North America finds itself facing a talent shortage. Many technology and telecommunication companies fail to make appropriate investments in retaining and attracting top talent despite the advantages of today’s knowledge economy. Without significant investments in the right talent management solutions, these enterprises will find themselves struggling in the competition for global talent.

A recent Info-Tech survey found that IT departments of all sizes make use of the benefits of application outsourcing, such as the ability to gain access to specialized expertise and to deliver applications quickly under tight timelines. Info-Tech expects application outsourcing to grow, and encourages organizations to take advantage of the many benefits that application outsourcing has to offer.

Technology innovation continues, but increasingly is being focused on the needs of today's economically and environmentally-conscious organization. Each year brings new innovations and advancements to assist in the everyday activities of the modern worker and user. Keep Info-Tech's top technology trends in mind when making technology decisions for business and leisure-related use.

Outsourcing applications development and maintenance continues to be prevalent among enterprises. Cost savings, improved application support and delivery are strong business and technology motivations that characterize this trend. IT departments tend to manage and govern outsourcing initiatives, while business and IT work together to define and sponsor them.

Compliance remains a key concern for many IT managers. Frameworks like ITIL and COBIT are very popular, but the NIST 800 guidelines and ISO 17799/27002 may be more beneficial. Regardless of the approach, IT leadership is sacrificed when violations occur.

Services firms tend to be smaller enterprises with big technology needs from server to desktop. In this highly competitive environment, IT decision makers need to make the most of every scarce IT dollar invested. Use this report to help you spend in the right places.

Financial institutions have intensive IT requirements that necessitate specialized IT skill sets and significant technology investment to compete. Use this report to help you make the right decisions, and see how your department compares to your industry peers.

The Education industry is constantly walking an IT budgeting tightrope. IT professionals must choose their technology and people investments wisely. This report illustrates how your peers in the Education industry are handling these challenges.

Complex IT environments and fluctuating budgets are the norm for Government institutions. They must focus on streamlining processes while providing users with critical IT services. From managing large IT staffs to supporting legacy applications, this report will help you make the right decisions.

The need for careful IT budgeting and staffing in health care institutions has never been greater. A complex IT environment and low tolerance for errors and downtime means that IT management must hire the right skill sets and make the correct investments. Use this report to learn what your peers are doing.

Resource constraint is the name of the game when it comes to IT departments working within the Manufacturing industry. Prioritizing every dollar spent is of primary importance. Learn where your peers are spending their money and how they allocate IT staff by job function.

Industries such as Forestry, Fishing and Mining invest large sums in technology solutions every year. Make every dollar count. Find out where others in your industry sector are targeting their budgetary spend and allocating IT staffing resources.

Complexity is a critical challenge faced by IT departments in the Transportation, Utilities, and Communications industries. Ongoing evaluation of priorities, operations and budgets is essential. Compare against your industry peers to make the right decisions.

Wholesale & Retail IT departments operate in highly competitive environments. Supply chain management, demand forecasting, and inventory management place pressure on IT decision makers to be innovative. Supplement your arsenal of decision-making tools by benchmarking your industry peers.

Designing a high-quality project management approach will inevitably lead to projects that are on track, on budget, on scope, and satisfy the needs for which they were undertaken. Once the enterprise has mastered project management fundamentals, conduct regular quality audits by assessing the nine project management knowledge areas. Doing so will help identify inefficient or incomplete processes...

IT Projects are characterized by changing technologies, uncertainty, and shifting business needs and objectives. Review core project management basics and increase the chances for ongoing IT project success.

Defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a process-based guide that provides the fundamentals of project management. If left alone to project managers to decipher, the terminology and concepts of the PMBOK can often leave readers unclear and confused. Clear the fog by reviewing PMBOK basics to make the guide a valuable project...

This practical tool helps IT managers identify situations where a feasibility study would be the best method to employ for making a decision to either accept or reject a software project.

When IT owns the corporate Web site, all changes and updates need its cooperation and approval. Today’s Web tools allow the content owner to make these changes directly without the need to know anything about Web development. A Web governance plan can ensure the right people, policies, and processes are in place to keep IT out of the content and focused on its role in supporting business...

