Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Invest time in process improvement today to save time tomorrow.
Process improvement is simultaneously the most significant and most dreaded part of IT management. CIOs, IT leaders, and IT teams are increasingly being asked to do more with less – leaving little time to tackle challenging process improvements. Our workshop-driven blueprint accelerates time to improvement, making a complete solution to an unoptimized process achievable in days instead of months.
Process improvement isn’t just about fixing inefficiencies – it’s about fundamentally transforming how you create and deliver value, balance innovation with reliability, speed with quality, and complexity with clarity. Supercharge your process improvement capabilities using this blueprint within a tailored Info-Tech workshop. Designed to help you put your IT Management and Governance Diagnostic results into action or as part of your own process improvement initiatives, this workshop-driven blueprint can show you what to stop and what to start doing to tackle IT process challenges.
1. Stop fighting fires and start preventing them.
IT teams are often busy keeping the lights on and tackling issues as they arise, which doesn’t leave time or resources for improving processes. As IT finds itself increasingly embedded in the function and success of an organization, IT needs to put its own oxygen mask on first – taking better care of itself so it can better serve the organization in turn.
2. Stop settling for “good enough” and start raising the bar on efficiency.
Inefficiencies are everywhere. The goal is not to eliminate all waste, but to minimize it where possible. Rethink the processes you’ve traditionally accepted as “good enough” and recognize that there’s always room for improvement.
3. Stop one-off projects and start continuously improving.
Challenge the misconception that process improvements are permanent and self-sustaining. Process improvement is iterative – relegating it to one-off projects leads to stilted development and disconnected processes. Build a culture of continuous improvement on a foundation of proactive planning and ongoing investment in change.
Use our workshop-driven blueprint to dramatically accelerate your process improvements.
Use this blueprint as a comprehensive basis for an Info-Tech Rapid IT Process Improvement workshop. In conjunction with a workshop, this blueprint will help you rapidly identify key pains in your IT processes, get all contributors in the same room to address them, and provide support for continuous improvement into the future.
- Identify and select key pains in your IT processes to prepare and prioritize improvements.
- Optimize your processes by identifying process waste and defining your ideal future state.
- Implement, monitor, and sustain your process improvements by creating an action plan and roadmap.
On Demand
Webinar
Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Play WebinarWorkshop: Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Getting Ready for Process Improvement
The Purpose
Key Benefits Achieved
Activities
Outputs
Debrief your M&G diagnostic (Route 1)
Assess your readiness for process improvement
Select and prioritize your processes (Route 2)
Define your process improvement guiding principles
Engage your stakeholders for process improvement support
Module 2: The Basics of Process Improvement
The Purpose
Key Benefits Achieved
Activities
Outputs
The barriers to effective process in your organization
Understanding process improvement tools
How to identify waste in your processes
Module 3: Rapidly Improve Your Processes
The Purpose
Key Benefits Achieved
Activities
Outputs
Define value
Document your process
Optimize your process
Validate your improved process
Module 4: Shift From Process Improvement to Continuous Improvement
The Purpose
Key Benefits Achieved
Activities
Outputs
Test the resilience of your process
Develop your action plan and next steps
Module 5: Next Steps and Wrap-Up
The Purpose
Key Benefits Achieved
Gain a
Activities
Outputs
Prepare completed process documents
Month 1: Set up weekly support calls
Set up support calls for months 3 and 6
Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Invest time in process improvement today so you can save time tomorrow.
Analyst perspective
Process improvement is everyone’s job, including IT
Process improvement in IT isn’t just about fixing inefficiencies – it’s about fundamentally transforming how we create and deliver value, balancing innovation with reliability, speed with quality, and complexity with clarity. And it’s about empowerment. It’s about aligning people, technology, and strategy to achieve something greater: the ability to adapt, thrive, and continuously deliver value in a world where the only constant is change.
When IT processes improve, they ripple outward, accelerating innovation, enhancing customer experiences, and driving organizational resilience. But getting there requires a shift in mindset: seeing processes not as constraints but as enablers of strategic advantage. IT also has to free up time and capacity to focus on improving, rather than just responding to the needs of others.
