Evergreen Systems, Inc. Announces Second Annual ITIL Benchmark Study
Company identifies common pitfalls and provides best practice recommendations.
Sterling, VA (PRWEB) March 27, 2006 –
Evergreen Systems, a leading IT consulting firm, today announced the results of a survey of IT managers, directors and executives regarding the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Benchmark Study conducted at the 10 International IT Service Management Conference, hosted by Pink Elephant. thData from the latest ITIL Benchmark suggests that while organizations using enterprise ITIL for change management are heading in the right direction, many programs are not implemented throughout the organization increasing their risk for failure.
Respondents indicated that top business driver of ITIL efforts is Service Quality and IT/Business Alignment, with CIOs increasingly turning to ITIL to help meet compliance requirements related to Sarbanes Oxley. However, organizational resistance and effective planning undermine many initiatives underpinning the need for increased senior-level support of and responsibility for these efforts.
To help companies overcome the common pitfalls highlighted by the survey, Evergreen offers five guidelines for organizations pursuing ITIL initiatives:
1) Take time to include a view of all ITIL disciplines when defining a strategy
2) Make foundation training for all key constituents an early baseline requirement
3) Spend the time to create and promote an effective strategy
4) Focus energy on articulating an enterprise change management system; there is less risk of adopting new technology
5) Focus on incident/problem management and enterprise change management effectiveness to build a solid foundation for further ITIL development
“One of the key findings from the survey is that increased corporate awareness and CIO support is vital in order to encourage commitment to long term ITIL initiatives and leave organizations less likely to fail in their change management efforts,” said Don Casson, president and CEO of Evergreen. To help ensure success, organizations should create and document their strategies, build a consensus plan supported by key constituents and take measured steps to build on provide value to the business. Those who create and execute a plan to lead their organizations, step-by-step, through the change brought about by a comprehensive ITIL initiative will significantly improve their odds of success.
The company polled 127 attendees from 108 companies, organizations and institutions to gauge the degree of commitment and analyze the barriers to the use of ITIL best practices for effective IT management. The greatest percentage of survey participants came from the Manufacturing (15 percent), Financial Services (14.2 percent) and Services (14.2) sectors. The full survey results are available at http://www. evergreensys. com/news_events/press_releases/ITILBenchmark. html (http://www. evergreensys. com/news_events/press_releases/ITILBenchmark. html)
Other key findings from the survey include:
As many organizations in the U. S. face accountability, security and regulatory compliance with Sarbanes Oxley, CIOs are feeling the need to respond to these requirements as a single IT enterprise. Of the 95 percent who selected ITIL as a framework they are using to improve IT operations, 54 percent of respondents have budgeted and approved ITIL project in the next six months. The leading choices for ITIL technology platforms are HP/Peregrine and BMC/Remedy, accounting for 60 percent of the market. The overwhelming business driver of organizations’ ITIL efforts is Service Quality, at 77 percent, while the very close second is IT/Business Alignment at 58 percent. While ITIL is gaining fast acceptance, organizations identified several barriers to ITIL adoption in their business. Most respondents (72 percent) claim the biggest obstacle is organizational resistance, while 34 percent are just not sure where to start.
“Through our work and networking at events like the recent Pink Elephant conference, Evergreen has witnessed an increasing number of organizations implementing ITIL programs in the United States,” said Don Casson. “The most recent survey results support our previous observations of high ITIL adoption; however, we remain concerned that many of the organizations continue to run these programs in a vacuum. For ITIL programs to be successful, they must be implemented throughout the organization in a thoughtful, strategic manner. We are confident that as more programs are elevated to CIO oversight they will be implemented more effectively and drive greater efficiencies and returns.”
Through interviews conducted at the 10 International IT Service Management Conference, hosted by Pink Elephantth, Evergreen gathered information from attendees on ten questions. The information extends beyond ITIL planning and commitment to the business drivers and barriers that the organizations face through ITIL program implementation. Regulatory requirements have led to the increased visibility of IT compliance and control efforts at the CIO level. On the whole, the survey results indicate that companies leveraging ITIL to improve enterprise IT execution are using the tool effectively, in sync with the best practices while also understanding the potential barriers to the execution of ITIL processes. However, the enterprise ITIL programs will still be at risk if organizations do not stay committed to an effective, ongoing strategy.
About Evergreen Systems
Evergreen Systems is a highly specialized technology consulting firm focused on helping complex global organizations simplify and optimize the way their IT organizations work. From strategic planning, to policy development, through execution, Evergreen makes sure that what gets planned, gets done.
Leaders in insurance, finance, healthcare and retail rely on Evergreen to address today’s major business challenges including: making ITIL and COBIT operable; understanding and organizing their IT assets for better planning and execution; developing automated, streamlined compliance processes and bringing them to life for maximum benefit; and managing complex enterprise change. Global 2000 organizations work with Evergreen for sound strategy, flawless execution and measurable results.
Contact:
Amy Mergler
Evergreen Systems, Inc.
571.262.0980
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