Measuring and Controlling IT Costs

IT is one of the major costs for businesses in the 21st Century and yet it is allowed to operate without the usual cost controls imposed on other departments. The last few years have seen huge investment in IT with the lead-up to Y2K and the explosion of e-business. But is it delivering the goods? It is hard for senior management without specialist IT knowledge to judge the value of IT spend. As we enter a period of economic slowdown, managers need to increase their efforts to manage costs. IT can no longer expect to be exempt. Senior managers will find this briefing an invaluable guide to imposing normal cost discipline on IT spend - within the IT department or elsewhere - without the need for technical knowledge of IT. IT managers will also find it useful in implementing their own cost management programmes. Contents include: *The opportunity and rewards of managing IT costs *Outline of a project to manage IT costs *Guidelines on implementing tasks *Cost allocations and their effect on real costs *IT strategy review *Outsourcing, ASPs and Internet in IT cost management