About MOPS.

The MOPS acronym stands for the four key elements that experience has shown to be necessary in order to Manage IT Production more effectively, i.e.

• METRICS
• OPERATIONAL TOOLS
• PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES
• STANDARDS
  

Benefits of introducing MOPS.

Better Strategic alignment

• The Metrics initiative leads to explicit measures of effort and investment on a per-application basis. This enables the IT Production manager to demonstrate where his team is investing time and effort in support of the business goals.
• The use of Standards in IT Production can demonstrate where cost-savings can be achieved by the use of centralised IT Production on behalf of the business units.

Pro-Active, instead of Reactive culture

• The deployment of appropriate Operational Tools and a tools “referential” approach can be used to encourage a more pro-active support culture in IT Production.

Improved Cost Management

• Use of Metrics gathering can demonstrate where the IT Production support costs are being consumed, and so lead to improved cost management.
• Operational Tools, when properly integrated in a “referential” approach, can leverage the skills of IT Production team members, and lead to overall improvements in efficiency of support.
• Introduction of technology Standards can reduce the range of technologies managed and supported in IT Production. This, in turn, can lead to a reduction in skill-sets which are required, and hence a more efficient use of resources.

Improved Client Focus

• By making IT Production more transparent, the Metrics initiatives can help focus the IT support effort onto those areas of activity that best align with the business requirements.
• Processes and Procedures (such as those based on the ITIL framework) can lead to a more client-focused approach to the way IT Production works.

Making the case for IT Investment

• IT investment can be difficult to obtain if IT Production is seen as just
  a “black hole” of costs. The introduction of Metrics, in particular,
  can help demonstrate the value-add of IT Production, and therefore make
  the case for further investment.