It’s time for IT to put on its own oxygen mask instead of only helping others.
This blueprint and the associated workshop aim to do just that, with intent and speed, coupled with dedicated support for building continuous improvement into your DNA. It is possible, with focus and attention, to dramatically improve your processes in a short period of time.
Vincent Mirabelli
Principal Research Director
Info-Tech Research Group
Executive summary
|
Your Challenge |
Common Obstacles |
Info-Tech’s Approach |
|---|---|---|
|
Process improvement is something we all know we have to do but are reluctant to, like exercising or eating our vegetables. That reluctance manifests in several ways:
With all this, not to mention the new emergencies that seem to arise daily, it’s no wonder process improvement is such a difficult ask. |
Compounding these challenges, CIOs and IT leaders and teams are being asked to do more with less. We face:
We don’t have enough time, attention, or resources to improve how we operate, and there is no relief in sight. |
Improvements don’t need to take months. Leveraging the people who work within the process, who know what is broken and what needs to be fixed, accelerates time to improvement – you just need a skilled facilitator to lead them. That’s where we come in. Through engaging the right people, a process can be documented, issues identified and prioritized, and a solution completed with accountabilities, metrics, and timelines, within days (not months). This saves time, gets to value faster, and positions IT as a valued support in achieving the organization’s strategic improvement goals. |
Insight summary
Overarching insight
Process improvement is as much about cultural transformation as it is about operational efficiency.
While traditional approaches often focus on tools, techniques, and ROI-driven prioritization, this framework challenges organizations to recognize the deeper human dynamics at play – cultural resistance, subjective definitions of value, and the ongoing nature of improvement. It reframes process improvement as a living, iterative practice rather than a finite project, emphasizing the need to balance measurable outcomes with intangible benefits like team alignment and strategic clarity.
Phase 1 insights
Prioritization doesn’t always equal ROI.
Conventional wisdom suggests we prioritize based on tangible measures such as ROI. Yet priorities are often driven by subjective and nonfinancial factors (like emotional arguments and cultural alignment) to guide decision-making.
Constraints are not just barriers; they're signals.
Instead of viewing constraints like politics, misalignment, or “the way we’ve always done things” as negative, consider them as critical signals for understanding organizational culture and readiness, helping frame realistic improvement strategies.
Phase 2 insight
The costs of waste are hidden everywhere.
Quantifying waste in financial terms highlights inefficiencies often invisible in qualitative metrics. The goal is not to eliminate all waste, but to minimize it where possible. Rethink processes traditionally accepted as “good enough" and recognize that there's always room for improvement.
Phase 3 insight
Sustaining change requires building capacity.
Including continuous improvement (CI) in your annual goals and planning challenges the idea that improvements are permanent and self-sustaining. Sustaining change requires proactive investment in resources and capacity.
