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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
If these elements are in place, we believe that an IT Production department can be made more pro-active, more client-focused, a strategic managed environment, and in a better position to justify IT Infrastructure investment.

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.
Background to the MOPS Methodology