World Canada

    Christian Magsisi, Vice President of Venue and Digital Technology, MLSE

    Humza Teherany, Chief Technology Officer, MLSE

    Serge Suponitskiy, CIO, Brosnan Risk Consultants

    David Senf, National Cybersecurity Strategist, Bell

    Roberto Eberhardt, CIO, Ontario Legislative Assembly

    Mike Russell, Virginia Community College System

    Salman Ali, CIO, McDonald's Germany

    Ernest Solomon, Former CIO, LAWPRO

    Bibliography

    Anderson, Brad, and Seth Patton. "In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience." Harvard Business Review, 18 Feb. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    "Artificial Intelligence Is Permeating Business at Last." The Economist, 6 Dec. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    Badlani, Danesh Kumar, and Adrian Diglio. "Microsoft Open Sources Its Software Bill
    of Materials (SBOM) Generation Tool." Engineering@Microsoft, 12 July 2022. Accessed
    12 Dec. 2022.
    Birch, Martin. "Council Post: Equipping Employees To Succeed In Digital Transformation." Forbes, 9 Aug. 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Bishop, Katie. "Is Remote Work Worse for Wellbeing than People Think?" BBC News,
    17 June 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Carlson, Brian. "Top 5 Priorities, Challenges For CIOs To Recession-Proof Their Business." The Customer Data Platform Resource, 19 July 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    "CIO Priorities: 2020 vs 2023." IT PRO, 23 Sept. 2022. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.
    cyberinsiders. "Frictionless Zero Trust Security - How Minimizing Friction Can Lower Risks and Boost ROI." Cybersecurity Insiders, 9 Sept. 2021. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Garg, Sampak P. "Top 5 Regulatory Reasons for Implementing Zero Trust."
    CSO Online, 27 Oct. 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Heikkilä, Melissa. "The Viral AI Avatar App Lensa Undressed Me—without My Consent." MIT Technology Review, 12 Dec. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    Jackson, Brian. "How the Toronto Raptors Operate as the NBA's Most Data-Driven Team." Spiceworks, 1 Dec. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    Kiss, Michelle. "How the Digital Age Has Transformed Employee Engagement." Spiceworks,16 Dec. 2021. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Matthews, David. "EU Hopes to Build Aligned Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence with US." Science|Business, 22 Nov. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    Maxim, Merritt. "New Security & Risk Planning Guide Helps CISOs Set 2023 Priorities." Forrester, 23 Aug. 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Miller, Michael J. "Gartner Surveys Show Changing CEO and Board Concerns Are Driving a Different CIO Agenda for 2023." PCMag, 20 Oct. 2022. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.
    MIT Lincoln Laboratory. "Overview of Zero Trust Architectures." YouTube,
    2 March 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    MIT Technology Review Insights. "CIO Vision 2025: Bridging the Gap between BI and AI." MIT Technology Review, 20 Sept. 2022. Accessed 1 Nov. 2022.
    Paramita, Ghosh. "Data Architecture Trends in 2022." DATAVERSITY, 22 Feb. 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Rosenbush, Steven. "Cybersecurity Tops the CIO Agenda as Threats Continue to Escalate - WSJ." The Wall Street Journal, 17 Oct. 2022. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.
    Sacolick, Isaac. "What's in the Budget? 7 Investments for CIOs to Prioritize." StarCIO,
    22 Aug. 2022. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.
    Singh, Yuvika. "Digital Culture-A Hurdle or A Catalyst in Employee Engagement." International Journal of Management Studies, vol. 6, Jan. 2019, pp. 54–60. ResearchGate, https://doi.org/10.18843/ijms/v6i1(8)/08.
    "Talent War Set to Become Top Priority for CIOs in 2023, Study Reveals." CEO.digital,
    8 Sept. 2022. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
    Tanaka, Rodney. "WesternU COMP and COMP-Northwest Named Apple Distinguished School." WesternU News. 10 Feb. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    Wadhwani, Sumeet. "Meta's New Large Language Model Galactica Pulled Down Three Days After Launch." Spiceworks, 22 Nov. 2022. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.
    "World Economic Outlook." International Monetary Fund (IMF), 11 Oct. 2022. Accessed
    14 Dec. 2022.

    Choose a Right-Sized Contact Center Solution

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    • Parent Category Name: Strategy and Organizational Design
    • Parent Category Link: /strategy-and-organizational-design
    • IT needs a method to pinpoint which contact center solution best aligns with business objectives, adapting to a post-COVID world of remote work, flexibility, and scalability.
    • Scoring RFP and RFQ proposals is a complex process, and it is difficult to map and gap without a clear view of the organization’s needs. SOWs can contain pitfalls that cause expensive headaches for the organization in the long run. Guidance through a SOW is required to best represent the organization’s interests.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • “On-premises versus cloud” is a false dichotomy. Contact center architectures come in all shapes and sizes, and organizations should discern whether a hybrid option best meets their needs.
    • Contact centers should service customers – not capabilities. Capabilities must work for you, your agents, and your customers – not the other way around.
    • Deliverables and responsibilities should be a contract’s focal point. While organizations are right to focus on avoiding unanticipated license charges, it is more important to clearly define how deliverables and responsibilities will be divided among the organization, the vendor, and potential third parties.

    Impact and Result

    • Assess the array of contact center architectures with Info-Tech’s Contact Center Decision Points Tool to select a right-sized solution.
    • Build business requirements in a formalized process to achieve stakeholder buy-in.
    • Use Info-Tech’s Contact Center RFP Scoring Tool to evaluate and choose from a range of vendors.
    • Successfully navigate and avoid major pitfalls in a SOW construction.
    • Justify each stage of the process with this blueprint’s key deliverable: the Contact Center Playbook.

    Choose a Right-Sized Contact Center Solution Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to examine the current contact center marketspace, review Info-Tech’s methodology for choosing a right-sized contact center solution, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Assess Contact Center Architectures

    Establish your project vision and metrics of success before shortlisting potential contact center architectures and deciding which is right-sized for the organization.

    • Choose a Right-Sized Contact Center Solution – Phase 1: Assess Contact Center Architectures
    • Contact Center Playbook
    • Contact Center Decision Points Tool

    2. Gather Requirements and Shortlist Vendors

    Build business requirements to achieve stakeholder buy-in, define key deliverables, and issue an RFP/RFQ to shortlisted vendors.

    • Choose a Right-Sized Contact Center Solution – Phase 2: Gather Requirements and Shortlist Vendors
    • Requirements Gathering Documentation Tool
    • Lean RFP Template
    • Contact Center Business Requirements Document
    • Request for Quotation Template
    • Long-Form RFP Template

    3. Score Vendors and Construct SOW

    Score RFP/RFQ responses and decide upon a vendor before constructing a SOW.

    • Choose a Right-Sized Contact Center Solution – Phase 3: Score Vendors and Construct SOW
    • Contact Center RFP Scoring Tool
    • Contact Center SOW Template and Guide
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Choose a Right-Sized Contact Center Solution

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Assess Architecture

    The Purpose

    Shortlist and decide upon a right-sized contact center architecture.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A high-level decision for a right-sized architecture

    Activities

    1.1 Define vision and mission statements.

    1.2 Identify infrastructure metrics of success.

    1.3 Confirm key performance indicators for contact center operations.

    1.4 Complete architecture assessment.

    1.5 Confirm right-sized architecture.

    Outputs

    Project outline

    Metrics of success

    KPIs confirmed

    Quickly narrow down right-sized architecture

    Decision on right-sized contact center architecture

    2 Gather Requirements

    The Purpose

    Build business requirements and define key deliverables to achieve stakeholder buy-in and shortlist potential vendors.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Key deliverables defined and a shortlist of no more than five vendors

    Sections 7-8 of the Contact Center Playbook completed

    Activities

    2.1 Hold focus groups with key stakeholders.

    2.2 Gather business, nonfunctional, and functional requirements.

    2.3 Define key deliverables.

    2.4 Shortlist five vendors that appear meet those requirements.

    Outputs

    User requirements identified

    Business Requirements Document completed

    Key deliverables defined

    Shortlist of five vendors

    3 Initial Vendor Scoring

    The Purpose

    Compare and evaluate shortlisted vendors against gathered requirements.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Have a strong overview of which vendors are preferred for issuing RFP/RFQ

    Section 9 of the Contact Center Playbook

    Activities

    3.1 Input requirements to the Contact Center RFP Scoring Tool. Define which are mandatory and which are desirable.

    3.2 Determine which vendors best meet requirements.

    3.3 Compare requirements met with anticipated TCO.

    3.4 Compare and rank vendors.

    Outputs

    An assessment of requirements

    Vendor scoring

    A holistic overview of requirements scoring and vendor TCO

    An initial ranking of vendors to shape RFP process after workshop end

    4 SOW Walkthrough

    The Purpose

    Walk through the Contact Center SOW Template and Guide to identify how much time to allocate per section and who will be responsible for completing it.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An understanding of a SOW that is designed to avoid major pitfalls with vendor management

    Section 10 of the Contact Center Playbook

    Activities

    4.1 Get familiar with the SOW structure.

    4.2 Identify which sections will demand greater time allocation.

    4.3 Strategize how to avoid potential pitfalls.

    4.4 Confirm reviewer responsibilities.

    Outputs

    A broad understanding of a SOW’s key sections

    A determination of how much time should be allocated for reviewing major sections

    A list of ways to avoid major pitfalls with vendor management

    A list of reviewers, the sections they are responsible for reviewing, and their time allocation for their review

    5 Communicate and Implement

    The Purpose

    Finalize deliverables and plan post-workshop communications.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A completed Contact Center Playbook that justifies each decision of this workshop

    Activities

    5.1 Finalize deliverables.

    5.2 Support communication efforts.

    5.3 Identify resources in support of priority initiatives.

    Outputs

    Contact Center Playbook delivered

    Post-workshop engagement to confirm satisfaction

    Follow-up research that complements the workshop or leads workshop group in relevant new directions

    Build a Roadmap for Service Management Agility

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    • Parent Category Name: Service Management
    • Parent Category Link: /service-management
    • Business is moving faster than ever and IT is getting more demands at a faster pace.
    • Many IT organizations have traditional structures and approaches that have served them well in the past. However, these frameworks and approaches alone are no longer sufficient for today’s challenges and rapidly changing environment.
    • The inability to adaptively design and deliver services as requirements change has led to diminishing service quality and an increase in shadow IT.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Being Agile is a mindset. It is not meant to be prescriptive, but to encourage you to leverage the best approaches, frameworks, and tools to meet your needs and get the job done now.
    • The goal of service management is to enable and drive value for the business. Service management practices have to be flexible and adaptable enough to manage and deliver the right service value at the right time at the right level of quality.

    Impact and Result

    • Understand Agile principles, how they align with service management principles, and what the optimal states for agility look like.
    • Use Info-Tech’s advice and tools to perform an assessment of your organization’s state of agility, identify the gaps, and create a custom roadmap to incorporate agility into your service management practice.
    • Increase business satisfaction. The ultimate outcome of having agility in your service delivery is satisfied customers.

    Build a Roadmap for Service Management Agility Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should create a roadmap for service management agility, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Understand the optimal state for agility

    Understand the components of agility and what the optimal states are for service management agility.

    • Build a Roadmap for Service Management Agility – Phase 1: Understand the Optimal States for Agility

    2. Assess your current state of agility

    Determine the current state of agility in the service management practice.

    • Build a Roadmap for Service Management Agility – Phase 2: Assess Your Current State of Agility
    • Service Management Agility Assessment Tool

    3. Build the roadmap

    Create a roadmap for service management agility and present it to key stakeholders to obtain their support.

    • Build a Roadmap for Service Management Agility – Phase 3: Build the Roadmap for Service Management Agility
    • Service Management Agility Roadmap Template
    • Building Agility Into Our Service Management Practice Stakeholders Presentation Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Build a Roadmap for Service Management Agility

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Define the Optimal States for Agility in Service Management

    The Purpose

    Understand agility and how it can complement service management.

    Understand how the components of culture, structure, processes, and resources enable agility in service management.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Clear understanding of Agile principles.

    Identifying opportunities for agility.

    Understanding of how Agile principles align with service management.

    Activities

    1.1 Understand agility.

    1.2 Understand how Agile methodologies can complement service management through culture, structure, processes, and resources.

    Outputs

    Summary of Agile principles.

    Summary of optimal components in culture, structure, processes, and resources that enable agility.

    2 Assess Your Current State of Agility in Service Management

    The Purpose

    Assess your current organizational agility with respect to culture, structure, processes, and resources.

    Identify your agility strengths and weaknesses with the agility score.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Understand your organization’s current enablers and constraints for agility.

    Have metrics to identify strengths or weaknesses in culture, structure, processes, and resources.

    Activities

    2.1 Complete an agility assessment.

    Outputs

    Assessment score of current state of agility.

    3 Build the Roadmap for Service Management Agility

    The Purpose

    Determine the gaps between the current and optimal states for agility.

    Create a roadmap for service management agility.

    Create a stakeholders presentation.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Have a completed custom roadmap that will help build sustainable agility into your service management practice.

    Present the roadmap to key stakeholders to communicate your plans and get organizational buy-in.

    Activities

    3.1 Create a custom roadmap for service management agility.

    3.2 Create a stakeholders presentation on service management agility.

    Outputs

    Completed roadmap for service management agility.

    Completed stakeholders presentation on service management agility.

    Data Architecture

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    • member rating overall impact: 9.5/10
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    • member rating average days saved: 5
    • Parent Category Name: Data and Business Intelligence
    • Parent Category Link: /data-and-business-intelligence
    Enable the business to achieve operational excellence, client intimacy, and product leadership with an innovative, agile, and fit-for-purpose data architecture practice

    Modernize Your Microsoft Licensing for the Cloud Era

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    • Parent Category Name: Licensing
    • Parent Category Link: /licensing
    • Microsoft licensing is complicated. Often, the same software can be licensed a number of ways. It’s difficult to know which edition and licensing model is best.
    • Licensing and features often change with the release of new software versions, compounding the problem by making it difficult to stay current.
    • In tough economic times, IT is asked to reduce capital and operating expenses wherever possible. As one of the top five expense items in most enterprise software budgets, Microsoft licensing is a primary target for cost reduction.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Focus on needs first. Conduct a thorough needs assessment and document the results. Well-documented needs will be your best asset in navigating Microsoft licensing and negotiating your agreement.
    • Beware the bundle. Be aware when purchasing the M365 suite that there is no way out. Negotiating a low price is critical, as all leverage swings to Microsoft once it is on your agreement.
    • If the cloud doesn’t fit, be ready to pay up or start making room. Microsoft has drastically reduced discounting for on-premises products, support has been reduced, and product rights have been limited. If you are planning to remain on premises, be prepared to pay up.

    Impact and Result

    • Understand what your organization needs and what your business requirements are. It’s always easier to purchase more later than try to reduce your spend.
    • Complete cost calculations carefully, as the cloud might end up costing significantly more for the desired feature set. However, in some scenarios, it may be more cost efficient for organizations to license in the cloud.
    • If there are significant barriers to cloud adoption, discuss and document them. You’ll need this documentation in three years when it’s time to renew your agreement.

    Modernize Your Microsoft Licensing for the Cloud Era Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Modernize Your Microsoft Licensing Deck – A deck to help you build a strategy for your Microsoft licensing renewal.

    This storyboard will help you build a strategy for your Microsoft licensing renewal from conducting a thorough needs assessment to examining your licensing position, evaluating Microsoft's licensing options, and negotiations.

    • Modernize Your Microsoft Licensing for the Cloud Era – Phases 1-4

    2. Microsoft Cloud Products Cost Modeler – A tool to model estimated costs for Microsoft's cloud products.

    The Microsoft Cloud Products Cost Modeler will provide a rough estimate of what you can expect to pay for Office 365 or Dynamics CRM licensing, before you enter into negotiations. This is not your final cost, but it will give you an idea.

    • Microsoft Cloud Products Cost Modeler

    3. Microsoft Licensing Purchase Reference Guide - A template to capture licensing stakeholder information, proposed changes to licensing, and negotiation items.

    The Microsoft Licensing Purchase Reference Guide can be used throughout the process of licensing review: from initial meetings to discuss compliance state and planned purchases, to negotiation meetings with resellers. Use it in conjunction with Info-Tech's Microsoft Licensing Effective License Position Template.

    • Microsoft Licensing Purchase Reference Guide

    4. Negotiation Timeline for Microsoft – A template to navigate your negotiations with Microsoft.

    This tool will help you plot out your negotiation timeline, depending on where you are in your contract negotiation process.

  • 6-12 months
  • Less than 3 months
    • Negotiation Timeline for Microsoft – Visio
    • Negotiation Timeline for Microsoft – PDF

    5. Effective Licensing Position Tool – A template to help you create an effective licensing position and determine your compliance position.

    This template helps organizations to determine the difference between the number of software licenses they own and the number of software copies deployed. This is known as the organization’s effective license position (ELP).

    • Effective Licensing Position Tool
    [infographic]

    Become a Strategic CIO

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    • Parent Category Name: IT Strategy
    • Parent Category Link: /it-strategy
    • As a CIO, you are currently operating in a stable and trusted IT environment, but you would like to advance your role to strategic business partner.
    • CIOs are often overlooked as a strategic partner by their peers, and therefore face the challenge of proving they deserve a seat at the table.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • To become a strategic business partner, you must think and act as a business person that works in IT, rather than an IT person that works for the business.
    • Career advancement is not a solo effort. Building relationships with your executive business stakeholders will be critical to becoming a respected business partner.

    Impact and Result

    • Create a personal development plan and stakeholder management strategy to accelerate your career and become a strategic business partner. For a CIO to be considered a strategic business partner, he or she must be able to:
      • Act as a business person that works in IT, rather than an IT person that works for the business. This involves meeting executive stakeholder expectations, facilitating innovation, and managing stakeholder relationships.
      • Align IT with the customer. This involves providing business stakeholders with information to support stronger decision making, keeping up with disruptive technologies, and constantly adapting to the ever-changing end-customer needs.
      • Manage talent and change. This involves performing strategic workforce planning, and being actively engaged in identifying opportunities to introduce change in your organization, suggesting ways to improve, and then acting on them.

    Become a Strategic CIO Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should become a strategic CIO, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Launch

    Analyze strategic CIO competencies and assess business stakeholder satisfaction with IT using Info-Tech's CIO Business Vision Diagnostic and CXO-CIO Alignment Program.

    • Become a Strategic CIO – Phase 1: Launch

    2. Assess

    Evaluate strategic CIO competencies and business stakeholder relationships.

    • Become a Strategic CIO – Phase 2: Assess
    • CIO Strategic Competency Evaluation Tool
    • CIO Stakeholder Power Map Template

    3. Plan

    Create a personal development plan and stakeholder management strategy.

    • Become a Strategic CIO – Phase 3: Plan
    • CIO Personal Development Plan
    • CIO Stakeholder Management Strategy Template

    4. Execute

    Develop a scorecard to track personal development initiatives.

    • Become a Strategic CIO – Phase 4: Execute
    • CIO Strategic Competency Scorecard
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Become a Strategic CIO

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Assess Competencies & Stakeholder Relationships

    The Purpose

    Gather and review information from business stakeholders.

    Assess strategic CIO competencies and business stakeholder relationships.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Gathered information to create a personal development plan and stakeholder management strategy.

    Analyzed the information from diagnostics and determined the appropriate next steps.

    Identified and prioritized strategic CIO competency gaps.

    Evaluated the power, impact, and support of key business stakeholders.

    Activities

    1.1 Conduct CIO Business Vision diagnostic

    1.2 Conduct CXO-CIO Alignment program

    1.3 Assess CIO competencies

    1.4 Assess business stakeholder relationships

    Outputs

    CIO Business Vision results

    CXO-CIO Alignment Program results

    CIO competency gaps

    Executive Stakeholder Power Map

    2 Take Control of Your Personal Development

    The Purpose

    Create a personal development plan and stakeholder management strategy.

    Track your personal development and establish checkpoints to revise initiatives.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Identified personal development and stakeholder engagement initiatives to bridge high priority competency gaps.

    Identified key performance indicators and benchmarks/targets to track competency development.

    Activities

    2.1 Create a personal development plan

    2.2 Create a stakeholder management strategy

    2.3 Establish key performance indicators and benchmarks/targets

    Outputs

    Personal Development Plan

    Stakeholder Management Strategy

    Strategic CIO Competency Scorecard

    Build a Software Quality Assurance Program

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    • Parent Category Name: Testing, Deployment & QA
    • Parent Category Link: /testing-deployment-and-qa
    • Today’s rapidly scaling and increasingly complex products create mounting pressure on delivery teams to release new systems and changes quickly and with sufficient quality.
    • Many organizations lack the critical capabilities and resources needed to satisfy their growing testing backlog, risking product success.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Testing is often viewed as a support capability rather than an enabler of business growth. It receives focus and investment only when it becomes a visible problem.
    • The rise in security risks, aggressive performance standards, constantly evolving priorities, and misunderstood quality policies further complicate QA as it drives higher expectations for effective practices.
    • QA starts with good requirements. Tests are only as valuable as the requirements they are validating and verifying. Early QA improves the accuracy of downstream tests and reduces costs of fixing defects late in delivery.
    • Quality is an organization-wide accountability. Upstream work can have extensive ramifications if all roles are not accountable for the decisions they make.
    • Quality must account for both business and technical requirements. Valuable change delivery is cemented in a clear understanding of quality from both business and IT perspectives.

    Impact and Result

    • Standardize your definition of a product. Come to an organizational agreement of what attributes define a high-quality product. Accommodate both business and IT perspectives in your definition.
    • Clarify the role of QA throughout your delivery pipeline. Indicate where and how QA is involved throughout product delivery. Instill quality-first thinking in each stage of your pipeline to catch defects and issues early.
    • Structure your test design, planning, execution, and communication practices to better support your quality definition and business and IT environments and priorities. Adopt QA good practices to ensure your tests satisfy your criteria for a high-quality and successful product.

    Build a Software Quality Assurance Program Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should build a strong foundation for quality, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Define your QA process

    Standardize your product quality definition and your QA roles, processes, and guidelines according to your business and IT priorities.

    • Build a Strong Foundation for Quality – Phase 1: Define Your QA Process
    • Test Strategy Template

    2. Adopt QA good practices

    Build a solid set of good practices to define your defect tolerances, recognize the appropriate test coverage, and communicate your test results.

    • Build a Strong Foundation for Quality – Phase 2: Adopt QA Good Practices
    • Test Plan Template
    • Test Case Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Build a Software Quality Assurance Program

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Define Your QA Process

    The Purpose

    Discuss your quality definition and how quality is interpreted from both business and IT perspectives.

    Review your case for strengthening your QA practice.

    Review the standardization of QA roles, processes, and guidelines in your organization.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Grounded understanding of quality that is accepted across IT and between the business and IT.

    Clear QA roles and responsibilities.

    A repeatable QA process that is applicable across the delivery pipeline.

    Activities

    1.1 List your QA objectives and metrics.

    1.2 Adopt your foundational QA process.

    Outputs

    Quality definition and QA objectives and metrics.

    QA guiding principles, process, and roles and responsibilities.

    2 Adopt QA Good Practices

    The Purpose

    Discuss the practices to reveal the sufficient degree of test coverage to meet your acceptance criteria, defect tolerance, and quality definition.

    Review the technologies and tools to support the execution and reporting of your tests.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    QA practices aligned to industry good practices supporting your quality definition.

    Defect tolerance and acceptance criteria defined against stakeholder priorities.

    Identification of test scenarios to meet test coverage expectations.

    Activities

    2.1 Define your defect tolerance.

    2.2 Model and prioritize your tests.

    2.3 Develop and execute your QA activities.

    2.4 Communicate your QA activities.

    Outputs

    Defect tolerance levels and courses of action.

    List of test cases and scenarios that meet test coverage expectations.

    Defined test types, environment and data requirements, and testing toolchain.

    Test dashboard and communication flow.

    Improve IT-Business Alignment Through an Internal SLA

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}455|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: N/A
    • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
    • member rating average days saved: N/A
    • Parent Category Name: Operations Management
    • Parent Category Link: /i-and-o-process-management
    • The business is rarely satisfied with IT service levels, yet there is no clear definition of what is acceptable.
    • Dissatisfaction with service levels is often based on perception. Your uptime might be four 9s, but the business only remembers the outages.
    • IT is left trying to hit a moving target with a limited budget and no agreement on where services levels need to improve.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Business leaders have service level expectations regardless of whether there is a formal agreement. The SLA process enables IT to manage those expectations.
    • Track current service levels and report them in plain language (e.g. hours and minutes of downtime, not “how many 9s” which then need to be translated) to gain a clearer mutual understanding of current versus desired service levels.
    • Use past incidents to provide context (how much that hour of downtime actually impacted the business) in addition to a business impact analysis to define appropriate target service levels based on actual business need.

    Impact and Result

    Create an effective internal SLA by following a structured process to report current service levels and set realistic expectations with the business. This includes:

    • Defining the current achievable service level by establishing a metrics tracking and monitoring process.
    • Determining appropriate (not ideal) business needs.
    • Creating an SLA that clarifies expectations to reduce IT-business friction.

    Improve IT-Business Alignment Through an Internal SLA Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should create an internal SLA, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Scope the pilot project

    Establish the SLA pilot project and clearly document the problems and challenges that it will address.

    • Improve IT-Business Alignment Through an Internal SLA – Phase 1: Scope the Pilot Project
    • Internal SLA Process Flowcharts (PDF)
    • Internal SLA Process Flowcharts (Visio)
    • Build an Internal SLA Project Charter Template
    • Internal SLA Maturity Scorecard Tool

    2. Establish current service levels

    Expedite the SLA process by thoroughly, carefully, and clearly defining the current achievable service levels.

    • Improve IT-Business Alignment Through an Internal SLA – Phase 2: Determine Current Service Levels
    • Availability and Reliability SLA Metrics Tracking Template
    • Service Desk SLA Metrics Tracking Template
    • Service Catalog SLA Metrics Tracking Template

    3. Identify target service levels and create the SLA

    Create a living document that aligns business needs with IT targets by discovering the impact of your current service level offerings through a conversation with business peers.

    • Improve IT-Business Alignment Through an Internal SLA – Phase 3: Set Target Service Levels and Create the SLA
    • SLA Project Roadmap Tool
    • Availability Internal Service Level Agreement Template
    • Service Catalog Internal Service Level Agreement Template
    • Service Desk Internal Service Level Agreement Template
    • Internal SLA Executive Summary Presentation Template
    [infographic]

    Design and Build an Effective Contract Lifecycle Management Process

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}214|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 9.0/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $5,039 Average $ Saved
    • member rating average days saved: 20 Average Days Saved
    • Parent Category Name: Vendor Management
    • Parent Category Link: /vendor-management
    • Your vendor contracts are unorganized and held in various cabinets and network shares. There is no consolidated list or view of all the agreements, and some are misplaced or lost as coworkers leave.
    • The contract process takes a long time to complete. Coworkers are unsure who should be reviewing and approving them.
    • You are concerned that you are not getting favorable terms with your vendors and not complying with your agreement commitments.
    • You are unsure what risks your organization could be exposed to in your IT vendor contacts. These could be financial, legal, or security risks and/or compliance requirements.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Focus on what’s best for you. There are two phases to CLM. All stages within those phases are important, but choose to improve the phase that can be most beneficial to your organization in the short term. However, be sure to include reviewing risk and monitoring compliance.
    • Educate yourself. Understand the stages of CLM and how each step can rely on the previous one, like a stepping-stone model to success.
    • Consider the overall picture. Contract lifecycle management is the sum of many processes designed to manage contracts end to end while reducing corporate risk, improving financial savings, and managing agreement obligations. It can take time to get CLM organized and working efficiently, but then it will show its ROI and continuously improve.

    Impact and Result

    • Understand how to identify and mitigate risk to save the organization time and money.
    • Gain the knowledge required to implement a CLM that will be beneficial to all business units.
    • Achieve measurable savings in contract time processing, financial risk avoidance, and dollar savings.
    • Effectively review, store, manage, comply with, and renew agreements with a collaborative process

    Design and Build an Effective Contract Lifecycle Management Process Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out how a contract management system will save money and time and mitigate contract risk, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Master the operational framework of contract lifecycle management.

    Understand how the basic operational framework of CLM will ensure cost savings, improved collaboration, and constant CLM improvement.

    • Design and Build an Effective Contract Lifecycle Management Process – Phase 1: Master the Operational Framework of CLM
    • Existing CLM Process Worksheet
    • Contract Manager

    2. Understand the ten stages of contract lifecycle management.

    Understand the two phases of CLM and the ten stages that make up the entire process.

    • Design and Build an Effective Contract Lifecycle Management Process – Phase 2: Understand the Ten Stages of CLM
    • CLM Maturity Assessment Tool
    • CLM RASCI Diagram
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Design and Build an Effective Contract Lifecycle Management Process

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Review Your CLM Process and Learn the Basics

    The Purpose

    Identify current CLM processes.

    Learn the CLM operational framework.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Documented overview of current processes and stakeholders.

    Activities

    1.1 Review and capture your current process.

    1.2 Identify current stakeholders.

    1.3 Learn the operational framework of CLM.

    1.4 Identify current process gaps.

    Outputs

    Existing CLM Process Worksheet

    2 Learn More and Plan

    The Purpose

    Dive into the two phases of CLM and the ten stages of a robust system.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A deep understanding of the required components/stages of a CLM system.

    Activities

    2.1 Understand the two phases of CLM.

    2.2 Learn the ten stages of CLM.

    2.3 Assess your CLM maturity state.

    2.4 Identify and assign stakeholders.

    Outputs

    CLM Maturity Assessment

    CLM RASCI Diagram

    Further reading

    Design and Build an Effective Contract Lifecycle Management Process

    Mitigate risk and drive value through robust best practices for contract lifecycle management.

    Our understanding of the problem

    This Research Is Designed For:

    • The CIO who depends on numerous key vendors for services
    • The CIO or Project Manager who wants to maximize the value delivered by vendors
    • The Director or Manager of an existing IT procurement or vendor management team
    • The Contracts Manager or Legal Counsel whose IT department holds responsibility for contracts, negotiation, and administration

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Implement and streamline the contract management process, policies, and procedures
    • Baseline and benchmark existing contract processes
    • Understand the importance and value of contract lifecycle management (CLM)
    • Minimize risk, save time, and maximize savings with vendor contracts

    This Research Will Also Assist

    • IT Service Managers
    • IT Procurement
    • Contract teams
    • Finance and Legal departments
    • Senior IT leadership

    This Research Will Help Them

    • Understand the required components of a CLM
    • Establish the current CLM maturity level
    • Implement a new CLM process
    • Improve on an existing or disparate process

    ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

    "Contract lifecycle management (CLM) is a vital process for small and enterprise organizations alike. Research shows that all organizations can benefit from a contract management process, whether they have as few as 25 contracts or especially if they have contracts numbering in the hundreds.

    A CLM system will:

    • Save valuable time in the entire cycle of contract/agreement processes.
    • Save the organization money, both hard and soft dollars.
    • Mitigate risk to the organization.
    • Avoid loss of revenue.

    If you’re not managing your contracts, you aren’t capitalizing on your investment with your vendors and are potentially exposing your organization to contract and monetary risk."

    - Ted Walker
    Principal Research Advisor, Vendor Management Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Situation

    • Most organizations have vendor overload and even worse, no defined process to manage the associated contracts and agreements. To manage contracts, some vendor management offices (VMOs) use a shared network drive to store the contracts and a spreadsheet to catalog and manage them. Yet other less-mature VMOs may just rely on a file cabinet in Procurement and a reminder in someone’s calendar about renewals. These disparate processes likely cost your organization time spent finding, managing, and renewing contracts, not to mention potential increases in vendor costs and risk and the inability to track contract obligations.

    Complication

    • Contract lifecycle management (CLM) is not an IT buzzword, and it’s rarely on the top-ten list of CIO concerns in most annual surveys. Until a VMO gets to a level of maturity that can fully develop a CLM and afford the time and costs of doing so, there can be several challenges to developing even the basic processes required to store, manage, and renew IT vendor contracts. As is always an issue in IT, budget is one of the biggest obstacles in implementing a standard CLM process. Until senior leadership realizes that a CLM process can save time, money, and risk, getting mindshare and funding commitment will remain a challenge.

    Resolution

    • Understand the immediate benefits of a CLM process – even a basic CLM implementation can provide significant cost savings to the organization; reduce time spent on creating, negotiating, and renewing contracts; and help identify and mitigate risks within your vendor contracts.
    • Budgets don’t always need to be a barrier to a standard CLM process. However, a robust CLM system can provide significant savings to the organization.

    Info-Tech Insight

    • If you aren’t managing your contracts, you aren’t capitalizing on your investments.
    • Even a basic CLM process with efficient procedures will provide savings and benefits.
    • Not having a CLM process may be costing your organization money, time, and exposure to unmitigated risk.

    What you can gain from this blueprint

    Why Create a CLM

    • Improved contract organization
    • Centralized and manageable storage/archives
    • Improved vendor compliance
    • Risk mitigation
    • Reduced potential loss of revenue

    Knowledge Gained

    • Understanding of the value and importance of a CLM
    • How CLM can impact many departments within the organization
    • Who should be involved in the CLM steps and processes
    • Why a CLM is important to your organization
    • How to save time and money by maximizing IT vendor contracts
    • How basic CLM policies and procedures can be implemented without costly software expenditure

    The Outcome

    • A foundation for a CLM with best-practice processes
    • Reduced exposure to potential risks within vendor contracts
    • Maximized savings with primary vendors
    • Vendor compliance and corporate governance
    • Collaboration, transparency, and integration with business units

    Contract management: A case study

    CASE STUDY
    Industry Finance and Banking
    Source Apttus

    FIS Global

    The Challenge

    FIS’ business groups were isolated across the organization and used different agreements, making contract creation a long, difficult, and manual process.

    • Customers frustrated by slow and complicated contracting process
    • Manual contract creation and approval processes
    • Sensitive contract data that lacked secure storage
    • Multiple agreements managed across divisions
    • Lack of central repository for past contracts
    • Inconsistent and inaccessible

    The Solution: Automating and Streamlining the Contract Management Process

    A robust CLM system solved FIS’ various contract management needs while also providing a solution that could expand into full quote-to cash in the future.

    • Contract lifecycle management (CLM)
    • Intelligent workflow approvals (IWA)
    • X-Author for Excel

    Customer Results

    • 75% cycle time reduction
    • $1M saved in admin costs per year
    • 49% increase in sales proposal volume
    • Automation on one standard platform and solution
    • 55% stronger compliance management
    • Easy maintenance for various templates
    • Ability to quickly absorb new contracts and processes via FIS’s ongoing acquisitions

    Track the impact of CLM with these metrics

    Dollars Saved

    Upfront dollars saved

    • Potential dollars saved from avoiding unfavorable terms and conditions
    • Incentives that encourage the vendor to act in the customer’s best interest
    • Secured commitments to provide specified products and services at firm prices
    • Cost savings related to audits, penalties, and back support
    • Savings from discounts found

    Time Saved

    Time saved, which can be done in several areas

    • Defined and automated approval flow process
    • Preapproved contract templates with corporate terms
    • Reduced negotiation times
    • Locate contracts in minutes

    Pitfalls Avoided

    Number of pitfalls found and avoided, such as

    • Auto-renewal
    • Inconsistencies between sections and documents
    • Security and data not being deleted upon termination
    • Improper licensing

    The numbers are compelling

    71%

    of companies can’t locate up to 10% of their contracts.

    Source: TechnologyAdvice, 2019

    9.2%

    of companies’ annual revenue is lost because of poor contract management practices.

    Source: IACCM, 2019

    60%

    still track contracts in shared drives or email folders.

    Source: “State of Contract Management,” SpringCM, 2018

    CLM blueprint objectives

    • To provide a best-practice process for managing IT vendor contract lifecycles through a framework that organizes from the core, analyzes each step in the cycle, has collaboration and governance attached to each step, and integrates with established vendor management practices within your organization.
    • CLM doesn’t have to be an expensive managed database system in the cloud with fancy dashboards. As long as you have a defined process that has the framework steps and is followed by the organization, this will provide basic CLM and save the organization time and money over a short period of time.
    • This blueprint will not delve into the many vendors or providers of CLM solutions and their methodologies. However, we will discuss briefly how to use our framework and contract stages in evaluating a potential solution that you may be considering.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

    Workshop

    "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

    Consulting

    "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Design and Build an Effective CLM Process – project overview

    1. Master the Operational Framework

    2. Understand the Ten Stages of CLM

    Best-Practice Toolkit

    1.1 Understand the operational framework components.

    1.2 Review your current framework.

    1.3 Create a plan to implement or enhance existing processes.

    2.1 Understand the ten stages of CLM.

    2.2 Review and document your current processes.

    2.3 Review RASCI chart and assign internal ownership.

    2.4 Create an improvement plan.

    2.5 Track changes for measurable ROI.

    Guided Implementations
    • Review existing processes.
    • Understand what CLM is and why the framework is essential.
    • Create an implementation or improvement plan.
    • Review the ten stages of CLM.
    • Complete CLM Maturity Assessment.
    • Create a plan to target improvement.
    • Track progress to measure savings.
    Onsite Workshop

    Module 1: Review and Learn the Basics

    • Review and capture your current processes.
    • Learn the basic operational framework of contract management.

    Module 2 Results:

    • Understand the ten stages of effective CLM.
    • Create an improvement or implementation plan.
    Phase 1 Outcome:
    • A full understanding of what makes a comprehensive contract management system.
    Phase 2 Outcome:
    • A full understanding of your current CLM processes and where to focus your efforts for improvement or implementation.

    Workshop overview

    Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Workshop Day 1 Workshop Day 2
    Activities

    Task – Review and Learn the Basics

    Task – Learn More and Plan

    1.1 Review and capture your current process.

    1.2 Identify current stakeholders.

    1.3 Learn the operational framework of contract lifecycle management.

    1.4 Identify current process gaps.

    2.1 Understand the two phases of CLM.

    2.2 Learn the ten stages of CLM.

    2.3 Assess your CLM maturity.

    2.4 Identify and assign stakeholders.

    2.5 Discuss ROI.

    2.6 Summarize and next steps.

    Deliverables
    1. Internal interviews with business units
    2. Existing CLM Process Worksheet
    1. CLM Maturity Assessment
    2. RASCI Diagram
    3. Improvement Action Plan

    PHASE 1

    Master the Operational Framework of Contract Lifecycle Management

    Design and Build an Effective CLM Process

    Phase 1: Master the Operational Framework of Contract Lifecycle Management

    Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of
    2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 1: Master the Operational Framework of Contract Lifecycle Management
    Proposed Time to Completion: 1-4 weeks

    Step 1.1: Document your Current CLM Process

    Step 1.2: Read and Understand the Operational Framework

    Step 1.3: Review Solution Options

    Start with an analyst kick-off call:

    • Understand what your current process(es) is for each stage
    • Do a probative review of any current processes
    • Interview stakeholders for input

    Review findings with analyst:

    • Discuss the importance of the framework as the core of your plan
    • Review the gaps in your existing process
    • Understand how to prioritize next steps towards a CLM

    Finalize phase deliverable:

    • Establish ownership of the framework
    • Prioritize improvement areas or map out how your new CLM will look

    Then complete these activities…

    • Document the details of your process for each stage of CLM

    With these tools & templates:

    • Existing CLM Process Worksheet

    Phase 1 Results:

    • A full understanding of what makes a comprehensive contract management system.

    What Is Contract Lifecycle Management?

    • Every contract has a lifecycle, from creation to time and usage to expiration. Organizations using a legacy or manual contract management process usually ask, “What is contract lifecycle management and how will it benefit my business?”
    • Contract lifecycle management (CLM) creates a process that manages each contract or agreement. CLM eases the challenges of managing hundreds or even thousands of important business and IT contracts that affect the day-to-day business and could expose the organization to vendor risk.
    • Managing a few contracts is quite easy, but as the number of contracts grows, managing each step for each contract becomes increasingly difficult. Ultimately, it will get to a point where managing contracts properly becomes very difficult or seemingly impossible.

    That’s where contract lifecycle management (CLM) comes in.

    CLM can save money and improve revenue by:

    • Improving accuracy and decreasing errors through standardized contract templates and approved terms and conditions that will reduce repetitive tasks.
    • Securing contracts and processes through centralized software storage, minimizing risk of lost or misplaced contracts due to changes in physical assets like hard drives, network shares, and file cabinets.
    • Using policies and procedures that standardize, organize, track, and optimize IT contracts, eliminating time spent on creation, approvals, errors, and vendor compliance.
    • Reducing the organization’s exposure to risks and liability.
    • Having contracts renewed on time without penalties and with the most favorable terms for the business.

    The Operational Framework of Contract Lifecycle Management

    Four Components of the Operational Framework

    1. Organization
    2. Analysis
    3. Collaboration and Governance
    4. Integration/Vendor Management
    • By organizing at the core of the process and then analyzing each stage, you will maximize each step of the CLM process and ensure long-term contract management for the organization.
    • Collaboration and governance as overarching policies for the system will provide accountability to stakeholders and business units.
    • Integration and vendor management are encompassing features in a well-developed CLM that add visibility, additional value, and savings to the entire organization.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Putting a contract manager in place to manage the CLM project will accelerate the improvements and provide faster returns to the organizations. Reference Info-Tech’s Contract Manager Job Description template as needed.

    The operational framework is key to the success, return on investment (ROI), cost savings, and customer satisfaction of a CLM process.

    This image depicts Info-Tech's Operational Framework.  It consists of a series of five concentric circles, with each circle a different colour.  On the outer circle, is the word Integration.  The next outermost circle has the words Collaboration and Governance.  The next circle has no words, the next circle has the word Analysis, and the very centre circle has the word Organization.

    1. Organization

    • Every enterprise needs to organize its contract documents and data in a central repository so that everyone knows where to find the golden source of contractual truth.
    • This includes:
      • A repository for storing and organizing contract documents.
      • A data dictionary for describing the terms and conditions in a consistent, normalized way.
      • A database for persistent data storage.
      • An object model that tracks changes to the contract and its prevailing terms over time.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Paper is still alive and doing very well at slowing down the many stages of the contract process.

    2. Analysis

    Most organizations analyze their contracts in two ways:

    • First, they use reporting, search, and analytics to reveal risky and toxic terms so that appropriate operational strategies can be implemented to eliminate, mitigate, or transfer the risk.
    • Second, they use process analytics to reveal bottlenecks and points of friction as contracts are created, approved, and negotiated.

    3. Collaboration

    • Throughout the contract lifecycle, teams must collaborate on tasks both pre-execution and post-execution.
    • This includes document collaboration among several different departments across an enterprise.
    • The challenge is to make the collaboration smooth and transparent to avoid costly mistakes.
    • For some contracting tasks, especially in regulated industries, a high degree of control is required.
    • In these scenarios, the organization must implement controlled systems that restrict access to certain types of data and processes backed up with robust audit trails.

    4. Integration

    • For complete visibility into operational responsibilities, relationships, and risk, an organization must integrate its golden contract data with other systems of record.
    • An enterprise contracts platform must therefore provide a rich set of APIs and connectors so that information can be pushed into or pulled from systems for enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), supplier relationship management (SRM), document management, etc.

    This is the ultimate goal of a robust contract management system!

    Member Activity: Document Current CLM Processes

    1.1 Completion Time: 1-5 days

    Goal: Document your existing CLM processes (if any) and who owns them, who manages them, etc.

    Instructions

    Interview internal business unit decision makers, stakeholders, Finance, Legal, CIO, VMO, Sales, and/or Procurement to understand what’s currently in place.

    1. Use the Existing CLM Process Worksheet to capture and document current CLM processes.
    2. Establish what processes, procedures, policies, and workflows, if any, are in place for pre-execution (Phase 1) contract stages.
    3. Do the same for post-execution (Phase 2) stages.
    4. Use this worksheet as reference for assessments and as a benchmark for improvement review six to 12 months later.
    This image contains a screenshot of Info-Tech's Existing CLM Process Discovery Worksheet

    INPUT

    • Internal information from all CLM stakeholders

    OUTPUT

    • A summary of processes and owners currently in place

    Materials

    • Existing CLM processes from interviews

    Participants

    • Finance, Legal, CIO, VMO, Sales, Procurement

    PHASE 2

    Understand the Ten Stages of Contract Lifecycle Management

    Design and Build an Effective CLM Process

    Phase 1: Master the Operational Framework of Contract Lifecycle Management

    Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of
    2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 2: Understand the Ten Stages of Contract Lifecycle Management

    Proposed Time to Completion: 1-10 weeks

    Step 2.1: Assess CLM Maturity

    Step 2.2: Complete a RASCI Diagram

    Start with an analyst kick-off call:

    • Review the importance of assessing the maturity of your current CLM processes
    • Discuss interview process for internal stakeholders
    • Use data from the Existing CLM Process Worksheet

    Review findings with analyst:

    • Review your maturity results
    • Identify stages that require immediate improvement
    • Prioritize improvement or implementation of process

    Then complete these activities…

    • Work through the maturity assessment process
    • Answer the questions in the assessment tool
    • Review the summary tab to learn where to focus improvement efforts

    Then complete these activities…

    • Using maturity assessment and existing process data, establish ownership for each process stage
    • Fill in the RASCI Chart based on internal review or existing processes

    With these tools & templates:

    • CLM Maturity Assessment Tool

    With these tools & templates:

    • CLM RASCI Diagram

    Phase 2 Results & Insights:

    • A full understanding of your current CLM process and where improvement is required
    • A mapping of stakeholders for each stage of the CLM process

    The Ten Stages of Contract Lifecycle Management

    There are ten key stages of contract lifecycle management.

    The steps are divided into two phases, pre-execution and post-execution.

      Pre-Execution (Phase 1)

    1. Request
    2. Create
    3. Review Risk
    4. Approve
    5. Negotiate
    6. Sign
    7. Post-Execution (Phase 2)

    8. Capture
    9. Manage
    10. Monitor Compliance
    11. Optimize

    Ten Process Stages Within the CLM Framework

    This image contains the CLM framework from earlier in the presentation, with the addition of the following ten steps: 1. Request; 2. Create Contract; 3. Review Risk; 4. Approve; 5. Negotiate; 6. Sign; 7. Capture; 8. Manage; 9. Monitor Compliance; 10. Optimize.

    Stage 1: Request or Initiate

    Contract lifecycle management begins with the contract requesting process, where one party requests for or initiates the contracting process and subsequently uses that information for drafting or authoring the contract document. This is usually the first step in CLM.

    Requests for contracts can come from various sources:

    • Business units within the organization
    • Vendors presenting their contract, including renewal agreements
    • System- or process-generated requests for renewal or extension

    At this stage, you need to validate if a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is currently in place with the other party or is required before moving forward. At times, adequate NDA components could be included within the contract or agreement to satisfy corporate confidentiality requirements.

    Stage 1: Request or Initiate

    Stage Input

    • Information about what the contract needs to contain, such as critical dates, term length, coverage, milestones, etc.
    • Some organizations require that justification and budget approval be provided at this stage.
    • Request could come from a vendor as a pre-created contract.
    • Best practices recommend that a contract request form or template is used to standardize all required information.

    Stage Output

    • Completed request form, stored or posted with all details required to move forward to risk review and contract creation.
    • Possible audit trails.

    Stage 2: Create Contract

    • At the creation or drafting stage, the document is created, generated, or provided by the vendor. The document will contain all clauses, scope, terms and conditions, and pricing as required.
    • In some cases, a vendor-presented contract that is already prepared will go through an internal review or redlining process by the business unit and/or Legal.
    • Both internal and external review and redlining are included in this stage.
    • Also at this stage, the approvers and signing authorities are identified and added to the contract. In addition, some audit trail features may be added.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    For a comprehensive list of terms and conditions, see our Software Terms & Conditions Evaluation Tool within Master Contract Review and Negotiation for Software Agreements.

    Stage 2: Create Contract

    Stage Input

    • Contract request form, risk review/assessment.
    • Vendor- or contractor-provided contract/agreement, either soft copy, electronic form, or more frequently, “clickwrap” web-posted document.
    • Could also include a renewal notification from a vendor or from the CLM system or admin.

    Stage Output

    • Completed draft contract or agreement, typically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format with audit trail or comment tracking.
    • Redlined document for additional revision and or acceptance.
    • Amendment or addendum to existing contract.

    Stage 3: Review Risk 1 of 2

    The importance of risk review can not be understated. The contract or agreement must be reviewed by several stakeholders who can identify risks to the organization within the contract.

    Three important definitions:

    1. Risk is the potential for a negative outcome. A risk is crossing the street while wearing headphones and selecting the next track to play on your smartphone. A negative outcome is getting hit by an oncoming person who, unremarkably, was doing something similar at the same time.
    2. Risk mitigation is about taking the steps necessary to minimize both the likelihood of a risk occurring – look around both before and while crossing the street – and its impact if it does occur – fall if you must, but save the smartphone!
    3. Contract risk is about any number of situations that can cause a contract to fail, from trivially – the supplier delivers needed goods late – to catastrophically – the supplier goes out of business without having delivered your long-delayed orders.

    Stage 3: Review Risk 2 of 2

    • Contracts must be reviewed for business terms and conditions, potential risk situations from a financial or legal perspective, business commitments or obligations, and any operational concerns.
    • Mitigating contract risk requires a good understanding of what contracts are in place, how important they are to the success of the organization, and what data they contain.

    Collectively, this is known as contract visibility.

    • Risk avoidance and mitigation are also a key component in the ROI of a CLM system and should be tracked for analysis.
    • Risk-identifying forms or templates can be used to maintain consistency with corporate standards.

    Stage 3: Review Risk

    Stage Input

    • All details of the proposed contract so that a proper risk analysis can be done as well as appropriate review with stakeholders, including:
      • Finance
      • Legal
      • Procurement
      • Security
      • Line-of-business owner
      • IT stakeholders

    Stage Output

    • A list of identified concerns that could expose the business unit or organization.
    • Recommendations to minimize or eliminate identified risks.

    Stage 4: Approve

    The approval stage can be a short process if policies and procedures are already in place. Most organizations will have defined delegation of authority or approval authority depending on risk, value of the contract, and other corporate considerations.

    • Defined approval levels should be known within the organization and can be applied to the approval workflow, expediting the approval of drafted terms, conditions, changes, and cost/spend within the contract internally.
    • Tracking and flexibility needs to considered in the approval process.
    • Gates need to be in place to ensure that a required approver has approved the contract before it moves to the next approver.
    • Flexibility is needed in some situations for ad hoc approval tasks and should include audit trail as required.
    • Approvers can include business units, Finance, Legal, Security, and C-level leaders

    Stage 4: Approve

    Stage Input

    • Complete draft contract with all terms and conditions (T&Cs) and approval trail.
    • Amendment or addendum to existing contract.

    Stage Output

    • Approved draft contract ready to move to the next step of negotiating with the vendor.
    • Approved amendment or addendum to existing or renewal agreement.

    Stage 5: Negotiate

    • At this stage, there should be an approved draft of the contract that can be presented to the other party or vendor for review.
    • Typically organizations will negotiate their larger deals for terms and conditions with the goal of balancing the contractual allocation of risk with the importance of the vendor or agreement and its value to the business.
    • Several people on either side are typically involved and will discuss legal and commercial terms of the contract. Throughout the process, negotiators may leverage a variety of tools, including playbooks with preferred and fallback positions, clause libraries, document redlines and comparisons, and issue lists.
    • Audit trails or tracking of changes and acceptances is an important part of this stage. Tracking will avoid duplication and lost or missed changes and will speed up the entire process.
    • A final, clean document is created at this point and readied for execution.

    Stage 5: Negotiate

    Stage Input

    • Approved draft contract ready to move to the next step of negotiating with the vendor.
    • Approved amendment or addendum to existing or renewal agreement.

    Stage Output

    • A finalized and approved contract or amendment with agreed-upon terms and conditions ready for signatures.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Saving the different versions of a contract during negotiations will save time, provide reassurance of agreed terms as you move through the process, and provide reference for future negotiations with the vendor.

    Stage 6: Sign or Execute

    • At this stage in the process, all the heavy lifting in a contract’s creation is complete. Now it’s signature time.
    • To finalize the agreement, both parties need to the sign the final document. This can be done by an in-person wet ink signature or by what is becoming more prevalent, digital signature through an e-signature process.
    • Once complete, the final executed documents are exchanged or received electronically and then retained by each party.

    Stage 6: Sign or Execute

    Stage Input

    • A finalized and approved contract or amendment with agreed-upon terms and conditions ready for signatures.

    Stage Output

    • An executed contract or amendment ready to move to the next stage of CLM, capturing in the repository.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Process flow provisions should made for potential rejection of the contract by signatories, looping the contract back to the appropriate stage for rework or revision.

    Stage 7: Capture in Database/Repository 1 of 2

    • This is one of the most important stages of a CLM process. Executed agreements need to be stored in a single manageable, searchable, reportable, and centralized repository.
    • All documents should to be captured electronically, reviewed for accuracy, and then posted to the CLM repository.
    • The repository can be in various formats depending on the maturity, robustness, and budget of the CLM program.

    Most repositories are some type of database:

    • An off-the-shelf product
    • A PaaS cloud-based solution
    • A homegrown, internally developed database
    • An add-on module to your ERP system

    Stage 7: Capture in Database/Repository 2 of 2

    Several important features of an electronic repository should be considered:

    • Consistent metadata tagging of clauses, terms, conditions, dates, etc.
    • Centralized summary view of all contracts
    • Controlled access for those who need to review and manage the contracts

    Establishing an effective repository will be key to providing measurable value to the organization and saving large amounts of time for the business unit.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Planning for future needs by investing a little more money into a better, more robust repository could pay bigger dividends to the VMO and organization while providing a higher ROI over time as advanced functionality is deployed.

    Stage 8: Manage

    • Once an agreement is captured in the repository, it needs to be managed from both an operational and a commitment perspective.
    • Through a summary view or master list, contracts need to be operationally managed for end dates and renewals, vendor performance, discounts, and rebates.
    • Managing contracts for commitment and compliance will ensure all contract requirements, rights, service-level agreements (SLAs), and terms are fulfilled. This will eliminate the high costs of missed SLAs, potential breaches, or missed renewals.
    • Managing contracts can be improved by adding metadata to the records that allow for easier search and retrieval of contracts or even proactive notification.
    • The repository management features can and should be available to business stakeholders, or reporting from a CLM admin can also alert stakeholders to renewals, pricing, SLAs, etc.
    • Also important to this stage is reporting. This can be done by an admin or via a self-serve feature for stakeholders, or it could even be automated.

    Stage 9: Monitor Compliance 1 of 2

    • At this stage, the contracts or agreements need to be monitored for the polices within them and the purpose for which they were signed.
    • This is referred to as obligation management and is a key step to providing savings to the organization and mitigating risk.
    • Many contracts contain commitments by each party. These can include but are not limited to SLAs, service uptime targets, user counts, pricing threshold discounts and rebates, renewal notices to vendors, and training requirements.
    • All of these obligations within the contracts should be summarized and monitored to ensure that all commitments are delivered on. Managing obligations will mitigate risks, maximize savings and rebates to the organization, and minimize the potential for a breach within the contract.

    Stage 9: Monitor Compliance 2 of 2

    • Monitoring and measuring vendor commitments and performance will also be a key factor in maximizing the benefits of the contract through vendor accountability.
    • Also included in this stage is renewal and/or disposition of the contract. If renewal is due, it should go back to the business unit for submission to the Stage 1: Request process. If the business unit is not going to renew the contract, the contract must be tagged and archived for future reference.

    Stage 10: Optimize

    • The goal of this stage is to improve the other stages of the process as well as evaluate how each stage is integrating with the core operational framework processes.
    • With more data and improved insight into contractual terms and performance, a business can optimize its portfolio for better value, greater savings, and lower-risk outcomes.
    • For high-performance contract teams, the goal is a continuous feedback loop between the contract portfolio and business performance. If, for example, the data shows that certain negotiation issues consume a large chunk of time but yield no measurable difference in risk or performance, you may tweak the playbook to remedy those issues quickly.

    Additional optimization tactics:

    • Streamlining contract renewals with auto-renew
    • Predefined risk review process or template, continuous review/improvement of negotiation playbook
    • Better automation or flow of approval process
    • Better signature delegation process if required
    • Improving repository search with metadata tagging
    • Automating renewal tracking or notice process
    • Tracking the time a contract spends in each stage

    Establish Your Current CLM Maturity Position

    • Sometimes organizations have a well-defined pre-execution process but have a poor post-signature process.
    • Identifying your current processes or lack thereof will provide you with a starting point in developing a plan for your CLM. It’s possible that most of the stages are there and just need some improvements, or maybe some are missing and need to be implemented.
    • It’s not unusual for organizations to have a manual pre-execution process and an automated backend repository with compliance and renewal notices features.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Use the CLM Maturity Assessment Tool to outline where your organization is at each stage of the process.

    Member Activity: Assess Current CLM Maturity

    2.1 Completion Time 1-2 days

    Goal: Identify and measure your existing CLM processes, if any, and provide a maturity value to each stage. The resulting scores will provide a maturity assessment of your CLM.

    Instructions

    1. Use the Existing CLM Process Worksheet to document current CLM processes.
    2. Using the CLM worksheet info, answer the questions in the CLM Maturity Assessment Tool.
    3. Review the results and scores on Tab 3 to see where you need to focus your initial improvements.
    4. Save the initial assessment for future reference and reassess in six to 12 months to measure progress.

    This image contains a screenshot from Info-Tech's CLM Maturity Assessment Tool.

    INPUT

    • Internal information from all CLM stakeholders

    OUTPUT

    • A summary of processes and owners currently in place in the organization

    Materials

    • Existing CLM processes from interviews

    Participants

    • Finance, Legal, CIO, VMO, Sales, Procurement

    Member Activity: Complete RASCI Chart

    2.2 Completion Time 2-6 hours

    Goal: Identify who in your organization is primarily accountable and involved in each stage of the CLM process.

    Instructions

    Engage internal business unit decision makers, stakeholders, Finance, Legal, CIO, VMO, Sales, and Procurement as required to validate who should be involved in each stage.

    1. Using the information collected from internal reviews, assign a level in the CLM RASCI Diagram to each team member.
    2. Use the resulting RASCI diagram to guide you through developing or improving your CLM stages.

    This image contains a screenshot from Info-Tech's CLM RASCI Diagram.

    INPUT

    • Internal interview information

    OUTPUT

    • Understanding of who is involved in each CLM stage

    Materials

    • Interview data
    • RASCI Diagram

    Participants

    • Finance, Legal, CIO, VMO, Sales, Procurement

    Applying CLM Framework and Stages to Your Organization

    • Understand what CLM process you currently do or do not have in place.
    • Review implementation options: automated, semi-automated, and manual solutions.
    • If you are improving an existing process, focus on one phase at a time, perfect it, and then move to the other phase. This can also be driven by budget and time.
    • Create a plan to start with and then move to automating or semi-automating the stages.
    • Building onto or enhancing an existing system or processes can be a cost-effective method to produce near-term measurable savings
    • Focus on one phase at a time, then move on to the other phase.
    • While reviewing implementation of or improvements to CLM stages, be sure to track or calculate the potential time and cost savings and risk mitigation. This will help in any required business case for a CLM.

    CLM: An ROI Discussion 1 of 2

    • ROI can be easier to quantify and measure in larger organizations with larger CLM, but ROI metrics can be obtained regardless of the company or CLM size.
    • Organizations recognize their ROI through gains in efficiency across the entire business as well as within individual departments involved in the contracting process. They also do so by reducing the risk associated with decentralized and insecure storage of and access to their contracts, failure to comply with terms of their contracts, and missing deadlines associated with contracts.

    Just a few of the factors to consider within your own organization include:

    • The number of people inside and outside your company that touch your contracts.
    • The number of hours spent weekly, monthly, and annually managing contracts.
    • Potential efficiencies gained in better managing those contracts.
    • The total number of contracts that exist at any given time.
    • The average value and total value of those contract types.
    • The potential risk of being in breach of any of those contracts.
    • The number of places contracts are stored.
    • The level of security that exists to prevent unauthorized access.
    • The potential impact of unauthorized access to your sensitive contract data.

    CLM: An ROI Discussion 2 of 2

    Decision-Maker Apprehensions

    Decision-maker concerns arise from a common misunderstanding – that is, a fundamental failure to appreciate the true source of contract management value. This misunderstanding goes back many years to the time when analysts first started to take an interest in contract management and its automation. Their limited experience (primarily in retail and manufacturing sectors) led them to think of contract management as essentially an administrative function, primarily focused on procurement of goods. In such environments, the purpose of automation is focused on internal efficiency, augmented by the possibility of savings from reduced errors (e.g. failing to spot a renewal or expiry date) or compliance (ensuring use of standard terms).

    Today’s CLM systems and processes can provide ROI in several areas in the business.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Research on ROI of CLM software shows significant hard cost savings to an organization. For example, a $10 million company with 300 contracts valued at $3 million could realize savings of $83,400 and avoid up to $460,000 in lost revenues. (Derived from: ACCDocket, 2018)

    Additional Considerations 1 of 2

    Who should own and/or manage the CLM process within an organization? Legal, VMO, business unit, Sales?

    This is an often-discussed question. Research suggests that there is no definitive answer, as there are several variables.

    Organizations needs to review what makes the best business sense for them based on several considerations and then decide where CLM belongs.

    • Business unit budgets and time management
    • Available Administration personnel and time
    • IT resources
    • Security and access concerns
    • Best fit based on organizational structure

    35% of law professionals feel contract management is a legal responsibility, while 45% feel it’s a business responsibility and a final 20% are unsure where it belongs. (Source: “10 Eye-Popping Contract Management Statistics,” Apttus, 2018)

    Additional Considerations 2 of 2

    What type of CLM software or platform should we use?

    This too is a difficult question to answer definitively. Again, there are several variables to consider. As well, several solutions are available, and this is not a one-size-fits-all scenario.

    As with who should own the CLM process, organizations must review the various CLM software solutions available that will meet their current and future needs and then ask, “What do we need the system to do?”

    • Do you build a “homegrown” solution?
    • Should it be an add-on module to the current ERP or CRM system?
    • Is on-premises more suitable?
    • Is an adequate off-the-shelf (OTS) solution available?
    • What about the many cloud offerings?
    • Is there a basic system to start with that can expand as you grow?

    Info-Tech Insight

    When considering what type of solution to choose, prioritize what needs to been done or improved. Sometimes solutions can be deployed in phases as an “add-on” type modules.

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Knowledge Gained

    • Documented current CLM process
    • Core operational framework to build a CLM process on
    • Understanding of best practices required for a sustainable CLM

    Processes Optimized

    • Internal RASCI process identified
    • Existing internal stage improvements
    • Internal review process for risk mitigation

    Deliverables Completed

    • Existing CLM Processes Worksheet
    • CLM Maturity Assessment
    • CLM RASCI Chart
    • CLM improvement plan

    Project Step Summary

    Client Project: CLM Assessment and Improvement Plan

    1. Set your goals – what do you want to achieve in your CLM project?
    2. Assess your organization’s current CLM position in relation to CLM best practices and stages.
    3. Map your organization’s RASCI structure for CLM.
    4. Identify opportunities for stage improvements or target all low stage assessments.
    5. Prioritize improvement processes.
    6. Track ROI metrics.
    7. Develop a CLM implementation or improvement plan.

    Info-Tech Insight

    This project can fit your organization’s schedule:

    • Do-it-yourself with your team.
    • Remote delivery (Info-Tech Guided Implementation).

    CLM Blueprint Summary and Conclusion

    • Contract management is a vital component of a responsible VMO that will benefit all business units in an organization, save time and money, and reduce risk exposure.
    • A basic well-deployed and well-managed CLM will provide ROI in the short term.
    • Setting an improvement plan with concise improvements and potential cost savings based on process improvements will help your business case for CLM get approval and leadership buy-in.
    • Educating and aligning all business units and stakeholders to any changes to CLM processes will ensure that cost savings and ROI are achieved.
    • When evaluating a CLM software solution, use the operational framework and the ten process stages in this blueprint as a reference guide for CLM vendor functionality and selection.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Master Contract Review and Negotiation

    Optimize spend with significant cost savings and negotiate from a position of strength.

    Manage Your Vendors Before They Manage You

    Maximize the value of vendor relationships.

    Bibliography

    Burla, Daniel. “The Must Know Of Transition to Dynamics 365 on Premise.” Sherweb, 14 April 2017. Web.

    Anand, Vishal, “Strategic Considerations in Implementing an End-to-End Contract Lifecycle Management Solution.” DWF Mindcrest, 20 Aug. 2016. Web.

    Alspaugh, Zach. “10 Eye-Popping Contract Management Statistics from the General Counsel’s Technology Report.” Apttus, 23 Nov. 2018. Web.

    Bishop, Randy. “Contract Management is not just a cost center.” ContractSafe, 9 Sept. 2019. Web.

    Bryce, Ian. “Contract Management KPIs - Measuring What Matters.” Gatekeeper, 2 May 2019. Web.

    Busch, Jason. “Contract Lifecycle Management 101.” Determine. 4 Jan. 2018. Web.

    “Contract Management Software Buyer's Guide.” TechnologyAdvice, 5 Aug. 2019. Web.

    Dunne, Michael. “Analysts Predict that 2019 will be a Big Year for Contract Lifecycle Management.” Apttus, 19 Nov. 2018. Web.

    “FIS Case Study.” Apttus, n.d. Web.

    Gutwein, Katie. “3 Takeaways from the 2018 State of Contract Management Report.” SpringCM, 2018. Web.

    “IACCM 2019 Benchmark Report.” IAACM, 4 Sept. 2019. Web.

    Linsley, Rod. “How Proverbial Wisdom Can Help Improve Contract Risk Mitigation.” Gatekeeper, 2 Aug. 2019. Web.

    Mars, Scott. “Contract Management Data Extraction.” Exari, 20 June 2017. Web.

    Rodriquez, Elizabeth. “Global Contract Life-Cycle Management Market Statistics and Trends 2019.” Business Tech Hub, 17 June 2017. Web.

    “State of Contract Management Report.” SpringCM, 2018. Web.

    Teninbaum, Gabriel, and Arthur Raguette. “Realizing ROI from Contract Management Technology.” ACCDocket.com, 29 Jan. 2018. Web.

    Wagner, Thomas. “Strategic Report on Contract Life cycle Management Software Market with Top Key Players- IBM Emptoris, Icertis, SAP, Apttus, CLM Matrix, Oracle, Infor, Newgen Software, Zycus, Symfact, Contract Logix, Coupa Software.” Market Research, 21 June 2019. Web.

    “What is Your Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Persona?” Spend Matters, 19 Oct. 2017. Web.

    2023-Q1 Research Agenda

    This 2023-Q1 research agenda slide deck provides you with a comprehensive overview of our most up-to-date published research. Each piece offers you valuable insights, allowing you to take effective decisions and informed actions. All TY|Info-tech research is backed by our team of expert analysts who share decades of IT and industry experience.

    Register to read more …

    Prepare for Negotiations More Effectively

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}224|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 8.0/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $6,000 Average $ Saved
    • member rating average days saved: 4 Average Days Saved
    • Parent Category Name: Vendor Management
    • Parent Category Link: /vendor-management
    • IT budgets are increasing, but many CIOs feel their budgets are inadequate to accomplish what is being asked of them.
    • Eighty percent of organizations don’t have a mature, repeatable, scalable negotiation process.
    • Training dollars on negotiations are often wasted or ineffective.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Negotiations are about allocating risk and money – how much risk is a party willing to accept at what price point?
    • Using a cross-functional/cross-insight team structure for negotiation preparation yields better results.
    • Soft skills aren’t enough and theatrical negotiation tactics aren’t effective.

    Impact and Result

    A good negotiation process can help:

    • Maximize budget dollars.
    • Improve vendor performance.
    • Enhance relationships internally and externally.

    Prepare for Negotiations More Effectively Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should create and follow a scalable process for preparing to negotiate with vendors, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Before

    Throughout this phase, the 12 steps for negotiation preparation are identified and reviewed.

    • Prepare for Negotiations More Effectively – Phase 1: Before
    • Before Negotiating Tool
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Prepare for Negotiations More Effectively

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 12 Steps to Better Negotiation Preparation

    The Purpose

    Improve negotiation preparation.

    Understand how to use the Info-Tech Before Negotiating Tool.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A scalable framework for negotiation preparation will be created.

    The Before Negotiating Tool will be configured for the customer’s environment.

    Activities

    1.1 Establish specific negotiation goals and ranges.

    1.2 Identify and assess alternatives to a negotiated agreement.

    1.3 Identify and evaluate assumptions made by the parties.

    1.4 Conduct research.

    1.5 Identify and evaluate relationship issues.

    1.6 Identify and leverage the team structure.

    1.7 Identify and address leverage issues.

    1.8 Evaluate timeline considerations.

    1.9 Create a strategy.

    1.10 Draft a negotiation agenda.

    1.11 Draft and answer questions.

    1.12 Rehearse (informal and formal).

    Outputs

    Sample negotiation goals and ranges will be generated via a case study to demonstrate the concepts and how to use the Before Negotiating Tool (this will apply to each Planned Activity)

    Sample alternatives will be generated

    Sample assumptions will be generated

    Sample research will be generated

    Sample relationship issues will be generated

    Sample teams will be generated

    Sample leverage items will be generated

    Sample timeline issues will be generated

    A sample strategy will be generated

    A sample negotiation agenda will be generated

    Sample questions and answers will be generated

    Sample rehearsals will be conducted

    Standardize the Service Desk

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}477|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 9.5/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $24,155 Average $ Saved
    • member rating average days saved: 24 Average Days Saved
    • Parent Category Name: Service Desk
    • Parent Category Link: /service-desk
    • Not everyone embraces their role in service support. Specialists would rather work on projects than provide service support.
    • The Service Desk lacks processes and workflows to provide consistent service. Service desk managers struggle to set and meet service-level expectations, which further compromises end-user satisfaction.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Service desk improvement is an exercise in organizational change. Engage specialists across the IT organization in building the solution. Establish a single service-support team across the IT group and enforce it with a cooperative, customer-focused culture.
    • Don’t be fooled by a tool that’s new. A new service desk tool alone won’t solve the problem. Service desk maturity improvements depend on putting in place the right people and processes to support the technology.

    Impact and Result

    • Create a consistent customer service experience for service desk patrons, and increase efficiency, first-call resolution, and end-user satisfaction with the Service Desk.
    • Decrease time and cost to resolve service desk tickets.
    • Understand and address reporting needs to address root causes and measure success and build a solid foundation for future IT service improvements.

    Standardize the Service Desk Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Standardize the Service Desk Research – A step-by-step document that helps you improve customer service by driving consistency in your support approach and meet SLAs.

    Use this blueprint to standardize your service desk by assessing your current capability and laying the foundations for your service desk, design an effective incident management workflow, design a request fulfillment process, and apply the discussions and activities to make an actionable plan for improving your service desk.

    • Standardize the Service Desk – Phases 1-4

    2. Service Desk Maturity Assessment – An assessment tool to help guide process improvement efforts and track progress.

    This tool is designed to assess your service desk process maturity, identify gaps, guide improvement efforts, and measure your progress.

    • Service Desk Maturity Assessment

    3. Service Desk Project Summary – A template to help you organize process improvement initiatives using examples.

    Use this template to organize information about the service desk challenges that the organization is facing, make the case to build a right-sized service desk to address those challenges, and outline the recommended process changes.

    • Service Desk Project Summary

    4. Service Desk Roles and Responsibilities Guide – An analysis tool to determine the right roles and build ownership.

    Use the RACI template to determine roles for your service desk initiatives and to build ownership around them. Use the template and replace it with your organization's information.

    • Service Desk Roles and Responsibilities Guide

    5. Incident Management and Service Desk Standard Operating Procedure – A template designed to help service managers kick-start the standardization of service desk processes.

    The template will help you identify service desk roles and responsibilities, build ticket management processes, put in place sustainable knowledgebase practices, document ticket prioritization scheme and SLO, and document ticket workflows.

    • Incident Management and Service Desk SOP

    6. Ticket and Call Quality Assessment Tool – An assessment tool to check in on ticket and call quality quarterly and improve the quality of service desk data.

    Use this tool to help review the quality of tickets handled by agents and discuss each technician's technical capabilities to handle tickets.

    • Ticket and Call Quality Assessment Tool

    7. Workflow Library – A repository of typical workflows.

    The Workflow Library provides examples of typical workflows that make up the bulk of the incident management and request fulfillment processes at the service desk.

    • Incident Management and Service Desk Workflows (Visio)
    • Incident Management and Service Desk Workflows (PDF)

    8. Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes – A repository of ticket categories.

    The Ticket Categorization Schemes provide examples of ticket categories to organize the data in the service desk tool and produce reports that help managers manage the service desk and meet business requirements.

    • Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes

    9. Knowledge Manager – A job description template that includes a detailed explication of the responsibilities and expectations of a Knowledge Manager role.

    The Knowledge Manager's role is to collect, synthesize, organize, and manage corporate information in support of business units across the enterprise.

    • Knowledge Manager

    10. Knowledgebase Article Template – A comprehensive record of the incident management process.

    An accurate and comprehensive record of the incident management process, including a description of the incident, any workarounds identified, the root cause (if available), and the profile of the incident's source, will improve incident resolution time.

    • Knowledgebase Article Template

    11. Sample Communication Plan – A sample template to guide your communications around the integration and implementation of your overall service desk improvement initiatives.

    Use this template to develop a communication plan that outlines what stakeholders can expect as the process improvements recommended in the Standardize the Service Desk blueprint are implemented.

    • Sample Communication Plan

    12. Service Desk Roadmap – A structured roadmap tool to help build your service desk initiatives timeline.

    The Service Desk Roadmap helps track outstanding implementation activities from your service desk standardization project. Use the roadmap tool to define service desk project tasks, their owners, priorities, and timeline.

    • Service Desk Roadmap
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Standardize the Service Desk

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Lay Service Desk Foundations

    The Purpose

    Discover your challenges and understand what roles, metrics, and ticket handling procedures are needed to tackle the challenges.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Set a clear understanding about the importance of service desk to your organization and service desk best practices.

    Activities

    1.1 Assess current state of the service desk.

    1.2 Review service desk and shift-left strategy.

    1.3 Identify service desk metrics and reports.

    1.4 Identify ticket handling procedures

    Outputs

    Current state assessment

    Shift-left strategy and implications

    Service desk metrics and reports

    Ticket handling procedures

    2 Design Incident Management

    The Purpose

    Build workflows for incident and critical incident tickets.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Distinguish incidents from service requests.

    Ticket categorization facilitates ticket. routing and reporting.

    Develop an SLA for your service desk team for a consistent service delivery.

    Activities

    2.1 Build incident and critical incident management workflows.

    2.2 Design ticket categorization scheme and proper ticket handling guidelines.

    2.3 Design incident escalation and prioritization guidelines.

    Outputs

    Incident and critical incident management workflows

    Ticket categorization scheme

    Ticket escalation and prioritization guidelines

    3 Design Request Fulfilment

    The Purpose

    Build service request workflows and prepare self-service portal.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Standardize request fulfilment processes.

    Prepare for better knowledge management and leverage self-service portal to facilitate shift-left strategy.

    Activities

    3.1 Build service request workflows.

    3.2 Build a targeted knowledgebase.

    3.3 Prepare for a self-serve portal project.

    Outputs

    Distinguishing criteria for requests and projects

    Service request workflows and SLAs

    Knowledgebase article template, processes, and workflows

    4 Build Project Implementation Plan

    The Purpose

    Now that you have laid the foundation of your service desk, put all the initiatives into an action plan.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Discuss priorities, set timeline, and identify effort for your service desk.

    Identify the benefits and impacts of communicating service desk initiatives to stakeholders and define channels to communicate service desk changes.

    Activities

    4.1 Build an implementation roadmap.

    4.2 Build a communication plan

    Outputs

    Project implementation and task list with associated owners

    Project communication plan and workshop summary presentation

    Further reading

    Analyst Perspective

    "Customer service issues are rarely based on personality but are almost always a symptom of poor and inconsistent process. When service desk managers are looking to hire to resolve customer service issues and executives are pushing back, it’s time to look at improving process and the support strategy to make the best use of technicians’ time, tools, and knowledge sharing. Once improvements have been made, it’s easier to make the case to add people or introduce automation.

    Replacing service desk solutions will also highlight issues around poor process. Without fixing the baseline services, the new solution will simply wrap your issues in a prettier package.

    Ultimately, the service desk needs to be the entry point for users to get help and the rest of IT needs to provide the appropriate support to ensure the first line of interaction has the knowledge and tools they need to resolve quickly and preferably on first contact. If your plans include optimization to self-serve or automation, you’ll have a hard time getting there without standardizing first."

    Sandi Conrad

    Principal Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations Practice

    Info-Tech Research Group

    A method for getting your service desk out of firefighter mode

    This Research Is Designed For:

    • The CIO and senior IT management who need to increase service desk effectiveness and timeliness and improve end-user satisfaction.
    • The service desk manager who wants to lead the team from firefighting mode to providing consistent and proactive support.

    This Research Will Also Assist:

    • Service desk teams who want to increase their own effectiveness and move from a help desk to a service desk.
    • Infrastructure and applications managers who want to decrease reactive support activities and increase strategic project productivity by shifting repetitive and low-value work left.

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Create a consistent customer service experience for service desk patrons.
    • Increase efficiency, first-call resolution, and end-user satisfaction with the Service Desk.
    • Decrease time and cost to resolve service desk tickets.
    • Understand and address reporting needs to address root causes and measure success.
    • Build a solid foundation for future IT service improvements.

    Executive Summary

    Situation

    • The CIO and senior IT management who need to increase service desk effectiveness and timeliness and improve end-user satisfaction.
    • If only the phone could stop ringing, the Service Desk could become proactive, address service levels, and improve end-user IT satisfaction.

    Complication

    • Not everyone embraces their role in service support. Specialists would rather work on projects than provide service support.
    • The Service Desk lacks processes and workflows to provide consistent service. Service desk managers struggle to set and meet service-level expectations, which further compromises end-user satisfaction.

    Resolution

    • Go beyond the blind adoption of best-practice frameworks. No simple formula exists for improving service desk maturity. Use diagnostic tools to assess the current state of the Service Desk. Identify service support challenges and draw on best-practice frameworks intelligently to build a structured response to those challenges.
    • An effective service desk must be built on the right foundations. Understand how:
      • Service desk structure affects cost and ticket volume capacity.
      • Incident management workflows can improve ticket handling, prioritization, and escalation.
      • Request fulfillment processes create opportunities for streamlining and automating services.
      • Knowledge sharing supports the processes and workflows essential to effective service support.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Service desk improvement is an exercise in organizational change. Engage specialists across the IT organization in building the solution. Establish a single service-support team across the IT group and enforce it with a cooperative, customer-focused culture. Don’t be fooled by a tool that’s new. A new service desk tool alone won’t solve the problem. Service desk maturity improvements depend on putting in place the right people and processes to support the technology

    Directors and executives understand the importance of the service desk and believe IT can do better

    A double bar graph is depicted. The blue bars represent Effectiveness and the green bars represent Importance in terms of service desk at different seniority levels, which include frontline, manager, director, and executive.

    Source: Info-Tech, 2019 Responses (N=189 organizations)

    Service Desk Importance Scores

      No Importance: 1.0-6.9
      Limited Importance: 7.0-7.9
      Significant Importance: 8.0-8.9
      Critical Importance: 9.0-10.0

    Service Desk Effectiveness Scores

      Not in Place: N/A
      Not Effective: 0.0-4.9
      Somewhat Ineffective: 5.0-5.9
      Somewhat Effective: 6.0-6.9
      Very Effective: 7.0-10.0

    Info-Tech Research Group’s IT Management and Governance Diagnostic (MGD) program assesses the importance and effectiveness of core IT processes. Since its inception, the MGD has consistently identified the service desk as an area to leverage.

    Business stakeholders consistently rank the service desk as one of the top five most important services that IT provides

    Since 2013, Info-Tech has surveyed over 40,000 business stakeholders as part of our CIO Business Vision program.

    Business stakeholders ranked the following 12 core IT services in terms of importance:

    Learn more about the CIO Business Vision Program.
    *Note: IT Security was added to CIO Business Vision 2.0 in 2019

    Top IT Services for Business Stakeholders

    1. Network Infrastructure
    2. IT Security*
    3. Data Quality
    4. Service Desk
    5. Business Applications
    6. Devices
    7. Client-Facing Technology
    8. Analytical Capability
    9. IT Innovation Leadership
    10. Projects
    11. Work Orders
    12. IT Policies
    13. Requirements Gathering
    Source: Info-Tech Research Group, 2019 (N=224 organizations)

    Having an effective and timely service desk correlates with higher end-user satisfaction with all other IT services

    A double bar graph is depicted. The blue bar represents dissatisfied ender user, and the green bar represents satisfied end user. The bars show the average of dissatisfied and satisfied end users for service desk effectiveness and service desk timeliness.

    On average, organizations that were satisfied with service desk effectiveness rated all other IT processes 46% higher than dissatisfied end users.

    Organizations that were satisfied with service desk timeliness rated all other IT processes 37% higher than dissatisfied end users.
    “Satisfied” organizations had average scores =8.“Dissatisfied" organizations had average scores “Dissatisfied" organizations had average scores =6. Source: Info-Tech Research Group, 2019 (N=18,500+ respondents from 75 organizations)

    Standardize the service desk the Info-Tech way to get measurable results

    More than one hundred organizations engaged with Info-Tech, through advisory calls and workshops, for their service desk projects in 2016. Their goal was either to improve an existing service desk or build one from scratch.

    Organizations that estimate the business impact of each project phase help us shed light on the average measured value of the engagements.

    "The analysts are an amazing resource for this project. Their approach is very methodical, and they have the ability to fill in the big picture with detailed, actionable steps. There is a real opportunity for us to get off the treadmill and make real IT service management improvements"

    - Rod Gula, IT Director

    American Realty Advisors

    Three circles are depicted. The top circle shows the sum of measured value dollar impact which is US$1,659,493.37. The middle circle shows the average measured value dollar impact which is US$19,755.87. The bottom circle shows the average measured value time saved which is 27 days.

    Info-Tech’s approach to service desk standardization focuses on building service management essentials

    This image depicts all of the phases and steps in this blueprint.

    Info-Tech draws on the COBIT framework, which focuses on consistent delivery of IT services across the organization

    This image depicts research that can be used to improve IT processes. Service Desk is circled to demonstrate which research is being used.

    The service desk is the foundation of all other service management processes.

    The image shows how the service desk is a foundation for other service management processes.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

    Workshop

    “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

    Consulting

    “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Standardize the Service Desk – project overview

    This image shows the project overview of this blueprint.

    Info-Tech delivers: Use our tools and templates to accelerate your project to completion

    Project Summary

    Image of template.

    Service Desk Standard Operating Procedures

    Image of tool.

    Service Desk Maturity Assessment Tool

    Image of tool.

    Service Desk Implementation Roadmap

    Image of tool Incident, knowledge, and request management workflows

    Incident, knowledge, and request management workflows

    The project’s key deliverable is a service desk standard operating procedure

    Benefits of documented SOPs:

    Improved training and knowledge transfer: Routine tasks can be delegated to junior staff (freeing senior staff to work on higher priority tasks).

    IT automation, process optimization, and consistent operations: Defining, documenting, and then optimizing processes enables IT automation to be built on sound processes, so consistent positive results can be achieved.

    Compliance: Compliance audits are more manageable because the documentation is already in place.

    Transparency: Visually documented processes answer the common business question of “why does that take so long?”

    Cost savings: Work solved at first contact or with a minimal number of escalations will result in greater efficiency and more cost-effective support. This will also lead to better customer service.

    Impact of undocumented/undefined SOPs:

    Tasks will be difficult to delegate, key staff become a bottleneck, knowledge transfer is inconsistent, and there is a longer onboarding process for new staff

    IT automation built on poorly defined, unoptimized processes leads to inconsistent results.

    Documenting SOPs to prepare for an audit becomes a major time-intensive project.

    Other areas of the organization may not understand how IT operates, which can lead to confusion and unrealistic expectations.

    Support costs are highest through inefficient processes, and proactive work becomes more difficult to schedule, making the organization vulnerable to costly disruptions.

    Workshop Overview

    Image depicts workshop overview occurring over four days.

    Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Phase 1

    Lay Service Desk Foundations

    Step 1.1:Assess current state

    Image shows the steps in phase 1. Highlight is on step 1.1

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 1.1.1 Outline service desk challenges
    • 1.1.2 Assess the service desk maturity

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project Sponsor
    • IT Director, CIO
    • IT Managers and Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Alignment on the challenges that the service desk faces, an assessment of the current state of service desk processes and technologies, and baseline metrics against which to measure improvements.

