Computer Economics -- for IT metrics, ratios, benchmarks, and research advisories for IT management
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How to Calculate IT Spending Ratios by Industry and Organization Size
Amid Changes, Communications Support Staff Increases
IT Operational Efficiency Is the Theme, with Economic Outlook Uncertain
Drawing the Line Between Cloud ERP and Hosted ERP
Respond to our 2019 IT Spending Survey
Desktop Support Staff Levels Expected to Decline
E-commerce Systems Widely Used but Satisfaction Lags
Featured Research
Communications System Support Staffing Ratios
January, 2019
Corporate communications systems—which include email, messaging, videoconferencing, unified communications, and other communications systems—have become more sophisticated. The communications system support headcount as a percentage of the IT staff increased in 2018, for a variety of reasons. IT organizations, therefore, can benefit from a periodic assessment of their communications system support staffing levels. This study uses three metrics to make that assessment: support staff as a percentage of the IT staff, percentage of support staff in relation to organization size, and support staff spending per user. We provide benchmarks for the composite sample, by organization size, and by sector. We conclude with recommendations for optimizing the productivity of communications system support personnel. (20 pp., 7 fig.)[Research Byte]
Worldwide IT Spending and Staffing Outlook for 2019
January, 2019
IT leaders all over the world have a positive outlook for the global economy, but despite that confidence, IT budgets are growing only modestly. Our Worldwide IT Spending and Staffing Outlook for 2019 provides data on the global and U.S./Canadian trends for IT spending and staffing in the coming year. This year, our report assesses IT operational and capital spending plans for 2019, organizational priorities for IT spending and investment, and plans for hiring, outsourcing, and pay raises for IT organizations worldwide and in the U.S. and Canada. (35 pp., 24 figs.)[Research Byte]
The Differences Between Cloud and Hosted ERP, and Why They Matter
January, 2019
Cloud ERP has been rapidly gaining ground, and many traditional ERP vendors have responded with hosted versions of their on-premises systems. This report explores the defining differences between cloud and hosted ERP and why these differences matter in terms of the benefits that customers can expect to receive from each. We conclude with factors that affect the decision on whether to short list cloud and/or hosted ERP providers as well as special considerations in evaluating and negotiating with candidate vendors.(20 pp., 6 figs.)[Research Byte]
Vendor Discount Report (Jan. 2019)
January, 2019
Market intelligence on current discounting practices for business equipment can be difficult to obtain. As a result, buyers do not know whether a better deal can be negotiated. This updated report, based on our knowledge of recent deals, provides buyers with guidance concerning current discount structures on a variety of equipment. Categories include IT equipment (desktops, laptops, network equipment, printers, servers, and storage), office equipment (copiers, mail equipment), forklifts, medical equipment, test equipment, and miscellaneous equipment. Major vendors include IBM, HP, Dell, HP, Apple, and others. Includes a downloadable PDF workbook of more than 300 deals used in the report to calculate average discounts and soft cost statistics (13 pp., 17 figs.).Desktop Support Staffing Ratios
January, 2019
Although desktop support personnel as a percentage of the total IT staff hit a five-year peak just last year, we expect this staffing level to decline in the near future. In this study, we use four metrics for benchmarking: desktop support staff as a percentage of the IT staff, PCs per desktop support staff member, applications per support staff member, and users per support staff member. We also assess these ratios by organization size and sector. In addition, we provide benchmarks for the end user support group, comprised of desktop support, help desk support, and the IT training/documentation staff. We conclude with strategies for improving the efficiency of the desktop support staff. (24 pp., 11 fig.)[Research Byte]
E-Commerce Adoption Trends and Customer Experience
December, 2018
For many companies, e-commerce systems are not a nice-to-have but essential to their survival in the digital world. Nevertheless, our research shows that success with e-commerce is far from guaranteed. This report provides an overview of e-commerce adoption and investment trends, providing data on how many organizations have the technology in place, how many are in the process of implementing it, and how many are expanding implementations. We also look at the return on investment experience, total cost of ownership experience, and which type of applications are the most popular. We conclude with important principles to apply in planning and implementing e-commerce systems. (21 pp., 11 fig.)[Research Byte]
IT Salary Report 2019
December, 2018
The Computer Economics IT Salary Report 2019 provides total compensation for 75 IT job functions for more than 400 U.S. metro areas and 20 industry sectors. The executive summary also provides our forecast for pay raises and hiring in 2019 and includes job descriptions for each job function. The salary tables are provided as a downloadable Microsoft Excel workbook, with total salaries reported at the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles. (35 pp., 8 figs., plus salary tables)[Research Byte]
[Full Description and Free Executive Summary]
IT Quality Assurance Staffing Ratios
December, 2018
