Operating model: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:11, 25 June 2007

Revision as of 13:13, 25 June 2007

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Operating Model is a term that is used in many contexts. In essence an operating model describes how an organization operates across both business and technology domains. The operating model can be a product that in great detail describes how the organization does business today. This can be the foundation for organizations that want to transform it's business. The business drivers are then translated into new requirements that leadleads to a new targetTarget Operating Model. The Target Operating Model represents the high level requirements that drives the future Business and IT development. In many situations developing the Operating Model at a very detailed level requires substantial resources in both the business units and IT.

Another approach is to create a high level Operating Model, that describes how the business cooperates across its business units. Center for Information Systems Research (CISR) [http://mitsloan.mit.edu/cisr/research.php], a research group at the MIT Sloan School of Management has defined this lightweight method to capture the business needs for Business Process Standardization and Integration (data sharing). CISR recommends that this type of Operating Model is used to build reusable Core Capabilities and follow this base to guide IT Investment decisions. The Operating Model will drive the architecture and infrastructure development ensuring that business needs are met with the right IT foundation. The result is a foundation that enables the company to grow its business with the right level of IT, without having to do deep surgery on the IT systems each time the business grows either organically or through acquisitions. The implementation of business processes and IT systems is the realization of the Operating Model.