    Deliverables

    • Service Desk Maturity Assessment

    Standardizing the service desk benefits the whole business

    The image depicts 3 circles to represent the service desk foundations.

    Embrace standardization

    • Standardization prevents wasted energy on reinventing solutions to recurring issues.
    • Standardized processes are scalable so that process maturity increases with the size of your organization.

    Increase business satisfaction

    • Improve confidence that the service desk can meet service levels.
    • Create a single point of contact for incidents and requests and escalate quickly.
    • Analyze trends to forecast and meet shifting business requirements.

    Reduce recurring issues

    • Create tickets for every task and categorize them accurately.
    • Generate reliable data to support root-cause analysis.

    Increase efficiency and lower operating costs

    • Empower end users and technicians with a targeted knowledgebase (KB).
    • Cross-train to improve service consistency.

    Case Study: The CIO of Westminster College took stock of existing processes before moving to empower the “helpless desk”

    Scott Lowe helped a small staff of eight IT professionals formalize service desk processes and increase the amount of time available for projects.

    When he joined Westminster College as CIO in 2006, the department faced several infrastructure challenges, including:

    • An unreliable network
    • Aging server replacements and no replacement plan
    • IT was the “department of no”
    • A help desk known as the “helpless desk”
    • A lack of wireless connectivity
    • Internet connection speed that was much too slow

    As the CIO investigated how to address the infrastructure challenges, he realized people cared deeply about how IT spent its time.

    The project load of IT staff increased, with new projects coming in every day.

    With a long project list, it became increasingly important to improve the transparency of project request and prioritization.

    Some weeks, staff spent 80% of their time working on projects. Other weeks, support requirements might leave only 10% for project work.

    He addressed the infrastructure challenges in part by analyzing IT’s routine processes.

    Internally, IT had inefficient support processes that reduced the amount of time they could spend on projects.

    They undertook an internal process analysis effort to identify processes that would have a return on investment if they were improved. The goal was to reduce operational support time so that project time could be increased.

    Five years later, they had a better understanding of the organization's operational support time needs and were able to shift workloads to accommodate projects without compromising support.

    Common challenges experienced by service desk teams

    Unresolved issues

    • Tickets are not created for all incidents.
    • Tickets are lost or escalated to the wrong technicians.
    • Poor data impedes root-cause analysis of incidents.

    Lost resources/accountability

    • Lack of cross-training and knowledge sharing.
    • Lack of skills coverage for critical applications and services.
    • Time is wasted troubleshooting recurring issues.
    • Reports unavailable due to lack of data and poor categorization.

    High cost to resolve

    • Tier 2/3 resolve issues that should be resolved at tier 1.
    • Tier 2/3 often interrupt projects to focus on service support.

    Poor planning

    • Lack of data for effective trend analysis leads to poor demand planning.
    • Lack of data leads to lost opportunities for templating and automation.

    Low business satisfaction

    • Users are unable to get assistance with IT services quickly.
    • Users go to their favorite technician instead of using the service desk.

    Outline the organization’s service desk challenges

    1.1.1 Brainstorm service desk challenges

    Estimated Time: 45 minutes

    A. As a group, outline the areas where you think the service desk is experiencing challenges or weaknesses. Use sticky notes or a whiteboard to separate the challenges into People, Process, and Technology so you have a wholistic view of the constraints across the department.

    B. Think about the following:

    • What have you heard from users? (e.g. slow response time)
    • What have you heard from executives? (e.g. poor communication)
    • What should you start doing? (e.g. documenting processes)
    • What should you stop doing? (e.g. work that is not being entered as tickets)

    C. Document challenges in the Service Desk Project Summary.

    Participants:

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    Assess current service desk maturity to establish a baseline and create a plan for service desk improvement

    A current-state assessment will help you build a foundation for process improvements. Current-state assessments follow a basic formula:

    1. Determine the current state of the service desk.
    2. Determine the desired state of the service desk.
    3. Build a practical path from current to desired state.
    Image depicts 2 circles and a box. The circle on the 1. left has assess current state. The circle on the right has 2. assess target state. The box has 3. build a roadmap.

    Ideally, the current-state assessment should align the delivery of IT services with organizational needs. The assessment should achieve the following goals:

    1. Identify service desk pain points.
    2. Map each pain point to business services.
    3. Assign a broad business value to the resolution of each pain point.
    4. Map each pain point to a process.

    Expert Insight

    Image of expert.

    “How do you know if you aren’t mature enough? Nothing – or everything – is recorded and tracked, customer satisfaction is low, frustration is high, and there are multiple requests and incidents that nobody ever bothers to address.”

    Rob England

    IT Consultant & Commentator

    Owner Two Hills

    Also known as The IT Skeptic

    Assess the process maturity of the service desk to determine which project phase and steps will bring the most value

    1.1.2 Measure which activity will have the greatest impact

    The Service Desk Maturity Assessmenttool helps organizations assess their service desk process maturity and focus the project on the activities that matter most.

    The tool will help guide improvement efforts and measure your progress.

    • The second tab of the tool walks through a qualitative assessment of your service desk practices. Questions will prompt you to evaluate how you are executing key activities. Select the answer in the drop-down menus that most closely aligns with your current state.
    • The third tab displays your rate of process completeness and maturity. You will receive a score for each phase, an overall score, and advice based on your performance.
    • Document the results of the efficiency assessment in the Service Desk Project Summary.

    The tool is intended for periodic use. Review your answers each year and devise initiatives to improve the process performance where you need it most.

    Where do I find the data?

    Consult:

    • Service Manager
    • Service Desk Tools
    Image is the service desk tools.

    Step 1.2:Review service support best practices

    Image shows the steps in phase 1. Highlight is on step 1.2.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    1. 1.2.1 Identify roles and responsibilities in your organization
    2. 1.2.2 Map out the current and target structure of the service desk

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project Sponsor
    • IT Director, CIO
    • IT Managers and Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Identifying who is accountable for different support practices in the service desk will allow workload to be distributed effectively between functional teams and individuals. Closing the gaps in responsibilities will enable the execution of a shift-left strategy.

    Deliverables

    • Roles & responsibilities guide
    • Service desk structure

    Everyone in IT contributes to the success of service support

    Regardless of the service desk structure chosen to meet an organization’s service support requirements, IT staff should not doubt the role they play in service support.

    If you try to standardize service desk processes without engaging specialists in other parts of the IT organization, you will fail. Everyone in IT has a role to play in providing service support and meeting service-level agreements.

    Service Support Engagement Plan

    • Identify who is accountable for different service support processes.
    • Outline the different responsibilities of service desk agents at tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 in meeting service-level agreements for service support.
    • Draft operational-level agreements between specialty groups and the service desk to improve accountability.
    • Configure the service desk tool to ensure ticket visibility and ownership across queues.
    • Engage tier 2 and tier 3 resources in building workflows for incident management, request fulfilment, and writing knowledgebase articles.
    • Emphasize the benefits of cooperation across IT silos:
      • Better customer service and end-user satisfaction.
      • Shorter time to resolve incidents and implement requests.
      • A higher tier 1 resolution rate, more efficient escalations, and fewer interruptions from project work.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Specialists tend to distance themselves from service support as they progress through their career to focus on projects.

    However, their cooperation is critical to the success of the new service desk. Not only do they contribute to the knowledgebase, but they also handle escalations from tiers 1 and 2.

    Clear project complications by leveraging roles and responsibilities

    R

    Responsible: This person is the staff member who completes the work. Assign at least one Responsible for each task, but this could be more than one.

    A

    Accountable: This team member delegates a task and is the last person to review deliverables and/or task. Sometimes Responsible and Accountable can be the same staff. Make sure that you always assign only one Accountable for each task and not more.

    C

    Consulted: People who do not carry out the task but need to be consulted. Typically, these people are subject matter experts or stakeholders.

    I

    Informed: People who receive information about process execution and quality and need to stay informed regarding the task.

    A RACI analysis is helpful with the following:

    • Workload Balancing: Allowing responsibilities to be distributed effectively between functional teams and individuals.
    • Change Management: Ensuring key functions and processes are not overlooked during organizational changes.
    • Onboarding: New employees can identify their own roles and responsibilities.

    A RACI chart outlines which positions are Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed

    Image shows example of RACI chart

    Create a list of roles and responsibilities in your organization

    1.2.1 Create RACI matrix to define responsibilities

    1. Use the Service Desk Roles and Responsibilities Guidefor a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of different service desk tiers.
    2. In the RACI chart, replace the top row with specific roles in your organization.
    3. Modify or expand the process tasks, as needed, in the left column.
    4. For each role, identify the responsibility values that the person brings to the service desk. Fill out each column.
    5. Document in the Service Desk SOP. Schedule a time to share the results with organization leads.
    6. Distribute the chart between all teams in your organization.

    Notes:

    • Assign one Accountable for each task.
    • Have at least one Responsible for each task.
    • Avoid generic responsibilities, such as “team meetings.”
    • Keep your RACI definitions in your documents, as they are sometimes tough to remember.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Roles and Responsibilities Guide
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Build a single point of contact for the service desk

    Regardless of the service desk structure chosen to meet your service support requirements, end users should be in no doubt about how to access the service.

    Provide end users with:

    • A single phone number.
    • A single email address.
    • A single web portal for all incidents and requests.

    A single point of contact will ensure:

    • An agent is available to field incidents and requests.
    • Incidents and requests are prioritized according to impact and urgency.
    • Work is tracked to completion.

    This prevents ad hoc ticket channels such as shoulder grabs or direct emails, chats, or calls to a technician from interrupting work.

    A single point of contact does not mean the service desk is only accessible through one intake channel, but rather all tickets are directed to the service desk (i.e. tier 1) to be resolved or redirected appropriately.

    Image depicts 2 boxes. The smaller box labelled users and the larger box labelled Service Desk Tier 1. There are four double-sided arrows. The top is labelled email, the second is walk-in, the third is phone, the fourth is web portal.

    Directors and executives understand the importance of the service desk and believe IT can do better

    A double bar graph is depicted. The blue bars represent Effectiveness and the green bars represent Importance in terms of service desk at different seniority levels, which include frontline, manager, director, and executive.

    Source: Info-Tech, 2019 Responses (N=189 organizations)

    Service Desk Importance Scores

      No Importance: 1.0-6.9
      Limited Importance: 7.0-7.9
      Significant Importance: 8.0-8.9
      Critical Importance: 9.0-10.0

    Service Desk Effectiveness Scores

      Not in Place: N/A
      Not Effective: 0.0-4.9
      Somewhat Ineffective: 5.0-5.9
      Somewhat Effective: 6.0-6.9
      Very Effective: 7.0-10.0

    Info-Tech Research Group’s IT Management and Governance Diagnostic (MGD) program assesses the importance and effectiveness of core IT processes. Since its inception, the MGD has consistently identified the service desk as an area to leverage.

    Business stakeholders consistently rank the service desk as one of the top five most important services that IT provides

    Since 2013, Info-Tech has surveyed over 40,000 business stakeholders as part of our CIO Business Vision program.

    Business stakeholders ranked the following 12 core IT services in terms of importance:

    Learn more about the CIO Business Vision Program.
    *Note: IT Security was added to CIO Business Vision 2.0 in 2019

    Top IT Services for Business Stakeholders

    1. Network Infrastructure
    2. IT Security*
    3. Data Quality
    4. Service Desk
    5. Business Applications
    6. Devices
    7. Client-Facing Technology
    8. Analytical Capability
    9. IT Innovation Leadership
    10. Projects
    11. Work Orders
    12. IT Policies
    13. Requirements Gathering
    Source: Info-Tech Research Group, 2019 (N=224 organizations)

    Having an effective and timely service desk correlates with higher end-user satisfaction with all other IT services

    A double bar graph is depicted. The blue bar represents dissatisfied ender user, and the green bar represents satisfied end user. The bars show the average of dissatisfied and satisfied end users for service desk effectiveness and service desk timeliness.

    On average, organizations that were satisfied with service desk effectiveness rated all other IT processes 46% higher than dissatisfied end users.

    Organizations that were satisfied with service desk timeliness rated all other IT processes 37% higher than dissatisfied end users.
    “Satisfied” organizations had average scores =8.“Dissatisfied" organizations had average scores “Dissatisfied" organizations had average scores =6. Source: Info-Tech Research Group, 2019 (N=18,500+ respondents from 75 organizations)

    Standardize the service desk the Info-Tech way to get measurable results

    More than one hundred organizations engaged with Info-Tech, through advisory calls and workshops, for their service desk projects in 2016. Their goal was either to improve an existing service desk or build one from scratch.

    Organizations that estimate the business impact of each project phase help us shed light on the average measured value of the engagements.

    "The analysts are an amazing resource for this project. Their approach is very methodical, and they have the ability to fill in the big picture with detailed, actionable steps. There is a real opportunity for us to get off the treadmill and make real IT service management improvements"

    - Rod Gula, IT Director

    American Realty Advisors

    Three circles are depicted. The top circle shows the sum of measured value dollar impact which is US$1,659,493.37. The middle circle shows the average measured value dollar impact which is US$19,755.87. The bottom circle shows the average measured value time saved which is 27 days.

    Info-Tech’s approach to service desk standardization focuses on building service management essentials

    This image depicts all of the phases and steps in this blueprint.

    Info-Tech draws on the COBIT framework, which focuses on consistent delivery of IT services across the organization

    This image depicts research that can be used to improve IT processes. Service Desk is circled to demonstrate which research is being used.

    The service desk is the foundation of all other service management processes.

    The image shows how the service desk is a foundation for other service management processes.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

    Workshop

    “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

    Consulting

    “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Standardize the Service Desk – project overview

    This image shows the project overview of this blueprint.

    Info-Tech delivers: Use our tools and templates to accelerate your project to completion

    Project Summary

    Image of template.

    Service Desk Standard Operating Procedures

    Image of tool.

    Service Desk Maturity Assessment Tool

    Image of tool.

    Service Desk Implementation Roadmap

    Image of tool Incident, knowledge, and request management workflows

    Incident, knowledge, and request management workflows

    The project’s key deliverable is a service desk standard operating procedure

    Benefits of documented SOPs:

    Improved training and knowledge transfer: Routine tasks can be delegated to junior staff (freeing senior staff to work on higher priority tasks).

    IT automation, process optimization, and consistent operations: Defining, documenting, and then optimizing processes enables IT automation to be built on sound processes, so consistent positive results can be achieved.

    Compliance: Compliance audits are more manageable because the documentation is already in place.

    Transparency: Visually documented processes answer the common business question of “why does that take so long?”

    Cost savings: Work solved at first contact or with a minimal number of escalations will result in greater efficiency and more cost-effective support. This will also lead to better customer service.

    Impact of undocumented/undefined SOPs:

    Tasks will be difficult to delegate, key staff become a bottleneck, knowledge transfer is inconsistent, and there is a longer onboarding process for new staff

    IT automation built on poorly defined, unoptimized processes leads to inconsistent results.

    Documenting SOPs to prepare for an audit becomes a major time-intensive project.

    Other areas of the organization may not understand how IT operates, which can lead to confusion and unrealistic expectations.

    Support costs are highest through inefficient processes, and proactive work becomes more difficult to schedule, making the organization vulnerable to costly disruptions.

    Workshop Overview

    Image depicts workshop overview occurring over four days.

    Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Phase 1

    Lay Service Desk Foundations

    Step 1.1:Assess current state

    Image shows the steps in phase 1. Highlight is on step 1.1

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 1.1.1 Outline service desk challenges
    • 1.1.2 Assess the service desk maturity

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project Sponsor
    • IT Director, CIO
    • IT Managers and Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Alignment on the challenges that the service desk faces, an assessment of the current state of service desk processes and technologies, and baseline metrics against which to measure improvements.

    Deliverables

    • Service Desk Maturity Assessment

    Standardizing the service desk benefits the whole business

    The image depicts 3 circles to represent the service desk foundations.

    Embrace standardization

    • Standardization prevents wasted energy on reinventing solutions to recurring issues.
    • Standardized processes are scalable so that process maturity increases with the size of your organization.

    Increase business satisfaction

    • Improve confidence that the service desk can meet service levels.
    • Create a single point of contact for incidents and requests and escalate quickly.
    • Analyze trends to forecast and meet shifting business requirements.

    Reduce recurring issues

    • Create tickets for every task and categorize them accurately.
    • Generate reliable data to support root-cause analysis.

    Increase efficiency and lower operating costs

    • Empower end users and technicians with a targeted knowledgebase (KB).
    • Cross-train to improve service consistency.

    Case Study: The CIO of Westminster College took stock of existing processes before moving to empower the “helpless desk”

    Scott Lowe helped a small staff of eight IT professionals formalize service desk processes and increase the amount of time available for projects.

    When he joined Westminster College as CIO in 2006, the department faced several infrastructure challenges, including:

    • An unreliable network
    • Aging server replacements and no replacement plan
    • IT was the “department of no”
    • A help desk known as the “helpless desk”
    • A lack of wireless connectivity
    • Internet connection speed that was much too slow

    As the CIO investigated how to address the infrastructure challenges, he realized people cared deeply about how IT spent its time.

    The project load of IT staff increased, with new projects coming in every day.

    With a long project list, it became increasingly important to improve the transparency of project request and prioritization.

    Some weeks, staff spent 80% of their time working on projects. Other weeks, support requirements might leave only 10% for project work.

    He addressed the infrastructure challenges in part by analyzing IT’s routine processes.

    Internally, IT had inefficient support processes that reduced the amount of time they could spend on projects.

    They undertook an internal process analysis effort to identify processes that would have a return on investment if they were improved. The goal was to reduce operational support time so that project time could be increased.

    Five years later, they had a better understanding of the organization's operational support time needs and were able to shift workloads to accommodate projects without compromising support.

    Common challenges experienced by service desk teams

    Unresolved issues

    • Tickets are not created for all incidents.
    • Tickets are lost or escalated to the wrong technicians.
    • Poor data impedes root-cause analysis of incidents.

    Lost resources/accountability

    • Lack of cross-training and knowledge sharing.
    • Lack of skills coverage for critical applications and services.
    • Time is wasted troubleshooting recurring issues.
    • Reports unavailable due to lack of data and poor categorization.

    High cost to resolve

    • Tier 2/3 resolve issues that should be resolved at tier 1.
    • Tier 2/3 often interrupt projects to focus on service support.

    Poor planning

    • Lack of data for effective trend analysis leads to poor demand planning.
    • Lack of data leads to lost opportunities for templating and automation.

    Low business satisfaction

    • Users are unable to get assistance with IT services quickly.
    • Users go to their favorite technician instead of using the service desk.

    Outline the organization’s service desk challenges

    1.1.1 Brainstorm service desk challenges

    Estimated Time: 45 minutes

    A. As a group, outline the areas where you think the service desk is experiencing challenges or weaknesses. Use sticky notes or a whiteboard to separate the challenges into People, Process, and Technology so you have a wholistic view of the constraints across the department.

    B. Think about the following:

    • What have you heard from users? (e.g. slow response time)
    • What have you heard from executives? (e.g. poor communication)
    • What should you start doing? (e.g. documenting processes)
    • What should you stop doing? (e.g. work that is not being entered as tickets)

    C. Document challenges in the Service Desk Project Summary.

    Participants:

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    Assess current service desk maturity to establish a baseline and create a plan for service desk improvement

    A current-state assessment will help you build a foundation for process improvements. Current-state assessments follow a basic formula:

    1. Determine the current state of the service desk.
    2. Determine the desired state of the service desk.
    3. Build a practical path from current to desired state.
    Image depicts 2 circles and a box. The circle on the 1. left has assess current state. The circle on the right has 2. assess target state. The box has 3. build a roadmap.

    Ideally, the current-state assessment should align the delivery of IT services with organizational needs. The assessment should achieve the following goals:

    1. Identify service desk pain points.
    2. Map each pain point to business services.
    3. Assign a broad business value to the resolution of each pain point.
    4. Map each pain point to a process.

    Expert Insight

    Image of expert.

    “How do you know if you aren’t mature enough? Nothing – or everything – is recorded and tracked, customer satisfaction is low, frustration is high, and there are multiple requests and incidents that nobody ever bothers to address.”

    Rob England

    IT Consultant & Commentator

    Owner Two Hills

    Also known as The IT Skeptic

    Assess the process maturity of the service desk to determine which project phase and steps will bring the most value

    1.1.2 Measure which activity will have the greatest impact

    The Service Desk Maturity Assessmenttool helps organizations assess their service desk process maturity and focus the project on the activities that matter most.

    The tool will help guide improvement efforts and measure your progress.

    • The second tab of the tool walks through a qualitative assessment of your service desk practices. Questions will prompt you to evaluate how you are executing key activities. Select the answer in the drop-down menus that most closely aligns with your current state.
    • The third tab displays your rate of process completeness and maturity. You will receive a score for each phase, an overall score, and advice based on your performance.
    • Document the results of the efficiency assessment in the Service Desk Project Summary.

    The tool is intended for periodic use. Review your answers each year and devise initiatives to improve the process performance where you need it most.

    Where do I find the data?

    Consult:

    • Service Manager
    • Service Desk Tools
    Image is the service desk tools.

    Step 1.2:Review service support best practices

    Image shows the steps in phase 1. Highlight is on step 1.2.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    1. 1.2.1 Identify roles and responsibilities in your organization
    2. 1.2.2 Map out the current and target structure of the service desk

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project Sponsor
    • IT Director, CIO
    • IT Managers and Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Identifying who is accountable for different support practices in the service desk will allow workload to be distributed effectively between functional teams and individuals. Closing the gaps in responsibilities will enable the execution of a shift-left strategy.

    Deliverables

    • Roles & responsibilities guide
    • Service desk structure

    Everyone in IT contributes to the success of service support

    Regardless of the service desk structure chosen to meet an organization’s service support requirements, IT staff should not doubt the role they play in service support.

    If you try to standardize service desk processes without engaging specialists in other parts of the IT organization, you will fail. Everyone in IT has a role to play in providing service support and meeting service-level agreements.

    Service Support Engagement Plan

    • Identify who is accountable for different service support processes.
    • Outline the different responsibilities of service desk agents at tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 in meeting service-level agreements for service support.
    • Draft operational-level agreements between specialty groups and the service desk to improve accountability.
    • Configure the service desk tool to ensure ticket visibility and ownership across queues.
    • Engage tier 2 and tier 3 resources in building workflows for incident management, request fulfilment, and writing knowledgebase articles.
    • Emphasize the benefits of cooperation across IT silos:
      • Better customer service and end-user satisfaction.
      • Shorter time to resolve incidents and implement requests.
      • A higher tier 1 resolution rate, more efficient escalations, and fewer interruptions from project work.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Specialists tend to distance themselves from service support as they progress through their career to focus on projects.

    However, their cooperation is critical to the success of the new service desk. Not only do they contribute to the knowledgebase, but they also handle escalations from tiers 1 and 2.

    Clear project complications by leveraging roles and responsibilities

    R

    Responsible: This person is the staff member who completes the work. Assign at least one Responsible for each task, but this could be more than one.

    A

    Accountable: This team member delegates a task and is the last person to review deliverables and/or task. Sometimes Responsible and Accountable can be the same staff. Make sure that you always assign only one Accountable for each task and not more.

    C

    Consulted: People who do not carry out the task but need to be consulted. Typically, these people are subject matter experts or stakeholders.

    I

    Informed: People who receive information about process execution and quality and need to stay informed regarding the task.

    A RACI analysis is helpful with the following:

    • Workload Balancing: Allowing responsibilities to be distributed effectively between functional teams and individuals.
    • Change Management: Ensuring key functions and processes are not overlooked during organizational changes.
    • Onboarding: New employees can identify their own roles and responsibilities.

    A RACI chart outlines which positions are Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed

    Image shows example of RACI chart

    Create a list of roles and responsibilities in your organization

    1.2.1 Create RACI matrix to define responsibilities

    1. Use the Service Desk Roles and Responsibilities Guidefor a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of different service desk tiers.
    2. In the RACI chart, replace the top row with specific roles in your organization.
    3. Modify or expand the process tasks, as needed, in the left column.
    4. For each role, identify the responsibility values that the person brings to the service desk. Fill out each column.
    5. Document in the Service Desk SOP. Schedule a time to share the results with organization leads.
    6. Distribute the chart between all teams in your organization.

    Notes:

    • Assign one Accountable for each task.
    • Have at least one Responsible for each task.
    • Avoid generic responsibilities, such as “team meetings.”
    • Keep your RACI definitions in your documents, as they are sometimes tough to remember.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Roles and Responsibilities Guide
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Build a tiered generalist service desk to optimize costs

    A tiered generalist service desk with a first-tier resolution rate greater than 60% has the best operating cost and customer satisfaction of all competing service desk structural models.

    Image depicts a tiered generalist service desk example. It shows a flow from users to tier 1 and to tiers 2 and 3.

    The success of a tiered generalist model depends on standardized, defined processes

    Image lists the processes and benefits of a successful tiered generalist service desk.

    Define the structure of the service desk

    1.2.2 Map out the current and target structure of the service desk

    Estimated Time: 45 minutes

    Instructions:

    1. Using the model from the previous slides as a guide, discuss how closely it matches the current service desk structure.
    2. Map out a similar diagram of your existing service desk structure, intake channels, and escalation paths.
    3. Review the structure and discuss any changes that could be made to improve efficiency. Revise as needed.
    4. Document the outcome in the Service Desk Project Summary.

    Image depicts a tiered generalist service desk example. It shows a flow from users to tier 1 and to tiers 2 and 3.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    Use a shift-left strategy to lower service support costs, reduce time to resolve, and improve end-user satisfaction

    Shift-left strategy:

    • Shift service support tasks from specialists to generalists.
    • Implement self-service.
    • Automate incident resolution.
    Image shows the incident and service request resolution in a graph. It includes metrics of cost per ticket, average time to resolve, and end-user satisfaction.

    Work through the implications of adopting a shift-left strategy

    Overview:

    Identify process gaps that you need to fill to support the shift-left strategy and discuss how you could adopt or improve the shift-left strategy, using the discussion questions below as a guide.

    Which process gaps do you need to fill to identify ticket trends?

    • What are your most common incidents and service requests?
    • Which tickets could be resolved at tier 1?
    • Which tickets could be resolved as self-service tickets?
    • Which tickets could be automated?

    Which processes do you most need to improve to support a shift-left strategy?

    • Which incident and request processes are well documented?
    • Do you have recurring tickets that could be automated?
    • What is the state of your knowledgebase maintenance process?
    • Which articles do you most need to support tier 1 resolution?
    • What is the state of your web portal? How could it be improved to support self-service?

    Document in the Project Summary

    Step 1.3: Identify service desk metrics and reports

    Image shows the steps in phase 1. Highlight is on step 1.3.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 1.3 Create a list of required reports to identify relevant metrics

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project Sponsor
    • IT Managers and Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Managers and analysts will have service desk metrics and reports that help set expectations and communicate service desk performance.

    Deliverables

    • A list of service desk performance metrics and reports

    Engage business unit leaders with data to appreciate needs

    Service desk reports are an opportunity to communicate the story of IT and collect stakeholder feedback. Interview business unit leaders and look for opportunities to improve IT services.

    Start with the following questions:

    • What are you hearing from your team about working with IT?
    • What are the issues that are contributing to productivity losses?
    • What are the workarounds your team does because something isn’t working?
    • Are you able to access the information you need?

    Work with business unit leaders to develop an action plan.

    Remember to communicate what you do to address stakeholder grievances.

    The service recovery paradox is a situation in which end users think more highly of IT after the organization has corrected a problem with their service compared to how they would regard the company if the service had not been faulty in the first place.

    The point is that addressing issues (and being seen to address issues) will significantly improve end-user satisfaction. Communicate that you’re listening and acting, and you should see satisfaction improve.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Presentation is everything:

    If you are presenting outside of IT, or using operational metrics to create strategic information, be prepared to:

    • Discuss trends.
    • Identify organizational and departmental impacts.
    • Assess IT costs and productivity.

    For example, “Number of incidents with ERP system has decreased by 5% after our last patch release. We are working on the next set of changes and expect the issues to continue to decrease.”

    Engage technicians to ensure they input quality data in the service desk tool

    You need better data to address problems. Communicate to the technical team what you need from them and how their efforts contribute to the usefulness of reports.

    Tickets MUST:

    • Be created for all incidents and service requests.
    • Be categorized correctly, and categories updated when the ticket is resolved.
    • Be closed after the incidents and service requests are resolved or implemented.

    Emphasize that reports are analyzed regularly and used to manage costs, improve services, and request more resources.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Service Desk Manager: Technical staff can help themselves analyze the backlog and improve service metrics if they’re looking at the right information. Ensure their service desk dashboards are helping them identify high-priority and quick-win tickets and anticipate potential SLA breaches.

    Produce service desk reports targeted to improve IT services

    Use metrics and reports to tell the story of IT.

    Metrics should be tied to business requirements and show how well IT is meeting those requirements and where obstacles exist.

    Tailor metrics and reports to specific stakeholders.

    Technicians require mostly real-time information in the form of a dashboard, providing visibility into a prioritized list of tickets for which they are responsible.

    Supervisors need tactical information to manage the team and set client expectations as well as track and meet strategic goals.

    Managers and executives need summary information that supports strategic goals. Start by looking at executive goals for the support team and then working through some of the more tactical data that will help support those goals.

    One metric doesn’t give you the whole picture

    • Don’t put too much emphasis on a single metric. At best, it will give you a distorted picture of your service desk performance. At worst, it will distort the behavior of your agents as they may adopt poor practices to meet the metric.
    • The solution is to use tension metrics: metrics that work together to give you a better sense of the state of operations.
    • Tension metrics ensure a balanced focus toward shared goals.

    Example:

    First-call resolution (FCR), end-user satisfaction, and number of tickets reopened all work together to give you a complete picture. As FCR goes up, so should end-user satisfaction, as number of tickets re-opened stays steady or declines. If the three metrics are heading in different directions, then you know you have a problem.

    Rely on internal metrics to measure and improve performance

    External metrics provide useful context, but they represent broad generalizations across different industries and organizations of different sizes. Internal metrics measured annually are more reliable.

    Internal metrics provide you with information about your actual performance. With the right continual improvement process, you can improve those metrics year over year, which is a better measure of the performance of your service desk.

    Whether a given metric is the right one for your service desk will depend on several different factors, not the least of which include:

    • The maturity of your service desk processes.
    • Your ticket volume.
    • The complexity of your tickets.
    • The degree to which your end users are comfortable with self-service.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Take external metrics with a grain of salt. Most benchmarks represent what service desks do across different industries, not what they should do. There also might be significant differences between different industries in terms of the kinds of tickets they deal with, differences which the overall average obscures.

    Use key service desk metrics to build a business case for service support improvements

    The right metrics can tell the business how hard IT works and how many resources it needs to perform:

    1. End-User Satisfactions:
      • The most important metric for measuring the perceived value of the service desk. Determine this based on a robust annual satisfaction survey of end users and transactional satisfaction surveys sent with a percentage of tickets.
    2. Ticket Volume and Cost per Ticket:
      • A key indicator of service desk efficiency, computed as the monthly operating expense divided by the average ticket volume per month.
    3. First-Contact Resolution Rate:
      • The biggest driver of end-user satisfaction. Depending on the kind of tickets you deal with, you can measure first-contact, first-tier, or first-day resolution.
    4. Average Time to Resolve (Incident) or Fulfill (Service Requests):
      • An assessment of the service desk's ability to resolve tickets effectively, measuring the time elapsed between the moment the ticket status is set to “open” and the moment it is set to “resolved.”

    Info-Tech Insight

    Metrics should be tied to business requirements. They tell the story of how well IT is meeting those requirements and help identify when obstacles get in the way. The latter can be done by pointing to discrepancies between the internal metrics you expected to reach but didn’t and external metrics you trust.

    Use service desk metrics to track progress toward strategic, operational, and tactical goals

    Image depicts a chart to show the various metrics in terms of strategic goals, tactical goals, and operational goals.

    Cost per ticket and customer satisfaction are the foundation metrics of service support

    Ultimately, everything boils down to cost containment (measured by cost per ticket) and quality of service (measured by customer satisfaction).

    Cost per ticket is a measure of the efficiency of service support:

    • A higher than average cost per ticket is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if accompanied by higher-than-average quality levels.
    • Conversely, a low cost per ticket is not necessarily good, particularly if the low cost is achieved by sacrificing quality of service.

    Cost per ticket is the total monthly operating expense of the service desk divided by the monthly ticket volume. Operating expense includes the following components:

    • Salaries and benefits for desktop support technicians
    • Salaries and benefits for indirect personnel (team leads, supervisors, workforce schedulers, dispatchers, QA/QC personnel, trainers, and managers)
    • Technology expense (e.g. computers, software licensing fees)
    • Telecommunications expenses
    • Facilities expenses (e.g. office space, utilities, insurance)
    • Travel, training, and office supplies
    Image displays a pie chart that shows the various service desk costs.

    Create a list of required reports to identify metrics to track

    1.3.1 Start by identifying the reports you need, then identify the metrics that produce them

    1. Answer the following questions to determine the data your reports require:
      • What strategic initiatives do you need to track?
        • Example: reducing mean time to resolve, meeting SLAs
      • What operational areas need attention?
        • Example: recurring issues that need a permanent resolution
      • What kind of issues do you want to solve?
        • Example: automate tasks such as password reset or software distribution
      • What decisions or processes are held up due to lack of information?
        • Example: need to build a business case to justify infrastructure upgrades
      • How can the data be used to improve services to the business?
        • Example: recurring issues by department
    2. Document report and metrics requirements in Service Desk SOP.
    3. Provide the list to your tool administrator to create reports with auto-distribution.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Step 1.4: Review ticket handling procedures

    Image shows the steps in phase 1. Highlight is on step 1.4.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 1.4.1 Review ticket handling practices
    • 1.4.2 Identify opportunities to automate ticket creation and reduce recurring tickets

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project Sponsor
    • IT Managers and Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Managers and analysts will have best practices for ticket handling and troubleshooting to support ITSM data quality and improve first-tier resolution.

    DELIVERABLES

    • List of ticket templates and recurring tickets
    • Ticket and Call QA Template and ticket handling best practices

    Start by reviewing the incident intake process to find opportunities for improvement

    If end users are avoiding your service desk, you may have an intake problem. Create alternative ways for users to seek help to manage the volume; keep in mind not every request is an emergency.

    Image shows the various intake channels and the recommendation.

    Identify opportunities for improvement in your ticket channels

    The two most efficient intake channels should be encouraged for the majority of tickets.

    • Build a self-service portal.
      • Do users know where to find the portal?
      • How many tickets are created through the portal?
      • Is the interface easy to use?
    • Deal efficiently with email.
      • How quickly are messages picked up?
      • Are they manually transferred to a ticket or does the service desk tool automatically create a ticket?

    The two most traditional and fastest methods to get help must deal with emergencies and escalation effectively.

    • Phone should be the fastest way to get help for emergencies.
      • Are enough agents answering calls?
      • Are voicemails picked up on time?
      • Are the automated call routing prompts clear and concise?
    • Are walk-ins permitted and formalized?
      • Do you always have someone at the desk?
      • Is your equipment secure?
      • Are walk-ins common because no one picks up the phone or is the traffic as you’d expect?

    Ensure technicians create tickets for all incidents and requests

    Why Collect Ticket Data?

    If many tickets are missing, help service support staff understand the need to collect the data. Reports will be inaccurate and meaningless if quality data isn’t entered into the ticketing system.

    Image shows example of ticket data

    Set ticket handling expectations to drive a consistent process

    Set expectations:

    • Create and update tickets, but not at the expense of good customer service. Agents can start the ticket but shouldn’t spend five minutes creating the ticket when they should be troubleshooting the problem.
    • Update the ticket when the issue is resolved or needs to be escalated. If agents are escalating, they should make sure all relevant information is passed along to the next technician.
    • Update user of ETA if issue cannot be resolved quickly.
    • Ticket templates for common incidents can lead to fast creation, data input, and categorizations. Templates can reduce the time it takes to create tickets from two minutes to 30 seconds.
    • Update categories to reflect the actual issue and resolution.
    • Reference or link to the knowledgebase article as the documented steps taken to resolve the incident.
    • Validate incident is resolved with client; automate this process with ticket closure after a certain time.
    • Close or resolve the ticket on time.

    Use the Ticket and Call Quality Assessment Tool to improve the quality of service desk data

    Build a process to check-in on ticket and call quality monthly

    Better data leads to better decisions. Use the Ticket and Call Quality Assessment Toolto check-in on the ticket and call quality monthly for each technician and improve service desk data quality.

    1. Fill tab 1 with technician’s name.
    2. Use either tab 2 (auto-scoring) or tab 3 (manual scoring) to score the agent. The assessment includes ticket evaluation, call evaluation, and overall metric.
    3. Record the results of each review in the score summary of tab 1.
    Image shows tool.

    Use ticket templates to make ticket creation, updating, and resolution more efficient

    A screenshot of the Ticket and Call Quality Assessment Tool

    Implement measures to improve ticket handling and identify ticket template candidates

    1.4.1 Identify opportunities to automate ticket creation

    1. Poll the team and discuss.
      • How many members of the team are not creating tickets? Why?
      • How can we address those barriers?
      • What are the expectations of management?
    2. Brainstorm five to ten good candidates for ticket templates.
      • What data can auto-fill?
      • What will help process the ticket faster?
      • What automations can we build to ensure a fast, consistent service?
      • Note:
        • Ticket template name
        • Information that will auto-fill from AD and other applications
        • Categories and resolution codes
        • Automated routing and email responses
    3. Document ticket template candidates in the Service Desk Roadmap to capture the actions.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Needs

    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Phase 2

    Design Incident Management Processes

    Step 2.1: Build incident management workflows

    Image shows the steps in phase 2. Highlight is on step 2.1.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 2.1.1 Review incident management challenges
    • 2.1.2 Define the incident management workflow
    • 2.1.3 Define the critical incident management workflow
    • 2.1.4 Design critical incident communication plan

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Workflows for incident management and critical incident management will improve the consistency and quality of service delivery and prepare the service desk to negotiate reliable service levels with the organization.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Incident management workflows
    • Critical incident management workflows
    • Critical incident communication plan

    Communicate the great incident resolution work that you do to improve end-user satisfaction

    End users think more highly of IT after the organization has corrected a problem with their service than they would have had the service not been faulty in the first place.

    Image displays a graph to show the service recovery paradox

    Info-Tech Insight

    Use the service recovery paradox to your advantage. Address service desk challenges explicitly, develop incident management processes that get services back online quickly, and communicate the changes.

    If you show that the service desk recovered well from the challenges end users raised, you will get greater loyalty from them.

    Assign incident roles and responsibilities to promote accountability

    The role of an incident coordinator or manager can be assigned to anyone inside the service desk that has a strong knowledge of incident resolution, attention to detail, and knows how to herd cats.

    In organizations with high ticket volumes, a separate role may be necessary.

    Everyone must recognize that incident management is a cross-IT organization process and it does not have to be a unique service desk process.

    An incident coordinator is responsible for:

    • Improving incident management processes.
    • Tracking metrics and producing reports.
    • Developing and maintaining the incident management system.
    • Developing and maintaining critical incident processes.
    • Ensuring the service support team follows the incident management process.
    • Gathering post-mortem information from the various technical resources on root cause for critical or severity 1 incidents.

    The Director of IT Services invested in incident management to improve responsiveness and set end-user expectations

    Practitioner Insight

    Ben Rodrigues developed a progressive plan to create a responsive, service-oriented culture for the service support organization.

    "When I joined the organization, there wasn’t a service desk. People just phoned, emailed, maybe left [sticky] notes for who they thought in IT would resolve it. There wasn’t a lot of investment in developing clear processes. It was ‘Let’s call somebody in IT.’

    I set up the service desk to clarify what we would do for end users and to establish some SLAs.

    I didn’t commit to service levels right away. I needed to see how many resources and what skill sets I would need. I started by drafting some SLA targets and plugging them into our tracking application. I then monitored how we did on certain things and established if we needed other skill sets. Then I communicated those SOPs to the business, so that ‘if you have an issue, this is where you go, and this is how you do it,’ and then shared those KPIs with them.

    I had monthly meetings with different function heads to say, ‘this is what I see your guys calling me about,’ and we worked on something together to make some of the pain disappear."

    -Ben Rodrigues

    Director, IT Services

    Gamma Dynacare

    Sketch out incident management challenges to focus improvements

    Common Incident Management Challenges

    End Users

    • No faith in the service desk beyond speaking with their favorite technician.
    • No expectations for response or resolution time.
    • Non-IT staff are disrupted as people ask their colleagues for IT advice.

    Technicians

    • No one manages and escalates incidents.
    • Incidents are unnecessarily urgent and more likely to have a greater impact.
    • Agents are flooded with requests to do routine tasks during desk visits.
    • Specialist support staff are subject to constant interruptions.
    • Tickets are lost, incomplete, or escalated incorrectly.
    • Incidents are resolved from scratch rather than referring to existing solutions.

    Managers

    • Tickets are incomplete or lack historical information to address complaints.
    • Tickets in system don’t match the perceived workload.
    • Unable to gather data for budgeting or business analysis.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Consistent incident management processes will improve end-user satisfaction with all other IT services.

    However, be prepared to overcome these common obstacles as you put the process in place, including:

    • Absence of management or staff commitment.
    • Lack of clarity on organizational needs.
    • Outdated work practices.
    • Poorly defined service desk goals and responsibilities.
    • Lack of a reliable knowledgebase.
    • Inadequate training.
    • Resistance to change.

    Prepare to implement or improve incident management

    2.1.1 Review incident management challenges and metrics

    1. Review your incident management challenges and the benefits of addressing them.
    2. Review the level of service you are providing with the current resources. Define clear goals and deliverables for the improvement initiative.
    3. Decide how the incident management process will interface with the service desk. Who will take on the responsibility for resolving incidents? Specifically, who will:
      • Log incidents.
      • Perform initial incident troubleshooting.
      • Own and monitor tickets.
      • Communicate with end users.
      • Update records with the resolution.
      • Close incidents.
      • Implement next steps (e.g. initiate problem management).
    4. Document recommendations and the incident management process requirements in the Service Desk SOP.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You’ll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Distinguish between different kinds of tickets for better SLAs

    Different ticket types are associated with radically different prioritization, routing, and service levels. For instance, most incidents are resolved within a business day, but requests take longer to implement.

    If you fail to distinguish between ticket types, your metrics will obscure service desk performance.

    Common Service Desk Tickets

    • Incidents
      • An unanticipated interruption of a service.
        • The goal of incident management is to restore the service as soon as possible, even if the resolution involves a workaround.
    • Problems
      • The root cause of several incidents.
        • The goal of problem management is to detect the root cause and provide long-term resolution and prevention.
    • Requests
      • A generic description for small changes or service access
        • Requests are small, frequent, and low risk. They are best handled by a process distinct from incident, change, and project management.
    • Changes
      • Modification or removal of anything that could influence IT services.
        • The scope includes significant changes to architectures, processes, tools, metrics, and documentation.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Organizations sometimes mistakenly classify small projects as service requests, which can compromise your data, resulting in a negative impact to the perceived value of the service desk.

    Separate incidents and service requests for increased customer service and better-defined SLAs

    Defining the differences between service requests and incidents is not just for reporting purposes. It also has a major impact on how service is delivered.

    Incidents are unexpected disruptions to normal business processes and require attempts to restore services as soon as possible (e.g. the printer is not working).

    Service requests are tasks that don’t involve something that is broken or has an immediate impact on services. They do not require immediate resolution and can typically be scheduled (e.g. new software).

    Image shows a chart on incidents and service requests.

    Focus on the big picture first to capture and streamline how your organization resolves incidents

    Image displays a flow chart to show how to organize resolving incidents.

    Document your incident management workflow to identify opportunities for improvement

    Image shows a flow cart on how to organize incident management.

    Workflow should include:

    • Ticket creation and closure
    • Triage
    • Troubleshooting
    • Escalations
    • Communications
    • Change management
    • Documentation
    • Vendor escalations

    Notes:

    • Notification and alerts should be used to set or reset expectations on delivery or resolution
    • Identify all the steps where a customer is informed and ensure we are not over or under communicating

    Collaborate to define each step of the incident management workflow

    2.1.2 Define the incident management workflow

    Estimated Time: 60 minutes

    Option 1: Whiteboard

    1. Discuss the workflow and draw it on the whiteboard.
    2. Assess whether you are using the best workflow. Modify it if necessary.
    3. Engage the team in refining the process workflow.
    4. Transfer data to Visio and add to the SOP.

    Option 2: Tabletop Exercise

    1. Distribute index cards to each member of the team.
    2. Have each person write a single task they perform on the index card. Be granular. Include the title or the name of the person responsible.
    3. Mark cards that are decision points. Use a card of a different color or use a marker to make a colored dot.
    4. Arrange the index cards in order, removing duplicates.
    5. Assess whether you are using the best workflow. Engage the team to refine it if necessary.
    6. Transfer data to Visio and add to the Service Desk SOP.

    Participants

    • Service Manager
    • Service Desk Support
    • Applications or Infrastructure Support

    What You’ll Need

    • Flip Chart Paper
    • Sticky Notes
    • Pens
    • Service Desk SOP
    • Project Summary

    Formalize the process for critical incident management to reduce organizational impact

    Discuss these elements to see how the organization will handle them.

    • Communication plan:
      • Who communicates with end users?
      • Who communicates with the executive team?
    • It’s important to separate the role of the technician trying to solve a problem with the need to communicate progress.
    • Change management:
    • Define a separate process for regular and emergency change management to ensure changes are timely and appropriate.
    • Business continuity plan:
    • Identify criteria to decide when a business continuity plan (BCP) must be implemented during a critical incident to minimize the business impact of the incident.
    • Post-mortems:
    • Formalize the process of discussing and documenting lessons learned, understanding outstanding issues, and addressing the root cause of incidents.
    • Source of incident notification:
    • Does the process change if users notify the service desk of an issue or if the systems management tools alert technicians?

    Critical incidents are high-impact, high-urgency events that put the effectiveness and timeliness of the service desk center stage.

    Build a workflow that focuses on quickly bringing together the right people to resolve the incident and reduces the chances of recurrence.

    Document your critical incident management workflow to identify opportunities for improvement

    Image shows a flow cart on how to organize critical incident management.

    Workflow should include:

    • Ticket creation and closure
    • Triage
    • Troubleshooting
    • Escalations
    • Communications plan
    • Change management
    • Disaster recovery or business continuity plan
    • Documentation
    • Vendor escalations
    • Post-mortem

    Collaborate to define each step of the critical incident management workflow

    2.1.3 Define the critical incident management workflow

    Estimated Time: 60 minutes

    Option 1: Whiteboard

    1. Discuss the workflow and draw it on the whiteboard.
    2. Assess whether you are using the best workflow. Modify it if necessary.
    3. Engage the team in refining the process workflow.
    4. Transfer data to Visio and add to the SOP.

    Option 2: Tabletop Exercise

    1. Distribute index cards to each member of the team.
    2. Have each person write a single task they perform on the index card. Be granular. Include the title or the name of the person responsible.
    3. Mark cards that are decision points. Use a card of a different color or use a marker to make a colored dot.
    4. Arrange the index cards in order, removing duplicates.
    5. Assess whether you are using the best workflow. Engage the team to refine it if necessary.
    6. Transfer data to Visio and add to the Service Desk SOP.

    Participants

    • Service Manager
    • Service Desk Support
    • Applications or Infrastructure Support

    What You’ll Need

    • Flip Chart Paper
    • Sticky Notes
    • Pens
    • Service Desk SOP

    Establish a critical incident management communication plan

    When it comes to communicating during major incidents, it’s important to get the information just right. Users don’t want too little, they don’t want too much, they just want what’s relevant to them, and they want that information at the right time.

    As an IT professional, you may not have a background in communications, but it becomes an important part of your job. Broad guidelines for good communication during a critical incident are:

    1. Communicate as broadly as the impact of your incident requires.
    2. Communicate as much detail as a specific audience requires, but no more than necessary.
    3. Communicate as far ahead of impact as possible.

    Why does communication matter?

    Sending the wrong message, at the wrong time, to the wrong stakeholders, can result in:

    • Drop in customer satisfaction.
    • Wasted time and resources from multiple customers contacting you with the same issue.
    • Dissatisfied executives kept in the dark.
    • Increased resolution time if the relevant providers and IT staff are not informed soon enough to help.

    Info-Tech Insight

    End users understand that sometimes things break. What’s important to them is that (1) you don’t repeatedly have the same problem, (2) you keep them informed, and (3) you give them enough notice when their systems will be impacted and when service will be returned.

    Automate communication to save time and deliver consistent messaging to the right stakeholders

    In the middle of resolving a critical incident, the last thing you have time for is worrying about crafting a good message. Create a series of templates to save time by providing automated, tailored messages for each stage of the process that can be quickly altered and sent out to the right stakeholders.

    Once templates are in place, when the incident occurs, it’s simply a matter of:

    1. Choosing the relevant template.
    2. Updating recipients and messaging if necessary.
    3. Adding specific, relevant data and fields.
    4. Sending the message.

    When to communicate?

    Tell users the information they need to know when they need to know it. If a user is directly impacted, tell them that. If the incident does not directly affect the user, the communication may lead to decreased customer satisfaction or failure to pay attention to future relevant messaging.

    What to say?

    • Keep messaging short and to the point.
    • Only say what you know for sure.
    • Provide only the details the audience needs to know to take any necessary action or steps on their side and no more. There’s no need to provide details on the reason for the failure before it’s resolved, though this can be done after resolution and restoration of service.

    You’ll need distinct messages for distinct audiences. For example:

    • To incident resolvers: “Servers X through Y in ABC Location are failing intermittently. Please test the servers and all the connections to determine the exact cause so we can take corrective action ASAP.”
    • To the IT department head: “Servers X through Y in ABC Location are failing intermittently. We are beginning tests. We will let you know when we have determined the exact cause and can give you an estimated completion time.”
    • To executives: “We’re having an issue with some servers at ABC Location. We are testing to determine the cause and will let you know the estimated completion time as soon as possible.”
    • To end users: “We are experience some service issues. We are working on a resolution diligently and will restore service as soon as possible.”

    Map out who will need to be contacted in the event of a critical incident

    2.1.4 Design the critical incident communication plan

    • Identify critical incidents that require communication.
    • Identify stakeholders who will need to be informed about each incident.
    • For each audience, determine:
      1. Frequency of communication
      2. Content of communication
    Use the sample template to the right as an example.

    Some questions to assist you:

    • Whose work will be interrupted, either by their services going down or by their workers having to drop everything to solve the incident?
    • What would happen if we didn’t notify this person?
    • What level of detail do they need?
    • How often would they want to be updated?
    Document outcomes in the Service Desk SOP. Image shows template of unplanned service outage.

    Measure and improve customer satisfaction with the use of relationship and transactional surveys

    Customer experience programs with a combination of relationship and transactional surveys tend to be more effective. Merging the two will give a wholistic picture of the customer experience.

    Relationship Surveys

    Relationship surveys focus on obtaining feedback on the overall customer experience.

    • Inform how well you are doing or where you need improvement in the broad services provided.
    • Provide a high-level perspective on the relationship between the business and IT.
    • Help with strategic improvement decisions.
    • Should be sent over a duration of time and to the entire customer base after they’ve had time to experience all the services provided by the service desk. This can be done as frequently as per quarter or on a yearly basis.
    • E.g. An annual satisfaction survey such as Info-Tech’s End User Satisfaction Diagnostic.

    Transactional Surveys

    Transactional surveys are tied to a specific interaction or transaction your end users have with a specific product or service.

    • Help with tactical improvement decisions.
    • Questions should point to a specific interaction.
    • Usually only a few questions that are quick and easy to complete following the transaction.
    • Since transactional surveys allow you to improve individual relationships, they should be sent shortly after the interaction with the service desk has occurred.
    • E.g. How satisfied are you with the way your ticket was resolved?

    Add transactional end-user surveys at ticket close to escalate unsatisfactory results

    A simple quantitative survey at the closing of a ticket can inform the service desk manager of any issues that were not resolved to the end user’s satisfaction. Take advantage of workflows to escalate poor results immediately for quick follow-up.

    Image shows example of survey question with rating.

    If a more complex survey is required, you may wish to include some of these questions:

    Please rate your overall satisfaction with the way your issue was handled (1=unsatisfactory, 5=fantastic)

    • The professionalism of the analyst.
    • The technical skills or knowledge of the analyst.
    • The timeliness of the service provided.
    • The overall service experience.

    Add an open-ended, qualitative question to put the number in context, and solicit critical feedback:

    What could the service desk have done to improve your experience?

    Define a process to respond to both negative and positive feedback

    Successful customer satisfaction programs respond effectively to both positive and negative outcomes. Late or lack of responses to negative comments may increase customer frustration, while not responding at all to the positive comments may give the perception of indifference. If customers are taking the time to fill out the survey, good or bad, they should be followed up with

    Take these steps to handle survey feedback:

    1. Assign resources to receive, read, and track responses. The entire team doesn’t need to receive every response, while a single resource may not have capacity to respond in a timely manner. Decide what makes the most sense in your environment.
    2. Respond to negative feedback: It may not be possible to respond to every customer that fills out a survey. Set guidelines for responding to negative surveys with no details on the issue; don’t spend time guessing why they were upset, simply ask the user why they were unsatisfied. The critical piece of taking advantage of the service recovery paradox is in the follow-up to the customer.
    3. Investigate and improve: Make sure you investigate the issue to ensure that it is a justified complaint or whether the issue is a symptom of another issue’s root cause. Identify remediation steps to ensure the issue does not repeat itself, and then communicate to the customer the action you have taken to improve.
    4. Act on positive feedback as well: If it’s easy for customers to provide feedback, then make room in your process for handling the positive results. Appreciate the time and effort your customers take to give kudos and use it as a tool to build a long-term relationship with that user. Saying thank you goes a long way and when customers know their time matters, they will be encouraged to fill out those surveys. This is also a good way to show what a great job the service desk team did with the interaction.

    Analyze survey feedback month over month to complement and justify metric results already in place

    When you combine the tracking and analysis of relationship and transactional survey data you will be able to dive into specific issues, identify trends and patterns, assess impact to users, and build a plan to make improvements.

    Once the survey data is centralized, categorized, and available you can start to focus on metrics. At a minimum, for transactional surveys, consider tracking:

    • Breakdown of satisfaction scores with trends over time
    • Unsatisfactory surveys that are related to incidents and service requests
    • Total surveys that have been actioned vs pending

    For relationship surveys, consider tracking:

    • Satisfaction scores by department and seniority level
    • Satisfaction with IT services, applications, and communication
    • Satisfaction with IT’s business enablement

    Scores of overall satisfaction with IT

    Image Source: Info-Tech End User Satisfaction Report

    Prioritize company-wide improvement initiatives by those that have the biggest impact to the entire customer base first and then communicate the plan to the organization using a variety of communication channels that will draw your customers in, e.g. dashboards, newsletters, email alerts.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Consider automating or using your ITSM notification system as a direct communication method to inform the service desk manager of negative survey results.

    Step 2.2: Design ticket categorization

    Image shows the steps in phase 2. Highlight is on step 2.2

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 2.2.1 Assess ticket categorization
    • 2.2.2 Enhance ticket categories with resolution and status codes

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    The reviewed ticket categorization scheme will be easier to use and deploy more consistently, which will improve the categorization of data and the reliability of reports.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Optimized ticket categorization

    Design a ticket classification scheme to produce useful reports

    Reliable reports depend on an effective categorization scheme.

    Too many options cause confusion; too few options provide little value. As you build the classification scheme over the next few slides, let call routing and reporting requirements be your guide.

    Effective classification schemes are concise, easy to use correctly, and easy to maintain.

    Image shows example of a ticket classification scheme.

    Keep these guidelines in mind:

    • A good categorization scheme is exhaustive and mutually exclusive: there’s a place for every ticket and every ticket fits in only one place.
    • As you build your classification scheme, ensure the categories describe the actual asset or service involved based on final resolution, not how it was reported initially.
    • Pre-populate ticket templates with relevant categories to dramatically improve reporting and routing accuracy.
    • Use a tiered system to make the categories easier to navigate. Three tiers with 6-8 categories per tier provides up to 512 sub-categories, which should be enough for the most ambitious team.
    • Track only what you will use for reporting purposes. If you don’t need a report on individual kinds of laptops, don’t create a category beyond “laptops.”
    • Avoid “miscellaneous” categories. A large portion of your tickets will eventually end up there.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Don’t do it alone! Collaborate with managers in the specialized IT groups responsible for root-cause analysis to develop a categorization scheme that makes sense for them.

    The first approach to categorization breaks down the IT portfolio into asset types

    WHY SHOULD I START WITH ASSETS?

    Start with asset types if asset management and configuration management processes figure prominently in your practice or on your service management implementation roadmap.

    Image displays example of asset types and how to categorize them.

    Building the Categories

    Ask these questions:

    • Type: What kind of asset am I working on?
    • Category: What general asset group am I working on?
    • Subcategory: What particular asset am I working on?

    Need to make quick progress? Use Info-Tech Research Group’s Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes template.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Think about how you will use the data to determine which components need to be included in reports. If components won’t be used for reporting, routing, or warranty, reporting down to the component level adds little value.

    The second approach to categorization breaks down the IT portfolio into types of services

    WHY SHOULD I START WITH SERVICES?

    Start with asset services if service management generally figures prominently in your practice, especially service catalog management.

    Image displays example of service types and how to categorize them.

    Building the Categories

    Ask these questions:

    • Type: What kind of service am I working on?
    • Category: What general service group am I working on?
    • Subcategory: What particular service am I working on?

    Need to make quick progress? Use Info-Tech Research Group’s Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes template.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Remember, ticket categories are not your only source of reports. Enhance the classification scheme with resolution and status codes for more granular reporting.

    Improve the categorization scheme to enhance routing and reporting

    2.2.1 Assess whether the service desk can improve its ticket categorization

    1. As a group, review existing categories, looking for duplicates and designations that won’t affect ticket routing. Reconcile duplicates and remove non-essential categories.
    2. As a group, re-do the categories, ensuring that the new categorization scheme will meet the reporting requirements outlined earlier.
      • Are categories exhaustive and mutually exclusive?
      • Is the tier simple and easy to use (i.e. 3 tiers x 8 categories)?
    3. Test against recent tickets to ensure you have the right categories.
    4. Record the ticket categorization scheme in the Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes template.

    A screenshot of the Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes template.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You’ll Need

    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard
    • Service Desk Ticket Categorization Scheme

    Enhance the classification scheme with resolution and status codes for more granular reporting

    Resolution codes differ from detailed resolution notes.

    • A resolution code is a field within the ticketing system that should be updated at ticket close to categorize the primary way the ticket was resolved.
    • This is important for reporting purposes as it adds another level to the categorization scheme and can help you identify knowledgebase article candidates, training needs, or problems.

    Ticket statuses are a helpful field for both IT and end users to identify the current status of the ticket and to initiate workflows.

    • The most common statuses are open, pending/in progress, resolved, and closed (note the difference between resolved and closed).
    • Waiting on user or waiting on vendor are also helpful statuses to stop the clock when awaiting further information or input.

    Common Examples:

    Resolution Codes

    • How to/training
    • Configuration change
    • Upgrade
    • Installation
    • Data import/export/change
    • Information/research
    • Reboot

    Status Fields

    • Declined
    • Open
    • Closed
    • Waiting on user
    • Waiting on vendor
    • Reopened by user

    Identify and document resolution and status codes

    2.2.2 Enhance ticket categories with resolution codes

    Discuss:

    • How can we use resolution information to enhance reporting?
    • Are current status fields telling the right story?
    • Are there other requirements like project linking?

    Draft:

    1. Write out proposed resolution codes and status fields and critically assess their value.
    2. Resolutions can be further broken down by incident and service request if desired.
    3. Test resolution codes against a few recent tickets.
    4. Record the ticket categorization scheme in the Service Desk SOP.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Technician(s)

    What You’ll Need

    • Whiteboard or Flip Chart
    • Markers

    Step 2.3: Design incident escalation and prioritization

    Image shows the steps in phase 2. Highlight is on step 2.3.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 2.3.1 Build a small number of rules to facilitate prioritization
    • 2.3.2 Define escalation rules
    • 2.3.3 Define automated escalations
    • 2.3.4 Provide guidance to each tier around escalation steps and times

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    The reviewed ticket escalation and prioritization will streamline queue management, improve the quality of escalations, and ensure agents work on the right tickets at the right time.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Optimized ticket prioritization scheme
    • Guidelines for ticket escalations
    • List of automatic escalations

    Build a ticket prioritization matrix to make escalation assessment less subjective

    Most IT leaders agree that prioritization is one of the most difficult aspects of IT in general. Set priorities based on business needs first.

    Mission-critical systems or problems that affect many people should always come first (i.e. Severity Level 1).

    The bulk of reported problems, however, are often individual problems with desktop PCs (i.e. Severity Level 3 or 4).

    Some questions to consider when deciding on problem severity include:

    • How is productivity affected?
    • How many users are affected?
    • How many systems are affected?
    • How critical are the affected systems to the organization?

    Decide how many severity levels the organization needs the service desk to have. Four levels of severity are ideal for most organizations.

    Image shows example ticket prioritization matrix

    Collect the ticket prioritization scheme in one diagram to ensure service support aligns to business requirements

    Image shows example ticket prioritization matrix

    Prioritize incidents based on severity and urgency to foreground critical issues

    2.3.1 Build a clearly defined priority scheme

    Estimated Time: 60 minutes

    1. Decide how many levels of severity are appropriate for your organization.
    2. Build a prioritization matrix, breaking down priority levels by impact and urgency.
    3. Build out the definitions of impact and urgency to complete the prioritization matrix.
    4. Run through examples of each priority level to make sure everyone is on the same page.

    Image shows example ticket prioritization matrix

    Document in the SOP

    Participants

    • Service Managers
    • Service Desk Support
    • Applications or Infrastructure Support

    What You'll Need

    • Flip Chart Paper
    • Sticky Notes
    • Pens
    • Service Desk SOP

    Example of outcome from 2.3.1

    Define response and resolution targets for each priority level to establish service-level objectives for service support

    Image shows example of response and resolution targets.

    Build clear rules to help agents determine when to escalate

    2.3.2 Assign response, resolution, and escalation times to each priority level

    Estimated Time: 60 minutes

    Instructions:

    For each incident priority level, define the associated:

    1. Response time – time from when incident record is created to the time the service desk acknowledges to the customer that their ticket has been received and assigned.
    2. Resolution time – time from when the incident record is created to the time that the customer has been advised that their problem has been resolved.
    3. Escalation time – maximum amount of time that a ticket should be worked on without progress before being escalated to someone else.

    Participants

    • Service Managers
    • Service Desk Support
    • Applications or Infrastructure Support

    What You'll Need

    • Flip Chart Paper
    • Sticky Notes
    • Pens

    Image shows example of response and resolution targets

    Use the table on the previous slide as a guide.

    Discuss the possible root causes for escalation issues

    WHY IS ESCALATION IMPORTANT?

    Escalation is not about admitting defeat, but about using your resources properly.

    Defining procedures for escalation reduces the amount of time the service desk spends troubleshooting before allocating the incident to a higher service tier. This reduces the mean time to resolve and increases end-user satisfaction.

    You can correlate escalation paths to ticket categories devised in step 2.2.

    Image shows example on potential root causes for escalation issues.

    Build decision rights to help agents determine when to escalate

    2.3.3 Provide guidance to each tier around escalation steps and times

    Estimated Time: 60 minutes

    Instructions

    1. For each support tier, define escalation rules for troubleshooting (steps that each tier should take before escalation).
    2. For each support tier, define maximum escalation times (maximum amount of time to work on a ticket without progress before escalating).
    Example of outcome from step 2.3.3 to determine when to escalate issues.

    Create a list of application specialists to get the escalation right the first time

    2.3.4 Define automated escalations

    Estimated Time: 60 minutes

    1. Identify applications that will require specialists for troubleshooting or access rights.
    2. Identify primary and secondary specialists for each application.
    3. Identify vendors that will receive escalations either immediately or after troubleshooting.
    4. Set up application groups in the service desk tool.
    5. Set up workflows in the service desk tool where appropriate.
    6. Document the automated escalations in the categorization scheme developed in step 2.2 and in the Service Desk Roles and Responsibilities Guide.

    A screenshot of the Service Desk Roles and Responsibilities Guide

    Participants

    • Service Managers
    • Service Desk Support
    • Applications or Infrastructure Support

    What You'll Need

    • Flip Chart Paper
    • Sticky Notes
    • Pens

    Phase 3

    Design Request Fulfilment Processes

    Step 3.1: Build request workflows

    Image shows the steps in phase 3. Highlight is on step 3.1.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 3.1.1 Distinguish between requests and small projects
    • 3.1.2 Define service requests with SLAs
    • 3.1.3 Build and critique request workflows

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    Workflows for service requests will improve the consistency and quality of service delivery and prepare the service desk to negotiate reliable service levels with the organization.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Workflows for the most common service requests
    • An estimated service level for each service request
    • Request vs. project criteria

    Standardize service requests for more efficient delivery

    Definitions:

    • An incident is an unexpected disruption to normal business processes and requires attempts to restore service as soon as possible (e.g. printer not working).
    • A service request is a request where nothing is broken or impacting a service and typically can be scheduled rather than requiring immediate resolution (e.g. new software application).
    • Service requests are repeatable, predictable, and easier to commit to SLAs.
    • By committing to SLAs, expectations can be set for users and business units for service fulfillment.
    • Workflows for service requests should be documented and reviewed to ensure consistency of fulfillment.
    • Documentation should be created for service request procedures that are complex.
    • Efficiencies can be created through automation such as with software deployment.
    • All service requests can be communicated through a self-service portal or service catalog.

    PREPARE A FUTURE SERVICE CATALOG

    Standardize requests to develop a consistent offering and prepare for a future service catalog.

    Document service requests to identify time to fulfill and approvals.

    Identify which service requests can be auto-approved and which will require a workflow to gain approval.

    Document workflows and analyze them to identify ways to improve SLAs. If any approvals are interrupting technical processes, rearrange them so that approvals happen before the technical team is involved.

    Determine support levels for each service offering and ensure your team can sustain them.

    Where it makes sense, automate delivery of services such as software deployment.

    Distinguish between service requests and small projects to ensure agents and end users follow the right process

    The distinction between service requests and small projects has two use cases, which are two sides of the same resourcing issue.

    • Service desk managers need to understand the difference to ensure the right approval process is followed. Typically, projects have more stringent intake requirements than requests do.
    • PMOs need to understand the difference to ensure the right people are doing the work and that small, frequent changes are standardized, automated, and taken out of the project list.

    What’s the difference between a service request and a small project?

    • The key differences involve resource scope, frequency, and risk.
    • Requests are likely to require fewer resources than projects, be fulfilled more often, and involve less risk.
    • Requests are typically done by tier 1 and 2 employees throughout the IT organization.
    • A request can turn into a small project if the scope of the request grows beyond the bounds of a normal request.

    Example: A mid-sized organization goes on a hiring blitz and needs to onboard 150 new employees in one quarter. Submitting and scheduling 150 requests for onboarding new employees would require much more time and resources.

    Projects are different from service requests and have different criteria

    A project, by terminology, is a temporary endeavor planned around producing a specific organizational or business outcome.

    Common Characteristics of Projects:

    • Time sensitive, temporary, one-off.
    • Uncertainty around how to create the unique thing, product, or service that is the project’s goal.
    • Non-repetitive work and sizeable enough to introduce heightened risk and complexity.
    • Strategic focus, business case-informed capital funding, and execution activities driven by a charter.
    • Introduces change to the organization.
    • Multiple stakeholders involved and cross-functional resourcing.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Projects require greater risk, effort, and resources than a service request and should be redirected to the PMO.

    Standard service requests vs. non-standard service requests: criteria to make them distinct

    • If there is no differentiation between standard and non-standard requests, those tickets can easily move into the backlog, growing it very quickly.
    • Create a process to easily identify non-standard requests when they enter the ticket queue to ensure customers are made aware of any delay of service, especially if it is a product or service currently not offered. This will give time for any approvals or technical solutioning that may need to occur.
    • Take recurring non-standard requests and make them standard. This is a good way to determine if there are any gaps in services offered and another vehicle to understand what your customers want.

    Standard Requests

    • Very common requests, delivered on an on-going basis
    • Defined process
    • Measured in hours or days
    • Uses service catalog, if it exists
    • Formalized and should already be documented
    • The time to deal with the request is defined

    Non-Standard Requests

    • Higher level complexity than standard requests
    • Cannot be fulfilled via service catalog
    • No defined process
    • Not supplied by questions that Service Request Definition (SRD) offers
    • Product or service is not currently offered, and it may need time for technical review, additional approvals, and procurement processes

    The right questions can help you distinguish between standard requests, non-standard requests, and projects

    Where do we draw the line between a standard and non-standard request and a project?

    The service desk can’t and shouldn’t distinguish between requests and projects on its own. Instead, engage stakeholders to determine where to draw the line.

    Whatever criteria you choose, define them carefully.

    Be pragmatic: there is no single best set of criteria and no single best definition for each criterion. The best criteria and definitions will be the ones that work in your organizational context.

    Common distinguishing factors and thresholds:

    Image shows table of the common distinguishing factors and thresholds.

    Distinguish between standard and non-standard service requests and projects

    3.1.1 Distinguish between service requests and projects

    1. Divide the group into two small teams.
    2. Each team will brainstorm examples of service requests and small projects.
    3. Identify factors and thresholds that distinguish between the two groups of items.
    4. Bring the two groups together and discuss the two sets of criteria.
    5. Consolidate one set of criteria that will help make the distinction between projects and service requests.
    6. Capture the table in the Service Desk SOP.

    Image shows blank template of the common distinguishing factors and thresholds.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Distinguishing factors and thresholds

    Don’t standardize request fulfilment processes alone

    Everyone in IT contributes to the fulfilment of requests, but do they know it?

    New service desk managers sometimes try to standardize request fulfilment processes on their own only to encounter either apathy or significant resistance to change.

    Moving to a tiered generalist service desk with a service-oriented culture, a high first-tier generalist resolution rate, and collaborative T2 and T3 specialists can be a big change. It is critical to get the request workflows right.

    Don’t go it alone. Engage a core team of process champions from all service support. With executive support, the right process building exercises can help you overcome resistance to change.

    Consider running the process building activities in this project phase in a working session or a workshop setting.

    Info-Tech Insight

    If they build it, they will come. Service desk improvement is an exercise in organizational change that crosses IT disciplines. Organizations that fail to engage IT specialists from other silos often encounter resistance to change that jeopardizes the process improvements they are trying to make. Overcome resistance by highlighting how process changes will benefit different groups in IT and solicit the feedback of specialists who can affect or be affected by the changes.

    Define standard service requests with SLAs and workflows

    WHY DO I NEED WORKFLOWS?

    Move approvals out of technical IT processes to make them more efficient. Evaluate all service requests to see where auto-approvals make sense. Where approvals are required, use tools and workflows to manage the process.

    Example:

    Image is an example of SLAs and workflows.

    Approvals can be the main roadblock to fulfilling service requests

    Image is example of workflow approvals.

    Review the general standard service request and inquiry fulfillment processes

    As standard service requests should follow standard, repeatable, and predictable steps to fulfill, they can be documented with workflows.

    Image is a flow chart of service and inquiry request processes.

    Review the general standard service request and inquiry fulfillment processes

    Ensure there is a standard and predictable methodology for assessing non-standard requests; inevitably those requests may still cause delay in fulfillment.

    Create a process to ensure reasonable expectations of delivery can be set with the end user and then identify what technology requests should become part of the existing standard offerings.

    Image is a flowchart of non-standard request processes

    Document service requests to ensure consistent delivery and communicate requirements to users

    3.1.2 Define service requests with SLAs

    1. On a flip chart, list standard service requests.
    2. Identify time required to fulfill, including time to schedule resources.
    3. Identify approvals required; determine if approvals can be automated through defining roles.
    4. Discuss opportunities to reduce SLAs or automate, but recognize that this may not happen right away.
    5. Discuss plans to communicate SLAs to the business units, recognizing that some users may take a bit of time to adapt to the new SLAs.
    6. Work toward improving SLAs as new opportunities for process change occur.
    7. Document SLAs in the Service Desk SOP and update as SLAs change.
    8. Build templates in the service desk tool that encapsulate workflows and routing, SLAs, categorization, and resolution.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Managers
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Info-Tech Insight

    These should all be scheduled services. Anything that is requested as a rush needs to be marked as a higher urgency or priority to track end users who need training on the process.

    Analyze service request workflows to improve service delivery

    3.1.3 Build and critique request workflows

    1. Divide the group into small teams.
    2. Each team will choose one service request from the list created in the previous module and then draw the workflow. Include decision points and approvals.
    3. Discuss availability and technical support:
      • Can the service be fulfilled during regular business hours or 24x7?
      • Is technical support and application access available during regular business hours or 24x7?
    4. Reconvene and present workflows to the group.
    5. Document workflows in Visio and add to the Service Desk SOP. Where appropriate, enter workflows in the service desk tool.

    Critique workflows for efficiencies and effectiveness:

    • Do the workflows support the SLAs identified in the previous exercise?
    • Are the workflows efficient?
    • Is the IT staff consistently following the same workflow?
    • Are approvals appropriate? Is there too much bureaucracy or can some approvals be removed? Can they be preapproved?
    • Are approvals interrupting technical processes? If so, can they be moved?

    Participants

    • Service Desk Managers
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You'll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Project Summary
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Step 3.2: Build a targeted knowledgebase

    Image shows the steps in phase 3. Highlight is on step 3.2.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 3.2.1 Design knowledge management processes
    • 3.2.2 Create actionable knowledgebase articles

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    The section will introduce service catalogs and get the organization to envision what self-service tools it might include.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Knowledgebase policy and process

    A knowledgebase is an essential tool in the service management toolbox

    Knowledge Management

    Gathering, analyzing, storing & sharing knowledge to reduce the need to rediscover known solutions.

    Knowledgebase

    Organized repository of IT best practices and knowledge gained from practical experiences.

    • End-User KB
    • Give end users a chance to resolve simple issues themselves without submitting a ticket.

    • Internal KB
    • Shared resource for service desk staff and managers to share and use knowledge.

    Use the knowledgebase to document:

    • Steps for pre-escalation troubleshooting.
    • Known errors.
    • Workarounds or solutions to recurring issues.
    • Solutions that require research or complex troubleshooting.
    • Incidents that have many root causes. Start with the most frequent solution and work toward less likely issues.

    Draw on organizational goals to define the knowledge transfer target state

    Image is Info-Tech’s Knowledge Transfer Maturity Model
    *Source: McLean & Company, 2013; N=120

    It’s better to start small than to have nothing at all

    Service desk teams are often overwhelmed by the idea of building and maintaining a comprehensive integrated knowledgebase that covers an extensive amount of information.

    Don’t let this idea stop you from building a knowledgebase! It takes time to build a comprehensive knowledgebase and you must start somewhere.

    Start with existing documentation or knowledge that depends on the expertise of only a few people and is easy to document and you will already see the benefits.

    Then continue to build and improve from there. Eventually, knowledge management will be a part of the culture.

    Engage the team to build a knowledgebase targeted on your most important incidents and requests

    WHERE DO I START?

    Inventory and consolidate existing documentation, then evaluate it for audience relevancy, accuracy, and usability. Use the exercise and the next slides to develop a knowledgebase template.

    Produce a plan to improve the knowledgebase.

    • Identify the current top five or ten incidents from the service desk reports and create related knowledgebase articles.
    • Evaluate for end-user self-service or technician resolution.
    • Note any resolutions that require access rights to servers.
    • Assign documentation creation tasks for the knowledgebase to individual team members each week.
    • Apply only one incident per article.
    • Set goals for each technician to submit one or two meaningful articles per month.
    • Assign a knowledge manager to monitor creation and edit and maintain the database.
    • Set policy to drive currency of the knowledgebase. See the Service Desk SOP for an example of a workable knowledge policy.

    Use a phased approach to build a knowledgebase

    Image is an example of a phased approach to build a knowledge base

    Use a quarterly, phased approach to continue to build and maintain your knowledgebase

    Continual Knowledgebase Maintenance:

    • Once a knowledgebase is in place, future articles should be written using established templates.
    • Articles should be regularly reviewed and monitored for usage. Outdated information will be retired and archived.
    • Ticket trend analysis should be done on an ongoing basis to identify new articles.
    • A proactive approach will anticipate upcoming issues based on planned upgrades and maintenance or other changes, and document resolution steps in knowledgebase articles ahead of time.

    Every Quarter:

    1. Conduct a ticket trend analysis. Identify the most important and common tickets.
    2. Review the knowledgebase to identify relevant articles that need to be revised or written.
    3. Use data from knowledge management tool to track expiring content and lesser used articles.
    4. Assign the task of writing articles to all IT staff members.
    5. Build and revise ticket templates for incident and service requests.

    Assign a knowledge manager role to ensure accountability for knowledgebase maintenance

    Assign a knowledge manager to monitor creation and edit and maintain database.

    Knowledge Manager/Owner Role:

    • Has overall responsibility for the knowledgebase.
    • Ensures content is consistent and maintains standards.
    • Regularly monitors and updates the list of issues that should be added to the knowledgebase.
    • Regularly reviews existing knowledgebase articles to ensure KB is up to date and flags content to retire or review.
    • Assigns content creation tasks.
    • Optimizes knowledgebase structure and organization.
    • See Info-Tech’s knowledge manager role description if you need a hand defining this position.

    The knowledge manager role will likely be a role assigned to an existing resource rather than a dedicated position.

    Develop a template to ensure knowledgebase articles are easy to read and write

    A screenshot of the Knowledgebase Article Template

    QUICK TIPS

    • Use non-technical language whenever possible to help less-technical readers.
    • Identify error messages and use screenshots where it makes sense.
    • Take advantage of social features like voting buttons to increase use.
    • Use Info-Tech’s Knowledge Base Article Template to get you started.

    Analyze the necessary features for your knowledgebase and compare them against existing tools

    Service desk knowledgebases range in complexity from simple FAQs to fully integrated software suites.

    Options include:

    • Article search with negative and positive filters.
    • Tagging, with the option to have keywords generate top matches.
    • Role-based permissions (to prevent unauthorized deletions).
    • Ability to turn a ticket resolution into a knowledgebase article (typically only available if knowledgebase tool is part of the service desk tool).
    • Natural language search.
    • Partitioning so relevant articles only appear for specific audiences.
    • Editorial workflow management.
    • Ability to set alerts for scheduled article review.
    • Article reporting (most viewed, was it useful?).
    • Rich text fields for attaching screenshots.

    Determine which features your organization needs and check to see if your tools have them.

    For more information on knowledgebase improvement, refer to Info-Tech’s Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy.

    Document your knowledge management maintenance workflow to identify opportunities for improvement

    Workflow should include:

    • How you will identify top articles that need to be written
    • How you will ensure articles remain relevant
    • How you will assign new articles to be written, inclusive of peer review
    Image of flowchart of knowledgebase maintenance process.

    Design knowledgebase management processes

    3.2.1 Design knowledgebase management processes

    1. Assign a knowledge manager to monitor creation and edit and maintain the database. See Info-Tech’s knowledge manager role description if you need a hand defining this position.
    2. Discuss how you can use the service desk tool to integrate the knowledgebase with incident management, request fulfilment, and self-service processes.
    3. Discuss the suitability of a quarterly process to build and edit articles for a target knowledgebase that covers your most important incidents and requests.
    4. Set knowledgebase creation targets for tier 1, 2, and 3 analysts.
    5. Identify relevant performance metrics.
    6. Brainstorm elements that might be used as an incentive program to encourage the creation of knowledgebase articles and knowledge sharing more generally.
    7. Set policy to drive currency of knowledgebase. See the Service Desk SOP for an example of a workable knowledge policy.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You’ll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Create actionable knowledgebase articles

    3.2.2 Run a knowledgebase working group

    Write and critique knowledgebase articles.

    1. On a whiteboard, build a list of potential knowledgebase articles divided by audience: Technician or End User.
    2. Each team member chooses one topic and spends 20 minutes writing.
    3. Each team member either reads the article and has the team critique or passes to the technician to the right for peer review. If there are many participants, break into smaller groups.
    4. Set a goal with the team for how, when, and how often knowledgebase articles will be created.
    5. Capture knowledgebase processes in the Service Desk SOP.

    Audience: Technician

    • Password update
    • VPN printing
    • Active directory – policy, procedures, naming conventions
    • Cell phones
    • VPN client and creation set-up

    Audience: End users

    • Set up email account
    • Password creation policy
    • Voicemail – access, change greeting, activities
    • Best practices for virus, malware, phishing attempts
    • Windows 10 tips and tricks

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You’ll Need

    • Service Desk SOP
    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard

    Step 3.3: Prepare for a self-service portal project

    Image shows the steps in phase 3. Highlight is on step 3.3.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 3.3.1 Develop self-service tools for the end user
    • 3.3.2 Make a plan for creating or improving the self-service portal

    This step involves the following participants:

    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    The section prepares you to tackle a self-service portal project once the service desk standardization is complete.

    DELIVERABLES

    • High-level activities to create a self-service portal

    Design the self-service portal with the users’ computer skills in mind

    A study by the OECD offers a useful reminder of one of usability’s most hard-earned lessons: you are not the user.

    • There is an important difference between IT professionals and the average user that’s even more damaging to your ability to predict what will be a good self-service tool: skills in using computers, the internet, and technology in general.
    • An international research study explored the computer skills of 215,942 people aged 16-65 in 33 countries.
    • The results show that across 33 rich countries, only 5% of the population has strong computer-related abilities and only 33% of people can complete medium-complexity computer tasks.
    • End users are skilled, they just don’t have the same level of comfort with computers as the average IT professional. Design your self-service tools with that fact in mind.
    Image is of a graph showing the ability of computer skills from age 16-65 among various countries.

    Take an incremental and iterative approach to developing your self-service portal

    Use a web portal to offer self-serve functionality or provide FAQ information to your customers to start.

    • Don’t build from scratch. Ideally, use the functionality included with your ITSM tool.
    • If your ITSM tool doesn’t have an adequate self-service portal functionality, then harness other tools that IT already uses. Common examples include Microsoft SharePoint and Google Forms.
    • Make it as easy as possible to access the portal:
      • Deploy an app to managed devices or put the app in your app store.
      • Create a shortcut on people’s start menus or home screens.
      • Print the URL on swag such as mousepads.
    • Follow Info-Tech’s approach to developing your user facing service catalog.

    Some companies use vending machines as a form of self serve. Users can enter their purchase code and “buy” a thin client, mouse, keyboard, software, USB keys, tablet, headphones, or loaners.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Building the basics first will provide your users with immediate value. Incrementally add new features to your portal.

    Optimize the portal: self-service should be faster and more convenient than the alternative

    Design the portal by demand, not supply

    Don’t build a portal framed around current offerings and capabilities just for the sake of it. Build the portal based on what your users want and need if you want them to use it.

    Make user experience a top priority

    The portal should be designed for users to self-serve, and thus self-service must be seamless, clear, and attractive to users.

    Speak your users’ language

    Keep in mind that users may not have high technical literacy or be familiar with terminology that you find commonplace. Use terms that are easy to understand.

    Appeal to both clickers and searchers

    Ensure that users can find what they’re looking for both by browsing the site and by using search functionality.

    Use one central portal for all departments

    If multiple departments (i.e. HR, Finance) use or will use a portal, set up a shared portal so that users won’t have to guess where to go to ask for help.

    You won’t know unless you test

    You will know how to navigate the portal better than anyone, but that doesn’t mean it’s intuitive for a new user. Test the portal with users to collect and incorporate feedback.

    Self-service portal examples (1/2)

    Image is of an example of the self-service portal

    Image source: Cherwell Service Management

    Self-service examples (2/2)

    Image is of an example of the self-service portal

    Image source: Team Dynamix

    Keep the end-user facing knowledgebase relevant with workflows, multi-device access, and social features

    Workflows:

    • Easily manage peer reviews and editorial and relevance review.
    • Enable links and importing between tickets and knowledgebase articles.
    • Enable articles to appear based on ticket content.

    Multi-device access:

    • Encourage users to access self-service.
    • Enable technicians to solve problems from anywhere.

    Social features:

    • Display most popular articles first to solve trending issues.
    • Enable voting to improve usability of articles.
    • Allow collaboration on self-service.

