Determining readiness of an organization to utilize an information technology asset

• US 7,991,639 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Domo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wolfe, Martin A., Reddington, Francis X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Application Number:
  US11/615,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution that determines the readiness of a target organization to utilize an IT asset. Specifically, under the present invention, baseline criteria for determining the readiness of the target organization to utilize the IT asset are first identified. The baseline criteria are then refined (e.g., via personnel interviews, market research, etc.) to yield readiness criteria. A score is assigned to each of the readiness criteria for the target organization, and then optionally weighted. Using the scores (weighted or un-weighted), a readiness value for the target organization is computed and compared to a threshold value to determine the readiness of the target organization. Based on the results, at least one graphical depiction showing the readiness of the target organization can be generated.

Claims

1. A method for determining a readiness of a target organization to utilize an Information Technology (IT) asset, comprising:

identifying baseline criteria for determining the readiness of the target organization to utilize the IT asset;

refining the baseline criteria to yield readiness criteria by removing individual ones of the baseline criteria that are non-applicable to the IT asset and defining applicable ones of the baseline criteria with respect to a relationship between technology attributable to the IT asset and known data within the target organization and an industry of the target organization;

assigning a numerical score to each of the readiness criteria for the target organization;

computing, with a computer device, a readiness value for the target organization using a numerical average of the scores;

comparing the readiness value to a threshold value to determine the readiness of the target organization, the threshold value representing an average of readiness values for comparable organizations to the target organization that have successfully utilized the IT asset; and

generating at least one graphical depiction showing the readiness of the target organization for presentation to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, the refining comprising at least one of the following:

conducting interviews about the baseline criteria; and

consulting market research about the IT asset.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising weighting the scores prior to the computing, wherein the computing comprises computing the readiness value for the target organization using the weighted scores.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing comprises computing the readiness value by computing an average of the scores.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical depiction comprises a first graphical depiction showing the scores for the readiness criteria.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a second graphical depiction showing threshold values for the readiness criteria.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a third graphical depiction showing a comparison of the scores to the threshold values for the readiness criteria.

8. A system for determining a readiness of a target organization to utilize an Information Technology (IT) asset, comprising:

a computer device, having;

a system for identifying baseline criteria for determining the readiness of the target organization to utilize the IT asset;

a system for refining the baseline criteria to yield readiness criteria by removing individual ones of the baseline criteria that are non-applicable to the IT asset and defining applicable ones of the baseline criteria with respect to a relationship between technology attributable to the IT asset and known data within the target organization and an industry of the target organization;

a system for assigning a numerical score to each of the readiness criteria for the target organization;

a system for computing a readiness value for the target organization using a numerical average of the scores;

a system for comparing the readiness value to a threshold value to determine the readiness of the target organization, the threshold value representing an average of readiness values for comparable organizations to the target organization that have successfully utilized the IT asset; and

a system for generating at least one graphical depiction showing the readiness of the target organization.

9. The system of claim 8, the system for refining refines the baseline criteria by incorporating interview data about the baseline criteria.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a system for weighting the scores prior to the computing, wherein the system for computing comprises computes the readiness value for the target organization using the weighted scores.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the system for computing computes an average of the scores.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one graphical depiction comprises a first graphical depiction showing the scores for the readiness criteria.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a second graphical depiction showing threshold values for the readiness criteria.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a third graphical depiction showing a comparison of the scores to the threshold values for the readiness criteria.

15. A program product stored on a computer useable medium for determining a readiness of a target organization to utilize an Information Technology (IT) asset, the computer useable medium comprising program code for causing a computer system to perform the following steps:

identifying baseline criteria for determining the readiness of the target organization to utilize the IT asset;

refining the baseline criteria to yield readiness criteria by removing individual ones of the baseline criteria that are non-applicable to the IT asset and defining applicable ones of the baseline criteria with respect to a relationship between technology attributable to the IT asset and known data within the target organization and an industry of the target organization;

assigning a numerical score to each of the readiness criteria for the target organization;

computing a readiness value for the target organization using a numerical average of the scores;

comparing the readiness value to a threshold value to determine the readiness of the target organization, the threshold value representing an average of readiness values for comparable organizations to the target organization that have successfully utilized the IT asset; and

generating at least one graphical depiction showing the readiness of the target organization.

16. The program product of claim 15, the refining being based on at least one of the following:

interviews about the baseline criteria; and

market research about the IT asset.

17. The program product of claim 15, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for causing the computer system to perform the following step:

weighting the scores prior to the computing, wherein the computing comprises computing the readiness value for the target organization using the weighted scores.

18. The program product of claim 15, wherein the computing comprises computing the readiness value by computing an average of the scores.

19. The program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one graphical depiction comprises a first graphical depiction showing the scores for the readiness criteria.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a second graphical depiction showing threshold values for the readiness criteria.

21. The program product of claim 20, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a third graphical depiction showing a comparison of the scores to the threshold values for the readiness criteria.

22. A method for deploying a system for determining a readiness of a target organization to utilize an Information Technology (IT) asset, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

identify baseline criteria for determining the readiness of the target organization to utilize the IT asset;

refine the baseline criteria to yield readiness criteria by removing individual ones of the baseline criteria that are non-applicable to the IT asset and defining applicable ones of the baseline criteria with respect to a relationship between technology attributable to the IT asset and known data within the target organization and an industry of the target organization;

assign a numerical score to each of the readiness criteria for the target organization;

compute a readiness value for the target organization using a numerical average of the scores;

compare the readiness value to a threshold value to determine the readiness of the target organization, the threshold value representing an average of readiness values for comparable organizations to the target organization that have successfully utilized the IT asset; and

generate at least one graphical depiction showing the readiness of a customer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to refine the baseline criteria based on at least one of the following:

interviews about the baseline criteria; and

market research about the IT asset.

24. The method of claim 22, the computer infrastructure being further operable to weight the scores prior to the computing, wherein the readiness value for the target organization is computed using the weighted scores.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the computing comprises computing the readiness value by computing an average of the scores.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one graphical depiction comprises a first graphical depiction showing the scores for the readiness criteria.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a second graphical depiction showing threshold values for the readiness criteria.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one graphical depiction further comprises a third graphical depiction showing a comparison of the scores to the threshold values for the readiness criteria.