Metrics Blog

The transition and transformation (T&T) in IT sourcing - the change of an IT provider - won't run smoothly if the T&T project plan does not cover all tasks and scopes estimates are incorrectly. Three aspects of a T&T plan show how customers and providers should proceed effectively.

What if your software costs aren’t too high - they’re just unmanaged? Complexity creeps into IT environments unnoticed, through redundancies or superfluous modules. With Application Portfolio Management (APM), CIOs can reduce waste, gain control, and align IT with business.

Following the akquisition of VMware by Broadcom, customers were confronted with new pricing and licence models. A quick change of supplier was usually not possible due to vendor lock-in. How can companies arm themselves against price increases from key vendors?

The Transition Mode of Operation (TMO) is a critical operational phase in IT sourcing. Unfortunately, the shift from one IT service provider to another is still too rarely successful in practice. What can be done about this?

Day rates for IT consultants have risen sharply in recent years. But how can companies contain costs in a meaningful way? Best practices are long-term agreements, fixed purchase quantities and on-the-job training.

The application portfolio is somewhat of a black box - necessary, opaque and expensive. With the TBM framework, application managers can strengthen their position by demonstrating the potential of digital tools. But what is TBM and what are its benefits?

Hard times for gold and platinum: IT service levels below bronze are becoming more popular. This move can save money, but more importantly it changes the customer relationship. What should IT managers be aware of?

There are often shortcomings in the way organisations implement DevOps. Because KPIs are not applied or are used incorrectly, DevOps cannot be managed in a meaningful way. But it pays to improve - financially, in terms of speed and team spirit.

IT benchmarks based on prices or costs are powerful tools in digital ecosystems. This is because performance comparisons help to increase the efficiency and profitability of an organisation. But benchmarks also offer many other starting points for optimising your own IT.

Time-critical innovations and constant regulatory pressure demand IT projects to be set up and implemented faster and faster. The challenge: complex and lengthy tendering processes. Co-creation in IT sourcing is supposed to make things better - can it deliver?

Most IT organisations misjudge their own involvement in the transition and transformation (T&T) in IT sourcing. The customer's resources play a decisive role in the success or failure of the partnership. How do you get the client and provider to negotiate the services provided on an equal footing and manage a smooth transition?

DevOps is an attempt to combine the art of development with service efficiency. With a structured DevOps assessment, the collaboration of DevOps teams and their output can be evaluated internally and against the market to demonstrate performance and room for improvement.

SIAM is a method for efficiently managing, integrating and coordinating multiple IT service providers within an organisation. Why is SIAM useful in multi-sourcing environments and what are the specific benefits of implementing it?

IT organisations use benchmark comparisons to assess their costs and prices, as well as for other purposes. How do the two approaches differ and what other valuable insights can be gained with an IT benchmark?

The animal world offers fascinating examples of how animals use their environment efficiently, effectively and agilely to ensure their survival and continued existence. IT benchmarks analyse precisely these characteristics and compare them with the best.

ISG's former EMEA Sourcing Lead Dr Thomas Barnekow joins Metrics Group on 1 June 2023. He is a global thought leader in IT Sourcing and the architect of ISG's standard contract framework RFX One.

IT security is not just a chore, but a real competitive advantage. Yet many still think of firewalls. But how can you check what's up to date and whether your own investments in IT security are appropriate?