    For more information on building self-service portal, refer to Info-Tech’s Optimize the Service Desk with a Shift-Left Strategy

    Draft a high-level project plan for a self-service portal project

    3.3.1 Draft a high-level project plan for a self-service portal project

    1. Identify stakeholders who can contribute to the project.
      • Who will help with FAQ creation?
      • Who can design the self-service portal?
      • Who needs to sign off on the project?
    2. Identify the high-level tasks that need to be done.
      • How many FAQs need to be created?
      • How will we design the service catalog’s web portal?
      • What might a phased approach look like?
      • How can we break down the project into design, build, and implementation tasks?
      • What is the rough timeline for these tasks?
    3. Capture the high-level activities in the Service Desk Roadmap.

    Participants

    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    What You’ll Need

    • Flip Chart
    • Whiteboard
    • Implementation Roadmap

    Once you have a service portal, you can review the business requirements for a service catalog

    A service catalog is a communications device that lists the IT services offered by an organization. The service catalog is designed to enable the creation of a self-service portal for the end user. The portal augments the service desk so analysts can spend time managing incidents and providing technical support.

    The big value comes from workflows:

    • Improved economics and a means to measure the costs to serve over time.
    • Incentive for adoption because things work better.
    • Abstracts delivery from offer to serve so you can outsource, insource, crowdsource, slow, speed, reassign, and cover absences without involving the end user.

    There are three types of catalogs:

    • Static:Informational only, so can be a basic website.
    • Routing and workflow: Attached to service desk tool.
    • Workflow and e-commerce: Integrated with service desk tool and ERP system.
    Image is an example of service catalog

    Image courtesy of University of Victoria

    Understand the time and effort involved in building a service catalog

    A service catalog will streamline IT service delivery, but putting one together requires a significant investment. Service desk standardization comes first.

    • Workflows and back-end services must be in place before setting up a service catalog.
    • Think of the catalog as just the delivery mechanism for service you currently provide. If they aren’t running well and delivery is not consistent, you don’t want to advertise SLAs and options.
    • Service catalogs require maintenance.
    • It’s not a one-time investment – service catalogs must be kept up to date to be useful.
    • Service catalog building requires input from VIPs.
    • Architects and wordsmiths are not the only ones that spend effort on the service catalog. Leadership from IT and the business also provide input on policy and content.

    Sample Service Catalog Efforts

    • A college with 17 IT staff spent one week on a simple service catalog.
    • A law firm with 110 IT staff spent two months on a service catalog project.
    • A municipal government with 300 IT people spent over seven months and has yet to complete the project.
    • A financial organization with 2,000 IT people has spent seven months on service catalog automation alone! The whole project has taken multiple years.

    “I would say a client with 2,000 users and an IT department with a couple of hundred, then you're looking at six months before you have the catalog there.”

    – Service Catalog Implementation Specialist,

    Health Services

    Draft a high-level project plan for a self-service portal project

    3.2.2 Make a plan for creating or improving the self-service portal

    Identify stakeholders who can contribute to the project.

    • Who will help with FAQs creation?
    • Who can design the self-service portal?
    • Who needs to sign off on the project?

    Evaluate tool options.

    • Will you stick with your existing tool or invest in a new tool?

    Identify the high-level tasks that need to be done.

    • How will we design the web portal?
    • What might a phased approach look like?
    • What is the rough timeline for these tasks?
    • How many FAQs need to be created?
    • Will we have a service catalog, and what type?

    Document the plan and tasks in the Service Desk Roadmap.

    Examples of publicly posted service catalogs:

    University of Victoria is an example of a catalog that started simple and now includes multiple divisions, notifications, systems status, communications, e-commerce, incident registration, and more.

    Indiana University is a student, faculty, and staff service catalog and self-service portal that goes beyond IT services.

    If you are ready to start building a service catalog, use Info-Tech’s Design and Build a User-Facing Service Catalog blueprint to get started.

    Phase 4

    Plan the Implementation of the Service Desk

    Step 4.1: Build communication plan

    Image shows the steps in phase 4. Highlight is on step 4.1.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 4.1.1 Create the communication plan

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • IT Director
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager(s)
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    The communication plan and project summary will help project managers outline recommendations and communicate their benefits.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Communication plan
    • Project summary

    Effectively communicate the game plan to IT to ensure the success of service desk improvements

    Communication is crucial to the integration and overall implementation of your service desk improvement.

    An effective communication plan will:

    • Gain support from management at the project proposal phase.
    • Create end-user buy-in once the program is set to launch.
    • Maintainthe presence of the program throughout the business.
    • Instill ownership throughout the business, from top-level management to new hires.

    Build a communication plan to:

    1. Communicate benefits to IT:
      • Share the standard operating procedures for training and feedback.
      • Train staff on policies as they relate to end users and ensure awareness of all policy changes.
      • As changes are implemented, continue to solicit feedback on what is and is not working and communicate adjustments as appropriate.
    2. Train technicians:
      • Make sure everyone is comfortable communicating changes to customers.
    3. Measure success:
      • Review SLAs and reports. Are you consistently meeting SLAs?
      • Is it safe to communicate with end users?

    Create your communication plan to anticipate challenges, remove obstacles, and secure buy-in

    Why:

    • What problems are you trying to solve?

    What:

    • What processes will it affect (that will affect me)?

    Who:

    • Who will be affected?
    • Who do I go to if I have issues with the new process?
    3 gears are depicted. The top gear is labelled managers with an arrow going clockwise. The middle gear is labelled technical staff with an arrow going counterclockwise. The bottom gear is labelled end users with an arrow going clockwise

    When:

    • When will this be happening?
    • When will it affect me?

    How:

    • How will these changes manifest themselves?

    Goal:

    • What is the final goal?
    • How will it benefit me?

    Create a communication plan to outline the project benefits

    Improved business satisfaction:

    • Improve confidence that the service desk can solve issues within the service-level agreement.
    • Channel incidents and requests through the service desk.
    • Escalate incidents quickly and accurately.

    Fewer recurring issues:

    • Tickets are created for every incident and categorized correctly.
    • Reports can be used for root-cause analysis.

    Increased efficiency or lower cost to serve:

    • Use FAQs to enable end users to self-solve.
    • Use knowledgebase to troubleshoot once, solve many times.
    • Cross-train to improve service consistency.

    Enhanced demand planning:

    • Trend analysis and reporting improve IT’s ability to forecast and address the demands of the business.

    Organize the information to manage the deployment of key messages

    Example of how to organize and manage key messages

    Create the communication plan

    4.1.1 Create the communication plan

    Estimated Time: 45 minutes

    Develop a stakeholder analysis.

    1. Identify everyone affected by the project.
    2. Assess their level of interest, value, and influence.
    3. Develop a communication strategy tailored to their level of engagement.

    Craft key messages tailored to each stakeholder group.

    Finalize the communication plan.

    1. Examine your roadmap and determine the most appropriate timing for communications.
    2. Assess when communications must happen with executives, business unit leaders, end users, and technicians.
    3. Identify any additional communication challenges that have come up.
    4. Identify who will send out the communications.
    5. Identify multiple methods for getting the messages out (newsletters, emails, posters, company meetings).
    6. For inspiration, you can refer to the Sample Communication Plan for the project.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    Step 4.2: Build implementation roadmap

    Image shows the steps in phase 4. Highlight is on step 4.2.

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • 4.2.1 Build implementation roadmap

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • IT Director
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Representation from tier 2 and tier 3 specialists

    Outcomes

    The implementation plan will help track and categorize the next steps and finalize the project.

    DELIVERABLES

    • Implementation roadmap

    Collaborate to create an implementation plan

    4.2.1 Create the implementation plan

    Estimated Time: 45 minutes

    Determine the sequence of improvement initiatives that have been identified throughout the project.

    The purpose of this exercise is to define a timeline and commit to initiatives to reach your goals.

    Instructions:

    1. Review the initiatives that will be taken to improve the service desk and revise tasks, as necessary.
    2. Input each of the tasks in the data entry tab and provide a description and rationale behind the task.
    3. Assign an effort, priority, and cost level to each task (high, medium, low).
    4. Assign ownership to each task.
    5. Identify the timeline for each task based on the priority, effort, and cost (short, medium, and long term).
    6. Highlight risk for each task if it will be deferred.
    7. Track the progress of each task with the status column.

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT Managers
    • Service Desk Manager
    • Service Desk Agents

    A screenshot of the Roadmap tool.

    Document using the Roadmap tool.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Standardize the Service Desk

    ImplementHardware and Software Asset Management

    Optimize Change Management Incident and Problem Management Build a Continual Improvement Plan for the Service Desk

    The Standardize blueprint reviews service desk structures and metrics and builds essential processes and workflows for incident management, service request fulfillment, and knowledge management practices.

    Once the service desk is operational, there are three paths to basic ITSM maturity:

    • Having the incident management processes and workflows built allows you to:
      • Introduce Change Management to reduce change-related incidents.
      • Introduce Problem Management to reduce incident recurrence.
      • Introduce Asset Management to augment service management processes with reliable data.

    Solicit targeted department feedback on core IT service capabilities, IT communications, and business enablement. Use the results to assess the satisfaction of end users, with each service broken down by department and seniority level.

    Works cited

    “Help Desk Staffing Models: Simple Analysis Can Save You Money.” Giva, Inc., 2 Sept. 2009. Web.

    Marrone et al. “IT Service Management: A Cross-national Study of ITIL Adoption.” Communications of the Association for Information Systems: Vol. 34, Article 49. 2014. PDF.

    Rumburg, Jeff. “Metric of the Month: First Level Resolution Rate.” MetricNet, 2011. Web.

    “Service Recovery Paradox.” Wikipedia, n.d. Web.

    Tang, Xiaojun, and Yuki Todo. “A Study of Service Desk Setup in Implementing IT Service Management in Enterprises.” Technology and Investment: Vol. 4, pp. 190-196. 2013. PDF.

    “The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC).” Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2016. Web.

    Contributors

    • Jason Aqui, IT Director, Bellevue College
    • Kevin Sigil, IT Director, Southwest Care Centre
    • Lucas Gutierrez, Service Desk Manager, City of Santa Fe
    • Rama Dhuwaraha, CIO, University of North Texas System
    • Annelie Rugg, CIO, UCLA Humanities
    • Owen McKeith, Manager IT Infrastructure, Canpotex
    • Rod Gula, IT Director, American Realty Association
    • Rosalba Trujillo, Service Desk Manager, Northgate Markets
    • Jason Metcalfe, IT Manager, Mesalabs
    • Bradley Rodgers, IT Manager, SecureTek
    • Daun Costa, IT Manager, Pita Pit
    • Kari Petty, Service Desk Manager, Mansfield Oil
    • Denis Borka, Service Desk Manager, PennTex Midstream
    • Lateef Ashekun, IT Manager, City of Atlanta
    • Ted Zeisner, IT Manager, University of Ottawa Institut de Cardiologie

    Establish Data Governance

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    • Parent Category Name: Data Management
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    • Organizations are faced with challenges associated with changing data landscapes, evolving business models, industry disruptions, regulatory and compliance obligations, as well as changing and maturing user landscapes and demands for data.
    • Although the need for a data governance program is often evident, organizations often miss the mark.
    • Your data governance efforts should be directly aligned to delivering measurable business value by supporting key strategic initiatives, value streams, and underlying business capabilities.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Your organization’s value streams and their associated business capabilities require effectively governed data. Without this, you may experience elevated operational costs, missed opportunities, eroded stakeholder satisfaction, and exposure to increased business risk.
    • Ensure your data governance program delivers measurable business value by aligning the associated data governance initiatives with the business architecture.
    • Data governance must continuously align with the organization’s enterprise governance function. It should not be perceived as a pet project of IT, but rather as an enterprise-wide, business-driven initiative.

    Impact and Result

    Info-Tech’s approach to establishing and sustaining effective data governance is anchored in the strong alignment of organizational value streams and their business capabilities with key data governance dimensions and initiatives. Info-Tech's approach will help you:

    • Align your data governance with enterprise governance, business strategy, and the organizational value streams to ensure the program delivers measurable business value.
    • Understand your current data governance capabilities and build out a future state that is right-sized and relevant.
    • Define data governance leadership, accountability, and responsibility.
    • Ensure data governance is supported by an operating model that effectively manages change and communication and fosters a culture of data excellence.

    Establish Data Governance Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Data Governance Research – A step-by-step document to ensure that the people handling the data are involved in the decisions surrounding data usage, data quality, business processes, and change implementation.

    Data governance is a strategic program that will help your organization control data by managing the people, processes, and information technology needed to ensure that accurate and consistent data policies exist across varying lines of the business, enabling data-driven insight. This research will provide an overview of data governance and its importance to your organization, assist in making the case and securing buy-in for data governance, identify data governance best practices and the challenges associated with them, and provide guidance on how to implement data governance best practices for a successful launch.

    • Establish Data Governance – Phases 1-3

    2. Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook – A structured tool to assist with establishing effective data governance practices.

    This workbook will help your organization understand the business and user context by leveraging your business capability map and value streams, develop data use cases using Info-Tech's framework for building data use cases, and gauge the current state of your organization's data culture.

    • Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook

    3. Data Use Case Framework Template – An exemplar template to highlight and create relevant use cases around the organization’s data-related problems and opportunities.

    This business needs gathering activity will highlight and create relevant use cases around data-related problems or opportunities that are clear and contained and, if addressed, will deliver value to the organization. This template provides a framework for data requirements and a mapping methodology for creating use cases.

    • Data Use Case Framework Template

    4. Data Governance Initiative Planning and Roadmap Tool – A visual roadmapping tool to assist with establishing effective data governance practices.

    This tool will help your organization plan the sequence of activities, capture start dates and expected completion dates, and create a roadmap that can be effectively communicated to the organization.

    • Data Governance Initiative Planning and Roadmap Tool

    5. Business Data Catalog – A comprehensive template to help you to document the key data assets that are to be governed based on in-depth business unit interviews, data risk/value assessments, and a data flow diagram for the organization.

    Use this template to document information about key data assets such as data definition, source system, possible values, data sensitivity, data steward, and usage of the data.

    • Business Data Catalog

    6. Data Governance Program Charter Template – A program charter template to sell the importance of data governance to senior executives.

    This template will help get the backing required to get a data governance project rolling. The program charter will help communicate the project purpose, define the scope, and identify the project team, roles, and responsibilities.

    • Data Governance Program Charter Template

    7. Data Governance Policy

    This policy establishes uniform data governance standards and identifies the shared responsibilities for assuring the integrity of the data and that it efficiently and effectively serves the needs of your organization.

    • Data Governance Policy

    8. Data Governance Exemplar – An exemplar showing how you can plan and document your data governance outputs.

    Use this exemplar to understand how to establish data governance in your organization. Follow along with the sections of the blueprint Establish Data Governance and complete the document as you progress.

    • Data Governance Exemplar
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Establish Data Governance

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Establish Business Context and Value

    The Purpose

    Identify key business data assets that need to be governed.

    Create a unifying vision for the data governance program.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Understand the value of data governance and how it can help the organization better leverage its data.

    Gain knowledge of how data governance can benefit both IT and the business.

    Activities

    1.1 Establish business context, value, and scope of data governance at the organization

    1.2 Introduction to Info-Tech’s data governance framework

    1.3 Discuss vision and mission for data governance

    1.4 Understand your business architecture, including your business capability map and value streams

    1.5 Build use cases aligned to core business capabilities

    Outputs

    Sample use cases (tied to the business capability map) and a repeatable use case framework

    Vision and mission for data governance

    2 Understand Current Data Governance Capabilities and Plot Target-State Levels

    The Purpose

    Assess which data contains value and/or risk and determine metrics that will determine how valuable the data is to the organization.

    Assess where the organization currently stands in data governance initiatives.

    Determine gaps between the current and future states of the data governance program.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Gain a holistic understanding of organizational data and how it flows through business units and systems.

    Identify which data should fall under the governance umbrella.

    Determine a practical starting point for the program.

    Activities

    2.1 Understand your current data governance capabilities and maturity

    2.2 Set target-state data governance capabilities

    Outputs

    Current state of data governance maturity

    Definition of target state

    3 Build Data Domain to Data Governance Role Mapping

    The Purpose

    Determine strategic initiatives and create a roadmap outlining key steps required to get the organization to start enabling data-driven insights.

    Determine timing of the initiatives.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Establish clear direction for the data governance program.

    Step-by-step outline of how to create effective data governance, with true business-IT collaboration.

    Activities

    3.1 Evaluate and prioritize performance gaps

    3.2 Develop and consolidate data governance target-state initiatives

    3.3 Define the role of data governance: data domain to data governance role mapping

    Outputs

    Target-state data governance initiatives

    Data domain to data governance role mapping

    4 Formulate a Plan to Get to Your Target State

    The Purpose

    Consolidate the roadmap and other strategies to determine the plan of action from Day One.

    Create the required policies, procedures, and positions for data governance to be sustainable and effective.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Prioritized initiatives with dependencies mapped out.

    A clearly communicated plan for data governance that will have full business backing.

    Activities

    4.1 Identify and prioritize next steps

    4.2 Define roles and responsibilities and complete a high-level RACI

    4.3 Wrap-up and discuss next steps and post-workshop support

    Outputs

    Initialized roadmap

    Initialized RACI

    Further reading

    Establish Data Governance

    Deliver measurable business value.

    Executive Brief

    Analyst Perspective

    Establish a data governance program that brings value to your organization.

    Picture of analyst

    Data governance does not sit as an island on its own in the organization – it must align with and be driven by your enterprise governance. As you build out data governance in your organization, it’s important to keep in mind that this program is meant to be an enabling framework of oversight and accountabilities for managing, handling, and protecting your company’s data assets. It should never be perceived as bureaucratic or inhibiting to your data users. It should deliver agreed-upon models that are conducive to your organization’s operating culture, offering clarity on who can do what with the data and via what means. Data governance is the key enabler for bringing high-quality, trusted, secure, and discoverable data to the right users across your organization. Promote and drive the responsible and ethical use of data while helping to build and foster an organizational culture of data excellence.

    Crystal Singh

    Director, Research & Advisory, Data & Analytics Practice

    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    The amount of data within organizations is growing at an exponential rate, creating a need to adopt a formal approach to governing data. However, many organizations remain uninformed on how to effectively govern their data. Comprehensive data governance should define leadership, accountability, and responsibility related to data use and handling and be supported by a well-oiled operating model and relevant policies and procedures. This will help ensure the right data gets to the right people at the right time, using the right mechanisms.

    Common Obstacles

    Organizations are faced with challenges associated with changing data landscapes, evolving business models, industry disruptions, regulatory and compliance obligations, and changing and maturing user landscape and demand for data. Although the need for a data governance program is often evident, organizations miss the mark when their data governance efforts are not directly aligned to delivering measurable business value. Initiatives should support key strategic initiatives, as well as value streams and their underlying business capabilities.

    Info-Tech’s Approach

    Info-Tech’s approach to establishing and sustaining effective data governance is anchored in the strong alignment of organizational value streams and their business capabilities with key data governance dimensions and initiatives. Organizations should:

    • Align their data governance with enterprise governance, business strategy and value streams to ensure the program delivers measurable business value.
    • Understand their current data governance capabilities so as to build out a future state that is right-sized and relevant.
    • Define data leadership, accountability, and responsibility. Support these with an operating model that effectively manages change and communication and fosters a culture of data excellence.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Your organization’s value streams and the associated business capabilities require effectively governed data. Without this, you face elevated operating costs, missed opportunities, eroded stakeholder satisfaction, and increased business risk.

    Your challenge

    This research is designed to help organizations build and sustain an effective data governance program.

    • Your organization has recognized the need to treat data as a corporate asset for generating business value and/or managing and mitigating risk.
    • This has brought data governance to the forefront and highlighted the need to build a performance-driven enterprise program for delivering quality, trusted, and readily consumable data to users.
    • An effective data governance program is one that defines leadership, accountability, and responsibility related to data use and handling. It’s supported by a well-oiled operating model and relevant policies and procedures, all of which help build and foster a culture of data excellence where the right users get access to the right data at the right time via the right mechanisms.

    As you embark on establishing data governance in your organization, it’s vital to ensure from the get-go that you define the drivers and business context for the program. Data governance should never be attempted without direction on how the program will yield measurable business value.

    “Data processing and cleanup can consume more than half of an analytics team’s time, including that of highly paid data scientists, which limits scalability and frustrates employees.” – Petzold, et al., 2020

    Image is a circle graph and 30% of it is coloured with the number 30% in the middle of the graph

    “The productivity of employees across the organization can suffer.” – Petzold, et al., 2020

    Respondents to McKinsey’s 2019 Global Data Transformation Survey reported that an average of 30% of their total enterprise time was spent on non-value-added tasks because of poor data quality and availability. – Petzold, et al., 2020

    Common obstacles

    Some of the barriers that make data governance difficult to address for many organizations include:

    • Gaps in communicating the strategic value of data and data governance to the organization. This is vital for securing senior leadership buy-in and support, which, in turn, is crucial for sustained success of the data governance program.
    • Misinterpretation or a lack of understanding about data governance, including what it means for the organization and the individual data user.
    • A perception that data governance is inhibiting or an added layer of bureaucracy or complication rather than an enabling and empowering framework for stakeholders in their use and handling of data.
    • Embarking on data governance without firmly substantiating and understanding the organizational drivers for doing so. How is data governance going to support the organization’s value streams and their various business capabilities?
    • Neglecting to define and measure success and performance. Just as in any other enterprise initiative, you have to be able to demonstrate an ROI for time, resources and funding. These metrics must demonstrate the measurable business value that data governance brings to the organization.
    • Failure to align data governance with enterprise governance.
    Image is a circle graph and 78% of it is coloured with the number 78% in the middle of the graph

    78% of companies (and 92% of top-tier companies) have a corporate initiative to become more data-driven. – Alation, 2020

    Image is a circle graph and 58% of it is coloured with the number 58% in the middle of the graph

    But despite these ambitions, there appears to be a “data culture disconnect” – 58% of leaders overestimate the current data culture of their enterprises, giving a grade higher than the one produced by the study. – Fregoni, 2020

    The strategic value of data

    Power intelligent and transformative organizational performance through leveraging data.

    Respond to industry disruptors

    Optimize the way you serve your stakeholders and customers

    Develop products and services to meet ever-evolving needs

    Manage operations and mitigate risk

    Harness the value of your data

    The journey to being data-driven

    The journey to declaring that you are a data-driven organization requires a pit stop at data enablement.

    The Data Economy

    Data Disengaged

    You have a low appetite for data and rarely use data for decision making.

    Data Enabled

    Technology, data architecture, and people and processes are optimized and supported by data governance.

    Data Driven

    You are differentiating and competing on data and analytics; described as a “data first” organization. You’re collaborating through data. Data is an asset.

    Data governance is essential for any organization that makes decisions about how it uses its data.

    Data governance is an enabling framework of decision rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities for data assets across the enterprise.

    Data governance is:

    • Executed according to agreed-upon models that describe who can take what actions with what information, when, and using what methods (Olavsrud, 2021).
    • True business-IT collaboration that will lead to increased consistency and confidence in data to support decision making. This, in turn, helps fuel innovation and growth.

    If done correctly, data governance is not:

    • An annoying, finger-waving roadblock in the way of getting things done.
    • Meant to solve all data-related business or IT problems in an organization.
    • An inhibitor or impediment to using and sharing data.

    Info-Tech’s Data Governance Framework

    An image of Info-Tech's Data Governance Framework

    Create impactful data governance by embedding it within enterprise governance

    A model is depicted to show the relationship between enterprise governance and data governance.

    Organizational drivers for data governance

    Data governance personas:

    Conformance: Establishing data governance to meet regulations and compliance requirements.

    Performance: Establishing data governance to fuel data-driven decision making for driving business value and managing and mitigating business risk.

    Two images are depicted that show the difference between conformance and performance.

    Data Governance is not a one-person show

    • Data governance needs a leader and a home. Define who is going to be leading, driving, and steering data governance in your organization.
    • Senior executive leaders play a crucial role in championing and bringing visibility to the value of data and data governance. This is vital for building and fostering a culture of data excellence.
    • Effective data governance comes with business and IT alignment, collaboration, and formally defined roles around data leadership, ownership, and stewardship.
    Four circles are depicted. There is one person in the circle on the left and is labelled: Data Governance Leadership. The circle beside it has two people in it and labelled: Organizational Champions. The circle beside it has three people in it and labelled: Data Owners, Stewards & Custodians. The last circle has four people in it and labelled: The Organization & Data Storytellers.

    Traditional data governance organizational structure

    A traditional structure includes committees and roles that span across strategic, tactical, and operational duties. There is no one-size-fits-all data governance structure. However, most organizations follow a similar pattern when establishing committees, councils, and cross-functional groups. Most organizations strive to identify roles and responsibilities at a strategic and operational level. Several factors will influence the structure of the program, such as the focus of the data governance project and the maturity and size of the organization.

    A triangular model is depicted and is split into three tiers to show the traditional data governance organizational structure.

    A healthy data culture is key to amplifying the power of your data.

    “Albert Einstein is said to have remarked, ‘The world cannot be changed without changing our thinking.’ What is clear is that the greatest barrier to data success today is business culture, not lagging technology. “– Randy Bean, 2020

    What does it look like?

    • Everybody knows the data.
    • Everybody trusts the data.
    • Everybody talks about the data.

    “It is not enough for companies to embrace modern data architectures, agile methodologies, and integrated business-data teams, or to establish centers of excellence to accelerate data initiatives, when only about 1 in 4 executives reported that their organization has successfully forged a data culture.”– Randy Bean, 2020

    Data literacy is an essential part of a data-driven culture

    • In a data-driven culture, decisions are made based on data evidence, not on gut instinct.
    • Data often has untapped potential. A data-driven culture builds tools and skills, builds users’ trust in the condition and sources of data, and raises the data skills and understanding among their people on the front lines.
    • Building a data culture takes an ongoing investment of time, effort, and money. This investment will not achieve the transformation you want without data literacy at the grassroots level.

    Data-driven culture = “data matters to our company”

    Despite investments in data initiative, organizations are carrying high levels of data debt

    Data debt is “the accumulated cost that is associated with the sub-optimal governance of data assets in an enterprise, like technical debt.”

    Data debt is a problem for 78% of organizations.

    40% of organizations say individuals within the business do not trust data insights.

    66% of organizations say a backlog of data debt is impacting new data management initiatives.

    33% of organizations are not able to get value from a new system or technology investment.

    30% of organizations are unable to become data-driven.

    Source: Experian, 2020

    Absent or sub-optimal data governance leads to data debt

    Only 3% of companies’ data meets basic quality standards. (Source: Nagle, et al., 2017)

    Organizations suspect 28% of their customer and prospect data is inaccurate in some way. (Source: Experian, 2020)

    Only 51% of organizations consider the current state of their CRM or ERP data to be clean, allowing them to fully leverage it. (Source: Experian, 2020)

    35% of organizations say they’re not able to see a ROI for data management initiatives. (Source: Experian, 2020)

    Embrace the technology

    Make the available data governance tools and technology work for you:

    • Data catalog
    • Business data glossary
    • Data lineage
    • Metadata management

    While data governance tools and technologies are no panacea, leverage their automated and AI-enabled capabilities to augment your data governance program.

    Logos of data governance tools and technology.

    Measure success to demonstrate tangible business value

    Put data governance into the context of the business:

    • Tie the value of data governance and its initiatives back to the business capabilities that are enabled.
    • Leverage the KPIs of those business capabilities to demonstrate tangible and measurable value. Use terms and language that will resonate with senior leadership.

    Don’t let measurement be an afterthought:

    Start substantiating early on how you are going to measure success as your data governance program evolves.

    Build a right-sized roadmap

    Formulate an actionable roadmap that is right-sized to deliver value in your organization.

    Key considerations:

    • When building your data governance roadmap, ensure you do so through an enterprise lens. Be cognizant of other initiatives that might be coming down the pipeline that may require you to align your data governance milestones accordingly.
    • Apart from doing your planning with consideration for other big projects or launches that might be in-flight and require the time and attention of your data governance partners, also be mindful of the more routine yet still demanding initiatives.
    • When doing your roadmapping, consider factors like the organization’s fiscal cycle, typical or potential year-end demands, and monthly/quarterly reporting periods and audits. Initiatives such as these are likely to monopolize the time and focus of personnel key to delivering on your data governance milestones.

    Sample milestones:

    Data Governance Leadership & Org Structure Definition

    Define the home for data governance and other key roles around ownership and stewardship, as approved by senior leadership.

    Data Governance Charter and Policies

    Create a charter for your program and build/refresh associated policies.

    Data Culture Diagnostic

    Understand the organization’s current data culture, perception of data, value of data, and knowledge gaps.

    Use Case Build and Prioritization

    Build a use case that is tied to business capabilities. Prioritize accordingly.

    Business Data Glossary

    Build and/or refresh the business’ glossary for addressing data definitions and standardization issues.

    Tools & Technology

    Explore the tools and technology offering in the data governance space that would serve as an enabler to the program. (e.g. RFI, RFP).

    Key takeaways for effective business-driven data governance

    Data governance leadership and sponsorship is key.

    Ensure strategic business alignment.

    Build and foster a culture of data excellence.

    Evolve along the data journey.

    Make data governance an enabler, not a hindrance.

    Insight summary

    Overarching insight

    Your organization’s value streams and the associated business capabilities require effectively governed data. Without this, you face the impact of elevated operational costs, missed opportunities, eroded stakeholder satisfaction, and exposure to increased business risk.

    Insight 1

    Data governance should not sit as an island in your organization. It must continuously align with the organization’s enterprise governance function. It shouldn’t be perceived as a pet project of IT, but rather as an enterprise-wide, business-driven initiative.

    Insight 2

    Ensure your data governance program delivers measurable business value by aligning the associated data governance initiatives with the business architecture. Leverage the measures of success or KPIs of the underlying business capabilities to demonstrate the value data governance has yielded for the organization.

    Insight 3

    Data governance remains the foundation of all forms of reporting and analytics. Advanced capabilities such as AI and machine learning require effectively governed data to fuel their success.

    Tactical insight

    Tailor your data literacy program to meet your organization’s needs, filling your range of knowledge gaps and catering to your different levels of stakeholders. When it comes to rolling out a data literacy program, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your data literacy program is intended to fill the knowledge gaps about data, as they exist in your organization. It should be targeted across the board – from your executive leadership and management through to the subject matter experts across different lines of the business in your organization.

    Info-Tech’s methodology for establishing data governance

    1. Build Business and User Context 2. Understand Your Current Data Governance Capabilities 3. Build a Target State Roadmap and Plan
    Phase Steps
    1. Substantiate Business Drivers
    2. Build High-Value Use Cases for Data Governance
    1. Understand the Key Components of Data Governance
    2. Gauge Your Organization’s Current Data Culture
    1. Formulate an Actionable Roadmap and Right-Sized Plan
    Phase Outcomes
    • Your organization’s business capabilities and value streams
    • A business capability map for your organization
    • Categorization of your organization’s key capabilities
    • A strategy map tied to data governance
    • High-value use cases for data governance
    • An understanding of the core components of an effective data governance program
    • An understanding your organization’s current data culture
    • A data governance roadmap and target-state plan comprising of prioritized initiatives

    Blueprint deliverables

    Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

    Screenshot of Info-Tech's Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook data-verified=

    Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook

    Use the Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook as you plan, build, roll-out, and scale data governance in your organization.

    Screenshot of Info-Tech's Data Use Case Framework Template

    Data Use Case Framework Template

    This template takes you through a business needs gathering activity to highlight and create relevant use cases around the organization’s data-related problems and opportunities.

    Screenshot of Info-Tech's Business Data Glossary data-verified=

    Business Data Glossary

    Use this template to document the key data assets that are to be governed and create a data flow diagram for your organization.

    Screenshot of Info-Tech's Data Culture Diagnostic and Scorecard data-verified=

    Data Culture Diagnostic and Scorecard

    Leverage Info-Tech’s Data Culture Diagnostic to understand how your organization scores across 10 areas relating to data culture.

    Key deliverable:

    Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook

    Measure the value of this blueprint

    Leverage this blueprint’s approach to ensure your data governance initiatives align and support your key value streams and their business capabilities.

    • Aligning your data governance program and its initiatives to your organization’s business capabilities is vital for tracing and demonstrating measurable business value for the program.
    • This alignment of data governance with value streams and business capabilities enables you to use business-defined KPIs and demonstrate tangible value.
    Screenshot from this blueprint on the Measurable Business Value

    In phases 1 and 2 of this blueprint, we will help you establish the business context, define your business drivers and KPIs, and understand your current data governance capabilities and strengths.

    In phase 3, we will help you develop a plan and a roadmap for addressing any gaps and improving the relevant data governance capabilities so that data is well positioned to deliver on those defined business metrics.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    "Our team, has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

    Guided Implementation

    "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keeps us on track."

    Workshop

    "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

    Consulting

    "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.

    Establish Data Governance project overview

    Contact your account representative for more information. workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    1. Build Business and User context2. Understand Your Current Data Governance Capabilities3. Build a Target State Roadmap and Plan
    Best-Practice Toolkit
    1. Substantiate Business Drivers
    2. Build High-Value Use Cases for Data Governance
    1. Understand the Key Components of Data Governance
    2. Gauge Your Organization’s Current Data Culture
    1. Formulate an Actionable Roadmap and Right-Sized Plan
    Guided Implementation
    • Call 1
    • Call 2
    • Call 3
    • Call 4
    • Call 5
    • Call 6
    • Call 7
    • Call 8
    • Call 9
    Phase Outcomes
    • Your organization’s business capabilities and value streams
    • A business capability map for your organization
    • Categorization of your organization’s key capabilities
    • A strategy map tied to data governance
    • High-value use cases for data governance
    • An understanding of the core components of an effective data governance program
    • An understanding your organization’s current data culture
    • A data governance roadmap and target-state plan comprising of prioritized initiatives

    Guided Implementation

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    An outline of what guided implementation looks like.

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization. A typical GI is between 8 to 12 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

    Workshop overview

    Contact your account representative for more information. workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
    Establish Business Context and Value Understand Current Data Governance Capabilities and Plot Target-State Levels Build Data Domain to Data Governance Role Mapping Formulate a Plan to Get to Your Target State
    Activities
    • Establish business context, value, and scope of data governance at the organization
    • Introduction to Info-Tech’s data governance framework
    • Discuss vision and mission for data governance
    • Understand your business architecture, including your business capability map and value streams
    • Build use cases aligned to core business capabilities
    • Understand your current data governance capabilities and maturity
    • Set target state data governance capabilities
    • Evaluate and prioritize performance gaps
    • Develop and consolidate data governance target-state initiatives
    • Define the role of data governance: data domain to data governance role mapping
    • Identify and prioritize next steps
    • Define roles and responsibilities and complete a high-level RACI
    • Wrap-up and discuss next steps and post-workshop support
    Deliverables
    1. Sample use cases (tied to the business capability map) and a repeatable use case framework
    2. Vision and mission for data governance
    1. Current state of data governance maturity
    2. Definition of target state
    1. Target-state data governance initiatives
    2. Data domain to data governance role mapping
    1. Initialized roadmap
    2. Initialized RACI

    Phase 1

    Build Business and User Context

    Three circles are in the image that list the three phases and the main steps. Phase 1 is highlighted.

    “When business users are invited to participate in the conversation around data with data users and IT, it adds a fundamental dimension — business context. Without a real understanding of how data ties back to the business, the value of analysis and insights can get lost.” – Jason Lim, Alation

    This phase will guide you through the following activities:

    • Identify Your Business Capabilities
    • Define your Organization’s Key Business Capabilities
    • Develop a Strategy Map that Aligns Business Capabilities to Your Strategic Focus

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Data Governance Leader/Data Leader (CDO)
    • Senior Business Leaders
    • Business SMEs
    • Data Leadership, Data Owners, Data Stewards and Custodians

    Step 1.1

    Substantiate Business Drivers

    Activities

    1.1.1 Identify Your Business Capabilities

    1.1.2 Categorize Your Organization’s Key Business Capabilities

    1.1.3 Develop a Strategy Map Tied to Data Governance

    This step will guide you through the following activities:

    • Leverage your organization’s existing business capability map or initiate the formulation of a business capability map, guided by info-Tech’s approach
    • Determine which business capabilities are considered high priority by your organization
    • Map your organization’s strategic objectives to value streams and capabilities to communicate how objectives are realized with the support of data

    Outcomes of this step

    • A foundation for data governance initiative planning that’s aligned with the organization’s business architecture: value streams, business capability map, and strategy map

    Info-Tech Insight

    Gaining a sound understanding of your business architecture (value streams and business capabilities) is a critical foundation for establishing and sustaining a data governance program that delivers measurable business value.

    1.1.1 Identify Your Business Capabilities

    Confirm your organization's existing business capability map or initiate the formulation of a business capability map:

    • If you have an existing business capability map, meet with the relevant business owners/stakeholders to confirm that the content is accurate and up to date. Confirm the value streams (how your organization creates and captures value) and their business capabilities are reflective of the organization’s current business environment.
    • If you do not have an existing business capability map, follow this activity to initiate the formulation of a map (value streams and related business capabilities):
      1. Define the organization’s value streams. Meet with senior leadership and other key business stakeholders to define how your organization creates and captures value.
      2. Define the relevant business capabilities. Meet with senior leadership and other key business stakeholders to define the business capabilities.

    Note: A business capability defines what a business does to enable value creation. Business capabilities are business terms defined using descriptive nouns such as “Marketing” or “Research and Development.” They represent stable business functions, are unique and independent of each other, and typically will have a defined business outcome.

    Input

    • List of confirmed value streams and their related business capabilities

    Output

    • Business capability map with value streams for your organization

    Materials

    • Your existing business capability map or the template provided in the Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook accompanying this blueprint

    Participants

    • Key business stakeholders
    • Data stewards
    • Data custodians
    • Data Governance Working Group

    For more information, refer to Info-Tech’s Document Your Business Architecture.

    Define or validate the organization’s value streams

    Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities. These value realization activities, in turn, depend on data.

    If the organization does not have a business architecture function to conduct and guide Activity 1.1.1, you can leverage the following approach:

    • Meet with key stakeholders regarding this topic, then discuss and document your findings.
    • When trying to identify the right stakeholders, consider: Who are the decision makers and key influencers? Who will impact this piece of business architecture related work? Who has the relevant skills, competencies, experience, and knowledge about the organization?
    • Engage with these stakeholders to define and validate how the organization creates value.
    • Consider:
      • Who are your main stakeholders? This will depend on the industry in which you operate. For example, customers, residents, citizens, constituents, students, patients.
      • What are your stakeholders looking to accomplish?
      • How does your organization’s products and/or services help them accomplish that?
      • What are the benefits your organization delivers to them and how does your organization deliver those benefits?
      • How do your stakeholders receive those benefits?

    Align data governance to the organization's value realization activities.

    Value streams enable the organization to create or capture value in the market in which it operates by engaging in a set of interconnected activities.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Your organization’s value streams and the associated business capabilities require effectively governed data. Without this, you face the possibilities of elevated operational costs, missed opportunities, eroded stakeholder satisfaction, negative impact to reputation and brand, and/or increased exposure to business risk.

    Example of value streams – Retail Banking

    Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities.

    Example value stream descriptions for: Retail Banking

    Value streams enable the organization to create or capture value in the market in which it operates by engaging in a set of interconnected activities.

    Model example of value streams for retail banking.

    For this value stream, download Info-Tech’s Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Retail Banking.

    Example of value streams – Higher Education

    Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities.

    Example value stream descriptions for: Higher Education

    Value streams enable the organization to create or capture value in the market in which it operates by engaging in a set of interconnected activities.

    Model example of value streams for higher education

    For this value stream, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Higher Education.

    Example of value streams – Local Government

    Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities.

    Example value stream descriptions for: Local Government

    Value streams enable the organization to create or capture value in the market in which it operates by engaging in a set of interconnected activities.

    Model example of value streams for local government

    For this value stream, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Local Government.

    Example of value streams – Manufacturing

    Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities.

    Example value stream descriptions for: Manufacturing

    Value streams enable the organization to create or capture value in the market in which it operates by engaging in a set of interconnected activities.

    Model example of value streams for manufacturing

    For this value stream, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Manufacturing.

    Example of value streams – Retail

    Value streams connect business goals to the organization’s value realization activities.

    Example value stream descriptions for: Retail

    Model example of value streams for retail

    Value streams enable the organization to create or capture value in the market in which it operates by engaging in a set of interconnected activities.

    For this value stream, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Retail.

    Define the organization’s business capabilities in a business capability map

    A business capability defines what a business does to enable value creation. Business capabilities represent stable business functions and typically will have a defined business outcome.

    Business capabilities can be thought of as business terms defined using descriptive nouns such as “Marketing” or “Research and Development.”

    If your organization doesn’t already have a business capability map, you can leverage the following approach to build one. This initiative requires a good understanding of the business. By working with the right stakeholders, you can develop a business capability map that speaks a common language and accurately depicts your business.

    Working with the stakeholders as described above:

    • Analyze the value streams to identify and describe the organization’s capabilities that support them.
    • Consider: What is the objective of your value stream? (This can highlight which capabilities support which value stream.)
    • As you initiate your engagement with your stakeholders, don’t start a blank page. Leverage the examples on the next slides as a starting point for your business capability map.
    • When using these examples, consider: What are the activities that make up your particular business? Keep the ones that apply to your organization, remove the ones that don’t, and add any needed.

    Align data governance to the organization's value realization activities.

    Info-Tech Insight

    A business capability map can be thought of as a visual representation of your organization’s business capabilities and hence represents a view of what your data governance program must support.

    For more information, refer to Info-Tech’s Document Your Business Architecture.

    Example business capability map – Retail Banking

    A business capability map can be thought of as a visual representation of your organization’s business capabilities and hence represents a view of what your data governance program must support.

    Validate your business capability map with the right stakeholders, including your executive team, business unit leaders, and/or other key stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Leverage your business capability map verification session with these key stakeholders as a prime opportunity to share and explain the role of data and data governance in supporting the very value realization capabilities under discussion. This will help to build awareness and visibility of the data governance program.

    Example business capability map for: Retail Banking

    Model example business capability map for retail banking

    For this business capability map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Retail Banking.

    Example business capability map – Higher Education

    A business capability map can be thought of as a visual representation of your organization’s business capabilities and hence represents a view of what your data governance program must support.

    Validate your business capability map with the right stakeholders, including your executive team, business unit leaders, and/or other key stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Leverage your business capability map verification session with these key stakeholders as a prime opportunity to share and explain the role of data and data governance in supporting the very value realization capabilities under discussion. This will help to build awareness and visibility of the data governance program.

    Example business capability map for: Higher Education

    Model example business capability map for higher education

    For this business capability map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Higher Education.

    Example business capability map – Local Government

    A business capability map can be thought of as a visual representation of your organization’s business capabilities and hence represents a view of what your data governance program must support.

    Validate your business capability map with the right stakeholders, including your executive team, business unit leaders, and/or other key stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Leverage your business capability map verification session with these key stakeholders as a prime opportunity to share and explain the role of data and data governance in supporting the very value realization capabilities under discussion. This will help to build awareness and visibility of the data governance program.

    Example business capability map for: Local Government

    Model example business capability map for local government

    For this business capability map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Local Government.

    Example business capability map – Manufacturing

    A business capability map can be thought of as a visual representation of your organization’s business capabilities and hence represents a view of what your data governance program must support.

    Validate your business capability map with the right stakeholders, including your executive team, business unit leaders, and/or other key stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Leverage your business capability map verification session with these key stakeholders as a prime opportunity to share and explain the role of data and data governance in supporting the very value realization capabilities under discussion. This will help to build awareness and visibility of the data governance program.

    Example business capability map for: Manufacturing

    Model example business capability map for manufacturing

    For this business capability map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Manufacturing.

    Example business capability map - Retail

    A business capability map can be thought of as a visual representation of your organization’s business capabilities and hence represents a view of what your data governance program must support.

    Validate your business capability map with the right stakeholders, including your executive team, business unit leaders, and/or other key stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Leverage your business capability map verification session with these key stakeholders as a prime opportunity to share and explain the role of data and data governance in supporting the very value realization capabilities under discussion. This will help to build awareness and visibility of the data governance program.

    Example business capability map for: Retail

    Model example business capability map for retail

    For this business capability map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Retail.

    1.1.2 Categorize Your Organization’s Key Capabilities

    Determine which capabilities are considered high priority in your organization.

    1. Categorize or heatmap the organization’s key capabilities. Consult with senior and other key business stakeholders to categorize and prioritize the business’ capabilities. This will aid in ensuring your data governance future state planning is aligned with the mandate of the business. One approach to prioritizing capabilities with business stakeholders is to examine them through the lens of cost advantage creators, competitive advantage differentiators, and/or by high value/high risk.
    2. Identify cost advantage creators. Focus on capabilities that drive a cost advantage for your organization. Highlight these capabilities and prioritize programs that support them.
    3. Identify competitive advantage differentiators. Focus on capabilities that give your organization an edge over rivals or other players in your industry.

    This categorization/prioritization exercise helps highlight prime areas of opportunity for building use cases, determining prioritization, and the overall optimization of data and data governance.

    Input

    • Strategic insight from senior business stakeholders on the business capabilities that drive value for the organization

    Output

    • Business capabilities categorized and prioritized (e.g. cost advantage creators, competitive advantage differentiators, high value/high risk)

    Materials

    • Your existing business capability map or the business capability map derived in the previous activity

    Participants

    • Key business stakeholders
    • Data stewards
    • Data custodians
    • Data Governance Working Group

    For more information, refer to Info-Tech’s Document Your Business Architecture.

    Example of business capabilities categorization or heatmapping – Retail

    This exercise is useful in ensuring the data governance program is focused and aligned to support the priorities and direction of the business.

    • Depending on the mandate from the business, priority may be on developing cost advantage. Hence the capabilities that deliver efficiency gains are the ones considered to be cost advantage creators.
    • The business’ priority may be on maintaining or gaining a competitive advantage over its industry counterparts. Differentiation might be achieved in delivering unique or enhanced products, services, and/or experiences, and the focus will tend to be on the capabilities that are more end-stakeholder-facing (e.g. customer-, student-, patient,- and/or constituent-facing). These are the organization’s competitive advantage creators.

    Example: Retail

    Example of business capabilities categorization or heatmapping – Retail

    For this business capability map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Retail.

    1.1.3 Develop a Strategy Map Tied to Data Governance

    Identify the strategic objectives for the business. Knowing the key strategic objectives will drive business-data governance alignment. It’s important to make sure the right strategic objectives of the organization have been identified and are well understood.

    1. Meet with senior business leaders and other relevant stakeholders to help identify and document the key strategic objectives for the business.
    2. Leverage their knowledge of the organization’s business strategy and strategic priorities to visually represent how these map to value streams, business capabilities, and, ultimately, to data and data governance needs and initiatives. Tip: Your map is one way to visually communicate and link the business strategy to other levels of the organization.
    3. Confirm the strategy mapping with other relevant stakeholders.

    Guide to creating your map: Starting with strategic objectives, map the value streams that will ultimately drive them. Next, link the key capabilities that enable each value stream. Then map the data and data governance to initiatives that support those capabilities. This is one approach to help you prioritize the data initiatives that deliver the most value to the organization.

    Input

    • Strategic objectives as outlined by the organization’s business strategy and confirmed by senior leaders

    Output

    • A strategy map that maps your organizational strategic objectives to value streams, business capabilities, and, ultimately, to data program

    Materials

    Participants

    • Key business stakeholders
    • Data stewards
    • Data custodians
    • Data Governance Working Group

    Download Info-Tech’s Data Governance Planning and Roadmapping Workbook

    Example of a strategy map tied to data governance

    • Strategic objectives are the outcomes that the organization is looking to achieve.
    • Value streams enable an organization to create and capture value in the market through interconnected activities that support strategic objectives.
    • Business capabilities define what a business does to enable value creation in value streams.
    • Data capabilities and initiatives are descriptions of action items on the data and data governance roadmap and which will enable one or multiple business capabilities in its desired target state.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Start with the strategic objectives, then map the value streams that will ultimately drive them. Next, link the key capabilities that enable each value stream. Then map the data and data governance initiatives that support those capabilities. This process will help you prioritize the data initiatives that deliver the most value to the organization.

    Example: Retail

    Example of a strategy map tied to data governance for retail

    For this strategy map, download Info-Tech’s Industry Reference Architecture for Retail.

    Step 1.2

    Build High-Value Use Cases for Data Governance

    Activities

    1.2.1 Build High-Value Use Cases

    This step will guide you through the following activities:

    • Leveraging your categorized business capability map to conduct deep-dive sessions with key business stakeholders for creating high-value uses cases
    • Discussing current challenges, risks, and opportunities associated with the use of data across the lines of business
    • Exploring which other business capabilities, stakeholder groups, and business units will be impacted

    Outcomes of this step

    • Relevant use cases that articulate the data-related challenges, needs, or opportunities that are clear and contained and, if addressed ,will deliver value to the organization

    Info-Tech Tip

    One of the most important aspects when building use cases is to ensure you include KPIs or measures of success. You have to be able to demonstrate how the use case ties back to the organizational priorities or delivers measurable business value. Leverage the KPIs and success factors of the business capabilities tied to each particular use case.

    1.2.1 Build High-Value Use Cases

    This business needs-gathering activity will highlight and create relevant use cases around data-related problems or opportunities that are clear and contained and, if addressed, will deliver value to the organization.

    1. Bring together key business stakeholders (data owner, stewards, SMEs) from a particular line of business as well as the relevant data custodian(s) to build cases for their units. Leverage the business capability map you created for facilitating this act.
    2. Leverage Info-Tech’s framework for data requirements and methodology for creating use cases, as outlined in the Data Use Case Framework Template and seen on the next slide.
    3. Have the stakeholders move through each breakout session outlined in the Use Case Worksheet. Use flip charts or a whiteboard to brainstorm and document their thoughts.
    4. Debrief and document results in the Data Use Case Framework Template
    5. Repeat this exercise with as many lines of the business as possible, leveraging your business capability map to guide your progress and align with business value.

    Tip: Don’t conclude these use case discussions without substantiating what measures of success will be used to demonstrate the business value of the effort to produce the desired future state, as relevant to each particular use case.

    Input

    • Value streams and business capabilities as defined by business leaders
    • Business stakeholders’ subject area expertise
    • Data custodian systems, integration, and data knowledge

    Output

    • Use cases that articulate data-related challenges, needs or opportunities that are tied to defined business capabilities and hence if addressed will deliver measurable value to the organization.

    Materials

    • Your business capability map from activity 1.1.1
    • Info-Tech’s Data Use Case Framework Template
    • Whiteboard or flip charts (or shared screen if working remotely)
    • Markers/pens

    Participants

    • Key business stakeholders
    • Data stewards and business SMEs
    • Data custodians
    • Data Governance Working Group

    Download Info-Tech’s Data Use Case Framework Template

    Info-Tech’s Framework for Building Use Cases

    Objective: This business needs-gathering activity will highlight and create relevant use cases around data-related problems or opportunities that are clear and contained and, if addressed, will deliver value to the organization.

    Leveraging your business capability map, build use cases that align with the organization’s key business capabilities.

    Consider:

    • Is the business capability a cost advantage creator or an industry differentiator?
    • Is the business capability currently underserved by data?
    • Does this need to be addressed? If so, is this risk- or value-driven?

    Info-Tech’s Data Requirements and Mapping Methodology for Creating Use Cases

    1. What business capability (or capabilities) is this use case tied to for your business area(s)?
    2. What are your data-related challenges in performing this today?
    3. What are the steps in this process/activity today?
    4. What are the applications/systems used at each step today?
    5. What data domains are involved, created, used, and/or transformed at each step today?
    6. What does an ideal or improved state look like?
    7. What other business units, business capabilities, activities, and/or processes will be impacted or improved if this issue was solved?
    8. Who are the stakeholders impacted by these changes? Who needs to be consulted?
    9. What are the risks to the organization (business capability, revenue, reputation, customer loyalty, etc.) if this is not addressed?
    10. What compliance, regulatory, and/or policy concerns do we need to consider in any solution?
    11. What measures of success or change should we use to prove the value of the effort (such as KPIs, ROI)? What is the measurable business value of doing this?

    The resulting use cases are to be prioritized and leveraged for informing the business case and the data governance capabilities optimization plan.

    Taken from Info-Tech’s Data Use Case Framework Template

    Phase 2

    Understand Your Current Data Governance Capabilities

    Three circles are in the image that list the three phases and the main steps. Phase 2 is highlighted.

    This phase will guide you through the following activities:

    • Understand the Key Components of Data Governance
    • Gauge Your Organization’s Current Data Culture

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Data Leadership
    • Data Ownership & Stewardship
    • Policies & Procedures
    • Data Literacy & Culture
    • Operating Model
    • Data Management
    • Data Privacy & Security
    • Enterprise Projects & Services

    Step 2.1

    Understand the Key Components of Data Governance

    This step will guide you through the following activities:

    • Understanding the core components of an effective data governance program and determining your organization’s current capabilities in these areas:
      • Data Leadership
      • Data Ownership & Stewardship
      • Policies & Procedures
      • Data Literacy & Culture
      • Operating Model
      • Data Management
      • Data Privacy & Security
      • Enterprise Projects & Services

    Outcomes of this step

    • An understanding the core components of an effective data governance program
    • An understanding your organization’s current data governance capabilities

    Review: Info-Tech’s Data Governance Framework

    An image of Info-Tech's Data Governance Framework

    Key components of data governance

    A well-defined data governance program will deliver:

    • Defined accountability and responsibility for data.
    • Improved knowledge and common understanding of the organization’s data assets.
    • Elevated trust and confidence in traceable data.
    • Improved data ROI and reduced data debt.
    • An enabling framework for supporting the ethical use and handling of data.
    • A foundation for building and fostering a data-driven and data-literate organizational culture.

    The key components of establishing sustainable enterprise data governance, taken from Info-Tech’s Data Governance Framework:

    • Data Leadership
    • Data Ownership & Stewardship
    • Operating Model
    • Policies & Procedures
    • Data Literacy & Culture
    • Data Management
    • Data Privacy & Security
    • Enterprise Projects & Services

    Data Leadership

    • Data governance needs a dedicated head or leader to steer the organization’s data governance program.
    • For organizations that do have a chief data officer (CDO), their office is the ideal and effective home for data governance.
    • Heads of data governance also have titles such as director of data governance, director of data quality, and director of analytics.
    • The head of your data governance program works with all stakeholders and partners to ensure there is continuous enterprise governance alignment and oversight and to drive the program’s direction.
    • While key stakeholders from the business and IT will play vital data governance roles, the head of data governance steers the various components, stakeholders, and initiatives, and provides oversight of the overall program.
    • Vital data governance roles include: data owners, data stewards, data custodians, data governance steering committee (or your organization’s equivalent), and any data governance working group(s).

    The role of the CDO: the voice of data

    The office of the chief data officer (CDO):

    • Has a cross-organizational vision and strategy for data.
    • Owns and drives the data strategy; ensures it supports the overall organizational strategic direction and business goals.
    • Leads the organizational data initiatives, including data governance
    • Is accountable for the policy, strategy, data standards, and data literacy necessary for the organization to operate effectively.
    • Educates users and leaders about what it means to be “data-driven.”
    • Builds and fosters a culture of data excellence.

    “Compared to most of their C-suite colleagues, the CDO is faced with a unique set of problems. The role is still being defined. The chief data officer is bringing a new dimension and focus to the organization: ‘data.’ ”

    – Carruthers and Jackson, 2020

    Who does the CDO report to?

    Example reporting structure.
    • The CDO should be a true C- level executive.
    • Where the organization places the CDO role in the structure sends an important signal to the business about how much it values data.

    “The title matters. In my opinion, you can’t have a CDO without executive authority. Otherwise no one will listen.”

    – Anonymous European CDO

    “The reporting structure depends on who’s the ‘glue’ that ties together all these uniquely skilled individuals.”

    – John Kemp, Senior Director, Executive Services, Info-Tech Research Group

    Data Ownership & Stewardship

    Who are best suited to be data owners?

    • Wherever they may sit in your organization, data owners will typically have the highest stake in that data.
    • Data owners need to be suitably senior and have the necessary decision-making power.
    • They have the highest interest in the related business data domain, whether they are the head of a business unit or the head of a line of business that produces data or consumes data (or both).
    • If they are neither of these, it’s unlikely they will have the interest in the data (in terms of its quality, protection, ethical use, and handling, for instance) necessary to undertake and adopt the role effectively.

    Data owners are typically senior business leaders with the following characteristics:

    • Positioned to accept accountability for their data domain.
    • Hold authority and influence to affect change, including across business processes and systems, needed to improve data quality, use, handling, integration, etc.
    • Have access to a budget and resources for data initiatives such as resolving data quality issues, data cleansing initiatives, business data catalog build, related tools and technology, policy management, etc.
    • Hold the influence needed to drive change in behavior and culture.
    • Act as ambassadors of data and its value as an organizational strategic asset.

    Right-size your data governance organizational structure

    • Most organizations strive to identify roles and responsibilities at a strategic and operational level. Several factors will influence the structure of the program such as the focus of the data governance project as well as the maturity and size of the organization.
    • Your data governance structure has to work for your organization, and it has to evolve as the organization evolves.
    • Formulate your blend of data governance roles, committees, councils, and cross-functional groups, that make sense for your organization.
    • Your data governance organizational structure should not add complexity or bureaucracy to your organization’s data landscape; it should support and enable your principle of treating data as an asset.

    There is no one-size-fits-all data governance organizational structure.

    Example of a Data Governance Organizational Structure

    Critical roles and responsibilities for data governance

    Data Governance Working Groups

    Data governance working groups:

    • Are cross-functional teams
    • Deliver on data governance projects, initiatives, and ad hoc review committees.

    Data Stewards

    Traditionally, data stewards:

    • Serve on an operational level addressing issues related to adherence to standards/procedures, monitoring data quality, raising issues identified, etc.
    • Are responsible for managing access, quality, escalating issues, etc.

    Data Custodians

    • Traditionally, data custodians:
    • Serve on an operational level addressing issues related to data and database administration.
    • Support the management of access, data quality, escalating issues, etc.
    • Are SMEs from IT and database administration.

    Example: Business capabilities to data owner and data stewards mapping for a selected data domain

    Info-Tech Insight

    Your organization’s value streams and the associated business capabilities require effectively governed data. Without this, you face elevated operational costs, missed opportunities, eroded stakeholder satisfaction, and exposure to increased business risk.

    Enabling business capabilities with data governance role definitions

    Example: Business capabilities to data owner and data stewards mapping for a selected data domain

    Operating Model

    Your operating model is the key to designing and operationalizing a form of data governance that delivers measurable business value to your organization.

    “Generate excitement for data: When people are excited and committed to the vision of data enablement, they’re more likely to help ensure that data is high quality and safe.” – Petzold, et al., 2020

    Operating Model

    Defining your data governance operating model will help create a well-oiled program that sustainably delivers value to the organization and manages risks while building and fostering a culture of data excellence along the way. Some organizations are able to establish a formal data governance office, whether independent or attached to the office of the chief data officer. Regardless of how you are organized, data governance requires a home, a leader, and an operating model to ensure its sustainability and evolution.

    Examples of focus areas for your operating model:

    • Delivery: While there are core tenets to every data governance program, there is a level of variability in the implementation of data governance programs across organizations, sectors, and industries. Every organization has its own particular drivers and mandates, so the level and rigor applied will also vary.
    • The key is to determine what style will work best in your organization, taking into consideration your organizational culture, executive leadership support (present and ongoing), catalysts such as other enterprise-wide transformative and modernization initiatives, and/or regulatory and compliances drivers.

    • Communication: Communication is vital across all levels and stakeholder groups. For instance, there needs to be communication from the data governance office up to senior leadership, as well as communication within the data governance organization, which is typically made up of the data governance steering committee, data governance council, executive sponsor/champion, data stewards, and data custodians and working groups.
    • Furthermore, communication with the wider organization of data producers, users, and consumers is one of the core elements of the overall data governance communications plan.

    Communication is vital for ensuring acceptance of new processes, rules, guidelines, and technologies by all data producers and users as well as for sharing success stories of the program.

    Operating Model

    Tie the value of data governance and its initiatives back to the business capabilities that are enabled.

    “Leading organizations invest in change management to build data supporters and convert the skeptics. This can be the most difficult part of the program, as it requires motivating employees to use data and encouraging producers to share it (and ideally improve its quality at the source)[.]” – Petzold, et al., 2020

    Operating Model

    Examples of focus areas for your operating model (continued):

    • Change management and issue resolution: Data governance initiatives will very likely bring about a level of organizational disruption, with governance recommendations and future state requiring potentially significant business change. This may include a redesign of a substantial number of data processes affecting various business units, which will require tweaking the organization’s culture, thought processes, and procedures surrounding its data.
    • Preparing people for change well in advance will allow them to take the steps necessary to adapt and reduce potential confrontation. By planning for and efficiently communicating any changes that a data governance initiative may bring, many initial issues can be resolved from the outset.

      Attempting to implement change without an effective communications plan can result in disagreements over data control and stalemates between stakeholder units. The recommendations of the governance group must reflect the needs of all stakeholders or there will be pushback.

    • Performance measuring, monitoring and reporting: Measuring and reporting on performance, successes, and realization of tangible business value are a must for sustaining, growing, and scaling your data governance program.
    • Aligning your data governance to the organization's value realization activities enables you to leverage the KPIs of those business capabilities to demonstrate tangible and measurable value. Use terms and language that will resonate with your senior business leadership.

    Info-Tech Tip:

    Launching a data governance program will bring with it a level of disruption to the culture of the organization. That disruption doesn’t have to be detrimental if you are prepared to manage the change proactively and effectively.

    Policies, Procedures & Standards

    “Data standards are the rules by which data are described and recorded. In order to share, exchange, and understand data, we must standardize the format as well as the meaning.” – U.S. Geological Survey

    Policies, Procedures & Standards

    • When defining, updating, or refreshing your data policies, procedures, and standards, ensure they are relevant, serve a purpose, and/or support the use of data in the organization.
    • Avoid the common pitfall of building out a host of policies, procedures, and standards that are never used or followed by users and therefore don’t bring value or serve to mitigate risk for the organization.
    • Data policies can be thought of as formal statements and are typically created, approved, and updated by the organization’s data decision-making body (such as a data governance steering committee).
    • Data standards and procedures function as actions, or rules, that support the policies and their statements.
    • Standards and procedures are designed to standardize the processes during the overall data lifecycle. Procedures are instructions to achieve the objectives of the policies. The procedures are iterative and will be updated with approval from your data governance committee as needed.
    • Your organization’s data policies, standards, and procedures should not bog down or inhibit users; rather, they should enable confident data use and handling across the overall data lifecycle. They should support more effective and seamless data capture, integration, aggregation, sharing, and retention of data in the organization.

    Examples of data policies:

    • Data Classification Policy
    • Data Retention Policy
    • Data Entry Policy
    • Data Backup Policy
    • Data Provenance Policy
    • Data Management Policy

    Data Domain Documentation

    Select the correct granularity for your business need

    Diagram of data domain documentation
    Sources: Dataversity; Atlan; Analytics8

    Data Domain Documentation Examples

    Data Domain Documentation Examples

    Data Culture

    “Organizational culture can accelerate the application of analytics, amplify its power, and steer companies away from risky outcomes.” – Petzold, et al., 2020

    A healthy data culture is key to amplifying the power of your data and to building and sustaining an effective data governance program.

    What does a healthy data culture look like?

    • Everybody knows the data.
    • Everybody trusts the data.
    • Everybody talks about the data.

    Building a culture of data excellence.

    Leverage Info-Tech’s Data Culture Diagnostic to understand your organization’s culture around data.

    Screenshot of Data Culture Scorecard

    Contact your Info-Tech Account Representative for more information on the Data Culture Diagnostic

    Cultivating a data-driven culture is not easy

    “People are at the heart of every culture, and one of the biggest challenges to creating a data culture is bringing everyone into the fold.” – Lim, Alation

    It cannot be purchased or manufactured,

    It must be nurtured and developed,

    And it must evolve as the business, user, and data landscapes evolve.

    “Companies that have succeeded in their data-driven efforts understand that forging a data culture is a relentless pursuit, and magic bullets and bromides do not deliver results.” – Randy Bean, 2020

    Hallmarks of a data-driven culture

    There is a trusted, single source of data the whole company can draw from.

    There’s a business glossary and data catalog and users know what the data fields mean.

    Users have access to data and analytics tools. Employees can leverage data immediately to resolve a situation, perform an activity, or make a decision – including frontline workers.

    Data literacy, the ability to collect, manage, evaluate, and apply data in a critical manner, is high.

    Data is used for decision making. The company encourages decisions based on objective data and the intelligent application of it.

    A data-driven culture requires a number of elements:

    • High-quality data
    • Broad access and data literacy
    • Data-driven decision-making processes
    • Effective communication

    Data Literacy

    Data literacy is an essential part of a data-driven culture.

    • Building a data-driven culture takes an ongoing investment of time, effort, and money.
    • This investment will not realize its full return without building up the organization’s data literacy.
    • Data literacy is about filling data knowledge gaps across all levels of the organization.
    • It’s about ensuring all users – senior leadership right through to core users – are equipped with appropriate levels of training, skills, understanding, and awareness around the organization’s data and the use of associated tools and technologies. Data literacy ensures users have the data they need and they know how to interpret and leverage it.
    • Data literacy drives the appetite, demand, and consumption for data.
    • A data-literate culture is one where the users feel confident and skilled in their use of data, leveraging it for making informed or evidence-based decisions and generating insights for the organization.

    Data Management

    • Data governance serves as an enabler to all of the core components that make up data management:
      • Data quality management
      • Data architecture management
      • Data platform
      • Data integration
      • Data operations management
      • Data risk management
      • Reference and master data management (MDM)
      • Document and content management
      • Metadata management
      • Business intelligence (BI), reporting, analytics and advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML)
    • Key tools such as the business data glossary and data catalog are vital for operationalizing data governance and in supporting data management disciplines such as data quality management, metadata management, and MDM as well as BI, reporting, and analytics.

    Enterprise Projects & Services

    • Data governance serves as an enabler to enterprise projects and services that require, use, share, sell, and/or rely on data for their viability and, ultimately, their success.
    • Folding or embedding data governance into the organization’s project management function or project management office (PMO) serves to ensure that, for any initiative, suitable consideration is given to how data is treated.
    • This may include defining parameters, following standards and procedures around bringing in new sources of data, integrating that data into the organization’s data ecosystem, using and sharing that data, and retaining that data post-project completion.
    • The data governance function helps to identify and manage any ethical issues, whether at the start of the project and/or throughout.
    • It provides a foundation for asking relevant questions as it relates to the use or incorporation of data in delivering the specific project or service. Do we know where the data obtained from? Do we have rights to use that data? Are there legislations, policies, or regulations that guide or dictate how that data can be used? What are the positive effects, negative impacts, and/or risks associated with our intended use of that data? Are we positioned to mitigate those risks?
    • Mature data governance creates organizations where the above considerations around data management and the ethical use and handling of data is routinely implemented across the business and in the rollout and delivery of projects and services.

    Data Privacy & Security

    • Data governance supports the organization’s data privacy and security functions.
    • Key tools include the data classification policy and standards and defined roles around data ownership and data stewardship. These are vital for operationalizing data governance and supporting data privacy, security, and the ethical use and handling of data.
    • While some organizations may have a dedicated data security and privacy group, data governance provides an added level of oversight in this regard.
    • Some of the typical checks and balances include ensuring:
      • There are policies and procedures in place to restrict and monitor staff’s access to data (one common way this is done is according to job descriptions and responsibilities) and that these comply with relevant laws and regulations.
      • There’s a data classification scheme in place where data has been classified on a hierarchy of sensitivity (e.g. top secret, confidential, internal, limited, public).
      • The organization has a comprehensive data security framework, including administrative, physical, and technical procedures for addressing data security issues (e.g. password management and regular training).
      • Risk assessments are conducted, including an evaluation of risks and vulnerabilities related to intentional and unintentional misuse of data.
      • Policies and procedures are in place to mitigate the risks associated with incidents such as data breaches.
      • The organization regularly audits and monitors its data security.

    Ethical Use & Handling of Data

    Data governance will support your organization’s ethical use and handling of data by facilitating definition around important factors, such as:

    • What are the various data assets in the organization and what purpose(s) can they be used for? Are there any limitations?
    • Who is the related data owner? Who holds accountability for that data? Who will be answerable?
    • Where was the data obtained from? What is the intended use of that data? Do you have rights to use that data? Are there legislations, policies, or regulations that guide or dictate how that data can be used?
    • What are the positive effects, negative impacts, and/or risks associated with the use of that data?

    Ethical Use & Handling of Data

    • Data governance serves as an enabler to the ethical use and handling of an organization’s data.
    • The Open Data Institute (ODI) defines data ethics as: “A branch of ethics that evaluates data practices with the potential to adversely impact on people and society – in data collection, sharing and use.”
    • Data ethics relates to good practice around how data is collected, used and shared. It’s especially relevant when data activities have the potential to impact people and society, whether directly or indirectly (Open Data Institute, 2019).
    • A failure to handle and use data ethically can negatively impact an organization’s direct stakeholders and/or the public at large, lead to a loss of trust and confidence in the organization's products and services, lead to financial loss, and impact the organization’s brand, reputation, and legal standing.
    • Data governance plays a vital role in building and managing your data assets, knowing what data you have, and knowing the limitations of that data. Data ownership, data stewardship, and your data governance decision-making body are key tenets and foundational components of your data governance. They enable an organization to define, categorize, and confidently make decisions about its data.

    Step 2.2

    Gauge Your Organization’s Current Data Culture

    Activities

    2.2.1 Gauge Your Organization’s Current Data Culture

    This step will guide you through the following activities:

    • Conduct a data culture survey or leverage Info-Tech’s Data Culture Diagnostic to increase your understanding of your organization’s data culture

    Outcomes of this step

    • An understanding of your organizational data culture

    2.2.1 Gauge Your Organization’s Current Data Culture

    Conduct a Data Culture Survey or Diagnostic

    The objectives of conducting a data culture survey are to increase the understanding of the organization's data culture, your users’ appetite for data, and their appreciation for data in terms of governance, quality, accessibility, ownership, and stewardship. To perform a data culture survey:

    1. Identify members of the data user base, data consumers, and other key stakeholders for surveying.
    2. Conduct an information session to introduce Info-Tech’s Data Culture Diagnostic survey. Explain the objective and importance of the survey and its role in helping to understand the organization’s current data culture and inform the improvement of that culture.
    3. Roll out the Info-Tech Data Culture Diagnostic survey to the identified users and stakeholders.
    4. Debrief and document the results and scorecard in the Data Strategy Stakeholder Interview Guide and Findings document.

    Input

    • Email addresses of participants in your organization who should receive the survey

    Output

    • Your organization’s Data Culture Scorecard for understanding current data culture as it relates to the use and consumption of data
    • An understanding of whether data is currently perceived to be an asset to the organization

    Materials

    Screenshot of Data Culture Scorecard

    Participants

    • Participants include those at the senior leadership level through to middle management, as well as other business stakeholders at varying levels across the organization
    • Data owners, stewards, and custodians
    • Core data users and consumers

    Contact your Info-Tech Account Representative for details on launching a Data Culture Diagnostic.

    Phase 3

    Build a Target State Roadmap and Plan

    Three circles are in the image that list the three phases and the main steps. Phase 3 is highlighted.

    “Achieving data success is a journey, not a sprint.” Companies that set a clear course, with reasonable expectations and phased results over a period of time, get to the destination faster.” – Randy Bean, 2020

    This phase will guide you through the following activities:

    • Build your Data Governance Roadmap
    • Develop a target state plan comprising of prioritized initiatives

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Data Governance Leadership
    • Data Owners/Data Stewards
    • Data Custodians
    • Data Governance Working Group(s)

    Step 3.1

    Formulate an Actionable Roadmap and Right-Sized Plan

    This step will guide you through the following activities:

    • Build your data governance roadmap
    • Develop a target state plan comprising of prioritized initiatives

    Outcomes of this step

    • A foundation for data governance initiative planning that’s aligned with the organization’s business architecture: value streams, business capability map, and strategy map

    Build a right-sized roadmap

    Formulate an actionable roadmap that is right sized to deliver value in your organization.

    Key considerations:

    • When building your data governance roadmap, ensure you do so through an enterprise lens. Be cognizant of other initiatives that might be coming down the pipeline that may require you to align your data governance milestones accordingly.
    • Apart from doing your planning with consideration for other big projects or launches that might be in-flight and require the time and attention of your data governance partners, also be mindful of the more routine yet still demanding initiatives.
    • When doing your roadmapping, consider factors like the organization’s fiscal cycle, typical or potential year-end demands, and monthly/quarterly reporting periods and audits. Initiatives such as these are likely to monopolize the time and focus of personnel key to delivering on your data governance milestones.

    Sample milestones:

    Data Governance Leadership & Org Structure Definition

    Define the home for data governance and other key roles around ownership and stewardship, as approved by senior leadership.

    Data Governance Charter and Policies

    Create a charter for your program and build/refresh associated policies.

    Data Culture Diagnostic

    Understand the organization’s current data culture, perception of data, value of data, and knowledge gaps.

    Use Case Build and Prioritization

    Build a use case that is tied to business capabilities. Prioritize accordingly.

    Business Data Glossary/Catalog

    Build and/or refresh the business’ glossary for addressing data definitions and standardization issues.

    Tools & Technology

    Explore the tools and technology offering in the data governance space that would serve as an enabler to the program. (e.g. RFI, RFP).

    Recall: Info-Tech’s Data Governance Framework

    An image of Info-Tech's Data Governance Framework

    Build an actionable roadmap

    Data Governance Leadership & Org Structure Division

    Define key roles for getting started.

    Use Case Build & Prioritization

    Start small and then scale – deliver early wins.

    Literacy Program

    Start understanding data knowledge gaps, building the program, and delivering.

    Tools & Technology

    Make the available data governance tools and technology work for you.

    Key components of your data governance roadmap

    By now, you have assessed current data governance environment and capabilities. Use this assessment, coupled with the driving needs of your business, to plot your data Governance roadmap accordingly.

    Sample data governance roadmap milestones:

    • Define data governance leadership.
    • Define and formalize data ownership and stewardship (as well as the role IT/data management will play as data custodians).
    • Build/confirm your business capability map and data domains.
    • Build business data use cases specific to business capabilities.
    • Define business measures/KPIs for the data governance program (i.e. metrics by use case that are relevant to business capabilities).
    • Data management:
      • Build your data glossary or catalog starting with identified and prioritized terms.
      • Define data domains.
    • Design and define the data governance operating model (oversight model definition, communication plan, internal marketing such as townhalls, formulate change management plan, RFP of data governance tool and technology options for supporting data governance and its administration).
    • Data policies and procedures:
      • Formulate, update, refresh, consolidate, rationalize, and/or retire data policies and procedures.
      • Define policy management and administration framework (i.e. roll-out, maintenance, updates, adherence, system to be used).
    • Conduct Info-Tech’s Data Culture Diagnostic or survey (across all levels of the organization).
    • Define and formalize the data literacy program (build modules, incorporate into LMS, plan lunch and learn sessions).
    • Data privacy and security: build data classification policy, define classification standards.
    • Enterprise projects and services: embed data governance in the organization’s PMO, conduct “Data Governance 101” for the PMO.

    Defining data governance roles and organizational structure at Organization

    The approach employed for defining the data governance roles and supporting organizational structure for .

    Key Considerations:

    • The data owner and data steward roles are formally defined and documented within the organization. Their involvement is clear, well-defined, and repeatable.
    • There are data owners and data stewards for each data domain within the organization. The data steward role is given to someone with a high degree of subject matter expertise.
    • Data owners and data stewards are effective in their roles by ensuring that their data domain is clean and free of errors and that they protect the organization against data loss.
    • Data owners and data stewards have the authority to make final decisions on data definitions, formats, and standard processes that apply to their respective data sets. Data owners and data stewards have authority regarding who has access to certain data.
    • Data owners and data stewards are not from the IT side of the organization. They understand the lifecycle of the data (how it is created, curated, retrieved, used, archived, and destroyed) and they are well-versed in any compliance requirements as it relates to their data.
    • The data custodian role is formally defined and is given to the relevant IT expert. This is an individual with technical administrative and/or operational responsibility over data (e.g. a DBA).
    • A data governance steering committee exists and is comprised of well-defined roles, responsibilities, executive sponsors, business representatives, and IT experts.
    • The data governance steering committee works to provide oversight and enforce policies, procedures, and standards for governing data.
    • The data governance working group has cross-functional representation. This comprises business and IT representation, as well as project management and change management where applicable: data stewards, data custodians, business subject matter experts, PM, etc.).
    • Data governance meetings are coordinated and communicated about. The meeting agenda is always clear and concise, and meetings review pressing data-related issues. Meeting minutes are consistently documented and communicated.

    Sample: Business capabilities to data owner and data stewards mapping for a selected data domain

    Info-Tech Insight

    Your organization’s value streams and the associated business capabilities require effectively governed data. Without this, you face elevated operational costs, missed opportunities, eroded stakeholder satisfaction, and exposure to increased business risk.

    Enable business capabilities with data governance role definitions.

    Sample: Business capabilities to data owner and data stewards mapping for a selected data domain

    Consider your technology options:

    Make the available data governance tools and technology work for you:

    • Data catalog
    • Business data glossary
    • Data lineage
    • Metadata management

    Logos of data governance tools and technology.

    These are some of the data governance tools and technology players. Check out SoftwareReviews for help making better software decisions.

    Make the data steward the catalyst for organizational change and driving data culture

    The data steward must be empowered and backed politically with decision-making authority, or the role becomes stale and powerless.

    Ensuring compliance can be difficult. Data stewards may experience pushback from stakeholders who must deliver on the policies, procedures, and processes that the data steward enforces.

    Because the data steward must enforce data processes and liaise with so many different people and departments within the organization, the data steward role should be their primary full-time job function – where possible.

    However, in circumstances where budget doesn’t allow a full-time data steward role, develop these skills within the organization by adding data steward responsibilities to individuals who are already managing data sets for their department or line of business.

    Info-Tech Tip

    A stewardship role is generally more about managing the cultural change that data governance brings. This requires the steward to have exceptional interpersonal skills that will assist in building relationships across departmental boundaries and ensuring that all stakeholders within the organization believe in the initiative, understand the anticipated outcomes, and take some level of responsibility for its success.

    Changes to organizational data processes are inevitable; have a communication plan in place to manage change

    Create awareness of your data governance program. Use knowledge transfer to get as many people on board as possible.

    Data governance initiatives must contain a strong organizational disruption component. A clear and concise communication strategy that conveys milestones and success stories will address the various concerns that business unit stakeholders may have.

    By planning for and efficiently communicating any changes that a data governance initiative may bring, many initial issues can be resolved from the outset.

    Governance recommendations will require significant business change. The redesign of a substantial number of data processes affecting various business units will require an overhaul of the organization’s culture, thought processes, and procedures surrounding its data. Preparing people for change well in advance will allow them to take the necessary steps to adapt and reduce potential confrontation.

    Because a data governance initiative will involve data-driven business units across the organization, the governance team must present a compelling case for data governance to ensure acceptance of new processes, rules, guidelines, and technologies by all data producers and users.

    Attempting to implement change without an effective communication plan can result in disagreements over data control and stalemates between stakeholder units. The recommendations of the governance group must reflect the needs of all stakeholders or there will be pushback.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Launching a data governance initiative is guaranteed to disrupt the culture of the organization. That disruption doesn’t have to be detrimental if you are prepared to manage the change proactively and effectively.

    Create a common data governance vision that is consistently communicated to the organization

    A data governance program should be an enterprise-wide initiative.

    To create a strong vision for data governance, there must be participation from the business and IT. A common vision will articulate the state the organization wishes to achieve and how it will reach that state. Visioning helps to develop long-term goals and direction.

    Once the vision is established, it must be effectively communicated to everyone, especially those who are involved in creating, managing, disposing, or archiving data.

    The data governance program should be periodically refined. This will ensure the organization continues to incorporate best methods and practices as the organization grows and data needs evolve.

    Info-Tech Tips

    • Use information from the stakeholder interviews to derive business goals and objectives.
    • Work to integrate different opinions and perspectives into the overall vision for data governance.
    • Brainstorm guiding principles for data and understand the overall value to the organization.

    Develop a compelling data governance communications plan to get all departmental lines of business on board

    A data governance program will impact all data-driven business units within the organization.

    A successful data governance communications plan involves making the initiative visible and promoting staff awareness. Educate the team on how data is collected, distributed, and used, what internal processes use data, and how that data is used across departmental boundaries.

    By demonstrating how data governance will affect staff directly, you create a deeper level of understanding across lines of business, and ultimately, a higher level of acceptance for new processes, rules, and guidelines.

    A clear and concise communications strategy will raise the profile of data governance within the organization, and staff will understand how the program will benefit them and how they can share in the success of the initiative. This will end up providing support for the initiative across the board.

    A proactive communications plan will:

    • Assist in overcoming issues with data control, stalemates between stakeholder units, and staff resistance.
    • Provide a formalized process for implementing new policies, rules, guidelines, and technologies, and managing organizational data.
    • Detail data ownership and accountability for decision making, and identify and resolve data issues throughout the organization.
    • Encourage acceptance and support of the initiative.

    Info-Tech Tip

    Focus on literacy and communication: include training in the communication plan. Providing training for data users on the correct procedures for updating and verifying the accuracy of data, data quality, and standardized data policies will help validate how data governance will benefit them and the organization.

    Leverage the data governance program to communicate and promote the value of data within the organization

    The data governance program is responsible for continuously promoting the value of data to the organization. The data governance program should seek a variety of ways to educate the organization and data stakeholders on the benefit of data management.

    Even if data policies and procedures are created, they will be highly ineffective if they are not properly communicated to the data producers and users alike.

    There needs to be a communication plan that highlights how the data producer and user will be affected, what their new responsibilities are, and the value of that change.

    To learn how to manage organizational change, refer to Info-Tech’s Master Organizational Change Management Practices.

    Understand what makes for an effective policy for data governance

    It can be difficult to understand what a policy is, and what it is not. Start by identifying the differences between a policy and standards, guidelines, and procedures.

    Diagram of an effective policy for data governance

    The following are key elements of a good policy:

    Heading Descriptions
    Purpose Describes the factors or circumstances that mandate the existence of the policy. Also states the policy’s basic objectives and what the policy is meant to achieve.
    Scope Defines to whom and to what systems this policy applies. Lists the employees required to comply or simply indicates “all” if all must comply. Also indicates any exclusions or exceptions, i.e. those people, elements, or situations that are not covered by this policy or where special consideration may be made.
    Definitions Define any key terms, acronyms, or concepts that will be used in the policy. A standard glossary approach is sufficient.
    Policy Statements Describe the rules that comprise the policy. This typically takes the form of a series of short prescriptive and proscriptive statements. Sub-dividing this section into sub-sections may be required depending on the length or complexity of the policy.
    Non-Compliance Clearly describe consequences (legal and/or disciplinary) for employee non-compliance with the policy. It may be pertinent to describe the escalation process for repeated non-compliance.
    Agreement Confirms understanding of the policy and provides a designated space to attest to the document.

    Leverage myPolicies, Info-Tech’s web-based application for managing your policies and procedures

    Most organizations have problems with policy management. These include:

    1. Policies are absent or out of date
    2. Employees largely unaware of policies in effect
    3. Policies are unmonitored and unenforced
    4. Policies are in multiple locations
    5. Multiple versions of the same policy exist
    6. Policies managed inconsistently across different silos
    7. Policies are written poorly by untrained authors
    8. Inadequate policy training program
    9. Draft policies stall and lose momentum
    10. Weak policy support from senior management

    Technology should be used as a means to solve these problems and effectively monitor, enforce, and communicate policies.

    Product Overview

    myPolicies is a web-based solution to create, distribute, and manage corporate policies, procedures, and forms. Our solution provides policy managers with the tools they need to mitigate the risk of sanctions and reduce the administrative burden of policy management. It also enables employees to find the documents relevant to them and build a culture of compliance.

    Some key success factors for policy management include:

    • Store policies in a central location that is well known and easy to find and access. A key way that technology can help communicate policies is by having them published on a centralized website.
    • Link this repository to other policies’ taxonomies of your organization. E.g. HR policies to provide a single interface for employees to access guidance across the organization.
    • Reassess policies annually at a minimum. myPolicies can remind you to update the organization’s policies at the appropriate time.
    • Make the repository searchable and easily navigable.
    • myPolicies helps you do all this and more.
    myPolicies logo myPolicies

    Enforce data policies to promote consistency of business processes

    Data policies are short statements that seek to manage the creation, acquisition, integrity, security, compliance, and quality of data. These policies vary amongst organizations, depending on your specific data needs.

