Gap Management
Ensure IT services meet business needs by addressing projected gaps between the supply of IT services and likely business demand. This might include measures such as capacity expansion, changes in charging structures, product or service substitutions, training programmes for end users, and the association of incentives and penalties with particular usage patterns.
Improvement Planning
Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)
Representative POMs are described for Gap Management at each level of maturity.
- 1Initial
- Practice
- Collect and analyse information about gaps between demand and supply as issues arise.
- Outcome
- Issue and problem awwareness is increasing.
- Metric
- % of identified issues that were analyzed within x days after reporting the issue.
- Practice
- Identify DSM improvements in an opportunist manner.
- Outcome
- A small number of opprtunities is identified.
- Metric
- % of DSM improvement opportunities that were analyzed within x days of identification.
- 2Basic
- Practices
- Systematically analyse demand and supply in order to identify gaps.
- Begin to define and use metrics for gap quantification.
- Outcome
- Information is generally available on gaps, some quantification is available.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of IT service identified gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practices
- Identify optimization opportunities in a systematic way.
- Identify and manage a few strategies to address those opportunities.
- Outcome
- Identification of optimization opportunities is improving and becoming more consistent.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of IT service identified opportunities implemented per annum.
- 3Intermediate
- Practice
- Implement a formal, structured process to drive regular review and identification of supply-demand gaps.
- Outcome
- Formal, structured information on gaps between supply and demand is available and understood.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practice
- Ensure the process covers both short-term and long-term, strategic planning horizons.
- Outcome
- Formal, structured information on gaps between supply and demand is available and understood.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practice
- Conduct formal measurement and quantification of gaps.
- Outcome
- Formal, structured information on gaps between supply and demand is available and understood.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practices
- Implement a formal, structured process to ensure all opportunities for optimization are identified.
- Regularly review all strategies for optimization.
- Outcome
- Optimization opportunities are regularly identified and reviewed for action.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service opportunities implemented per annum.
- Practice
- Regularly review the results of demand and supply analysis and conduct detailed short-term and long-term gap analysis.
- Outcome
- Comprehensive, detailed gap analysis and reporting is available.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- 4Advanced
- Practice
- Regularly measure and review metrics to accurately quantify any gaps identified.
- Outcome
- Comprehensive, detailed gap analysis and reporting is available.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practice
- Proactively identify optimization opportunities and manage them.
- Outcomes
- Optimization opportunities are well understood and managed and are articulated in terms of business value.
- They are prioritized based on established organization/IT criteria.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service opportunities implemented per annum.
- Practice
- Implement comprehensive strategies for managing optimization.
- Outcomes
- Optimization opportunities are well understood and managed and are articulated in terms of business value.
- They are prioritized based on established organization/IT criteria.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service opportunities implemented per annum.
- Practice
- Establish a set of organization/IT criteria to use to prioritize opportunities for optimization.
- Outcomes
- Optimization opportunities are well understood and managed and are articulated in terms of business value.
- They are prioritized based on established organization/IT criteria.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service opportunities implemented per annum.
- 5Optimized
- Practice
- Continually review and improve the effectiveness of the gap analysis process and metrics used.
- Outcome
- Best practice gap analysis and reporting is available for all process areas of the business.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practice
- Evaluate the process against best practice models.
- Outcome
- An optimized gap analysis process is in use.
- Metrics
- % of IT service supply-demand gaps identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service gaps that are quantified per annum.
- Practice
- Continually improve and optimize the process to identify and manage optimization opportunities.
- Outcome
- A targeted and prioritized set of optimization opportunities is identified, managed, and actioned effectively.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service opportunities implemented per annum.
- Practices
- Regularly review the criteria used to prioritize opportunities.
- Benchmark strategies for optimization against the industry.
- Proactively seek out and deploy innovative strategies.
- Outcome
- A targeted and prioritized set of optimization opportunities is identified, managed, and actioned effectively.
- Metrics
- % of IT service optimization opportunities identified through the formal review process.
- % of identified IT service opportunities implemented per annum.