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.
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
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