    • Policies describe what to do, while standards and procedures describe how to do something.
    • There should be few data policies, and they should be brief and direct. Policies are living documents and should be continuously updated to respond to the organization’s data needs.
    • The data policies should highlight who is responsible for the data under various scenarios and rules around how to manage it effectively.

    Examples of Data Policies

    Trust

    • Data Cleansing and Quality Policy
    • Data Entry Policy

    Availability

    • Acceptable Use Policy
    • Data Backup Policy

    Security

    • Data Security Policy
    • Password Policy Template
    • User Authorization, Identification, and Authentication Policy Template
    • Data Protection Policy

    Compliance

    • Archiving Policy
    • Data Classification Policy
    • Data Retention Policy

    Leverage data management-related policies to standardize your data management practices

    Info-Tech’s Data Management Policy:

    This policy establishes uniform data management standards and identifies the shared responsibilities for assuring the integrity of the data and that it efficiently and effectively serves the needs of the organization. This policy applies to all critical data and to all staff who may be creators and/or users of such data.

    Info-Tech’s Data Entry Policy:

    The integrity and quality of data and evidence used to inform decision making is central to both the short-term and long-term health of an organization. It is essential that required data be sourced appropriately and entered into databases and applications in an accurate and complete manner to ensure the reliability and validity of the data and decisions made based on the data.

    Info-Tech’s Data Provenance Policy:

    Create policies to keep your data's value, such as:

    • Only allow entry of data from reliable sources.
    • Employees entering and accessing data must observe requirements for capturing/maintaining provenance metadata.
    • Provenance metadata will be used to track the lifecycle of data from creation through to disposal.

    Info-Tech’s Data Integration and Virtualization Policy:

    This policy aims to assure the organization, staff, and other interested parties that data integration, replication, and virtualization risks are taken seriously. Staff must use the policy (and supporting guidelines) when deciding whether to integrate, replicate, or virtualize data sets.

    Select the right mix of metrics to successfully supervise data policies and processes

    Policies are only as good as your level of compliance. Ensure supervision controls exist to oversee adherence to policies and procedures.

    Although they can be highly subjective, metrics are extremely important to data governance success.

    • Establishing metrics that measure the performance of a specific process or data set will:
      • Create a greater degree of ownership from data stewards and data owners.
      • Help identify underperforming individuals.
      • Allow the steering committee to easily communicate tailored objectives to individual data stewards and owners.
    • Be cautious when establishing metrics. The wrong metrics can have negative repercussions.
      • They will likely draw attention to an aspect of the process that doesn’t align with the initial strategy.
      • Employees will work hard and grow frustrated as their successes aren’t accurately captured.

    Policies are great to have from a legal perspective, but unless they are followed, they will not benefit the organization.

    • One of the most useful metrics for policies is currency. This tracks how up to date the policy is and how often employees are informed about the policy. Often, a policy will be introduced and then ignored. Policies must be continuously reviewed by management and employees.
    • Some other metrics include adherence (including performance in tests for adherence) and impacts from non-adherence.

    Review metrics on an ongoing basis with those data owners/stewards who are accountable, the data governance steering committee, and the executive sponsors.

    Establish data standards and procedures for use across all organizational lines of business

    A data governance program will impact all data-driven business units within the organization.

    • Data management procedures are the methods, techniques, and steps to accomplish a specific data objective. Creating standard data definitions should be one of the first tasks for a data governance steering committee.
    • Data moves across all departmental boundaries and lines of business within the organization. These definitions must be developed as a common set of standards that can be accepted and used enterprise wide.
    • Consistent data standards and definitions will improve data flow across departmental boundaries and between lines of business.
    • Ensure these standards and definitions are used uniformly throughout the organization to maintain reliable and useful data.

    Data standards and procedural guidelines will vary from company to company.

    Examples include:

    • Data modeling and architecture standards.
    • Metadata integration and usage procedures.
    • Data security standards and procedures.
    • Business intelligence standards and procedures.

    Info-Tech Tip

    Have a fundamental data definition model for the entire business to adhere to. Those in the positions that generate and produce data must follow the common set of standards developed by the steering committee and be accountable for the creation of valid, clean data.

    Changes to organizational data processes are inevitable; have a communications plan in place to manage change

    Create awareness of your data governance program, using knowledge transfer to get as many people on board as possible.

    By planning for and efficiently communicating any changes that a data governance initiative may bring, many initial issues can be resolved from the outset.

    Governance recommendations will require significant business change. The redesign of a substantial number of data processes affecting various business units will require an overhaul of the organization’s culture, thought processes, and procedures surrounding its data. Preparing people for change well in advance will allow them to take the necessary steps to adapt and reduce potential confrontation.

    Because a data governance initiative will involve data-driven business units across the organization, the governance team must present a compelling case for data governance to ensure acceptance of new processes, rules, guidelines, and technologies by all data producers and users.

    Attempting to implement change without an effective communications plan can result in disagreements over data control and stalemates between stakeholder units. The recommendations of the governance group must reflect the needs of all stakeholders or there will be pushback.

    Data governance initiatives will very likely bring about a level of organizational disruption. A clear and concise communications strategy that conveys milestones and success stories will address the various concerns that business unit stakeholders may have.

    Info-Tech Tip

    Launching a data governance program will bring with it a level of disruption to the culture of the organization. That disruption doesn’t have to be detrimental if you are prepared to manage the change proactively and effectively.

    Additional Support

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

    Picture of analyst

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team. Info-Tech analysts will join you and your team at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech’s historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.

    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

    Screenshot of example data governance strategy map.

    Build Your Business and User Context

    Work with your core team of stakeholders to build out your data governance strategy map, aligning data governance initiatives with business capabilities, value streams, and, ultimately, your strategic priorities.

    Screenshot of Data governance roadmap

    Formulate a Plan to Get to Your Target State

    Develop a data governance future state roadmap and plan based on an understanding of your current data governance capabilities, your operating environment, and the driving needs of your business.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Build a Robust and Comprehensive Data Strategy

    Key to building and fostering a data-driven culture.

    Create a Data Management Roadmap

    Streamline your data management program with our simplified framework.

    The First 100 Days as CDO

    Be the voice of data in a time of transformation.

    Research Contributors

    Name Position Company
    David N. Weber Executive Director - Planning, Research and Effectiveness Palm Beach State College
    Izabela Edmunds Information Architect Mott MacDonald
    Andy Neill Practice Lead, Data & Analytics Info-Tech Research Group
    Dirk Coetsee Research Director, Data & Analytics Info-Tech Research Group
    Graham Price Executive Advisor, Advisory Executive Services Info-Tech Research Group
    Igor Ikonnikov Research Director, Data & Analytics Info-Tech Research Group
    Jean Bujold Senior Workshop Delivery Director Info-Tech Research Group
    Rajesh Parab Research Director, Data & Analytics Info-Tech Research Group
    Reddy Doddipalli Senior Workshop Director Info-Tech Research Group
    Valence Howden Principal Research Director, CIO Info-Tech Research Group

    Bibliography

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    Allott, Joseph, et al. “Data: The next wave in forestry productivity.” McKinsey & Company, 27 Oct. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Bean, Randy. “Why Culture Is the Greatest Barrier to Data Success.” MIT Sloan Management Review, 30 Sept. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Brence, Thomas. “Overcoming the Operationalization Challenge with Data Governance at New York Life.” Informatica, 18 March 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Bullmore, Simon, and Stuart Coleman. “ODI Inside Business – a checklist for leaders.” Open Data Institute, 19 Oct. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Canadian Institute for Health Information. “Developing and implementing accurate national standards for Canadian health care information.” Canadian Institute for Health Information. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Carruthers, Caroline, and Peter Jackson. “The Secret Ingredients of the Successful CDO.” IRM UK Connects, 23 Feb. 2017.

    Dashboards. “Useful KPIs for Healthy Hospital Quality Management.” Dashboards. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Dashboards. “Why (and How) You Should Improve Data Literacy in Your Organization Today.” Dashboards. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Datapine. “Healthcare Key Performance Indicators and Metrics.” Datapine. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Datapine. “KPI Examples & Templates: Measure what matters the most and really impacts your success.” Datapine. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Diaz, Alejandro, et al. “Why data culture matters.” McKinsey Quarterly, Sept. 2018. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Everett, Dan. “Chief Data Officer (CDO): One Job, Four Roles.” Informatica, 9 Sept. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Experian. “10 signs you are sitting on a pile of data debt.” Experian. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Fregoni, Silvia. “New Research Reveals Why Some Business Leaders Still Ignore the Data.” Silicon Angle, 1 Oct. 2020.

    Informatica. Holistic Data Governance: A Framework for Competitive Advantage. Informatica, 2017. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Knight, Michelle. “What Is a Data Catalog?” Dataversity, 28 Dec. 2017. Web.

    Lim, Jason. “Alation 2020.3: Getting Business Users in the Game.” Alation, 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    McDonagh, Mariann. “Automating Data Governance.” Erwin, 29 Oct. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    NewVantage Partners. Data-Driven Business Transformation: Connecting Data/AI Investment to Business Outcomes. NewVantage Partners, 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Olavsrud, Thor. “What is data governance? A best practices framework for managing data assets.” CIO.com, 18 March 2021. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Open Data Institute. “Introduction to data ethics and the data ethics canvas.” Open Data Institute, 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Open Data Institute. “The UK National Data Strategy 2020: doing data ethically.” Open Data Institute, 17 Nov. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Open Data Institute. “What is the Data Ethics Canvas?” Open Data Institute, 3 July 2019. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Pathak, Rahul. “Becoming a Data-Driven Enterprise: Meeting the Challenges, Changing the Culture.” MIT Sloan Management Review, 28 Sept. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Redman, Thomas, et al. “Only 3% of Companies’ Data Meets Basic Quality Standards.” Harvard Business Review. 11 Sept 2017.

    Petzold, Bryan, et al. “Designing data governance that delivers value.” McKinsey & Company, 26 June 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Smaje, Kate. “How six companies are using technology and data to transform themselves.” McKinsey & Company, 12 Aug. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Talend. “The Definitive Guide to Data Governance.” Talend. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    “The Powerfully Simple Modern Data Catalog.” Atlan, 2021. Web.

    U.S. Geological Survey. “Data Management: Data Standards.” U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Waller, David. “10 Steps to Creating a Data-Driven Culture.” Harvard Business Review, 6 Feb. 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    “What is the Difference Between A Business Glossary, A Data Dictionary, and A Data Catalog, and How Do They Play A Role In Modern Data Management?” Analytics8, 23 June 2021. Web.

    Wikipedia. “RFM (market research).” Wikipedia. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Windheuser, Christoph, and Nina Wainwright. “Data in a Modern Digital Business.” Thoughtworks, 12 May 2020. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Wright, Tom. “Digital Marketing KPIs - The 12 Key Metrics You Should Be Tracking.” Cascade, 3 March 2021. Accessed 25 June 2021.

    Embrace Business-Managed Applications

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    • Parent Category Name: Architecture & Strategy
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    • The traditional model of managing applications does not address the demands of today’s rapidly changing market and digitally minded business, putting stress on scarce IT resources. The business is fed up with slow IT responses and overbearing desktop and system controls.
    • The business wants more control over the tools they use. Software as a service (SaaS), business process management (BPM), robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), and low-code development platforms are all on their radar.
    • However, your current governance and management structures do not accommodate the risks and shifts in responsibilities to business-managed applications.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • IT is a business partner, not just an operator. Effective business operations hinge on high-quality, valuable, fit-for-purpose applications. IT provides the critical insights, guidance, and assistance to ensure applications are implemented and leveraged in a way that maximizes return on investment, whether it is being managed by end users or lines of business (LOBs). This can only happen if the organization views IT as a critical asset, not just a supporting player.
    • All applications should be business owned. You have applications because LOBs need them to meet the objectives and key performance indicators defined in the business strategy. Without LOBs, there would be no need for business applications. LOBs define what the application should be and do for it to be successful, so LOBs should own them.
    • Everything boils down to trust. The business is empowered to make their own decisions on how they want to implement and use their applications and, thus, be accountable for the resulting outcomes. Guardrails, role-based access, application monitoring, and other controls can help curb some risk factors, but it should not come at the expense of business innovation and time-sensitive opportunities. IT must trust the business will make rational application decisions, and the business must trust IT to support them in good times and bad.

    Impact and Result

    • Focus on the business units that matter. BMA can provide significant value to LOBs if teams and stakeholders are encouraged and motivated to adopt organizational and operational changes.
    • Reimagine the role of IT. IT is no longer the gatekeeper that blocks application adoption. Rather, IT enables the business to adopt the tools they need to be productive and they guide the business on successful BMA practices.
    • Instill business accountability. With great power comes great responsibility. If the business wants more control of their applications, they must be willing to take ownership of the outcomes of their decisions.

    Embrace Business-Managed Applications Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should embrace business-managed applications, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    • Embrace Business-Managed Applications – Phases 1-3
    • Business-Managed Applications Communication Template

    1. State your objectives

    Level-set the expectations for your business-managed applications.

    • Embrace Business- Managed Applications – Phase 1: State Your Objectives

    2. Design your framework and governance

    Identify and define your application managers and owners and build a fit-for-purpose governance model.

    • Embrace Business-Managed Applications – Phase 2: Design Your Framework & Governance

    3. Build your roadmap

    Build a roadmap that illustrates the key initiatives to implement your BMA and governance models.

    • Embrace Business-Managed Applications – Phase 3: Build Your Roadmap

    [infographic]

    Workshop: Embrace Business-Managed Applications

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 State Your Objectives

    The Purpose

    Define business-managed applications in your context.

    Identify your business-managed application objectives.

    State the value opportunities with business-managed applications.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    A consensus definition and list of business-managed applications goals

    Understanding of the business value business-managed applications can deliver

    Activities

    1.1 Define business-managed applications.

    1.2 List your objectives and metrics.

    1.3 State the value opportunities.

    Outputs

    Grounded definition of a business-managed application

    Goals and objectives of your business-managed applications

    Business value opportunity with business-managed applications

    2 Design Your Framework & Governance

    The Purpose

    Develop your application management framework.

    Tailor your application delivery and ownership structure to fit business-managed applications.

    Discuss the value of an applications committee.

    Discuss technologies to enable business-managed applications.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Fit-for-purpose and repeatable application management selection framework

    Enhanced application governance model

    Applications committee design that meets your organization’s needs

    Shortlist of solutions to enable business-managed applications

    Activities

    2.1 Develop your management framework.

    2.2 Tune your delivery and ownership accountabilities.

    2.3 Design your applications committee.

    2.4 Uncover your solution needs.

    Outputs

    Tailored application management selection framework

    Roles definitions of application owners and managers

    Applications committee design

    List of business-managed application solution features and services

    3 Build Your Roadmap

    The Purpose

    Build your roadmap to implement busines-managed applications and build the foundations of your optimized governance model.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Implementation initiatives

    Adoption roadmap

    Activities

    3.1 Build your roadmap.

    Outputs

    Business-managed application adoption roadmap

     

    Measure and Manage Customer Satisfaction Metrics That Matter the Most

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    • Parent Category Name: Marketing Solutions
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    • Lack of understanding of what is truly driving customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
    • Lack of insight into who our satisfied and dissatisfied customers are.
    • Lack of a system for early detection of declines in satisfaction.
    • Lack of clarity on what to improve and how resources should be allocated.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • All software companies measure satisfaction in some way, but many lack understanding of what’s truly driving customers to stay or leave. By understanding the true drivers of satisfaction, solution providers can measure and monitor satisfaction more effectively, pull actionable insights and feedback, and make changes to products and services that customers really care about and will keep them coming back to you to have their needs met.
    • Obstacles:
      • Use of metrics that don’t provide the insight needed to make impactful changes that will boost satisfaction and ultimately, retention and profit.
      • Lack of a clear definition of what satisfaction means to customers, metric definitions and/or standard methods of measurement, and a consistent monitoring cadence.

    Impact and Result

    • Understanding of who your satisfied and dissatisfied customers are.
    • Understanding of the true drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among your customer segments.
    • Establishment of a repeatable process and cadence for effective satisfaction measurement and monitoring.
    • Development of an executable customer satisfaction improvement plan that identifies customer journey pain points and areas of dissatisfaction, and outlines how to improve them.
    • Knowledge of where money, time, and other resources are needed most to improve satisfaction levels and ultimately increase retention.

    Measure and Manage Customer Satisfaction Metrics That Matter the Most Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Measure and Manage the Customer Satisfaction Metrics that Matter the Most Deck – An overview of how to understand what drives customer satisfaction and how to measure and manage it for improved business outcomes.

    Understand the true drivers of customer satisfaction and build a process for managing and improving customer satisfaction.

    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Measure and Manage the Customer Satisfaction Metrics that Matter the Most

    Understand what truly keeps your customer satisfied. Start to measure what matters to improve customer experience and increase satisfaction and advocacy. 

    EXECUTIVE BRIEF

    Analyst perspective

    Understanding and measuring the true drivers of satisfaction enable the delivery of real customer value

    The image contains a picture of Emily Wright.

    “Healthy customer relationships are the paramount to long-term growth. When customers are satisfied, they remain loyal, spend more, and promote your company to others in their network. The key to high satisfaction is understanding and measuring the true drivers of satisfaction to enable the delivery of real customer value.

    Most companies believe they know who their satisfied customers are and what keeps them satisfied, and 76% of B2B buyers expect that providers understand their unique needs (Salesforce Research, 2020). However, on average B2B companies have customer experience scores of less than 50% (McKinsey, 2016). This disconnect between customer expectations and provider experience indicates that businesses are not effectively measuring and monitoring satisfaction and therefore are not making meaningful enhancements to their service, offerings, and overall experience.

    By focusing on the underlying drivers of customer satisfaction, organizations develop a truly accurate picture of what is driving deep satisfaction and loyalty, ensuring that their company will achieve sustainable growth and stay competitive in a highly competitive market.”

    Emily Wright

    Senior Research Analyst, Advisory

    SoftwareReviews

    Executive summary

    Your Challenge

    Common Obstacles

    SoftwareReviews’ Approach

    Getting a truly accurate picture of satisfaction levels among customers, and where to focus efforts to improve satisfaction, is challenging. Providers often find themselves reacting to customer challenges and being blindsided when customers leave. More effective customer satisfaction measurement is possible when providers self-assess for the following challenges:

    • Lack of understanding of what is truly driving customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
    • Lack of insight into who our satisfied and dissatisfied customers are.
    • Lack of a system for early detection of declines in satisfaction.
    • Lack of clarity of what needs to be improved and how resources should be allocated.
    • Lack of reliable internal data for effective customer satisfaction monitoring.

    What separates customer success leaders from developing a full view of their customers are several nagging obstacles:

    • Use of metrics that don’t provide the insight needed to make impactful changes that will boost satisfaction and ultimately, retention and profit.
    • Friction from customers participating in customer satisfaction studies.
    • Lack of data, or integrated databases from which to track, pull, and analyze customer satisfaction data.
    • Lack a clear definition of what satisfaction means to customers, metric definitions, and/or standard methods of measurement and a consistent monitoring cadence.
    • Lack of time, resources, or technology to uncover and effectively measure and monitor satisfaction drivers.

    Through the SoftwareReviews’ approach, customer success leaders will:

    • Understand who your satisfied and dissatisfied customers are.
    • Understand the true drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among your customer segments.
    • Establish a repeatable process and cadence for effective satisfaction measurement and monitoring.
    • Develop an executable customer satisfaction improvement plan that identifies customer journey pain points and areas of dissatisfaction, and outlines how to improve them.
    • Know where money, time, and resources are needed most to improve satisfaction levels and ultimately retention.

    Overarching SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:

    All companies measure satisfaction in some way, but many lack understanding of what’s truly driving customers to stay or leave. By understanding the true drivers of satisfaction, solution providers can measure and monitor satisfaction more effectively, pull actionable insights and feedback, and make changes to products and services that customers really care about. This will keep them coming back to you to have their needs met.

    Healthy Customer Relationships are vital for long-term success and growth

    Measuring customer satisfaction is critical to understanding the overall health of your customer relationships and driving growth.

    Through effective customer satisfaction measurement, organizations can:

    Improve Customer Experience

    Increase Retention and CLV

    Increase Profitability

    Reduce Costs

    • Provide insight into where and how to improve.
    • Enhance experience, increase loyalty.
    • By providing strong CX, organizations can increase revenue by 10-15% (McKinsey, 2014).
    • Far easier to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones.
    • Ensuring high satisfaction among customers increases Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) through longer tenure and higher spending.
    • NPS Promoter score has a customer lifetime value that's 600%-1,400% higher than a Detractor (Bain & Company, 2015).
    • Highly satisfied customers spend more through expansions and add-ons, as well as through their long tenure with your company.
    • They also spread positive word of mouth, which brings in new customers.
    • “Studies demonstrate a strong correlation between customer satisfaction and increased profits — with companies with high customer satisfaction reporting 5.7 times more revenue than competitors.” (Matthew Loper, CEO and Co-Founder of WELLTH, 2022)
    • Measuring, monitoring, and maintaining high satisfaction levels reduces costs across the board.
    • “Providing a high-quality customer experience can save up to 33% of customer service costs” (Deloitte, 2018).
    • Satisfied customers are more likely to spread positive word of mouth which reduces acquisition / marketing costs for your company.

    “Measuring customer satisfaction is vital for growth in any organization; it provides insights into what works and offers opportunities for optimization. Customer satisfaction is essential for improving loyalty rate, reducing costs and retaining your customers.”

    -Ken Brisco, NICE, 2019

    Poor customer satisfaction measurement is costly

    Virtually all companies measure customer satisfaction, but few truly do it well. All too often, customer satisfaction measurement consists of a set of vanity metrics that do not result in actionable insight for product/service improvement. Improper measurement can result in numerous consequences:

    Direct and Indirect Costs

    Being unaware of true drivers of satisfaction that are never remedied costs your business directly through customer churn, service costs, etc.

    Tarnished Brand

    Tarnished brand through not resolving issues drives dissatisfaction; dissatisfied customers share their negative experiences, which can damage brand image and reputation.

    Waste Limited Resources

    Putting limited resources towards vanity programs and/or fixes that have little to no bearing on core satisfaction drivers wastes time and money.

    “When customer dissatisfaction goes unnoticed, it can slowly kill a company. Because of the intangible nature of customer dissatisfaction, managers regularly underestimate the magnitude of customer dissatisfaction and its impact on the bottom line.”

    - Lakshmiu Tatikonda, “The Hidden Costs of Customer Dissatisfaction”, 2013

    SoftwareReviews Advisory Insight:

    Most companies struggle to understand what’s truly driving customers to stay or leave. By understanding the true satisfaction drivers, tech providers can measure and monitor satisfaction more effectively, avoiding the numerous harmful consequences that result from average customer satisfaction measurement.

    Does your customer satisfaction measurement process need improvement?

    Getting an accurate picture of customer satisfaction is no easy task. Struggling with any of the following means you are ready for a detailed review of your customer satisfaction measurement efforts:

    • Not knowing who your most satisfied customers are.
    • Lacking early detection for declining satisfaction – either reactive, or unaware of dissatisfaction as it’s occurring.
    • Lacking a process for monitoring changes in satisfaction and lack ability to be proactive; you feel blindsided when customers leave.
    • Inability to fix the problem and wasting money on the wrong areas, like vanity metrics that don’t bring value to customers.
    • Spending money and other resources towards fixes based on a gut feeling, without quantifying the real root cause drivers and investing in their improvement.
    • Having metrics and data but lacking context; don’t know what contributed to the metrics/results, why people are dissatisfied or what contributes to satisfaction.
    • Lacking clear definition of what satisfaction means to customers / customer segments.
    • Difficulty tying satisfaction back to financial results.

    Customers are more satisfied with software vendors who understand the difference between surface level and short-term satisfaction, and deep or long-term satisfaction

    Surface-level satisfaction

    Surface-level satisfaction has immediate effects, but they are usually short-term or limited to certain groups of users. There are several factors that contribute to satisfaction including:

    • Novelty of new software
    • Ease of implementation
    • Financial savings
    • Breadth of features

    Software Leaders Drive Deep Satisfaction

    Deep satisfaction has long-term and meaningful impacts on the way that organizations work. Deep satisfaction has staying power and increases or maintains satisfaction over time, by reducing complexity and delivering exceptional quality for end-users and IT alike. This report found that the following capabilities provided the deepest levels of satisfaction:

    • Usability and intuitiveness
    • Quality of features
    • Ease of customization
    • Vendor-specific capabilities

    The above solve issues that are part of everyday problems, and each drives satisfaction in deep and meaningful ways. While surface-level satisfaction is important, deep and impactful capabilities can sustain satisfaction for a longer time.

    Deep Customer Satisfaction Among Software Buyers Correlates Highly to “Emotional Attributes”

    Vendor Capabilities and Product Features remain significant but are not the primary drivers

    The image contains a graph to demonstrate a correlation to Satisfaction, all Software Categories.
    Source: SoftwareReviews buyer reviews (based on 82,560 unique reviews).

    Driving deep satisfaction among software customers vs. surface-level measures is key

    Vendor capabilities and product features correlate significantly to buyer satisfaction

    Yet, it’s the emotional attributes – what we call the “Emotional Footprint”, that correlate more strongly

    Business-Value Created and Emotional Attributes are what drives software customer satisfaction the most

    The image contains a screenshot of a graph to demonstrate Software Buyer Satisfaction Drivers and Emotional Attributes are what drives software customer satisfaction.

    Software companies looking to improve customer satisfaction will focus on business value created and the Emotional Footprint attributes outlined here.

    The essential ingredient is understanding how each is defined by your customers.

    Leaders focus on driving improvements as described by customers.

    SoftwareReviews Insight:

    These true drivers of satisfaction should be considered in your customer satisfaction measurement and monitoring efforts. The experience customers have with your product and brand is what will differentiate your brand from competitors, and ultimately, power business growth. Talk to a SoftwareReviews Advisor to learn how users rate your product on these satisfaction drivers in the SoftwareReviews Emotional Footprint Report.

    Benefits of Effective Customer Satisfaction Measurement

    Our research provides Customer Success leaders with the following key benefits:

    • Ability to know who is satisfied, dissatisfied, and why.
    • Confidence in how to understand or uncover the factors behind customer satisfaction; understand and identify factors driving satisfaction, dissatisfaction.
    • Ability to develop a clear plan for improving customer satisfaction.
    • Knowledge of how to establish a repeatable process for customer satisfaction measurement and monitoring that allows for proactivity when declines in satisfaction are detected.
    • Understanding of what metrics to use, how to measure them, and where to find the right information/data.
    • Knowledge of where money, time, and other resources are needed most to drive tangible customer value.

    “81% of organizations cite CX as a competitive differentiator. The top factor driving digital transformation is improving CX […] with companies reporting benefits associated with improving CX including:

    • Increased customer loyalty (92%)
    • An uplift in revenue (84%)
    • Cost savings (79%).”

    – Dan Cote, “Advocacy Blooms and Business Booms When Customers and Employees Engage”, Influitive, 2021

    The image contains a screenshot of a thought model that focuses on Measure & Manage the Customer Satisfaction Metrics That Matter the Most.

    Who benefits from improving the measurement and monitoring of customer satisfaction?

    This Research Is Designed for:

    • Customer Success leaders and marketers who are:
      • Responsible for understanding how to benchmark, measure, and understand customer satisfaction to improve satisfaction, NPS, and ROI.
      • Looking to take a more proactive and structured approach to customer satisfaction measurement and monitoring.
      • Looking for a more effective and accurate way to measure and understand how to improve customer satisfaction around products and services.

    This Research Will Help You:

    • Understand the factors driving satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
    • Know which customers are satisfied/dissatisfied.
    • Know where time, money, and resources are needed the most in order to improve or maintain satisfaction levels.
    • Develop a formal plan to improve customer satisfaction.
    • Establish a repeatable process for customer satisfaction measurement and monitoring that allows for proactivity when declines in satisfaction are detected.

    This Research Will Also Assist:

    • Customer Success Leaders, Marketing and Sales Directors and Managers, Product Marketing Managers, and Advocacy Managers/Coordinators who are responsible for:
      • Product improvements and enhancements
      • Customer service and onboarding
      • Customer advocacy programs
      • Referral/VoC programs

    This Research Will Help Them:

    • Coordinate and align on customer experience efforts and actions.
    • Gather and make use of customer feedback to improve products, solutions, and services provided.
    • Provide an amazing customer experience throughout the entirety of the customer journey.

    SoftwareReviews’ methodology for measuring the customer satisfaction metrics that matter the most

    1. Identify true customer satisfaction drivers

    2. Develop metrics dashboard

    3. Develop customer satisfaction measurement and management plan

    Phase Steps

    1. Identify data sources, documenting any gaps in data
    2. Analyze all relevant data on customer experiences and outcomes
    3. Document top satisfaction drivers
    1. Identify business goals, problems to be solved / define business challenges and marketing/customer success goals
    2. Use SR diagnostic to assess current state of satisfaction measurement, assessing metric alignment to satisfaction drivers
    3. Define your metrics dashboard
    4. Develop common metric definitions, language for discussing, and standards for measuring customer satisfaction
    1. Determine committee structure to measure performance metrics over time
    2. Map out gaps in satisfaction along customer journey/common points in journey where customers are least dissatisfied
    3. Build plan that identifies weak areas and shows how to fix using SR’s emotional footprint, other measures
    4. Create plan and roadmap for CSat improvement
    5. Create communication deck

    Phase Outcomes

    1. Documented satisfaction drivers
    2. Documented data sources and gaps in data
    1. Current state customer satisfaction measurement analysis
    2. Common metric definitions and measurement standards
    3. Metrics dashboard
    1. Customer satisfaction measurement plan
    2. Customer satisfaction improvement plan
    3. Customer journey maps
    4. Customer satisfaction improvement communication deck
    5. Customer Satisfaction Committee created

    Insight summary

    Understanding and measuring the true drivers of satisfaction enable the delivery of real customer value

    All software companies measure satisfaction in some way, but many lack understanding of what’s truly driving customers to stay or leave. By understanding the true drivers of satisfaction, solution providers can measure and monitor satisfaction more effectively, pull actionable insights and feedback, and make changes to products and services that customers really care about and which will keep them coming back to you to have their needs met.

    Positive experiences drive satisfaction more so than features and cost

    According to our analysis of software buyer reviews data*, the biggest drivers of satisfaction and likeliness to recommend are the positive experiences customers have with vendors and their products. Customers want to feel that:

    1. Their productivity and performance is enhanced, and the vendor is helping them innovate and grow as a company.
    2. Their vendor inspires them and helps them to continually improve.
    3. They can rely on the vendor and the product they purchased.
    4. They are respected by the vendor.
    5. They can trust that the vendor will be on their side and save them time.
    *8 million data points across all software categories

    Measure Key Relationship KPIs to gauge satisfaction

    Key metrics to track include the Business Value Created score, Net Emotional Footprint, and the Love/Hate score (the strength of emotional connection).

    Orient the organization around customer experience excellence

    1. Arrange staff incentives around customer value instead of metrics that are unrelated to satisfaction.
    2. Embed customer experience as a core company value and integrate it into all functions.
    3. Make working with your organization easy and seamless for customers.

    Have a designated committee for customer satisfaction measurement

    Best in class organizations create customer satisfaction committees that meet regularly to measure and monitor customer satisfaction, resolve issues quickly, and work towards improved customer experience and profit outcomes.

    Use metrics that align to top satisfaction drivers

    This will give you a more accurate and fulsome view of customer satisfaction than standard satisfaction metrics alone will.

    Guided Implementation

    What is our GI on measuring and managing the customer satisfaction metrics that matter most?

    Identify True Customer Satisfaction Drivers

    Develop Metrics Dashboard Develop Customer Satisfaction Measurement and Management Plan

    Call #1: Discuss current pain points and barriers to successful customer satisfaction measurement, monitoring and maintenance. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #2: Discuss all available data, noting any gaps. Develop plan to fill gaps, discuss feasibility and timelines. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #3: Walk through SoftwareReviews reports to understand EF and satisfaction drivers. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #4: Segment customers and document key satisfaction drivers. Plan next call – 2 week.

    Call #5: Document business goals and align them to metrics. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #6: Complete the SoftwareReviews satisfaction measurement diagnostic. Plan next call – 3 days.

    Call #7: Score list of metrics that align to satisfaction drivers. Plan next call – 2 days.

    Call #8: Develop metrics dashboard and definitions. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Call #9: Finalize metrics dashboard and definitions. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #10: Discuss committee and determine governance. Plan next call – 2 weeks.

    Call #11: Map out gaps in satisfaction along customer journey as they relate to top satisfaction drivers. Plan next call –2 weeks.

    Call #12: Develop plan and roadmap for satisfaction improvement. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call #13: Finalize plan and roadmap. Plan next call – 1 week.

    Call # 14: Review and coach on communication deck.

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is series of calls with a SoftwareReviews Advisory analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    For guidance on marketing applications, we can arrange a discussion with an Info-Tech analyst.

    Your engagement managers will work with you to schedule analyst calls.

    Software Reviews offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.” “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.” “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.” “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”
    Included within Advisory Membership Optional add-ons

    Bibliography

    “Are you experienced?” Bain & Company, Apr. 2015. Accessed 6 June. 2022.

    Brisco, Ken. “Measuring Customer Satisfaction and Why It’s So Important.” NICE, Feb. 2019. Accessed 6 June. 2022.

    CMO.com Team. “The Customer Experience Management Mandate.” Adobe Experience Cloud Blog, July 2019. Accessed 14 June. 2022.

    Cote, Dan. “Advocacy Blooms and Business Booms When Customers and Employees Engage.” Influitive, Dec. 2021. Accessed 15 June. 2022.

    Fanderl, Harald and Perrey, Jesko. “Best of both worlds: Customer experience for more revenues and lower costs.” McKinsey & Company, Apr. 2014. Accessed 15 June. 2022.

    Gallemard, Jeremy. “Why – And How – Should Customer Satisfaction Be Measured?” Smart Tribune, Feb. 2020. Accessed 6 June. 2022.

    Kumar, Swagata. “Customer Success Statistics in 2021.” Customer Success Box, 2021. Accessed 17 June. 2022.

    Lakshmiu Tatikonda, “The Hidden Costs of Customer Dissatisfaction”, Management Accounting Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 3, 2013, pp 38. Accessed 17 June. 2022.

    Loper, Matthew. “Why ‘Customer Satisfaction’ Misses the Mark – And What to Measure Instead.” Newsweek, Jan. 2022. Accessed 16 June. 2022.

    Maechler, Nicolas, et al. “Improving the business-to-business customer experience.” McKinsey & Company, Mar. 2016. Accessed 16 June.

    “New Research from Dimension Data Reveals Uncomfortable CX Truths.” CISION PR Newswire, Apr. 2017. Accessed 7 June. 2022.

    Sheth, Rohan. 75 Must-Know Customer Experience Statistics to move Your Business Forward in 2022.” SmartKarrot, Feb. 2022. Accessed 17 June. 2022.

    Smith, Mercer. “111 Customer Service Statistics and Facts You Shouldn’t Ignore.” HelpScout, May 2022. Accessed 17 June. 2022.

    “State of the Connected Customer.” Salesforce, 2020. Accessed 14 June. 2022

    “The true value of customer experiences.” Deloitte, 2018. Accessed 15 June. 2022.

    Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation

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    • Parent Category Name: Threat Intelligence & Incident Response
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    • Threat management has become resource intensive, requiring continuous monitoring, collection, and analysis of massive volumes of security event data.
    • Security incidents are inevitable, but how they are handled is critical.
    • The increasing use of sophisticated malware is making it difficult for organizations to identify the true intent behind the attack campaign.
    • The incident response is often handled in an ad hoc or ineffective manner.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Establish communication processes and channels well in advance of a crisis. Don’t wait until a state of panic. Collaborate and share information mutually with other organizations to stay ahead of incoming threats.
    • Security operations is no longer a center, but a process. The need for a physical security hub has evolved into the virtual fusion of prevention, detection, analysis, and response efforts. When all four functions operate as a unified process, your organization will be able to proactively combat changes in the threat landscape.
    • You might experience a negative return on your security control investment. As technology in the industry evolves, threat actors will adopt new tools, tactics, and procedures; a tabletop exercise will help ensure teams are leveraging your security investment properly and providing relevant situational awareness to stay on top of the rapidly evolving threat landscape.

    Impact and Result

    Establish and design a tabletop exercise capability to support and test the efficiency of the core prevention, detection, analysis, and response functions that consist of an organization's threat intelligence, security operations, vulnerability management, and incident response functions.

    Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should design a tabletop exercise, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Plan

    Evaluate the need for a tabletop exercise.

    • Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation – Phase 1: Plan

    2. Design

    Determine the topics, scope, objectives, and participant roles and responsibilities.

    • Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation – Phase 2: Design

    3. Develop

    Create briefings, guides, reports, and exercise injects.

    • Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation – Phase 3: Develop
    • Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation – Inject Examples

    4. Conduct

    Host the exercise in a conference or classroom setting.

    • Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation – Phase 4: Conduct

    5. Evaluate

    Plan to ensure measurement and continued improvement.

    • Design a Tabletop Exercise to Support Your Security Operation – Phase 5: Evaluate
    [infographic]

    There should never be only one.

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    Today, we're talking about a concept that’s both incredibly simple and dangerously overlooked: the single point of failure, or SPOF for short.

    Imagine you’ve built an impenetrable fortress. It has high walls, a deep moat, and strong gates. But the entire fortress can only be accessed through a single wooden bridge. That bridge is your single point of failure. If it collapses or is destroyed, your magnificent fortress is completely cut off. It doesn't matter how strong the rest of it is; that one weak link renders the entire system useless.

    In your work, your team, and your processes and technology, these single bridges are everywhere. A SPOF is any part of a system that, if it stops working, will cause the entire system to shut down. It’s the one critical component, the one indispensable person, or the one vital process that everything else depends on.

    When you identify and fix these weak points you aren't being pessimistic; you're fixing the very foundation of something that can withstand shocks and surprises. It’s about creating truly resilient systems and teams, not just seemingly strong ones. So, let’s explore where these risks hide and what you can do about them.

    When People Become the Problem

    For those of you who know me, saying something like this feels at odds with who I am. And yet, it's one of the most common and riskiest areas in any organization. Human single points of failure don't happen because of malicious intent. They typically grow out of good intentions, hard work, and necessity. But the result is the same: a fragile system completely dependent on an individual.

    The Rise of the Hero

    We all know a colleague like this. The “hero” is the one person who has all the answers. When a critical system goes down at 3 AM, they're the only one who can fix it. They understand the labyrinthine codebase nobody else dares to touch. They have the historical context for every major decision made in the last decade. On the surface, this person is invaluable. Management loves them because they solve problems. The team relies on them because they’re a walking encyclopedia.

    But here’s the inconvenient truth: your hero is your biggest liability.

    This isn’t their fault. They likely became the hero by stepping up when no one else would or could. The hero may actually feel like they are the only ones qualified to handle the issue because “management” does not take the necessary actions to train other people. Or “management” places other priorities. Be aware, this is a perception thing. The manager is very likely to be very concerned about the well-being of their employee. (I'm taking "black companies", akin to black sites, out of the equation for a moment and concentrating on generally healthy workplaces.) The hero will likely feel a strong bond to their environment. Also, every hero is different. There is a single point of failure, but not a single type of person. Every person has a different driver.

    I watched a YouTube video by a famous entrepreneur the other day. And she said something that triggered a response in me, because it sows the seeds of the hero. She said, Would you rather have an employee who just fixes it, handles it, and deals with it? Or an employee that talks about it? Obviously, the large majority will take the person behind door number 1. I would too. But then you need to step up as a manager, as an owner, as an executive, and enforce knowledge sharing.

    If you channel all critical knowledge and capabilities through one person, if you let this person become your go-to specialist for everything, you've created a massive SPOF. What happens when your hero gets sick, takes a well deserved two week vacation to a place with no internet, or leaves the company for a new opportunity? The system grinds to a halt. A minor issue becomes a major crisis because the only person who can fix it is unavailable.

    This overreliance doesn't just create a risk; it stifles growth. Other team members don't get the opportunity to learn and develop new skills because the hero is always there to swoop in and save the day. The answer? I guess that depends on your situation and what your ability is to keep this person happy without alienating the rest of the team. The answer may lie in the options discussed later in the article around KPIs.

    The Knowledge Hoarders

    A step beyond the individual hero is the team that acts as a collective SPOF. This is the team that “protects” its know how. They might use complex, undocumented tools, speak in a language of acronyms only they understand, or resist any attempts to standardize their processes. They've built a silo around their work, making themselves indispensable as a unit.

    Unlike the hero, this often comes from a place of perceived self preservation. If they are the only ones who understand how something works, their jobs are secure, right? But this behavior is incredibly damaging to the organization's resilience. Not to mention that it is just plain wrong. The team becomes inundated with requests for new features, but also for help in solving incidents. The result in numerous instances is that the team succeeds in neither. Next the manager is called to the senior management because the business is complaining that things don't progress as expected. 

    This team thus has become a bottleneck. Any other team that needs to interact with their system is completely at their mercy. Progress slows to a crawl, dependent on their availability and willingness to cooperate. Preservation has turned into survival.  

    The real root cause at the heart of both the hero and the knowledge hoarding team is a failure of knowledge management. When information isn't shared, documented, and made accessible, you are actively choosing to create single points of failure. We'll dive deeper into building a robust knowledge sharing culture in a future article, but for now, recognize that knowledge kept in one person's or team's head is a disaster waiting to happen.

    When Your Technology is a House of Cards

    People aren't the only source of fragility. The way you build and manage your technology stacks can easily create critical SPOFs that leave you vulnerable. These are often less obvious at first, but they can cause dangerous failures when they finally break.

    The Danger of the Single Node

    Let's start with the most straightforward technical SPOF: the single node setup. Imagine you have a critical application like maybe your company's main website or an internal database. If you run that entire application on one single server (a single “node”), you've created a classic SPOF.

    It’s like a restaurant with only one chef. If that chef goes home, the kitchen closes. It doesn't matter how many waiters or tables you have. If that single server experiences a hardware failure, a software crash, or even just needs to be rebooted for an update, your entire service goes offline. There is no failover. The service is simply down until that one machine is fixed, patched or rebooted.

    You need to set up your systems so that when one node goes down, the other takes over. This is not just something for large enterprises. SMEs must do the same. I've had numerous calls from business owners who did something to their web server or system and now “it doesn't work!” Not only are they down, now they have to call me and I then must arrange for subject matter experts to fix it immediately. Typically at a cost much larger than if they had set up their system with active, warm or even cold standbys. 

    The Mystery of Closed Technologies

    Another major risk comes from an overreliance on closed, proprietary technologies. This happens when you build a core part of your business on a piece of software or hardware that you don't control and can't inspect. It’s a “black box.” You know what it’s supposed to do, but you have no idea how it does it, and you can’t fix it if it breaks. When something goes wrong, you are completely at the mercy of the company that created it. You have to submit a support ticket and wait.

    This is actually relatable to the next chapter, please follow along and take the advice there.

    The Trap of Vendor Lock In

    Closely related to closed technology is the concept of vendor lock-in. This is a subtle but powerful SPOF. It happens when you become so deeply integrated with a single vendor's ecosystem that the cost and effort of switching to a competitor are impossibly high. Your vendor effectively becomes a strategic single point of failure. Your ability to innovate, control costs, and pivot your strategy is now tied to the decisions of another company.

    This may even run afoul of legal standards. In Europe, we have the DORA and NIS2 regulations. DORA specifically mandates that companies have exit plans for their systems, starting with their critical and important functions. Functions refers to business services, to be clear. 

    But we get there so easily. The native functions of AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, just to name a few, are very enticing to use. They offer convenience, low code, and performance on tap. It's just that, once you integrate deeply with them, you are taken, hook, line, and sinker. And then you have people like me, or worse, your regulator, who demands “What is your exit plan?”

    Your Resilience Playbook: Practical Steps to Eliminate SPOFs

    Identifying your single points of failure is the first step. The real work is in systematically eliminating them. This isn't about a single, massive project; it's about building new habits and principles into your daily work. Here's a playbook I think you can start using today.

    Mitigate People-Based Risks

    The cure for depending on one person is to create a culture where knowledge is fluid and shared by default. Your goal is to move from individual heroics to collective resilience.

    • Mandate real vacations. This might sound strange, but one of the best ways to reveal and fix a “hero” problem is to make sure your hero takes a real, disconnected vacation. This isn't a punishment; it's a benefit to them and a necessary stress test for the team. It forces others to step up and document their processes in preparation. The first time will be painful, but it gets easier each time as the team builds its own knowledge.

    • Adopt the “teach, don't just do” rule. Coach your senior experts to see their role as multipliers. When someone asks them a question, their first instinct should be to show, not just to do. This can be a five minute screen sharing session, grabbing a colleague to pair program on a fix, or taking ten minutes to write down the answer in a shared knowledge base so it never has to be asked again.

      Many companies have knowledge sharing solutions in place. Take a moment to actually use them. Prepare for when new people come into the company. Have a place where they can get into the groove and learn the heart beat of the company. There is a reason why the Madonna song is so captivating to so many people. Getting into the groove elevates you. And the same thing happens in your company. 

    • Rotate responsibilities and run "game days". Actively move people around. Let a developer handle support tickets for a week to understand common customer issues. Have your infrastructure expert sit with the product team. Also, create “game days” where you simulate a crisis. For example: "Okay team, our lead developer is 'on vacation' today. Let's practice a full deployment without them.” This makes learning safe and proactive.

    • Celebrate team success, not individual firefighting. Shift your praise and recognition. Instead of publicly thanking a single person for working all night to resolve a problem, celebrate the team that built a system so resilient it didn't break in the first place. Reward the team that wrote excellent documentation that allowed a junior member to solve a complex issue. Culture follows what you celebrate. At the same time, if the team does not pony up, definitely praise the person and follow up with the team to fix this.

    • Host internal demos and tech talks. Create a regular, informal forum where people can share what they're working on. This could be a “brown bag lunch” session or a Friday afternoon demo. It demystifies what other teams are doing, breaks down silos, and encourages people to ask questions in a low pressure environment.

    • Remunerate sharing. Make sharing knowledge a bonus-eligible key performance indicator. The more sharing an expert does, with their peers acknowledging this, the more the expert earns. You can easily incorporate this into your peer feedback system. 

    • Run DRP exercises without your top engineers: This is taking a leap of faith, and I would never recommend this until all of the above are in place and proven. 

    Building Resilient Technical Systems

    The core principle here is to assume failure will happen and to design for it. A resilient system isn't one where parts never fail, but one where the system as a whole keeps working even when they do.

    • Embrace the rule of three. This is a simple but powerful guideline. For critical data, aim to have three copies on two different types of media, with one copy stored off-site (or in a different cloud region). For critical services, aim for at least three instances running in different availability zones. This simple rule protects you from a wide range of common failures.

    • Automate everything you can. Every manual process is a potential SPOF. It relies on a person remembering a series of steps perfectly, often under pressure. Automate your testing, your deployments, your server setup, and your backup procedures. Scripts are consistent and repeatable; tired humans at 3 AM are not.

    • Use health checks and smart monitoring. It's not enough to have a backup server; you need to know that it's healthy and ready to take over. Implement automated health checks that constantly monitor your primary and redundant systems. Your monitoring should alert you the moment a backup component fails, not just when the primary one does.

    • Practice chaos engineering. Don't wait for a real failure to test your resilience. Intentionally introduce failures in a controlled environment. This is known as chaos engineering. Start small. What happens if you turn off a non-critical service during work hours? Does the system handle it gracefully? Does the team know how to respond? This turns a potential crisis into a planned, educational drill.

    Avoiding Technology and Vendor Traps

    Your resilience also depends on the choices you make about the technology and partners you rely on. The goal is to maintain control over your destiny.

    • Build abstraction layers. Instead of having your application code talk directly to a specific vendor's service, create an intermediary layer that you control. This “abstraction layer” acts as a buffer. If you ever need to switch vendors, you only have to update your abstraction layer, not your entire application. It’s more work up front but gives you immense flexibility later.

    • Make “ease of exit” a key requirement. When you evaluate a new technology or vendor, make portability a primary concern. Ask tough questions: How do we get our data out? What is the process for migrating to a competitor? Is the technology based on open standards? Run a small proof of concept to test how hard it would be to leave before you commit fully.

    • Consider a multi-vendor strategy. For your most critical dependencies, like cloud hosting, avoid going all in on a single provider if you can. Using services from two or more vendors is an advanced strategy, but it provides the ultimate protection against a massive, platform wide outage or unfavorable changes in pricing or terms.

    It's a journey, not a destination

    You will never be “ready.” Building resilience by eliminating single points of failure isn't a one time project you can check off a list. It’s a continuous process. New SPOFs will emerge as your systems evolve, people change roles, and your business grows.

    The key is to make this thinking a part of your culture. Make “What's the bus factor for this project?” a regular question in your planning meetings. Make redundancy and documentation a non negotiable requirement for new systems. By constantly looking for the one thing that can bring everything down, you can build teams and technology that don't just survive shocks—they eat them for breakfast.

    The Essential COVID-19 Childcare Policy for Every Organization, Yesterday

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    • Parent Category Name: Manage & Coach
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    • Helping employees navigate personal and business responsibilities to find solutions that ensure both are taken care of.
    • Reducing potential disruption to business operations through employee absenteeism due to increased care-provider responsibilities.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Remote work is complicated by children at home with school closures. Implement alternative temporary work arrangements that allow and support employees to balance work and personal obligations.
    • Adjustments to work arrangements and pay may be necessary. Temporary work arrangements while caring for dependents over a longer-term pandemic may require adjustments to the duties carried out, number of hours worked, and adjustments to employee pay.
    • Managing remotely is more than staying in touch by phone. As a leader you will need to provide clear options that provide solutions to your employees to avoid them getting overwhelmed while taking care of the business to ensure there is a business long term.

    Impact and Result

    • Develop a policy that provides parameters around mutually agreed adjustments to performance levels while balancing dependent care with work during a pandemic.
    • Take care of the business through clear guidelines on compensation while taking care of the health and wellness of your people.
    • Develop detailed work-from-home plans that lessen disruption to your work while taking care of children or aged parents.

    The Essential COVID-19 Childcare Policy for Every Organization, Yesterday Research & Tools

    Start here. Read The Essential COVID-19 Childcare Policy for Every Organization, Yesterday

    Read our recommendations and follow the steps to develop a policy that will help your employees work productively while managing care-provider responsibilities at home.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    • The Essential COVID-19 Childcare Policy for Every Organization, Yesterday Storyboard
    • Pandemic Dependent Care Policy
    • COVID-19 Dependent Care Policy Manager Action Toolkit
    • COVID-19 Dependent Care Policy Employee Guide
    • Dependent-Flextime Agreement Template
    • Workforce Planning Tool
    • Nine Ways to Support Working Caregivers Today
    • Employee Resource Group (ERG) Charter Template
    [infographic]

    Effective IT Communications

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    IT communications are often considered ineffective. This is demonstrated by:

    • A lack of inclusion or time to present in board meetings.
    • Confusion around IT priorities and how they align to organizational objectives.
    • Segregating IT from the rest of the organization.
    • The inability to secure the necessary funding for IT-led initiatives.
    • IT employees not feeling supported or engaged.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • No one is born a good communicator. Every IT employee needs to spend the time and effort to grow their communication skills; with constant change and worsening IT crises, IT cannot afford to communicate poorly anymore.
    • The skills needed to communicate effectively as a front=line employee or CIO are the same. It is important to begin the development of these skills from the beginning of one's career.
    • Time is a non-renewable resource. Any communication needs to be considered valuable and engaging by the audience or they will be unforgiving.

    Impact and Result

    Communications is a responsibility of all members of IT. This is demonstrated through:

    • Engaging in two-way communications that are continuous and evolving.
    • Establishing a communications strategy – and following the plan.
    • Increasing the skills of all IT employees when it comes to communications.
    • Identifying audiences and their preferred means of communication.

    Effective IT Communications Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Effective IT Communications Capstone Deck – A resource center to ensure you never start communications from a blank page again.

    This capstone blueprint highlights the components, best practices, and importance of good communication for all IT employees.

    • Effective IT Communications Storyboard

    2. IT Townhall Template – A ready-to-use template to help you engage with IT employees and ensure consistent access to information.

    IT town halls must deliver value to employees, or they will withdraw and miss key messages. To engage employees, use well-crafted communications in an event that includes crowd-sourced contents, peer involvement, recognition, significant Q&A time allotment, organizational discussions, and goal alignment.

    • IT Townhall Template

    3. IT Year in Review Template – A ready-to-use template to help communicate IT successes and future objectives.

    This template provides a framework to build your own IT Year In Review presentation. An IT Year In Review presentation typically covers the major accomplishments, challenges, and initiatives of an organization's information technology (IT) department over the past year.

    • IT Year in Review Template

    Infographic

    Further reading

    Effective IT Communications

    Empower IT employees to communicate well with any stakeholder across the organization.

    Analyst perspective

    There has never been an expectation for IT to communicate well.

    Brittany Lutes

    Brittany Lutes
    Research Director
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Diana MacPherson

    Diana MacPherson
    Senior Research Analyst
    Info-Tech Research Group

    IT rarely engages in proper communications. We speak at, inform, or tell our audience what we believe to be important. But true communications seldom take place.

    Communications only occur when channels are created to ensure the continuous opportunity to obtain two-way feedback. It is a skill that is developed over time, with no individual having an innate ability to be better at communications. Each person in IT needs to work toward developing their personal communications style. The problem is we rarely invest in development or training related to communications. Information and technology fields spend time and money developing hard skills within IT, not soft ones.

    The benefits associated with communications are immense: higher business satisfaction, funding for IT initiatives, increased employee engagement, better IT to business alignment, and the general ability to form ongoing partnerships with stakeholders. So, for IT departments looking to obtain these benefits through true communications, develop the necessary skills.

    Executive summary

    Your Challenge Common Obstacles Info-Tech’s Approach
    IT communications are often considered ineffective. This is demonstrated by:
    • A lack of inclusion or time to present in board meetings.
    • Confusion around IT priorities and how they align to organizational objectives.
    • Segregating IT from the rest of the organization.
    • An inability to secure the necessary funding for IT-led initiatives.
    • IT employees not feeling supported or engaged.
    Frequently, these barriers have prevented IT communications from being effective:
    • Using technical jargon when a universal language is needed.
    • Speaking at organization stakeholders rather than engaging through dialogue.
    • Understanding the needs of the audience.
    Overall, IT has not been expected to engage in good communications or taken a proactive approach to communicate effectively.
    Communications is a responsibility of all members of IT. This is demonstrated through:
    • Engaging in two-way communications that are continuous and evolving.
    • Establishing a communications strategy – and following the plan.
    • Increasing the skills of all IT employees when it comes to communications.
    • Identifying audiences and their preferred means of communication.

    Info-Tech Insight
    No one is born a good communicator. Every IT employee needs to spend the time and effort to grow their communication skills as constant change and worsening IT crises mean that IT cannot afford to communicate poorly anymore.

    Your challenge

    Overall satisfaction with IT is correlated to satisfaction with IT communications

    Chart showing satisfaction with it and communications

    The bottom line? For every 10% increase in communications there 8.6% increase in overall IT satisfaction. Therefore, when IT communicates with the organization, stakeholders are more likely to be satisfied with IT overall.

    Info-Tech Diagnostic Programs, N=330 organizations

    IT struggles to communicate effectively with the organization:

    • CIOs are given minimal time to present to the board or executive leaders about IT’s value and alignment to business goals.
    • IT initiatives are considered complicated and confusing.
    • The frequency and impact of IT crises are under planned for, making communications more difficult during a major incident.
    • IT managers do not have the skills to communicate effectively with their team.
    • IT employees do not have the skills to communicate effectively with one another and end users.

    Common obstacles

    IT is prevented from communicating effectively due to these barriers:

    • Difficulty assessing the needs of the audience to inform the language and means of communication that should be used.
    • Using technical jargon rather than translating the communication into commonly understood terms.
    • Not receiving the training required to develop communication skills across IT employees.
    • Frequently speak at organization stakeholders rather than engaging through dialogue.
    • Beginning many communications from a blank page, especially crisis communications.
    • Difficulty presenting complex concepts in a short time to an audience in a digestible and concise manner without diluting the point.

    Effective IT communications are rare:

    53% of CXOs believe poor communication between business and IT is a barrier to innovation.
    Source: Info-Tech CEO-CIO Alignment Survey, 2022

    69% of those in management positions don’t feel comfortable even communicating with their staff.”
    Source: TeamStage, 2022

    Info-Tech’s approach

    Effective communications is not a broadcast but a dialogue between communicator and audience in a continuous feedback loop.

    Continuous loop of dialogue

    The Info-Tech difference:

    1. Always treat every communication as a dialogue, enabling the receiver of the message to raise questions, concerns, or ideas.
    2. Different audiences will require different communications. Be sure to cater the communication to the needs of the receiver(s).
    3. Never assume the communication was effective. Create measures and adjust the communications to get the desired outcome.

    Common IT communications

    And the less common but still important communications

    Communicating Up to Board or Executives

    • Board Presentations
    • Executive Leadership Committee Meetings
    • Technology Updates
    • Budget Updates
    • Risk Updates
    • Year in Review

    Communicating Across the Organization

    • Townhalls – external to IT
    • Year in Review
    • Crisis Email
    • Intranet Communication
    • Customer/Constituent Requests for Information
    • Product Launches
    • Email
    • Watercooler Chat

    Communicating Within IT

    • Townhalls – internal to IT
    • Employee 1:1s
    • Team Meetings
    • Project Updates
    • Project Collaboration Sessions
    • Year in Review
    • All-Hands Meeting
    • Employee Interview
    • Onboarding Documentation
    • Vendor Negotiation Meetings
    • Vendor Product Meetings
    • Email
    • Watercooler Chat

    Insight Summary

    Overarching insight
    IT cannot afford to communicate poorly given the overwhelming impact and frequency of change related to technology. Learn to communicate well or get out of the way of someone who can.

    Insight 1: The skills needed to communicate effectively as a frontline employee or a CIO are the same. It’s important to begin the development of these skills from the beginning of one’s career.
    Insight 2: Time is a non-renewable resource. Any communication needs to be considered valuable and engaging by the audience or they will be unforgiving.
    Insight 3: Don’t make data your star. It is a supporting character. People can argue about the collection methods or interpretation of the data, but they cannot argue the story you share.
    Insight 4: Measure if the communication is being received and resulting in the desired outcome. If not, modify what and how the message is being expressed.
    Insight 5: Messages are also non-verbal. Practice using your voice and body to set the right tone and impact your audience.

    Communication principles

    Follow these principles to support all IT communications.

    Two-Way

    Incorporate feedback loops into your communication efforts. Providing stakeholders with the opportunity to voice their opinions and ideas will help gain their commitment and buy-in.

    Timely

    Frequent communications mitigate rumors and the spread of misinformation. Provide warning before the implementation of any changes whenever possible. Communicate as soon as possible after decisions have been made.

    Consistent

    Make sure the messaging is consistent across departments, mediums, and presenters. Provide managers with key phrases to support the consistency of messages.

    Open & Honest

    Transparency is a critical component of communication. Always tell employees that you will share information as soon as you can. This may not be as soon as you receive the information but as soon as sharing it is acceptable.

    Authentic

    Write messages in a way that embodies the personality of the organization. Don’t spin information; position it within the wider organizational context.

    Targeted

    Use your target audience profiles to determine which audiences need to consume which messages and what mediums should be employed.

    Importance of IT being a good communicator

    Don’t pay the price for poor communication.

    IT needs to communicate well because:

    • IT risk mitigation and technology initiative funding are dependent on critical stakeholders comprehending the risk impact and initiative benefit in easy-to-understand terms.
    • IT employees need clear and direct information to feel empowered and accountable to do their jobs well.
    • End users who have a good experience engaging in communications with IT employees have an overall increase in satisfaction with IT.
    • Continuously demonstrating IT’s value to the organization comes when those initiatives are clearly aligned to overall objectives.
    • Communication prevents assumptions and further miscommunication from happening among IT employees who are usually impacted and fear change the most.

    “Poor communication results in employee misunderstanding and errors that cost approximately $37 billion.”
    – Intranet Connections, 2019

    Effective communication enables organizational strategy and facilitates a two-way exchange

    Effective communication facilitates a two-way exchange

    What makes internal communications effective?

    To be effective, internal communications must be strategic. They should directly support organizational objectives, reinforce key messages to make sure they drive action, and facilitate two-way dialogue, not just one-way messaging.

    Measure the value of the communication

    Communication effectiveness can be measured through a variety of metrics:

    • Increase in Productivity
    • “When employees are offered better communication technology and skills, productivity can increase by up to 30%” (Expert Market, 2022).
    • Increase in Understanding Decision Rationale
    • Employees who report understanding the rationale behind the business decisions made by the executive leadership team (ELT) are 3.6x more likely to be engaged, compared to those who were not (McLean & Company Engagement Survey Database, 2022; N=133,167 responses, 187 organizations).
    • Increase in Revenue
    • Collaboration amongst C-suite executives led to a 27% increase in revenue compared to low collaborating C-suites (IBM, 2021).
    • Increase in End-User Satisfaction
    • 80.9% of end users are satisfied with IT’s ability to communicate with them regarding the information they need to perform their job (Info-Tech’s End-User Satisfaction Survey Database, N=20,617 end users from 126 organizations).

    Methods to determine effectiveness:

    • CIO Business Vision Survey
    • Engagement surveys
    • Focus groups
    • Suggestion boxes
    • Team meetings
    • Random sampling
    • Informal feedback
    • Direct feedback
    • Audience body language
    • Repeating the message back

    How to navigate the research center

    This research center is intended to ensure that IT never starts their communications from a blank page again:

    Tools to help IT be better communicators

    “‘Effectiveness’ can mean different things, and effectiveness for your project is going to look different than it would for any other project.”
    – Gale McCreary in WikiHow, 2022

    Audience: Organizational leadership

    Speaking with Board and executive leaders about strategy, risk, and value

    Keep in mind:

    1 2 3
    Priorities Differ Words Matter The Power of Three
    What’s important to you as CIO is very different from what is important to a board or executive leadership team or even the individual members of these groups. Share only what is important or relevant to the stakeholder(s). Simplify the message into common language whenever possible. A good test is to ensure that someone without any technical background could understand the message. Keep every slide to three points with no more than three words. You are the one to translate this information into a worth-while story to share.

    “Today’s CIOs have a story to tell. They must change the old narrative and describe the art of the (newly) possible. A great leader rises to the occasion and shares a vision that inspires the entire organization.”
    – Dan Roberts, CIO, 2019

    Communications for board presentations

    Secure funding and demonstrate IT as a value add to business objectives.

    DEFINING INSIGHT

    Stop presenting what is important to you as the CIO and present to the board what is important to them.

    Why does IT need to communicate with the board?

    • To get their buy-in and funding for critical IT initiatives.
    • To ensure that IT risks are understood and receive the funding necessary to mitigate.
    • To change the narrative of IT as a service provider to a business enabler.

    FRAMEWORK

    Framework for board presentations

    CHECKLIST

    Do’s & Don’ts of Communicating Board Presentations:

    Do: Ensure you know all the members of the board and their strengths/areas of focus.

    Do: Ensure the IT objectives and initiatives align to the business objectives.

    Do: Avoid using any technical jargon.

    Do: Limit the amount of data you are using to present information. If it can’t stand alone, it isn’t a strong enough data point.

    Do: Avoid providing IT service metrics or other operational statistics.

    Do: Demonstrate how the organization’s revenue is impacted by IT activities.

    Do: Tell a story that is compelling and excited.

    OUTCOME

    Organization Alignment

    • Approved organization objectives and IT objectives are aligned and supporting one another.

    Stakeholder Buy-In

    • Board members all understand what the future state of IT will look like – and are excited for it!

    Awareness on Technology Trends

    • It is the responsibility of the CIO to ensure the board is aware of critical technology trends that can impact the future of the organization/industry.

    Risks

    • Risks are understood, the impact they could have on the organization is clear, and the necessary controls required to mitigate the risk are funded.

    Communications for business updates

    Continuously build strong relationships with all members of business leadership.

    DEFINING INSIGHT

    Business leaders care about themselves and their goals – present ideas and initiatives that lean into this self-interest.

    Why does IT need to communicate business updates?

    • The key element here is to highlight how IT is impacting the organization’s overall ability to meet goals and targets.
    • Ensure all executive leaders know about and understand IT’s upcoming initiatives – and how they will be involved.

    FRAMEWORK

    Framework for business updates

    CHECKLIST

    Do’s & Don’ts of Communicating Business Updates:

    Do: Ensure IT is given sufficient time to present with the rest of the business leaders.

    Do: Ensure the goals of IT are clear and can be depicted visually.

    Do: Tie every IT goal to the objectives of different business leaders.

    Do: Avoid using any technical jargon.

    Do: Reinforce the positive benefits business leaders can expect.

    Do: Avoid providing IT service metrics or other operational statistics.

    Do: Demonstrate how IT is driving the digital transformation of the organization.

    OUTCOME

    Better Reputation

    • Get other business leaders to see IT as a value add to any initiative, making IT an enabler not an order taker.

    Executive Buy-In

    • Executives are concerned about their own budgets; they want to embrace all the innovation but within reason and minimal impact to their own finances.

    Digital Transformation

    • Indicate and commit to how IT can help the different leaders deliver on their digital transformation activities.

    Relationship Building

    • Establish trust with the different leaders so they want to engage with you on a regular basis.

    Audience: Organization wide

    Speaking with all members of the organization about the future of technology – and unexpected crises.

    1 2 3
    Competing to Be Heard Measure Impact Enhance the IT Brand
    IT messages are often competing with a variety of other communications simultaneously taking place in the organization. Avoid the information-overload paradox by communicating necessary, timely, and relevant information. Don’t underestimate the benefit of qualitative feedback that comes from talking to people within the organization. Ensure they read/heard and absorbed the communication. IT might be a business enabler, but if it is never communicated as such to the organization, it will only be seen as a support function. Use purposeful communications to change the IT narrative.

    Less than 50% of internal communications lean on a proper framework to support their communication activities.
    – Philip Nunn, iabc, 2020

    Communications for strategic IT initiatives

    Communicate IT’s strategic objectives with all business stakeholders and users.

    DEFINING INSIGHT

    IT leaders struggle to communicate how the IT strategy is aligned to the overall business objectives using a common language understood by all.

    Why does IT need to communicate its strategic objectives?

    • To ensure a clear and consistent view of IT strategic objectives can be understood by all stakeholders within the organization.
    • To demonstrate that IT strategic objectives are aligned with the overall mission and vision of the organization.

    FRAMEWORK

    Framework for IT strategic initiatives

    CHECKLIST

    Do’s & Don’ts of Communicating IT Strategic Objectives:

    Do: Ensure all IT leaders are aware of and understand the objectives in the IT strategy.

    Do: Ensure there is a visual representation of IT’s goals.

    Do: Ensure the IT objectives and initiatives align to the business objectives.

    Do: Avoid using any technical jargon.

    Do: Provide metrics if they are relevant, timely, and immediately understandable.

    Do: Avoid providing IT service metrics or other operational statistics.

    Do: Demonstrate how the future of the organization will benefit from IT initiatives.

    OUTCOME

    Organization Alignment

    • All employees recognize the IT strategy as being aligned, even embedded, into the overall organization strategy.

    Stakeholder Buy-In

    • Business and IT stakeholders alike understand what the future state of IT will look like – and are excited for it!

    Role Clarity

    • Employees within IT are clear on how their day-to-day activities impact the overall objectives of the organization.

    Demonstrate Growth

    • Focus on where IT is going to be maturing in the coming one to two years and how this will benefit all employees.

    Communications for crisis management

    Minimize the fear and chaos with transparent communications.

    DEFINING INSIGHT

    A crisis communication should fit onto a sticky note. If it’s not clear, concise, and reassuring, it won’t be effectively understood by the audience.

    Why does IT need to communicate when a crisis occurs?

    • To ensure all members of the organization have an understanding of what the crisis is, how impactful that crisis is, and when they can expect more information.
    • “Half of US companies don’t have a crisis communication plan” (CIO, 2017).

    FRAMEWORK

    Framework for crisis management

    CHECKLIST

    Do’s & Don’ts of Communicating During a Crisis:

    Do: Provide timely and regular updates about the crisis to all stakeholders.

    Do: Involve the Board or ELT immediately for transparency.

    Do: Avoid providing too much information in a crisis communication.

    Do: Have crisis communication statements ready to be shared at any time for possible or common IT crises.

    Do: Highlight that employee safety and wellbeing is top priority.

    Do: Work with members of the public relations team to prepare any external communications that might be required.

    OUTCOME

    Ready to Act

    • Holding statements for possible crises will eliminate the time and effort required when the crisis does occur.

    Reduce Fears

    • Prevent employees from spreading concerns and not feeling included in the crisis.

    Maintain Trust

    • Ensure Board and ELT members trust IT to respond in an appropriate manner to any crisis or major incident.

    Eliminate Negative Reactions

    • Any crisis communication should be clear and concise enough when done via email.

    Audience: IT employees

    IT employees need to receive and obtain regular transparent communications to better deliver on their expectations.

    Keep in mind:

    1 2 3
    Training for All Listening Is Critical Reinforce Collaboration
    From the service desk technician to CIO, every person within IT needs to have a basic ability to communicate. Invest in the training necessary to develop this skill set. It seems simple, but as humans we do an innately poor job at listening to others. It’s important you hear employee concerns, feedback, and recommendations, enabling the two-way aspect of communication. IT employees will reflect the types of communications they see. If IT leaders and managers cannot collaborate together, then teams will also struggle, leading to productivity and quality losses.

    “IT professionals who […] enroll in communications training have a chance to both upgrade their professional capabilities and set themselves apart in a crowded field of technology specialists.”
    – Mark Schlesinger, Forbes, 2021

    Communications for IT activities and tactics

    Get IT employees aligned and clear on their daily objectives.

    DEFINING INSIGHT

    Depending on IT goals, the structure might need to change to support better communication among IT employees.

    Why does IT need to communicate IT activities?

    • To ensure all members of the project team are aligned with their tasks and responsibilities related to the project.
    • To be able to identify, track, and mitigate any problems that are preventing the successful delivery of the project.

    FRAMEWORK

    Framework for IT activities & tactics

    CHECKLIST

    Do’s & Don’ts of Communicating IT Activities:

    Do: Provide metrics that define how success of the project will be measured.

    Do: Demonstrate how each project aligns to the overarching objectives of the organization.

    Do: Avoid having large meetings that include stakeholders from two or more projects.

    Do: Consistently create a safe space for employees to communicate risks related to the project(s).

    Do: Ensure the right tools are being leveraged for in-office, hybrid, and virtual environments to support project collaboration.

    Do: Leverage a project management software to reduce unnecessary communications.

    OUTCOME

    Stakeholder Adoption

    • Create a standard communication template so stakeholders can easily find and apply communications.

    Resource Allocation

    • Understand what the various asks of IT are so employees can be adequately assigned to tasks.

    Meet Responsibly

    • Project status meetings are rarely valuable or insightful. Use meetings for collaboration, troubleshooting, and knowledge sharing.

    Encourage Engagement

    • Recognize employees and their work against critical milestones, especially for projects that have a long timeline.

    Communications for everyday IT

    Engage employees and drive results with clear and consistent communications.

    DEFINING INSIGHT

    Employees are looking for empathy to be demonstrated by those they are interacting with, from their peers to managers. Yet, we rarely provide it.

    Why does IT need to communicate on regularly with itself?

    • Regular communication ensures employees are valued, empowered, and clear about their expectations.
    • 97% of employees believe that their ability to perform their tasks efficiently is impacted by communication (Expert Market, 2022).

    FRAMEWORK

    Framework for everyday IT

    CHECKLIST

    Do’s & Don’ts of Communicating within IT:

    Do: Have responses for likely questions prepared and ready to go.

    Do: Ensure that all leaders are sharing the same messages with their teams.

    Do: Avoid providing irrelevant or confusing information.

    Do: Speak with your team on a regular basis.

    Do: Reinforce the messages of the organization every chance possible.

    Do: Ensure employees feel empowered to do their jobs effectively.

    Do: Engage employees in dialogue. The worst employee experience is when they are only spoken at, not engaged with.

    OUTCOME

    Increased Collaboration

    • Operating in a vacuum or silo is no longer an option. Enable employees to successfully collaborate and deliver holistic results.

    Role Clarity

    • Clear expectations and responsibilities eliminate confusion and blame game. Engage employees and create a positive work culture with role clarity.

    Prevent Rumors

    • Inconsistent communication often leads to information sharing and employees spreading an (in)accurate narrative.

    Organizational Insight

    • Employees trust the organization’s direction because they are aware of the different activities taking place and provided with a rationale about decisions.

    Case Study

    Amazon

    INDUSTRY
    E-Commerce

    SOURCE
    Harvard Business Review

    Jeff Bezos has definitely taken on unorthodox approaches to business and leadership, but one that many might not know about is his approach to communication. Some of the key elements that he focused on in the early 2000s when Amazon was becoming a multi-billion-dollar empire included:

    • Banning PowerPoint for all members of the leadership team. They had to learn to communicate without the crutch of the most commonly used presentation tool.
    • Leveraging memos that included specific action steps and clear nouns
    • Reducing all communication to an eighth-grade reading level, including pitches for new products (e.g. Kindle).

    Results

    While he was creating the Amazon empire, 85% of Jeff Bezos’ communication was written in a way that an eighth grader could read. Communicating in a way that was easy to understand and encouraging his leadership team to do so as well is one of the many reasons this business has grown to an estimated value of over $800B.

    “If you cannot simplify a message and communicate it compellingly, believe me, you cannot get the masses to follow you.”
    – Indra Nooyi, in Harvard Business Review, 2022

    Communication competency expectations

    Communication is a business skill; not a technical skill.

    Demonstrated Communication Behavior
    Level 1: Follow Has sufficient communication skills for effective dialogue with others.
    Level 2: Assist Has sufficient communication skills for effective dialogue with customers, suppliers, and partners.
    Level 3: Apply Demonstrates effective communication skills.
    Level 4: Enable Communicates fluently, orally, and in writing and can present complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
    Level 5: Ensure, Advise Communicates effectively both formally and informally.
    Level 6: Initiate, Influence Communicates effectively at all levels to both technical and non-technical audiences.
    Level 7: Set Strategy, Inspire, Mobilize Understands, explains, and presents complex ideas to audiences at all levels in a persuasive and convincing manner.

    Source: Skills Framework for the Information Age, 2021

    Key KPIs for communication with any stakeholder

    Measuring communication is hard; use these to determine effectiveness.

    Goal Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Related Resource
    Obtain board buy-in for IT strategic initiatives X% of IT initiatives that were approved to be funded. Number of times technical initiatives were asked to be explained further. Using our Board Presentation Review service
    Establish stronger relationships with executive leaders X% of business leadership satisfied with the statement “IT communicates with your group effectively.” Using the CIO Business Vision Diagnostic
    Organizationally, people know what products and services IT provides X% of end users who are satisfied with communications around changing services or applications. Using the End-User Satisfaction Survey
    Organizational reach and understanding of the crisis. Number of follow-up tickets or requests related to the crisis after the initial crisis communication was sent. Using templates and tools for crisis communications
    Project stakeholders receive sufficient communication throughout the initiative. X% overall satisfaction with the quality of the project communications. Using the PPM Customer Satisfaction Diagnostic
    Employee feedback is provided, heard, and acted on X% of satisfaction employees have with managers or IT leadership to act on employee feedback. Using the Employee Engagement Diagnostic Program

    Standard workshop communication activities

    Introduction
    Communications overview.

    Plan
    Plan your communications using a strategic tool.

    Compose
    Create your own message.

    Deliver
    Practice delivering your own message.

    Contact your account representative for more information. workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    Research contributors and experts

    Anuja Agrawal, National Communications Director, PwC

    Anuja Agrawal
    National Communications Director
    PwC

    Anuja is an accomplished global communications professional, with extensive experience in the insurance, banking, financial, and professional services industries in Asia, the US, and Canada. She is currently the National Communications Director at PwC Canada. Her prior work experience includes communication leadership roles at Deutsche Bank, GE, Aviva, and Veritas. Anuja works closely with senior business leaders and key stakeholders to deliver measurable results and effective change and culture building programs. Anuja has experience in both internal and external communications, including strategic leadership communication, employee engagement, PR and media management, digital and social media, and M&A/change and crisis management. Anuja believes in leveraging digital tools and technology-enabled solutions, combined with in-person engagement, to help improve the quality of dialogue and increase interactive communication within the organization to help build an inclusive culture of belonging.

    Nastaran Bisheban, Chief Technology Officer, KFC Canada

    Nastaran Bisheban
    Chief Technology Officer
    KFC Canada

    A passionate technologist, and seasoned transformational leader. A software engineer and computer scientist by education, a certified Project Manager that holds an MBA in Leadership with Honors and Distinction from University of Liverpool. A public speaker on various disciplines of technology and data strategy with a Harvard Business School executive leadership program training to round it all. Challenges status quo and conventional practices; is an advocate for taking calculated risk and following the principle of continuous improvement. With multiple computer software and project management publications she is a strategic mentor and board member on various non-profit organizations. Nastaran sees the world as a better place only when everyone has a seat at the table and is an active advocate for diversity and inclusion.

    Heidi Davidson, Co-Founder & CEO, Galvanize Worldwide and Galvanize On Demand

    Heidi Davidson
    Co-Founder & CEO
    Galvanize Worldwide and Galvanize On Demand

    Dr. Heidi Davidson is the co-founder and CEO of Galvanize Worldwide, the largest distributed network of marketing and communications experts in the world. She also is the co-founder and CEO of Galvanize On Demand, a tech platform that matches marketing and communications freelancers with client projects. Now with 167 active experts, the Galvanize team delivers startup advisory work, outsourced marketing, training, and crisis communications to organizations of all sizes. Before Galvanize, Heidi spent four years as part of the turnaround team at BlackBerry as the Chief Communications Officer and SVP of Corporate Marketing, where she helped the company move from a device manufacturer to a security software provider.

    Eli Gladstone, Co-Founder, Speaker Labs

    Eli Gladstone
    Co-Founder
    Speaker Labs

    Eli is a co-founder of Speaker Labs. He has spent over six years helping countless individuals overcome their public speaking fears and communicate with clarity and confidence. When he’s not coaching others on how to build and deliver the perfect presentation, you’ll probably find him reading some weird books, teaching his kids how to ski or play tennis, or trying to develop a good-enough jumpshot to avoid being a liability on the basketball court.

    Francisco Mahfuz, Keynote Speaker & Storytelling Coach

    Francisco Mahfuz
    Keynote Speaker & Storytelling Coach

    Francisco Mahfuz has been telling stories in front of audiences for a decade and even became a National Champion of public speaking. Today, Francisco is a keynote speaker and storytelling coach and offers communication training to individuals and international organizations and has worked with organizations like Pepsi, HP, the United Nations, Santander, and Cornell University. He’s the author of Bare: A Guide to Brutally Honest Public Speaking and the host of The Storypowers Podcast, and he’s been part of the IESE MBA communications course since 2020. He’s received a BA in English Literature from Birkbeck University in London.

    Sarah Shortreed, EVP & CTO, ATCO Ltd.

    Sarah Shortreed
    EVP & CTO
    ATCO Ltd.

    Sarah Shortreed is ATCO’s Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Her responsibilities include leading ATCO’s Information Technology (IT) function as it continues to drive agility and collaboration throughout ATCO’s global businesses and expanding and enhancing its enterprise IT strategy, including establishing ATCO’s technology roadmap for the future. Ms. Shortreed’s skill and expertise are drawn from her more than 30-year career that spans many industries and includes executive roles in business consulting, complex multi-stakeholder programs, operations, sales, customer relationship management, and product management. She was recently the Chief Information Officer at Bruce Power and has previously worked at BlackBerry, IBM, and Union Gas. She sits on the Board of Governors for the University of Western Ontario and is the current Chair of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) Committee at the Conference Board of Canada.

    Eric Silverberg, Co-Founder, Speaker Labs

    Eric Silverberg
    Co-Founder
    Speaker Labs

    Eric is a co-founder of Speaker Labs and has helped thousands of people build their public speaking confidence and become more dynamic and engaging communicators. When he’s not running workshops to help people grow in their careers, there’s a good chance you’ll find him with his wife and dog, drinking Diet Coke, and rewatching iconic episodes of the reality TV show Survivor! He’s such a die-hard fan, that you’ll probably see him playing the game one day.

    Stephanie Stewart, Communications Officer & DR Coordinator, Info Security Services Simon Fraser University

    Stephanie Stewart
    Communications Officer & DR Coordinator
    Info Security Services Simon Fraser University

    Steve Strout, President, Miovision Technologies

    Steve Strout
    President
    Miovision Technologies

    Mr. Strout is a recognized and experienced technology leader with extensive experience in delivering value. He has successfully led business and technology transformations by leveraging many dozens of complex global SFDC, Oracle, and SAP projects. He is especially adept at leading what some call “Project Rescues” – saving people’s careers where projects have gone awry; always driving “on-time and on-budget.” Mr. Strout is the current President of Miovision Technologies and the former CEO and board member of the Americas’ SAP Users” Group (ASUG). His wealth of practical knowledge comes from 30 years of extensive experience in many CxO and executive roles at some prestigious organizations such as Vonage, Sabre, BlackBerry, Shred-it, The Thomson Corporation (now Thomson Reuters), and Morris Communications. He has served on boards including Customer Advisory Boards of Apple, AgriSource Data, Dell, Edgewise, EMC, LogiSense, Socrates.ai, Spiro Carbon Group, and Unifi.

    Info-Tech Research Group Contributors:

    Sanchia Benedict, Research Lead
    Antony Chan Executive Counsellor
    Janice Clatterbuck, Executive Counsellor
    Ahmed Jowar, Research Specialist
    Dave Kish, Practice Lead
    Nick Kozlo, Senior Research Analyst
    Heather Leier Murray, Senior Research Analyst
    Amanda Mathieson, Research Director
    Carlene McCubbin, Practice Lead
    Joe Meier, Executive Counsellor
    Andy Neill, AVP Research
    Thomas Randall, Research Director

    Plus an additional two contributors who wish to remain anonymous.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Boardroom Presentation Review

    • You will come away with a clear, concise, and compelling board presentation that IT leaders can feel confident presenting in front of their board of directors.
    • Add improvements to your current board presentation in terms of visual appeal and logical flow to ensure it resonates with your board of directors.
    • Leverage a best-of-breed presentation template.

    Build a Better Manager

    • Management skills training is needed, but organizations are struggling to provide training that makes a long-term difference in the skills managers actually use in their day to day.
    • Many training programs are ineffective because they offer the wrong content, deliver it in a way that is not memorable, and are not aligned with the IT department’s business objectives.

    Crisis Communication Guides

    During a crisis it is important to communicate to employees through messages that convey calm and are transparent and tailored to your audience. Use the Crisis Communication Guides to:

    • Draft a communication strategy.
    • Tailor messages to your audience.
    • Draft employee crisis communications.
    Use this guide to equip leadership to communicate in times of crisis.

    Bibliography

    “Communication in the Workplace Statistics: Importance and Effectiveness in 2022.” TeamStage, 2022.

    Gallo, Carmine. “How Great Leaders Communicate.” Harvard Business Review, 23 November 2022

    Guthrie, Georgina. “Why Good Internal Communications Matter Now More than Ever.” Nulab, 15 December 2021.

    Lambden, Duncan. “The Importance of Effective Workplace Communication – Statistics for 2022.” Expert Market, 13 June 2022.

    “Mapping SFIA Levels of Responsibilities to Behavioural Factors.” Skills Framework for the Information Age, 2021.

    McCreary, Gale. “How to Measure the Effectiveness of Communication: 14 Steps.” WikiHow, 31 March 2023.

    Nowak, Marcin. “Top 7 Communication Problems in the Workplace.” MIT Enterprise Forum CEE, 2021.

    Nunn, Philip. “Messaging That Works: A Unique Framework to Maximize Communication Success.” iabc, 26 October 2020.

    Picincu, Andra. “How to Measure Effective Communications.” Small Business Chron. 12 January 2021.

    Price. David A. “Pixar Story Rules.” Stories From the Frontiers of Knowledge, 2011.

    Roberts, Dan. “How CIOs Become Visionary Communicators.” CIO, 2019.

    Schlesinger, Mark. “Why building effective communication skill in IT is incredibly important.” Forbes, 2021.

