The scope and pace of change in Information Technology organizations can be overwhelming. Organizations that are doing things in the “same old way” are, by definition, rapidly becoming out-of-date and risk being ineffective
Introduction
The scope and pace of change in Information Technology organizations can be overwhelming. Organizations that are doing things in the “same old way” are, by definition, rapidly becoming out-of-date and risk being ineffective
From time to time, it is good to undertake a professional assessment of the IT organization and to identify areas of strengths, weaknesses and potential opportunities.
Rather than spend months of analysis, consider taking advantage of the IT Assessment service provided by CIO Professional Services, LLC. By using a team comprised of CIOs, IT experts and professional facilitators, CIO Professional Services can provide a comprehensive analysis in just a few days.
Interviews
In order to get a good understanding of the current state of the IT organization and IT’s relationship to the businesses it supports, the assessment team conducts a short, focused interview with each member of the C-Level executive staff. Key department managers may also be included in this process as dictated by the situation.
In-depth interviews with the key IT managers are also conducted. These interviews explore any critical issues or opportunities that exist in the organization as a result of IT programs, projects, support structures, etc.
Review of Background Materials
Members of the assessment team do a thorough analysis of IT-related documents and materials, including:
- Organization charts
- Current software, telecom and outsourcing contracts
- IT and related policy and procedure documents
- Process flow documentation
- Other documentation useful for to the assessment
90-Minute Focus Group Sessions with Selected Departments
An important part of the assessment is to obtain data from IT’s customers. Using a unique electronic meeting technology, the assessment team can efficiently obtain quantitative and qualitative feedback from key customer groups via virtual and face-to-face focus groups. By intermixing survey-type questions with open-ended feedback and discussion, the process allows the focus group leaders to obtain anonymous feedback in the customer’s own words, extracting a great deal of valuable information in a short time period.
IT Assessment Results
At the conclusion of the study, the assessment team will meet with the sponsor to review the results.
The final report will include:
- A summary of areas of strengths and weaknesses
- Specific recommendations (if any) for contractual improvements
- A summary of salient comments from the focus group participants
- Identification of improvement opportunities (“Quick wins” and short, medium and Long term process improvements)
Summary
An IT assessment is an effective way to quickly get a better understanding of the impact your IT has on your business and to identify steps for improvement.
Written By: David Haedtler, April 2013
David is a Principal with CIO Professional Services
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