Enterprises continue to face the challenge of rapidly deploying high-performance applications across network infrastructures. Cross-functional teams can improve the performance of business applications and a network’s service level capabilities. This case study reviews how Company Z made a cross-functional team a success.

IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) implementation can be a very large undertaking. However, if broken down into a series of small projects, and combined with project management processes, ITIL can be much less daunting. Implement ITIL under the control of good project management and increase the likelihood of project success.

Selecting a project management methodology for the organization to adopt can be a difficult and confusing process. Decision makers must match company needs with project management method capabilities to increase the success of projects and reduce the risk of making the wrong methodology choice.

Like any other IT project, metrics have to be properly designed, collected, piloted, and deployed. This implies an iterative approach that encompasses feedback, assessment, communication, and change management. The key to a successful implementation of IT metrics is adopting the top-down approach to metrics development.

Are HR departments realizing the full potential of their Applicant Tracking System (ATS)? Probably not. Reduce costs and optimize the recruiting process by increasingly integrating the ATS into the HR strategy. Use of the software must evolve from just a tool that parses resumes into a talent management tool that collects, stores, and utilizes data throughout the employee lifecycle.

A recent Info-Tech survey found that the cost of outsourcing and potential difficulties finding a suitable outsourcer were top concerns for enterprises considering application outsourcing. It is important for organizations to implement strong internal processes and requirements gathering procedures to keep these concerns from becoming a reality.

An important tool in a feasibility study or project assessment report is a Cost/Benefit Analysis. Use this tool to help provide deeper insight to pros and cons of the project options under consideration.

A recent Info-Tech survey found that it is possible to reduce IT costs by outsourcing application development, provided that the outsourcing relationship is carefully managed. Application outsourcing can also be used as a strategy to minimize financial risk during uncertain economic times. Learn how to leverage application outsourcing as a tool to both reduce costs and minimize risk.

Many enterprises are tackling the usual and predictable when it comes to cutting IT costs. However, many significant cost-reduction opportunities are being missed or ignored outright. Move beyond the low-hanging fruit and scrutinize in-house cost management priorities.

In order to help the organization meet its requirements at an acceptable price, IT managers should consider vendor negotiations long before the selection of a final vendor. Learn to plan ahead for vendor negotiations with an eye towards maximizing bargaining leverage down the road.

For many organizations, projects in IT environments are a critical part of daily operations. Constrained by budget, time frames, and personnel, IT leaders must carefully select the best projects to align with organizational goals and objectives. Use this tool to help analyze and determine project priorities.

For many organizations, accurately allocating resources among projects can be a time-consuming and challenging task. Constrained by budget, time frames, and personnel, IT leaders must carefully select the best projects to optimize the use of limited resources. Use this tool to keep project requests in line with realistic resource capabilities.

Poor economic conditions will impact every organization, be it directly or indirectly, strategically or operationally. Info-Tech’s “Methodology: Reducing IT Cost-to-Serve” offers a proactive approach to IT cost reduction while mitigating risk to strategic goals.

Measures of enterprise size have surprisingly little to do with the IT service areas selected for cost reduction. In fact, most enterprises follow a similar cost-cutting path regardless of the number of employees, size of IT, or company revenue.

IT often has a preferred vendor when going into a contract negotiation. If the vendor is aware that its products or services are preferred, this can prevent it from reducing its price. Learn from the case studies in this research note to discover how two IT professionals successfully negotiated price reductions from their top picks.

Different enterprises are facing different cost reduction targets and time frames. These realities are influencing which IT service areas are being selected for cuts. Understand the factors driving these decisions and the lessons learned to best prepare the enterprise for internal cost cutting efforts.

Establishing a process for collecting valid project requests is achieved through the completion of two main steps, which are, establishing rules of engagement and collecting project proposals.

Every enterprise has processes, whether they are formally documented or not. In fact, the fundamental building blocks of any organization are its processes and the people who put them into practice.

Once project proposals have been submitted and collected, establish a process to identify the highest priority project proposals. This will include maintaining an inventory of proposed projects, applying ranking criteria, and establishing the highest priority proposals.