    Stanten, Andrew. “Planning for the Worst: Crisis Communications 101.” CIO, 25 May 2017.

    State of the American Workplace Report. Gallup, 6 February 2020.

    “The CIO Revolution.” IBM, 2021.

    “The State of High Performing Teams in Tech 2022.” Hypercontex, 2022.

    Walters, Katlin. “Top 5 Ways to Measure Internal Communication.” Intranet Connections, 30 May 2019.

    In Case Of Emergency...

    • member rating overall impact: N/A
    • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
    • member rating average days saved: N/A
    1. Get people to safety efficiently by following the floor warden's information and get out if needed
      If there are no floor wardens, YOU take the initiative and alert people. Vacate the premises if you suspect danger.
      Err on the side of caution. Nobody ever got fired over keeping people safe.
    2. Get people to safety (yes! double check this)
    3. Check what is happening
    4. Stop the bleeding
    5. Check what you broke while stopping the bleeding
    6. Check if you need to go into DR mode
    7. Go into DR mode if that is the fastest way to restore the service
    8. Only now start to look deeper

    Notice what is missing in this list?

    • WHY did this happen?
    • WHO did what

    During the first reactions to an event, stick to the facts of what is happening and the symptoms. If the symptoms are bad, attend to people first, no matter the financial losses occurring.
    Remember that financial losses are typically insured. Human life is not. Only loss of income and ability to pay is insured! Not the person's life.

    The WHY, HOW, WHO and other root cause questions are asked in the aftermath of the incident and after you have stabilized the situation.
    In ITIL terms, those are Problem Management and Root Cause Analysis stage questions.

     

     

     

    Management, incident, reaction, emergency

    Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software

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    • PPM suite deployments are complicated and challenging. Vendors and consultants can provide much needed expertise and assistance to organizations deploying new PPM suites.
    • While functional requirements are often defined during the procurement stage (for example, in an RFP), the level of detail during this stage is likely insufficient for actually configuring the solution to your specific PPM needs. Too many organizations fail to further develop these functional requirements between signing their contracts and the official start of their professional implementation engagement.
    • Many organizations fail to organize and record the PPM data they will need to populate the new PPM suite. In almost all cases, customers have the expertise and are in the best position to collect and organize their own data. Leaving this until the vendor or consultant arrives to help with the deployment can result in using your professional services in a suboptimal way.
    • Vendors and consultants want you to prepare for their implementation engagements so that you can make the best use of their expertise and assistance. They want you to deploy a PPM suite that can be sustainably adopted in the long term. All too often, however, they arrive onsite to find customers that are disorganized and underprepared.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Preparing for a professional implementation engagement allows you to make the best use of your professional services, as well as helping to ensure that the PPM suite is deployed according to your specific PPM needs.
    • Involving your internal resources in the preparation of data and in fully defining functional requirements for the PPM suite helps to establish stakeholder buy-in early on, helping to build internal ownership of the solution from the beginning. This avoids the solution being perceived as something the vendor/consultant “forced upon us.”
    • Vendors and consultants are happy when organizations are organized and prepared for their professional implementation engagements. Preparation ensures these engagements are positive experiences for everyone involved.

    Impact and Result

    • Ensure that the data necessary to deploy the new PPM suite is recorded and organized.
    • Make your functional requirements detailed enough to ensure that the new PPM suite can be configured/customized during the deployment engagement in a way that best fits the organization’s actual PPM needs.
    • Through carefully preparing data and fully defining functional requirements, you help the solution become sustainably adopted in the long term.

    Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read this Executive Brief to understand why preparing for PPM deployment will ensure that organizations get the most value out of the implementation professional services they purchased and will help drive long-term sustainable adoption of the new PPM suite.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Create a preparation team and plan

    Engage in purposeful and effective PPM deployment planning by clearly defining what to prepare and when exactly it is time to move from planning to execution.

    • Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software – Phase 1: Create a Preparation Team and Plan
    • Prepare to Deploy PPM Suite Project Charter Template
    • PPM Suite Functional Requirements Document Template
    • PPM Suite Deployment Timeline Template (Excel)
    • PPM Suite Deployment Timeline Template (Project)
    • PPM Suite Deployment Communication Plan Template

    2. Prepare project-related requirements and deliverables

    Provide clearer definition to specific project-related functional requirements and collect the appropriate PPM data needed for an effective PPM suite deployment facilitated by vendors/consultants.

    • Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software – Phase 2: Prepare Project-Related Requirements and Deliverables
    • PPM Deployment Data Workbook
    • PPM Deployment Dashboard and Report Requirements Workbook

    3. Prepare PPM resource requirements and deliverables

    Provide clearer definition to specific resource management functional requirements and data and create a communication and training plan.

    • Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software – Phase 3: Prepare PPM Resource Requirements and Deliverables
    • PPM Suite Transition Plan Template
    • PPM Suite Training Plan Template
    • PPM Suite Training Management Tool

    4. Provide preparation materials to the vendor and implementation professionals

    Plan how to engage vendors/consultants by communicating functional requirements to them and evaluating changes to those requirements proposed by them.

    • Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software – Phase 4: Provide Preparation Materials to the Vendor and Implementation Professionals
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Prepare to Successfully Deploy PPM Software

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Plan the Preparation Project

    The Purpose

    Select a preparation team and establish clear assignments and accountabilities.

    Establish clear deliverables, milestones, and metrics to ensure it is clear when the preparation phase is complete.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Preparation activities will be organized and purposeful, ensuring that you do not threaten deployment success by being underprepared or waste resources by overpreparing.

    Activities

    1.1 Overview: Determine appropriate functional requirements to define and data to record in preparation for the deployment.

    1.2 Create a timeline.

    1.3 Create a charter for the PPM deployment preparation project: record lessons learned, establish metrics, etc.

    Outputs

    PPM Suite Deployment Timeline

    Charter for the PPM Suite Preparation Project Team

    2 Prepare Project-Related Requirements and Deliverables

    The Purpose

    Collect and organize relevant project-related data so that you are ready to populate the new PPM suite when the vendor/consultant begins their professional implementation engagement with you.

    Clearly define project-related functional requirements to aid in the configuration/customization of the tool.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An up-to-date and complete record of all relevant PPM data.

    Avoidance of scrambling to find data at the last minute, risking importing out-of-date or irrelevant information into the new software.

    Clearly defined functional requirements that will ensure the suite is configured in a way that can be adoption in the long term.

    Activities

    2.1 Define project phases and categories.

    2.2 Create a list of all projects in progress.

    2.3 Record functional requirements for project requests, project charters, and business cases.

    2.4 Create a list of all existing project requests.

    2.5 Record the current project intake processes.

    2.6 Define PPM dashboard and reporting requirements.

    Outputs

    Project List (basic)

    Project Request Form Requirements (basic)

    Scoring/Requirements (basic)

    Business Case Requirements (advanced)

    Project Request List (basic)

    Project Intake Workflows (advanced)

    PPM Reporting Requirements (basic)

    3 Prepare PPM Resource Requirements and Deliverables

    The Purpose

    Collect and organize relevant resource-related data.

    Clearly define resource-related functional requirements.

    Create a purposeful transition, communication, and training plan for the deployment period.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    An up-to-date and complete record of all relevant PPM data that allows your vendor/consultant to get right to work at the start of the implementation engagement.

    Improved buy-in and adoption through transition, training, and communication activities that are tailored to the actual needs of your specific organization and users.

    Activities

    3.1 Create a portfolio-wide roster of project resources (and record their competencies and skills, if appropriate).

    3.2 Record resource management processes and workflows.

    3.3 Create a transition plan from existing PPM tools and processes to the new PPM suite.

    3.4 Identify training needs and resources to be leveraged during the deployment.

    3.5 Define training requirements.

    3.6 Create a PPM deployment training plan.

    Outputs

    Resource Roster and Competency Profile (basic)

    User Roles and Permissions (basic)

    Resource Management Workflows (advanced)

    Transition Approach and Plan (basic)

    Data Archiving Requirements (advanced)

    List of Training Modules and Attendees (basic)

    Internal Training Capabilities (advanced)

    Training Milestones and Deadlines (basic)

    4 Provide Preparation Materials to the Vendor and Implementation Professionals

    The Purpose

    Compile the data collected and the functional requirements defined so that they can be provided to the vendor and/or consultant before the implementation engagement.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Deliverables that record the outputs of your preparation and can be provided to vendors/consultants before the implementation engagement.

    Ensures that the customer is an active and equal partner during the deployment by having the customer prepare their material and initiate communication.

    Vendors and/or consultants have a clear understanding of the customer’s needs and expectations from the beginning.

    Activities

    4.1 Collect, review, and finalize the functional requirements.

    4.2 Compile a functional requirements and data package to provide to the vendor and/or consultants.

    4.3 Discuss how proposed changes to the functional requirements will be reviewed and decided.

    Outputs

    PPM Suite Functional Requirements Documents

    PPM Deployment Data Workbook

    Take Control of Infrastructure and Operations Metrics

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    • Parent Category Name: Operations Management
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    • Measuring the business value provided by IT is very challenging.
    • You have a number of metrics, but they may not be truly meaningful, contextual, or actionable.
    • You know you need more than a single metric to tell the whole story. You also suspect that metrics from different systems combined will tell an even fuller story.
    • You are being asked to provide information from different levels of management, for different audiences, conveying different information.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Many organizations collect metrics to validate they are keeping the lights on. But the Infrastructure and Operations managers who are benefitting the most are taking steps to ensure they are getting the right metrics to help them make decisions, manage costs, and plan for change.
    • Complaints about metrics are often rooted in managers wading through too many individual metrics, wrong metrics, or data that they simply can’t trust.
    • Info-Tech surveyed and interviewed a number of Infrastructure managers, CIOs, and IT leaders to understand how they are leveraging metrics. Successful organizations are using metrics for everything from capacity planning to solving customer service issues to troubleshooting system failures.

    Impact and Result

    • Manage metrics so they don’t become time wasters and instead provide real value.
    • Identify the types of metrics you need to focus on.
    • Build a metrics process to ensure you are collecting the right metrics and getting data you can use to save time and make better decisions.

    Take Control of Infrastructure and Operations Metrics Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should implement a metrics program in your Infrastructure and Operations practice, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Gap analysis

    This phase will help you identify challenges that you want to avoid by implementing a metrics program, discover the main IT goals, and determine your core metrics.

    • Take Control of Infrastructure and Operations Metrics – Phase 1: Gap Analysis
    • Infra & Ops Metrics Executive Presentation

    2. Build strategy

    This phase will help you make an actionable plan to implement your metrics program, define roles and responsibilities, and communicate your metrics project across your organization and with the business division.

    • Take Control of Infrastructure and Operations Metrics – Phase 2: Build Strategy
    • Infra & Ops Metrics Definition Template
    • Infra & Ops Metrics Tracking and Reporting Tool
    • Infra & Ops Metrics Program Roles & Responsibilities Guide
    • Weekly Metrics Review With Your Staff
    • Quarterly Metrics Review With the CIO
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    External IT audit of your company

    Based on experience
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    Do you seek an external expert to help you prepare for a thorough IT audit of your company? Tymans Group serves as a consulting company with extensive expertise in helping small and medium enterprises. Read on and learn more about how our consulting firm can help your company with an external IT audit.

    Why should you organize an external IT audit of your company?

    Regularly preparing for an IT audit of your company with the help of of an experienced consultancy company like Tymans Group is a great way to discover any weaknesses within your IT and data security management systems, as well as your applications and data architecture, before the real audits by your regulator happen After all, you can only tackle any possible issues when you know their exact nature and origin. Additionally, the sooner you are aware of any security threats in your company thanks to an external audit, the smaller the chances outside forces will be able to take advantage of these threats to harm your business.

    Security and risk management

    Our security and risk services

    Security strategy

    Security Strategy

    Embed security thinking through aligning your security strategy to business goals and values

    Read more

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    Disaster Recovery Planning

    Create a disaster recovey plan that is right for your company

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    Build your right-sized IT Risk Management Program

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    Check out all our services

    Receive practical solutions when using our guides to prepare you for an external audit.

    If you hire our consultancy firm to prepare for an external IT audit in your firm, our guides will allow you to thoroughly analyze your systems and protocols to discover flaws and threats. Based on this analysis, your firm will receive concrete advice and practical solutions on dealing with the findings of in advance of an external audit. Besides identifying threats, the findings of will also offer your business insights in possible optimizations and processes which could benefit from automation. As such, you benefit from our consultancy company’s extensive experience in corporate security management and IT.

    Book an appointment with our consultancy company to get ahead of an external audit.

    If you hire our consulting company to help you prepare for an IT audit of your firm, you will receive guides that enable you to make a critical analysis of your IT security, as well as practical solutions based on our holistic approach. We are happy to tell you more about our services for small and medium business and to offer insights into any issues you may be facing. Our help is available offline and online, through one-hour talks with our expert Gert Taeymans. Contact us to set up an appointment online or on-site now.

    Register to read more …

    Drive Ongoing Adoption With an M365 Center of Excellence

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    There are roadblocks common to all CoEs: lack of in-house expertise, lack of resources (time, budget, etc.), and employee perception that this is just another burdensome administrative layer. These are exacerbated when building an M365 CoE.

    • Constant vendor-initiated change in M365 means expertise always needs updating.
    • The self-service architecture of M365 is at odds with centralized limits and controls.
    • M365 has a multitude of services that can be adopted across a huge swath of the organization compared to the specific capabilities and limited audience of traditional CoEs.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    The M365 CoE should be somewhat decentralized to avoid an “us versus them” mentality. Having clear KPIs at the center of the program makes it easier to demonstrate improvements and competencies. COMMUNICATE these early successes! They are vital in gaining widespread credibility and momentum.

    Impact and Result

    Having a clear vision of what you want business outcomes you want your Microsoft 365 CoE to accomplish is key. This vision helps select the core competencies and deliverables of the CoE.

    • Ongoing measurement and reporting of business value generated from M365 adoption.
    • Servant leadership allows the CoE to work closely and deeply with end users, which builds them up to share knowledge with others
    • Focus and clear lines of accountability ensure that everyone involved feels part of the compromise when decisions are to be made.

    Drive Ongoing Adoption With an M365 Center of Excellence Research & Tools

    Build out your M365 CoE competencies, membership, and roles; create success metrics and build your M365 adoption, then communicate

    In this deck we explain why your M365 CoE needs to be distributed and how it should be organized. Using a roadmap will assist you in building competency and maturity through training, certifications, and building governance.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    • Drive Ongoing Adoption With an M365 Center of Excellence Storyboard
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Drive Ongoing Adoption With an M365 Center of Excellence

    Accelerate business processes change and get more value from your subscription by building and sharing thanks to an effective Centre of Excellence.

    CLIENT ADVISORY DECK

    Drive Ongoing Adoption With an M365 Centre of Excellence

    Accelerate business processes change and get more value from your subscription by building and sharing thanks to an effective Centre of Excellence

    Research Team:
    John Donovan
    John Annand
    Principal Research Directors I&O Practice

    41 builds released in 2021!
    IT can no longer be expected to provide training to all users on all features

    • Traditional classroom training (online and self-paced) is time consuming and overly generic
    • Users tend to hold onto old familiar tools even as new ones roll out
    • Citizen Programming comes with a lot of promise but also the spectre of reliving the era of Access ‘97 databases
    • Seemingly small decisions around configuration have outsized impacts
    • Every enterprises’ journey through adoption is unique

    ▲20% $ spent in 2021

    148% more meetings
    66% more users collaborating on documents
    40.6B more emails

    2021 vs. 2022 Source: Microsoft The Work Trend Index

    • Who needs to be in a CoE? What daily tasks do they undertake?
    • How do you turn artifacts like best practice documents into actual behavioral change?
    • How does CoE differ from governance? And why is it going to be any more successful?
    • How does the CoE evolve over time as enterprises become more mature?

    CoE Competencies, Membership and Roles
    Communication, Standards Templates
    Adoption, and Business Success Metrics

    this image depicts the key CoE Competencies: Goals; Controls; Tools; Training; and Support

    Using these deliverables, Info-Tech will help you drive consistency in your enterprise collaboration, increase end-user satisfaction in the tools they are provided, optimize your license spending, fill the gaps between implementation of a technology and realization of business value, and empower end-users to innovate in ways that senior leadership had not imagined.

    Executive Summary

    Insight

    User adoption is the primary focus of the efforts in the CoE

    User adoption and setting up guardrails in governance are the focuses of the CoE in its early stages. Purging obsolete data from legacy share servers, and exchange, and rationalize legacy applications that are comparable to Microsoft offerings. The primary goal is M365 excellence, but that needs to be primed with a Roadmap, and laying down clear milestones to show progress, along with setting up quick wins to get buy in from the organization.

    Breakdown your CoE into distinct areas for improvement

    Due to the size and complexity of Microsoft 365, breaking it into clearly defined divisions makes sense. The parts that need to be fragmented into are, Collaboration, Power Apps, Office tools, Learning, Professional Training and Certifications, Governance and Support. Subject Matter experts needs to keep pace with the ever-changing M365 environment with enhancements continuously being rolled out. (There were 41 build releases in 2021 alone! )

    Set up your M365 CoE in a decentralized design

    Define how your CoE will be set up. It will either be centralized, distributed, or a combination of both. They all have their strengths and weaknesses; however a distributed CoE can ensure there is buy-in from the various departments across the CoE, as they participate in the decision making and therefore the direction the CoE goes. Additionally, it ensures that each segment of the CoE is accountable for the success of the M365 adoption, its usage, and delivering value to the organization.

    Summary

    Your Challenge

    You have purchased Microsoft 365 for your business, and you have determined that you are not realizing the full value and potential of the product, neither adoption nor usage – for example, you have legacy applications that the user base is reluctant to move away from, whether it be Skype, Jabber, or other collaboration tools available to them. You have released Teams to the organization but may have not shown how useful it is and you have not communicated to the business that it is your new collaboration tool, along with SharePoint Online and OneDrive. How do you fix this problem?

    Common Obstacles

    There are roadblocks common to all CoEs: lack of in-house expertise, lack of resources (time, budget, etc.) and employee perception of just another burdensome administrative layer. These are exacerbated when building an M365 CoE.

    • Constant vendor-initiated change in M365 means expertise always needs updating
    • The self-service architecture of M365 is at odds with centralized limits and controls
    • M365 is a multitude of services, adopted across a huge swath of the organization compared to the specific capabilities and limited audience of traditional CoEs

    Info-Tech’s Approach

    Having a clear vision of what business outcomes you want your Microsoft 365 CoE to accomplish is key. This vision helps select the core competencies and deliverables of the CoE.

    1. Ongoing measurement and reporting of business value generated from M365 adoption
    2. Servant leadership allows the CoE to work closely and deeply with end-users, which builds them up to share knowledge with others
    3. Focus and clear lines of accountability ensure that everyone involved feels part of the compromise when decisions are to be made

    Info-Tech Insight

    The M365 CoE should be somewhat decentralized to avoid an “us versus them” mentality. Having clear KPIs at the center of the program makes it easier to demonstrate improvements and competencies. COMMUNICATE these early successes! They are vital in gaining widespread credibility and momentum.

    Charter Mandate Authority to Operate

    Mission : To accelerate the value that M365 brings to the organization by using the M365 CoE to increase adoption, build competency through training and best practices, and deliver on end user innovation throughout the business.

    Vision Statement: To transform the organization’s efficiencies and performance through an optimized world-class M365 CoE by meeting all KPIs set out in the Charter.

    Info-Tech Insights

    A mission and vision for your M365 CoE are a necessary step to kick the program off. Not aving clear goals and a roadmap to get there will hinder your progress. It may even stall the whole objective if you cannot agree or measure what you are trying to accomplish

    • The scope of the M365 CoE is to build the adoption rate that can meet milestone goals to advance user competency, as well as the maturation of the SMEs in each segment of the CoE leadership and contributors.
    • Maturity will be measured through 100% adoption, specifically around collaboration tools and Office apps across the organization that use M365. Strategic value will be measured by core competencies within the CoE.
    • SMEs are developed and educated with certifications and other training throughout the course of the CoE development to bring “bench strength” to the vision of optimizing a world-class M365 CoE.
    • SMEs will all be certified Microsoft professionals. They will set the standard to be met within the CoE. The SMEs can either be internal candidates or external hires, depending on the current IT department competency.
    • Additional resources required will be tech savvy department leads that understand and can help in the training of staff, who also are willing to spend a certain amount of their work time in coaching colleagues.
    • They will be assisted by the training through the SMEs providing relevant material and various M365 courses both in class and self-paced online learning using M365 VIVA tools.

    Charter Metrics

    Areas in Scope:

    • Ensure Mission is aligned to the business objectives.
    • Form core team for M365 CoE, including steering committee.
    • Create document for signoff from business sponsors.
    • Build training plans for users, engineers, and admins.
    • Document best practices and build standard templates for organizational uniformity.
    • Build governance charter and priorities, setting up guardrails early to ensure compliance and security.
    • Transition away and retire all legacy on-Prem apps to M365 Cloud apps.
    • Build a RACI model for roles and responsibility.

    Info-Tech Insights

    If meaningful metrics are set up correctly, the CoE can produce results early in the one- or two-year process, demonstrating business value and increasing production amongst staff and demonstrating SME development.

    this image contains example metrics, spread across three phases.

    CoE

    What are the reason to build an M365 CoE, and what is it expected to deliver?

    What It IS NOT

    It does not design or build applications, migrate applications, or create migration plans. It does not deploy applications nor does it operate and monitor applications. While a steering committee is a key part of the M365 CoE, its real function is to set the standards to be achieved though metrics that can measure a successful, efficient, and best-in-class M365 operation. It does not set business goals but does align M365 goals to the business drivers. SMEs in the CoE give guidance on M365 best practices and assist in its adoption and users’ competency.

    What It IS

    M365 CoE means investing in and developing usage growth and adoption while maintaining governance and control. A CoE is designed to drive innovation and improvement, and as a business-wide functional unit, it can break down geographical and organizational silos that utilize their own tools and collaboration platforms. It builds a training and artifacts database of relevant and up-to-date materials.

    Why Build It

    Benefits that can be realized are:

    • Building efficiencies, delivering quality training and knowledge transfer, and reducing risk from an organized and effective governance.
    • Consistency in document and information management.
    • Reusable templates and blueprints that standardize the business processes.
    • Standardized and communicated business policies around security and best practices.
    • Overcoming the challenges that comes with the titan of a platform that is M365.

    Expected Goals and Benefits With Risk

    Demonstrated impact for sustainability
    Ensuring value is delivered
    Ability to escalate to executive branch

    The What?

    What does the M365 CoE solve?

    • M365 Adoption
    • M365 tools templates
    • SME in tools deployment and delivery
    • Training and education – create artifacts and organize training sessions and certifications
    • Empower users into super users
    • Build analytics around usage, adoption, and ROI from license optimization

    And the How?

    How does the M365 CoE do it?

    • By defining clear adoption goals and best practices
    • By building a dedicated team with the confidence to improve the user experience
    • By creating a collection of reusable artifacts.
    • By establishing a stable, tested environment ensures users are not hindered in execution of the tools
    • By continuously improving M365 processes

    What are the Risks?

    • All goals must be achievable
    • Timeline phases are based on core SME competency of the IT department and the training quality of end users
    • Current state of SMEs in house or hired to execute the mandate of the M365 CoE
    • Business success – if business is struggling to make profits and grow, its usually the CoE that will get chopped – mainly due to layoffs
    • Inability to find SMEs or train SMEs
    • Turnover in CoE due to job function changes or attrition
    • Overload of day-to-day responsibilities preventing SMEs from executing work for the CoE – Need to align SMEs and CoE steering chair to establish and enable shared responsibilities.

    Who needs to be in a CoE for M365

    Design the CoE – What model to be used?

    What are their daily tasks? Is the CoE centralized, decentralized, or a combination?

    a flow chart is depicted, starting with the executive steering committee, describing governance 365, and VP applications.

    Info-Tech Insights

    Due to the size and complexity of Microsoft 365, a decentralized model works best. Each segment of the group could in themselves be a CoE, as in governance, training, or collaboration CoE. Maintaining SME in each group will drive the success of the M365 CoE.

    Key Competencies for CoE

    • Build a team of experts in M365 with sub teams in Products.
    • Manage the business processes around M365.
    • Train and optimize technical teams.
    • Share best practices and create a knowledge base.
    • Build processes that are repeatable and self-provisioned.
    This image depicts the core Coe Competencies, Strategy; Technology; Governance; and Skills/Capabilities.

    CoE for M365

    What is the Structure? Is it centralized, decentralized, or combination? What are the pros and cons?

    Thought Model

    This image depicts a thought model describing CoE for M365.

    How does the CoE differ from governance?

    Why is it going to be any more successful?

    “These problems already exist and haven't been successfully addressed by governance – how is the CoE going to be any different?”

    • Leadership
    • Empower end users
    • Automation of processes
    • Retention policies
    • Governance priorities
    • Risk management
    • Standard procedures
    • Set metrics
    • Self service
    • Training
    • SMEs
    • Automation
    • Innovation

    CoE

    While M365 governance is an integral part of the M365 CoE, the CoE is a more strategic program aimed at providing guidance, experienced leadership, and training.

    The CoE is designed to drive innovation and improvements throughout the organization’s M365 deployment. It will build best practices, create artifacts, and mentor members to become SMEs.

    Governance

    CoE is a form of collaborative governance. Those responsible for making the rules are the same ones who are working through how the rules are implemented in practice.

    The word most associated with CoE is "nurture." The word most associated with governance is "prevent."

    The CoE is experimental and innovative and constantly revising its guidance compared to governance, which is opaque and static.

    RACI chart for CoE define activities and ownership

    The Work

    Build artifacts

    Templates

    Scripts

    Reference architecture

    Policies definition

    Blueprints

    Version control

    Measure usage and ROI

    Quality assurance

    Baseline creation and integrity

    ActivitiesSupport Steering CTraining TeamM365 Tools Admin M365 Security AdminDoc Mgt
    Monitor M365 ChangeAIRR
    CommunicationsIR
    TrainingAR
    Support – Microsoft + HelpdeskRI
    Monitor UsageR
    Security and ComplianceAR
    Decom On-PremAR
    Eliminate Shadow ITR
    Identity and AccessAR
    Automate Policies in TennantAR
    Audit MonitorAR
    Data and Information ProtectionARR
    Build TemplatesAAR
    Manage ArtifactsARA

    Steering Committee

    This image contains a screenshot of the organization of the CoE Steering Committee

    Roles and Responsibilities

    • Set the goals and metrics for the CoE charter
    • Ensure the CoE is aligned to the business objectives
    • Clear any roadblocks that may hinder progress for the team leads
    • Provide guidance on best practices
    • Set expectations for training and certifications
    • Build SME strength through mentoring
    • Promote and facilitate research into M365 developments and releases
    • Ensure knowledge transfer is documented
    • Create roadmap to ensure phase KPIs are met and drive toward excellence

    Info-Tech Insight

    Executive sponsorship is an element of the CoE that cannot be overlooked. If this occurs, the funding and longevity of the CoE will be limited. Additionally, ensure you determine if the CoE will have an end of life and what that looks like.

    M365 Governance CoE Team

    Governance and Management

    After you’ve developed and implemented your data classification framework, ongoing governance and maintenance will be critical to your success. In addition to tracking how sensitivity labels are used in practice, you’ll need to update your control requirements based on changes in regulations, cybersecurity leading practices, and the nature of the content you manage. Governance and maintenance efforts can include:

    • Establishing a governance body dedicated to data classification or adding a data classification responsibility to the charter of an existing information security body.
    • Defining roles and responsibilities for those overseeing Data Classification
    • Establishing KPIs to monitor and measure progress
    • Tracking cybersecurity leading practices and regulatory changes
    • Developing Standard Operating Procedures that support and enforce a data classification framework

    Governance CoE

    Tools Used in the Governance CoE Identity – MFA, SSO, Identity Manager, Conditional Access, AD , Microsoft Defender, Compliance Assessments Templates

    Security and Compliance - Azure Purview, Microsoft Defender Threat Analytics, Rules-Based Classification (AIP Client & Scanner), Endpoint DLP, Insider Risk Management

    Information Management – Audit Log Retention, Information Protection and Governance, Trainable Classifiers

    Licenses – Entitlement Management, Risk-Based Conditional Access.

     This image depicts the M365 Governance CoE Team organization.

    M365 Tools CoE Team

    • Collaboration tools are at the center of the product portfolio for M365.
    • Need to get users empowered to manage and operate Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint Online and promote uniform communications and collaborate with document building, sharing, and storing.

    This image depicts a screenshot of the Tools CoE Team organization

    Collaboration SME – Teams admin, Exchange admin, SharePoint, One Drive admin, Viva Learning (Premium), and Viva Insights (Premium)

    Application SME – Covers all updates and new features related to Office programs

    Power BI SME – Covers Power Automate for Office 365, Power Apps for Office 365, and Power BI Pro

    Voice and Video – Tools-Calling Plan, Audio Conference (Full), Teams Phone, Mobility

    PMO – Manages all M365 products online and in production. Also coordinates enhancements, writes up documentation for updates, and releases them to the training CoE for publication.

    Microsoft 365 tools used to support business

    M365 Training CoE Team

    Training and certifications for both end users and technical staff managing the M365 platform. Ensure that you set goals and objectives with your training schedule.

    this image depicts the framework for the training CoE team.

    Training for SMEs can be broken into two categories:

    First line training is internal training for users, in the collaboration space. Teams, One Drive, SharePoint Online, Exchange, and specialty training on Office tools – Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Microsoft Forms.

    Second line training is professional development for the SMEs including certifications in M365 admin, Global admin, Teams admin, and SharePoint administrator.

    Additional training and certification can be obtained in governance, information management, and in the admin center for licencing optimization and compliance.

    Tools used

    • Viva topics – Integrated knowledge and expert discovery
    • Viva Insight
    • Viva Learning
    • Viva Connections
    • Dynamics 365
    • Voice of the customer surveys

    Support M365 CoE Team

    This image depicts the framework for m365 CoE team support.

    Support CoE:

    In charge of creating a knowledge base for M365. Manages incidents with access, usage, and administering apps to desktop. Manages change issues related to updates in patching.

    Help Desk Admin:

    Resets passwords when self service fails, force sign out, manages service requests.

    Works with learning CoE to populate knowledge base with articles and templates.

    Manages end user issues with changes and enhancements for M365.

    Supporting Metrics

    • Number of calls for M365 support
    • Recurring M365 incidents
    • Number of unresolved Platform issues
    • First call resolution
    • Knowledge sharing of M365
    • Customer satisfaction
    • Turnaround time of tickets created

    Roadmap

    How does the CoE evolve over time as enterprises become more mature?

    • Depending on the complexity and regulatory requirements of the business, baseline governance and rules around external partners sharing internal documents will need to be set up.
    • Identifying your SMEs in the organization is a perquisite at the beginning stages of setting up the M365 working group.
    • Build a roadmap to get to maturity and competency that brings strategic business value.
    • Meet milestone goals through a two-year, three-phase process. Begin with setting up governance guardrails.
    • Set up foundational baselines against which metrics will be measured.
    • Set up the M365 CoE, at first with target easy wins through group training and policy communications throughout the organization.
    this image depicts the CoE Roadmap, from Foundational Baseline, to Standardize Process, to Optimization

    How do you turn artifacts like best practice documents into actual behavior change?

    this image depicts the process of turning M365 ARtifacts into actual behavioural change within a company

    Info-Tech Insights

    Building Blocks
    The building blocks for a change in end user behavior are based on four criteria which must be clearly communicated. Knowledge transfer from SMEs to the training team is key. That in turn leads to effective knowledge transfer, allowing end users to develop skills quickly that can be shared with their teams. Sharing practices leads to best practices and maintaining these in a repository that can be quickly accessed will build on the efficiencies and effectiveness of the employees.

    How Do You Empower End Users to Innovate?

    Info-Tech Insights

    Understand the Vision

    Empowering End users starts with understanding the business vision that is embedded into the M365 CoE charter.

    Ensure that the business innovation goals are aligned to the organizational strategies.

    The innovative strategies need to be clearly communicated to the employees and the tools to achieve this needs to be mapped out and trained. Clearly lay out the goals, outcomes, and expectations.

    End users need to understand how the M365 CoE will assist them in their day-to-day operations, whether in the collaboration space with their colleagues, or with power BI that assists them in their decision making though analytics.

    The Right Resources

    Arm your team with the resources they need to be successful. Building use cases as part of the training program will give the employees insight into how the M365 tools can be used in their daily work environment. It will also address the pervasive use of nonstandard tools as is seen throughout organizations that are operated in a vacuum.

    Empowering your user base though the knowledge transfer borne through the building of artifacts that deal with real life examples that join the dots for employees.

    By painting a picture of how the innovative use of the M365 platform can be achieved, users will feel empowered and use those use cases to build out their own innovative ideas.

    Hybrid Work

    Digital fabric

    Collaboration – Communication – Creation

    Cloud Services – Innovative Apps – Security

    Productivity anywhere any place

    Shared working documents in secure cloud

    Mesh for Microsoft Teams/Viva

    Power apps and dataverse for Teams

    Self Service M365

    My Apps

    My Sign-Ins

    My Groups

    My Staff

    My Access

    My Account

    Password reset

    Sample Best Practices
    Tools and Standards Templates

    Then communicate them

    Collaboration Best Practices

    Sharing documents

    Real time co-authoring

    Comment

    Meet

    Mobile

    Version History

    Security Best Practices

    This is a screenshot of the Security Best Practices

    Default Security Settings

    Microsoft Security Score

    Enable Alert Policies

    Assign RBAC for Admins

    Enable Continuous Access Evaluation

    Admin Roles Best Practices in M365

    This is a screenshot of the admin roles best ractices in M365.

    Business Success Metrics for M365 CoE

    What does success look like?

    • Are you aligning the M365 metrics to business goals?
    • Are your decisions data driven?
    • Are you able to determine opportunities to improve with your metrics – continuous process improvement?
    • Are you seeing productivity gains, and are they being measured?
    This image contains a screenshot of the Business Success Metrics for M365-CoE: SMC Training; Content published and tagged; Usage Metrics; Cost Metrics; Adoption Metrics; New Product Introduction

    Activity Output

    Start building your M365 CoE and considering the steps for the Phase 1 checklist

    BUILD A FOUNDATIONAL BASELINE

    Step 1

    1. Select Resources to create a CoE working group
    2. Define your goals and objectives
    3. Identify SMEs within the business and do a gap analysis
    4. Build the M365 charter, mission, and vision
    5. Build consensus and sponsorship from C suite
    6. Create an organizational M365 framework that provides best coverage for all touch points to the platform, from support to training to controls.
    7. Determine the type of CoE you want to create that fits your business (centralized, distributed, or a combination).

    Step 2

    1. Build training plans for SMEs and M365 teams
    2. Populate company intranet with artifacts, knowledge articles, and user training portal with all things M365
    3. Build out best practice workbooks, tools, and templates that encompass all departments
    4. Create roles and responsibilities matrix
    5. Identify “super users” in departments to assist with promoting learning and knowledge sharing.
    6. Develop Metrics scorecards on success criteria ensuring they align to business goals

    Step 3

    1. Rational M365 licensing
    2. Create communication plan promoting CoE and M365 advantages
    3. Align your governance posture and building guardrails
    4. Identify legacy apps that can be retired and replaced
    5. Train support team and analysts with metrics supporting M365 CoE goals
    6. Create baseline metrics with clear alignment to business KPIs

    Related Blueprints

    Modernize Your Microsoft Licensing for the Cloud Era

    • Take control of your Microsoft licensing and optimize spend

    Govern Office 365

    • Office 365 is as difficult to wrangle as it is valuable. Leverage best practices to produce governance outcomes aligned with your goals

    Migrate to Office 365 Now

    • One small step to cloud, one big leap to Office 365. The key is to look before you leap

    Build a Data Classification MVP for M365

    • Kickstart your governance with data classification users will actually use!

    Bibliography

    “Five Guiding Principles of a successful Center of Excellence” Perficient, n.d. Web.

    “Self Service in Microsoft 365.” Janbakker.tech, n.d. Web.

    “My Apps portal overview.” Microsoft, June 2, 2022. Web.

    “Collaboration Best Practices Microsoft365.” Microsoft, n.d. Web.

    “Security Best Practices Microsoft 365” Microsoft, July 1, 2022. Web.

    Build an IT Employee Engagement Program

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    • Parent Category Name: Engage
    • Parent Category Link: /engage
    • IT’s performance and stakeholder satisfaction with IT services hinge on IT’s ability to attract and retain top talent and to motivate teams to go above and beyond.
    • With the growing IT job market, turnover is a serious threat to IT’s ability to deliver seamless value and continuously drive innovation.
    • Engagement initiatives are often seen as being HR’s responsibility; however, IT leadership needs to take accountability for the retention and productivity of their employees in order to drive business value.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Engagement is a two-way street. Initiatives must address a known need and be actively sought by employees – not handed down from management.
    • Engagement initiatives are useless unless they target the right issues. It can be tempting to focus on the latest perks and gadgets and ignore difficult issues. Use a systematic approach to uncover and tackle the real problems.
    • It’s time for IT leadership to step up. IT leaders have a much bigger impact on IT staff engagement than HR ever can. Leverage this power to lead your team to peak performance.

    Impact and Result

    • Info-Tech engagement diagnostics and accompanying tools will help you perform a deep dive into the root causes of disengagement on your team.
    • The guidance that accompanies Info-Tech’s tools will help you avoid common engagement program pitfalls and empower IT leaders to take charge of their own team’s engagement.

    Build an IT Employee Engagement Program Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to discover why engagement is critical to IT performance, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand how our tools will help you construct an effective employee engagement program.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Measure employee engagement

    Use Info-Tech's Pulse or Full Engagement Surveys to measure employee engagement.

    • Improve Employee Engagement to Drive IT Performance – Phase 1: Measure Employee Engagement
    • Engagement Strategy Record
    • Engagement Communication Template

    2. Analyze results and ideate solutions

    Understand the drivers of engagement that are important for your team, and involve your staff in brainstorming engagement initiatives.

    • Improve Employee Engagement to Drive IT Performance – Phase 2: Analyze Results and Ideate Solutions
    • Engagement Survey Results Interpretation Guide
    • Full Engagement Survey Focus Group Facilitation Guide
    • Pulse Engagement Survey Focus Group Facilitation Guide
    • Focus Group Facilitation Guide Driver Definitions
    • One-on-One Manager Meeting Worksheet

    3. Select and implement engagement initiatives

    Select engagement initiatives for maximal impact, create an action plan, and establish open and ongoing communication about engagement with your team.

    • Improve Employee Engagement to Drive IT Performance – Phase 3: Select and Implement Engagement Initiatives
    • Summary of Interdepartmental Engagement Initiatives
    • Engagement Progress One-Pager
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Build an IT Employee Engagement Program

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 (Preparation) Run Engagement Survey

    The Purpose

    Select and run your engagement survey prior to the workshop.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Receive an in-depth report on your team’s engagement drivers to form the basis of your engagement strategy.

    Activities

    1.1 Select engagement survey.

    1.2 Identify engagement program goals and metrics.

    1.3 Run engagement survey.

    Outputs

    Full or Pulse engagement survey report

    Engagement survey results interpretation guide

    2 Explore Engagement

    The Purpose

    To understand the current state of engagement and prepare to discuss the drivers behind it with your staff.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Empower your leadership team to take charge of their own teams’ engagement.

    Activities

    2.1 Review engagement survey results.

    2.2 Finalize focus group agendas.

    2.3 Train managers.

    Outputs

    Customized focus group agendas

    3 Hold Focus Groups

    The Purpose

    Establish an open dialogue with your staff to understand what would improve their engagement.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Employee-generated initiatives have the greatest chance at success.

    Activities

    3.1 Identify priority drivers.

    3.2 Identify engagement KPIs.

    3.3 Brainstorm engagement initiatives.

    3.4 Vote on initiatives within teams.

    Outputs

    Summary of focus groups results

    Identified engagement initiatives

    Identified engagement initiatives

    4 Select and Plan Initiatives

    The Purpose

    Learn the characteristics of successful engagement initiatives and build execution plans for each.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Choose initiatives with the greatest impact on your team’s engagement, and ensure you have the necessary resources for success.

    Activities

    4.1 Select engagement initiatives with IT leadership.

    4.2 Create initiative project plans.

    4.3 Present project plans.

    4.4 Define implementation checkpoints.

    4.5 Develop communications plan.

    4.6 Define strategy for ongoing engagement monitoring.

    Outputs

    Engagement project plans

    Implementation and communication checkpoints

    Further surveys planned (optional)

    5 Additional Leadership Training

    The Purpose

    Select training modules that best address your team’s needs from Info-Tech’s modular leadership training program.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Arm your IT leadership team with the key skills of effective leadership, tailored to their existing experience level.

    Activities

    5.1 Adopting an Integrated Leadership Mindset

    5.2 Optimizing Talent Leadership Practices

    5.3 Driving Diversity & Inclusion

    5.4 Fortifying Internal Stakeholder Relations

    5.5 Engaging Executives and the Board

    5.6 Crafting Your Leadership Brand

    5.7 Crafting and Delivering Compelling Presentations

    5.8 Communication & Difficult Conversations

    5.9 Conflict Management

    5.10 Performance Management

    5.11 Feedback & Coaching

    5.12 Creating a Culture of Personal Accountability

    Outputs

    Develop the skills to lead resourcefully in times of uncertainty

    Apply leadership behaviors across enterprise initiatives to deploy and develop talent successfully

    Develop diversity and inclusion practices that turn the IT function and leaders into transformative champions of inclusion

    Identify elements of effective partnering to maximize the impact of internal interactions

    Understand the major obstacles to CEO and board relevance and uncover the keys to elevating your internal executive profile

    Develop a leadership brand statement that demonstrates leadership competency and is aligned with the brand, mission, vision, and goals of the organization

    Identify the components of effective presentations and hone your presentation skills

    Gain the skills to confront and drive solutions from difficult situations

    Develop strategies to engage in conflict constructively and reach a resolution that benefits the team or organization

    Learn to identify the root causes of low performance and develop the skills to guide employees through the process of improvement

    Adopt a behavior-focused coaching model to help managers sustain and apply effective coaching principles

    Understand how and when to encourage autonomy and how to empower employees to take success into their own hands

    Incident Management for Small Enterprise

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    • Parent Category Name: Incident & Problem Management
    • Parent Category Link: /incident-and-problem-management
    • Technical debt and disparate systems are big constraints for most small enterprise (SE) organizations. What may have worked years ago is no longer fit for purpose or the business is growing faster than the current tools in place can handle.
    • Super specialization of knowledge is also a common factor in smaller teams caused by complex architectures. While helpful, if that knowledge isn’t documented it can walk out the door with the resource and the rest of the team is left scrambling.
    • Lessons learned may be gathered for critical incidents but often are not propagated, which impacts the ability to solve recurring incidents.
    • Over time, repeated incidents can have a negative impact on the customer’s perception that the service desk is a credible and essential service to the business.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Go beyond the blind adoption of best-practice frameworks. No simple formula exists for improving incident management maturity. Identify the challenges in your incident lifecycle and draw on best-practice frameworks pragmatically to build a structured response to those challenges.
    • Track, analyze, and review results of incident response regularly. Without a comprehensive understanding of incident trends and patterns you can be susceptible to recurring incidents that increase in damage over time. Make the case for problem management, and successfully reduce the volume of unplanned work by scheduling it into regular IT activity.
    • Recurring incidents will happen; use runbooks for a consistent response each time. Save your organization response time and confusion by developing your own specific incident use cases. Incident response should follow a standard process, but each incident will have its own escalation process or call tree that identifies key participants.

    Impact and Result

    • Effective and efficient management of incidents involves a formal process of identifying, classifying, categorizing, responding, resolving, and closing of each incident. The key for smaller organizations, where technology or resources is a constraint, is to make the best practices usable for your unique environment.
    • Develop a plan that aligns with your organizational needs, and adapt best practices into light, sustainable processes, with the goal to improve time to resolve, cost to serve, and ultimately, end-user satisfaction.
    • Successful implementation of incident management will elevate the maturity of the service desk to a controlled state, preparing you for becoming proactive with problem management.

    Incident Management for Small Enterprise Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should implement incident management, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Identify and log incidents

    This phase will provide an overview of the incident lifecycle and an activity on how to classify the various types of incidents in your environment.

    • Service Desk Standard Operating Procedure
    • Incident Management Workflow Library (Visio)
    • Incident Management Workflow Library (PDF)

    2. Prioritize and define SLAs

    This phase will help you develop a categorization scheme for incident handling that ensures success and keeps it simple. It will also help you identify the most important runbooks necessary to create first.

    • Service Desk Ticket Categorization Schemes
    • IT Incident Runbook Prioritization Tool
    • IT Incident Management Runbook Blank Template

    3. Respond, recover, and close incidents

    This phase will help you identify how to use a knowledgebase to resolve incidents quicker. Identify what needs to be answered during a post-incident review and identify the criteria needed to invoke problem management.

    • Knowledgebase Article Template
    • Root-Cause Analysis Template
    • Post-Incident Review Questions Tracking Tool
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Incident Management for Small Enterprise

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Assess the Current State

    The Purpose

    Assess the current state of the incident management lifecycle within the organization.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Understand the incident lifecycle and how to classify them in your environment.

    Identify the roles and responsibilities of the incident response team.

    Document the incident workflows to identify areas of opportunities.

    Activities

    1.1 Outline your incident lifecycle challenges.

    1.2 Identify and classify incidents.

    1.3 Identify roles and responsibilities for incident handling.

    1.4 Design normal and critical incident workflows for target state.

    Outputs

    List of incident challenges for each phase of the incident lifecycle

    Incident classification scheme mapped to resolution team

    RACI chart

    Incident Workflow Library

    2 Define the Target State

    The Purpose

    Design or improve upon current incident and ticket categorization schemes, priority, and impact.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    List of the most important runbooks necessary to create first and a usable template to go forward with

    Activities

    2.1 Improve incident categorization scheme.

    2.2 Prioritize and define SLAs.

    2.3 Understand the purpose of runbooks and prioritize development.

    2.4 Develop a runbook template.

    Outputs

    Revised ticket categorization scheme

    Prioritization matrix based on impact and urgency

    IT Incident Runbook Prioritization Tool

    Top priority incident runbook

    3 Bridge the Gap

    The Purpose

    Respond, recover, and close incidents with root-cause analysis, knowledgebase, and incident runbooks.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    This module will help you to identify how to use a knowledgebase to resolve quicker.

    Identify what needs to be answered during a post-incident review.

    Identify criteria to invoke problem management.

    Activities

    3.1 Build a targeted knowledgebase.

    3.2 Build a post-incident review process.

    3.3 Identify metrics to track success.

    3.4 Build an incident matching process.

    Outputs

    Working knowledgebase template

    Root-cause analysis template and post-incident review checklist

    List of metrics

    Develop criteria for problem management

    2020 IT Talent Trend Report

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    • Parent Category Name: Lead
    • Parent Category Link: /lead
    • IT is an employee’s market.
    • Automation, outsourcing, and emerging technologies are widening the skill gap and increasing the need for skilled staff.
    • IT departments must find new ways to attract and retain top talent.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Improving talent management is the way forward, but many IT leaders are approaching it the wrong way.
    • Among the current climate of automating everything in the workplace, we need to bring the human element back into talent management.

    Impact and Result

    • Using talent management strategies that speak to employees as individuals, rather than cogs in a machine, produces more effective IT departments.
    • IT leaders who make use of these strategies see benefits across the talent lifecycle – from hiring, to training, to retention.

    2020 IT Talent Trend Report Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should focus on talent management and get an overview of what successful IT leaders are doing differently heading into 2020 – the six new talent management trends.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. IT takes ownership of talent acquisition

    IT leaders who get personally involved in recruitment see better results. Read this section to learn how leader are getting involved, and how to take the first steps.

    • 2020 IT Talent Trend Report – Trend 1: IT Takes Ownership of Talent Acquisition

    2. Flexible work becomes fluid work

    Heading into 2020, flexible work is table stakes. Read this section to learn what organizations offer and how you can take advantage of opportunities your competitors are missing.

    • 2020 IT Talent Trend Report – Trend 2: Flexible Work Becomes Fluid Work

    3. The age of radical transparency

    Ethics and transparency are emerging as key considerations for employees. How can you build a culture that supports this? Read this section to learn how.

    • 2020 IT Talent Trend Report – Trend 3: The Age of Radical Transparency

    4. People analytics is business analytics

    Your staff is the biggest line item in your budget, but are you using data to make decisions about your people they way you do in other areas of the business? Read this section to learn how analytics can be applied to the workforce no matter what level you are starting at.

    • 2020 IT Talent Trend Report – Trend 4: People Analytics Is Business Analytics

    5. IT departments become their own universities

    With the rapid pace of technological change, it is becoming increasingly harder to hire skilled people for critical roles. Read this section to learn how some IT departments are turning to in-house training to fill the skill gap.

    • 2020 IT Talent Trend Report – Trend 5: IT Departments Become Their Own Universities

    6. Offboarding: The missed opportunity

    What do an employee's last few days with your company look like? For most organizations, they are filled with writing rushed documentation, hosting last-minute training sessions and finishing up odd jobs. Read this section to understand the crucial opportunity most IT departments are missing when it comes to departing staff.

    • 2020 IT Talent Trend Report – Trend 6: Offboarding: The Missed Opportunity
    [infographic]

    Recruit and Retain People of Color in IT

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    • Parent Category Name: Engage
    • Parent Category Link: /engage
    • Organizations have been trying to promote equality for many years. Diversity and inclusion strategies and a myriad of programs have been implemented in companies across the world. Despite the attempts, many organizations still struggle to ensure that their workforce is representative of the populations they support or want to support.
    • IT brings another twist. Many IT companies and departments are based on the culture of white males, and underrepresented ethnic communities find it more of a challenge to fit in.
    • This sometimes means that talented minorities are less incentivized to join or stay in technology.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Diversity and inclusion cannot be a one-time campaign or a one-off initiative.
    • For real change to happen, every leader needs to internalize the value of creating and retaining diverse teams.

    Impact and Result

    • To stay competitive, IT leaders need to be more involved and commit to a plan to recruit and retain people of color in their departments and organizations. A diverse team is an answer to innovation that can differentiate your company.
    • Treat recruiting and retaining a diverse team as a business challenge that requires full engagement. Info-Tech offers a targeted solution that will help IT leaders build a plan to attract, recruit, engage, and retain people of color.

    Recruit and Retain People of Color in IT Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should recruit and retain people of color in your IT department or organization, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the ways we can support you in this endeavor.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Recruit people of color in IT

    Diverse teams are necessary to foster creativity and guide business strategies. Overcome limitations by recruiting people of color and creating a diverse workforce.

    • Recruit and Retain People of Color in IT – Phase 1: Recruit People of Color in IT
    • Support Plan
    • IT Behavioral Interview Question Library

    2. Retain people of color in IT

    Underrepresented employees benefit from an expansive culture. Create an inclusive environment and retain people of color and promote value within your organization.

    • Recruit and Retain People of Color in IT – Phase 2: Retain People of Color in IT

    Infographic

    Workshop: Recruit and Retain People of Color in IT

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Setting the Stage

    The Purpose

    Introduce challenges and concerns around recruiting and retaining people of color.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Gain a sense of direction.

    Activities

    1.1 Introduction to diversity conversations.

    1.2 Assess areas to focus on and determine what is right, wrong, missing, and confusing.

    1.3 Obtain feedback from your team about the benefits of working at your organization.

    1.4 Establish your employee value proposition (EVP).

    1.5 Discuss and establish your recruitment goals.

    Outputs

    Current State Analysis

    Right, Wrong, Missing, Confusing Quadrant

    Draft EVP

    Recruitment Goals

    2 Refine Your Recruitment Process

    The Purpose

    Identify areas in your current recruitment process that are preventing you from hiring people of color.

    Establish a plan to make improvements.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Optimized recruitment process

    Activities

    2.1 Brainstorm and research community partners.

    2.2 Review current job descriptions and equity statement.

    2.3 Update job description template and equity statement.

    2.4 Set team structure for interview and assessment.

    2.5 Identify decision-making structure.

    Outputs

    List of community partners

    Updated job description template

    Updated equity statement

    Interview and assessment structure

    Behavioral Question Library

    3 Culture and Management

    The Purpose

    Create a plan for an inclusive culture where your managers are supported.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Awareness of how to better support employees of color.

    Activities

    3.1 Discuss engagement and belonging.

    3.2 Augment your onboarding materials.

    3.3 Create an inclusive culture plan.

    3.4 Determine how to support your management team.

    Outputs

    List of onboarding content

    Inclusive culture plan

    Management support plan

    4 Close the Loop

    The Purpose

    Establish mechanisms to gain feedback from your employees and act on them.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Finalize the plan to create your diverse and inclusive workforce.

    Activities

    4.1 Ask and listen: determine what to ask your employees.

    4.2 Create your roadmap.

    4.3 Wrap-up and next steps.

    Outputs

    List of survey questions

    Roadmap

    Completed support plan

    Build a Better Manager

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}603|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: N/A
    • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
    • member rating average days saved: N/A
    • Parent Category Name: Train & Develop
    • Parent Category Link: /train-and-develop
    • Management skills training is needed, but organizations are struggling to provide training that makes a long-term difference in the skills managers actually use in their day to day.
    • Many training programs are ineffective because they offer the wrong content, deliver it in a way that is not memorable, and are not aligned with the IT department’s business objectives.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • More of the typical manager training is not enough to solve the problem of underprepared first-time IT managers.
    • You must overcome the key pitfalls of ineffective training to deliver training that is better than the norm.
    • Offer tailored training that focuses on skill building and is aligned with measurable business goals to make your manager training a tangible success.

    Impact and Result

    Use Info-Tech’s tactical, practical training materials to deliver training that is:

    • Specifically tailored to first-time IT managers.
    • Designed around practical application of new skills.
    • Aligned with your department’s business goals.

    Build a Better Manager Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Build a Better Manager Capstone Deck – This deck will guide you through identifying the critical skills your managers need to succeed and planning out a training program tailored to your team and organization.

    This deck presents a behind-the-scenes explanation for the training materials, enabling a facilitator to deliver the training.

    • Build a Better Manager – Phases 1-3

    2. Facilitation Guides – These ready-to-deliver presentation decks span 8 modules. Each module covers a key management skill. The modules can be delivered independently or as a series.

    The modules are complete with presentation slides, speaker’s notes, and accompanying participant workbooks and provide everything you need to deliver the training to your team.

    • Accountability Facilitation Guide
    • Coaching and Feedback Facilitation Guide
    • Communicate Effectively Facilitation Guide
    • Manage Conflict Constructively Facilitation Guide
    • Your Role in Decision Making Facilitation Guide
    • Master Time Facilitation Guide
    • Performance Management Facilitation Guide
    • Your Role in the Organization Facilitation Guide

    3. Participant Workbooks and Supporting Materials – Each training module comes with a corresponding participant workbook to help trainees record insights and formulate individual skill development plans.

    Each workbook is tailored to the presentation slides in its corresponding facilitation guide. Some workbooks have additional materials, such as role play scenarios, to aid in practice. Every workbook comes with example entries to help participants make the most of their training.

    • Communicate Effectively Participant Workbook
    • Performance Management Participant Workbook
    • Coaching and Feedback Participant Workbook
    • Effective Feedback Training Role Play Scenarios
    • Your Role in the Organization Participant Workbook
    • Your Role in Decision Making Participant Workbook
    • Decision Making Case Study
    • Manage Conflict Constructively Participant Workbook
    • Conflict Resolution Role Play Scenarios
    • Master Time Participant Workbook
    • Accountability Participant Workbook
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Build a Better Manager

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Build a Better Manager

    The Purpose

    Attend training on the specific topics necessary for each individual management team.

    Each workshop consists of four days, one 3-hour training session per day. One module is delivered per day, selecting from the following pool of topics:

    Master Time

    Accountability

    Your Role in the Organization

    Your Role in Decision Making

    Manage Conflict Constructively

    Effective Communication

    Performance Management

    Coaching & Feedback

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Managers learn about best practices, practice their application, and formulate individual skill development plans.

    Activities

    1.1 Training on one topic per day, for four days (selected from a pool of eight possible topics)

    Outputs

    Completed workbook and action plan

    Further reading

    Build a Better Manager

    Support IT success with a solid management foundation.

    Analyst Perspective

    Training that delivers results.

    Jane Koupstova.

    Ninety-eight percent of managers say they need more training, but 93% of managers already receive some level of manager training. Unfortunately, the training typically provided, although copious, is not working. More of the same will never get you better outcomes.

    How many times have you sat through training that was so long, you had no hope of implementing half of it?

    How many times have you been taught best practices, with zero guidance on how to apply them?

    To truly support our managers, we need to rethink manager training. Move from fulfilling an HR mandate to providing truly trainee-centric instruction. Teach only the right skills – no fluff – and encourage and enable their application in the day to day.

    Jane Kouptsova
    Research Director, People & Leadership
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    Common Obstacles

    Info-Tech’s Approach

    IT departments often promote staff based on technical skill, resulting in new managers feeling unprepared for their new responsibilities in leading people.

    The success of your organization hinges on managers’ ability to lead their staff; by failing to equip new managers adequately, you are risking the productivity of your entire department.

    Despite the fact that $14 billion is spent annually on leadership training in the US alone (Freedman, 2016), only one in ten CIOs believe their department is very effective at leadership, culture, and values (Info-Tech, 2019).

    Training programs do not deliver results due to trainee overwhelm, ineffective skill development, and a lack of business alignment.

    Use Info-Tech’s tactical, practical approach to management training to deliver training that:

    • Is specifically tailored to first-time IT managers.
    • Is designed around practical application of new skills.
    • Is aligned with your department’s business goals.
    • Equips your new managers with essential skills and foundational competencies

    Info-Tech Insight

    When it comes to manager training, more is not more. Attending training is not equal to being trained. Even good information is useless when it doesn’t get applied. If your role hasn’t required you to use your training within 48 hours, you were not trained on the most relevant skills.

    Effective managers drive effective departments by engaging their teams

    The image contains a screenshot to demonstrate effective managers.

    Engaged teams are:

    • 52% more willing to innovate*
    • 70% more likely to be at the organization a year from now**
    • 57% more likely to exceed their role’s expectations**

    Engaged teams are driven by managers:

    • 70% of team-level engagement is accounted for by managers***
    *McLean & Company; N=3,395; **McLean & Company; N=5,902; ***Gallup, 2018

    Despite the criticality of their role, IT organizations are failing at supporting new managers

    87% of middle managers wish they had more training when they were first promoted

    98% of managers say they need more training

    Source: Grovo, 2016

    IT must take notice:

    IT as an industry tends to promote staff on the basis of technical skill. As a result, new managers find themselves suddenly out of their comfort zone, tasked with leading teams using management skills they have not been trained in and, more often than not, having to learn on the job. This is further complicated because many new IT managers must go from a position of team member to leader, which can be a very complex transition.

    The truth is, many organizations do try and provide some degree of manager training, it just is not effective

    99% of companies offer management training*

    93% of managers attend it*

    $14 billion spent annually in the US on leadership training**

    Fewer than one in ten CIOs believe their IT department is highly effective at leadership, culture, and values.

    The image contains a screenshot of a pie chart that demonstrates the effectiveness of the IT department at leadership, culture, and values.

    *Grovo, 2016; **Chief Executive, 2016
    Info-Tech’s Management & Governance Diagnostic, N=337 CIOs

    There are three key reasons why manager training fails

    1. Information Overload

    Seventy-five percent of managers report that their training was too long to remember or to apply in their day to day (Grovo, 2016). Trying to cover too much useful information results in overwhelm and does not deliver on key training objectives.

    2. Limited Implementation

    Thirty-three percent of managers find that their training had insufficient follow-up to help them apply it on the job (Grovo, 2016). Learning is only the beginning. The real results are obtained when learning is followed by practice, which turns new knowledge into reliable habits.

    3. Lack of departmental alignment

    Implementing training without a clear link to departmental and organizational objectives leaves you unable to clearly communicate its value, undermines your ability to secure buy-in from attendees and executives, and leaves you unable to verify that the training is actually improving departmental effectiveness.

    Overcome those common training pitfalls with tactical solutions

    MOVE FROM

    TO

    1. Information Overload

    Timely, tailored topics

    The more training managers attend, the less likely they are to apply any particular element of it. Combat trainee overwhelm by offering highly tactical, practical training that presents only the essential skills needed at the managers’ current stage of development.

    2. Limited Implementation

    Skills-focused framework

    Many training programs end when the last manager walks out of the last training session. Ensure managers apply their new knowledge in the months and years after the training by relying on a research-based framework that supports long-term skill building.

    3. Lack of Departmental Alignment

    Outcome-based measurement

    Setting organizational goals and accompanying metrics ahead of time enables you to communicate the value of the training to attendees and stakeholders, track whether the training is delivering a return on your investment, and course correct if necessary.

    This research combats common training challenges by focusing on building habits, not just learning ideas

    Manager training is only useful if the skills it builds are implemented in the day-to-day.

    Research supports three drivers of successful skill building from training:

    Habits

    Organizational Support

    The training modules include committing to implementing new skills on the job and scheduling opportunities for feedback.

    Learning Structure

    Training activities are customizable, flexible, and accompanied by continuous learning self-evaluation.

    Personal Commitment

    Info-Tech’s methodology builds in activities that foster accountability and an attitude of continuous improvement.

    Learning

    Info-Tech Insight

    When it comes to manager training, stop thinking about learning, and start thinking about practice. In difficult situations, we fall back on habits, not theoretical knowledge. If a manager is only as good as their habits, we need to support them in translating knowledge into practice.

    This research focuses on building good management habits to drive enterprise success

    Set up your first-time managers for success by leveraging Info-Tech’s training to focus on three key areas of management:

    • Managing people as a team
    • Managing people as individuals
    • Managing yourself as a developing leader

    Each of these areas:

    • Is immediately important for a first-time manager
    • Includes practical, tactical skills that can be implemented quickly
    • Translates to departmental and organizational benefits

    Info-Tech Insight

    There is no such thing as “effective management training.” Various topics will be effective at different times for different roles. Delivering only the highest-impact learning at strategic points in your leadership development program will ensure the learning is retained and translates to results.

    This blueprint covers foundational training in three key domains of effective management

    Effective Managers

    • Self
      • Conflict & Difficult Conversations
      • Your Role in the Organization
      • Your Role in Decisions
    • Team
      • Communication
      • Feedback & Coaching
      • Performance Management
    • People
      • Master Time
      • Delegate
      • Accountability

    Each topic corresponds to a module, which can be used individually or as a series in any order.

    Choose topics that resonate with your managers and relate directly to their day-to-day tasks. Training on topics that may be useful in the future, while interesting, is less likely to generate lasting skill development.

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    This blueprint is not a replacement for formal leadership or management certification. It is designed as a practical, tactical, and foundational introduction to key management capabilities.

    Info-Tech’s training tools guide participants through successful skill building

    Practical facilitation guides equip you with the information, activities, and speaker’s notes necessary to deliver focused, tactical training to your management team.

    The participant’s workbook guides trainees through applying the three drivers of skill building to solidify their training into habits.

    Measure the effectiveness of your manager training with outcomes-focused metrics

    Linking manager training with measurable outcomes allows you to verify that the program is achieving the intended benefits, course correct as needed, and secure buy-in from stakeholders and participants by articulating and documenting value.

    Use the metrics suggested below to monitor your training program’s effectiveness at three key stages:

    Program Metric

    Calculation

    Program enrolment and attendance

    Attendance at each session / Total number enrolled in session

    First-time manager (FTM) turnover rate

    Turnover rate: Number of FTM departures / Total number of FTMs

    FTM turnover cost

    Number of departing FTMs this year * Cost of replacing an employee

    Manager Effectiveness Metric

    Calculation

    Engagement scores of FTM's direct reports

    Use Info-Tech's Employee Engagement surveys to monitor scores

    Departures as a result of poor management

    Number of times "manager relationships" is selected as a reason for leaving on an exit survey / Total number of departures

    Cost of departures due to poor management

    Number of times "manager relationships" is selected as a reason for leaving on an exit survey * Cost associated with replacing an employee

    Organizational Outcome Metric

    Calculation

    On-target delivery

    % projects completed on-target = (Projects successfully completed on time and on budget / Total number of projects started) * 100

    Business stakeholder satisfaction with IT

    Use Info-Tech’s business satisfaction surveys to monitor scores

    High-performer turnover rate

    Number of permanent, high-performing employee departures / Average number of permanent, high-performing employees

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.” “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.” “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.” “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Guided Implementation

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

    Call #1: Scope requirements, objectives, and your specific challenges.

    Call #2: Review selected modules and discuss training delivery.

    Call #3: Review training delivery, discuss lessons learned. Review long-term skill development plan.

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series

    of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    A typical GI is 1 to 3 calls over the course of several months, depending on training schedule.

    Workshop Overview

    Contact your account representative for more information.
    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4

    3-Hour Training Session

    3-Hour Training Session

    3-Hour Training Session

    3-Hour Training Session

    Activities

    Training on topic 1 (selected from a pool of 8 possible topics)

    Training on topic 2 (selected from a pool of 8 possible topics)

    Training on topic 3 (selected from a pool of 8 possible topics)

    Training on topic 4 (selected from a pool of 8 possible topics)

    Deliverables

    Completed workbook and action plan

    Completed workbook and action plan

    Completed workbook and action plan

    Completed workbook and action plan

    Pool of topics:

    • Master Time
    • Accountability
    • Your Role in the Organization
    • Your Role in Decision Making
    • Manage Conflict Constructively
    • Effective Communication
    • Performance Management
    • Coaching & Feedback

    Phase 1

    Prepare to facilitate training

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
    • Select training topics
    • Customize the training facilitation guide for your organization
    • Deliver training modules
    • Confirm skill development action plan with trainees
    • Secure organizational support from trainees' supervisors

    Outcomes of this phase:

    • Training facilitation deck customized to organizational norms
    • Training workbook distributed to participants
    • Training dates and facilitator finalized

    1.1 Select training modules

    1-3 hours

    1. Review the module descriptions on the following slides.
    2. Identify modules that will address managers’ most pressing development needs.
      To help make this decision, consult the following:
      • Trainees’ development plans
      • Trainees’ supervisors
    Input Output
    • Module descriptions
    • Trainees’ development goals and needs
    • Prioritized list of training modules
    Materials Participants
    • Prioritized list of training modules
    • Training sponsor
    • Trainees’ supervisors

    Effective Communication

    Effective communication is the cornerstone of good management

    Effective communication can make or break your IT team’s effectiveness and engagement and a manager’s reputation in the organization. Effective stakeholder management and communication has a myriad of benefits – yet this is a key area where IT leaders continue to struggle.


    There are multiple ways in which you communicate with your staff. The tactics you will learn in this section will help you to:

    1. Understand communication styles. Every staff member has a predisposition in terms of how they give, receive, and digest information. To drive effective communication new managers need to understand the profiles of each of their team members and adjust their communicate style to suit.
    2. Understand what your team members want communicated to them and how. Communication is highly personal, and a good manager needs to clearly understand what their team wants to be informed about, their desired interactions, and when they need to be involved in decision making. They also must determine the appropriate channels for communication exchanges.
    3. Make meetings matter. Many new managers never receive training on what differentiates a good and bad meeting. Effective meetings have a myriad of benefits, but more often than not meetings are ineffective, wasting both the participants’ and organizer’s time. This training will help you to ensure that every team meeting drives a solid outcome and gets results.

    Benefits:

    • Better buy-in, understanding, and communication.
    • Improved IT reputation with the organization.
    • Improved team engagement.
    • Improved stakeholder satisfaction.
    • Better-quality decision making.
    • Improved transparency, trust, and credibility.
    • Less waste and rework.
    • Greater ability to secure support and execute the agenda.
    • More effective cooperation on activities, better quality information, and greater value from stakeholder input.
    • Better understanding of IT performance and contribution.

    Effective Communication

    Effective manager communication has a direct impact on employee engagement

    35% Of organizations say they have lost an employee due to poor internal communication (project.co, 2021).

    59% Of business leaders lose work time to mistakes caused by poor communication (Grammarly, 2022).

    $1.2 trillion Lost to US organizations as a result of poor communication (Grammarly, 2022).

    Effective Communication

    Effective communication is crucial to all parts of the business

    Operations

    Human Resources

    Finance

    Marketing

    Increases production by boosting revenue.

    Reduces the cost of litigation and increases revenue through productivity improvements.

    Reduces the cost of failing to comply with regulations.

    Increases attraction and retention of key talent.

    Effective Communication

    The Communicate Effectively Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Understand Communication Styles
    • Tailor Communication Methods to Activities
    • Make Meetings Matter

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Become a better communicator across a variety of personal styles and work contexts.

    Key objectives:

    • Reaffirm why effective communication matters.
    • Work with people with different communication styles.
    • Communicate clearly and effectively within a team.
    • Make meetings more effective.

    Info-Tech Insight

    First-time IT managers face specific communication challenges that come with managing people for the first time: learning to communicate a greater variety of information to different kinds of people, in a variety of venues. Tailored training in these areas helps managers focus and fast-track critical skill development.

    Performance Management

    Meaningful performance measures drive employee engagement, which in turn drives business success

    Meaningful performance measures help employees understand the rationale behind business decisions, help managers guide their staff, and clarify expectations for employees. These factors are all strong predictors of team engagement:

    The image contains a screenshot to demonstrate the relationship and success between performance measures and employee engagement.

    Performance Management

    Clear performance measures benefit employees and the organization

    Talent Management Outcomes

    Organizational Outcomes

    Performance measure are key throughout the talent management process.

    Candidates:

    • Want to know how they will be assessed
    • Rely on measures to become productive as soon as possible

    Employees:

    • Benefit from training centered on measures that are aligned with business outcomes
    • Are rewarded, recognized, and compensated based on measurable guidelines

    Promotions and Evaluations:

    • Are more effective when informed by meaningful performance measures that align with what leadership believes is important

    Performance measures benefit the organization by:

    • Helping employees know the steps to take to improve their performance
    • Ensuring alignment between team objectives and organizational goals
    • Providing a standardized way to support decision making related to compensation, promotions, and succession planning
    • Reducing “gaming” of metrics, when properly structured, thereby reducing risk to the organization
    • Affording legal defensibility by providing an objective basis for decision making

    Performance Management

    The Performance Management Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Develop Meaningful Goals
    • Set Meaningful Metrics

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Become proficient in setting, tracking, and communicating around performance management goals.

    Key objectives:

    • Understand the role of managers and employees in the performance management process.
    • Learn to set SMART, business-aligned goals for your team.
    • Learn to help employees set useful individual goals.
    • Learn to set meaningful, holistic metrics to track goal progression.
    • Understand the relationship between goals, metrics, and feedback.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Goal and metric development holds special significance for first-time IT managers because it now impacts not only their personal performance, but that of their employees and their team collectively. Training on these topics with a practical team- and employee-development approach is a focused way to build these skills.

    Coaching & Feedback

    Coaching and feedback are effective methods to influence employees and drive business outcomes

    COACHING is a conversation in which a manager asks an employee questions to guide them to solve problems themselves, instead of just telling them the answer.

    Coaching increases employee happiness, and decreases turnover.1

    Coaching promotes innovation.2

    Coaching increases employee engagement, effort and performance.3

    FEEDBACK is information about the past, given in the present, with the goal of influencing behavior or performance for the future. It includes information given for reinforcement and redirection.

    Honest feedback enhances team psychological safety.4

    Feedback increases employee engagement.5

    Feedback boosts feelings of autonomy and drives innovation.6

    1. Administrative Sciences, 2022
    2. International Review of Management and Marketing, 2020
    3. Current Psychology, 2021
    4. Quantum Workplace, 2021
    5. Issues and Perspectives in Business and Social Sciences, 2022
    6. Sustainability, 2021

    Coaching & Feedback

    The Coaching & Feedback Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • The 4 A’s of Coaching
    • Effective Feedback

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Get prepared to coach and offer feedback to your staff as appropriate.

    Key objectives:

    • Understand the difference between coaching and feedback and when to apply each one.
    • Learn the importance of a coaching mindset.
    • Learn effective coaching via the 4 A’s framework.
    • Understand the actions that make up feedback and the factors that make it successful.
    • Learn to deal with resistance to feedback.

    Info-Tech Insight

    First-time managers often shy away from giving coaching and feedback, stalling their team’s performance. A focused and practical approach to building these skills equips new managers with the tools and confidence to tackle these challenges as soon as they arise.

    Your Role in the Organization

    IT managers who understand the business context provide more value to the organization

    Managers who don’t understand the business cannot effect positive change. The greater understanding that IT managers have of business context, the more value they provide to the organization as seen by the positive relationship between IT’s understanding of business needs and the business’ perception of IT value.

    The image contains a screenshot of a scatter plot grid demonstrating business satisfaction with IT Understanding of Needs across Overall IT Value.

    Source: Info-Tech Research Group

    Your Role in the Organization

    Knowing your stakeholders is key to understanding your role in the business and providing value to the organization

    To understand your role in the business, you need to know who your stakeholders are and what value you and your team provide to the organization. Knowing how you help each stakeholder meet their wants needs and goals means that you have the know-how to balance experience and outcome-based behaviors. This is the key to being an attentive leader.


    The tactics you will learn in this section will help you to:

    1. Know your stakeholders. There are five key stakeholders the majority of IT managers have: management, peers, direct reports, internal users, and external users or customers. Managers need to understand the goals, needs, and wants of each of these groups to successfully provide value to the organization.
    2. Understand the value you provide to each stakeholder. Stakeholder relationship management requires IT managers to exhibit drive and support behaviors based on the situation. By knowing how you drive and support each stakeholder, you understand how you provide value to the organization and support its mission, vision, and values.
    3. Communicate the value your team provides to the organization to your team. Employees need to understand the impact of their work. As an IT manager, you are responsible for communicating how your team provides value to the organization. Mission statements on how you provide value to each stakeholder is an easy way to clearly communicate purpose to your team.

    Benefits:

    • Faster and higher growth.
    • Improved team engagement.
    • Improved stakeholder satisfaction.
    • Better quality decision making.
    • More innovation and motivation to complete goals and tasks.
    • Greater ability to secure support and execute on goals and tasks.
    • More effective cooperation on activities, better quality information, and greater value from stakeholder input.
    • Better understanding of IT performance and contribution.

    Your Role in the Organization

    The Your Role in the Organization Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Know Your Stakeholders
    • Understand the Value You Provide to the Organization
    • Develop Learnings Into Habits

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Understand how your role and the role of your team serves the business.

    Key objectives:

    • Learn who your stakeholders are.
    • Understand how you drive and support different stakeholder relationships.
    • Relate your team’s tasks back to the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
    • Create a mission statement for each stakeholder to bring back to your team.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Before training first-time IT managers, take some time as the facilitator to review how you will serve the wants and needs of those you are training and your stakeholders in the organization.

    Decision Making

    Bad decisions have tangible costs, so managers must be trained in how to make effective decisions

    To understand your role in the decision-making process, you need to know what is expected of you and you must understand what goes into making a good decision. The majority of managers report they have no trouble making decisions and that they are good decision makers, but the statistics say otherwise. This ease at decision making is due to being overly confident in their expertise and an inability to recognize their own ignorance.1


    The tactics you will learn in this section will help you to:

    1. Effectively communicate decisions. Often, first-time managers are either sharing their decision recommendations with their manager or they are communicating a decision down to their team. Managers need to understand how to have these conversations so their recommendations provide value to management and top-down decisions are successfully implemented.
    2. Provide valuable feedback on decisions. Evaluating decisions is just as critical as making decisions. If decisions aren’t reviewed, there is no data or feedback to discover why a decision was a success or failure. Having a plan in place before the decision is made facilitates the decision review process and makes it easier to provide valuable feedback.
    3. Avoid common decision-making mistakes. Heuristics and bias are common decision pitfalls even senior leaders are susceptible to. By learning what the common decision-making mistakes are and being able to recognize them when they appear in their decision-making process, first-time managers can improve their decision-making ability.

    20% Of respondents say their organizations excel at decision making (McKinsey, 2018).

    87% “Diverse teams are 87% better at making decisions” (Upskillist, 2022).

    86% of employees in leadership positions blame the lack of collaboration as the top reason for workplace failures (Upskillist, 2022).

    Decision Making

    A decision-making process is imperative, even though most managers don’t have a formal one

    1. Identify the Problem and Define Objectives
    2. Establish Decision Criteria
    3. Generate and Evaluate Alternatives
    4. Select an Alternative and Implement
    5. Evaluate the Decision

    Managers tend to rely on their own intuition which is often colored by heuristics and biases. By using a formal decision-making process, these pitfalls of intuition can be mitigated or avoided. This leads to better decisions.

    First-time managers are able to apply this framework when making decision recommendations to management to increase their likelihood of success, and having a process will improve their decisions throughout their career and the financial returns correlated with them.

    Decision Making

    Recognizing personal heuristics and bias in the decision-making process improves more than just decision results

    Employees are able to recognize bias in the workplace, even when management can’t. This affects everything from how involved they are in the decision-making process to their level of effort and productivity in implementing decisions. Without employee support, even good decisions are less likely to have positive results. Employees who perceive bias:

    Innovation

    • Hold back ideas and solutions
    • Intentionally fail to follow through on important projects and tasks

    Brand Reputation

    • Speak negatively about the company on social media
    • Do not refer open positions to qualified persons in their network

    Engagement

    • Feel alienated
    • Actively seek new employment
    • Say they are not proud to work for the company

    Decision Making

    The Decision Making Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Effectively Communicate Decisions
    • Provide Valuable Feedback on Decisions
    • Avoid Common Decision-Making Mistakes

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Understand how to successfully perform your role in the decision process.

    Key objectives:

    • Understand the decision-making process and how to assess decisions.
    • Learn how to communicate with your manager regarding your decision recommendations.
    • Learn how to effectively communicate decisions to your team.
    • Understand how to avoid common decision-making errors.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Before training a decision-making framework, ensure it is in alignment with how decisions are made in your organization. Alternatively, make sure leadership is on board with making a change.

    Manage Conflict Constructively

    Enable leaders to resolve conflicts while minimizing costs

    If you are successful in your talent acquisition, you likely have a variety of personalities and diverse individuals within your IT organization and in the business, which means that conflict is inevitable. However, conflict does not have to be negative – it can take on many forms. The presence of conflict in an organization can actually be a very positive thing: the ability to freely express opinions and openly debate can lead to better, more strategic decisions being made.

    The effect that the conflict is having on individuals and the work environment will determine whether the conflict is positive or counterproductive.

    As a new manager you need to know how to manage potential negative outcomes of conflict by managing difficult conversations and understanding how to respond to conflict in the workplace.


    The tactics you will learn in this section will help you to:

    1. Apply strategies to prepare for and navigate through difficult conversations.
    2. Expand your comfort level when handling conflict, and engage in constructive conflict resolution approaches.

    Benefits:

    • Relieve stress for yourself and your co-workers.
    • Save yourself time and energy.
    • Positively impact relationships with your employees.
    • Improve your team dynamic.
    • Remove roadblocks to your work and get things done.
    • Save the organization money.
    • Improve performance.
    • Prevent negative issues from reoccurring.

    Manage Conflict Constructively

    Addressing difficult conversations is beneficial to you, your people, and the organization

    When you face a difficult conversation you…

    • Relieve stress on you and your co-workers.
    • Save yourself time and energy.
    • Positively impact relationships with your employees.
    • Improve your team dynamic.
    • Remove roadblocks to your work
    • Save the organization money.
    • Improve performance.
    • Prevent negative issues from reoccurring.

    40% Of employees who experience conflict report being less motivated as a result (Acas, 2021).

    30.6% Of employees report coming off as aggressive when trying to resolve a conflict
    (Niagara Institute, 2022).

    Manage Conflict Constructively

    The Manage Conflict Constructively Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Know Your Ideal Time Mix
    • Calendar Diligence
    • Effective Delegation
    • Limit Interruptions

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Effectively manage your time and know which tasks are your priority and which tasks to delegate.

    Key objectives:

    • Understand common reasons for difficult conversations.
    • Learn Info-Tech’s six-step process to best to prepare for difficult conversations.
    • Follow best practices to approach difficult conversations.
    • Learn the five approaches to conflict management.
    • Practice conflict management skills.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Conflict does not have to be negative. The presence of conflict in an organization can actually be a very positive thing: the ability to freely express opinions and openly debate can lead to better, more strategic decisions being made.

    Master Time

    Effective leaders spend their time in specific ways

    How effective leaders average their time spent across the six key roles:

    Leaders with effective time management skills spend their time across six key manager roles: strategy, projects, management, operations, innovation, and personal. While there is no magic formula, providing more value to the business starts with little practices like:

    • Spending time with the right stakeholders and focusing on the right priorities.
    • Evaluating which meetings are important and productive.
    • Benchmarking yourself against your peers in the industry so you constantly learn from them and improve yourself.


    The keys to providing this value is time management and delegation. The tactics in this section will help first-time managers to:

    1. Discover your ideal time. By analyzing how you currently spend your time, you can see which roles you are under/over using and, using your job description and performance metrics, discover your ideal time mix.
    2. Practice calendar diligence. Time blocking is an effective way to use your time, see your week, and quickly understand what roles you are spending your time in. Scheduling priority tasks first gives insight into which tasks should be delegated.
    3. Effectively delegation. Clear expectations and knowing the strengths of your team are the cornerstone to effective delegation. By understanding the information you need to communicate and identifying the best person on your team to delegate to, tasks and goals will be successfully completed.
    4. Limit interruptions. By learning how to limit interruptions from your team and your manager, you are better able to control your time and make sure your tasks and goals get completed.

    Strategy

    23%

    Projects

    23%

    Management

    19%

    Operations

    19%

    Innovation

    13%

    Personal

    4%

    Source: Info-Tech, N=85

    Master Time

    Signs you struggle with time management

    Too many interruptions in a day to stay focused.

    Too busy to focus on strategic initiatives.

    Spending time on the wrong things.

    The image contains a screenshot of a bar graph that demonstrates struggle with time management.

    Master Time

    The Master Time Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Understand Communication Styles
    • Tailor Communication Methods to Activities
    • Make Meetings Matter

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Become a better communicator across a variety of personal styles and work contexts.

    Key objectives:

    • Understand how you spend your time.
    • Learn how to use your calendar effectively.
    • Understand the actions to take to successfully delegate.
    • Learn how to successfully limit interruptions.

    Info-Tech Insight

    There is a right and wrong way to manage your calendar as a first-time manager and it has nothing to do with your personal preference.

    Accountability

    Accountability creates organizational and team benefits

    Improves culture and innovation

    Improves individual performance

    Increases employee engagement

    Increases profitability

    Increases trust and productivity

    Enables employees to see how they contribute

    Increases ownership employees feel over their work and outcomes

    Enables employees to focus on activities that drive the business forward

    Source: Forbes, 2019

    Accountability

    Accountability increases employee empowerment

    Employee empowerment is the number one driver of employee engagement. The extent to which you can hold employees accountable for their own actions and decisions is closely related to how empowered they are and how empowered they feel; accountability and empowerment go hand in hand. To feel empowered, employees must understand what is expected of them, have input into decisions that affect their work, and have the tools they need to demonstrate their talents.

    The image contains a screenshot to demonstrate how accountability increases employee empowerment.

    Source: McLean & Company Engagement Database, 2018; N=71,794

    Accountability

    The Accountability Facilitation Guide covers the following topics:

    • Create Clarity and Transparency
    • Articulate Expectations and Evaluation
    • Help Your Team Remove Roadblocks
    • Clearly Introduce Accountability to Your Team

    Learning outcomes:

    Main goal: Create a personal accountability plan and learn how to hold yourself and your team accountable.

    Key objectives:

    • Understand why accountability matters.
    • Learn how to create clarity and transparency.
    • Understand how to successfully hold people accountable through clearly articulating expectations and evaluation.
    • Know how to remove roadblocks to accountability for your team.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Accountability is about focusing on the results of a task, rather than just completing the task. Create team accountability by keeping the team focused on the result and not “doing their jobs.” First-time managers need to clearly communicate expectations and evaluation to successfully develop team accountability.

    Use the Build a Better Manager Participant Workbooks to help participants set accountabilities and track their progress

    A key feature of this blueprint is built-in guidance on transferring your managers’ new knowledge into practical skills and habits they can fall back on when their job requires it.

    The Participant Workbooks, one for each module, are structured around the three key principles of learning transfer to help participants optimally structure their own learning:

    • Track your learning. This section guides participants through conducting self-assessments, setting learning goals, recording key insights, and brainstorming relapse-prevention strategies
    • Establish your personal commitment. This section helps participants record the actions they personally commit to taking to continually practice their new skills
    • Secure organizational support. This section guides participants in recording the steps they will take to seek out support from their supervisor and peers.

