An International Analysis of IT Service Management Benefits and Performance Measurement

Abstract

It is widely accepted by Information Technology service managers that frameworks such as the IT Infrastructure Library can deliver real operational efficiencies but there are few empirical studies that investigate the benefits realised and performance metrics gathered. The objective of this paper is to provide an international analysis of IT service management benefits and performance measurement by comparing the findings from a recent Australian survey with results from a similar survey conducted in the United Kingdom and United States of America. International literature on Information Systems (IS) effectiveness and performance measurement specifically related to ITSM is reviewed and used to guide the development of the Australian survey. Both surveys report rapid uptake of ITIL® Version 3. There are many reported benefits supported by metrics at the process level. However, the comparative analysis of the Australian and UK/USA studies reveals that there is limited awareness of performance measurement frameworks.

KEYWORDS:

• IT Service Management
• performance measurement
• benefits realisation
• ITIL
• balanced scorecard

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Francis Gacenga

Francis Gacenga is a PhD candidate at the University of Southern Queensland engaged in a research on IT service management aiming to develop a performance measurement framework for ITSM. The research is supported by the Australian Research Council in partnership with Queensland Health and itSMF Australia. He has worked in Information Systems development, support, training and management as a systems administrator and computer programmer at the local and state government level and as a lecturer and tutor at the tertiary level.

Aileen Cater-Steel

Aileen Cater-Steel is Associate Professor in Information Systems at the University of Southern Queensland. Over the last six years has led a research team investigating the adoption and benefits of IT service management frameworks. The team has achieved funding from the Australian Research Council for two ITSM projects to examine the return on investment from ITIL implementation and to develop a tool for software-mediated ITSM process assessment. Prior to her academic appointment, Aileen worked in private sector and government organisations where her career progressed from programmer, systems analyst and project manager to IT Manager.

Mark Toleman

Mark Toleman is Professor and Head of the School of Information Systems at the University of Southern Queensland. Professor Toleman has a MSc in mathematics from James Cook University and a PhD in computer science from the University of Queensland. He has published over 130 peer reviewed articles in areas ranging from information systems development methodologies to human-computer interaction to agricultural science. His research interests include IT service management, IT governance, systems development methodologies, and community information systems.