Measuring Your IT: Identifying the Metrics That Matter

Regardless of whether you are client or provider, if you want to understand, assess or improve your IT, you first need to measure it.

But what do you measure? How and when do you take those measurements? Who does the measuring? And what do you do with the measurements once you’ve taken them?

This pocket guide brings together client and provider perspectives on IT and outlines a set of common measures that both sides can relate to. It seeks to emphasize the importance of meeting the needs of IT users and the role that measurement can play in achieving that goal effectively.

Key areas covered in this book include

• Why IT measurement is necessary and how it relates to other performance assessments and monitors, such as audits, KPIs and health checks.
• How IT measurement differs from the perspective of the client business and the IT provider, and the common ground between the two.
• If you’re a client business, you want to know if the time, effort and money being spent on IT are in line with industry norms. And you’ll want to ensure that your IT is meeting the needs of the organisation and its users while contributing to the overall success of the business.
• If you’re an IT provider, you need to know that your resourcing is as efficient as possible, your client charges are competitive, and that your offerings are well received by the client.

Measuring your IT is aimed at anyone who wants a better understanding of IT measurement.

Through its “both sides of the fence” case studies, this pocket guide helps to foster a better understanding between business managers and users (who depend on IT) and IT providers (who make a living from supplying IT services).

If you’re on the client side, this book will help you get the best out of your IT. If you’re on the IT provider side, it will help you to give your customers the best value for money.

Make sure that your IT measures up!

About the Author

John Stewart has nearly 40 years’ experience as a public servant, initially as an IT adviser to several UK universities, and then working at the UK government’s IT agency (CCTA) where he founded and lead the early development of ITIL® and instigated the development of PRINCE2®.

He was responsible for all of CCTA’s IT-related best practice and successfully transitioned the agency to cover its costs by charging for its services. He later held a number of senior positions in the Office of Government Commerce, including Director of Procurement Policy. He now works as a freelancer and writer.