    The image contains a screenshot of the Build a Better Manager Participant Workbooks.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Participants should use this workbook throughout their training and continue to review it for at least three months after. Practical skills take an extended amount of time to solidify, and using the workbook for several months will ensure that participants stay on track with regular practice and check-ins.

    Set your trainees up for success by reviewing these training best practices

    Cultural alignment

    It is critical that the department leadership team understand and agree with the best practices being presented. Senior team leads should be comfortable coaching first-time managers in implementing the skills developed through the training. If there is any question about alignment with departmental culture or if senior team leads would benefit from a refresher course, conduct a training session for them as well.

    Structured training

    Ensure the facilitator takes a structured approach to the training. It is important to complete all the activities and record the outputs in the workbook where appropriate. The activities are structured to ensure participants successfully use the knowledge gained during the workshop to build practical skills.

    Attendees

    Who should attend the training? Although this training is designed for first-time IT managers, you may find it helpful to run the training for the entire management team as a refresher and to get everyone on the same page about best practices. It is also helpful for senior leadership to be aware of the training because the attendees may come to their supervisors with requests to discuss the material or coaching around it.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Participants should use this workbook throughout their training and continue to review it for at least three months after. Practical skills take an extended amount of time to solidify, and using the workbook for several months will ensure that participants stay on track with regular practice and check-ins.

    1.2 Customize the facilitation guides

    1-3 hours

    Prior to facilitating your first session, ensure you complete the following steps:

    1. Read through all the module content, including the speaker’s notes, to familiarize yourself with the material and ensure the tactics presented align with your department’s culture and established best practices.
    2. Customize the slides with a pencil icon with information relevant to your organization.
    3. Ensure you are comfortable with all material to be presented and are prepared to answer questions. If you require clarification on any of the material, book a call with your Info-Tech analyst for guidance.
    4. Ensure you do not delete or heavily customize the self-assessment activities and the activities in the Review and Action Plan section of the module. These activities are structured around a skill building framework and designed to aid your trainees in applying their new knowledge in their day to day. If you have any concerns about activities in these sections, book a call with your Info-Tech analyst for guidance.
    Input Output
    • List of selected modules
    • Customized facilitation guides
    Materials Participants
    • Facilitation guides from selected modules
    • Training facilitator

    1.3 Prepare to deliver training

    1-3 hours

    Complete these steps in preparation for delivering the training to your first-time managers:

    1. Select a facilitator.
      • The right person to facilitate the meeting depends on the dynamics within your department. Having a senior IT leader can lend additional weight to the training best practices but may not be feasible in a large department. In these cases, an HR partner or external third party can be asked to facilitate.
    2. Distribute the workbooks to attendees before the first training session.
      • Change the header on the workbook templates to your own organization’s, if desired.
      • Email the workbooks to attendees prior to the first session. There is no pre-work to be completed.
    Input Output
    • List of selected modules
    • Facilitator selected
    • Workbook distributed
    Materials Participants
    • Workbooks from selected modules
    • Training sponsor
    • Training facilitator

    Phase 2

    Deliver training

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
    • Select training topics
    • Customize the training facilitation guide for your organization
    • Deliver training modules
    • Confirm skill development action plan with trainees
    • Secure organizational support from trainees' supervisors

    Outcomes of this phase:

    • Training delivered
    • Development goals set by attendees
    • Action plan created by attendees

    2.1 Deliver training

    3 hours

    When you are ready, deliver the training. Ensure you complete all activities and that participants record the outcomes in their workbooks.

    Tips for activity facilitation:

    • Encourage and support participation from everyone. And be sure no one on the team dismisses anyone’s thoughts or opinions – they present the opportunity for further discussion and deeper insight.
    • Debrief after each activity, outlining any lessons learned, action items, and next steps.
    • Encourage participants to record all outcomes, key insights, and action plans in their workbooks.
    Input Output
    • Facilitation guides and workbooks for selected modules
    • Training delivered
    • Workbooks completed
    Materials Participants
    • Facilitation guides and workbooks for selected modules
    • Training facilitator
    • Trainees

    Phase 3

    Enable long-term skill development

    Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3
    • Select training topics
    • Customize the training facilitation guide for your organization
    • Deliver training modules
    • Confirm skill development action plan with trainees
    • Secure organizational support from trainees' supervisors

    Outcomes of this phase:

    • Attendees reminded of action plan and personal commitment
    • Supervisors reminded of the need to support trainees' development

    3.1 Email trainees with action steps

    0.5 hours

    After the training, send an email to attendees thanking them for participating and summarizing key next steps for the group. Use the template below, or write your own:

    “Hi team,

    I want to thank you personally for attending the Communicate Effectively training module. Our group led some great discussion.

    A reminder that the next time you will reconvene as a group will be on [Date] to discuss your progress and challenges to date.

    Additionally, your manager is aware and supportive of the training program, so be sure to follow through on the commitments you’ve made to secure the support you need from them to build your new skills.

    I am always open for questions if you run into any challenges.

    Regards,

    [Your name]”

    InputOutput
    • The date of participants’ next discussion meeting
    • Attendees reminded of next meeting date and encouraged to follow through on action plan
    MaterialsParticipants
    • Training facilitator

    3.2 Secure support from trainees’ supervisors

    0.5 hours

    An important part of the training is securing organizational support, which includes support from your trainees’ supervisors. After the trainees have committed to some action items to seek support from their supervisors, it is important to express your support for this and remind the supervisors of their role in guiding your first-time managers. Use the template below, or write your own, to remind your trainees’ supervisors of this at the end of training (if you are going through all three modules in a short period of time, you may want to wait until the end of the entire training to send this email):

    “Hi team,

    We have just completed Info-Tech’s first-time manager training with our new manager team. The trainees will be seeking your support in developing their new skills. This could be in the form of coaching, feedback on their progress, reviewing their development plan, etc.

    Supervisor support is a crucial component of skill building, so I hope I can count on all of you to support our new managers in their learning. If you are not sure how to handle these requests, or would like a refresher of the material our trainees covered, please let me know.

    I am always open for questions if you run into any challenges.

    Regards,

    [Your name]”

    InputOutput
    • List of trainees’ direct supervisors
    • Supervisors reminded to support trainees’ skill practice
    MaterialsParticipants
    • Training facilitator

    Contributors

    Brad Armstrong

    Brad Armstrong, Senior Engineering Manager, Code42 Software

    I am a pragmatic engineering leader with a deep technical background, now focused on building great teams. I'm energized by difficult, high-impact problems at scale and with the cloud technologies and emerging architectures that we can use to solve them. But it's the power of people and organizations that ultimately lead to our success, and the complex challenge of bringing all that together is the work I find most rewarding.

    We thank the expert contributors who chose to keep their contributions anonymous.

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    Next-Generation InfraOps

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    • Parent Category Name: Operations Management
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    • Traditional IT capabilities, activities, organizational structures, and culture need to adjust to leverage the value of cloud, optimize spend, and manage risk.
    • Different stakeholders across previously separate teams rely on one another more than ever, but rules of engagement do not yet exist.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • By defining your end goals and framing solutions based on the type of visibility and features you need, you can enable speed and reliability without losing control of the work.

    Impact and Result

    • Understand the xOps spectrum and what approaches benefit your organization.
    • Make sense of the architectural approaches and enablement tools available to you.
    • Evolve from just improving your current operations to a continuous virtuous cycle of development and deployment.

    Next-Generation InfraOps Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Next-Generation InfraOps Storyboard – A deck that will help you use Ops methodologies to build a virtuous cycle.

    This storyboard will help you understand the spectrum of different Agile xOps working modes and how best to leverage them and build an architecture and toolset that support rapid continuous IT operations

    • Next-Generation InfraOps Storyboard
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Next-Generation InfraOps

    Embrace the spectrum of Ops methodologies to build a virtuous cycle.

    Executive summary

    Your Challenge

    IT Operations continue to be challenged by increasing needs for scale and speed, often in the face of constrained resources and time. For most, Agile methodologies have become a foundational part of tackling this problem. Since then, we've seen Agile evolve into DevOps, which started a trend into different categories of "xOps" that are too many to count. How does one make sense of the xOps spectrum? What is InfraOps and where does it fit in?

    Common Obstacles

    Ultimately, all these methodologies and approaches are there to serve the same purpose: increase effectiveness through automation and improve governance through visibility. The key is to understand what tools and methodologies will deliver actual benefits to your IT operation and to the organization as a whole.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    By defining your end goals and framing solutions based on the type of visibility and features you need, you can enable speed and reliability without losing control of the work.

    1. Understand the xOps spectrum and what approaches will benefit your organization.
    2. Make sense of the architectural approaches and enablement tools available to you.
    3. Evolve from just improving your current operations to a continuous virtuous cycle of development and deployment.

    Info-Tech Insight

    InfraOps, when applied well, should be the embodiment of the governance policies as expressed by standards in architecture and automation.

    Project overview

    Understand the xOps spectrum

    There are as many different types of "xOps" as there are business models and IT teams. To pick the approaches that deliver the best value to your organization and that align to your way of operating, it's important to understand the different major categories in the spectrum and how they do or don't apply to your IT approach.

    How to optimize the Ops in DevOps

    InfraOps is one of the major methodologies to address a key problem in IT at cloud scale: eliminating friction and error from your deliveries and outputs. The good news is there are architectures, tools, and frameworks you can easily leverage to make adopting this approach easier.

    Evolve to integration and build a virtuous cycle

    Ultimately your DevOps and InfraOps approaches should embody your governance needs via architecture and process. As time goes on, however, both your IT footprint and your business environment will shift. Build your tools, telemetry, and governance to anticipate and adapt to change and build a virtuous cycle between development needs and IT Operations tools and governance.

    The xOps spectrum

    This is an image of the xOps spectrum. The three main parts are: Code Acceleration (left), Governance(middle), and Infrastructure Acceleration (right)

    xOps categories

    There is no definitive list of x's in the xOps spectrum. Different organizations and teams will divide and define these in different ways. In many cases, the definitions and domains of various xOps will overlap.

    Some of the commonly adopted and defined xOps models are listed here.

    Shift left? Shift right?

    Cutting through the jargon

    • Shifting left is about focusing on the code and development aspects of a delivery cycle.
    • Shifting right is about remembering that infrastructure and tools still do matter.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Shifting left or right isn't an either/or choice. They're more like opposite sides of the same coin. Like the different xOps approaches, usually more than one shift approach will apply to your IT Operations.

    IT Operations in the left-right spectrum

    Shifting from executing and deploying to defining the guardrails and standards

    This is an image of the left-right spectrum for your XOps position

    Take a middle-out approach

    InfraOps and DevOps aren't enemies; they're opposite sides of the same coin.

    • InfraOps is about the automation and standardization of execution. It's an essential element in any fully automated CI/CD pipeline.
    • Like DevOps, InfraOps is built on similar values (the pillars of DevOps).
    • It builds on the principle of Lean to focus on removing friction, or turn-and-type activities, from the pipeline/process.
    • In InfraOps, one of the key methods for removing friction is through automation of the interstitia between different phases of a DevOps or CI/CD cycle.

    Optimize the Ops in DevOps

    Focus on eliminating friction

    This is an image of an approach to optimizing the ops in DevOps.

    With the shift from execution to governing and validating, the role of deployment falls downstream of IT Operations.

    IT Operations needs to move to a mindset that focuses on creating the guardrails, enforced standards, and compliance rules that need to be used downstream, then apply those standards using automation and tooling to remove friction and error from the interstitia (the white spaces between chevrons) of the various phases.

    InfraOps tools

    Four quadrants in the shape of a human head, in the boxes are the following: Hyperconverged Infrastructure; Composable Infrastructure; Infrastructure as code and; Automation and Orchestration

    Info-Tech Insight

    Your tools can be broken into two categories:

    • Infrastructure Architecture
      • HCI vs. CI
    • Automation Tooling
      • IaC and A&O

    Keep in mind that while your infrastructure architecture is usually an either/or choice, your automation approach should use any and all tooling that helps.

    Infrastructure approach

    • Hyperconverged

    • Composable

    Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)

    Hyperconvergence is the next phase of convergence, virtualizing servers, networks, and storage on a single server/storage appliance. Capacity scales as more appliances are added to a cluster or stack.
    The disruptive departure:

    • Even though servers, networks, and storage were each on their own convergence paths, the three remained separate management domains (or silos). Even single-SKU converged infrastructures like VCE Vblocks are still composed of distinct server, network, and storage devices.
    • In hyperconvergence, the silos collapse into single-software managed devices. This has been disruptive for both the vendors of technology solutions (especially storage) and for infrastructure management.
    • Large storage array vendors are challenged by hyperconvergence alternatives. IT departments need to adapt IT skills and roles away from individual management silos and to more holistic service management.

    A comparison between converged and hyperconverged systems.

    Info-Tech Insight

    HCI follows convergence trends of the past ten years but is also a departure from how IT infrastructure has traditionally been provisioned and managed.

    HCI is at the same time a logical progression of infrastructure convergence and a disruptive departure.

    Hyperconverged (HCI) – SWOT

    HCI can be the foundation block for a fully software defined data center, a prerequisite for private cloud.

    Strengths

    • Potentially lower TCO through further infrastructure consolidation, reducing CapEx and OpEx expenditures through facilities optimization and cost consolidation.
    • Operations in particular can be streamlined, since storage, network connections, and processors/memory are all managed as abstractions via a single control pane.
    • HCI comes with built-in automation and analytics that lead to quicker issue resolution.

    Opportunities

    • Increased business agility by paving the way for a fully software defined infrastructure stack and cloud automation.
    • Shift IT human assets from hardware asset maintainers and controllers to service delivery managers.
    • Better able to compete with external IT service alternatives.
    • Move toward a hybrid cloud service offering where the service catalog contains both internal and external offerings.

    Key attributes of a cloud are automation, resource elasticity, and self-service. This kind of agility is impossible if physical infrastructure needs intervention.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Virtualization alone does not a private cloud make, but complete stack virtualization (software defined) running on a hands-off preconfigured HCI appliance (or group of appliances) provides a solid foundation for building cloud services.

    Hyperconverged (HCI) – SWOT

    Silo-busting and private cloud sound great, but are your people and processes able to manage the change?

    Weaknesses

    • HCI typically scales out linearly (CPU & storage). This does not suit traditional scale-up applications such as high-performance databases and large-capacity data warehouses.
    • Infrastructure stacks are perceived as more flexible for variable growth across segments. For example, if storage is growing but processing is not, storage can scale separately from processing.

    Threats

    • HCI will be disruptive to roles within IT. Internal pushback is a real threat if necessary changes in skills and roles are not addressed.
    • HCI is not a simple component replacement but an adoption of a different kind of infrastructure. Different places in the lifecycles for each of storage, network, and processing devices could make HCI a solution where there is no immediate problem.

    In traditional infrastructure, performance and capacity are managed as distinct though complementary jobs. An all-in-one approach may not work.

    Composable Infrastructure (CI)

    • Composable infrastructure in many ways represents the opposite of an HCI approach. Its focus is on further disaggregating resources and components used to build systems.
      • Unlike traditional cloud virtual systems, composable infrastructure provides virtual bare metal resources, allowing tightly coupled resources like CPU, RAM, and GPU – or any device/card/module – to be released back and forth into the resource pool as required by a given workload.
      • This is enabled by the use of high-speed, low-latency PCI Express (PCI-e) and Compute Express Link (CXL) fabrics that allow these resources to be decoupled.
      • It also supports the ability to present other fabric types critical for building out enterprise systems (e.g. Ethernet, InfiniBand).
    • Accordingly, CI systems are also based on next-generation network architecture that supports moving critical functions to the network layer, which enables more efficient use of the application-layer resources.

    Composable Infrastructure (CI)

    • CI may also leverage network-resident data/infrastructure processing units (DPUs/IPUs), which offload many network, security, and storage functions.
      • As new devices and functions become available, they can be added into the catalog of resources/functions available in a CI pool.

    Use Case Example: Composable AI flow

    Data Ingestion > Data Cleaning/Tagging > Training > Conclusion

    • At each phase of the process, resources, including specialized hardware like memory and GPU cores, can be dynamically allocated and reallocated to the workload on demand

    Composable Infrastructure (CI)

    Use cases and considerations

    Where it's useful

    • Enable even more efficient allocation/utilization of resources for workloads.
    • Very large memory or shared memory requirements can benefit greatly.
    • Decouple purchasing decisions for underlying resources.
    • Leverage the fabric to make it easier to incrementally upgrade underlying resources as required.
    • Build "the Impossible Server."

    Considerations

    • Requires significant footprint/scale to justify in many cases
    • Not necessarily good value for environments that aren't very volatile and heterogeneous in terms of deployment requirements
    • May not be best value for environments where resource-stranding is not a significant issue

    Info-Tech Insight

    Many organizations using a traditional approach report resource stranding as having an impact of 20% or more on efficiency. When focusing specifically on the stranding of memory in workloads, the number can often approach 40%.

    The CI ecosystem

    This is an image of the CI ecosystem.

    • The CI ecosystem has many players, large and small!
    • Note that the CI ecosystem is dependent on a large ecosystem of underlying enablers and component builders to support the required technologies.

    Understanding the differences

    This image shows the similarities and differences between traditional, cloud, hyperconverged, and composable.

    Automation approach

    • Infrastructure as Code
    • Automation & Orchestration
    • Metaorchestration

    Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

    Infrastructure as code (IaC) is the process of managing and provisioning computer data centers through machine-readable definition files rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools.

    Before IaC, IT personnel would have to manually change configurations to manage their infrastructure. Maybe they would use throwaway scripts to automate some tasks, but that was the extent of it.

    With IaC, your infrastructure's configuration takes the form of a code file, making it easy to edit, copy, and distribute.

    Info-Tech Insight
    IaC is a critical tool in enabling key benefits!

    • Reduced costs
    • Increased scalability, flexibility, and speed
    • Better consistency and version control
    • Reduced deployment errors

    Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

    1. IaC uses a high-level descriptive coding language to automate the provisioning of IT infrastructure. This eliminates the need to manually provision and manage servers, OS, database connections, storage, and other elements every time we want to develop, test, or deploy an application.
    2. IaC allows us to define the computer systems on which code needs to run. Most commonly, we use a framework like Chef, Ansible, Puppet, etc., to define their infrastructure. These automation and orchestration tools focus on the provisioning and configuring of base compute infrastructure.
    3. IaC is also an essential DevOps practice. It enables teams to rapidly create and version infrastructure in the same way they version source code and to track these versions so as to avoid inconsistency among IT environments that can lead to serious issues during deployment.
    • Idempotence is a principle of IaC. This means a deployment command always sets the target environment into the same configuration, regardless of the environment's starting state.
      • Idempotency is achieved by either automatically configuring an existing target or discarding the existing target and recreating a fresh environment.

    Automation/Orchestration

    Orchestration describes the automated arrangement, coordination, and management of complex computer systems, middleware, and services.

    This usage of orchestration is often discussed in the context of service-oriented architecture, virtualization, provisioning, converged infrastructure, and dynamic data center topics. Orchestration in this sense is about aligning the business request with the applications, data, and infrastructure.

    It defines the policies and service levels through automated workflows,
    provisioning, and change management. This creates an application-aligned infrastructure that can be scaled up or down based on the needs of each application.

    As the requirement for more resources or a new application is triggered, automated tools now can perform tasks that previously could only be done by multiple administrators operating on their individual pieces of the physical stack.

    Orchestration also provides centralized management of the resource pool, including billing, metering, and chargeback for consumption. For example, orchestration reduces the time and effort for deploying multiple instances of a single application.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Automation and orchestration tools can be key components of an effective governance toolkit too! Remember to understand what data can be pulled from your various tools and leveraged for other purposes such as cost management and portfolio roadmapping.

    Automation/Orchestration

    There are a wide variety of orchestration and automation tools and technologies.

    Configuration Management

    Configuration Management

    The logos for companies which fall in each of the categories in the column to the left of the image.

    CI/CD
    Orchestration

    Container
    Orchestration

    Cloud-Specific
    Orchestration

    PaaS
    Orchestration

    Info-Tech Insight

    Automation and orchestration tools and software offerings are plentiful, and many of them have a different focus on where in the application delivery ecosystem they provide automation functionality.

    Often there are different tools for different deployment and service models as well as for different functional phases for each service model.

    Automation/Orchestration

    Every tool focuses on different aspects or functions of the deployment of resources and applications.

    • Resources
      • Compute
      • Storage
      • Network
    • Extended Services
      • Platforms
      • Infrastructure Services
      • Web Services
    • Application Assets
      • Images
      • Templates
      • Containers
      • Code

    Info-Tech Insight

    Let the large ecosystem of tools be your ally. Leverage the right tools where needed and then address the complexity of tools using a master orchestration scheme.

    Metaorchestration

    A Flow chart for the approach to metaorchestration.

    Additionally, most tools do not cover all aspects required for most automation implementations, especially in hybrid cloud scenarios.

    As such, often multiple tools must be deployed, which can lead to fragmentation and loss of unified controls.

    Many enterprises address this fragmentation using a cloud management platform approach.

    One method of achieving this is to establish a higher layer of orchestration – an "orchestrator of orchestrators," or metaorchestration.

    In complex scenarios, this can be a challenge that requires customization and development.

    InfraOps tools ecosystem

    Toolkit Pros Cons Tips
    HCI Easy scale out Shift in skills required Good for enabling automation and hybridization with current-gen public cloud services
    CI Maximal workload resource efficiency Investment in new fabrics and technologies Useful for very dynamic or highly scalable workloads like AI
    IaC Error reduction and standardization Managing drift in standards and requirements Leverage a standards and exception process to keep track of drift
    A&O Key enabler of DevOps automation within phases Usually requires multiple toolsets/frameworks Use the right tools and stitch together at the metaorchestration layer
    Metaorchestration Reduces the complexity of a diverse A&O and IaC toolkit Requires understanding of the entire ecosystems of tools used Key layer of visibility and control for governance

    Build a virtuous cycle

    Remember, the goal is to increase speed AND reliability. That's why we focus on removing friction from our delivery pipelines.

    • The first step is to identify the points of friction in your cycle and understand the intensity and frequency of these friction points.
    • Depending on your delivery and project management methodology, you'll have a different posture of the different tools that make sense for your pipeline.
    • For example, if you are focused on delivering raw resources for sysadmins and/or you're in a Waterfall methodology where the friction points are large but infrequent, hyperconverged is likely to delivery good value, whereas tools like IaC and orchestration may not be as necessary.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Remember that, especially in modern and rapid methodologies, your IT footprint can drift unexpectedly. This means you need a real feedback mechanism on where the friction moves to next.

    This is particularly important in more Agile methodologies.

    Activity: Map your IT operations delivery

    Identify your high-friction interstitial points

    • Using the table below, or a table modified to your delivery phases, map out the activities and tasks that are not standardized and automated.
    • For the incoming and outgoing sections, think about what resources and activities need to be (or could be) created, destroyed, or repurposed to efficiently manage each cycle and the spaces between cycles.
    Plan Code Test Deploy Monitor
    Incoming Friction
    In-Cycle Friction
    Outgoing Friction

    Info-Tech Insight

    Map your ops groups to the delivery cycles in your pipeline. How many delivery cycles do you have or need?

    Good InfraOps is a reflection of governance policies, expressed by standards in architecture and automation.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Evaluate Hyperconverged Infrastructure for Your Infrastructure Roadmap

    • This Info-Tech note covers evaluation of HCI platforms.

    Design Your Cloud Operations

    • This Info-Tech blueprint covers organization of operations teams for various deployment and Agile modes.

    Bibliography

    Banks, Ethan, host. "Choosing Your Next Infrastructure." Datanauts, episode 094, Packet Pushers, 26 July 2017. Podcast.
    "Composable Infrastructure Solutions." Hewlett Packard Canada, n.d. Web.
    "Composable Infrastructure Technology." Liqid Inc., n.d. Web.
    "DataOps architecture design." Azure Architecture Center, Microsoft Learn, n.d. Web.
    Tan, Pei Send. "Differences: DevOps, ITOps, MLOps, DataOps, ModelOps, AIOps, SecOps, DevSecOps." Medium, 5 July 2021. Web.

    Recruit IT Talent

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    • Parent Category Name: Attract & Select
    • Parent Category Link: /attract-and-select
    • Changing workforce dynamics and increased transparency have shifted the power from employers to job seekers, stiffening the competition for talent.
    • Candidate expectations match high consumer expectations and affect the employer brand, the consumer brand, and overall organizational reputation. Delivering a positive candidate experience (CX2) is no longer optional.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Think about your candidates as consumers. Truly understanding their needs will attract great talent and build positive brand perceptions.
    • The CX2 starts sooner than you think. It encompasses all candidate interactions with an organization and begins before the formal application process.
    • Don’t try to emulate competitors. By differentiating your CX2, you build a competitive advantage.

    Impact and Result

    • Design a candidate-centric talent acquisition process that addresses candidate feedback from both unsuccessful and successful candidates.
    • Use design-thinking principles to focus your redesign on moments that matter to candidates to reduce unnecessary work or ad-hoc initiatives that don’t matter to candidates.

    Recruit IT Talent Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should redesign your CX2, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Establish your current process and set redesign goals

    Map the organization’s current state for CX2 and set high-level objectives and metrics.

    • Win the War for Talent With a Killer Candidate Experience – Phase 1: Establish Your Current Process and Set Redesign Goals
    • Candidate Experience Project Charter
    • Talent Metrics Library
    • Candidate Experience Process Mapping Template
    • Candidate Experience Assessment Tool

    2. Use design thinking to assess the candidate experience

    Strengthen the candidate lifecycle by improving upon pain points through design thinking methods and assessing the competitive landscape.

    • Win the War for Talent With a Killer Candidate Experience – Phase 2: Use Design Thinking to Assess the Candidate Experience
    • Design Thinking Primer
    • Empathy Map Template
    • Journey Map Guide

    3. Redesign the candidate experience

    Create action, communications, and training plans to establish the redesigned CX2 with hiring process stakeholders.

    • Win the War for Talent With a Killer Candidate Experience – Phase 3: Redesign the Candidate Experience
    • Candidate Experience Best Practices Action Guide
    • Candidate Experience Action and Communication Plan
    • Candidate Experience Service Level Agreement Template

    4. Appendix

    Leverage data collection and workshop activities.

    • Win the War for Talent With a Killer Candidate Experience – Appendix: Data Collection and Workshop Activities
    • Candidate Experience Phase One Data Collection Guide
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Recruit IT Talent

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Establish Your Current Process and Set Redesign Goals

    The Purpose

    Assess the organization’s current state for CX2.

    Set baseline metrics for comparison with new initiatives.

    Establish goals to strengthen the CX2.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Gained understanding of where the organization is currently.

    Established where the organization would like to be and goals to achieve the new state.

    Activities

    1.1 Review process map of current candidate lifecycle.

    1.2 Analyze qualitative and quantitative data gathered.

    1.3 Set organizational objectives and project goals.

    1.4 Set metrics to measure progress on high-level goals.

    Outputs

    Process map

    CX2 data analyzed

    Candidate Experience Project Charter

    2 Use Design Thinking to Assess the Candidate Experience

    The Purpose

    Apply design thinking methods to identify pain points in your candidate lifecycle.

    Assess the competition and analyze results.

    Empathize with candidates and their journey.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Segments with pain points have been identified.

    Competitor offering and differentiation has been analyzed.

    Candidate thoughts and feelings have been synthesized.

    Activities

    2.1 Identify extreme users.

    2.2 Conduct an immersive empathy session or go through the process as if you were a target candidate.

    2.3 Identify talent competitors.

    2.4 Analyze competitive landscape.

    2.5 Synthesize research findings and create empathy map.

    2.6 Journey map the CX2.

    Outputs

    Extreme users identified

    Known and unknown talent competitor’s CX2 analyzed

    Empathy map created

    Journey map created

    3 Redesign the Candidate Experience

    The Purpose

    Create a communications and action plan and set metrics to measure success.

    Set expectations with hiring managers and talent acquisition specialists through a service level agreement.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Action plan created.

    Metrics set to track progress and assess improvement.

    Service level agreement completed and expectations collaboratively set.

    Activities

    3.1 Assess each stage of the lifecycle.

    3.2 Set success metrics for priority lifecycle stages.

    3.3 Select actions from the Candidate Experience Best Practices Action Guide.

    3.4 Brainstorm other potential (organization-specific) solutions.

    3.5 Set action timeline and assign accountabilities.

    3.6 Customize service level agreement guidelines.

    Outputs

    CX2 lifecycle stages prioritized

    Metrics to measure progress set

    CX2 best practices selected

    Candidate Experience Assessment Tool

    Candidate Experience Action and Communication Plan

    Service level agreement guidelines.

    Threat Preparedness Using MITRE ATT&CK®

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    • Parent Category Name: Security Strategy & Budgeting
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    • To effectively protect your business interests, you need to be able to address what the most pressing vulnerabilities in your network are. Which attack vectors should you model first? How do you adequately understand your threat vectors when attacks continually change and adapt?
    • Security can often be asked the world but given a minimal budget with which to accomplish it.
    • Security decisions are always under pressure from varying demands that pull even the most well-balanced security team in every direction.
    • Adequately modeling any and every possible scenario is ineffective and haphazard at best. Hoping that you have chosen the most pressing attack vectors to model will not work in the modern day of threat tactics.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Precision is critical to being able to successfully defend against threats.
      • Traditional threat modeling such as STRIDE or PASTA is based on a spray-and-pray approach to identifying your next potential threat vector. Instead, take a structured risk-based approach to understanding both an attacker’s tactics and how they may be used against your enterprise. Threat preparedness requires precision, not guesswork.
    • Knowing is half the battle.
      • You may be doing better than you think. Undoubtedly, there is a large surface area to cover with threat modeling. By preparing beforehand, you can separate what’s important from what’s not and identify which attack vectors are the most pressing for your business.
    • Be realistic and measured.
      • Do not try to remediate everything. Some attack vectors and approaches are nearly impossible to account for. Take control of the areas that have reasonable mitigation methods and act on those.
    • Identify blind spots.
      • Understand what is out there and how other enterprises are being attacked and breached. See how you stack up to the myriad of attack tactics that have been used in real-life breaches and how prepared you are. Know what you’re ready for and what you’re not ready for.
    • Analyze the most pressing vectors.
      • Prioritize the attack vectors that are relevant to you. If an attack vector is an area of concern for your business, start there. Do not cover the entire tactics list if certain areas are not relevant.
    • Detection and mitigation lead to better remediation.
      • For each relevant tactic and techniques, there are actionable detection and mitigation methods to add to your list of remediation efforts.

    Impact and Result

    Using the MITRE ATT&CK® framework, Info-Tech’s approach helps you understand your preparedness and effective detection and mitigation actions.

    • Learn about potential attack vectors and the techniques that hostile actors will use to breach and maintain a presence on your network.
    • Analyze your current protocols versus the impact of an attack technique on your network.
    • Discover detection and mitigation actions.
    • Create a prioritized series of security considerations, with basic actionable remediation items. Plan your next threat model by knowing what you’re vulnerable to.
    • Ensure business data cannot be leaked or stolen.
    • Maintain privacy of data and other information.
    • Secure the network connection points.
    • Mitigate risks with the appropriate services.

    This blueprint and associated tool are scalable for all types of organizations within various industry sectors, allowing them to know what types of risk they are facing and what security services are recommended to mitigate those risks.

    Threat Preparedness Using MITRE ATT&CK® Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why threat preparedness is a crucial first step in defending your network against any attack type. Review Info-Tech’s methodology and understand the ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Attack tactics and techniques

    Review a breakdown of each of the various attack vectors and their techniques for additional context and insight into the most prevalent attack tactics.

    • Threat Preparedness Using MITRE ATT&CK® – Phase 1: Attack Tactics and Techniques

    2. Threat Preparedness Workbook mapping

    Map your current security protocols against the impacts of various techniques on your network to determine your risk preparedness.

    • Threat Preparedness Using MITRE ATT&CK® – Phase 2: Threat Preparedness Workbook Mapping
    • Enterprise Threat Preparedness Workbook

    3. Execute remediation and detective measures

    Use your prioritized attack vectors to plan your next threat modeling session with confidence that the most pressing security concerns are being addressed with substantive remediation actions.

    • Threat Preparedness Using MITRE ATT&CK® – Phase 3: Execute Remediation and Detective Measures
    [infographic]

    Change Management

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    Every company needs some change management. Both business and IT teams benefit from knowing what changes when.

    incident, problem, problemchange

    Assess Your IT Financial Management Maturity Effectively

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    Organizations wishing to mature their IT financial management (ITFM) maturity often face the following obstacles:

    • Unfamiliarity: Lack of knowledge and understanding related to ITFM maturity.
    • Shortsightedness: Randomly reacting to changing circumstances.
    • Exchange: Inability to consistently drive dialogues.
    • Perception: IT is perceived as a cost center instead of a trustworthy strategic partner.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    No matter where you currently stand in your ITFM practice, there is always room for improvement. Hence, a maturity assessment should be viewed as a self-improvement tool that is only valuable if you are willing to act on it.

    Impact and Result

    A mature ITFM practice leads to many benefits.

    • Foundation: Improved governance, skill sets, processes, and tools.
    • Data: An appropriate taxonomy/data model alongside accurate data for high-quality reporting and insights.
    • Language: A common vocabulary across the organization.
    • Organization Culture: Improved communication and collaboration between IT and business partners.

    Assess Your IT Financial Management Maturity Effectively Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Assess Your IT Financial Management Maturity Effectively Storyboard – A framework and step-by-step methodology to assess your ITFM maturity.

    This research seeks to support IT leaders and ITFM practitioners in evaluating and improving their current maturity. It will help document both current and target states as well as prioritize focus areas for improvement.

    • Assess Your IT Financial Management Maturity Effectively Storyboard

    2. IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool – A structured tool to help you assess your ITFM maturity.

    This Excel workbook guides IT finance practitioners to effectively assess their IT financial management practice. Incorporate the visual outputs into your final executive presentation document. Key activities include context setting, completing the assessment, and prioritizing focus areas based on results.

    • IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    3. IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Report Template – A report summarizing your ITFM maturity assessment results to help you communicate with stakeholders.

    Use this template to document your final ITFM maturity outputs, including the current and target states and your identified priorities.

    • IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Report Template
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Assess Your IT Financial Management Maturity Effectively

    Influence your organization’s strategic direction.

    Analyst Perspective

    Make better informed data-driven business decisions.

    Technology has been evolving throughout the years, increasing complexity and investments, while putting more stress on operations and people involved. As an IT leader, you are now entrusted to run your outfit as a business, sit at the executive table as a true partner, and be involved in making decisions that best suit your organization. Therefore, you have an obligation to fulfill the needs of your end customers and live up to their expectations, which is not an easy task.

    IT financial management (ITFM) helps you generate value to your organization’s clientele by bringing necessary trade-offs to light, while driving effective dialogues with your business partners and leadership team.

    This research will focus on Info-Tech’s approach to ITFM maturity, aiming for a state of continuous improvement, where an organization can learn and grow as it adapts to change. As the ITFM practice matures, IT and business leaders will be able to better understand one another and together make better business decisions, driven by data.

    This client advisory presentation and accompanying tool seek to support IT leaders and ITFM practitioners in evaluating and improving their current maturity. It will help document both current and target states as well as prioritize focus areas for improvement.

    Photo of Bilal Alberto Saab, Research Director, IT Financial Management, Info-Tech Research Group. Bilal Alberto Saab
    Research Director, IT Financial Management
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    The value of ITFM is undermined

    ITFM is often discarded and not given enough importance and relevance due to the operational nature of IT, and the specialized skillset of its people, leading to several problems and challenges, such as:

    • Unfamiliarity: Lack of knowledge and understanding related to ITFM maturity.
    • Shortsightedness: Randomly reacting to changing circumstances.
    • Exchange: Inability to consistently drive dialogues.
    • Perception: IT is perceived as a cost center instead of a trustworthy strategic partner.

    Constructive dialogues with business partners are not the norm

    Business-driven conversations around financials (spending, cost, revenue) are a rarity in IT due to several factors, including:

    • Foundation: Weak governance, inadequate skillset, and less than perfect processes and tools.
    • Data: Lack of adequate taxonomy/data model, alongside inaccurate data leading to poor reporting and insights.
    • Language: Lack of a common vocabulary across the organization.
    • Organization culture: No alignment, alongside minimal communication and collaboration between IT and business partners.

    Follow Info-Tech’s approach to move up the ITFM maturity ladder

    Mature your ITFM practice by activating the means to make informed business decisions.

    Info-Tech’s methodology helps you move the dial by focusing on three maturity focus areas:

    • Build an ITFM Foundation
    • Manage and Monitor IT Spending
    • Bridge the Language Barrier

    Info-Tech Insight

    Influence your organization’s strategic direction by maturing your ITFM practice.

    What is ITFM?

    ITFM is not just about finance.

    • ITFM has evolved from traditional budgeting, accounting, and cost optimization; however, it is much more than those activities alone.
    • It starts with understanding the financial implications of technology by adopting different perspectives to become adept in communicating with various stakeholders, including finance, business partners, IT managers, and your CEO.
    • Armed with this knowledge, ITFM helps you address a variety of questions, such as:
      • How are technology funds being spent?
      • Which projects is IT prioritizing and why?
      • What are the resources needed to speed IT delivery?
      • What’s the value of IT within the organization?
    • ITFM’s main objective is thus to improve decision-making capabilities by facilitating communication between IT leaders and stakeholders, while enabling a customer focus attitude throughout the organization.

    “ITFM embeds technology in financial management practices. Through cost, demand, and value, ITFM brings technology and business together, forging the necessary relationships and starting the right conversations to enable the best decisions for the organization.”
    – Monica Braun, Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group

    Your challenge

    IT leaders struggle to articulate and communicate business value.

    • IT spending is often questioned by different stakeholders, such as business partners and various IT business units. These questions, usually resulting from shifts in business needs, may revolve around investments, expenditures, services, and speed to market, among others. While IT may have an idea about its spending habits, aligning it to the business strategy may prove difficult.
    • IT staff often does not have access to, or knowledge of, the business model and its intricacies. In an operational environment, the focus tends to be on technical issues rather than overall value.
    • People tend to fear what they do not know. Some business managers may not be comfortable with technology. They do not recognize the implications and ramifications of certain implementations or understand the related terminology, which puts a strain on any conversation.

    “Value is not the numbers you visualize on a chart, it’s the dialogue this data generates with your business partners and leadership team.”
    – Dave Kish, Practice Lead, Info-Tech Research Group

    Technology is constantly evolving

    Increasing IT spending and decision-making complexity.

    Timeline of IT technology evolution, starting with 'Timesharing' in the 1980s to 'All Things Digital' in the 2020s. 'IT Spend Growth' grows from start to finish.

    Common obstacles

    IT leaders are not able to have constructive dialogues with their stakeholders.

    • The way IT funds are spent has changed significantly, moving from the purchase of discrete hardware and software tools to implementing data lakes, cloud solutions, the metaverse and blockchain. This implies larger investments and more critical decisions. Conversations around interoperability, integration, and service-based solutions that focus more on big-picture architecture than day-to-day operations have become the norm.
    • Speed to market is now a survival criterion for most organizations, requiring IT to shift rapidly based on changing priorities and customer expectations. This leads to the need for greater financial oversight, with the CFO as the gatekeeper. Today’s IT leaders need to possess both business and financial management savvy to justify their spending with various stakeholders.
    • Any IT budget increase is tied to expectations of greater value. Hence, the compelling demands for IT to prove its worth to the business. Promoting value comes in two ways: 1) objectively, based on data, KPIs, and return on investment; and 2) subjectively, based on stakeholder satisfaction, alongside relationships. Building trust, credibility, and confidence can go a long way.

    In a technology-driven world, advances come at a price. With greater spending required, more complex and difficult conversations arise.

    Constructive dialogues are key

    You don’t know what you don’t know.

    • IT, being historically focused on operations, has become a hub for technically savvy personnel. On the downside, technology departments are often alien to business, causing problems such as:
      • IT staff have no knowledge of the business model and lack customer focus.
      • Business is not comfortable with technology and related jargon.
    • The lack of two-way communication and business alignment is hence an important ramification. If the business does not understand technology, and IT does not speak in business terms, where does that lead us?
    • Poor data quality and governance practices, alongside overly manual processes can only exasperate the situation.

    IT Spending Survey

    79% of respondents believe that decisions taking too long to make is either a significant or somewhat of a challenge (Flexera 2022 Tech Spend Pulse; N=501).

    81% of respondents believe that ensuring spend efficiency (avoiding waste) is either a challenge or somewhat of a challenge (Flexera 2022 Tech Spend Pulse; N=501).

    ITFM is trailing behind

    IT leaders must learn to speak business.

    In today’s world, where organizations are driving customer experience through technology investments, having a seat at the table means IT leaders must be well versed in business language and practice, including solid financial management skills.

    However, IT staff across all industries aren’t very confident in how well IT is doing in managing its finances. This becomes evident after looking at three core processes:

    • Demonstrating IT’s value to the business.
    • Accounting of costs and budgets.
    • Optimizing costs to gain the best return on investment.

    Recent data from 4,137 respondents to Info-Tech’s IT Management & Governance Diagnostic shows that while most IT staff feel that these three financial management processes are important, notably fewer feel that IT management is effective at executing on them.

    IT leadership’s capabilities around fundamental cost data capture appear to be lagging, not to mention the essential value-added capabilities around optimizing costs and demonstrating IT’s contribution to business value.

    Bar charts comparing percentages of people who 'Agree process is important' and 'Agree process is effective' for three processes: Business Value, Cost & Budget Management, and Cost Optimization. In all instances, the importance outweighed the perceived effectiveness.
    Source: Info-Tech Research Group, IT Management & Governance Diagnostic, 2023.

    Info-Tech’s approach

    We take a holistic approach to ITFM and support you throughout your maturity journey.

    Visualization of the IT maturity levels with three goals at the bottom, 'Build am ITFM Foundation', 'Manage & Monitor IT Spending', and 'Bridge the Language Barrier'. The 5 levels, from bottom to top, are 'Nascent - Level 1, Inability to consistently deliver financial planning services', 'Cost Operator - Level 2, Rudimentary financial planning capabilities', 'Trusted Coordinator - Level 3, Enablement of business through cost-effective supply of technology', 'Value Optimizer - Level 4, Effective impact on business performance', and 'Strategic Partner - Level 5, Influence on the organization's strategic direction'.

    The Info-Tech difference:

    • Info-Tech has a methodology and set of tools that will help assess your ITFM maturity and take the first step in developing an improvement plan. We have identified three maturity focus areas:
      • Build an ITFM Foundation
      • Manage and Monitor IT Spending
      • Bridge the Language Barrier
    • No matter where you currently stand in your ITFM practice, there is always room for improvement. Hence, a maturity assessment should be viewed as a self-improvement tool, which is only valuable if you are willing to act on it.

    Note: See Appendix A for maturity level definitions and descriptions.

    Climb the maturity ladder

    By growing along three maturity focus areas.

    A diagram with '3 Maturity Focus Areas' and '9 Maturity Levers' within them. The first area is 'Build an ITFM Foundation' with levers 'Establish your Team', 'Set up your Governance Structure', and 'Adopt ITFM Processes & Tools'. The second area is 'Manage & Monitor IT Spending', with levers 'Standardize your Taxonomy & Data Model', 'Identify, Gather & Prepare your Data', and 'Analyze your Findings and Develop your Reports'. The third area is 'Bridge the Language Barrier' with levers 'Communicate your IT Spending', 'Educate the Masses', and 'Influence your Organization's Culture'.

    Info-Tech identified three maturity focus areas, each containing three levers.

    Identify where you stand across the nine maturity levers, detect the gaps, and determine your priorities as a first step to develop an improvement plan.

    Note: See Appendix B for maturity level definitions and descriptions per lever.

    Key project deliverables

    Each step of this activity is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals.

    IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Report Template

    A template of an ITFM maturity assessment report that can be customized based on your own results.

    IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    A workbook including an ITFM maturity survey, generating a summary of your current state, target state, and priorities.

    Measure the value of this activity

    Reach your 12-month maturity target.

    • Determine your 12-month maturity target, identify your gaps, and set your priorities.
    • Use the ITFM maturity assessment to kickstart your improvement plan by developing actionable initiatives.
    • Implement your initiatives and monitor your progress to reach your 12-month target.

    Sample of a result page from the ITFM maturity assessment.

    Build your improvement plan and implement your initiatives to move the dial and climb the maturity ladder.

    Sample of a result page from the ITFM maturity assessment with a graph.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Step 1

    Prepare for the ITFM maturity assessment

    Content Overview

    1. Identify your stakeholders
    2. Set the context
    3. Determine the methodology
    4. Identify assessment takers

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO/IT director
    • CFO/finance director
    • IT finance lead
    • IT audit lead
    • Other IT management

    1. Prepare to take the ITFM maturity assessment

    3 hours

    Input: Understanding your context, objectives, and methodology

    Output: ITFM maturity assessment stakeholders and their objectives, ITFM maturity assessment methodology, ITFM maturity assessment takers

    Materials: 1a. Prepare for Assessment tab in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool

    Participants: CIO/IT director, CFO/finance director, IT finance lead, IT audit lead, Other IT management

    1. Identify your stakeholders and document it in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool (see next slides). We recommend having representatives from different business units across the organization, most notably IT, IT finance, finance, and IT audit.
    2. Set the context with your stakeholders and document it in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool. Discuss the reason behind taking the ITFM maturity assessment among the various stakeholders. Why do each of your stakeholders want to take the assessment? What are their main objectives? What would they like to achieve?
    3. Determine the methodology and document it in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool. Discuss how you want to go about taking the assessment with your stakeholders. Do you want to have representatives from each business unit take the assessment individually, then share and discuss their findings? Do you prefer forming a working group with representatives from each business unit and go through the assessment together? Or does any of your stakeholders have a different suggestion? You will have to consider the effort, skillset, and knowledge required.
    4. Identify the assessment takers and document it in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool. Determine who will be taking the assessment (specific names of stakeholders). Consider their availability, knowledge, and skills.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Document your stakeholders, objectives, and methodology

    Excel Workbook: ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool – Prepare for Assessment worksheet

    Refer to the example and guidelines below on how to document stakeholders, objectives, and methodology (table range: columns B to G and rows 8 to 15).

    Example table from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool re: 'Maturity Assessment Stakeholders'.

    Column ID Input Type Guidelines
    B Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required.
    C Text Enter the full name of each stakeholder on a separate row.
    D Text Enter the job title related to each stakeholder.
    E Text Enter the objective(s) related to each stakeholder.
    F Text Enter the agreed upon methodology.
    G Text Enter any notes or comments per stakeholder (optional).

    Review the following in the Excel workbook as per guidelines:

    1. Navigate to the 1a. Prepare for Assessment tab.
    2. Enter the full names and job titles of the ITFM maturity assessment stakeholders.
    3. Document the maturity assessment objective of each of your stakeholders.
    4. Document the agreed-upon methodology.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Document your assessment takers

    Excel Workbook: ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool – Prepare for Assessment worksheet

    Refer to the example and guidelines below on how to document assessment takers (table range: columns B to E and rows 18 to 25).

    Example table from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool re: 'Maturity Assessment Takers'.

    Column ID Input Type Guidelines
    B Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required.
    C Text Enter the full name of each assessment taker on a separate row.
    D Text Enter the job title related to each stakeholder to identify which party is being represented per assessment taker.
    E Text Enter any notes or comments per stakeholder (optional).

    Review the following in the Excel workbook as per guidelines:

    1. Navigate to the 1a. Prepare for Assessment tab.
    2. Enter the full name of each assessment taker, along with the job title of the stakeholder they are representing.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    Step 2

    Take the ITFM maturity assessment

    Content Overview

    1. Complete the survey
    2. Review your assessment results
    3. Determine your priorities

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO/IT director
    • CFO/finance director
    • IT finance lead
    • IT audit lead
    • Other IT management

    2. Take the ITFM maturity assessment

    3 hours

    Input: Understanding of your ITFM current state and 12-month target state, ITFM maturity assessment results

    Output: ITFM current- and target-state maturity levels, average scores, and variance, ITFM current- and target-state average scores, variance, and priority by maturity focus area and maturity lever

    Materials: 1b. Glossary, 2a. Assess ITFM Foundation, 2b. Assess Mngt. & Monitoring, 2c. Assess Language, and 3. Assessment Summary tabs in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool

    Participants: CIO/IT director, CFO/finance director, IT finance lead, IT audit lead, Other IT management

    1. Complete the survey: select the current and target state of each statement – refer to the glossary as needed for definitions of key terms – in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool (see next slides). There are three tabs (one per maturity focus area) with three tables each (nine maturity levers). Review and discuss statements with all assessment takers: consider variations, differing opinions, and reach an agreement on each statement inputs.
    2. Review assessment results: navigate to the Assessment Summary tab in the ITFM maturity assessment tool (see next slides) to view your results. Review and discuss with all assessment takers: consider any shocking output and adjust survey input if necessary.
    3. Determine your priorities: decide on the priority (Low/Medium/High) by maturity focus area and/or maturity lever. Rank your maturity focus area priorities from 1 to 3 and your maturity lever priorities from 1 to 9. Consider the feasibility in terms of timeframe, effort, and skillset required, positive and negative impacts on business and technology, likelihood of failure, and necessary approvals. Document your priorities in the ITFM maturity assessment tool (see next slides).
      Review and discuss priorities with all assessment takers: consider variations, differing opinions, and reach an agreement on each priority.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Complete the survey

    Excel workbook: ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool – Survey worksheets

    Refer to the example and guidelines below on how to complete the survey.

    Example table from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool re: Survey worksheets.

    Column ID Input Type Guidelines
    B Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required.
    C Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: ITFM maturity statement to assess.
    D, E Dropdown Select the maturity levels of your current and target states. One of five maturity levels for each statement, from “1. Nonexistent” (lowest maturity) to “5. Advanced” (highest maturity).
    F, G, H Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: scores associated with your current and target state selection, along with related variance (column G – column F).
    I Text Enter any notes or comments per ITFM maturity statement (optional).

    Review the following in the Excel workbook as per guidelines:

    1. Navigate to the survey tabs: 2a. Assess ITFM Foundation, 2b. Assess Management and Monitoring, and 2c. Assess Language.
    2. Select the appropriate current and target maturity levels.
    3. Add any notes or comments per ITFM maturity statement where necessary or helpful.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Review your overall result

    Excel Workbook: ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool – Assessment Summary worksheet

    Refer to the example and guidelines below on how to review your results.

    Example table from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool re: Assessment Summary worksheet.

    Column ID Input Type Guidelines
    K Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required.
    L Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: Current State, Target State, and Variance entries. Please ignore the current state benchmark, it’s a placeholder for future reference.
    M Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: average overall maturity score for your Current State and Target State entries, along with related Variance.
    N, O Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: maturity level and related name based on the overall average score (column M), where level 1 corresponds to an average score less than or equal to 1.49, level 2 corresponds to an average score between 1.5 and 2.49 (inclusive), level 3 corresponds to an average score between 2.5 and 3.49 (inclusive), level 4 corresponds to an average score between 3.5 and 4.49 (inclusive), and level 5 corresponds to an average score between 4.5 and 5 (inclusive).
    P, Q Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: maturity definition and related description based on the maturity level (column N).

    Review the following in the Excel workbook as per guidelines:

    1. Navigate to tab 3. Assessment Summary.
    2. Review your overall current state and target state result along with the corresponding variance.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Set your priorities

    Excel Workbook: ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool – Assessment Summary worksheet

    Refer to the example and guidelines below on how to review your results per maturity focus area and maturity lever, then prioritize accordingly.

    Example table from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool re: Assessment Summary worksheet.

    Column ID Input Type Guidelines
    B Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required.
    C Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: ITFM maturity focus area or lever, depending on the table.
    D Placeholder Ignore this column because it’s a placeholder for future reference.
    E, F, G Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: average score related to the current state and target state, along with the corresponding variance per maturity focus area or lever (depending on the table).
    H Formula Automatic calculation, no entry required: preliminary priority based on the average variance (column G), where Low corresponds to an average variance between 0 and 0.5 (inclusive), Medium corresponds to an average variance between 0.51 and 0.99 (inclusive), and High corresponds to an average variance greater than or equal to 1.
    J Dropdown Select your final priority (Low, Medium, or High) per ITFM maturity focus area or lever, depending on the table.
    K Whole Number Enter the appropriate rank based on your priorities; do not use the same number more than once. A whole number between 1 and 3 to rank ITFM maturity focus areas, and between 1 and 9 to rank ITFM maturity levers, depending on the table.

    Review the following in the Excel workbook as per guidelines:

    1. Navigate to tab 3. Assessment Summary.
    2. Review your current-state and target-state result along with the corresponding variance per maturity focus area and maturity lever.
    3. Select the appropriate priority for each maturity focus area and maturity lever.
    4. Enter a unique rank for each maturity focus area (1 to 3).
    5. Enter a unique rank for each maturity lever (1 to 9).

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    Step 3

    Communicate your ITFM maturity results

    Content Overview

    1. Review your assessment charts
    2. Customize the assessment report
    3. Communicate your results

    This step involves the following participants:

    • CIO/IT director
    • CFO/finance director
    • IT finance lead
    • IT audit lead
    • Other IT management

    3. Communicate your ITFM maturity results

    3 hours

    Input: ITFM maturity assessment results

    Output: Customized ITFM maturity assessment report

    Materials: 3. Assessment Summary tab in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool, ITFM Maturity Assessment Report Template

    Participants: CIO/IT director, CFO/finance director, IT finance lead, IT audit lead, Other IT management

    1. Review assessment charts: navigate to the Assessment Summary tab in the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool (see next slides) to view your results and related charts.
    2. Edit the report template: complete the template based on your results and priorities to develop your customized ITFM maturity assessment report (see next slide).
    3. Communicate results: communicate and deliberate the assessment results with assessment takers at a first stage, and with your stakeholders at a second stage. The objective is to agree on next steps, including developing an improvement plan.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Review assessment charts

    Excel Workbook: ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool – Assessment Summary worksheet

    Refer to the example below on charts depicting different views of the maturity assessment results across the three focus areas and nine levers.

    Samples of different tabs from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Tool: 'Assessment Summary tab: From cell B49 to cell M100' and 'Assessment Summary tab: From cell K13 to cell Q34'.

    From the Excel workbook, after completing your potential initiatives and filling all related entries in the Outline Initiatives tab:

    1. Navigate to tab 3. Assessment Summary.
    2. Review each of the charts.
    3. Navigate back to the survey tabs to examine, drill down, and amend individual entries as you deem necessary.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Tool

    TEMPLATE & EXAMPLE

    Customize your report

    PowerPoint presentation: ITFM Maturity Assessment Report Template

    Refer to the example below on slides depicting different views of the maturity assessment results across the three maturity focus areas and nine maturity levers.

    Samples of different slides from the ITFM Maturity Assessment Report Template, detailed below.

    Slide 6: Edit levels based on your assessment results. Copy and paste the appropriate maturity level definition and description from slide 4.

    Slide 7: Copy related charts from the assessment summary tab in the Excel workbook and remove the chart title. You can use the “Outer Offset: Bottom” shadow under shape effects on the chart.

    Slide 8: Copy related charts from the assessment summary tab in the Excel workbook and remove the chart title and legend. You can use the “Outer Offset: Center” shadow under shape effects on the chart.

    From the ITFM Maturity Assessment Report Template:

    1. Edit the report based on your results found in the assessment summary tab of the Excel workbook (see previous slide).
    2. Review slides 6 to 8 and bring necessary adjustments.

    Download the IT Financial Management Maturity Assessment Report Template

    Make informed business decisions

    Take a holistic approach to ITFM.

    • A thorough understanding of your technology spending in relation to business needs and drivers is essential to make informed decisions. As a trusted partner, you cannot have effective conversations around budgets and cost optimization without a solid foundation.
    • It is important to realize that ITFM is not a one-time exercise, but a continuous, sustainable process to educate (teach, mentor, and train), increase transparency, and assign responsibility.
    • Move up the ITFM maturity ladder by improving across three maturity focus areas:
      • Build an ITFM Foundation
      • Manage and Monitor IT Spending
      • Bridge the Language Barrier

    What’s Next?

    Communicate your maturity results with stakeholders and develop an actionable ITFM improvement plan.

    And remember, having informed discussions with your business partners and stakeholders, where technology helps propel your organization forward, is priceless!

    IT Financial Management Team

    Photo of Dave Kish, Practice Lead, ITFM Practice, Info-Tech Research Group. Dave Kish
    Practice Lead, ITFM Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Jennifer Perrier, Principal Research Director, ITFM Practice, Info-Tech Research Group. Jennifer Perrier
    Principal Research Director, ITFM Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Angie Reynolds, Principal Research Director, ITFM Practice, Info-Tech Research Group. Angie Reynolds
    Principal Research Director, ITFM Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Monica Braun, Research Director, ITFM Practice, Info-Tech Research Group. Monica Braun
    Research Director, ITFM Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Rex Ding, Research Specialist, ITFM Practice, Info-Tech Research Group. Rex Ding
    Research Specialist, ITFM Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Aman Kumari, Research Specialist, ITFM Practice, Info-Tech Research Group. Aman Kumari
    Research Specialist, ITFM Practice
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Research Contributors and Experts

    Photo of Amy Byalick, Vice President, IT Finance, Info-Tech Research Group. Amy Byalick
    Vice President, IT Finance
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Amy Byalick is an IT Finance practitioner with 15 years of experience supporting CIOs and IT leaders elevating the IT financial storytelling and unlocking insights. Amy is currently working at Johnson Controls as the VP, IT Finance, previously working at PepsiCo, AmerisourceBergen, and Jacobs.
    Photo of Carol Carr, Technical Counselor, Executive Services, Info-Tech Research Group. Carol Carr
    Technical Counselor, Executive Services
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Scott Fairholm, Executive Counselor, Executive Services, Info-Tech Research Group. Scott Fairholm
    Executive Counselor, Executive Services
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Gokul Rajan, Executive Counselor, Executive Services, Info-Tech Research Group. Gokul Rajan
    Executive Counselor, Executive Services
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Allison Kinnaird, Practice Lead, Infrastructure & Operations, Info-Tech Research Group. Allison Kinnaird
    Practice Lead, Infrastructure & Operations
    Info-Tech Research Group
    Photo of Isabelle Hertanto, Practice Lead, Security & Privacy, Info-Tech Research Group. Isabelle Hertanto
    Practice Lead, Security & Privacy
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Sample of the IT spending transparency research. Achieve IT Spending Transparency

    Mature your ITFM practice by activating the means to make informed business decisions.

    Sample of the IT cost optimization roadmap research. Build Your IT Cost Optimization Roadmap

    Develop an IT cost optimization strategy based on your specific circumstances and timeline.

    Bibliography

    Eby, Kate. “The Complete Guide to Organizational Maturity: Models, Levels, and Assessments.” Smartsheet, 8 June 2022. Web.

    “Financial Management Maturity Model.” National Audit Office, n.d. Accessed 28 Apr. 2023.

    “ITFM/TBM Program Maturity Guide.” Nicus Software, n.d. Accessed 28 Apr. 2023.

    Jouravlev, Roman. "Service Financial Management: ITIL 4 Practice Guide." Axelos, 2020.

    McCarthy, Seamus. “Financial Management Maturity Model: A Good Practice Guide.” Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General, 26 June 2018. Web.

    “Principles for Effective Risk Data Aggregation and Risk Reporting.“ Bank for International Settlements, Jan. 2013. Web.

    “Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker 2022.” Foundry, 2022. Web.

    Stackpole, Beth. “State of the CIO, 2022: Focus turns to IT fundamentals.” CIO, 21 March 2022. Web.

    “Tech Spend Pulse.” Flexera, 2022. Web.

    Appendix A

    Definition and Description
    Per Maturity Level

    ITFM maturity levels and definitions

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to consistently deliver financial planning services ITFM practices are almost inexistent. Only the most basic financial tasks and activities are being performed on an ad hoc basis to fulfill the Finance department’s requests.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Rudimentary financial planning capabilities. ITFM activities revolve around minimizing the IT budget as much as possible. ITFM practices are not well defined, and IT’s financial view is limited to day-to-day technical operations.
    IT is only involved in low complexity decision making, where financial conversations center on general ledger items and IT spending.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Enablement of business through cost-effective supply of technology. ITFM activities revolve around becoming a proficient and cost-effective technology supplier to business partners.
    ITFM practices are in place, with moderate coordination and adherence to execution. Various IT business units coordinate to produce a consolidated financial view focused on business services.
    IT is involved in moderate complexity decision making, as a technology subject matter expert, where financial conversations center on IT spending in relation to technology services or solutions provided to business partners.
    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Effective impact on business performance. ITFM activities revolve around optimizing existing technology investments to improve both IT and business performance.
    ITFM practices are well managed, established, documented, repeatable, and integrated as necessary across the organization. IT’s financial view tie technology investments to lines of business, business products, and business capabilities.
    Business partners are well informed on the technology mix and drive related discussion. IT is trusted to contribute to complex decision making around existing investments to cost-effectively plan initiatives, as well as enhance business performance.
    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Influence on the organization’s strategic direction. ITFM activities revolve around predicting the outcome of new or potential technology investments to continuously optimize business performance.
    ITFM practices are fully optimized, reviewed, and improved in a continuous and sustainable manner, and related execution is tracked by gathering qualitative and quantitative feedback. IT’s financial view is holistic and fully integrated with the business, with an outlook on innovation, growth, and strategic transformation.
    Business and IT leaders know the financial ramifications of every business and technology investment decision. IT is trusted to contribute to strategic decision making around potential and future investments to grow and transform the business.

    Appendix B

    Maturity Level Definitions and Descriptions
    Per Lever

    Establish your ITFM team

    Maturity focus area: Build an ITFM foundation.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to provide any type of financial insight.ITFM tasks, activities, and functions are not being met in any way, shape, or form.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to provide basic financial insights.There is no dedicated ITFM team.


    Basic ITFM tasks, activities, and functions are being performed on an ad hoc basis, such as high-level budget reporting.

    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to provide basic business insights.A dedicated team is fulfilling essential ITFM tasks, activities, and functions.


    ITFM team can combine and analyze financial and technology data to produce necessary reports.

    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to provide valuable business driven insights.A dedicated ITFM team with well-defined roles and responsibilities can provide effective advice to IT leaders, in a timely fashion, and positively influence IT decisions.
    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to influence both technology and business decisions.A dedicated and highly specialized ITFM team is trusted and valued by both IT and Business leaders.


    Insights provided by the ITFM team can influence and shape the organization’s strategy.

    Set up your governance structure

    Maturity focus area: Build an ITFM foundation

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to ensure any adherence to rules and regulations.ITFM frameworks, guidelines, policies, and procedures are not developed nor documented.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to ensure basic adherence to rules and regulations.Basic ITFM frameworks, guidelines, policies, and procedures are in place, developed on an ad hoc basis, with no apparent coherence or complete documentation.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to ensure compliance to rules and regulations, as well as accountability across ITFM processes.Essential ITFM frameworks, guidelines, policies, and procedures are in place, coherent, and documented, aiming to (a) comply with rules and regulations, and (b) provide clear accountability.
    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to ensure compliance to rules and regulations, as well as structure, transparency, and business alignment across ITFM processes.ITFM frameworks, guidelines, policies, and procedures are well defined, coherent, documented, and regularly reviewed, aiming to (a) comply with rules and regulations, (b) provide clear accountability, and (c) maintain business alignment.
    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to:
    • Ensure compliance to rules and regulations, as well as ITFM processes are transparent, structured, focused on business objectives, and support decision making.
    • Reinforce and shape the organization culture.
    ITFM frameworks, guidelines, policies, and procedures are complete, well defined, coherent, documented, continuously reviewed, and improved, aiming to (a) comply with rules and regulations, (b) provide clear accountability, (c) maintain business alignment, and (d) facilitate the decision-making process.


    Enforcement of the ITFM governance structure can influence the organization culture.

    Adopt ITFM processes and tools

    Maturity focus area: Build an ITFM foundation.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to deliver IT financial planning and performance output.ITFM processes and tools are not developed nor documented.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to deliver basic IT financial planning output.Basic ITFM processes and tools are in place, developed on an ad hoc basis, with no apparent coherence or complete documentation.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to deliver accurate IT financial output and basic IT performance output in a consistent cadence.Essential ITFM processes and tools are in place, coherent, and documented, aiming to (a) maintain integrity across activities, tasks, methodologies, data, and reports; (b) deliver IT financial planning and performance output needed by stakeholders; and (c) provide clear accountability. ITFM tools and processes are adopted by the ITFM team and some IT business units but are not fully integrated.
    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to deliver accurate IT financial planning and performance output at the needed level of detail to stakeholders in a consistent cadence.ITFM processes and tools are complete, well defined, coherent, documented, continuously reviewed, and improved, aiming to (a) maintain integrity across activities, tasks, methodologies, data, and reports; (b) deliver IT financial planning and performance output needed by stakeholders; (c) provide clear accountability; and (d) facilitate decision-making. ITFM tools and processes are adopted by IT and business partners but are not fully integrated.
    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to:
    • Deliver accurate IT financial planning and performance output at the needed level of detail to stakeholders.
    • Leverage IT financial planning and performance output in real time and when needed by stakeholders.
    ITFM processes and tools are complete, well defined, coherent, documented, continuously reviewed, and improved, aiming to (a) maintain integrity across activities, tasks, methodologies, data, and reports; (b) deliver IT financial planning and performance output needed by stakeholders; (c) provide clear accountability; and (d) facilitate decision making.


    ITFM processes and tools are automated to the full extent needed by the organization, utilized to their full potential, and integrated into a single enterprise platform, providing a holistic view of IT spending and IT performance.

    Standardize your taxonomy and data model

    Maturity focus area: Manage and monitor IT spending.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to provide transparency across technology spending.ITFM taxonomy and data model are not developed nor documented.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to provide transparency and support IT financial planning data, analysis, and reporting needs of finance stakeholders.ITFM taxonomy and data model are in place, developed on an ad hoc basis, with no apparent coherence or complete documentation, to comply with, and meet the needs of finance stakeholders.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to provide transparency and support IT financial planning and performance data, analysis, and reporting needs of IT and finance stakeholders.ITFM taxonomy and data model are in place, coherent, and documented to meet the needs of IT and finance stakeholders.
    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to provide transparency and support IT financial planning and performance data, analysis, and reporting needs of IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders.ITFM taxonomy and data model are complete, well defined, coherent, documented, continuously reviewed, and improved, aiming to provide (a) a holistic view of IT spending and IT performance, (b) visibility and transparency, (c) flexibility, and (d) valuable insights to facilitate data driven decision making.


    ITFM taxonomy and data model are standardized to meet the needs of IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders, but not flexible enough to be adjusted in a timely fashion as needed.

    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to:
    • Provide transparency and support IT financial planning and performance data, analysis, and reporting needs of IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders.
    • Change to meet evolving needs.
    ITFM taxonomy and data model are complete, well defined, coherent, documented, continuously reviewed, and improved, aiming to provide (a) a holistic view of IT spending and IT performance, (b) visibility and transparency, (c) flexibility, and (d) valuable insights to facilitate data driven decision making.


    ITFM taxonomy and data model are standardized and meet the changing needs of IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders.

    Identify, gather, and prepare your data

    Maturity focus area: Manage and monitor IT spending.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to provide accurate and complete across technology spending.ITFM data needs and requirements are not understood.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to provide accurate, but incomplete IT financial planning data to meet the needs of finance stakeholders.Technology spending data is extracted, transformed, and loaded on an ad hoc basis to meet the needs of finance stakeholders.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to provide accurate and complete IT financial planning data to meet the needs of IT and finance stakeholders, but IT performance data remain incomplete.IT financial planning data is extracted, transformed, and loaded in a regular cadence to meet the needs of IT and finance stakeholders.


    IT financial planning data is (a) complete and accurate, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.), (b) regularly validated for inconsistencies, and (c) sourced from the organization’s system of record.

    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to provide accurate and complete IT financial planning and performance data to meet the needs of IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders.ITFM data needs and requirements are understood.


    ITFM data is extracted, transformed, and loaded in a regular cadence to meet the needs of IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders.


    IT financial planning and performance data are (a) complete and accurate, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.), (b) regularly validated for inconsistencies, and (c) sourced from the organization’s system of record.

    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to provide accurate and complete IT financial planning and performance data real time and when needed by IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders.ITFM data needs and requirements are understood.


    IT financial planning and performance data are (a) complete and accurate, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.), (b) regularly validated for inconsistencies, (c) available and refreshed as needed, and (d) sourced from the organization’s system of record.

    Analyze your findings and develop your reports

    Maturity focus area: Manage and monitor IT spending.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to provide any type of financial insight.ITFM analysis and reports are not developed nor documented.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to provide basic financial insights.IT financial planning analysis is conducted on an ad hoc basis to meet the needs of finance stakeholders.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to provide basic financial planning and performance insights to meet the needs of IT and finance stakeholders.IT financial planning and performance analysis are methodical and rigorous, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.).


    IT financial planning and performance reports are accurate, precise, and methodical, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.).

    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to provide practical insights and useful recommendations as needed by IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders to facilitate business decision making around technology investments.ITFM analysis and reports support business decision making around technology investments.


    IT financial planning and performance analysis are methodical and rigorous, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.).


    IT financial planning and performance reports are (a) accurate, precise, and methodical, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.), (b) fit for purpose, and (c) regularly validated for inconsistencies.

    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to provide practical insights and useful recommendations as needed by IT, finance, business, and executive stakeholders to facilitate strategic decision making.ITFM analysis and reports support strategic decision making.


    IT financial planning and performance analysis are methodical and rigorous, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.), and consider multiple point of views (hypotheses, interpretations, opinions, etc.).


    IT financial planning and performance reports are (a) accurate, precise, and methodical, as defined in related control documents (guideline, policies, procedures, etc.), (b) fit for purpose, (c) comprehensive, and (d) regularly validated for inconsistencies.

    Communicate your IT spending

    Maturity focus area: Bridge the language barrier.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability of organization stakeholders to communicate and understand each other.The organization stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives do not understand one another, and cannot speak the same language.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to understand business and finance requirements.IT understands and meets business and financial planning requirements but does not communicate in a similar language.


    IT cannot influence finance or business decision making.

    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to understand the needs of different stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives and take part in decision making around technology spending.The organization stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives understand each other’s needs, but do not communicate in a common language.


    IT leaders provide insights as technology subject matter experts, where conversations center on IT spending in relation to technology services or solutions provided to business partners.


    IT can influence technology decisions around its own budget.

    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to communicate in a common vocabulary across the organization and take part in business decision making around technology investments.The organization stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives communicate in a common vocabulary and understand one another.


    IT and business leaders, along with their respective teams, collaborate frequently across various initiatives.


    IT leaders provide valuable insight to support and influence business decision making around existing technology investments.

    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to communicate in a common vocabulary across the organization and take part in strategic decision making.The organization stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives communicate in a common vocabulary and understand one another.


    IT and business leaders, along with their respective teams, collaborate frequently across various initiatives.


    IT leaders provide valuable insight to facilitate decision making around potential and future investments to grow and transform the business, thus influencing the organization’s overall strategic direction.

    Educate the masses

    Maturity focus area: Bridge the language barrier.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability of organization stakeholders to acquire knowledge.Educational resources are inexistent.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to acquire financial knowledge and understand financial concepts.IT leaders have access to educational resources to gain the financial knowledge necessary to perform their duties.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to acquire financial and business knowledge and understand related concepts.IT leaders and their respective teams have access to educational resources to gain the financial and business knowledge necessary to perform their duties.


    ITFM team has access to the necessary educational resources to keep up with changing financial regulations and technology developments.

    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to acquire knowledge, across technology, business, and finance as needed by different organization stakeholders, and the leadership understand concepts across these various domains.Stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives have access to various educational resources to gain knowledge in different domains as needed.


    IT leaders have a good understanding of business and financial concepts.


    Business leaders have a good understanding of technology concepts.

    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to acquire knowledge, and understand concepts across technology, business, and finance as needed by different organization stakeholders.The organization promotes continuous learning through well designed programs including training, mentorship, and academic courses. Thus, stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives have access to various educational resources to gain knowledge in different domains as needed.


    IT leaders and their respective teams have a good understanding of business and financial concepts.


    Business leaders and their respective teams have a good understanding of technology concepts.

    Influence your organization’s culture

    Maturity focus area: Bridge the language barrier.

    Maturity Level

    Definition

    Description

    Nascent
    Level 1
    Inability to provide and foster an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement.Stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives operate in silos, and collaboration between different teams is inexistent.
    Cost Operator
    Level 2
    Ability to provide an environment of cooperation to meet the needs of IT, finance, and business leaders.IT, finance, and business leaders cooperate to meet financial planning requirements as necessary to perform their duties.
    Trusted Coordinator
    Level 3
    Ability to provide and foster an environment of collaboration across the organization.IT, finance, and business collaborate on various initiatives.

    ITFM employees are trusted and supported by their stakeholders (IT, finance, and business).

    Value Optimizer
    Level 4
    Ability to provide and foster an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement, where employees across the organization feel trusted, supported, empowered, and valued.Stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives support and promote continuous improvement, transparency practices, and collaboration across the organization.


    Employees are trusted, supported, empowered, and valued.

    Strategic Partner
    Level 5
    Ability to provide and foster an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement, where leaders are willing to change, and employees across the organization feel trusted, supported, empowered, and valued.Stakeholders including IT, finance, business, and executives support and promote continuous improvement, transparency practices, and collaboration across the organization.


    The organization’s leadership is adaptable and open to change.


    Employees are trusted, supported, empowered, and valued.

    Build a Security Compliance Program

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    • Most organizations spend between 25 and 40 percent of their security budget on compliance-related activities.
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    • However, recent reports suggest that while the costs of complying are higher, the costs of non-compliance are almost three times greater.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Test once, attest many. Having a control framework allows you to satisfy multiple compliance requirements by testing a single control.
    • Choose your own conformance adventure. Conformance levels allow your organization to make informed business decisions on how compliance resources will be allocated.
    • Put the horse before the cart. Take charge of your audit costs by preparing test scripts and evidence repositories in advance.

    Impact and Result

    • Reduce complexity within the control environment by using a single framework to align multiple compliance regimes.
    • Provide senior management with a structured framework for making business decisions on allocating costs and efforts related to cybersecurity and data protection compliance obligations.
    • Reduces costs and efforts related to managing IT audits through planning and preparation.
    • This blueprint can help you comply with NIST, ISO, CMMC, SOC2, PCI, CIS, and other cybersecurity and data protection requirements.

    Build a Security Compliance Program Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should manage your security compliance obligations, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    Infographic

    Workshop: Build a Security Compliance Program

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Establish the Program

    The Purpose

    Establish the security compliance management program.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Reviewing and adopting an information security control framework.

    Understanding and establishing roles and responsibilities for security compliance management.

    Identifying and scoping operational environments for applicable compliance obligations.

    Activities

    1.1 Review the business context.

    1.2 Review the Info-Tech security control framework.

    1.3 Establish roles and responsibilities.

    1.4 Define operational environments.

    Outputs

    RACI matrix

    Environments list and definitions

    2 Identify Obligations

    The Purpose

    Identify security and data protection compliance obligations.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Identifying the security compliance obligations that apply to your organization.

    Documenting obligations and obtaining direction from management on conformance levels.

    Mapping compliance obligation requirements into your control framework.

    Activities

    2.1 Identify relevant security and data protection compliance obligations.

    2.2 Develop conformance level recommendations.

    2.3 Map compliance obligations into control framework.

    2.4 Develop process for operationalizing identification activities.

    Outputs

    List of compliance obligations

    Completed Conformance Level Approval forms

    (Optional) Mapped compliance obligation

    (Optional) Identification process diagram

    3 Implement Compliance Strategy

    The Purpose

    Understand how to build a compliance strategy.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Updating security policies and other control design documents to reflect required controls.

    Aligning your compliance obligations with your information security strategy.

    Activities

    3.1 Review state of information security policies.

    3.2 Recommend updates to policies to address control requirements.

    3.3 Review information security strategy.

    3.4 Identify alignment points between compliance obligations and information security strategy.

    3.5 Develop compliance exception process and forms.

    Outputs

    Recommendations and plan for updates to information security policies

    Compliance exception forms

    4 Track and Report

    The Purpose

    Track the status of your compliance program.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Tracking the status of your compliance obligations.

    Managing exceptions to compliance requirements.

    Reporting on the compliance management program to senior stakeholders.

    Activities

    4.1 Define process and forms for self-attestation.

    4.2 Develop audit test scripts for selected controls.

    4.3 Review process and entity control types.

    4.4 Develop self-assessment process.

    4.5 Integrate compliance management with risk register.

    4.6 Develop metrics and reporting process.

    Outputs

    Self-attestation forms

    Completed test scripts for selected controls

    Self-assessment process

    Reporting process

    Recommended metrics

    Select a Marketing Management Suite

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}533|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 10.0/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $6,560 Average $ Saved
    • member rating average days saved: 50 Average Days Saved
    • Parent Category Name: Customer Relationship Management
    • Parent Category Link: /customer-relationship-management
    • Time, money, and effort are wasted on channels and campaigns that are not resonating with your customer base.
    • Email marketing, social marketing, and/or lead management alone are often not enough to meet more sophisticated marketing needs.
    • Many organizations struggle with taking a systematic approach to selection that pairs functional requirements with specific marketing workflows, and as a result they choose a marketing management suite (MMS) that is not well aligned to their needs, wasting resources and causing end-user frustration.
    • For IT managers or marketing professionals, the task to incorporate MMS technology into the organization requires not only receiving the buy-in for the MMS investment but also determining the vendor and solution that best fit the organization’s particular marketing management needs.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • An MMS enables complex campaigns across many channels, product lines, customer segments, and marketing groups throughout the enterprise.
    • Selecting an MMS has become increasingly difficult because the number of players in the marketplace has ballooned. Moreover, picking the wrong marketing solution has a direct impact on revenue.
    • Determine whether the investment in an MMS is worthwhile or the funds are better allocated elsewhere. For organizations with a large audience or varied product offerings, an MMS enables complex campaigns across many channels, product lines, customer segments, and marketing groups throughout the enterprise.

    Impact and Result

    • Maximize your success and credibility with a proposal that emphasizes the areas relevant to your situation.
    • Perform more effective customer targeting and campaign management. Having an MMS equips marketers with the tools they need to make informed decisions around campaign execution, resulting in better targeting, acquisition, and customer retention. This means more revenue.
    • Maximize marketing impact with analytics-based decision making. Understanding users’/customers’ behaviors and preferences will allow you to run effective marketing initiatives.

    Select a Marketing Management Suite Research & Tools

    Start here – read the Executive Brief

    Read our concise Executive Brief to find out how to approach selecting an MMS, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Launch the MMS project and collect requirements

    Assess the organization’s fit for MMS technology and structure the MMS selection project.

    • Select a Marketing Management Suite – Phase 1: Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements
    • MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist

    2. Shortlist marketing management suites

    Produce a vendor shortlist for your MMS.

    • Select a Marketing Management Suite – Phase 2: Shortlist Marketing Management Suites

    3. Select vendor and communicate decision to stakeholders

    Evaluate RFPs, conduct vendor demonstrations, and select an MMS.

    • Select a Marketing Management Suite – Phase 3: Select Vendor and Communicate Decision to Stakeholders
    • MMS Requirements Picklist Tool
    • MMS Request for Proposal Template
    • MMS Vendor Demo Script
    • MMS Selection Executive Presentation Template
    [infographic]

    Workshop: Select a Marketing Management Suite

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements

    The Purpose

    Determine a “right-size” approach to marketing enablement applications.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Confirmation of the goals, objectives, and direction of the organization is marketing application strategy.

    Activities

    1.1 Assess the value and identify the organization’s fit for MMS technology.

    1.2 Understand the art of the possible.

    1.3 Understand CXM strategy and identify your fit for MMS technology.

    1.4 Build procurement team and project customer experience management (CXM) strategy.

    1.5 Identify your MMS requirements.

    Outputs

    Project team list.

    Preliminary requirements list.

    2 Shortlist Marketing Management Suites

    The Purpose

    Enumerate relevant marketing management suites and point solutions.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    List of marketing enablement applications based on requirements articulated in the preliminary requirements list strategy.

    Activities

    2.1 Identify relevant use cases.

    2.2 Discuss the vendor landscape.

    Outputs

    Vendor shortlist.

    3 Select Vendor and Communicate Decision to Stakeholders

    The Purpose

    Develop a rationale for selecting a specific MMS vendor.

    Key Benefits Achieved

    MMS Vendor decision.

    A template to communicate the decision to executives.

    Activities

    3.1 Create a procurement strategy.

    3.2 Discuss the executive presentation.

    3.3 Plan the procurement process.

    Outputs

    Executive/stakeholder PowerPoint presentation.

    Selection of an MMS.

    Further reading

    Select a Marketing Management Suite

    A best-fit solution balances needs, cost, and capability.

    Table of contents

    1. Project Rationale
    2. Execute the Project/DIY Guide
    3. Appendices

    ANALYST PERSPECTIVE

    Navigate the complexity of a vast ecosystem by taking a structured approach to marketing management suite (MMS) selection.

    Marketing applications are in high demand, but it is difficult to select a suite that is right for your organization. Market offerings have grown from 50 vendors to over 800 in the past five years. Much of the process of identifying an appropriate vendor is not about the vendor at all, but rather about having a comprehensive understanding of internal needs. There are instances where a smaller-point solution is necessary to satisfy requirements and a full marketing management suite is an overinvestment.

    Likewise, a partner with differentiating features such as AI-driven workflows and a mobile software development kit can act as a powerful extension of an overall customer experience management strategy. It is crucial to make the right decision; missing the mark on an MMS selection will have a direct impact on the business’ bottom line.

    Ben Dickie
    Research Director, Enterprise Applications
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Phase milestones

    Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements — Phase 1

    • Understand the MMS market space.
    • Assess organizational and project readiness for MMS selection.
    • Structure your MMS selection and implementation project by refining your MMS roadmap.
    • Align organizational use-case fit with market use cases.
    • Collect, prioritize, and document MMS requirements.

    Shortlist MMS Tool — Phase 2

    • Review MMS market leaders and players within your aligned use case.
    • Review MMS vendor profiles and capabilities.
    • Shortlist MMS vendors based on organizational fit.

    Select an MMS — Phase 3

    • Submit request for proposal (RFP) to shortlisted vendors.
    • Evaluate vendor responses and develop vendor demonstration scripts.
    • Score vendor demonstrations and select the final product.

    Stop! Are you ready for this project?

    This Research Is Designed For:
    • IT applications directors and business analysts supporting their marketing teams in selecting and implementing a robust marketing solution.
    • Any organization looking to procure an MMS tool that will allow it to automate its marketing processes or learn more about the MMS vendor landscape.
    This Research Will Help You:
    • Understand today’s MMS market, specific to marketing automation, marketing intelligence, and social marketing use-case scenarios.
    • Understand MMS functionality as well as marketing terminology.
    • Follow best practices to prepare for and execute on selection, including requirements gathering and vendor evaluation.
    This Research Will Also Assist:
    • Marketing managers, brand managers, and any marketing professional looking to build a cohesive marketing platform.
    • MMS project teams or working groups tasked with managing an RFP process for vendor selection.
    This Research Will Help Them
    • Assess organizational and project readiness for embarking on MMS selection.
    • Draft an RFP, manage the vendor and product review process, and select a vendor.

    Executive summary

    Situation

    The MMS market is a landscape of vendors offering campaign management, multichannel support, analytics, and publishing tools. Many vendors specialize in some of these areas but not all. Sometimes multiple products are necessary – but determining which feature sets the organization truly needs can be a challenging task. The right technology stack is critical in order to bring automation to marketing initiatives.

    Complication

    • The first challenge is deciding whether to implement a full marketing suite or a point solution.
    • The number of marketing suites and point solutions has increased from 50 to more than 800 just in the past five years.
    • IT is receiving a growing number of marketing analytics requests and must be prepared to speak intelligently about marketing management vendor selection.

    Resolution

    • Leverage Info-Tech’s comprehensive three-phase approach to MMS selection projects: assess your organization’s preparedness to go into the selection stage, move through technology selection, and present decisions to stakeholders.
    • Conduct an MMS project preparedness assessment to ensure you maximize the value of your time, effort, and spend.
    • Determine whether your organization’s needs will best be met by a marketing management suite or a point solution.
    • Determine which use case your organization fits into and review the relevant vendor landscape, common capability, and areas of product differentiation. Consult Info-Tech’s market analysis to shortlist vendors for your RFP process.
    • Take advantage of traceable and auditable selection tools to run an effective evaluation and selection process. Be prepared to answer the retroactive question “Why this MMS?” with documentation of your selection process and outputs.

