Introduction
1 A problem for business management?
Introduction
Projects go over budget and over time
New systems fail to meet user functionality expectations
Reliability
New systems work OK but destroy existing structures
Summary
2 An IT expense healthcheck: three tests to check quickly how well
your IT department is managing its costs
Aim
Introduction
Healthcheck 1: key performance indicators (KPIs)
Healthcheck 2: standardization/variety test
Healthcheck 3: inspect the physical IT assets
Summary
3 Cost allocations: what they are and why they matter
Introduction
What are cost allocations and why do they matter?
How do cost allocations work?
The major categories of IT cost and how they are allocated
The four most common IT cost allocation principles
How to reduce your IT cost allocations
Summary
4 Starting to increase IT cost efficiency
Introduction
Focus
Tactical/short-term IT cost-efficiency initiatives
5 Key performance indicators and benchmarking
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
Benchmarking
Practical steps to implementing KPIs and benchmarking
Implementing benchmarking
A word of caution: Baldrige syndrome
Conclusion: key points of KPIs and benchmarking
6 IT strategy
Aim
Introduction
The four main elements of contemporary IT strategy
Appendix A: Review of accounting: rationaIe, terms and tools
Appendix B: A structure of typical principle IT costs
Sebastian Nokes has been a senior manager and management consultant in the IT and Financial Services industry for the past 15 years. In this time he has worked for IBM and Credit Suisse First Boston. He led major projects in a number of global companies and increased their IT efficiency by 30% while simultaneously reducing costs by 50%. Familiar with the Internet since 1989, he has used it to increase IT and management efficiency across a broad range of organizations. He recently headed a project with heavy Internet involvement, the results of which saved $23m and improved performance.
"In most businesses in which I have been involved throughout my auditing career there has been a certain mysticism attached to IT. Even in this modern age there are many managers who continue to regard a computer as a magic black box. Where they have learnt how to switch a pc on, there are not many who hand on heart understand the technology. Nor should they be expected to. And yet not many of these same managers would dream of entering into a major capital project without a full cashflow analysis or establishing a project management programme. The IT department in any business is a key part of the undertaking. But it can easily become a bottomless pit. Instead of adding value to the business it can fast become a runaway cost. "Taking Control of IT Costs "is an excellent model for the layman to get to grips with the pitfalls. " Colin Harris CA (SA), Director of Internal Audit & Business Continuity, St. John Ambulance, London
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