Staffing levels for IT quality assurance personnel are changing as the rise of agile development and DevOps embed software testing within the application development and maintenance role. In this study, we first evaluate recent changes in IT QA staffing levels. We then provide three benchmarks by organization size and by sector: QA staff as a percentage of the IT staff, QA staff as a percentage of the Application Group, and applications per QA staff member. We conclude with recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the QA function within the IT organization. (21 pp., 7 fig.)[Research Byte]
IT Strategic Planning Adoption and Best Practices
December, 2018
IT strategic planning is essential when the economy is good, as well when facing headwinds. The strategic road map can help an IT organization look beyond the pressures of quarter-to-quarter performance and stay focused on long-term goals, such as corporate growth and expansion, and guide it through periods of technology change. A strategic plan is also needed when major programs, such as an overhaul of legacy systems, require a long-term commitment beyond the current budget year. In this study, we describe the fundamental components of IT strategic planning, and assess current adoption trends by organization size and sector. We conclude with areas that should be addressed in the strategic IT road map. (17 pp., 6 pg.)[Research Byte]
CRM Adoption Trends and Customer Experience
November, 2018
CRM systems have become one of the most widely adopted categories of enterprise applications, and investment continues to grow. This report provides an overview of key concepts and vendors in the CRM space. We also examine CRM adoption and investment trends, providing data on how many organizations have the technology in place, how many are in the process of implementing it, and how many are expanding implementations. We then look at the return on investment experience, total cost of ownership experience, and which type of applications are the most popular. We conclude with recommendations to ensure CRM implementation success and widespread adoption. (17 pp., 9 fig.)[Research Byte]
Business Analyst Staffing Ratios
November, 2018
Business analysts as a percentage of the IT staff is on an overall upward trend, and we expect that trend to continue. The business analyst serves as a bridge between the IT organization and business users. It is a multifaceted function that is important for ensuring that IT application systems meet business objectives. In this study, we assess staffing levels for the business analyst using four metrics: business analysts as a percentage of the IT staff, business analysts as a percentage of the Application Group, applications per business analyst, and users per business analyst. We also present ratios by organization size and sector. (22 pp., 10 fig.)[Research Byte]
IT Management Best Practices 2018/2019
September, 2018
The best-run IT organizations not only focus their process improvement efforts on those of other departments, they also seek to optimize their own IT management processes internally. In this study, we examine the growth and maturity of 35 IT management practices which we have grouped into six major categories: IT governance practices, IT financial management practices, IT operational management practices, IT security and risk management practices, application development practices, and innovation best practices. (207 pp., 184 figs.)[Full Report Description and Sample Pages]
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IT Outsourcing Statistics 2018/2019
August, 2018.gif)
This major study profiles outsourcing activity for 10 IT functions: application development, application maintenance, data center operations, database administration, desktop support, disaster recovery services, help desk services, IT security, network operations, and web/e-commerce systems. For each IT function, we measure the frequency and level of outsourcing. We also look at the current plans of IT organizations to increase or decrease the amount of work they outsource. We examine the customer experience to assess whether organizations are successfully lowering costs or improving service through outsourcing. Finally, we show the outsourcing frequency by sector for each function. (105 pp., 89 fig.)Full Report Description
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IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks 2018/2019: IT Budget and Cost Metrics by Industry and Organization Size
June, 2018
Our 2018/2019 IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks study provides a comprehensive view of the current state of IT budgeting and staffing levels for business and governmental organizations in the U.S. and Canada, based on our 29th annual survey. Detailed metrics are provided by organization size and by industry sector. This article allows purchase of all 30 chapters at a significant discount off the individual chapter price. Individual chapters are also available for purchase – click the Full Study Description below for details. (1,749 pp., 1,052 figs.)[Full Study Description and Individual Chapter Pricing]
Technology Trends 2018
February, 2018
This major study provides insight into the customer experience and adoption rates for 14 technologies that are top-of-mind for many companies. The study also delves into satisfaction of the customer experience and the specific types of solutions under consideration. With this information business leaders are in a better position to assess the potential risks and rewards of each of these technologies. They also can gain insight into just how aggressively competitors and peers are making these investments. (101 pp., 102 figs.)[Full Description and Sample Pages]
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