    Info-Tech Insight

    1. The new MMS market. Selecting a marketing management solution has become increasingly difficult, with the number of players in the marketplace ballooning to meet buyer demand.
    2. Direct translation to revenue. Picking the wrong marketing solution has a direct impact on the bottom line. However, the right MMS can lead to a 7.3x greater year-over-year increase in annual revenue.
    3. Don’t buy best-of-breed; buy best-for-you. Base your vendor selection on your requirements and use case, not on the vendor’s overall performance.

    MMS is a key piece of the CRM puzzle

    In order to optimize cross-sell opportunities and marketing effectiveness, there needs to be a master customer database, which belongs in the customer relationship management (CRM) suite.

    When it comes to marketing automation capabilities, using CRM is like building a car from a kit. All the parts are there, but you need the time and skill to put it all together. Using marketing automation is like buying the car you want or need, with all the features you want already installed and some gas in the tank, ready to drive. In either case, you still need to know how to drive and where you want to go.” (Mac McIntosh, Marketo Inc.) 'CRM' surrounded by its components with 'MMS' highlighted. A master database – the central place where all up-to-the-minute data on a customer profile is stored – is essential for MMS success. This is particularly true for real-time capability effectiveness and to minimize customer fatigue.

    Understand what an MMS can do for you

    Take time to learn the capabilities of modern marketing applications. Understanding the “art of the possible” will help you to get the most out of your MMS.

    MMS helps marketers in two primary ways:
    1. It allows them to efficiently execute and manage campaigns across dozens of channels and products.
    2. It allows them to analyze the outcomes of campaigns.
    Marketing suites accomplish these tasks by:
    • Leveraging workflow automation to reduce the amount of time spent creating marketing campaigns
    • Using internal or third-party data to increase conversion effectiveness from customer databases across the organization
    A strong MMS provides marketers with the data they need for actionable insights about their customers.
    A marketing automation solution delivers essentially all the benefits of an email marketing solution along with integrated capabilities that would otherwise need to be cobbled together using various standalone technologies.” (Marketo Inc.)

    Review Info-Tech’s vendor profiles of the MMS market to identify vendors that meet your requirements

    Logos of multiple vendors including 'Hubspot', 'IBM', 'Salesforce marketing cloud', etc.

    Use Info-Tech’s MMS implementation methodology as a starting point for your organization’s MMS selection

    Info-Tech’s implementation methodology is not a step-by-step approach to vendor selection, but rather it highlights the pertinent considerations for MMS selection at each of the five steps outlined below.

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    Establish Resources Gather Requirements Write and Assemble RFP Exercise Due Diligence Evaluate Candidate Solutions
    • Determine work initiative dependencies and project milestones.
    • Establish the project timeline.
    • Designate project resources.
    • Prioritize rollout of functionality.
    • Link business goals with the MMS selection project.
    • Determine user roles and profiles.
    • Conduct stakeholder interviews.
    • Build communication and change management plan.
    • Draft an RFP.
    • Make a plan for soliciting feedback and publishing the RFP.
    • Customize a vendor demo script and scorecard.
    • Conduct vendor demos.
    • Speak with vendor references.
    • Evaluate nonfunctional requirements.
    • Understand upgrade schedules.
    • Define a vendor evaluation framework.
    • Prepare the final evaluation.
    • Prepare a presentation for management.

    Contact your account representative or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Professional services provider engages Info-Tech to guide it through its MMS selection journey

    CASE STUDY

    Industry: Professional Services | Source: Info-Tech Consulting

    Challenge

    A large professional services firm specializing in knowledge development was looking to modernize an outdated marketing services stack.

    Previous investments in marketing tools ranging from email automation to marketing analytics led to system fragmentation. As a result, there was no 360-degree overview of marketing operations and no way to run campaigns at scale.

    To satisfy the organization’s aspirations, a comprehensive marketing management suite had to be selected that met needs for the foreseeable future.

    Solution

    The Info-Tech consulting team was brought in to assist in the MMS selection process.

    After meeting with several stakeholders, MMS requirements were developed and weighted. An RFP was then created from these requirements.

    Following a market scan, four vendors were selected to complete the organization’s RFP. Demonstration scripts were then developed as the RFPs were completed by vendors.

    Shortlisted vendors progressed to the demonstration phase.

    Results

    Vendor scorecards were utilized during the two-day demonstrations with the core project team to score each vendor.

    During the scoring process the team also identified the need to replace the organization’s core customer repository (a legacy CRM).

    The decision was made to select a CRM before finalizing the MMS selection. Doing so ensured uniform system architecture and strong interoperability between the firm’s MMS and its CRM.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Select a Marketing Management Suite – project overview

    1. Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements 2. Shortlist Marketing Management Suites 3. Select Vendor and Communicate Decision to Stakeholders
    Supporting Tool icon

    Best-Practice Toolkit

    1.1 Assess the value and identify your organization’s fit for MMS technology.

    1.2 Build your procurement team and project customer experience management (CXM) strategy.

    1.3 Identify your MMS requirements.

    2.1 Produce your shortlist

    3.1 Select your MMS

    3.2 Present selection

    Guided Implementations

    • Understand CXM strategy and identify your fit for MMS technology.
    • Identify staffing needs.
    • Plan requirements gathering steps.
    • Discuss use-case fit assessment results.
    • Discuss vendor landscape.
    • Create a procurement strategy.
    • Discuss executive presentation.
    • Conduct a proposal review.
    Associated Activity icon

    Onsite Workshop

    Module 1:
    Launch Your MMS Selection Project
    Module 2:
    Analyze MMS Requirements and Shortlist Vendors
    Module 3:
    Plan Your Procurement Process
    Phase 1 Outcome:
    • Launch of MMS selection project
    Phase 2 Outcome:
    • Shortlist of vendors
    Phase 3 Outcome:
    • Selection of MMS

    Use these icons to help direct you as you navigate this research

    Use these icons to help guide you through each step of the blueprint and direct you to content related to the recommended activities.

    A small monochrome icon of a wrench and screwdriver creating an X.

    This icon denotes a slide where a supporting Info-Tech tool or template will help you perform the activity or step associated with the slide. Refer to the supporting tool or template to get the best results and proceed to the next step of the project.

    A small monochrome icon depicting a person in front of a blank slide.

    This icon denotes a slide with an associated activity. The activity can be performed either as part of your project or with the support of Info-Tech team members who will come onsite to facilitate a workshop for your organization.

    A small monochrome icon depicting a descending bar graph.

    This icon denotes a slide that pertains directly to the Info-Tech vendor profiles on marketing management technology. Use these slides to support and guide your evaluation of the MMS vendors included in the research.

    Select a Marketing Management Suite

    PHASE 1

    Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements

    Phase 1 outline

    Associated Activity icon Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 1: Launch Your MMS Project and Collect Requirements

    Proposed Time to Completion: 3 weeks
    Step 1.2: Structure the Project Step 1.3: Gather Requirements
    Start with an analyst kick-off call:
    • Review readiness requirements for an MMS project.
    • Understand the work initiatives involved in MMS selection.
    Review findings with analyst:
    • Determine use case based on your organizational alignment.
    • Discuss core MMS requirements.
    Then complete these activities…
    • Conduct an organizational MMS readiness assessment.
    Then complete these activities…
    • Identify best-fit use case.
    • Elicit, capture, and prioritize requirements.
    With these tools & templates:
    • MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist
    With these tools & templates:
    • MMS Requirements Picklist Tool
    Phase 1 Results:
    • Completed readiness assessment.
    • Refined project plan to incorporate selection and implementation.

    Phase 1 milestones

    Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements — Phase 1

    • Understand the MMS market space.
    • Assess organizational and project readiness for MMS selection.
    • Structure your MMS selection and implementation project by refining your MMS roadmap.
    • Align organizational use-case fit with market use cases.
    • Collect, prioritize, and document MMS requirements.

    Shortlist MMS Tool — Phase 2

    • Review MMS market leaders and players within your aligned use case.
    • Review MMS vendor profiles and capabilities.
    • Shortlist MMS vendors based on organizational fit.

    Select an MMS — Phase 3

    • Submit request for proposal (RFP) to shortlisted vendors.
    • Evaluate vendor responses and develop vendor demonstration scripts.
    • Score vendor demonstrations and select the final product.

    Step 1.1: Understand the MMS market

    1.1

    1.2

    1.3

    Understand the MMS Market Structure the Project Gather MMS Requirements

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • MMS market overview

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Project team
    • Project manager
    • Project sponsor

    Outcomes of this step

    • An understanding of the evolution of the MMS market space and how it helps today’s organizations.
    • An evaluation of new and upcoming trends sought by MMS clients.
    • Verification of whether an MMS is a fit with your organization.

    Speak the same language as the marketing department to deliver the most business value

    Marketing Management Suite Glossary

    Analytics The practice of measuring marketing performance to improve return on investment (ROI). It is often carried out through the visualization of meaningful patterns in data as a result of marketing initiatives.
    Channels The different places where marketers can reach customers (e.g. social media, print mail, television).
    Click-through rate The percentage of individuals who proceed (click-through) from one part of a marketing campaign to the next.
    Content management Curating, creating, editing, and keeping track of content and client-facing assets.
    Customer relationship management (CRM) A core enterprise application that provides a broad feature set for supporting customer interaction processes. The CRM frequently serves as a core customer data repository.
    Customer experience management (CXM) The holistic management of customer interaction processes across marketing, sales, and customer service to create valuable, mutually beneficial customer experiences.
    Engagement rate A social media metric used to describe the amount of likes, comments, shares, etc., that a piece of content receives.
    Lead An individual or organization who has shown interest in the product or service being marketed.
    Omnichannel The portfolio of interaction channels you use.

    MMS is a key piece of the customer experience ecosystem

    Within the broader CXM ecosystem, an MMS typically lives within the CRM platform. Interfacing with the CRM’s master customer database allows an MMS to optimize cross-sell opportunities and marketing effectiveness.

    A master database – the central place where all up-to-the-minute data on a customer profile is stored – is essential for MMS success. This is particularly true for real-time capability effectiveness and to minimize customer fatigue.

    If you have customer records in multiple places, you risk missing customer opportunities and potentially upsetting clients. For example, if a client has communicated preferences or disinterest through one channel, and this is not effectively recorded throughout the organization, another representative is likely to contact them in the same method again – possibly alienating the customer for good.

    A master database requires automatic synchronization with all point solutions, POS, billing systems, agencies, etc. If you don’t have up-to-the-minute information, you can’t score prospects effectively and you lose out on the benefits of the MMS.

    'CRM' surrounded by its components with 'MMS' highlighted.
    Focus on the fundamentals before proceeding. Secure organizational readiness to reduce project risk using Info-Tech’s Build a Strong Technology Foundation for CXM and Select and Implement a CRM Platform blueprints.

    Understanding the “art of the possible”

    The world of marketing technology changes rapidly! Understand how modern marketing management suites are used in most organizations.

    An MMS helps marketers in two primary ways:

    1. It allows them to efficiently execute and manage campaigns across dozens of channels and products.
    2. It allows them to analyze the outcomes of campaigns.

    Marketing suites accomplish these tasks by:

    • Leveraging workflow automation to reduce the amount of time spent creating marketing campaigns.
    • Using internal or third-party data to increase conversion effectiveness from customer databases across the organization.

    A strong MMS provides marketers with the data they need for actionable insights about their customers.

    A marketing automation solution delivers essentially all the benefits of an email marketing solution along with integrated capabilities that would otherwise need to be cobbled together using various standalone technologies.” (Marketo Inc.)

    Inform your way of thinking by understanding the capabilities of modern marketing applications.

    A tree with icons related to knowledge.

    Expect the marketing department to drive suite adoption, but don’t count out the benefits MMS will also provide to IT

    MMS adoption is driven by the need for better campaign execution and marketing intelligence. MMS technologies are adopted to create faster, easier, more intelligent, and more measurable campaigns and make managing complex channels easy and repeatable.

    Top Drivers for Adopting Marketing Management Technologies

    Bar chart of top drivers for adopting marketing management technology. The first four bars are highlighted and the largest, they are labelled 'Campaign Measurement & Effectiveness', 'Execute Multi-channel Campaigns', 'Shorten Marketing Campaign Cycle', and 'Reduce Manual Campaign Creation'.
    (Source: Info-Tech Research Group; N=23)

    The key drivers for MMS are business-related, not IT-related. However, this does not mean that there are no benefits to IT. In fact, the IT department will see numerous benefits, including time and resource savings. Further, not having an MMS creates more work for your IT department. IT must serve as a valued partner for selection and implementation.

    Additional benefits to IT driven by MMS

    Marketing management suites are ideal for large organizations with multiple product lines in complex marketing environments. IT is often more centralized than its counterparts in the business, making it uniquely positioned to encourage greater coordination by helping the business units understand the shared goals and the benefits of working together to roll out suites for marketing workflow management, intelligence, and channel management.

    Cross-Segmentation Additional Revenue Generation Real-Time Capabilities Lead Growth/ Conversion Rate
    Business Value
    • Share resources between brands and product lines.
    • Increase database size with populated client data.
    • Track customer lifetime value.
    • Increase average deal size.
    • Decrease time to execute campaigns.
    • Decrease lead acquisition costs while collecting higher quality leads.
    • Improve retention rates.
    • Reduce cost to serve.
    • Increase customer retention due to effective service.
    • Higher campaign and response rates.
    • Track, measure, and prove the value of marketing activities.
    • Broaden reach through social channels.
    IT Value
    • Reduce reliance on IT for routine tasks such as list creation and data cleansing.
    • Free up IT resources for the sectors of the business where the ROI is greatest.
    • Reduce need for IT to cleanse, modify, or merge data lists because most suites include CRM connectors.
    • Reduce need for constant customization on status reports on lead value and campaign success.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Don’t forget that MMS technologies deliver on the overarching suite value proposition: a robust solution within one integrated offering. Without an MMS in play, organizations in need of this functionality are forced to piece together point solutions (or ad hoc management). This not only increases costs but also is an integration nightmare for IT.

    Step 1.2: Structure the project

    1.1

    1.2

    1.3

    Understand the MMS MarketStructure the ProjectGather MMS Requirements

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Determine if you are ready to kick off the MMS selection project.
    • Align project goals with CXM strategy and business goals.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core project team
    • Project manager
    • Project sponsor

    Outcomes of this step

    • Assurance that you have completed adequate preparation, obtained stakeholder and sponsor buy-in, secured sufficient resources, and completed strategy and planning activities to move forward with selection.
    • An approach to remedy organizational readiness to prepare for MMS selection.
    • An understanding of stakeholder goals.

    Identify the scope and purpose of your MMS selection process

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Sample Project Overview

    [Organization] plans to select and implement a marketing management suite in order to introduce better campaign management to the business’ processes. This procurement and implementation of an MMS tool will enable the business to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing campaign execution.

    This project will oversee the assessment and shortlisting of MMS vendors, selection of an MMS tool, the configuration of the solution, and the implementation of the technology into the business environment.

    Rationale Behind the Project

    Consider the business drivers behind the interest in MMS technology.

    Be specific to business units impacted and identify key considerations (both opportunities and risks).

    Business Drivers

    • Organizational productivity
    • Customer satisfaction
    • Marketing management costs
    • Risk management

    Info-Tech Insights

    Creating repeatable and streamlined marketing processes is a common overarching business objective that is driven by multiple factors. To ensure this objective is achieved, confirm that the primary drivers are following the implementation of the first automated marketing channels.

    Activity: Understand your business’ goals for MMS by parsing your formal CXM strategy

    Associated Activity icon 1.2.1 1 hour

    INPUT: Stakeholder user stories

    OUTPUT: Understanding of ideal outcomes from MMS implementation

    MATERIALS: Whiteboard and marker or sticky notes

    PARTICIPANTS: Project sponsor, Project stakeholders, Business analysts, Business unit reps

    Instructions

    1. Outline the purpose of the future MMS tool and the drivers behind this business decision with the project’s key stakeholders.
    2. Document plans to ensure that these drivers are taken into consideration and realized following implementation. Example:
      Improve Reduce/Eliminate KPIs
      Multichannel marketing Duplication of effort Number of customer interaction channels supported
      Social integration Process inefficiencies Number of social signals received (likes, shares, etc.)

    If you do not have a well-defined CXM strategy, leverage Info-Tech’s research to Build a Strong Technology Foundation for Customer Experience Management.

    Understanding marketing suites

    Vendor Profiles icon

    This blueprint focuses on complete, integrated marketing management suites

    An integrated suite is a single product that is designed to assist with multiple marketing processes. Information from these suites is deeply connected to the core CRM. Changing a piece of information for one process will update all affected.

    'MMS' surrounded by its integrated processes, including 'Marketing Operations Management', 'Breadth of Channel Support', 'Marketing Asset Management', etc.

    Understanding marketing point solutions

    Vendor Profiles icon

    A point solution typically interfaces with a single customer interaction channel with minimal CRM integration.

    Why use a marketing point solution?

    1. A marketing point solution is a standalone application used to manage a unique process.
    2. Point solutions can be implemented and updated relatively quickly.
    3. They cost less than full-feature, integrated marketing suites.
    4. Some point solutions integrate with CRM platforms or MMS platforms.

    Refer to Phase 2 for a bird’s-eye view of the point solution marketplace.

    Marketing Point Solutions

    • Twitter Analytics
    • Search Engine Optimization
    • Customer Portals
    • Livechat
    • Marketing Attribution
    • Demand Side Platform

    Determine if MMS is right for your organization

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Adopt an MMS if:

    1. Your organization is actively pursuing a multichannel marketing strategy, particularly if its marketing campaigns are complex and multifaceted, involving consumer-specific conditional messaging.
    2. Your enterprise serves a high volume of customers and marketing needs extend to formally managing budgets and resources, lead generation and segmentation, and measuring channel effectiveness.
    3. Your organizations has multiple product lines and is interested in increasing cross-sale opportunities.

    Bypass an MMS if:

    • Your organization does not participate in multichannel campaigns and is primarily using email or web channels to generate leads. You may find the advanced features and capabilities of an MMS to be overkill and should consider lead marketing automation (LMA) or email marketing services first.
    • You are a small to midsize business (SMB) with a limited budget or fewer than five marketing professionals. Don’t buy what you don’t need; organizations with fewer than five people in the marketing department are unlikely to need an MMS.
    • Sales generation is not a priority for the business or a primary goal for the marketing department.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Using an MMS is ideal for organizations with multiple brands and product portfolios (e.g. consumer packaged goods). Ad hoc management and email marketing services are best for small organizations with a client base that requires only bare bones engagement.

    Determine if you are ready to kick off your MMS selection and implementation project

    Supporting Tool icon 1.2.2 MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist
    Use Info-Tech’s MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist to determine if your organization has sufficient process and campaign maturity to warrant the investment in a consolidated marketing management suite.

    Sections of the Tool:

    1. Goals & Objectives
    2. Project Team
    3. Current State Understanding
    4. Future State Vision
    5. Business Process Improvement
    6. Project Metrics
    7. Executive Sponsorship
    8. Stakeholder Buy-In & Change Management
    9. Risk Management
    10. Cost & Budget

    INFO-TECH DELIVERABLE

    Sample of Info-Tech's MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist.

    Complete the MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist by following the instructions in Activity 1.2.3.

    Activity: Determine if you are ready to kick off your MMS selection project

    Associated Activity icon 1.2.3 30 minutes

    INPUT: MMS foundation, MMS strategy

    OUTPUT: Readiness remediation approach, Validation of MMS project readiness

    MATERIALS: Info-Tech’s MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist

    PARTICIPANTS: Project sponsor, Core project team

    Instructions

    1. Download the MMS Readiness Assessment Checklist.
    2. Review Section 1 of the checklist with the core project team and/or project sponsor, item by item. For completed items, tick the relative checkbox.
    3. Once the whole checklist has been reviewed, document all incomplete items in the table under Section 1 in the first table column (“Incomplete Readiness Item”).
    4. For each incomplete item, use your discretion to determine whether its completion is critical in preparation for MMS selection and implementation. This may vary given the complexity of your MMS project. If the item is critical to the project, indicate this with “Y” in the second column (“Criticality (Y/N)”).
    5. For each critical item, reflect on the barriers that have prevented or are preventing its completion. Possible barriers include incomplete task dependencies, low value-to-effort determination, lack of organizational knowledge or resources, pressure of deadlines, etc. Document these barriers in the third column (“Barriers to Completion”).
    6. Based on the barriers determined in Step 5, determine a remediation approach for each item. Document the approach in the fourth column (“Remediation Approach”).
    7. For each remediation activity, designate a due date and remediation owner. Document this in the fifth column (“Due Date & Owner”).
    8. Carry out the remediation of critical tasks and return to this blueprint to kickstart your selection and implementation project.

    Step 1.3: Gather MMS requirements

    1.1

    1.2

    1.3

    Understand the MMS MarketStructure the ProjectGather MMS Requirements

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Understand your MMS use case.
    • Elicit and capture your MMS requirements.
    • Prioritize your solution requirements.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core project team
    • Project manager
    • Business analysts
    • Procurement subject-matter experts (SMEs)

    Outcomes of this step

    • Project alignment with MMS market use case.
    • Inventory of categorized and prioritized MMS business requirements.

    Understand the dominant use-case scenarios for MMS across organizations

    Vendor Profiles icon

    USE CASES

    While an organization may be product- or service-centric, most fall into one of the three use cases described on this slide.

    1) Marketing Automation

    Workflow Management

    Managing complex marketing campaigns and building and tracking marketing workflows are the mainstay responsibilities of brand managers and other senior marketing professionals. In this category, we evaluated vendors that provide marketers with comprehensive tools for marketing campaign automation, workflow building and tracking, lead management, and marketing resource planning for campaigns that need to reach a large segment of customers.

    Omnichannel Management

    The proliferation of marketing channels has created significant challenges for many organizations. In this use case, we executed a special evaluation of vendors that are well suited for the intricacies of juggling multiple channels, particularly mobile, social, and email marketing.

    2) Marketing Intelligence

    Sifting through data from a myriad of sources and coming up with actionable intelligence and insights remains a critical activity for marketing departments, particularly for market researchers. In this category, we evaluated solutions that aggregate, analyze, and visualize complex marketing data from multiple sources to allow decision makers to execute informed decisions.

    3) Social Marketing

    The proliferation of social networks, customer data, and use cases has made ad hoc social media management challenging. In this category we evaluated vendors that bring uniformity to an organization’s social media capabilities and contribute to a 360-degree customer view.

    Activity: Understand which type of MMS you need

    Associated Activity icon 1.3.1 30 minutes

    INPUT: Use-case breakdown

    OUTPUT: Project use-case alignments

    Materials: Whiteboard, markers

    Participants: Project manager, Core project team (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Familiarize your team with Info-Tech’s MMS use-case breakdown from the previous slide.
    2. Determine which use case is best aligned with your organization’s MMS project objectives. If you need assistance with this, consider the relevance of the cases studies and statements on the following slides.
    3. If your team agrees with most or all statements under a given use case, this indicates strong alignment towards that use case. It is possible for an organization to align with more than one use case. Your use-case alignment will guide you in creating a vendor shortlist later in this project.

    Use Info-Tech’s vendor research and use-case scenarios to support your organization’s vendor analysis

    The use-case view of vendor and product performance provides multiple opportunities for vendors to fit into your application architecture depending on their product and market performance. The use cases selected are based on market research and client demand.

    Determining your use case is crucial for:

    1. Selecting an application that is the right fit
    2. Establishing a business case for MMS

    The following slides illustrate how the three most common use cases (marketing automation, marketing intelligence, and social marketing) align with business needs. As shown by the case studies, the right MMS can result in great benefits to your organization.

    Use-case alignment and business need

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Marketing Automation

    Marketing Need Manage customer experience across multiple channels Manage multiple campaigns simultaneously Integrate web-enabled devices (IoT) into marketing campaigns Run and track email marketing campaigns
    A line of arrows pointing down.
    Corresponding Feature End-to-end management of email marketing Visual workflow editor Customer journey mapping Business rules engine A/B tracking

    The Portland Trail Blazers utilize an MMS to amplify their message with marketing automation technology

    CASE STUDY

    Industry: Entertainment | Source: Marketo

    Challenge

    The Portland Trail Blazers, an NBA franchise, were looking to expand their appeal beyond the city of Portland and into the greater Pacific Northwest Region.

    The team’s management group also wanted to showcase the full range of events that were hosted in the team’s multipurpose stadium.

    The Trail Blazers were looking to engage fans in a more targeted fashion than their CRM allowed for. Ultimately, they hoped to move from “batch and blast” email campaigns to an automated and targeted approach.

    Solution

    The Trail Blazers implemented an MMS that allowed it to rapidly build different types of campaigns. These campaigns could be executed across a variety of channels and target multiple demographics at various points in the fan journey.

    Contextual ads were implemented using the marketing suite’s automated customer journey mapping feature. Targeted ads were served based on a fan’s location in the journey and interactions with the Trail Blazers’ online collateral.

    Results

    The automated campaigns led to a 75% email open rate, which contributed to a 96% renewal rate for season ticket holders – a franchise record.

    Other benefits resulting from the improved conversion rate included an increased cohesion between the Trail Blazers’ marketing, analytics, and ticket sales operations.

    Use-case alignment and business need

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Marketing Intelligence

    Marketing Need Capture marketing- and customer-related data from multiple sources Analyze large quantities of marketing data Visualize marketing-related data in a manner that is easy for decision makers to consume Perform trend and predictive analysis
    A line of arrows pointing down.
    Corresponding Feature Integrate data across customer segments Analysis through machine learning Assign attributers to unstructured data Displays featuring data from external sources Create complex customer data visualizations

    Chico’s FAS uses marketing intelligence to drive customer loyalty

    CASE STUDY

    Industry: Retail | Source: SAS

    Challenge

    Women’s apparel retailer Chico’s FAS was looking to capitalize on customer data from in-store and online experiences.

    Chico’s hoped to consolidate customer data from multiple online and brick-and-mortar retail channels to get a complete view of the customer.

    Doing so would satisfy Chico’s need to create more highly segmented, cost-effective marketing campaigns

    Solution

    Chico’s selected an MMS with strong marketing intelligence, analysis, and data visualization capability.

    The MMS could consolidate and analyze customer and transactional information. The suite’s functionality enabled Chico’s marketing team to work directly with the data, without help from statisticians or IT staff.

    Results

    The approach to marketing indigence led to customers getting deals on products that were actually relevant to them, increasing sales and brand loyalty.

    Moreover, the time it took to perform data consolidation decreased dramatically, from 17 hours to two hours, allowing the process to be performed daily instead of weekly.

    Use-case alignment and business need

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Social Marketing

    Marketing Need Understand customers' likes and dislikes Manage and analyze social media channels like Facebook and Twitter Foster a conversation around specific products Engage international audiences through regional messaging apps
    A line of arrows pointing down.
    Corresponding Feature Social listening capabilities Tools for curating customer community content Ability to aggregate social data Integration with popular social networks Ability to conduct trend reporting

    Bayer leverages MMS technology to cultivate a social presence

    CASE STUDY

    Industry: Life Sciences | Source: Adobe

    Challenge

    Bayer, a Fortune 500 health and life sciences company, was looking for a new way to communicate its complex medical breakthroughs to the general public.

    The decision was made to share the science behind its products via social channels in order to generate excitement.

    Bayer needed tools to publish content across a variety of social media platforms while fostering conversations that were more focused on the science behind products.

    Solution

    Based on the requirements, Bayer decided that an MMS would be the best fit.

    After conducting a market scan, the company selected an MMS with a comprehensive social media suite.

    The suite included tools for social listening and moderation and tools to guide conversations initiated by both marketers and customers.

    Results

    The MMS provided Bayer with the toolkit to engage its audience.

    Bayer took control of the conversation about its products by serving potential customers with relevant video content on social media.

    Its social strategy coupled with advanced engagement tools resulted in new business opportunities and more than 65,000 views on YouTube and more than 87,000 Facebook views in a single month.

    Leverage Info-Tech’s requirements gathering framework to serve as the basis for capturing your MMS requirements

    An important step in selecting an MMS that will have widespread user adoption is creating archetypal customer personas. This will enable you to talk concretely about them as consumers of the application you select and allow you to build buyer scenarios around them.
    REQUIREMENTS GATHERING
    Info-Tech’s requirements gathering framework is a comprehensive approach to requirements management that can be scaled to any size of project or organization. This framework ensures that the application created will capture the needs of all stakeholders and deliver business value. Develop and right-size a proven standard operating procedure for requirements gathering with Info-Tech’s blueprint Build a Strong Approach to Business Requirements Gathering.
    Stock photo of a Jenga tower with title: Build a Strong Approach to Business Requirements Gathering
    KEY INPUTS TO MMS REQUIREMENTS GATHERING
    Requirements Gathering Methodology

    Sample of Requirements Gathering Blueprint.

    Requirements Gathering Blueprint Slide 25: Understand the best-practice framework for requirements gathering for enterprise applications projects.

    Requirements Gathering SOP

    Sample of Requirements Gathering Blueprint.

    Requirements Gathering Blueprint Activities 1.2.2-1.2.5, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 4.1.1-4.1.3, 4.2.2: Consolidate outputs to right-size a best-practice SOP for your organization.

    Project Level Selection Tool

    Sample of Requirements Gathering Blueprint.

    Requirements Gathering Blueprint Activity 1.2.4: Determine project-level selection guidelines to inform the due diligence required in your MMS requirements gathering.

    Activity: Elicit and capture your MMS requirements

    Associated Activity icon 1.3.2 Varies

    INPUT: MMS tool user expertise, MMS Requirements Picklist Tool

    OUTPUT: A list of needs from the MMS tool user perspective

    Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

    Participants: MMS users in the organization, MMS selection committee

    Instructions

    1. Identify stakeholders for the requirements gathering exercise. Consider holding one-on-one sessions or large focus groups with key stakeholders or the project sponsor to gather business requirements for an MMS.
    2. Use the MMS Requirements Picklist Tool as a starting point for conducting the requirements elicitation session(s).
    3. Begin by reading the instructions in the template and then move to the “Requirements” worksheet. Read each defined requirement in the worksheet and indicate in the “Requirement Status” column whether the requirement is a “Must,” “High,” or “Low.” Confirming the status is an important part of the exercise. The status will help filter vendors for final selection later on in the process.
    4. Decide whether additional requirements are necessary by asking the MMS tool users. If so, add the requirements to the bottom of the “Requirements” worksheet and indicate their “Requirement Status.”

    Download the MMS Requirements Picklist Tool to help with completing this activity.

    Show the measurable benefits of MMS with metrics

    The return on investment (ROI) and perceived value of the organization’s marketing solution will be a critical indication of the likelihood of success of the suite’s selection and implementation.

    EXAMPLE
    METRICS

    MMS and Technology Adoption

    Marketing Performance Metrics
    Average revenue gain per campaign Quantity and quality of marketing insights
    Average time to execute a campaign Customer acquisition rates
    Savings from automated processes Marketing cycle times
    User Adoption and Business Feedback Metrics
    User satisfaction feedback User satisfaction survey with the technology
    Business adoption rates Application overhead cost reduction

    Info-Tech Insight

    Even if marketing metrics are difficult to track right now, the implementation of an MMS brings access to valuable customer intelligence from data that was once kept in silos.

    If you want additional support, have our analysts guide you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech Workshop Associated Activity icon

    Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

    Photo of an Info-Tech analyst.
    • To accelerate this project, engage your IT team in an Info-Tech workshop with an Info-Tech analyst team.
    • Info-Tech analyst will join you and your team onsite at your location or welcome you to Info-Tech's historic Toronto office to participate in an innovative onsite workshop.
    • Contact your account manager (www.infotech.com/account), or email Workshops@InfoTech.com for more information.

    The following are sample activities that will be conducted by Info-Tech analysts with your team:

    1.2.1

    Sample of activity 1.2.1 'Understand your business' goals for MMS by parsing your formal CXM strategy'. Align the CXM strategy value proposition to MMS capabilities

    Our facilitator will help your team identify the IT CXM strategy and marketing goals. The analyst will then work with the team to map the strategy to technological drivers available in the MMS market.

    1.3.2

    Sample of activity 1.3.2 'Elicit and capture your MMS requirements'. Define the needs of MMS users

    Our facilitator will work with your team to identify user requirements for the MMS Requirements Picklist Tool. The analyst will facilitate a discussion with your team to prioritize identified requirements.

    Select a Marketing Management Suite

    PHASE 2

    Shortlist Marketing Management Suites

    Phase 2 outline

    Associated Activity icon Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 2: Shortlist Marketing Management Suites

    Proposed Time to Completion: 1-3 months
    Step 2.1: Analyze and Shortlist MMS Vendors
    Start with an analyst kick-off call:
    • Review requirements gathering findings.
    • Review the MMS market space.
    Then complete these activities…
    • Review vendor profiles and analysis.
    • Weigh the evaluation criteria’s importance in product capabilities and vendor characteristics.
    • Shortlist MMS vendors.
    With these tools & templates:
    Phase 2 Results:
    • Shortlist of MMS tools

    Phase 2 milestones

    Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements — Phase 1

    • Understand the MMS market space.
    • Assess organizational and project readiness for MMS selection.
    • Structure your MMS selection and implementation project by refining your MMS roadmap.
    • Align organizational use-case fit with market use cases.
    • Collect, prioritize, and document MMS requirements.

    Shortlist MMS Tool — Phase 2

    • Review MMS market leaders and players within your aligned use case.
    • Review MMS vendor profiles and capabilities.
    • Shortlist MMS vendors based on organizational fit.

    Select an MMS — Phase 3

    • Submit request for proposal (RFP) to shortlisted vendors.
    • Evaluate vendor responses and develop vendor demonstration scripts.
    • Score vendor demonstrations and select the final product.

    Step 2.1: Analyze and shortlist MMS vendors

    2.1

    Analyze and Shortlist MMS Vendors

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Review MMS vendor landscape.
    • Take note of relevant point solutions.
    • Shortlist vendors for the RFP process.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core project team

    Outcomes of this step

    • Understanding of Info-Tech’s use-case scenarios for MMS: marketing automation, marketing intelligence, and social marketing.
    • Familiarity with the MMS vendor landscape.
    • Shortlist of MMS vendors for RFP process.

    Familiarize yourself with the MMS market: How it got here

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Loosely Tied Together

    Originally the sales and marketing enterprise application space was highly fragmented, with disparate best-of-breed point solutions patched together. Soon after, vendors in the late 1990s started bundling automation technologies into a single suite offering. Marketing capabilities of CRM suites were minimal at best and often restricted to web and email only.

    Limited to Large Enterprises

    Many vendors started to combine all marketing tools into a single, comprehensive marketing suite, but cost and complexity limited them to large enterprises and marketing agencies.

    Best-of-breed solutions targeting new channels and new goals, like closed-loop sales and marketing, continued driving new marketing software genres, like dedicated lead management suites.

    In today’s volatile business environment, judgment built from past experience is increasingly unreliable. With consumer behaviors in flux, once-valid assumptions (e.g. ‘older consumers don’t use Facebook or send text messages’) can quickly become outdated.” (SAS Magazine)

    Info-Tech Insight

    As the market evolves, capabilities that were once cutting edge become default and new functionality becomes differentiating. Some features, like basic CRM integration, have become table stakes capabilities. Focus on advanced analytics features and omnichannel integration capabilities to get the best fit for your requirements.

    Familiarize yourself with the MMS market: Where it’s going

    Vendor Profiles icon

    AI and Machine Learning

    Vendors are beginning to offer AI capabilities across MMS for data-driven customer engagement scoring and social listening insights. Machine learning capability is being leveraged to determine optimal customer journey and suggest next steps to users.

    Marketplace Fragmentation

    The number of players in the marketing application space has grown exponentially. The majority of these new vendors offer point solutions rather than full-blown marketing suites. Fragmentation is leading to tougher choices when looking to augment an existing platform with specific functionality.

    Improving Application Integration

    MMS vendors are fostering deeper integrations between their marketing products and core CRM products, leading to improved data hygiene. At the same time, vendors are improving flexibility in the marketing suite so that new channels can be added easily.

    Greater Self-Service

    Vendors have an increased emphasis on application usability. Their goal is to enable marketers to execute campaigns without relying on specialists.

    There’s a firehose of customer data coming at marketers today, and with more interconnected devices emerging (wearables, smart watches, etc.), cultivating a seamless customer experience is likely to grow even more challenging.

    Building out a data-driven marketing strategy and technology stack that enables you to capture behaviors across channels is key.” (IBM, Ideas for Exceeding Customer Expectations)

    Review Info-Tech’s vendor profiles of the MMS market to identify vendors that meet your requirements

    Vendors & Products Evaluated

    Vendor logos including 'Adobe', 'ORACLE', and 'IBM'.

    VENDOR PROFILES

    Review the MMS Vendor Evaluation

    Large icon of a descending bar graph for vendor profiles title page.

    Table stakes are the minimum standard; without these, a product doesn’t even get reviewed

    Vendor Profiles icon

    TABLE STAKES

    Feature Table Stake Functionality
    Basic Workflow Automation Simple automation of common marketing tasks (e.g. handling inbound leads).
    Basic Channel Integration Integration with minimum two or more marketing channels (e.g. email and direct mail).
    Customizable User Interface A user interface that can be changed and optimized to users’ preferences. This includes customizable dashboards for displaying relevant marketing metrics.
    Basic Mobile UX Accessible from a mobile device in some fashion.
    Cloud Compatibility Able to offer integration within pre-existing or proprietary cloud server. Many vendors only have SaaS products.

    What does this mean?

    The products assessed in these vendor profiles meet, at the very least, the requirements outlined as table stakes.

    Many of the vendors go above and beyond the outlined table stakes; some even do so in multiple categories. This section aims to highlight the products’ capabilities in excess of the criteria listed here.

    Info-Tech Insight

    If table stakes are all you need from your MMS, determine whether your existing CRM platform already satisfies your requirements. Otherwise, dig deeper to find the best price-to-value ratio for your needs.

    Take a holistic approach to vendor and product evaluation

    Almost – or equally – as important as evaluating vendor feature capabilities is the need to evaluate vendor viability and non-functional aspects of the MMS. Include an evaluation of the following criteria in your vendor scoring methodology:

    Vendor Attribute Description
    Vendor Stability and Variability The vendor’s proven ability to execute on constant product improvement, deliberate strategic direction, and overall commitment to research and development efforts in responding to emerging trends.
    Security Model The potential to integrate the application to existing security models and the vendor's approach to handling customer data.
    Deployment Style The choice to deploy a single or multi-tenant SaaS environment via a perpetual license.
    Ease of Customization The relative ease with which a system can be customized to accommodate niche or industry-specific business or functional needs.
    Vendor Support Options The availability of vendor support options, including selection consulting, application development resources, implementation assistance, and ongoing support resources.
    Size of Partner Ecosystem The quantity of enterprise applications and third-party add-ons that can be linked to the MMS, as well as the number of system integrators available.
    Ease of Data Integration The relative ease with which the system can be integrated with an organization’s existing application environment, including legacy systems, point solutions, and other large enterprise applications.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Evaluate vendor capabilities, not just product capabilities. An MMS is typically a long-term commitment; ensure that your organization is teaming up with a vendor or provider that you feel you can work well with and depend on.

    Advanced features are the capabilities that allow for granular differentiation of market players and use-case performance

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Evaluation Methodology

    These product features were assessed as part of the classification of vendors into use cases. In determining use-case leaders and players, select features were considered based on best alignment with the use case.

    Feature Advanced Functionality
    Advanced Campaign Management End-to-end marketing campaign management: customer journey mapping, campaign initiation, monitoring, and dynamic reporting and adjustment.
    Marketing Asset Management Content repository functionality (or tight ECM integration) for marketing assets and campaign collateral (static, multimedia, e-commerce–related, etc.).
    Marketing Analytics
    • Predictive analytics; machine learning; capabilities for data ingestion and visualization across various marketing research/marketing intelligence categories (demographic, psychographic, etc.).
    • Data segmentation; drill-down ability to assign attributes to unstructured data; ability to construct complex customer/competitive data visualizations from segmented data.
    Breadth of Channel Support Ability to support and manage a wide range of marketing channels (e-commerce, SEO/SEM, paid advertising, email, traditional [print, multimedia], etc.).
    Marketing Workflow Management Visual workflow editors and business rules engine creation.

    Advanced features are the capabilities that allow for granular differentiation of market players and use-case performance

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Evaluation Methodology

    These product features were assessed as part of the classification of vendors into use cases. In determining use-case leaders and players, select features were considered based on best alignment with the use case.

    Feature Advanced Functionality
    Community Marketing Management Branded customer communities (e.g. community support forums) and DMB/DSP.
    Email Marketing Automation End-to-end management of email marketing: email templates, email previews, spam testing, A/B tracking, multivariate testing, and email metrics tracking.
    Social Marketing Ability to integrate with popular social media networks and manage social properties and to aggregate and analyze social data for trend reporting.
    Mobile Marketing Ability to manage SMS, push, and mobile application marketing.
    Marketing Operations Management Project management tools for marketers (timelines, performance indicators, budgeting/resourcing tools, etc.).

    Use the information in the MMS vendor profiles to streamline your vendor analysis process

    Vendor Profiles icon This section includes profiles of the vendors evaluated against the previously outlined framework.
    Review the use-case scenarios relevant to your organization’s use case to identify a vendor’s fit to your organization’s MMS needs.
    • L = Use-case leader
    • P = Use-case player
    Three column headers: 'Marketing Automation', 'Marketing Intelligence', and 'Social Media Marketing'.
    Understand your organization’s size and whether it falls within the product’s market focus.
    • Large enterprise: 2,000+ employees and revenue of $250M+
    • Small-medium enterprise: 30-2,000 employees and revenue of $25M-$250M
    Column header 'MARKET FOCUS' with row headers 'Small-Medium' and 'Large Enterprise'.
    Review the differentiating features to identify where the application performs best. A list of features.
    Colors signify a feature’s performance. A key for color-coding: Blue - 'Best of Breed', Green - 'Present: Competitive Strength', Yellow-Green - 'Present: Competitive Parity', Yellow - 'Semi-Present', Grey - 'Absent'.

    Adobe Marketing Cloud

    Vendor Profiles icon
    Logo for Adobe. FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Creative Cloud Integration: To make for a more seamless cross-product experience, projects can be sent between Marketing Cloud and Creative Cloud apps such as Photoshop and After Effects.

    Sensei: Adobe has revamped its machine learning and AI platform in an effort to integrate AI into all of its marketing applications. Sensei includes data from Microsoft in a new partnership program.

    Anomaly Detection: Adobe’s Anomaly Detection contextualizes data and provides a statistical method to determine how a given metric has changed in relation to previous metrics.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    L

    L

    P

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    Adobe’s goal with Marketing Cloud is to help businesses provide customers with cohesive, seamless experiences by surfacing customer profiles in relevant situations quickly. Adobe Marketing Cloud has traditionally been used in the B2C space but has seen an increase in B2C use cases driven by the finance and technology sectors. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for Adobe.
    Employees (2018): 17,000 Presence: Global Founded: 1982 NASDAQ: ADBE

    HubSpot

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for Hubspot.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Content Optimization System (COS): The fully integrated system stores assets and serves them to their designated channels at relevant times. The COS is integrated into HubSpot's marketing platform.

    Email Automation: HubSpot provides basic email that can be linked to a specific part of an organization’s marketing funnel. These emails can also be added to pre-existing automated workflows.

    Email Deliverability Tool: HubSpot identifies HTML or content that will be flagged by spam filters. It also validates links and minimizes email load times.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    P

    P

    P

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    Hubspot’s primary focus has been on email marketing campaigns. It has put effort into developing solid “click not code” email marketing capabilities. Also, Hubspot has an official integration with Salesforce for expanded operations management and analytics capabilities. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for Hubspot.
    Employees (2018): 1,400 Presence: Global Founded: 2006 NYSE: HUBS

    IBM Marketing Cloud

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for IBM.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Watson: IBM is leveraging its popular Watson AI brand to generate marketing insights for automated campaigns.

    Weather Effects: Set campaign rules based on connections between weather conditions and customer behavior relative to zip code made by Watson.

    Real-Time Personalization: IBM has made efforts to remove campaign interaction latency and optimize live customer engagement by acting on information about what customers are doing in the current moment.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    L

    L

    P

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    IBM has remained ahead of the curve by incorporating its well-known AI technology throughout Marketing Cloud. The application’s integration with the wide array of IBM products makes it a powerful tool for users already in the IBM ecosystem. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for IBM.
    Employees (2018): 380,000 Presence: Global Founded: 1911 NYSE: IBM

    Marketo

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for Marketo.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Content AI: Marketo has leveraged its investments in machine learning to intelligently fetch marketing assets and serve them to customers based on their interactions with a campaign.

    Email A/B Testing: To improve lead generation from email campaigns, Marketo features the ability to execute A/B testing for customized campaigns.

    Partnership with Google: Marketo is now hosted on Google’s cloud platform, enabling it to provide support for larger enterprise clients and improve GDPR compliance.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    P

    P

    P

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    Marketo has strong capabilities for lead management but has recently bolstered its analytics capabilities. Marketo is hoping to capture some of the analytics application market share by offering tools with varying complexity and to cater to firms with a wide range of analytics needs. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for Marketo.
    Employees (2018): 1,000 Presence: Global Founded: 2006 Private Corporation

    Oracle Marketing Cloud

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for Oracle.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Data Visualization: To make for a more seamless cross-product experience, marketing projects can be sent between Marketing Cloud and Creative Cloud apps such as Dreamweaver.

    ID Graph: Use ID Graph to unite disparate data sources to form a singular profile of leads, making the personalization and contextualization of campaigns more efficient.

    Interest-Based Messaging: Pause a campaign to update a segment or content based on aggregated customer activity and interaction data.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    P

    P

    P

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    Oracle Marketing Cloud is known for its balance between campaigns and analytics products. Oracle has taken the lead on expanding its marketing channel mix to include international options such as WeChat. Users already using Oracle’s CRM/CEM products will derive the most value from Marketing Cloud. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for Oracle.
    Employees (2018): 138,000 Presence: Global Founded: 1977 NYSE: ORCL

    Salesforce Marketing Cloud

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for Salesforce Marketing Cloud.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Einstein: Salesforce is putting effort into integrating AI into all of its applications. The Einstein AI platform provides marketers with predictive analytics and insights into customer behavior.

    Mobile Studio: Salesforce has a robust mobile marketing offering that encompasses SMS/MMS, in-app engagement, and group messaging platforms.

    Journey Builder: Salesforce created Journey Builder, which is a workflow automation tool. Its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to automate responses to customer actions.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    L

    P

    L

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    Salesforce Marketing Cloud is primarily used by organizations in the B2C space. It has strong Sales Cloud CRM integration. Pardot is positioning itself as a tool for sales teams in addition to marketers. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
    Employees (2018): 1,800 Presence: Global Founded: 2000 NYSE: CRM

    Salesforce Pardot

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for Salesforce Pardot.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Engagement Studio: Salesforce is putting marketing capabilities in the hands of sales reps by giving them access to a team email engagement platform.

    Einstein: Salesforce’s Einstein AI platform helps marketers and sales reps identify the right accounts to target with predictive lead scoring.

    Program Steps: Salesforce developed a distinct own workflow building tool for Pardot. Workflows are made of “Program Steps” that have the functionality to initiate campaigns based on insights from Einstein.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    P

    P

    -

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    Pardot is Salesforce’s B2B marketing solution. Pardot has focused on developing tools that enable sales teams and marketers to work in lockstep in order to achieve lead-generation goals. Pardot has deep integration with Salesforce’s CRM and customer service management products. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for Salesforce Pardot.
    Employees (2018): 1,800 Presence: Global Founded: 2000 NYSE: CRM

    SAP Hybris Marketing

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for SAP.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    CMO Dashboard: The specialized dashboard is aimed at providing overviews for the executive level. It includes the ability to coordinate marketing activities and project budgets, KPIs, and timelines.

    Loyalty Management: SAP features in-app tools to manage campaigns specifically geared toward customer loyalty with digital coupons and iBeacons.

    Customer Segmentation: SAP’s predictive capabilities dynamically suggest relevant customer profiles for new campaigns.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    P

    L

    P

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    SAP Hybris Marketing Cloud optimizes marketing strategies in real time with accurate attribution and measurements. SAP’s operations management capabilities are robust, including the ability to view consolidated data streams from ongoing marketing plans, performance targets, and budgets. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for SAP.
    Employees (2018): 84,000 Presence: Global Founded: 1972 NYSE: SAP

    SAS Marketing Intelligence

    Vendor Profiles icon

    Logo for SAS.FUNCTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

    Activity Map: A user-friendly workflow builder that can be used to execute campaigns. Multiple activities can be simultaneously A/B tested within the Activity Map UI. The outcome of the test can automatically adjust the workflow.

    Spots: A native digital asset manager that can store property that is part of existing and future campaigns.

    Viya: A framework for fully integrating third-party data sources into SAS Marketing Intelligence. Viya assists with pairing on-premises databases with a cloud platform for use with the SAS suite.

    USE-CASE PERFORMANCE
    Marketing
    Automation
    Marketing
    Intelligence
    Social
    Marketing

    P

    L

    MARKET FOCUS
    Small-Medium
    Large Enterprise
    SAS has been a leading BI and analytics provider for more than 35 years. Rooted in statistical analysis of data, SAS products provide forward-looking strategic insights. Organizations that require extensive customer intelligence capabilities and the ability to “slice and dice” segments should have SAS on their shortlist. FEATURES
    Color-coded ranking of each feature for SAS.
    Employees (2018): 14,000 Presence: Global Founded: 1976 Private Corporation

    Consider alternative MMS vendors not included in Info-Tech’s vendor profiles

    Info-Tech evaluated only a portion of vendors in the MMS market. In order for a vendor to be included in this landscape, the company needed to meet three baseline criteria:
    1. Our clients must be talking about the solution.
    2. Our analysts must believe the solution will play well within the evaluation.
    3. The vendor must meet table stakes criteria.
    Below is a list of notable vendors in the space that did not meet all of Info-Tech’s inclusion requirements.

    Additional vendors in the MMS market:

    Logo for act-on. Logo for SharpSpring.

    See the next slides for suggested point solutions.

    Leverage Info-Tech’s WXM and SMMP vendor landscapes to select platforms that fit with your CXM strategy

    Web experience management (WXM) and social media management platforms (SMMP) act in concert with your MMS to execute complex campaigns.

    Social Media Management

    Info-Tech’s SMMP selection guide enables you to find a solution that satisfies your objectives across marketing, sales, public relations, HR, and customer service. Create a unified framework for driving successful implementation and adoption of your SMMP that fully addresses CRM and marketing automation integration, end-user adoption, and social analytics with Info-Tech’s blueprint Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform.

    Stock image with the title Select and Implement a Social Media Management Platform.
    Web Experience Management

    Info-Tech’s approach to WXM ensures you have the right suite of tools for web content management, experience design, and web analytics. Put your best foot forward by conducting due diligence as the selection project advances. Ensure that your organization will see quick results with Info-Tech’s blueprint Select and Implement a Web Experience Management Solution.

    Stock image with the title Select and Implement a Web Experience Management Solution.

    POINT SOLUTION PROFILES

    Review this cursory list of point solutions by use case

    Consider point solutions if a full suite is not required

    Large icon of a target for point solution profiles title page.

    Consider point solutions if a full suite is not required

    Email Marketing

    Logos of companies for Email Marketing including MailChimp and emma.

    Consider point solutions if a full suite is not required

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

    Logos of companies for Search Engine Optimization including SpyFu and SerpStat.

    Consider point solutions if a full suite is not required

    Demand-Side Platform (DSP)

    Logos of companies for Demand-Side Platform including MediaMath and rocketfuel.

    Consider point solutions if a full suite is not required

    Customer Portal Software

    Logos of companies for Customer Portal Software including LifeRay and lithium.

    Select a Marketing Management Suite

    PHASE 3

    Select Vendor and Communicate Decision to Stakeholders

    Phase 3 outline

    Associated Activity icon Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

    Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

    Guided Implementation 3: Plan Your MMS Implementation

    Proposed Time to Completion: 2 weeks
    Step 3.1: Select Your MMS Step 3.2: Communicate the Decision to Stakeholders
    Start with an analyst kick-off call:
    • Review the MMS shortlist.
    • Discuss how to link RFP questions and demo script scenarios to gathered requirements.
    Review findings with analyst:
    • Review the alignment between MMS capability and the business’ CXM strategy.
    • Discuss how to present the decision to stakeholders.
    Then complete these activities…
    • Build a vendor response template.
    • Evaluate RFP responses from vendors.
    • Build demo scripts and set up product demonstrations.
    • Establish evaluation criteria.
    • Select MMS product and vendor.
    Then complete these activities…
    • Present decision rationale to stakeholders.
    With these tools & templates:
    • MMS Request for Proposal Template
    • MMS Vendor Demo Script
    With these tools & templates:
    • MMS Selection Executive Presentation Template
    Phase 3 Results
    • Select an MMS that meets requirements and is approved by stakeholders.

    Phase 3 milestones

    Launch the MMS Project and Collect Requirements — Phase 1

    • Understand the MMS market space.
    • Assess organizational and project readiness for MMS selection.
    • Structure your MMS selection and implementation project by refining your MMS roadmap.
    • Align organizational use-case fit with market use cases.
    • Collect, prioritize, and document MMS requirements.

    Shortlist MMS Tool — Phase 2

    • Review MMS market leaders and players within your aligned use case.
    • Review MMS vendor profiles and capabilities.
    • Shortlist MMS vendors based on organizational fit.

    Select an MMS — Phase 3

    • Submit request for proposal (RFP) to shortlisted vendors.
    • Evaluate vendor responses and develop vendor demonstration scripts.
    • Score vendor demonstrations and select the final product.

    Step 2.1: Analyze and shortlist MMS vendors

    3.1

    3.2

    Select Your MMS Communicate Decision to Stakeholders

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Build a response template to standardize potential vendor responses and streamline your evaluation process.
    • Evaluate the RFPs you receive with a clear scoring process and evaluation framework.
    • Build a demo script to evaluate product demonstrations by vendors.
    • Select your solution.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core project team
    • Procurement SMEs
    • Project sponsor

    Outcomes of this step

    • Completed MMS RFP vendor response template
    • Completed MMS demo script(s)
    • Established product and vendor evaluation criteria
    • Final MMS selection

    Activity: Shortlist vendors for the RFP process

    Associated Activity icon 3.1.1 30 minutes

    INPUT: Organizational use-case fit

    OUTPUT: MMS vendor shortlist

    Materials: Info-Tech’s MMS use cases, Info-Tech’s vendor profiles, Whiteboard, markers

    Participants: Core project team

    Instructions

    1. Collectively with the core project team, determine any knock-out criteria for shortlisting MMS vendors. For example, if your team is executing on a strategy that favors mobile deployment, vendors who do not have a mobile offering may be off the table.
    2. Based on the results in Activity 1.3.2, write a longlist of vendors. In most cases, this list will consist of all the vendors that fall into your organization’s use-case scenario. If your organization fits into more than one use case (e.g. your organization has both product-centric and service-centric MMS needs), look for the overlap of vendors between the use cases.
    3. Review the profiles of the vendors that fall into your use-case scenario. Based on your knock-out criteria established in Step 1, eliminate any vendors as applicable.
    4. Finalize and record your shortlist of MMS vendors.

    Use Info-Tech’s MMS Request for Proposal Template to document and communicate your requirements to vendors

    Supporting Tool icon 3.1.2 MMS Request for Proposal Template

    Use the MMS Request for Proposal Template as a step-by-step guide on how to request interested vendors to submit written proposals that meet your set of requirements.

    If interested in bidding for your project, vendors will respond with a description of the techniques they would employ to address your organizational challenges and meet your requirements, along with a plan of work and detailed budget for the project.

    The RFP is an important piece of setting and aligning your expectations with the vendors’ product offerings. Make sure to address the following elements in the RFP:

    Sections of the Tool:

    1. Statement of work
    2. General information
    3. Proposal preparation instructions
    4. Scope of work, specifications, and requirements
    5. Vendor qualifications and references
    6. Budget and estimated pricing
    7. Additional terms and conditions
    8. Vendor certification

    INFO-TECH DELIVERABLE

    Sample of Info-Tech's MMS Request Proposal Template.

    Complete the MMS Request for Proposal Template by following the instructions in Activity 3.1.3.

    Activity: Create an RFP to submit to MMS vendors

    Associated Activity icon 3.1.3 1-2 hours

    INPUT: Business requirements document, Procurement procedures

    OUTPUT: MMS RFP

    Materials: Internal RFP tools or templates (if available), Info-Tech’s MMS Request for Proposal Template (optional)

    Participants: Procurement SMEs, Project manager, Core project team (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Download Info-Tech’s MMS Request for Proposal Template or prepare internal best-practice RFP tools.
    2. Build your RFP:
      1. Complete the statement of work and general information sections to provide organizational context to your longlisted vendors.
      2. Outline the organization’s procurement instructions for vendors, including due diligence, assessment criteria, and dates.
      3. Input the business requirements document as created in Activity 1.3.2.
      4. Create a scenario overview to provide vendors with an opportunity to give an estimate price.
    3. Obtain approval for your RFP. Each organization has a unique procurement process; follow your own organization’s process as you submit your RFPs to vendors. Ensure compliance with your organization’s standards and gain approval for submitting your RFP.

    Establish vendor evaluation criteria

    Vendor demonstrations are an integral part of the selection process. Having clearly defined selection criteria will help with setting up relevant demos as well as inform the vendor scorecards.

    EXAMPLE EVALUATION CRITERIAPie chart indicating the weight of each 'Vendor Evaluation Criteria': 'Functionality, 30%', 'Ease of Use, 25%', 'Cost, 15%', 'Vendor, 15%', and 'Technology, 15%'.
    Functionality (30%)
    • Breadth of capability
    • Tactical capability
    • Operational capability
    Ease of Use (25%)
    • End-user usability
    • Administrative usability
    • UI attractiveness
    • Self-service options
    Cost (15%)
    • Maintenance
    • Support
    • Licensing
    • Implementation (internal and external costs)
    Vendor (15%)
    • Support model
    • Customer base
    • Sustainability
    • Product roadmap
    • Proof of concept
    • Implementation model
    Technology (15%)
    • Configurability options
    • Customization requirements
    • Deployment options
    • Security and authentication
    • Integration environment
    • Ubiquity of access (mobile)

    Info-Tech Insight

    Base your vendor evaluations not on the capabilities of the solutions but instead on how the solutions align with your organization’s process automation requirements and considerations.

    Vendor demonstrations

    Examine how the vendor’s solution performs against your evaluation framework.

    What is the value of a vendor demonstration?

    Vendor demonstrations create a valuable opportunity for your organization to confirm that the vendor’s claims in the RFP are actually true.

    A display of the vendor’s functional capabilities and its execution of the scenarios given in your demo script will help to support your assessment of whether a vendor aligns with your MMS requirements.

    What should be included in a vendor demonstration?

    1. Vendor’s display of its solution for the scenarios provided in the demo script.
    2. Display of functional capabilities of the tool.
    3. Briefing on integration capabilities.

    Activity: Invite top performing vendors for product demonstrations

    Associated Activity icon 3.1.4 1-2 hours

    INPUT: Business requirements document, Logistical considerations, Usage scenarios by functional area

    OUTPUT: MMS demo script

    Materials: Info-Tech’s MMS Vendor Demo Script

    Participants: Procurement SMEs, Core project team

    Instructions

    1. Have your evaluation team (selected at the onset of the project) present to evaluate each vendor’s presentation. In some cases you may choose to bring in a subject matter expert (SME) to evaluate a specific area of the tool.
    2. Outline the logistics of the demonstration in the Introduction section of the template. Be sure to outline the total length of the demo and the amount of time that should be dedicated to the following:
      • Product demonstration in response to the demo script
      • Showcase of unique product elements, not reflective of the demo script
      • Question and answer session
      • Breaks and other potential interruptions
    3. Provide prompts for the vendor to display the capabilities by listing and describing usage scenarios by functional area. For example, when asking a vendor to demo financial and accounting management capabilities, you may break scenarios out by task (e.g. general ledger, accounts payable) or user role (e.g. finance manager, administrator).

    Info-Tech Insight

    Challenge vendor project teams during product demonstrations. Asking the vendor to make adjustments or customizations on the fly will allow you to get an authentic feel of product capability and flexibility, as well as of the degree of adaptability of the vendor project team. Ask the vendor to demonstrate how to do things not listed in your user scenarios, such as change system visualizations or design, change underlying data, add additional datasets, demonstrate analytics capabilities, or channel specific automation.

    Use Info-Tech’s MMS Vendor Demo Script template to set expectations for vendor product demonstration

    Vendor Profiles icon MMS Vendor Demo Script

    Customize and use Info-Tech’s MMS Vendor Demo Script to help identify how a vendor’s solution will fit your organization’s particular business capability needs.

    This tool assists with outlining logistical considerations for the demo itself and the scenarios with which the vendors should script their demonstration.

    Sections of the Tool:

    1. Introduction
    2. Demo scenarios by functional area

    Info-Tech Best Practice

    Avoid providing vendors with a rigid script for product demonstration; instead, provide user scenarios. Part of the value of a vendor demonstration is the opportunity to assess whether or not the vendor project team has a solid understanding of your organization’s MMS challenges and requirements and can work with your team to determine the best solution possible. A rigid script may result in your inability to assess whether the vendor will adjust for and scale with your project and organization as a technology partner.

    INFO-TECH DELIVERABLE

    Sample of Info-Tech's MMS Vendor Demo Script.

    Use the MMS Vendor Demo Script by following the instructions in Activity 3.1.4.

    Leverage Info-Tech’s vendor selection and negotiation models as the basis for a streamlined MMS selection process

    Design a procurement process that is robust, ruthless, and reasonable. Rooting out bias during negotiation is vital to making unbiased vendor selections.

    Vendor Selection

    Info-Tech’s approach to vendor selection gets you to design a procurement process that is robust, ruthless, and reasonable. This approach enables you to take control of vendor communications. Implement formal processes with an engaged team to achieve the right price, the right functionality, and the right fit for the organization with Info-Tech's blueprint Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process.

    Stock image with the title Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process.
    Vendor Negotiation

    Info-Tech’s SaaS negotiation strategy focuses on taking control of implementation from the beginning. The strategy allows you to work with your internal stakeholders to make sure they do not team up with the vendor instead of you. Reach an agreement with your vendor that takes into account both parties’ best interests with Info-Tech’s blueprint Negotiate SaaS Agreements That Are Built to Last.

    Stock image with the title Negotiate SaaS Agreements That Are Built to Last.

    Step 3.2: Communicate decision to stakeholders

    3.1

    3.2

    Select Your MMS Communicate Decision to Stakeholders

    This step will walk you through the following activities:

    • Collect project rationale documentation.
    • Create a presentation to communicate your selection decision to stakeholders.

    This step involves the following participants:

    • Core project team
    • Procurement SMEs
    • Project sponsor
    • Business stakeholders
    • Relevant management

    Outcomes of this step

    • Completed MMS Selection Executive Presentation Template
    • Affirmation of MMS selection by stakeholders

    Inform internal stakeholders of the final decision

    Ensure traceability from the selected tool to the needs identified in the first phase. Internal stakeholders must understand the reasoning behind the final selection and see the alignment to their defined requirements and needs.

    Document the selection process to show how the selected tool aligns to stakeholder needs:

    A large arrow labelled 'Application Benefits', underlaid beneath two smaller arrows labelled 'MMS stakeholder needs' and 'MMS technology needs', all pointing to the right.

    Documentation will assist with:

    1. Adopting the selected MMS.
    2. Demonstrating that proper due diligence was performed during the selection process.
    3. Providing direct traceability between the selected applications and internal stakeholder needs.

    Activity: Prepare a presentation deck to communicate the selection process and decision to internal stakeholders

    Associated Activity icon 3.2.1 1 week

    INPUT: MMS tool selection committee expertise

    OUTPUT: Decision to invest or not invest in an MMS tool

    Materials: Note-taking materials, Whiteboard or flip chart, markers

    Participants: MMS tool selection committee

    Instructions

    1. Download Info-Tech’s MMS Selection Executive Presentation Template.
    2. Read the instructions on slide 2 of the template. Then, on slide 3, decide if any portion of the selection process should be removed from the communication. Discuss with the team and make adjustments to slide 3 as necessary.
    3. Work with the MMS selection committee to populate the slides that remain after the adjustments. Follow the instructions on each slide to help complete the content.
    4. Refer to the square brackets on each slide (e.g. [X.X]) to identify the activity numbers in this storyboard that correspond to the slide in the MMS Selection Executive Presentation Template. Use the outputs produced from the corresponding activities in this deck and populate each slide in the MMS Selection Executive Presentation Template.
    5. Use the completed template to present to internal stakeholders.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Documenting the process of how the selection decision was made will avoid major headaches down the road. Without a documented process, internal stakeholders and even vendors can challenge and discredit the selection process.

    Vendor participation

    Vendors Who Briefed with Info-Tech Research Group

    Logos of vendors who participated in this blueprint: Salesforce Pardot, SAS, Adobe, Marketo, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

    Professionals Who Contributed to Our Evaluation and Research

    • Sara Camden, Digital Change Agent, Equifax
    • Caren Carrasco, Lifecycle Marketing and Automation, Benjamin David Group
    • 10 anonymous contributors participated in the vendor briefings

    Works cited

    Adobe Systems Incorporated. “Bayer builds understanding, socially.” Adobe.com, 2017. Web.

    IBM Corporation, “10 Key Marketing Trends for 2017.” IBM.com, 2017. Web.

    Marketo, Inc. “The Definitive Guide to Marketing Automation.” Marketo.com, 2013. Web.

    Marketo, Inc. “NBA franchise amplifies its message with help from Marketo’s marketing automation technology.” Marketo.com, 2017. Web.

    Salesforce Pardot. “Marketing Automation & Your CRM: The Dynamic Duo.” Pardot.com, 2017. Web.

    SAS Institute Inc. “Marketing Analytics: How, why and what’s next.” SAS Magazine, 2013. Web.

    SAS Institute Inc. “Give shoppers offers they’ll love.” SAS.com, 2017. Web.

    Endpoint Management Selection Guide

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}65|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: N/A
    • member rating average dollars saved: N/A
    • member rating average days saved: N/A
    • Parent Category Name: End-User Computing Applications
    • Parent Category Link: /end-user-computing-applications

    Endpoint management solutions are becoming an essential solution: Deploying the right devices and applications to the right user and the need for zero-touch provisioning are indispensable parts of a holistic strategy for improving customer experience. However, selecting the right-sized platform that aligns with your requirements is a big challenge.

    Following improvements in end-user computation strategies, selection of the right endpoint management solution is a crucial next step in delivering a concrete business value.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    Investigate vendors’ roadmaps to figure out which of the candidate platforms can fulfill your long-term requirements, without any unnecessary investment in features that are not currently useful for you. Make sure you don’t purchase capabilities that you will never use.

    Impact and Result

    • Determine what you require from an endpoint management solution.
    • Review the market space and product offerings, and compare capabilities of key players.
    • Create a use case and use top-level requirements to determine use cases and shortlist vendors.
    • Conduct a formal process for interviewing vendors using Info-Tech’s templates to select the best platform for your requirements.

    Endpoint Management Selection Guide Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Endpoint Management Selection Guide Storyboard – A structured guide to walk you through the endpoint management market.

    This storyboard will help you understand endpoint management solution core capabilities and prepare you to select an appropriate tool.

    • Endpoint Management Selection Guide Storyboard

    2. UEM Requirements Workbook – A template to help you build your first draft of requirements for UEM selection.

    Use this spreadsheet to brainstorm use cases and features to satisfy your requirements. This document will be help you score solutions and narrow down the field to a list of candidates who can meet your requirements.

    • UEM Requirements Workbook
    [infographic]

    Further reading

    Endpoint Management Selection Guide

    Streamline your organizational approach to selecting a right-sized endpoint management platform.

    Endpoint Management Selection Guide

    Streamline your organizational approach toward the selection of a right-sized endpoint management platform.

    EXECUTIVE BRIEF

    Analyst Perspective

    Revolutionize your endpoint management with a proper tool selection approach

    The endpoint management market has an ever-expanding and highly competitive landscape. The market has undergone tremendous evolution in past years, from device management to application deployments and security management. The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations to service employees and end users remotely while making sure corporate data is safe and user satisfaction doesn't get negatively affected. In the meantime, vendors were forced to leverage technology enhancements to satisfy such requirements.

    That being said, endpoint management solutions have become more complex, with many options to manage operating systems and run applications for relevant user groups. With the work-from-anywhere model, customer support is even more important than before, as a remote workforce may face more issues than before, or enterprises may want to ensure more compliance with policies.

    Moreover, the market has become more complex, with lots of added capabilities. Some features may not be beneficial to corporations, and with a poor market validation, businesses may end up paying for some capabilities that are not useful.

    In this blueprint, we help you quickly define your requirements for endpoint management and narrow down a list to find the solutions that fulfill your use cases.

    An image of Mahmoud Ramin, PhD

    Mahmoud Ramin, PhD
    Senior Research Analyst, Infrastructure and Operations
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    Endpoint management solutions are becoming increasingly essential – deploying the right devices and applications to the right users and zero-touch provisioning are indispensable parts of a holistic strategy for improving customers' experience. However, selecting the right-sized platform that aligns with your requirements is a big challenge.

    Following improvements in end-user computation strategies, selection of the right endpoint management solution is a crucial next step in delivering concrete business value.

    Common Obstacles

    Despite the importance of selecting the right endpoint management platform, many organizations struggle to define an approach to picking the most appropriate vendor and rolling out the solution in an effective and cost-efficient manner. There are many options available, which can cause business and IT leaders to feel lost.

    The endpoint management market is evolving quickly, making the selection process tedious. On top of that, IT has a hard time defining their needs and aligning solution features with their requirements.

    Info-Tech's Approach

    Determine what you require from an endpoint management solution.

    Review the market space and product offerings, and compare the capabilities of key players.

    Create a use case – use top-level requirements to determine use cases and short-list vendors.

    Conduct a formal process for interviewing vendors, using Info-Tech's templates to select the best platform for your requirements.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Investigate vendors' roadmaps to figure out which of the candidate platforms can fulfill your long-term requirements without any unnecessary investment in features that are not currently useful for you. Make sure you don't purchase capabilities that you will never use.

    What are endpoint management platforms?

    Our definition: Endpoint management solutions are platforms that enable IT with appropriate provisioning, security, monitoring, and updating endpoints to ensure that they are in good health. Typical examples of endpoints are laptops, computers, wearable devices, tablets, smart phones, servers, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

    First, understand differences between mobile management solutions

    • Endpoint management solutions monitor and control the status of endpoints. They help IT manage and control their environment and provide top-notch customer service.
    • These solutions ensure a seamless and efficient problem management, software updates and remediations in a secure environment.
    • Endpoint management solutions have evolved very quickly to satisfy IT and user needs:
    • Mobile Device Management (MDM) helps with controlling features of a device.
    • Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) controls everything in a device.
    • Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) manages all endpoints.

    Endpoint management includes:

    • Device management
    • Device configuration
    • Device monitoring
    • Device security

    Info-Tech Insight

    As endpoint management encompasses a broad range of solution categories including MDM, EMM, and UEM, look for your real requirements. Don't pay for something that you won't end up using.

    As UEM covers all of MDM and EMM capabilities, we overview market trends of UEM in this blueprint to give you an overall view of market in this space.

    Your challenge: Endpoint management has evolved significantly over the past few years, which makes software selection overwhelming

    An mage showing endpoint management visualzed as positions on an iceberg. at the top is UEM, at the midpoint above the waterline is Enterprise Mobile Management, and below the water is Mobile Device Management.

    Additional challenges occur in securing endpoints

    A rise in the number of attacks on cloud services creates a need to leverage endpoint management solutions

    MarketsandMarkets predicted that global cloud infrastructure services would increase from US$73 billion in 2019 to US$166.6 billion in 2024 (2019).

    A study by the Ponemon Institute showed that 68% of respondents believe that security attacks increased over the past 12 months (2020).

    The study reveals that over half of IT security professionals who participated in the survey believe that organizations are not very efficient in securing their endpoints, mainly because they're not efficient in detecting attacks.

    IT professionals would like to link endpoint management and security platforms to unify visibility and control, to determine potential risks to endpoints, and to manage them in a single solution.

    Businesses will continue to be compromised by the vulnerabilities of cloud services, which pose a challenge to organizations trying to maintain control of their data.

    Trends in endpoint management have been undergoing a tremendous change

    In 2020, about 5.2 million users subscribed to mobile services, and smartphones accounted for 65% of connections. This will increase to 80% by 2025.
    Source: Fortune Business Insights, 2021

    Info-Tech's methodology for selecting a right-sized endpoint management platform

    1. Understand Core Features and Build Your Use Case

    2. Discover the Endpoint Management Market Space and Select the Right Vendor

    Phase Steps

    1. Define endpoint management platforms
    2. Explore endpoint management trends
    3. Classify table stakes & differentiating capabilities
    4. Streamline the requirements elicitation process for a new endpoint management platform
    1. Discover key players across the vendor landscape
    2. Engage the shortlist and select finalists
    3. Prepare for implementation

    Phase Outcomes

    1. Consensus on scope of endpoint management and key endpoint management platform capabilities
    2. Top-level use cases and requirements
    1. Overview of shortlisted vendors
    2. Prioritized list of UEM features

    Guided Implementation

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    Phase 1 Phase 2

    Call #1: Understand what an endpoint management platform is and learn how it evolved. Discuss core capabilities and key trends.
    Call #2: Build a use case and define features to fulfill the use case.

    Call #3: Define your core endpoint management platform requirements.
    Call #4: Evaluate the endpoint management platform vendor landscape and shortlist viable options.
    Review implementation considerations.

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    The endpoint management purchase process should be broken into segments:

    1. Endpoint management vendor shortlisting with this buyer's guide
    2. Structured approach to selection
    3. Contract review

    Info-Tech's approach

    The Info-Tech difference:
    Analyze needs

    Evaluate solutions

    Determine where you need to improve the tools and processes used to support the company.

    Determine the best fit for your needs by scoring against features.

    Assess existing solution

    Features

    Determine if your solution can be upgraded or easily updated to meet your needs.

    Determine which features will be key to your success

    Create a business case for change

    Use Cases

    A two-part business case will focus on a need to change and use cases and requirements to bring stakeholders onboard.

    Create use cases to ensure your needs are met as you evaluate features

    Improve existing

    High-Level Requirements

    Work with Info-Tech's analysts to determine next steps to improve your process and make better use of the features you have available.

    Use the high-level requirements to determine use cases and shortlist vendors

    Complementary research:

    Create a quick business case and requirements document to align stakeholders to your vision with Info-Tech's Rapid Application Selection Framework.
    See what your peers are saying about these vendors at SoftwareReviews.com.

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    “Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

    Guided Implementation

    “Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

    Workshop

    “We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

    Consulting

    “Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Phase 1

    Understand core features and build your business case

    Phase 1

    Phase 2

    Define endpoint management platforms

    Explore endpoint management trends

    Classify table stakes & differentiating capabilities

    Streamline the requirements elicitation process for a new endpoint management platform

    Discover key players across the vendor landscape

    Engage the shortlist and select finalist

    Prepare for implementation

    This phase will walk you through the following activity:

    Define use cases and core features for meeting business and technical goals

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • IT manager
    • Infrastructure & Applications directors
    Mobile Device Management

    Enterprise Mobile Management

    MDM applies security over corporate-owned devices.

    What is MDM and what can you do with it?

    1. MDM helps manage and control corporate owned devices.
    2. You can enforce company policies, track, monitor, and lock device remotely by an MDM.
    3. MDM helps with remote wiping of the device when it is lost or stolen.
    4. You can avoid unsecure Wi-Fi connections via MDM.

    EMM solutions solve the restrictions arose with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and COPE (Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled) provisioning models.

    • IT needs to secure corporate-owned data without compromising personal and private data. MDM cannot fulfill this requirement. This led to the development of EMM solutions.
    • EMM tools allow you to manage multiple device platforms through MDM protocols. These tools enforce security settings, allow you to push apps to managed devices, and monitor patch compliance through reporting.

    MDM solutions function at the level of corporate devices. Something else was needed to enable personal device management.

    Major components of EMM solutions

    Mobile Application Management (MAM)

    Allows organizations to control individual applications and their associated data. It restricts malicious apps and enables in-depth application management, configuration, and removal.

    Containerization

    Enables separation of work-related data from private data. It provides encrypted containers on personal devices to separate the data, providing security on personal devices while maintaining users' personal data.

    Mobile Content Management (MCM)

    Helps remote distribution, control, management, and access to corporate data.

    Mobile Security Management (MSM)

    Provides application and data security on devices. It enables application analysis and auditing. IT can use MSM to provide strong passwords to applications, restrict unwanted applications, and protect devices from unsecure websites by blacklisting them.

    Mobile Expense Management (MEM)

    Enables mobile data communication expenses auditing. It can also set data limits and restrict network connections on devices.

    Identity Management

    Sets role-based access to corporate data. It also controls how different roles can use data, improving application and data security. Multifactor authentication can be enforced through the identity management featured of an EMM solution.

    Unified endpoint management: Control all endpoints in a single pane of glass

    IT admins used to provide customer service such as installation, upgrades, patches, and account administration via desktop support. IT support is not on physical assistance over end users' desktops anymore.

    The rise of BYOD enhanced the need to be able to control sensitive data outside corporate network connection on all endpoints, which was beyond the capability of MDM and EMM solutions.

    • It's now almost impossible for IT to be everywhere to support customers.
    • This created a need to conduct tasks simultaneously from one single place.
    • UEM enables IT to run, manage, and control endpoints from one place, while ensuring that device health and security remain uncompromised.
    • UEM combines features of MDM and EMM while extending EMM's capabilities to all endpoints, including computers, laptops, tablets, phones, printers, wearables, and IoT.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Organizations once needed to worry about company connectivity assets such as computers and laptops. To manage them, traditional client management tools like Microsoft Configuration Manager would be enough.

    With the increase in the work-from-anywhere model, it is very hard to control, manage, and monitor devices that are not connected to a VPN. UEM solutions enable IT to tackle this challenge and have full visibility into and management of any device.

    UEM platforms help with saving costs and increasing efficiency

    UEM helps corporates save on their investments as it consolidates use-case management in a single console. Businesses don't need to invest in different device and application management solutions.

    From the employee perspective, UEM enables them to work on their own devices while enforcing security on their personal data.

    • Security and privacy are very important criteria for organizations. With the rapid growth of the work-from-anywhere model, corporate security is a huge concern for companies.
    • Working from home has forced companies to invest a lot in data security, which has led to high UEM demand. UEM solutions streamline security management by consolidating device management in a single platform.
    • With the fourth-generation industrial revolution, we're experiencing a significant rise in the use of IoT devices. UEM solutions are very critical for managing, configuring, and securing these devices.
    • There will be a huge increase in cyber threats due to automation, IoT, and cloud services. The pandemic has sped up the adoption of such services, forcing businesses to rethink their enterprise mobility strategies. They are now more cautious about security risks and remediations. Businesses need UEM to simplify device management on multiple endpoints.
    • With UEM, IT environment management gets more granular, while giving IT better visibility on devices and applications.

    UEM streamlines mundane admin tasks and simplifies user issues.

    Even with a COPE or COBO provisioning model, without any IT intervention, users can decide on when to install relevant updates. It also may lead to shadow IT.

    Endpoint management, and UEM more specifically, enables IT to enforce administration over user devices, whether they are corporate or personally owned. This is enabled without interfering with private/personal data.

    Where it's going: The future state of UEM

    Despite the fast evolution of the UEM market, many organizations do not move as fast as technological capabilities. Although over half of all organizations have at least one UEM solution, they may not have a good strategy or policies to maximize the value of technology (Tech Orchard, 2022). As opposed to such organizations, there are others that use UEM to transform their endpoint management strategy and move service management to the next level. That integration between endpoint management and service management is a developing trend (Ivanti, 2021).

    • SaaS tools like Office 365 are built to be used on multiple devices, including multiple computers. Further, the pandemic saw 47% of organizations significantly increase their use of BYOD (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2021).
    • Over 2022, 78% of people worked remotely for at least some amount of time during the week (Tech Orchard, 2022).
    • 84% of organizations believe that cybersecurity threat alarms are becoming very overwhelming, and almost half of companies believe that the best way to tackle this is through consolidating platforms so that everything will be visible and manageable through a single pane of glass (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2022).
    • The UEM market was worth $3.39 billion in 2020. It is expected to reach $53.65 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 31.7% (Datamation, 2022). This demonstrates how dependent IT is becoming on endpoint management solutions.

    An image of a donut chart showing the current state of UEM Strategy.

    Only 27% of organizations have "fully deployed" UEM "with easy management across all endpoints"
    Source: IT Pro Today, 2018.

    Endpoint Management Key Trends

    • Commoditization of endpoint management features. Although their focus is the same, some UEM solutions have unique features.
    • New endpoint management paradigms have emerged. Endpoint management has evolved from client management tools (CMT) and MDM into UEM, also known as "modern management" (Ivanti, 2022).
    • One pane of glass for the entire end-user experience. Endpoint management vendors are integrating their solution into their ITSM, ITOM, digital workspace, and security products.
    • AI-powered insights. UEM tools collect data on endpoints and user behavior. Vendors are using their data to differentiate themselves: Products offer threat reports, automated compliance workflows, and user experience insights. The UEM market is ultimately working toward autonomous endpoint management (Microsoft, 2022).
    • Web apps and cloud storage are the new normal. Less data is stored locally. Fewer apps need to be patched on the device. Apps can be accessed on different devices more easily. However, data can more easily be accessed on BYOD and on new operating systems like Chrome OS.
    • Lighter device provisioning tools. Instead of managing thick images, UEM tools use lighter provisioning packages. Once set up, Autopilot and UEM device enrollment should take less time to manage than thick images.
    • UEM controls built around SaaS. Web apps and the cloud allow access from any device, even unmanaged BYOD. UEM tools allow IT to apply the right level of control for the situation – mobile application management, mobile content management, or mobile device management.
    • Work-from-anywhere and 5G result in more devices outside of your firewalls. Cloud-based management tools are not limited by your VPN connection and can scale up more easily than traditional, on-prem tools.

    Understand endpoint management table stakes features

    Determine high-level use cases to help you narrow down to specific features

    Support the organization's operating systems:
    Many UEM vendors support the most dominant operating systems, Windows and Mac; however, they are usually stronger in one particular OS than the other. For instance, Intune supports both Windows and Mac, although there are some drawbacks with MacOS management by Intune. Conversely, Jamf is mainly for MacOS and iOS management. Enterprises look to satisfy their end users' needs. The more UEM vendors support different systems, the more likely enterprises will pick them. Although, as mentioned, in some instances, enterprises may need to select more than one option, depending on their requirements.

    Support BYOD and remote environments:
    With the impact of the pandemic on work model, 60-70% of workforce would like to have more flexibility for working remotely (Ivanti, 2022). BYOD is becoming the default, and SaaS tools like Office 365 are built to be used on multiple devices, including multiple computers. As BYOD can boost productivity (Samsung Insights, 2016), you may be interested in how your prospective UEM solution will enable this capability with remote wipe (corporate wipe capability vs. wiping the whole device), data and device tracking, and user activity auditing.

    Understand endpoint management table stakes features

    Determine high-level use cases to help you narrow down to specific features

    Integration with the enterprise's IT products:
    To get everything in a single platform and to generate better metrics and dashboards, vendors provide integrations with ticketing and monitoring solutions. Many large vendors have strong integrations with multiple ITSM and ITAM platforms to streamline incident management, request management, asset management, and patch management.

    Support security and compliance policies:
    With the significant boost in work-from-anywhere, companies would like to enable endpoint security more than ever. This includes device threat detection, malware detection, anti-phishing, and more. All UEMs provide these, although the big difference between them is how well they enable security and compliance, and how flexible they are when it comes to giving conditional access to certain data.

    Provide a fully automated vs manual deployment:
    Employees want to get their devices faster, IT wants to deploy devices faster, and businesses want to enable employees faster to get them onboard sooner. UEMs have the capability to provide automated and manual deployment. However, the choice of solution depends on enterprise's infrastructure and policies. Full automation of deployment is very applicable for corporate devices, while it may not be a good option for personally owned devices. Define your user groups and provisioning models, and make sure your candidate vendors satisfy requirements.

