Introducing a Generic Concept for an Online IT-Benchmarking System

Abstract

While IT benchmarking has grown considerably in the last few years, conventional benchmarking tools have not been able to adequately respond to the rapid changes in technology and paradigm shifts in IT-related domains. This paper aims to review benchmarking methods and leverage design science methodology to present design elements for a novel software solution in the field of IT benchmarking. The solution, which introduces a concept for generic (service-independent) indicators is based on and refined by a comprehensive case study that involved large enterprises and has been evolved in the last three years. In this paper, we first review the theoretical background in the literature and highlight challenges within benchmarking processes in general and benchmarking of IT services in particular. We then explain how the initial design elements were extracted based on these preliminary findings as well as a comprehensive case study. The case study was conducted with a group of 15 large enterprises that were actively performing off-line IT benchmarking to enhance their organizational processes. The case study together with interviews with the supporting consulting firm helped us find out what kind of an online software solution can address the existing complexities and how. The proposed solution practically enabled the target organizations to support, ease, improve, and evaluate their IT-benchmarking process.