Glossary of terms
|
Term |
Definition |
|---|---|
|
Constraint |
A point in a process that prevents the organization from achieving goals and outcomes. The main types include equipment, people, and policy. Also known as a bottleneck.1 |
|
Continuous Improvement (CI) |
The ongoing improvement of products, services or processes through both incremental and significant improvements. All employees across the organization should be involved in improving all aspects of operations.1 |
|
Cycle Time (CT) |
The time required to complete a step of a process.1 |
|
Gemba |
A Japanese term meaning “the real place.” In continuous improvement, this term is used to indicate where value is created.4 |
|
Kaizen |
“A process improvement that emphasizes continuous, incremental improvements in all aspects of an organization.” Combining lean and agile principles, kaizen uses iterative changes to improve quality and productivity.2 |
|
Kanban |
“A process improvement methodology that uses visual management techniques for continuous process improvement.” Kanban provides visibility into the progress of flow and tasks, allowing teams to identify bottlenecks and optimize processes.2 |
|
Lead Time (LT) |
The total time a customer or user must wait to receive a product or service.3 |
|
Muda |
A Japanese word for waste; “any activity that consumes resources but creates no value for the customer.”3 |
|
Mura |
A Japanese word for “unevenness; irregularity; lack of uniformity; nonuniformity; inequality.”5 |
|
Muri |
A Japanese word meaning “unreasonableness; impossible; beyond one's power; too difficult; by force; perforce; forcibly; compulsorily; excessiveness; immoderation.”6 |
- UC Davis
- Creatio
- ASQ
- UBC
- “Mura,” Wikipedia
- “Muri,” Wikipedia
Glossary of terms
Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Non-Value-Adding | Activities that do not provide value to the customer or process, such as rework or delays. Also known as waste.1 |
Process | A set of connected activities that take input and transform it into output.2 |
Process Improvement | An approach that makes incremental changes without changing the core design and use of a process.1 |
SIPOC | A method of outlining a process improvement initiative. SIPOC stands for the elements that need to be documented: Suppliers, or those who provide the inputs; inputs; process, or the steps taken; outputs; and customers, or those who benefit from the output. |
Value-Adding | Activities in a process that change the product, process, or service in some way that a customer or consumer would be willing to pay for or purchase. To be value-adding, the activity must move the item/service toward completion, it must be something the customer cares about enough to pay for, and it must be something that needs to be done right the first time.1 |
Value Stream Map | A visual depiction of the workflow that maps the process from its beginning all the way through to its end and the outcome it produces, which could be a service, information, etc. Using a value stream map to document the current process can help identify problems and focus direction.1 |
Value-Sustaining | See Value-Adding |
Waste | Activities that add no value to the customer or process. Also known as non-value-adding activities.1 |
Mura | A Japanese word for “unevenness; irregularity; lack of uniformity; nonuniformity; inequality.”5 |
Muri | A Japanese word meaning “unreasonableness; impossible; beyond one's power; too difficult; by force; perforce; forcibly; compulsorily; excessiveness; immoderation.”6 |
- UC Davis
- ASQ
Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Invest time in process improvement today so you can save time tomorrow.
EXECUTIVE BRIEF
Improving how we work in IT isn’t just a matter of productivity
IT is at the heart of modern organizations, driving everything from customer experiences to internal operations. Inefficient processes can create bottlenecks that ripple across the business, delaying critical projects, increasing costs, and frustrating both employees and customers.
- Process improvement is essential in supporting the pace of technological change. Methods and tools evolve rapidly, and without streamlined, adaptive processes, teams risk falling behind, leading to outdated solutions or missed opportunities. Improving your processes ensures your teams can adopt technologies faster, stay agile, and maintain a competitive edge.
- Collaboration is also a critical factor. Teams often work across departments, translating business needs and requirements into solutions. Inefficient processes often lead to miscommunication, misaligned goals, and rework.
- Process improvement supports scalability and resilience. As organizations grow or face crises (like cybersecurity threats or system failures), well-optimized IT processes enable faster responses and minimize downtime. This has the added effect of reducing the risk of burnout among staff by cutting unnecessary complexity and improving workload management.
Improving IT processes is about creating a foundation for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth.
It ensures your teams aren’t just keeping the lights on but driving meaningful transformation for the entire organization.
75% of CIOs expressed concern that they cannot balance business innovation and operational excellence (Foundry, 2024).
Process improvement is more than just fixing what’s broken
Focus on identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and waste in existing processes
Process improvement is the practice of analyzing and optimizing workflows, systems, or activities to make them more efficient, effective, and aligned with organizational goals. It’s about finding better ways to do things, whether that’s saving time, reducing costs, improving quality, or enhancing the customer experience.
This isn’t just about fixing what’s broken – it’s also about adapting to change. As your business grows, your technology evolves, or customer expectations shift, so too must your processes evolve. Without ongoing improvement, organizations risk inefficiency, stagnation, and falling behind competitors.
This means that, clearly, process improvement isn’t optional or a “nice to have.” It’s essential for staying competitive and delivering value in a sustainable way.
37% of IT employees believe there is a significant opportunity to eliminate wasteful or low-value activities.
(Info-Tech IT Staffing Diagnostic, 2019-2024; N=718)
47% of IT employees believe there is a significant opportunity to run their areas more effectively through innovative approaches.
