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White Paper
Using Metrics Effectivelyfor Better ITSM
Michael DaviesProActive Services WP 008 January, 2004
MELBOURNE
Level 4,60 Albert RoadSouth Melbourne VIC 3205
SYDNEY
Level 21,201 Miller StreetNorth Sydney NSW 2060
CANBERRA
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BRISBANE
Level 30,10 Eagle StreetBrisbane QLD 4000
AUCKLAND
Level 20,135 Albert RoadAuckland New Zealand
Using Metrics Effectively for Better ITSM
©
ProActive Services: 29 January 2004 Page 1
Contents
PREFACE....................................................................................................................................2
‘CLASSICAL’ THEORY...........................................................................................................2
THE REALITY...........................................................................................................................2
E
XAMPLE
1:
M
ULTI
-L
EVEL
S
ERVICE
D
ESK
.....................................................................................................................3
E
XAMPLE
2:
R
EGIONAL
G
OVERNMENT
H
ELP
D
ESK
...................................................................................................4
E
XAMPLE
3:
P
ERCENTAGE OF
I
NCIDENTS
R
ESOLVED WITHIN
T
ARGET
T
IME
.........................................................4
E
XAMPLE
4:
T
IME TO
R
ESPOND
....................................................................................................................................4
E
XAMPLE
5:
A
VAILABILITY
M
ETRICS
..............................................................................................................................5
E
XAMPLE
6:
P
ROVISION OF
R
AW
D
ATA WITH
L
ITTLE
A
NALYSIS
.............................................................................5
E
XAMPLE
7:
C
HOOSING
M
ETRICS WITH
T
OO
N
ARROW A
F
OCUS
........................................................................5
METRIC MAXIMS.....................................................................................................................6
M
AXIM
1:
M
EASUREMENT ALTERS BEHAVIOUR
...........................................................................................................6
M
AXIM
2:
F
OCUS ON
KPI
S
............................................................................................................................................7
M
AXIM
3:
R
EMEMBER THE
T
ITANIC
!.............................................................................................................................7
M
AXIM
4:
M
ETRICS ARE VECTORS
.................................................................................................................................7
M
AXIM
5:
M
ETRICS SUPPORT BUT DON
’
T REPLACE RELATIONSHIPS
........................................................................8
SUMMARY.................................................................................................................................9
Using Metrics Effectively for Better ITSMPage 2
©
ProActive Services: 29 January 2004
Preface
The use of metrics is an essential component of IT Service Management. Itprovides a mechanism for ensuring that processes deliver the required outcomesand remain efficient and effective. Yet the use of metrics does not guarantee asuccessful outcome. Indeed, a poor choice of metric may adversely affectperformance and hinder the achievement of the desired objective. This whitepaperexamines why this can happen, provides some real-life examples and offers someguidelines for the selection of effective metrics.
‘Classical’ Theory
Metrics provide an essential mechanism for process control. They allow theestablishment of performance targets and the objective monitoring of processes forefficiency and effectiveness. The ITIL publication Planning to Implement ServiceManagement illustrates this as shown in Figure 1.Figure 1:Continuous ServiceImprovementHere, metrics provide the major means of determining that a defined stage inservice improvement has been achieved, so that a Continuous ServiceImprovement Programme (CSIP) can be kept on track. Remember the advice, “If you aim at nothing, that is usually what you hit.”Metrics also assist with the identification of process improvements that provideimportant inputs to future cycles of improvement.
The Reality
Reality is often different from the theory. Well selected metrics can be very usefulin driving service improvement but, at other times, metrics can impedeimprovement.By way of a series of examples, it will be shown that inappropriate selection of metrics can:
Cause undesirable or unexpected results
Impede the alignment of IT and the business
Create complacency on the part of the service provider
Where do wewant to be?Vision andBusiness ObjectivesWhere are wenow?AssessmentsHow do we getwhere we want?Maintainingthe momentumProcess ChangeHow do we knowwe have arrived?Metrics
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Using Metrics Effectively for Better Itsm
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