    Plan a proper UEM selection according to your requirements

    1. Identify IT governance, policy, and process maturity
      Tools cannot compensate for your bad processes. You should improve deploying and provisioning processes before rolling out a UEM. Automation of a bad process only wraps the process in a nicer package – it does not fix the problem.
      Refer to InfoTech's Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy for more information on improving endpoint management procedures.
    2. Consider supported operating systems, cloud services, and network infrastructure in your organization
      Most UEMs support all dominant operating systems, but some solutions have stronger capability for managing a certain OS over the other.
    3. Define enterprise security requirements
      Investigate security levels, policies, and requirements to align with the security features you're expecting in a UEM.
    4. Selection and implementation of a UEM depends on use case. Select a vendor that supports your use cases
      Identify use cases specific to your industry.
      For example, UEM use cases in Healthcare:
      • Secure EMR
      • Enforce HIPAA compliance
      • Secure communications
      • Enable shared device deployment

    Activity: Define use cases and core features for meeting business and technical goals

    1-2 hours

    1. Brainstorm with your colleagues to discuss your challenges with endpoint management.
    2. Identify how these challenges are impacting your ability to meet your goals for managing and controlling endpoints.
    3. Define high-level goals you wish to achieve in the first year and in the longer term.
    4. Identify the use cases that will support your overall goals.
    5. Document use cases in the UEM Requirements Workbook.

    Input

    • List of challenges and goals

    Output

    • Use cases to be used for determining requirements

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Laptop to record output

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT manager
    • Infrastructure & Applications directors

    Download the UEM Requirements Workbook

    Phase 2

    Discover the endpoint management market space and select the right vendor

    Phase 1

    Phase 2

    Define endpoint management platforms

    Explore endpoint management trends

    Classify table stakes & differentiating capabilities

    Streamline the requirements elicitation process for a new endpoint management platform

    Discover key players across the vendor landscape

    Engage the shortlist and select finalist

    Prepare for implementation

    This phase will walk you through the following activity:
    Define top-level features for meeting business and technical goals
    This phase involves the following participants:

    • CIO
    • IT manager
    • Infrastructure & Applications directors
    • Project managers

    Elicit and prioritize granular requirements for your endpoint management platform

    Understanding business needs through requirements gathering is the key to defining everything about what is
    being purchased. However, it is an area where people often make critical mistakes.

    Risks of poorly scoped requirements

    • Fail to be comprehensive and miss certain areas of scope.
    • Focus on how the solution should work instead of what it must accomplish.
    • Have multiple levels of confusing and inconsistent detail in the requirements.
    • Drill down all the way to system-level detail.
    • Add unnecessary constraints based on what is done today rather than focusing on what is needed for tomorrow.
    • Omit constraints or preferences that buyers think are "obvious."

    Best practices

    • Get a clear understanding of what the system needs to do and what it is expected to produce.
    • Test against the principle of MECE – requirements should be "mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive."
    • Explicitly state the obvious and assume nothing.
    • Investigate what is sold on the market and how it is sold. Use language that is consistent with that of the market and focus on key differentiators – not table stakes.
    • Contain the appropriate level of detail – the level should be suitable for procurement and sufficient for differentiating vendors.

    Review Info-Tech's blueprint Improve Requirements Gathering to improve your requirements gathering process.

    Consider the perspective of each stakeholder to ensure functionality needs are met

    Best of breed vs. "good enough" is an important discussion and will feed your success

    Costs can be high when customizing an ill-fitting module or creating workarounds to solve business problems, including loss of functionality, productivity, and credibility.

    • Start with use cases to drive the initial discussion, then determine which features are mandatory and which are nice-to-haves. Mandatory features will help determine high success for critical functionality and identify where "good enough" is an acceptable state.
    • Consider the implications of implementation and all use cases of:
      • Buying an all-in-one solution.
      • Integration of multiple best-of-breed solutions.
      • Customizing features that were not built into a solution.
    • Be prepared to shelve a use case for this solution and look to alternatives for integration where mandatory features cannot meet highly specialized needs that are outside of traditional endpoint management solutions.

    Pros and Cons

    An image showing the pros and cons of building vs buying

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    • evaluation and ranking of all software in an individual category to compare platforms across multiple dimensions.
    • Vendors are ranked by their Composite Score, based on individual feature evaluations, user satisfaction rankings, vendor capability comparisons, and likeliness to recommend the platform.
    • The Emotional Footprint is a powerful indicator of overall user sentiment toward the relationship with the vendor, capturing data across five dimensions.
    • Vendors are ranked by their Customer Experience (CX) Score, which combines the overall Emotional Footprint rating with a measure of the value delivered by the solution.

    Speak with category experts to dive deeper into the vendor landscape

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    With the insight of our expert analysts, our members receive unparalleled support in their buying journey.

    Get to Know the Key Players in the Endpoint Management Landscape

    The following slides provide a top-level overview of the popular players you will encounter in the endpoint management shortlisting process in alphabetical order.

    A screenshot showing a series of logos for the companies addressed later in this blueprint. It includes: Ciso; Meraki; Citrix; IBM MaaS360; Ivanti; Jamf|Pro; ManageEngine Endpoint Central; Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and VMWARE.

    Vendor scores are driven by real-world practitioner reviews via SoftwareReviews. Composite, CX, EF, and NPS scores are pulled from live data as of January 2023.

    Secure business units and enhance connection by simplifying the digital workplace

    A good option for enterprises that want a single-pane-of-glass UEM that is easy to use, with a modern-looking dashboard, high threat-management capability, and high-quality customer support.

    CISCO Meraki

    Est. 1984 | CA, USA | NASDAQ: CSCO

    8.8

    9.1

    +92

    91%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    This is a Screenshot of CISCO Meraki's dashboard.

    Screenshot of CISCO Meraki's dashboard. Source: Cisco

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • Cisco Meraki offers granular control over what users can and cannot use.
    • The system is user friendly and intuitive, with a variety of features.
    • The anti-malware capability enhances security.
    • Users are very satisfied with being able to control everything in a single platform.
    • System configuration is easy.
    • Vendor relationship is very high with a rate of 96%.
    • System setup is easy, and users don't need much experience for initial configuration of devices.
    • Users are also mostly satisfied with the platform design.
    • Monitoring within the tool is easy.
    • According to SoftwareReviews' survey report, the primary reason for leaving Cisco Meraki and switching over to another vendor is functionality.
    • Regardless of the top-notch offerings and high-quality features, the product is relatively expensive. The quality and price factors make the solution a better fit for large enterprises. However, SoftwareReviews' scorecard for Cisco Meraki shows that small organizations are the most satisfied compared to the medium and large enterprises, with a net promoter score of 81%.

    Transform work experience and support every endpoint with a unified view to ensure users are productive

    A tool that enables you to access corporate resources on personal devices. It is adaptable to your budget. SoftwareReviews reports that 75% of organizations have received a discount at initial purchase or renewal, which makes it a good candidate if looking for a negotiable option.

    Citrix Endpoint Management

    Est. 1989 | TX, USA | Private

    7.9

    8.0

    8.0

    83%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of Citrix Endpoint Management's dashboard.

    Screenshot of Citrix Endpoint Management's dashboard. Source: Citrix

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • Citrix Endpoint Management is a cloud-centric, easy-to-use UEM with an upgradable interface.
    • The solution simplifies endpoint management and provides real-time visibility and notifications.
    • Citrix allows deployments on different operating systems to meet organizations' infrastructure requirements.
    • The vendor offers different licenses and pricing models, allowing businesses of different sizes to use the tool based on their budgets and requirements.
    • Some users believe that integration with external applications should be improved.
    • Deployment is not very intuitive, making implementation process challenging.
    • User may experience some lagging while opening applications on Citrix. Application is even a bit slower when using a mobile device.

    Scale remote users, enable BYOD, and drive a zero-trust strategy with IBM's modern UEM solution

    A perfect option to boost cybersecurity. Remote administration and installation are made very easy and intuitive on the platform. It is very user friendly, making implementation straightforward. It comes with four licensing options: Essential, Deluxe, Premier, and Enterprise. Check IBM's website for information on pricing and offerings.

    IBM MaaS360

    Est. 1911 | NY, USA | NYSE: IBM

    7.7

    8.4

    +86

    76%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of IBM MaaS360's dashboard.

    Screenshot of IBM MaaS360's dashboard. Source: IBM

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • IBM MaaS360 is easy to install and implement.
    • It has different pricing models to fit enterprises' needs.
    • MaaS360 is compatible with different operating systems.
    • Security management is one of the strongest features, making the tool perfect for organizations that want to improve cybersecurity.
    • Vendor support is very effective, and users find knowledge articles very helpful.
    • It has a very intuitive dashboard.
    • The tool can control organizational data, allowing you to apply BYOD policy.
    • AI Advisor with Watson provides AI-driven reporting and insights.
    • Working with iOS may not be as intuitive as other operating systems.
    • Adding or removing users in a user group is not very straightforward.
    • Some capabilities are limited to particular Android or iOS devices.
    • Deploying application packages may be a bit difficult.
    • Hardware deployment may need some manual work and is not fully automated.

    Get complete device visibility from asset discovery to lifecycle management and remediation

    A powerful tool for patch management with a great user interface. You can automate patching and improve cybersecurity, while having complete visibility into devices. According to SoftwareReviews, 100% of survey participants plan to renew their contract with Ivanti.

    Ivanti Neurons

    Est. 1985 | CA, USA | Private

    8.0

    8.0

    +81

    83%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of Ivanti Neurons UEM's dashboard.

    Screenshot of Ivanti Neurons UEM's dashboard. Source: Ivanti

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • The tool is intuitive and user friendly.
    • It's a powerful security management platform, supporting multiple operating systems.
    • Ivanti Neurons is very strong in patch management and inventory management. It helps a seamless application deployment.
    • Users can install their applications via Ivanti's portal.
    • The user interface is very powerful and easy to use.
    • AI-augmented process management automates protocols, streamlining device management and application updates.
    • Vendor is very efficient in training and provides free webinars.
    • Data integration is very easy. According to SoftwareReviews, it had a satisfaction score for ease of data integration of 86%, which makes Ivanti the top solution for this capability.
    • Data analytics is powerful but complicated.
    • Setup is easy for some teams but not as easy for others, which may cause delays for implementation.
    • Software monitoring is not as good as other competitors.

    Improve your end-user productivity and transform enterprise Apple devices

    An Apple-focused UEM with a great interface. Jamf can manage and control macOS and iOS, and it is one of the best options for Apple products, according to users' sentiments. However, it may not be a one-stop solution if you want to manage non-Apple products as well. In this case, you can use Jamf in addition to another UEM. Jamf has some integrations with Microsoft, but it may not be sufficient if you want to fully manage Windows endpoints.

    Jamf PRO

    Est. 2002 | MN, USA | NASDAQ: JAMF

    8.8

    8.7

    +87

    95%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of Jamf PRO's dashboard.

    Screenshot of Jamf PRO's dashboard. Source: Jamf

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • Jamf Pro is a unique product with an easy implementation that enables IT with minimum admin intervention.
    • It can create smart groups (based on MDM profile and user group) to automatically assign users to their pertinent apps and updates.
    • It's a very user-friendly tool, conducting device management in fewer steps than other competitors.
    • Reports are totally customizable and dynamic.
    • Notifications are easy to navigate and monitor.
    • Self-service feature enables end users to download their predefined categories of applications in the App Store.
    • It can apply single sign-on integrations to streamline user access to applications.
    • Businesses can personalize the tool with corporate logos.
    • Vendor does great for customer service when problems arise.
    • It is a costly tool relative to other competitors, pushing prospects to consider other products.
    • The learning process may be long and not easy, especially if admins do not script, or it's their first time using a UEM.

    Apply automation of traditional desktop management, software deployment, endpoint security, and patch management

    A strong choice for patch management, software deployment, asset management, and security management. There is a free version of the tool available to try get an understanding of the platform before purchasing a higher tier of the product.

    ManageEngine Endpoint Central

    Est. 1996 | India | Private

    8.3

    8.3

    +81

    88%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of ME Endpoint Central's dashboard.

    Screenshot of ME Endpoint Central's dashboard. Source: ManageEngine

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • It supports several operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
    • Endpoint Central provides end-to-end monitoring, asset management, and security in a single platform.
    • Setup is simple and intuitive, and it's easy to learn and configure.
    • The reporting feature is very useful and gives you clear visibility into dashboard.
    • Combined with ME Service Desk Plus, we can call Endpoint Central an all-in-one solution.
    • The tool provides a real-time report on devices and tracks their health status.
    • It has multiple integrations with third-party solutions.
    • Tool does not automate updates, making application updates time-consuming.
    • Sometimes, patches and software deployments fail, and the tool doesn't provide any information on the reason for the failure.
    • There is no single point of contact/account manager for the clients when they have trouble with the tool.
    • Remote connection to Android devices can sometimes get a little tedious.

    Get device management and security in a single platform with a combination of Microsoft Intune and Configuration Manager

    A solution that combines Intune and ConfigMgr's capabilities into a single endpoint management suite for enrolling, managing, monitoring, and securing endpoints. It's a very cost-effective solution for enterprises in the Microsoft ecosystem, but it also supports other operating systems.

    Microsoft Endpoint Manager

    Est. 1975 | NM, USA | NASDAQ: MSFT

    8.0

    8.5

    +83

    85%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of MS Endpoint Manager's dashboard.

    Screenshot of MS Endpoint Manager's dashboard. Source: Microsoft

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • Licensing for the enterprises that use Windows as their primary operating system is more efficient and cost effective.
    • Endpoint Manager is very customizable, with the ability to assign personas to device groups.
    • Besides Windows, it manages other operating systems, such as Linux, Android, and iOS.
    • It creates endpoint security and compliance policies for BitLocker that streamlines data protection and security. It also provides SSO.
    • It provides very strong documentation and knowledgebase.
    • User interface is not as good as competitors. It's a bit clunky and complex to use.
    • The process of changing configurations on devices can be time consuming.
    • Sometimes there are service outages such as Autopilot failure, which push IT to deploy manually.
    • Location tracking is not very accurate.

    Simplify and consolidate endpoint management into a single solution and secure all devices with real-time, "over-the-air" modern management across all use cases

    A strong tool for managing and controlling mobile devices. It can access all profiles through Google and Apple, and it integrates with various IT management solutions.

    VMware Workspace ONE

    Est. 1998 | CA, USA | NYSE: VMW

    7.5

    7.4

    +71

    75%

    COMPOSITE SCORE

    CX SCORE

    EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

    LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

    DOWNLOAD REPORT

    Screenshot of Workspace ONE's dashboard.

    Screenshot of Workspace ONE's dashboard. Source: VMware

    Strengths:

    Areas to improve:

    • Workspace ONE provides lots of information about devices.
    • It provides a large list of integrations.
    • The solution supports various operating systems.
    • The platform has many out-of-the-box features and helps with security management, asset management, and application management.
    • The vendor has a community forum which users find helpful for resolving issues or asking questions about the solution.
    • It is very simple to use and provides SSO capability.
    • Implementation is relatively easy and straightforward.
    • Customization may be tricky and require expertise.
    • The solution can be more user friendly with a better UI.
    • Because of intensive processing, updates to applications take a long time.
    • The tool may sometimes be very sensitive and lock devices.
    • Analytics and reporting may need improvement.

    Review your use cases to start your shortlist

    Your Info-Tech analysts can help you narrow down the list of vendors that will meet your requirements.

    Next steps will include:

    1. Reviewing your requirements
    2. Checking out SoftwareReviews
    3. Shortlisting your vendors
    4. Conducting demos and detailed proposal reviews
    5. Selecting and contracting with a finalist!

    Activity: Define high-level features for meeting business and technical goals

    Input

    • List of endpoint management use cases
    • List of prioritized features

    Output

    • Vendor evaluation
    • Final list of candidate vendors

    Materials

    • Whiteboard/flip charts
    • Laptop
    • UEM Requirements Workbook

    Participants

    • CIO
    • IT manager
    • Infrastructure & Applications directors
    • Project managers

    Activity: Define top-level features for meeting business and technical goals

    As there are many solutions in the market that share capabilities, it is imperative to closely evaluate how well they fulfill your endpoint management requirements.
    Use the UEM Requirements Workbook to identify your desired endpoint solution features and compare vendor solution functionality based on your desired features.

    1. Refer to the output of the previous activity, the identified use cases in the spreadsheet.
    2. List the features you want in an endpoint solution for your devices that will fulfill these use cases. Record those features in the second column ("Detailed Feature").
    3. Prioritize each feature (must have, should have, nice to have, not required).
    4. Send this list to candidate vendors.
    5. When you finish your investigation, review the spreadsheet to compare the various offerings and pros and cons of each solution.

    Info-Tech Insight

    The output of this activity can be used for a detailed evaluation of UEM vendors. The next steps will be vendor briefing and having further discussion on technical capabilities and conducting demos of solutions. Info-Tech's blueprint, The Rapid Application Selection Framework, takes you to these next steps.

    This is a screenshot showing the high value use cases table from The Rapid Application Selection Framework.

    Download the UEM Requirements Workbook

    Leverage Info-Tech's research to plan and execute your endpoint management selection and implementation

    Use Info-Tech Research Group's blueprints for selection and implementation processes to guide your own planning.

    • Assess
    • Prepare
    • Govern & Course Correct

    This is a screenshot of the title pages from INfo-tech's Governance and management of enterprise Software Implementaton; and The Rapid Applicaton Selection Framework.

    Ensure your implementation team has a high degree of trust and communication

    If external partners are needed, dedicate an internal resource to managing the vendor and partner relationships.

    Communication

    Teams must have some type of communication strategy. This can be broken into:

    • Regularity: Having a set time each day to communicate progress and a set day to conduct retrospectives.
    • Ceremonies: Injecting awards and continually emphasizing delivery of value can encourage relationship building and constructive motivation.
    • Escalation: Voicing any concerns and having someone responsible for addressing those concerns.

    Proximity

    Distributed teams create complexity because communication can break down more easily. This can be mitigated by:

    • Location: Placing teams in proximity can close the barrier of geographical distance and time zone differences.
    • Inclusion: Making a deliberate attempt to pull remote team members into discussions and ceremonies.
    • Communication Tools: Having the right technology (e.g. video conference) can help bring teams closer together virtually.

    Trust

    Members should trust other members are contributing to the project and completing their required tasks on time. Trust can be developed and maintained by:

    Accountability: Having frequent quality reviews and feedback sessions. As work becomes more transparent, people become more accountable.

    • Role Clarity: Having a clear definition of what everyone's role is.

    Implementation with a partner typically results in higher satisfaction

    Align your implementation plans with both the complexity of the solution and internal skill levels

    Be clear and realistic in your requirements to the vendor about the level of involvement you need to be successful.

    Primary reasons to use a vendor:

    • Lack of skilled resources: For solutions with little configuration change happening after the initial installation, the ramp-up time for an individual to build skills for a single event is not practical.
    • Complexity of solution: Multiple integrations, configurations, modules, and even acquisitions that haven't been fully integrated in the solution you choose can make it difficult to complete the installation and rollout on time and on budget. Troubleshooting becomes even more complex if multiple vendors are involved.
    • Data migration: Decide what information will be valuable to transfer to the new solution and which will not benefit your organization. Data structure and residency can both be factors in the complexity of this exercise.

    This is an image of a bar graph showing the Satisfaction Net Promotor Score by Implementation type and Organization Size.

    Source: SoftwareReviews, January 2020 to January 2023, N= 20,024 unique reviews

    To ensure your SOW is mutually beneficial, download the blueprint Improve Your Statements of Work to Hold Your Vendors Accountable.

    Consider running a proof of concept if concerns are expressed about the feasibility of the chosen solution

    Proofs of concept (PoCs) can be time consuming, so make good choices on where to spend the effort

    Create a PoC charter that will enable a quick evaluation of the defined use cases and functions. These key dimensions should form the PoC.

    1. Objective – Giving an overview of the planned PoC will help to focus and clarify the rest of this section. What must the PoC achieve? Objectives should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. Outline and track key performance indicators.
    2. Key Success Factors – These are conditions that will positively impact the PoC's success.
    3. Scope – High-level statement of scope. More specifically, state what is in scope and what is out of scope.
    4. Project Team – Identify the team's structure, e.g. sponsors, subject matter experts.
    5. Resource Estimation – Identify what resources (time, materials, space, tools, expertise, etc.) will be needed to build and socialize your prototype. How will they be secured?

    An image of two screenshots from Info-Tech Research Group showing documentaton used to generate effective proof of concepts.

    To create a full proof of concept plan, download the Proof of Concept Template and see the instructions in Phase 3 of the blueprint Exploit Disruptive Infrastructure Technology.

    Selecting a right-sized endpoint management platform

    This selection guide allows organizations to execute a structured methodology for picking a UEM platform that aligns with their needs. This includes:

    • Identifying and prioritizing key business and technology drivers for an endpoint management selection business case.
    • Defining key use cases and requirements for a right-sized UEM platform.
    • Reviewing a comprehensive market scan of key players in the UEM marketspace.

    This formal UEM selection initiative will map out requirements and identify technology capabilities to fill the gap for better endpoint management. It also allows a formal roll-out of a UEM platform that is highly likely to satisfy all stakeholder needs.

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech Workshop.

    Contact your account representative for more information

    workshops@infotech.com
    1-888-670-8889

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Knowledge Gained

    • What endpoint management is
    • Historical origins and evolution of endpoint management platforms
    • Current trends and future state of endpoint management platforms

    Processes Optimized

    • Identifying use cases
    • Gathering requirements
    • Reviewing market key players and their capabilities
    • Selecting a UEM tool that fulfills your requirements

    UEM Solutions Analyzed

    • CISCO Meraki
    • Citrix Endpoint Management
    • IBM MaaS360
    • Ivanti Neurons UEM
    • Jamf Pro
    • ManageEngine Endpoint Central
    • Microsoft Endpoint Manager
    • VMware Workspace ONE

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy

    This project helps support the workforce of the future by answering the following questions: What types of computing devices, provisioning models, and operating systems should be offered to end users? How will IT support devices? What are the policies and governance surrounding how devices are used? What actions are we taking and when? How do end-user devices support larger corporate priorities and strategies?

    Best Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Software | SoftwareReviews

    Compare and evaluate Unified Endpoint Management vendors using the most in-depth and unbiased buyer reports available. Download free comprehensive 40+ page reports to select the best Unified Endpoint Management software for your organization.

    The Rapid Application Selection Framework

    This blueprint walks you through a process for a fast and efficient selection of your prospective application. You will be enabled to use a data-driven approach to select the right application vendor for your needs, shatter stakeholder expectations with truly rapid application selections, boost collaboration and crush the broken telephone with concise and effective stakeholder meetings, and lock in hard savings.

    Bibliography

    "BYOD Security Report." Cybersecurity Insiders, 2021. Accessed January 2023.
    "Cloud Infrastructure Services Market." MarketsAnd Markets, 2019. Accessed December 2022.
    Evans, Alma. "Mastering Mobility Management: MDM Vs. EMM Vs. UEM." Hexnode, 2019. Accessed November 2022.
    "Evercore-ISI Quarterly Enterprise Technology Spending Survey." Evercore-ISI, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    "5G Service Revenue to Reach $315 Billion Globally in 2023." Jupiter Research, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    Hein, Daniel. "5 Common Unified Endpoint Management Use Cases You Need to Know." Solutions Review, 2020. Accessed January 2023.
    "Mobile Device Management Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis." Fortune Business Insights, 2021. Accessed December 2022.
    Ot, Anina. "The Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Market." Datamation, 14 Apr. 2022. Accessed Jan. 2023.
    Poje, Phil. "CEO Corner: 4 Trends in Unified Endpoint Management for 2023." Tech Orchard, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    "The Future of UEM November 2021 Webinar." Ivanti, 2021. Accessed January 2023.
    "The Third Annual Study on the State of Endpoint Security Risk." Ponemon Institute, 2020. Accessed December 2022.
    "The Ultimate Guide to Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)." MobileIron. Accessed January 2023.
    "Trends in Unified Endpoint Management." It Pro Today, 2018. Accessed January 2023.
    Turek, Melanie. "Employees Say Smartphones Boost Productivity by 34 Percent: Frost & Sullivan Research." Samsung Insights, 3 Aug. 2016.
    "2023 State of Security Report." Cybersecurity Insiders, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    Violino, Bob. "Enterprise Mobility 2022: UEM Adds User Experience, AI, Automation." Computerworld, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    Violino, Bob. "How to Choose the Right UEM Platform." Computerworld, 2021. Accessed January 2023.
    Violino, Bob. "UEM Vendor Comparison Chart 2022." Computerworld, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    Wallent, Michael. "5 Endpoint Management Predictions for 2023." Microsoft, 2022. Accessed January 2023.
    "What Is the Difference Between MDM, EMM, and UEM?" 42Gears, 2017. Accessed November 2022.

    Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process

    • Buy Link or Shortcode: {j2store}216|cart{/j2store}
    • member rating overall impact: 9.4/10 Overall Impact
    • member rating average dollars saved: $25,860 Average $ Saved
    • member rating average days saved: 14 Average Days Saved
    • Parent Category Name: Vendor Management
    • Parent Category Link: /vendor-management
    • Most IT organizations do not have standard RFP templates and tools.
    • Many RFPs lack sufficient requirements.
    • Most RFP team members are not adequately trained on RFP best practices.
    • Most IT departments underestimate the amount of time that is required to perform an effective RFP.

    Our Advice

    Critical Insight

    • Vendors generally do not like RFPs
      Vendors view RFPs as time consuming and costly to respond to and believe that the decision is already made.
    • Dont ignore the benefits of an RFI
      An RFI is too often overlooked as a tool for collecting information from vendors about their product offerings and services.
    • Leverage a pre-proposal conference to maintain an equal and level playing field
      Pre-proposal conference is a convenient and effective way to respond to vendors’ questions ensuring all vendors have the same information to provide a quality response.

    Impact and Result

    • A bad or incomplete RFP results in confusing and incomplete vendor RFP responses which consume time and resources.
    • Incomplete or misunderstood requirements add cost to your project due to the change orders required to complete the project.

    Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process Research & Tools

    Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

    1. Storyboard – Leverage your vendor sourcing process to get better results

    Discover a proven process for your RFPs. Review Info-Tech’s process and understand how you can prevent your organization from leaking negotiation leverage while preventing vendors from taking control of your RFP. Our 7-phase process prevents a bad RFP from taking your time, money, and resources.

    • Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process Storyboard

    2. Define your RFP Requirements Tool – A convenient tool to gather your requirements and align them to your negotiation strategy.

    Use this tool to assist you and your team in documenting the requirements for your RFP. Use the results of this tool to populate the requirements section of your RFP.

    • RFP Requirements Worksheet

    3. RFP Development Suite of Tools – Use Info-Tech’s RFP, pricing, and vendor response tools and templates to increase your efficiency in your RFP process.

    Configure this time-saving suite of tools to your organizational culture, needs, and most importantly the desired outcome of your RFP initiative. This suite contains four unique RFP templates. Evaluate which template is appropriate for your RFP. Also included in this suite are a response evaluation guidebook and several evaluation scoring tools along with a template to report the RFP results to stakeholders.

    • RFP Calendar and Key Date Tool
    • Vendor Pricing Tool
    • Lean RFP Template
    • Short-Form RFP Template
    • Long-Form RFP Template
    • Excel Form RFP Tool
    • RFP Evaluation Guidebook
    • RFP Evaluation Tool
    • Vendor TCO Tool
    • Consolidated Vendor RFP Response Evaluation Summary
    • Vendor Recommendation Presentation

    Infographic

    Workshop: Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process

    Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

    1 Foundation for Creating Requirements

    The Purpose

    Problem Identification

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Current process mapped and requirements template configured

    Activities

    1.1 Overview and level-setting

    1.2 Identify needs and drivers

    1.3 Define and prioritize requirements

    1.4 Gain business authorization and ensure internal alignment

    Outputs

    Map Your Process With Gap Identification

    Requirements Template

    Map Your Process With Gap Identification

    Requirements Template

    Map Your Process With Gap Identification

    Requirements Template

    Map Your Process With Gap Identification

    Requirements Template

    2 Creating a Sourcing Process

    The Purpose

    Define Success Target

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Baseline RFP and evaluation templates

    Activities

    2.1 Create and issue RFP

    2.2 Evaluate responses/proposals and negotiate the agreement

    2.3 Purchase goods and services

    Outputs

    RFP Calendar Tool

    RFP Evaluation Guidebook

    RFP Respondent Evaluation Tool

    3 Configure Templates

    The Purpose

    Configure Templates

    Key Benefits Achieved

    Configured Templates

    Activities

    3.1 Assess and measure

    3.2 Review templates

    Outputs

    Long-Form RFP Template

    Short-Form RFP Template

    Excel-Based RFP Template

    Further reading

    Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process

    Leverage your vendor sourcing process to get better results.

    EXECUTIVE BRIEF

    Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes with a Robust RFP Process

    Lack of RFP Process Causes...
    • Stress
    • Confusion
    • Frustration
    • Directionless
    • Exhaustion
    • Uncertainty
    • Disappointment
    Solution: RFP Process
    Steps in an RFP Process, 'Identify Need', 'Define Business Requirements', 'Gain Business Authorization', 'Perform RFI/RFP', 'Negotiate Agreement', 'Purchase Good and Services', and 'Assess and Measure Performance'.
    • Best value solutions
    • Right-sized solutions
    • Competitive Negotiations
    • Better requirements that feed negotiations
    • Internal alignment on requirements and solutions
    • Vendor Management Governance Plan
    Requirements
    • Risk
    • Legal
    • Support
    • Security
    • Technical
    • Commercial
    • Operational
    • Vendor Management Governance
    Templates, Tools, Governance
    • RFP Template
    • Your Contracts
    • RFP Procedures
    • Pricing Template
    • Evaluation Guide
    • Evaluation Matrix
    Vendor Management
    • Scorecards
    • Classification
    • Business Review Meetings
    • Key Performance Indicators
    • Contract Management
    • Satisfaction Survey

    Analyst Perspective

    Consequences of a bad RFP

    Photo of Steven Jeffery, Principal Research Director, Vendor Management, Co-Author: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP, Info-Tech Research Group

    “A bad request for proposal (RFP) is the gift that keeps on taking – your time, your resources, your energy, and your ability to accomplish your goal. A bad RFP is ineffective and incomplete, it creates more questions than it answers, and, perhaps most importantly, it does not meet your organization’s expectations.”

    Steven Jeffery
    Principal Research Director, Vendor Management
    Co-Author: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP
    Info-Tech Research Group

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    • Most IT organizations are absent of standard RFP templates, tools, and processes.
    • Many RFPs lack sufficient requirements from across the business (Legal, Finance, Security, Risk, Procurement, VMO).
    • Most RFP team members are not adequately trained on RFP best practices.
    • Most IT departments underestimate the amount of time required to perform an effective RFP.
    • An ad hoc sourcing process is a common recipe for vendor performance failure.

    Common Obstacles

    • Lack of time
    • Lack of resources
    • Right team members not engaged
    • Poorly defined requirements
    • Too difficult to change supplier
    • Lack of a process
    • Lack of adequate tools/processes
    • Lack of a vendor communications plan that includes all business stakeholders.
    • Lack of consensus as to what the ideal result should look like.

    Info-Tech’s Approach

    • Establish a repeatable, consistent RFP process that maintains negotiation leverage and includes all key components.
    • Create reusable templates to expedite the RFP evaluation and selection process.
    • Maximize the competition by creating an equal and level playing field that encourages all the vendors to respond to your RFP.
    • Create a process that is clear and understandable for both the business unit and the vendor to follow.
    • Include Vendor Management concepts in the process.

    Info-Tech Insight

    A well planned and executed sourcing strategy that focuses on solid requirements, evaluation criteria, and vendor management will improve vendor performance.

    Executive Summary

    Your Challenge

    Your challenge is to determine the best sourcing tool to obtain vendor information on capabilities, solution(s), pricing and contracting: RFI, RFP, eRFX.

    Depending on your organization’s knowledge of the market, your available funding, and where you are in the sourcing process, there are several approaches to getting the information you need.

    An additional challenge is to answer the question “What is the purpose of our RFX?”

    If you do not have in-depth knowledge of the market, available solutions, and viable vendors, you may want to perform an RFI to provide available market information to guide your RFP strategy.

    If you have defined requirements, approved funding, and enough time, you can issue a detailed, concise RFP.

    If you have “the basics” about the solution to be acquired and are on a tight timeframe, an “enhanced RFI” may fit your needs.

    This blueprint will provide you with the tools and processes and insights to affect the best possible outcome.

    Executive Summary

    Common Obstacles

    • Lack of process/tools
    • Lack of input from stakeholders
    • Stakeholders circumventing the process to vendors
    • Vendors circumventing the process to key stakeholders
    • Lack of clear, concise, and thoroughly articulated requirements
    • Waiting until the vendor is selected to start contract negotiations
    • Waiting until the RFP responses are back to consider vendor management requirements
    • Lack of clear communication strategy to the vendor community that the team adheres to

    Many organizations underestimate the time commitment for an RFP

    70 Days is the average duration of an IT RFP.

    The average number of evaluators is 5-6

    4 Is the average number of vendor submissions, each requiring an average of two to three hours to review. (Source: Bonfire, 2019. Note: The 2019 Bonfire report on the “State of the RFP” is the most recent published.)

    “IT RFPs take the longest from posting to award and have the most evaluators. This may be because IT is regarded as a complex subject requiring complex evaluation. Certainly, of all categories, IT offers the most alternative solutions. The technology is also changing rapidly, as are the requirements of IT users – the half-life of an IT requirement is less than six months (half the requirements specified now will be invalid six months from now). And when the RFP process takes up two of those months, vendors may be unable to meet changed requirements when the time to implement arrives. This is why IT RFPs should specify the problem to be resolved rather than the solution to be provided. If the problem resolution is the goal, vendors are free to implement the latest technologies to meet that need.” (Bonfire, “2019 State of the RFP”)

    Why Vendors Don’t Like RFPs

    Vendors’ win rate

    44%

    Vendors only win an average of 44% of the RFPs they respond to (Loopio, 2022).
    High cost to respond

    3-5%

    Vendors budget 3-5% of the anticipated contract value to respond (LinkedIn, 2017, Note: LinkedIn source is the latest information available).
    Time spent writing response

    23.8 hours

    Vendors spend on average 23.8 hours to write or respond to your RFP (Marketingprofs, 2021).

    Negative effects on your organization from a lack of RFP process

    Visualization titled 'Lack of RFP Process Causes' with the following seven items listed.

    Stress, because roles and responsibilities aren’t clearly defined and communication is haphazard, resulting in strained relationships.

    Confusion, because you don’t know what the expected or desired results are.

    Directionless, because you don’t know where the team is going.

    Uncertainty, with many questions of your own and many more from other team members.

    Frustration, because of all the questions the vendors ask as a result of unclear or incomplete requirements.

    Exhaustion, because reviewing RFP responses of insufficient quality is tedious.

    Disappointment in the results your company realizes.

    (Source: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP)

    Info-Tech’s approach

    Develop an inclusive and thorough approach to the RFP Process

    Steps in an RFP Process, 'Identify Need', 'Define Business Requirements', 'Gain Business Authorization', 'Perform RFI/RFP', 'Negotiate Agreement', 'Purchase Good and Services', and 'Assess and Measure Performance'.

    The Info-Tech difference:

    1. The secret to managing an RFP is to make it as manageable and as thorough as possible. The RFP process should be like any other aspect of business – by developing a standard process. With a process in place, you are better able to handle whatever comes your way, because you know the steps you need to follow to produce a top-notch RFP.
    2. The business then identifies the need for more information about a product/service or determines that a purchase is required.
    3. A team of stakeholders from each area impacted gather all business, technical, legal, and risk requirements. What are the expectations of the vendor relationship post-RFP? How will the vendors be evaluated?
    4. Based on the predetermined requirements, either an RFI or an RFP is issued to vendors with a predetermined due date.

    Insight Summary

    Overarching insight

    Without a well defined, consistent RFP process, with input from all key stakeholders, the organization will not achieve the best possible results from its sourcing efforts.

    Phase 1 insight

    Vendors are choosing to not respond to RFPs due to their length and lack of complete requirements.

    Phase 2 insight

    Be clear and concise in stating your requirements and include, in addition to IT requirements, procurement, security, legal, and risk requirements.

    Phase 3 insight

    Consider adding vendor management requirements to manage the ongoing relationship post contract.

    Tactical insight

    Consider the RFP Evaluation Process as you draft the RFP, including weighting the RFP components. Don’t underestimate the level of effort required to effectively evaluate responses – write the RFP with this in mind.

    Tactical insight

    Provide strict, prescriptive instructions detailing how the vendor should submit their responses. Controlling vendor responses will increase your team’s efficiency in evaluations while providing ease of reference responses across multiple vendors.

    Key deliverables

    Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

    Key deliverables:

    Info-Tech provides you with the tools you need to go to market in the most efficient manner possible, with guidance on how to achieve your goals.

    Sample of

    Long-Form RFP Template
    For when you have complete requirements and time to develop a thorough RFP.
    Sample of the Long-Form RFP Template deliverable. Short-Form RFP Template
    When the requirements are not as extensive, time is short, and you are familiar with the market.
    Sample of the Short-Form RFP Template deliverable.
    Lean RFP Template
    When you have limited time and some knowledge of the market and wish to include only a few vendors.
    Sample of the Lean RFP Template deliverable. Excel-Form RFP Template
    When there are many requirements, many options, multiple vendors, and a broad evaluation team.
    Sample of the Excel-Form RFP Template deliverable.

    Blueprint benefits

    IT Benefits
    • Side-by-side comparison of vendor capabilities
    • Pricing alternatives
    • No surprises
    • Competitive solutions to deliver the best results
    Mutual IT and Business Benefits
    • Reduced time to implement
    • Improved alignment between IT /Business
    • Improved vendor performance
    • Improved vendor relations
    Business Benefits
    • Budget alignment, reduced cost
    • Best value
    • Risk mitigation
    • Legal and risk protections

    Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

    DIY Toolkit

    Guided Implementation

    Workshop

    Consulting

    "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

    Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

    Guided Implementation

    A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

    A typical GI is seven to twelve calls over the course of four to six months.

    What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

    Phase 1

    Phase 2

    Phase 3

    Phase 4

    Phase 5

    Phase 6

    Phase 7

    Call #1: Identify the need Call #3: Gain business authorization Call #5: Negotiate agreement strategy Call #7: Assess and measure performance
    Call #2: Define business requirements Call #4: Review and perform the RFX or RFP Call #6: Purchase goods and services

    Workshop Overview

    Contact your account representative for more information.
    workshops@infotech.com1-888-670-8889

    Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
    Activities
    Answer “What problem do we need to solve?”

    1.1 Overview and level-setting

    1.2 Identify needs and drivers

    1.3 Define and prioritize requirements

    1.4 Gain business authorization and ensure internal alignment

    Define what success looks like?

    2.1 Create and issue RFP

    2.2 Evaluate responses/ proposals and negotiate the agreement.

    2.3 Purchase goods and services

    Configure Templates

    3.1 Assess and measure

    3.2 Review tools

    Deliverables
    1. Map your process with gap identification
    2. RFP Requirements Worksheet
    1. RFP Calendar and Key Date Tool
    2. RFP Evaluation Guidebook
    3. RFP Evaluation Tool
    1. Long-form RFP Template
    2. Short-form RFP Template
    3. Excel-based RFP Tool
    4. Lean RFP Template

    Phase 1

    Identify Need

    Steps

    1.1 Establish the need to either purchase goods/services (RFP) or acquire additional information from the market (RFI).

    Steps in an RFP Process with the first step, 'Identify Need', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Business stakeholders
    • IT
    • Sourcing/Procurement
    • Finance

    Identify the need based on business requirements, changing technology, increasing vendor costs, expiring contracts, and changing regulatory requirements.

    Outcomes of this phase

    Agreement on the need to go to market to make a purchase (RFP) or to acquire additional information (RFI) along with a high-level agreement on requirements, rough schedule (is there time to do a full blown RFP or are you time constrained, which may result in an eRFP) and the RFP team is identified.

    Identify Need
    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Identify the Need for Your RFP

    • An RFP is issued to the market when you are certain that you intend to purchase a product/service and have identified an adequate vendor base from which to choose as a result of:

      • IT Strategy
      • Changes in technology
      • Marketplace assessment
      • Contract expiration/renewal
      • Changes in regulatory requirements
      • Changes in the business’ requirements
    • An RFI is issued to the market when you are uncertain as to available technologies or supplier capabilities and need budgetary costs for planning purposes.
    • Be sure to choose the right RFx tool for your situation!
    Stock photo of a pen circling the word 'needs' on a printed document.

    Phase 2

    Define Your RFP Requirements

    Steps

    2.1 Define and classify the technical, business, financial, legal, and support and security requirements for your business.

    Steps in an RFP Process with the second step, 'Define Business Requirements', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • IT
    • Legal
    • Finance
    • Risk management
    • Sourcing/Procurement
    • Business stakeholders

    Outcomes of this phase

    A detailed list of required business, technical, legal and procurement requirements classified as to absolute need(s), bargaining and concession need(s), and “nice to haves.”

    Define Business Requirements

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Define RFP Requirements

    Key things to consider when defining requirements

    • Must be inclusive of the needs of all stakeholders: business, technical, financial, and legal
    • Strive for clarity and completeness in each area of consideration.
    • Begin defining your “absolute,” “bargaining,” “concession,” and ‘”dropped/out of scope” requirements to streamline the evaluation process.
    • Keep the requirements identified as “absolute” to a minimum, because vendors that do not meet absolute requirements will be removed from consideration.
    • Do you have a standard contract that can be included or do you want to review the vendor’s contract?
    • Don’t forget Data Security!
    • Begin defining your vendor selection criteria.
    • What do you want the end result to look like?
    • How will you manage the selected vendor after the contract? Include key VM requirements.
    • Defining requirements can’t be rushed or you’ll find yourself answering many questions, which may create confusion.
    • Collect all your current spend and budget considerations regarding the needed product(s) and service(s).

    “Concentrate on the needs of the organization and not the wants of the individuals when creating requirements to avoid scope creep.” (Donna Glidden, ITRG Research Director)

    Leverage the “ABCD” approach found in our Prepare for Negotiations More Effectively blueprint:
    https://tymansgrpup.com/research/ss/prepare-for-negotiations-more-effectively

    2.1 Prioritize your requirements

    1 hr to several days

    Input: List of all requirements from IT and IT Security, Business, Sourcing/Procurement, Risk Management, and Legal

    Output: Prioritized list of RFP requirements approved by the stakeholder team

    Materials: The RFP Requirements Worksheet

    Participants: All stakeholders impacted by the RFP: IT, IT Security, the Business, Sourcing/ Procurement, Risk Management, Legal

    1. Use this tool to assist you and your team in documenting the requirements for your RFP. Leverage it to collect and categorize your requirements in preparation for negotiations. Use the results of this tool to populate the requirements section of your RFP.
    2. As a group, review each of the requirements and determine their priority as they will ultimately relate to the negotiations.
      • Prioritizing your requirements will set up your negotiation strategy and streamline the process.
      • By establishing the priority of each requirement upfront, you will save time and effort in the selection process.
    3. Review RFP requirements with stakeholders for approval.

    Download the RFP Requirements Worksheet

    Phase 3

    Gain Business Authorization

    Steps

    3.1 Obtain business authorization from the business, technology, finance and Sourcing/Procurement

    Steps in an RFP Process with the third step, 'Gain Business Authorization', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Business stakeholders
    • Technology and finance (depending upon the business)
    • Sourcing/Procurement

    Outcomes of this phase

    Approval by all key stakeholders to proceed with the issuing of the RFP and to make a purchase as a result.

    Gain Business Authorization

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Gain Business Authorization

    Gain authorization for your RFP from all relevant stakeholders
    • Alignment of stakeholders
    • Agreement on final requirements
    • Financial authorization
    • Commitment of resources
    • Agreement on what constitutes vendor qualification
    • Finalization of selection criteria and their prioritization

    Obtaining cross-function alignment will clear the way for contract, SOW, and budget approvals and not waste any of your and your vendor’s resources in performing an RFP that your organization is not ready to implement or invest financial and human resources in.

    Stock photo of the word 'AUTHORIZED' stamped onto a white background with a much smaller stamp laying beside it.

    Phase 4

    Create and Issue

    Steps

    4.1 Build your RFP

    4.2 Decide RFI or not

    4.3 Create your RFP

    4.4 Receive & answer questions

    4.5 Perform Pre-Proposal Conference

    4.6 Evaluate responses

    Steps in an RFP Process with the fourth step, 'Perform RFI/RFP', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • The RFP owner
    • IT
    • Business SMEs/stakeholders

    Outcomes of this phase

    RFP package is issued to vendors and includes the date of the Pre-Proposal Conference, which should be held shortly after RFP release and includes all parties.

    SME’s/stakeholders participate in providing answers to RFP contact for response to vendors.

    Create and Issue Your RFP/RFI

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Six Steps to Perform RFI/RFP

    Step 1

    • Build your RFP with evaluation in mind.

    Step 2

    • RFI or no RFI
    • Consider a Lean RFP

    Step 3

    • Create your RFP
    • Establish your RFP dates
    • Decide on RFP template
      • Short
      • Long
      • Excel
    • Create a template for vendors’ response
    • Create your Pricing Template

    Step 4

    • Receive RFP questions from vendors
    • Review and prepare answers to questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 5

    • Conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 6

    • Receive vendors’ proposals
    • Review for compliance and completion
    • Team evaluates vendors’ proposals.
    • Prepare TCO
    • Draft executive recommendation report

    Build your RFP with evaluation in mind

    Easing evaluation frustrations

    At the beginning of your RFP creation process consider how your requirements will impact the vendor’s response. Concentrate on the instructions you provide the vendors and how you wish to receive their responses. View the RFP through the lens of the vendors and envision how they are going to respond to the proposal.

    Limiting the number of requirements included in the RFP will increase the evaluation team’s speed when reviewing vendors’ responses. This is accomplished by not asking questions for common features and functionality that all vendors provide. Don’t ask multiple questions within a question. Avoid “lifting” vendor-specific language to copy into the RFP as this will signal to vendors who their competition might be and may deter their participation. Concentrate your requirement questions to those areas that are unique to your solution to reduce the amount of time required to evaluate the vendors’ response.

    Things to Consider When Creating Your RFP:

    • Consistency is the foundation for ease of evaluation.
    • Provide templates, such as an Excel worksheet, for the vendor’s pricing submissions and for its responses to close-ended questions.
    • Give detailed instructions on how the vendor should organize their response.
    • Limit the number of open-ended questions requiring a long narrative response to must-have requirements.
    • Organize your requirements and objectives in a numerical outline and have the vendor respond in the same manner, such as the following:
      • 1
      • 1.1
      • 1.1.1

    Increase your response quality

    Inconsistent formatting of vendor responses prevents an apples-to-apples evaluation between vendor responses. Evaluation teams are frequently challenged and are unable to evaluate vendors’ responses equally against each other for the following reasons:

    Challenges
    • Vendor responses are submitted with different and confusing nomenclature
    • Inconsistent format in response
    • Disparate order of sections in the vendors responses
    • Different style of outlining their responses, e.g. 1.1 vs. I.(i)
    • Pricing proposal included throughout their response
    • Responses are comingled with marketing messages
    • Vendor answers to requirements or objectives are not consolidated in a uniform manner
    • Disparate descriptions for response subsections
    Prevention
    • Provide specific instructions as to how the vendor is to organize their response:
      • How to format and outline the response
      • No marketing material
      • No pricing in the body of the response
    • Provide templates for pricing, technical, operational, and legal aspects.

    Six Steps to Perform RFI/RFP

    Step 1

    • Build your RFP with evaluation in mind.

    Step 2

    • RFI or no RFI
    • Consider a Lean RFP

    Step 3

    • Create your RFP
    • Establish your RFP dates
    • Decide on RFP template
      • Short
      • Long
      • Excel
    • Create a template for vendors’ response
    • Create your Pricing Template

    Step 4

    • Receive RFP questions from vendors
    • Review and prepare answers to questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 5

    • Conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 6

    • Receive vendors’ proposals
    • Review for compliance and completion
    • Team evaluates vendors’ proposals.
    • Prepare TCO
    • Draft executive recommendation report

    Perform Request for Information

    Don’t underestimate the importance of the RFI

    As the name implies, a request for information (RFI) is a tool for collecting information from vendors about the companies, their products, and their services. We find RFIs useful when faced with a lot of vendors that we don’t know much about, when we want to benchmark the marketplace for products and services, including budgetary information, and when we have identified more potential vendors than we care to commit a full RFP to.

    RFIs are simpler and less time-consuming than RFPs to prepare and evaluate, so it can make a lot of sense to start with an RFI. Eliminating unqualified vendors from further consideration will save your team from weeding through RFP responses that do not meet your objectives. For their part, your vendors will appreciate your efforts to determine up-front which of them are the best bets before asking them to spend resources and money producing a costly proposal.

    While many organizations rarely use RFIs, they can be an effective tool in the vendor manager’s toolbox when used at the right time in the right way. RFIs can be deployed in competitive targeted negotiations.

    A Lean RFP is a two-stage strategy that speeds up the typical RFP process. The first stage is like an RFI on steroids, and the second stage is targeted competitive negotiation.

    Don’t rely solely on the internet to qualify vendors; use an RFI to acquire additional information before finalizing an RFP.

    4.2.1 In a hurry? Consider a Lean RFP instead of an RFP

    Several days
    1. Create an RFI with all of the normal and customary components. Next, add a few additional RFP-like requirements (e.g. operational, technical, and legal requirements). Make sure you include a request for budgetary pricing and provide any significant features and functionality requirements so that the vendors have enough information to propose solutions. In addition, allow the vendors to ask questions through your single point of coordination and share answers with all of the vendors. Finally, notify the vendors that you will not be doing an RFP.
    2. Review the vendors’ proposals and evaluate their proposals against your requirements along with their notional or budgetary pricing.
    3. Have the evaluators utilize the Lean RFP Template to record their scores accordingly.
    4. After collecting the scores from the evaluators, consolidate the scores together to discuss which vendors – we recommend two or three – you want to present demos.
    5. Based on the vendors’ demos, the team selects at least two vendors to negotiate contract and pricing terms with intent of selecting the best-value vendor.
    6. The Lean RFP shortens the typical RFP process, maintains leverage for your organization, and works great with low- to medium-spend items (however your organization defines them). You’ll get clarification on vendors’ competencies and capabilities, obtain a fair market price, and meet your internal clients’ aggressive timelines while still taking steps to protect your organization.

    Download the Lean RFP Template

    Download the RFP Evaluation Tool

    4.2.1 In a hurry? Consider a Lean RFP instead of an RFP continued

    Input

    • List of technical, operational, business, and legal requirements
    • Budgetary pricing ask

    Output

    • A Lean RFP document that includes the primary components of an RFP
    • Lean RFP vendors response evaluation

    Materials

    • Lean RFP Template
    • RFP Evaluation Tool
    • Contracting requirements
    • Pricing

    Participants

    • IT
    • Business
    • Finance
    • Sourcing/Procurement

    Case Study

    A Lean RFP saves time
    INDUSTRY: Pharmaceutical
    SOURCE: Guided Implementation
    Challenge
    • The vendor manager (VM) was experiencing pressure to shorten the expected five-month duration to perform an RFP for software that planned, coordinated, and submitted regulatory documents to the US Food and Drug Administration.
    • The VM team was not completely familiar with the qualified vendors and their solutions.
    • The organization wanted to capitalize on this opportunity to enhance its current processes with the intent of improving efficiencies in documentation submissions.
    Solution
    • Leveraging the Lean RFP process, the team reduced the 200+ RFP questionnaire into a more manageable list of 34 significant questions to evaluate vendor responses.
    • The team issued the Lean RFP and requested the vendors’ responses in three weeks instead of the five weeks planned for the RFP process.
    • The team modified the scoring process to utilize a simple weighted-scoring methodology, using a scale of 1-5.
    Results
    • The Lean RFP scaled back the complexity of a large RFP.
    • The customer received three vendor responses ranging from 19 to 43 pages and 60-80% shorter than expected if the RFP had been used. This allowed the team to reduce the evaluation period by three weeks.
    • The duration of the RFx process was reduced by more than two months – from five months to just under three months.

    Six Steps to Perform RFI/RFP

    Step 1

    • Build your RFP with evaluation in mind.

    Step 2

    • RFI or no RFI
    • Consider a Lean RFP

    Step 3

    • Create your RFP
    • Establish your RFP dates
    • Decide on RFP template
      • Short
      • Long
      • Excel
    • Create a template for vendors’ response
    • Create your Pricing Template

    Step 4

    • Receive RFP questions from vendors
    • Review and prepare answers to questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 5

    • Conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 6

    • Receive vendors’ proposals
    • Review for compliance and completion
    • Team evaluates vendors’ proposals.
    • Prepare TCO
    • Draft executive recommendation report

    4.3.1 RFP Calendar

    1 hour

    Input: List duration in days of key activities, RFP Calendar and Key Date Tool, For all vendor-inclusive meetings, include the dates on your RFP calendar and reference them in the RFP

    Output: A timeline to complete the RFP that has the support of each stakeholder involved in the process and that allows for a complete and thorough vendor response.

    Materials: RFP Calendar and Key Date Tool

    Participants: IT management, Business stakeholder(s), Legal (as required), Risk management (as required), Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    1. As a group, identify the key activities to be accomplished and the amount of time estimated to complete each task:
      1. Identify who is ultimately accountable for the completion of each task
      2. Determine the length of time required to complete each task
    2. Use the RFP Calendar and Key Date Tool to build the calendar specific to your needs.
    3. Include vendor-related dates in the RFP, i.e., Pre-Proposal Conference, deadline for RFP questions as well as response.

    Download the RFP Calendar and Key Date Tool

    Draft your RFP

    Create and issue your RFP, which should contain at least the following:
    • The ability for the vendors to ask clarifying questions (in writing, sent to the predetermined RFP contact)
    • Pre-Proposal/Pre-Bid Conference schedule where vendors can receive the same answer to all clarifying written questions
    • A calendar of events (block the time on stakeholder calendars – see template).
    • Instructions to potential vendors on how they should construct and return their response to enable effective and timely evaluation of each offer.
    • Requirements; for example: Functional, Operational, Technical, and Legal.
    • Specification drawings as if applicable.
    • Consider adding vendor management requirements – how do you want to manage the relationship after the deal is done?
    • A pricing template for vendors to complete that facilitates comparison across multiple vendors.
    • Contract terms required by your legal team (or your standard contract for vendors to redline as part of their response and rated/ranked accordingly).
    • Create your RFP with the evaluation process and team in mind to ensure efficiency and timeliness in the process. Be clear, concise, and complete in the document.
    • Consistency and completeness is the foundation for ease of evaluation.
    • Give vendors detailed instruction on how to structure and organize their response.
    • Limit the number of open-ended questions requiring a long narrative response.
    • Be sure to leverage Info-Tech’s proven and field-tested Short-Form, Long-Form, and Lean RFP Templates provided in this blueprint.

    Create a template for the vendors’ response

    Dictating to the vendors the format of their response will increase your evaluation efficiency
    Narrative Response:

    Create either a Word or Excel document that provides the vendor with an easy vehicle for their response. This template should include the question identifier that ties the response back to the requirement in the RFP. Instruct vendors to include the question number on any ancillary materials they wish to include.

    Pricing Response:

    Create a separate Excel template that the vendors must use to provide their financial offer. This template should include pricing for hardware, software, training, implementation, and professional services, as well as placeholders for any additional fees.

    Always be flexible in accepting alternative proposals after the vendor has responded with the information you requested in the format you require.

    Stock image of a paper checklist in front of a laptop computer's screen.

    4.3.2 Vendor Pricing Tool

    1 hour

    Input: Identify pricing components for hardware, software, training, consulting/services, support, and additional licenses (if needed)

    Output: Vendor Pricing Tool

    Materials: RFP Requirements Worksheet, Pricing template

    Participants: IT, Finance, Business stakeholders, Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    1. Using a good pricing template will prevent vendors from providing pricing offers that create a strategic advantage designed to prevent you from performing an apples-to-apples comparison.
    2. Provide specific instructions as to how the vendor is to organize their pricing response, which should be submitted separate from the RFP response.
    3. Configure and tailor pricing templates that are specific to the product and/or services.
    4. Upon receipt of all the vendor’s responses, simply cut and paste their total response to your base template for an easy side-by-side pricing comparison.
    5. Do not allow vendors to submit financial proposals outside of your template.

    Download the Vendor Pricing Tool

    Three RFP Templates

    Choose the right template for the right sourcing initiative

    • Short-Form
    • Use the Short-Form RFP Template for simple, non-complex solutions that are medium to low dollar amounts that do not require numerous requirements.

    • Long-Form
    • We recommend the Long-Form RFP Template for highly technical and complex solutions that are high dollar and have long implementation duration.

    • Excel-Form
    • Leverage the Excel-Form RFP Tool for requirements that are more specific in nature to evaluate a vendor’s capability for their solution. This template is designed to be complete and inclusive of the RFP process, e.g., requirements, vendor response, and vendor response evaluation scoring.

    Like tools in a carpenters’ tool box or truck, there is no right or wrong template for any job. Take into account your organization culture, resources available, time frame, policies, and procedures to pick the right tool for the job. (Steve Jeffery, Principal Research Director, Vendor Management, Co-Author: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP, Info-Tech Research Group)

    4.3.3 Short-Form RFP Template

    1-2 hours

    Input: List of technical, legal, business, and data security requirements

    Output: Full set of requirements, prioritized, that all participants agree to

    Materials: Short-Form RFP Template, Vendor Pricing Tool, Supporting exhibits

    Participants: IT management, Business stakeholder(s), Legal (as required), Risk management (as required), Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    • This is a less complex RFP that has relatively basic requirements and perhaps a small window in which the vendors can respond. As with the long-form RFP, exhibits are placed at the end of the RFP, an arrangement that saves both your team and the vendors time. Of course, the short-form RFP contains less-specific instructions, guidelines, and rules for vendors’ proposal submissions.
    • We find that short-form RFPs are a good choice when you need to use something more than a request for quote (RFQ) but less than an RFP running 20 or more pages. It’s ideal, for example, when you want to send an RFP to only one vendor or to acquire items such as office supplies, contingent labor, or commodity items that don’t require significant vendor risk assessment.

    Download the Short-Form RFP Template

    4.3.4 Long-Form RFP Template

    1-3 hours

    Input: List of technical, legal, business, and data security requirements

    Output: Full set of requirements, prioritized, that all stakeholders agree to

    Materials: Long-Form RFP Template, Vendor Pricing Tool, Supporting exhibits

    Participants: IT management, Business stakeholder(s), Legal (as required), Risk management (as required), Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    • A long-form or major RFP is an excellent tool for more complex and complicated requirements. This template is for a baseline RFP.
    • It starts with best-in-class RFP terms and conditions that are essential to maintaining your control throughout the RFP process. The specific requirements for the business, functional, technical, legal, and pricing areas should be included in the exhibits at the end of the template. That makes it easier to tailor the RFP for each deal, since you and your team can quickly identify specific areas that need modification. Grouping the exhibits together also makes it convenient for both your team to review and the vendors to respond.
    • You can use this sample RFP as the basis for your template RFP, taking it all as is or picking and choosing the sections that best meet the mission and objectives of the RFP and your organization.

    Download the Long-Form RFP Template

    4.3.5 Excel-Form RFP Tool

    Several weeks

    Input: List of technical, legal, business, and data security requirements

    Output: Full set of requirements, prioritized, that all stakeholders agree to

    Materials: Excel-Form RFP Template, Vendor Pricing Tool, Supporting exhibits

    Participants: IT management, Business stakeholder(s), Legal (as required), Risk management (as required), Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    • The Excel-Form RFP Tool is used as an alternative to the other RFP toolsets if you have multiple requirements and have multiple vendors to choose from.
    • Requirements are written as a “statement” and the vendor can select from five answers as to their ability to meet the requirements, with the ability to provide additional context and materials to augment their answers, as needed.
    • Requirements are listed separately in each tab, for example, Business, Legal, Technical, Security, Support, Professional Services, etc.

    Download the Excel-Form RFP Template

    Six Steps to Perform RFI/RFP

    Step 1

    • Build your RFP with evaluation in mind.

    Step 2

    • RFI or no RFI
    • Consider a Lean RFP

    Step 3

    • Create your RFP
    • Establish your RFP dates
    • Decide on RFP template
      • Short
      • Long
      • Excel
    • Create a template for vendors’ response
    • Create your Pricing Template

    Step 4

    • Receive RFP questions from vendors
    • Review and prepare answers to questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 5

    • Conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 6

    • Receive vendors’ proposals
    • Review for compliance and completion
    • Team evaluates vendors’ proposals.
    • Prepare TCO
    • Draft executive recommendation report

    Answer Vendor Questions

    Maintaining your equal and level playing field among vendors

    • Provide an adequate amount of time from the RFP issue date to the deadline for vendor questions. There may be multiple vendor staff/departments that need to read the RFP and then discuss their response approach and gather any clarifying questions, so we generally recommend three to five business days.
    • There should be one point of contact for all Q&A, which should be submitted in writing via email only. Be sure to plan for enough time to get the answers back from the RFP stakeholders.
    • After the deadline, collect all Q&A and begin the process of consolidating into one document.
    Large silver question mark.
    • Be sure to anonymize both vendor questions and your responses, so as not to reveal who asked or answered the question.
    • Send the document to all RFP respondents via your sourcing tool or BCC in an email to the point of contact, with read receipt requested. That way, you can track who has received and opened the correspondence.
    • Provide the answers a few days prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference to allow all respondents time to review the document and prepare any additional questions.
    • Begin the preparation for the Pre-Proposal Conference.

    Six Steps to Perform RFI/RFP

    Step 1

    • Build your RFP with evaluation in mind.

    Step 2

    • RFI or no RFI
    • Consider a Lean RFP

    Step 3

    • Create your RFP
    • Establish your RFP dates
    • Decide on RFP template
      • Short
      • Long
      • Excel
    • Create a template for vendors’ response
    • Create your Pricing Template

    Step 4

    • Receive RFP questions from vendors
    • Review and prepare answers to questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 5

    • Conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 6

    • Receive vendors’ proposals
    • Review for compliance and completion
    • Team evaluates vendors’ proposals.
    • Prepare TCO
    • Draft executive recommendation report

    Conduct Pre-Proposal Conference

    Maintain an equal and level playing field

    • Consolidate all Q&A to be presented to all vendors during the Pre-Proposal Conference.
    • If the Pre-Proposal Conference is conducted via conference call, be sure to record the session and advise all participants at the beginning of the call.
    • Be sure to have key stakeholders present on the call to answer questions.
    • Read each question and answer, after which ask if there are any follow up questions. Be sure to capture them and then add them to the Q&A document.
    • Remind respondents that no further questions will be entertained during the remainder of the RFP response period.
    • Send the updated and completed document to all vendors (even if circumstances prevented their attending the Pre-Proposal Conference). Use the same process as when you sent out the initial answers: via email, blind copy the respondents and request read/receipt.

    “Using a Pre-Proposal Conference allows you to reinforce that there is a level playing field for all of the vendors…that each vendor has an equal chance to earn your business. This encourages and maximizes competition, and when that happens, the customer wins.” (Phil Bode, Principal Research Director, Co-Author: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP, Info-Tech Research Group)

    Pre-Proposal Conference Agenda

    Modify this agenda for your specific organization’s culture
    1. Opening Remarks & Welcome – RFP Manager
      1. Agenda review
      2. Purpose of the Pre-Proposal Conference
    2. Review Agenda
      1. Introduction of your (customer) attendees
    3. Participating Vendor Introduction (company name)
    4. Executive or Sr. Leadership Comments (limit to five minutes)
      1. Importance of the RFP
      2. High-level business objective or definition of success
    5. Review Key Dates in the RFP

    (Source: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP, Jeffery et al., 2019)
    1. Review of any Technical Drawings or Information
      1. Key technical requirements and constraints
      2. Key infrastructure requirements and constraints
    2. Review of any complex RFP Issues
      1. Project scope/out of scope
    3. Question &Answer
      1. Vendors’ questions in alphabetical order
    4. Review of Any Specific Instructions for the Respondents
    5. Conclusion/Closing
      1. Review how to submit additional questions
      2. Remind vendors of the single point of contact

    Allow your executive or leadership sponsor to leave the Pre-Proposal Conference after they provide their comments to allow them to continue their day while demonstrating to the vendors the importance of the project.

    Six Steps to Perform RFI/RFP

    Step 1

    • Build your RFP with evaluation in mind.

    Step 2

    • RFI or no RFI
    • Consider a Lean RFP

    Step 3

    • Create your RFP
    • Establish your RFP dates
    • Decide on RFP template
      • Short
      • Long
      • Excel
    • Create a template for vendors’ response
    • Create your Pricing Template

    Step 4

    • Receive RFP questions from vendors
    • Review and prepare answers to questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 5

    • Conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference

    Step 6

    • Receive vendors’ proposals
    • Review for compliance and completion
    • Team evaluates vendors’ proposals.
    • Prepare TCO
    • Draft executive recommendation report

    Evaluate Responses

    Other important information

    • Consider separating the pricing component from the RFP responses before sending them to reviewers to maintain objectivity until after you have received all ratings on the proposals themselves.
    • Each reviewer should set aside focused time to carefully read each vendor’s response
    • Read the entire vendor proposal – they spent a lot time and money responding to your request, so please read everything.
    • Remind reviewers that they should route any questions to the vendor through the RFP manager.
    • Using the predetermined ranking system for each section, rate each section of the response, capturing any notes, questions, or concerns as you proceed through the document(s).
    Stock photo of a 'Rating' meter with values 'Very Bad to 'Excellent'.

    Use a proven evaluation method

    Two proven methods to reviewing vendors’ proposals are by response and by objective

    The first, by response, is when the evaluator reviews each vendor’s response in its entirety.

    The second, reviewing by objective, is when the evaluator reviews each vendor’s response to a single objective before moving on to the next.

    By Response

    Two-way arrow with '+ Pros' in green on the left and 'Cons -' in red on the right.

    By Objective

    Two-way arrow with '+ Pros' in green on the left and 'Cons -' in red on the right.

    • Each response is thoroughly read all the way through.
    • Response inconsistencies are easily noticed.
    • Evaluators obtain a good feel for the vendor's response.
    • Evaluators will lose interest as they move from one response to another.
    • Evaluation will be biased if the beginning of response is subpar, influencing the rest of the evaluation.
    • Deficiencies of the perceived favorite vendor are overlooked.
    • Evaluators concentrate on how each objective is addressed.
    • Evaluators better understand the responses, resulting in identifying the best response for the objective.
    • Evaluators are less susceptible to supplier bias.
    • Electronic format of the response hampers response review per objective.
    • If a hard copy is necessary, converting electronic responses to hard copy is costly and cumbersome.
    • Discipline is required to score each vendor's response as they go.

    Maintain evaluation objectivity by reducing response evaluation biases

    Evaluation teams can be naturally biased during their review of the vendors’ responses.

    You cannot eliminate bias completely – the best you can do is manage it by identifying these biases with the team and mitigating their influence in the evaluation process.

    Vendor

    The evaluator only trusts a certain vendor and is uncomfortable with any other vendor.
    • Evaluate the responses blind of vendor names, if possible.
    Centerpiece for this table, titled 'BIAS' and surrounding by iconized representations of the four types listed.

    Account Representatives

    Relationships extend beyond business, and an evaluator doesn't want to jeopardize them.
    • Craft RFP objectives that are vendor neutral.

    Technical

    A vendor is the only technical solution the evaluator is looking for, and they will not consider anything else.
    • Conduct fair and open solution demonstrations.

    Price

    As humans, we can justify anything at a good price.
    • Evaluate proposals without awareness of price.

    Additional insights when evaluating RFPs

    When your evaluation team includes a member of the C-suite or senior leadership, ensure you give them extra time to sufficiently review the vendor's responses. When your questions require a definitive “Yes”/“True” or “No”/“False” responses, we recommend giving the maximum score for “Yes”/“True” and the minimum score for “No”/“False”.
    Increase your efficiency and speed of evaluation by evaluating the mandatory requirements first. If a vendor's response doesn't meet the minimum requirements, save time by not reviewing the remainder of the response. Group your RFP questions with a high-level qualifying question, then the supporting detailed requirements. The evaluation team can save time by not evaluating a response that does not meet a high-level qualifying requirement.

    Establish your evaluation scoring scale

    Define your ranking scale to ensure consistency in ratings

    Within each section of your RFP are objectives, each of which should be given its own score. Our recommended approach is to award on a scale of 0 to 5. With such a scale, you need to define every level. Below are the recommended definitions for a 0 to 5 scoring scale.

    Score Criteria for Rating
    5 Outstanding – Complete understanding of current and future needs; solution addresses current and future needs
    4 Competent – Complete understanding and adequate solution
    3 Average – Average understanding and adequate solution
    2 Questionable – Average understanding; proposal questionable
    1 Poor – Minimal understanding
    0 Not acceptable – Lacks understanding
    Stock photo of judges holding up their ratings.

    Weigh the sections of your RFP on how important or critical they are to the RFP

    Obtain Alignment on Weighting the Scores of Each Section
    • There are many ways to score responses, ranging from extremely simple to highly complicated. The most important thing is that everyone responsible for completing scorecards is in total agreement about how the scoring system should work. Otherwise, the scorecards will lose their value, since different weighting and scoring templates were used to arrive at their scores.
    • You can start by weighting the scores by section, with all sections adding up to 100%.
    Example RFP Section Weights
    Pie chart of example RFP section weights, 'Operational, 20%', 'Service-Level Agreements, 20%', 'Financial, 20%', 'Legal/Contractual, 15%', 'Technical, 10%' 'Functional, 15%'.
    (Source: The Art of Creating a Quality RFP, Jeffery et al., 2019)

    Protect your negotiation leverage with these best practices

    Protect your organization's reputation within the vendor community with a fair and balanced process.
    • Unless you regularly have the evaluators on your evaluation team, always assume that the team members are not familiar nor experienced with your process and procedures.
    • Do not underestimate the amount of preparations required to ensure that your evaluation team has everything they need to evaluate vendors’ responses without bias.
    • Be very specific about the expectations and time commitment required for the evaluation team to evaluate the responses.
    • Explain to the team members the importance of evaluating responses without conflicts of interest, including the fact that information contained within the responses and all discussions within the team are considered company owned and confidential.
    • Include examples of the evaluation and scoring processes to help the evaluators understand what they should be doing.
    • Finally – don’t forget to the thank the evaluation team and their managers for their time and commitment in contributing to this essential decision.
    Stock photo of a cork board with 'best practice' spelled out by tacked bits of paper, each with a letter in a different font.

    Evaluation teams must balance commercial vs. technical requirements

    Do not alter the evaluation weights after responses are submitted.
    • Evaluation teams are always challenged by weighing the importance of price, budget, and value against the technical requirements of “must-haves” and super cool “nice-to-haves.”
    • Encouraging the evaluation team not to inadvertently convert the nice-to-haves to must-haves will prevent scope creep and budget pressure. The evaluation team must concentrate on the vendors’ responses that drive the best value when balancing both commercial and technical requirements.
    Two blocks labelled 'Commercial Requirements' and 'Technical Requirements' balancing on either end of a flat sheet, which is balancing on a silver ball.

    4.6.1 Evaluation Guidebook

    1 hour

    Input: RFP responses, Weighted Scoring Matrix, Vendor Response Scorecard

    Output: One or two finalists for which negotiations will proceed

    Materials: RFP Evaluation Guidebook

    Participants: IT, Finance, Business stakeholders, Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    1. Info-Tech provides an excellent resource for your evaluation team to better understand the process of evaluating vendor response. The guidebook is designed to be configured to the specifics of your RFP, with guidance and instructions to the team.
    2. Use this guidebook to provide instruction to the evaluation team as to how best to score and rate the RFP responses.
    3. Specific definitions are provided for applying the numerical scores to the RFP objectives will ensure consistency among the appropriate numerical score.

    Download the RFP Evaluation Guidebook

    4.6.2 RFP Vendor Proposal Scoring Tool

    1-4 hours

    Input: Each vendor’s RFP response, A copy of the RFP (less pricing), A list of the weighted criteria incorporated into a vendor response scorecard

    Output: A consolidated ranked and weighted comparison of the vendor responses with pricing

    Materials: Vendor responses, RFP Evaluation Tool

    Participants: Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    1. Using the RFP outline as a base, develop a scorecard to evaluate and rate each section of the vendor response, based on the criteria predetermined by the team.
    2. Provide each stakeholder with the scorecard when you provide the vendor responses for them to review and provide the team with adequate time to review each response thoroughly and completely.
    3. Do not, at this stage, provide the pricing. Allow stakeholders to review the responses based on the technical, business, operational criteria without prejudice as to pricing.
    4. Evaluators should always be reminded that they are evaluating each vendor’s response against the objectives and requirements of the RFP. The evaluators should not be evaluating each vendor’s response against one another.
    5. While the team is reviewing and scoring responses, review and consolidate the vendor pricing submissions into one document for a side-by-side comparison.

    Download the RFP Evaluation Tool

    4.6.3 Total Cost of Owners (TCO)

    1-2 hours

    Input: Consolidated vendor pricing responses, Consolidated vendor RFP responses, Current spend within your organization for the product/service, if available, Budget

    Output: A completed TCO model summarizing the financial results of the RFP showing the anticipated costs over the term of the agreement, taking into consideration the impact of renewals.

    Materials: Vendor TCO Tool, Vendor pricing responses

    Participants: IT, Finance, Business stakeholders, Sourcing/Procurement

    • Use Info-Tech’s Vendor TCO Tool to normalize each vendor’s pricing proposal and account for the lifetime cost of the product.
    • Fill in pricing information (the total of all annual costs) from each vendor's returned Pricing Proposal.
    • The tool will summarize the net present value of the TCO for each vendor proposal.
    • The tool will also provide the rank of each pricing proposal.

    Download the Vendor TCO Tool

    Conduct an evaluation team results meeting

    Follow the checklist below to ensure an effective evaluation results meeting

    • Schedule the evaluation team’s review meeting well in advance to ensure there are no scheduling conflicts.
    • Collect the evaluation team’s scores in advance.
    • Collate scores and provide an initial ranking.
    • Do not reveal the pricing evaluation results until after initial discussions and review of the scoring results.
    • Examine both high and low scores to understand why the team members scored the response as they did.
    • Allow the team to discuss, debate, and arrive at consensus on the ranking.
    • After consensus, reveal the pricing to examine if or how it changes the ranking.
    • Align the team on the next steps with the applicable vendors.

    4.6.4 Consolidated RFP Response Scoring

    1-2 hours

    Input: Vendor Response Scorecard from each stakeholder, Consolidated RFP responses and pricing, Any follow up questions or items requiring further vendor clarification.

    Output: An RFP Response Evaluation Summary that identifies the finalists based on pre-determined criteria.

    Materials: RFP Evaluation Tool from each stakeholder, Consolidated RFP responses and pricing.

    Participants: IT, Finance, Business stakeholders, Sourcing/Procurement, Vendor management

    1. Collect from the evaluation team all scorecards and any associated questions requiring further clarification from the vendor(s). Consolidate the scorecards into one for presentation to the team and key decision makers.
    2. Present the final scores to the team, with the pricing evaluation, to determine, based on your needs, two or three finalists that will move forward to the next steps of negotiations.
    3. Discuss any scores that are have large gaps, e.g., a requirement with a score of one from one evaluator and the same requirement with a score five from different evaluator.
    4. Arrive at a consensus of your top one or two potential vendors.
    5. Determine any required follow-up actions with the vendors and include them in the Evaluation Summary.

    Download the Consolidated Vender RFP Response Evaluation Summary

    4.6.5 Vendor Recommendation Presentation

    1-3 hours
    1. Use the Vendor Recommendation Presentation to present your finalist and obtain final approval to negotiate and execute any agreements.
    2. The Vendor Recommendation Presentation provides leadership with:
      1. An overview of the RFP, its primary goals, and key requirements
      2. A summary of the vendors invited to participate and why
      3. A summary of each component of the RFP
      4. A side-by-side comparison of key vendor responses to each of the key/primary requirements, with ranking/weighting results
      5. A summary of the vendor’s responses to key legal terms
      6. A consolidated summary of the vendors’ pricing, augmented by the TCO calculations for the finalist(s).
      7. The RFP team’s vendor recommendations based on its findings
      8. A summary of next steps with dates
      9. Request approval to proceed to next steps of negotiations with the primary and secondary vendor

    Download the Vendor Recommendation Presentation

    4.6.5 Vendor Recommendation Presentation

    Input

    • Consolidated RFP responses, with a focus on key RFP goals
    • Consolidated pricing responses
    • TCO Model completed, approved by Finance, stakeholders

    Output

    • Presentation deck summarizing the key findings of the RFP results, cost estimates and TCO and the recommendation for approval to move to contract negotiations with the finalists

    Materials

    • Consolidated RFP responses, including legal requirements
    • Consolidated pricing
    • TCO Model
    • Evaluators scoring results

    Participants

    • IT
    • Finance
    • Business stakeholders
    • Legal
    • Sourcing/Procurement

    Caution: Configure templates and tools to align with RFP objectives

    Templates and tools are invaluable assets to any RFP process

    • Leveraging templates and tools saves time and provides consistency to your vendors.
    • Maintain a common repository of your templates and tools with different versions and variations. Include a few sentences with instructions on how to use the template and tools for team members who might not be familiar with them.

    Templates/Tools

    RFP templates and tools are found in a variety of places, such as previous projects, your favorite search engine, or by asking a colleague.

    Sourcing

    Regardless of the source of these documents, you must take great care and consideration to sanitize any reference to another vendor, company, or name of the deal.

    Review

    Then you must carefully examine the components of the deal before creating your final documents.

    Popular RFP templates include:

    • RFP documents
    • Pricing templates
    • Evaluation and scoring templates
    • RFP requirements
    • Info-Tech research

    Phase 5

    Negotiate Agreement(s)

    Steps

    5.1 Perform negotiation process

    Steps in an RFP Process with the fifth step, 'Negotiate Agreement', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Procurement
    • Vendor management
    • Legal
    • IT stakeholders
    • Finance

    Outcomes of this phase

    A negotiated agreement or agreements that are a result of competitive negotiations.

    Negotiate Agreement(s)

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Negotiate Agreement

    You should evaluate your RFP responses first to see if they are complete and the vendor followed your instructions.


    Then you should:

    • Plan negotiation(s) with one or more vendors based on your questions and opportunities identified during evaluation.
    • Select finalist(s).
    • Apply selection criteria.
    • Resolve vendors’ exceptions.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Be certain to include any commitments made in the RFP, presentations, and proposals in the agreement – dovetails to underperforming vendor.

    Centerpiece of the table, titled 'Negotiation Process'.

    Leverage Info-Tech's negotiation process research for additional information

    Negotiate before you select your vendor:
    • Negotiating with two or more vendors will maintain your competitive leverage while decreasing the time it takes to negotiate the deal.
    • Perform legal reviews as necessary.
    • Use sound competitive negotiations principles.

    Info-Tech Insight

    Providing contract terms in an RFP can dramatically reduce time for this step by understanding the vendor’s initial contractual position for negotiation.

    Phase 6

    Purchase Goods and Services

    Steps

    6.1 Purchase Goods & Services

    Steps in an RFP Process with the sixth step, 'Purchase Goods and Services', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Procurement
    • Vendor management
    • IT stakeholders

    Outcomes of this phase

    A purchase order that completes the RFP process.

    The beginning of the vendor management process.

    Purchase Goods and Services

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Purchase Goods and Services

    Prepare to purchase goods and services

    Prepare to purchase goods and services by completing all items on your organization’s onboarding checklist.
    • Have the vendor complete applicable tax forms.
    • Set up the vendor in accounts payable for electronic payment (ACH) set-up.
    Then transact day-to-day business:
    • Provide purchasing forecasts.
    • Complete applicable purchase requisition and purchase orders. Be sure to reference the agreement in the PO.
    Stock image of a computer monitor with a full grocery cart shown on the screen.

    Info-Tech Insight

    As a customer, honoring your contractual obligations and commitments will ensure that your organization is not only well respected but considered a customer of choice.

    Phase 7

    Assess and Measure Performance

    Steps

    7.1 Assess and measure performance against the agreement

    Steps in an RFP Process with the seventh step, 'Assess and Measure Performance', highlighted.

    This phase involves the following participants:

    • Vendor management
    • Business stakeholders
    • Senior leadership (as needed)
    • IT stakeholders
    • Vendor representatives & senior management

    Outcomes of this phase

    A list of what went well during the period – it’s important to recognize successes

    A list of areas needing improvement that includes:

    • A timeline for each item to be completed
    • The team member(s) responsible

    Purchase Goods and Services

    Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7

    Assess and Measure Performance

    Measure to manage: the job doesn’t end when the contract is signed.

    • Classify vendor
    • Assess vendor performance
    • Manage improvement
    • Conduct periodic vendor performance reviews or quarterly business reviews
    • Ensure contract compliance for both the vendor and your organization
    • Build knowledgebase for future
    • Re-evaluate and improve appropriately your RFP processes

    Info-Tech Insight

    To be an objective vendor manager, you should also assess and measure your company’s performance along with the vendor’s performance.

    Summary of Accomplishment

    Problem Solved

    Upon completion of this blueprint, guided implementation, or workshop, your team should have a comprehensive, well-defined end-to-end approach to performing a quality sourcing event. Leverage Info-Tech’s industry-proven tools and templates to provide your organization with an effective approach to maintain your negotiation leverage, improve the ease with which you evaluate vendor proposals, and reduce your risk while obtaining the best market value for your goods and services.

    Additionally, your team will have a foundation to execute your vendor management principles. These principles will assist your organization in ensuring you receive the perceived value from the vendor as a result of your competitive negotiations.

    If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of an Info-Tech workshop.

    Contact your account representative for more information.

    workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

    Final Thoughts: RFP Do’s and Don’ts

    DO

    • Leverage your team’s knowledge
    • Document and explain your RFP process to stakeholders and vendors
    • Include contract terms in your RFP
    • Consider vendor management requirements up front
    • Plan to measure and manage performance after contract award leveraging RFP objectives
    • Seek feedback from the RFP team for process improvements

    DON'T

    • Reveal your budget
    • Do an RFP in a vacuum
    • Send an RFP to a vendor your team is not willing to award the business to
    • Hold separate conversations with candidate vendors during your RFP process
    • Skimp on the requirements definition to speed the process
    • Tell the vendor they are selected before negotiating

    Bibliography

    “2022 RFP Response Trends & Benchmarks.” Loopio, 2022. Web.

    Corrigan, Tony. “How Much Does it Cost to Respond to an RFP?” LinkedIn, March 2017. Accessed 10 Dec. 2019

    “Death by RFP:7 Reasons Not to Respond.” Inc. Magazine, 2013. Web.

    Jeffery, Steven, George Bordon, and Phil Bode. The Art of Creating a Quality RFP, 3rd ed. Info-Tech Research Group, 2019.

    “RFP Benchmarks: How Much Time and Staff Firms Devote to Proposals.” MarketingProfs, 2020. Web.

    “State of the RFP 2019.” Bonfire, 2019. Web.

    “What Vendors Want (in RFPs).” Vendorful, 2020. Web.

    Related Info-Tech Research

    Stock photo of two people looking at a tablet. Prepare for Negotiations More Effectively
    • Negotiations are about allocating risk and money – how much risk is a party willing to accept at what price point?
    • Using a cross-functional/cross-insight team structure for negotiation preparation yields better results.
    • Soft skills aren’t enough and theatrical negotiation tactics aren’t effective.
    Stock photo of two people in suits shaking hands. Understand Common IT Contract Provisions to Negotiate More Effectively
    • Focus on the terms and conditions, not just the price. Too often, organizations focus on the price contained within their contracts, neglecting to address core terms and conditions that can end up costing multiples of the initial price.
    • Lawyers can’t ensure you get the best business deal. Lawyers tend to look at general terms and conditions for legal risk and may not understand IT-specific components and business needs.
    Stock photo of three people gathered around a computer. Jump Start Your Vendor Management Initiative
    • Vendor management must be an IT strategy. Solid vendor management is an imperative – IT organizations must develop capabilities to ensure that services are delivered by vendors according to service-level objectives and that risks are mitigated according to the organization's risk tolerance.
    • Visibility into your IT vendor community. Understand how much you spend with each vendor and rank their criticality and risk to focus on the vendors you should be concentrating on for innovative solutions.