metrics

Use SLA response metrics that matter

skeptic — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:46:44 -0600

Using indirect KPIs is always a dangerous distorter of behaviour. if you want the SLAs to ensure the appropriate resources are applied and to drive the size and location of teams required and the spare part/hot swap stock size and locations, then write the SLAs so they define the appropriate resources to be applied by priority of incident for that service and define the size and location of teams required and the spare part/hot swap stock size and locations by priority of service. Don't make the behavioural causal chain any longer than it need be - you'll get all sorts of unintended consequences.

SLAs that promise a resolution time are like firemen promising to put a fire out

skeptic — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:11:13 -0600

Some SLAs assign a key metric to how long IT is going to take to resolve incidents. Really. This is like firemen promising to put a fire out in ten minutes. Worse still if an SLA makes this mistake it almost always also has it the wrong way round.

Great myths of ITIL #1: "You can't manage what you can't measure".

skeptic — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 02:06:31 -0700

"You can't manage what you can't measure". Who on earth came up with that one? One of my big concerns about the application of ITIL is it's emphasis on KPIs. Useful but dangerous.