After the preliminary ranking of projects, actual resource availability needs to be taken into account. In this stage, IT capacity for completing projects will be measured against the projects that have already been identified as high priority.

When organizational or market factors fluctuate, project priorities may shift due to changing realities. Organizations that have multiple projects competing for limited resources face some key challenges.

The purpose of Business – IT Alignment is to optimize the value that IT contributes to the enterprise. As such, in order to successfully outline a strategic IT roadmap, it is important to start here.

The first task in developing an Application Strategy is to identify weaknesses and gaps in the current set of applications in terms of achieving strategic objectives of the company. The health of current applications and their ability to support the business as it changes strategically are the critical elements of mapping a strategic direction.

You now have a set of opportunities to improve the application portfolio, enhance technical infrastructure and strengthen the IT organization. You now need to turn those opportunities into action and describe what needs to be done.

Maturity in the three fundamental elements of Project Management is proven to deliver improved overall project performance, increased realization of benefits, and improved project manager performance. This report will identify contributors to improved performance and provide directions on how an enterprise can mature their Project Management discipline

When a vendor is offering the lowest available price for its products or services, IT managers often assume they have no leverage to achieve price reductions during contract negotiations. Don't leave money on the table. Learn how a consultant helped an IT manager to extract further price concessions from the lowest priced vendor through effective price negotiation strategies.

The corporate world is at war. Thanks to the Internet, companies have access to hundreds of new candidates. But candidates also have access to thousands of new job postings. Use this recruitment software vendor landscape as a survival guide: choose the recruitment partner that can best help your organization weather the war for talent.

Enterprise software is a major investment for any enterprise. The process of defining requirements and evaluating vendors is long and arduous. Before signing the contract with the lucky finalist, the last step is due diligence.

Application demonstrations play an important part in the software selection process, and many stakeholders will be involved. Use this template to quickly customize a scorecard that stakeholders can use to rank vendors on important criteria.

Organizations that have vigilantly shortlisted a long list of application vendors into a few serious contenders should plan the demonstration day with the same level of care. Build a well-defined demo agenda, pick a cross-section of important stakeholders to participate, and develop a sound scoring strategy. Turn a vendor demo day into a valuable selection aid for choosing the best software...

During procurement, evaluate application vendors on a variety of disruption risks to identify problems that, while easy to spot, might otherwise be missed. Up-front risk awareness provides important input to the selection process. Scouting vendors first will better prepare the organization for unpleasant surprises.

Organizations generally undertake a formal competitive process to select major application software. Many expect the process to lead to an obvious choice. Unfortunately, this is not often the case. A number of factors can combine to make the selection of a vendor difficult. Recognize common barriers to a simple choice, reduce uncertainty and doubt, and get to a good decision quickly.

Choosing the appropriate application outsourcing vendor can often make the crucial difference between achieving a successful project versus ending up with a high-cost mess. A recent Info-Tech survey found that organizations are influenced by a variety of factors in their consideration of possible application outsourcers. Learn what selection criteria are essential in order to avoid challenges...

In order to deliver excellent service to the organization, IT must ensure that the services delivered by key vendors are of adequate quality and meet time commitments. Achieving a high level of service or product delivery from vendors generally requires these three components.

Many enterprises contract to outside development teams to create new applications, to modify internally developed code, or to enhance packaged software. The risk of unsatisfactory performance within these projects is high. Understand the pitfalls of managing software development contracts and take appropriate action to reduce these risks.

When enterprises contract development projects, project success improves when they actively manage the contractor. Use this checklist at the beginning of a project and weekly during the project to identify which key controls are missing and need correction.

Many enterprises are overwhelmed by the prospect of implementing an ERP solution. Info-Tech’s project plan outlines the 20 steps of a typical implementation. Use the plan as a starting point for aligning internal resources and, if needed, getting outside assistance.

Creating a feasibility study is a daunting task for newcomers and for companies that lack experience in developing feasibility studies. Use this checklist as part of a quality assurance process to ensure the feasibility study document meets existing documentation quality standards.

