In my work in helping IT teams improve their performance, I frequently run across cases where the management team’s perception of performance of IT doesn’t align with output from the IT team. How can an IT group be delivering on both project and service level commitments yet suffer from a perception of poor performance?
There are a variety of answers including misalignment of expectations around project and SLA delivery, poor process in front and back-office areas that reduce the effectiveness of IT investments, and poor communication. I’m going to focus on the latter.
Many CIOs and CTOs don’t like to toot their own horns, but reporting team service levels and accomplishments can easily be done in a way that isn’t perceived as self-promotion.
Delivering a regular, brief reporting package to business units on a regular basis is a valuable way to communicate the IT story to leadership teams, lifting the veil on what IT is doing. I have found a mix of key information in these areas is most effective:
- Volumes/Demographics (application and infrastructure portfolio details)
- Service Levels (availability, turnaround times, etc.)
- Risk Management (audit performance, change management, etc.)
- Project Management (portfolio details, intake pipeline, etc.)
- Financial (budget performance)
- Human Resources (headcount, turnover)
- Customer satisfaction ratings (as surveys are conducted)
A summary of overall IT performance, again with brevity in mind, is also helpful.
I’ve said for many years that transparency can go a long way in improving the relationship between IT and business units as well as the perception of service level. Regular delivery of performance information via a dashboard or reporting package is an effective communication tool in improving and maintaining that relationship. Coupled with other formal and informal communication avenues, this reporting will ensure perception of IT performance matches reality.