CLEAR LAKE, Iowa, March 18, 2010 -- On a scale from zero to four, where would you place your IT organization on a Capacity Management Maturity map? Most respondents would say three, but the actual response should be one or two.

"A majority of IT organizations – nearly 60 percent – are in a reactive state," said TeamQuest Technical Account Manager Per Bauer. "That becomes an interesting challenge when you start getting into virtualization and cloud computing."

An online survey of global IT decision makers revealed that 56 percent said improving the overall efficiency of IT was their top priority. Overprovisioning, a common yet wasteful and inefficient practice, has been used to ensure capacity was sufficient. The "buy more hardware" mantra thrived as a solution to performance problems which led to more firefighting and less planning.

In "Introducing a Capacity Management Maturity Model," Bauer walks through each phase of maturity that should be embraced as greater demands are placed on IT for greater efficiency and service quality.

Deliver value to the business

IT needs to contribute business value. It's not enough to enable business processes – it has to be done while controlling costs and reducing risks. "Business leaders want to know you're delivering the services their customers demand, and they don't want to spend $100 on capacity when $10 will do," said Bauer.

Many IT shops are making strides toward being more proactive. Traditionally, Bauer said IT has chased the tail of business and noted that attaining the "Value" level on the maturity chart can put IT in the driver seat for business decisions.

So, how do you rate?

From chaotic to value, the model lets organizations determine what level they're on and what's needed to move to the next level. "As IT organizations implement more mature Capacity Management practices, they align more tightly with business objectives," said Bauer. "That creates a competitive advantage and business value."

For an example of one company's account of moving toward a more mature environment, watch this 5-minute video from Law School Admission Council. Discuss how you can move your organization toward the next level of IT maturity.

About TeamQuest Corporation

TeamQuest Corporation is the global leader in IT Service Optimization (ITSO), specializing in Capacity Management software. TeamQuest helps IT organizations consistently meet service levels while minimizing costs and mitigating risks. By combining performance data and business metrics, TeamQuest software enables IT organizations to provide accurate, objective information as input to critical business decisions. Companies around the world trust TeamQuest software to help them proactively improve service delivery and support best practices. URL http://www.teamquest.com

*Source: A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of TeamQuest.