A feasibility study is an invaluable tool that helps companies assess the level of risk the company faces when selecting certain IT projects. Creating a feasibility study is a daunting task for newcomers, and angst-ridden for companies that lack documentation standards. Use this template to reduce documentation preparation woes, and create a standard for the company.

Metrics can – and do – provide a number of benefits to IT and the organization as a whole, including alignment, improved efficiencies, and the business case for additional IT budget or resources. However, poor data quality, shaky implementation plans, and a lack of manager commitment will scuttle an IT metrics program very quickly. Focus on these three areas to make metrics a value-driver within...

The transition to an application outsourcing relationship can be a bumpy ride. However, getting through the transition effectively and efficiently is key to starting the outsourcing relationship off on the right foot. Learn how to successfully transition into an application outsourcing relationship with a focus on strong governance and communication strategies, as well as competent project and...

Before entering into contract negotiations with a selected vendor, IT needs to be well-prepared in order to achieve a successful deal. Learn how to review the contract proposed by the vendor, as well as assemble a strong negotiation team with clear targets and a solid negotiation strategy.

As part of the ongoing vendor management process, IT professionals should monitor the business and application health of vendors. Use this tool to detect increased risks before they materialize into negative events.

Develop vendor risk profiles to anticipate disruption proactively, and have an action plan ready with application alternatives for the various disruptive scenarios that can occur.

Network infrastructures must consistently deliver reliable, quality services to enterprise users. To achieve this, application developers must work closely with the network team to verify that the network quality of service (QoS) and an application’s required performance metrics are in sync. Cross-functional teams should be formed and assigned this task.

Months of successful project planning and execution during the early stages of a project can be nullified by inadequate attention to project closure. Formally closing a project is a key element of the project lifecycle. Completing this task successfully can help improve project management processes, ensure the success of future initiatives, and ensure high quality deliverables. Close projects...

When the overall budget available for application projects is significantly reduced, management should reassess project priorities. Use three key indicators to identify which projects should live and which should be deferred. Projects should be re-prioritized on the basis of business necessity, the absence of major risk, and the availability of resources to complete the work.

Shave up to 10% off of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects without layoffs. Focus on discretionary spend, project costs, and ongoing support costs.

It is common practice to employ system integrators to assist in the deployment of newly purchased applications. In some cases, these integrators also provide on-going product support after initial implementation. To ensure success, IT must effectively coordinate the integrator's work with its own and that of the business.

Organizations that outsource the development and maintenance of applications transfer most of the effort required outside of their own IT department. However, IT still retains responsibility for the success of such projects and the efficient use of both external and internal resources. Implement winning elements into the execution of every application outsourcing relationship to ensure that...

Focusing cost-reduction efforts on internal IT administration services provides quick cost savings. However, it is important to supplement short-term tactics with mid and long-term follow-ups. The techniques provided in this note, as well as the potential pitfalls and case studies, allow IT decision makers to align the need to reduce costs with the need to meet business requirements.

Unforeseen events often alter organizational priorities, driving the need for project reevaluation. Recognizing circumstances that trigger the reprioritization of projects helps to clarify when and how projects should be realigned with changing enterprise objectives. Optimize the organization's project portfolio by realistically addressing when priorities need to be re-adjusted.

Often, project scoping and planning is ignored in favor of getting on with other project work. However, many organizations fail to realize the value of a solid project plan in saving time, money, and mitigating risks. Leverage this “Project Definition Statement” template to outline the project details needed to set the baseline for a successful project.

It is possible to achieve price reductions during contract negotiations; however, IT managers often need to respond to vendor opposition in order to get the pricing that they desire. This note highlights several arguments that vendors commonly use to avoid reducing their prices during a contract negotiation and provides advice on how to counter these claims to achieve a successful price reduction.

The ability to negotiate a reduced price with vendors is a crucial skill for IT professionals, who are often under pressure to reduce costs. There are a number of strategies that IT can use when negotiating for a reduced price on an IT contract. However, not all strategies are created equal and not all strategies should be used in every negotiation situation. Use this tool to help choose which...

There are a number of strategies that can be used when negotiating for reduced prices on IT contracts. However, not all strategies are created equal and not all strategies should be used in every negotiation situation. Complete with a negotiation strategy tool, this note describes tactics that IT professionals commonly use to successfully negotiate for reduced prices, as well as suggesting when...