Processes break when they fail to deliver the desired outcomes efficiently or effectively
Understanding how and why processes fail is essential for identifying opportunities to fix or improve them
| 1 |
Lack of clarity Roles, responsibilities, or steps in a process being poorly defined leads to confusion, duplication of effort, or tasks falling through the cracks. For example, unclear incident escalation protocols can delay responses to critical IT issues. |
|---|---|
| 2 |
Outdated tools or technology Legacy systems that don’t integrate well with modern tools create inefficiencies, requiring manual workarounds or resulting in data silos. This often slows down workflows and increases the risk of errors. |
| 3 |
Overcomplexity Processes with too many steps, approvals, or dependencies can bog down productivity and frustrate team members. For instance, overly detailed change management procedures might delay the implementation of urgent fixes. |
| 4 |
Misalignment with business needs If IT processes aren’t designed to adapt to shifting organizational priorities, they can become irrelevant or counterproductive. For example, rigid resource allocation processes might struggle to support agile development methodologies. |
Broken processes are a signal that IT teams need to reassess workflows, adopt better tools, and foster a culture of continuous improvement to stay effective and aligned with organizational goals.
Good process discipline is worth more than just dollars and cents
| 1. Compliance | 2. Reliability | 3. Reputation | 4. Work-Life Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Processes meet applicable industry standards and regulations. |
Processes are repeatable, automated, and streamlined. |
Business unit perception of IT improves as reliability improves. |
IT staff can more accurately plan for their workload based on process tracking and estimates in order to avoid overtime. |
| 5. Profitability | 6. Efficiency | 7. Predictability | 8. Productivity |
|
Aligning IT activities closely with the goals and needs of the organization positively impacts the bottom line. |
Repeatable, service-oriented IT processes result in a business that runs more smoothly. |
More projects and tasks will be completed on time and on budget. |
Resolution of requests means that end users have what they need to do their job. |
Industry methodologies and frameworks are good starting points
However, frameworks are not one-size-fits-all, nor do they paint a complete picture
A process improvement framework is good to have…
It defines a set of guidelines, rules, or good practices to consistently and repeatably assess and optimize your processes:
- Enable the reuse of process use cases and documentation, automation, and business technologies.
- Develop process design, architecture, data, and tooling standards across all departments and systems.
- Enable issue detection and deliver reliable root cause analysis with minimum human intervention.
- Quickly and automatically select and review the processes in need of optimization and automation.
- Dynamically refine the processes according to changes in business strategy or corporate systems.
…but even the best frameworks have their drawbacks
- Process improvement frameworks are by their design overly process focused, often missing the aspects of people and technology.
- Vendor toolsets may have limited compatibility with specific frameworks, resulting in a lack of reusability and interoperability across toolsets.
- Significant technical skills training, tooling configurations, and other implementation costs may be necessary to set up the framework or the tool to use that framework.
Most improvement initiatives fail
The result of accumulating technical debt is a negative impact on agility and controlled response. This is how IT departments end up constantly fighting fires. In response, we layer on human intervention and process workarounds, which are at best short-term solutions. It’s no wonder then that only 16.2% of software projects are delivered on time and on budget (Zipdo, as cited in “Trillion-Dollar Problem,” Forbes, 2024).
Between 2012 and 2023, global technical debt has increased 2X
(Oliver Wyman, as cited in “Trillion-Dollar Problem,” Forbes, 2024)
Yet despite these staggeringly dismal results, only 8% of an organization’s time is invested in improving IT processes and skills.
35% of an average IT employee’s time is spent on administrative tasks – and that hasn’t changed in the past five years.
(Info-Tech IT Staffing Diagnostic, 2019-2024; N=718)
Process improvement comes with its own set of challenges in behavior, which can hinder progress if not understood and addressed
Resistance to Change
- Teams might feel threatened by automation or unfamiliar methodologies, leading to reluctance in adopting changes.
Leadership Commitment
- Leaders may view such efforts as low priority compared to delivering immediate business value.
