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Rob, Barb, Barbara
Analyzing
what we have been able to do and what we can still do going forward, and what we could do that's new.
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(until the wiki upgrade to version 3 this weekend, I will leave this tabular data in a separate Excel sheet.)
Guiding Concepts for Moving Forward
Definitions...
Metric -- a dimension along with the success of the Service Desk will be measured. Client Satisfaction, say.
Measures -- one or more readings of variables that inform a metric.
Our approach is to choose a few key metrics, that are each supported by a cluster of measures that contribute to the context and understanding of the current state of the metric.
Benefits
Metrics, when used effectively within the measurement framework, help to:
| Provide the instrumentation for management control |
| Make it easier to concentrate what’s important |
| Make it easier to spot danger in time to correct it |
| Improve moral in an organization by recognizing successes |
| Stimulate healthy competition between process owners |
| Align IT with the business goals and objectives |
| Drive cost efficiencies and effectiveness |
| Improve service levels and quality of service increasing satisfaction. |
Realizing the Value in these things...
Majority of IT organizations produce management reports, facts and figures. But there are three key questions to ask:
1. who receives existing reports?
2. what is done with them?
3. to what degree do they support goals?
Goals and Objectives Alignment
Align IT objectives with the customer. Develop the critical success factors required to meet those objectives, then build KPIs to monitor improvement and progress.
Align metrics to support goals. Ask: "what actions are required?" and "how will actions be verified?"
Are service levels at or above expectations?
-- if not what actions are required to improve service levels? How will actions be verified? (How can we prove we did something)
-- cycle back after improvement attempts and see if it helped.
The performance measurement lifecycle provides a basis for continual improvement.
1. define what you should measure
2. define what you can measure
3. gather the data -- who? how? what? do we believe the data?
4. process the data -- frequency? format? system? accuracy?
5. analyze the data -- relations? trends? targets met? causes? corrective action?
6. present and use information, assessment, summary, action plans, etc.
7. implement corrective action
Anatomy of Measurements
What are the core attributes of basic measurements?
- Current -- current temperature
- Previous -- yesterday's temp.
- Trend -- up or down
- Polarity -- which direction is better? (up or down)
- Threshold -- at what level should you consider intervening?
- Banding -- seasonal range? inherent variation? (statistical process control...)
- Period -- "daily" "weekly" "monthly", etc.
- Timestamp -- when do you measure
- Frequency -- how often
- Target -- optimatl setting
- Baseline -- last year's temp
- Benchmark -- high/low/average
Key Performance Metrics (KPMs)
Metrics can br grouped or classified by themes to create key performance metrics. -- "Effectiveness", "Utilization", "Efficiency", etc.
Key Performance Indicator (KPIs)
Key performance metrics can be aggregated together to create a key performance indicator. Metrics can be aggregated or classified to create KPIs. LIke:
Efficiency Indicators: Revenue/TCO, Days/AR, IT Staff/Users, TCO/User
Effectiveness Indicators: Managers/IT Staff
Quality Measures: MTBC, MTTC, Call Abandon Rate
Benefits Realized: Return on Total Assets, Revenue/Headcount
Techniques for Reporting Metrics
Role-based dashboards help link to overall objectives. Line managers would see process parameter DBs, managers would see staff/$/process dashboards, Directors would see something more summary and oriented to the bottom line
Process Mapping -- provides the instrumentation necessary to control and improve the process.
Cost Distribution maps pinpoint potential cost effectiveness improvement opportunities
Interpreting the Data
Balanced Scorecard methodology translates the organization's strategy into performance objectives, measures, targets and initiatives. (1. Financial, 2. User Community, 3. Internal Processes 4. Learning and Growth)
Administration of Metrics Data
Objective: to document, record and administer the metrics data in a central repository.
Description: data needs to be stored in a metrics data base, MDB. A central repository is preferred.
More Stuff fro Micromation
IT benchmarking -- http://www.micromationinc.com/TCO007.htm
Outputs: performance-based reports. Trend analysis. Exception reporting. Process Initiative Status. Benefits realized. Production of the measurement reports.