IT Success!: Towards a New Model for Information Technology

9.6. From first results to asset management

Let us now look at the sequence of events for the second phase, shown in Figure 9.2:

1. FORMALIZE IT/BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

   Objectives:

   To formalize around the new application the key roles of client manager, application manager and service manager, while continuing to bring out subsequent releases.

   Main deliverables:

   Clearly identified people to fill the roles of client manager, application manager and service manager, and subsequent releases of the software over time.

   Owner:

   IT (head of applications group) and the business (key stakeholder).

   Content:

   Because the first version of the software will have just been delivered, the candidates for the key posts of client manager and application manager should already be known, since in all probability they were already part of the project team. Formalizing these roles should thus be a formality. The same would not be true however for the post of service manager, which would be new in most IT departments. It's also a valid question as to whether this post even makes sense until after at least a year, once the second or third version of the software comes out and processes and service levels have stabilized. The timing of when to introduce this post into the equation would therefore be dependent on each organization, especially in terms of how it adapts to the changing role required for the operations department (see 'The changing role of the operations department' in Chapter 8).

   This step can usually be ...