Overemphasis on Tools
- There’s a tendency to assume that implementing a new tool or platform automatically solves process inefficiencies.
Siloed Teams
- Disconnected IT departments or a lack of cross-functional collaboration can make it difficult to implement end-to-end process improvements effectively.
Neglecting the Human Element
- A focus purely on technical improvements can overlook the emotional and cognitive impact on teams, such as burnout from overly streamlined processes that remove breaks or create constant pressure.
Misalignment With Culture
- Efforts to standardize processes might clash with an organization’s existing culture, especially in IT environments that prioritize flexibility or experimentation.
We can’t ignore the changes in attitudes required with process improvement
| 1 |
“It’s a one-time fix.” Process improvement is often misunderstood as a single project rather than a continuous effort. |
|---|---|
| 2 |
“Only broken processes need fixing.” Many assume improvement is only for underperforming processes, overlooking opportunities to enhance already functional workflows for greater impact. |
| 3 |
“Improvement equals automation.” 43% of CIO indicate they are supporting their organizations through automating IT processes (Foundry, 2024). While automation can streamline tasks, process improvement is about more than technology – it’s about aligning workflows with goals and eliminating waste. |
Info-Tech’s methodology for Rapid Process Improvement
| 1. Identify and Select Your Processes | 2. Optimize Your Processes | 3. Implement, Monitor, and Sustain Your Improvements | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Phase Steps |
1.1 Prepare for Process Improvement 1.2 Validate Your M&G Diagnostic Results 1.3 Prioritize Your Processes |
2.1 Define Your Improvement Objectives 2.2 Define Your Current-State Process 2.3 Identify the Waste in Your Processes 2.4 Optimize Your Processes 2.5 Review and Gather Feedback 2.6 Build an Improvement Sustainment Plan |
3.1 Execute on Your Process Improvement Approach 3.2 Support Your Strategy for Continuous Improvement |
|
Phase Outcomes |
|
|
|
Blueprint deliverables
Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:
Process Improvement Cultural Assessment
Explore your readiness for process improvement with this comprehensive assessment.
Process Prioritization Tool
Identify which processes to begin your improvement journey with, based on key criteria.
Rapid Process Improvement Workbook
Leverage this workbook to support documenting and improving your processes.
Key deliverable:
Process Improvement Communication Deck
Engage your stakeholders with this customizable slide deck, filled with information about process improvement and your progress in continuous improvement.
Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs
| DIY Toolkit | Guided Implementation | Workshop | Executive & Technical Counseling | Consulting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." | "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." | "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take over once we get a framework and strategy in place." | "Our team and processes are maturing; however, to expedite the journey we'll need a seasoned practitioner to coach and validate approaches, deliverables, and opportunities." | "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project." |
Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all five options.
On Demand
Webinar
Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Play Webinar
Vince
Mirabelli
Principal Research Director
Carlene
McCubbin
Associate Vice President, Research Development
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
You get:
- Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes Storyboard
- Process Improvement Cultural Assessment Tool
- Process Prioritization Tool
- Process Improvement Communication Deck
- Rapid Process Improvement Workbook
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 6 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation 1: Identify and select your processes
- Call 1: Debrief the results of your Management & Governance Diagnostic.
- Call 2: Assess current readiness.
Guided Implementation 2: Optimize your processes
- Call 1: Workshop: Engage your team to complete the Rapid Process Improvement workshop
Guided Implementation 3: Implement, monitor, and sustain your improvements
- Call 1: Weekly accountability touchpoints and support.
- Call 2: Three-month check-in.
- Call 3: Six-month check-in.
Contributors
- Reshmi Bisessar, Service Design Lead, Workplace Safety & Insurance Board
- Jamie Champagne, Author and Trainer, Champagne Collaborations
- Jennifer Forrest, Senior Project Manager, Aize
- Raghda Fouad, Director, Process Improvement, Northbridge Financial Corporation
- Tawana Gardner, Aim for Change LLC
- Ali Mazer, Business Architect, University Pension Plan Ontario
- 1 anonymous contributor
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Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