This tool is designed to help organizations determine top tactics for cost reduction within the internal IT administration area. After the questions have been completed, the tool will generate guidance on what cost-saving actions to take, the relative amount of savings from each action, the time frame required to realize these savings, as well as potential challenges and ways to mitigate these...

Every project manager understands the importance of organized planning and monitoring for each individual project. Use the ITA Premium "Project Planning and Monitoring Tool" to diligently track, analyze, and report a project's progress from start to finish.

With Business Intelligence (BI) fast becoming a significant part of how companies do business, the need for BI Competency Centers (BICCs) is increasing. Senior leaders must understand when a BICC is required and the strategies for implementation to avoid expensive organizational mistakes.

A key consideration for business-user training is documentation. Use the minimum manual approach for optimal training results.

Business user training is a key concern for many IT managers. Use Info-Tech’s criteria to evaluate programs and trainers and to ensure that training programs are effective.

Recent Info-Tech research finds that business process modeling efforts led by end users and business managers produce more successful enterprise application projects. Learn how IT departments with user-driven modeling build effective business process teams, and about the best practices they use to accelerate the success of these teams.

In today’s competitive market, Enterprise Information Management (EIM) teams must be swift and flexible to keep up with the demands of the business. Staff must overcome their fear of failure and plunge into unknown territory. Managers must make the transition from management to leadership to drive innovation and effectively contribute to overall business growth.

In the race for competitive advantage, many companies are using their available information assets to fuel their business strategy. Losing Enterprise Information Management (EIM) staff can hinder growth through loss of key business systems knowledge. EIM IT leaders must invest in talent development and employee satisfaction to reduce attrition costs and maximize employee retention.

Issue management is a practical necessity for IT projects. Determining the best approach to handling issues is an essential element of issue management. Use the ITA Premium “Issue Management Process Set-up Guide” to help guarantee issues don’t cause a project derailment.

It would be a rare project that didn’t have unforeseen issues. Issue avoidance is a laudable goal, but issue management is a practical necessity. Unmanaged issues add unnecessary costs, delays and risks to project delivery and erode business confidence in IT’s project capability. Define an issue management approach for every project to avoid nasty surprises.

Situational leadership is an effective model for managing and developing people. This model helps managers to be flexible and adjust their leadership style according to the individual and the situation. It not only helps managers increase the productivity and job satisfaction of their staff, but it also helps employees improve their performance and accelerate career development.

Issue management is a practical necessity for IT projects. A key element in effectively handling issues is the tracking of issues that arise during a project. Use the ITA Premium “Project Issue Log” tool to ensure issues don’t cause a project derailment.

The success of enterprise application projects depends on successful uptake by business users. The importance of training is often overlooked by IT managers. Understand the fundamentals of business-user training and follow a formal process for crafting the training plan.

Info-Tech finds that IT departments run into the same classic issues in getting the business on board when planning enterprise application projects. Understand the best practices for working through objections from end users and business managers, and make education and engagement continuous priorities.

By adopting a proactive approach, managers can prevent common teleworker problems and concerns. Improve the success of a teleworking program by taking care to understand and adhere to policies, set and measure goals, and ensure the teleworkers have the right tools at their disposal.

Planning and implementing an enterprise application is a very complex undertaking, and many IT shops look to internal or external consultants for assistance. However, recent Info-Tech research finds that IT departments which carefully govern consultant involvement to maintain high business user participation end up with more successful enterprise application projects.

If a business case for a new hire hinges on an externally-sourced benchmark staffing ratio, then go back to the drawing board. Staffing ratios are notoriously inaccurate for most enterprises, and as such are frequently misapplied. Understand what insight staffing ratios can and cannot provide before relying on them to make critical hiring decisions.

This note showcases a series of case studies covering the participation of three teams in a project management simulation program. Despite identical resources, timelines, budget/scope constraints, and quality expectations, the three projects fared remarkably different, providing IT managers with unique insights and compelling lessons to apply to future assignments.

