The benefits realisation assessment allows a senior team to work together to assess the current capability of the organisation and agree priorities for improvement.
The assessment considers: projects and programmes; the management of the IT portfolio; and wider aspects of the transformation capability.
The benefits realisation capability, comprises four distinct, yet highly inter-related competences:
Benefits Planning: benefits do not simply emerge, as if by magic, from the introduction of a new technology, their realisation needs to be carefully planned and managed. Benefits Planning includes a strategic perspective, enabling innovation and deciding which projects to undertake, as well as benefits focused planning of individual projects.
Benefits Delivery: benefits primarily arise from the organisational change that accompanies an IT implementation, rather than directly from the technology itself. The benefits and related changes need to be the focus of activity.
Benefits Review: organisations must monitor and evaluate results on an on-going basis. This will improve the results of individual projects, and ensure that the organisation’s ability to deliver business value improves over time.
Benefits Exploitation: the quest to leverage benefits from business software should not cease as soon as it has been implemented. Continued focus is required over the life of the investment.
Developing the benefits realisation capability