How are your benchmark data collected?
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Data come from carefully validated, standardized questionnaires which are filled out by members of the top 2-3 tiers of business management in each major unit of the company. Senior IS staff also fill out a survey form dealing with IS matters, including IS manager job attitudes, management practices and IT architectural policy.
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What's a "unit?"
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Definitions vary by company.
We counsel with you on how best to define appropriate units.
Usually it's a major piece of the business organization.
In a manufacturing company, for example, you might have: engineering, manufacturing, sales & marketing, and adminstration.
Retailers would have merchandising, distribution, stores, and administration.
Other clients have chosen units based on location (such as regions), or processes.
CogniTech can slice the data several ways to gain maximum analysis power.
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How do you price your services?
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We price according to the number of units selected by the client for analysis. These days our engagements are running between four and eight units per company.
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Who in the organization is your usual client?
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About half our engagements are the result of requests from the business side.
But normally the CIO directs the study.
The others are initiated in the IS organization.
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How much time and effort is required from IT staff?
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We require the help of a study coordinator, who will normally spend a total of 2-3 days working on this project.
He/she helps select the sample, sends out the questionnaires and the cover letter, and follows up with tardy respondents.
Coordinator also helps decide when to close the sample, and makes arrangements for the data briefing and Action Planning workshop.
To be effective, the coordinator must be very familiar with the business-side organization and management.
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How long does it take to get my report?
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That depends on how fast the respondents complete their questionnaires and return them to CogniTech.
Allowing for followups, it's usually about 8 weeks.
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How can we get started?
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| We can brief you and your people on our study process, in person or via phone/video conferences. We help you identify units to participate, and advise you on what needs to be done to ensure strong participation by respondents. |
How often do companies measure alignment and IS effectiveness?
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Our Clients have typically re-measured in fourteen to twenty-four months. Even at fourteen months, we have seen and validated substantial improvements in the key measure of IS performance, "IS contribution to business goal achievement." For more frequent re-measurement, we offer short versions of the survey, "CogniTech QuickCheck," and "CogniTech Compact."
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If I have further questions?
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We would be glad to hear from you. Please send
an e-mail to Tom Lodahl or visit
our Contact Us page for phone numbers
and additional information.
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