Economic times are getting tough. Orders could come down from company executives to cut headcount immediately. If IT leadership doesn't make it happen, it could be their jobs on the chopping block. Be ready to take decisive action.

Enterprises continue to take sweeping actions to offset the economy's impact on their business models and to protect vital corporate assets. IT managers should modify their management styles and activity focus to counteract the growing fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) that could negatively affect the performance and morale of IT staff.

Layoffs can result in a large-scale reorganization of the IT department. Coordinating the details of who will handle what going forward may feel rather like putting together a puzzle with too many pieces. While no tried-and-true method exists, be as systematic as possible to achieve best results.

Making staff reductions is not only an emotionally challenging task, but also one wrought with uncertainty and risk for error. This risk is magnified when time frames for reductions are short. Follow a structured and objective method for determining who needs to be cut to minimize mistakes and help the enterprise reduce costs.

Job descriptions are important management documents that set expectations, accountabilities, and other requirements for job performance. Use this template to document role requirements in detail.

Organizational charts are important enterprise communication tools that spell out both vertical and lateral relationships between departments, working groups, and individuals. Apply this PowerPoint tool to help you visually document your IT department’s organizational structure.

Reducing headcount is a mentally and emotionally challenging task under any circumstance. Use this tool to take a systematic, skills-focused approach to making staff reduction decisions.

To control demand on IT resources, it's imperative to document available people resources and the percentage of their time to be allocated to specific activities or projects. Use this "IT Resource Designation Worksheet" on a quarterly basis at a minimum, and more frequently in fast-changing environments.

Employees are assets, and the skills they hold are important tools that must be documented, tracked, and assessed in order to be effectively leveraged. Use this tool to list and rate IT's skill set arsenal, identify what's missing, and plan for the future.

A flagging economy eventually forces some hard decisions when it comes to IT staff. How does IT remain able to respond to changing business needs with fewer staff? Learn how agile your IT staff truly is with this measurement tool.

Exit interviews provide a valuable opportunity for an organization to find out what it could be doing better from the employee's perspective. Use this template as a guide to conducting and documenting the exit interview process.

When an employee leaves, be it voluntary or through dismissal, some basic steps must be taken to ensure the smoothest transition possible and to protect the organization. Use this downloadable checklist to ensure nothing is overlooked.

The successful implementation of an employee performance evaluation program requires a clear understanding of the organizational setting; active, involved, and responsible participation by those who will be covered by the program; and an effective strategy to continuously review and renew the program. By carefully designing this program, it can benefit both the employee and the employer.

Managing business demand on IT is one of the last frontiers in achieving true IT-business alignment. Improve interdepartmental communications and put evaluative demand controls in place to reduce IT costs and improve the business value of IT projects.

Economic hardship can quickly cut already lean IT headcounts down to sub-minimum levels. Adopting an agile approach to workforce management is one method for doing more with less during times plagued with change and uncertainty.

Losing a job ranks with divorce and death of a loved one as one of the most stressful and depressing life events. During times of financial crisis, the number of terminations will increase as layoffs are mandated. Regardless of the circumstances, it's an employer's responsibility to conduct all terminations professionally.

Many enterprises use automation, improved human resources management techniques, or a combination of both to increase the productivity of their employees. However, both methods are expensive and time intensive. During times of economic uncertainty, Info-Tech recommends taking advantage of a less expensive but equally effective method of doing more with less – the elimination of unproductive...

This comprehensive desktop reference book and CD-ROM will provide you with best-practices advice and tools for managing teams, departments, and organizational relationships. Best practices are explained in the specific context of the IT workplace.

The purpose of HR Management Practices is to provide the tools to manage the IT human resource lifecycle. This lifecycle begins with the decision to hire new employees and ends with how to manage departing employees.

The purpose of the Leadership section is to give IT leaders guidelines for improving their teams and their leadership skills.

The purpose of the Performance Measurement and Professional Development section is to gather performance feedback, at regular intervals, and to apply that feedback as a component in the professional development program.

Enterprises are dependent on vendors to obtain IT hardware, software and services. The Vendor Management process includes the identification, selection, contracting with, and ongoing management of vendors or suppliers, and is an essential part of the IT management process.