Dramatic short-term cost reductions is usually what comes to mind when discussing Application Portfolio Management (APM). Yes, APM is about pinpointing which applications you need, which ones you don’t, and how to safely remove redundant applications.
But what if a well-executed APM program could still deliver incremental value while paving the way for longer-term benefits? By using a broader enterprise context, you can better manage your application portfolio through hardware refreshes, license renegotiation, migrations to new platforms or to the cloud and outsourcing.
Here are some quick tips for continuous APM improvement:
- Recognize that APM is lifestyle change, not a one-time “crash diet”
- Secure CIO or other executive-level sponsorship to drive the APM effort and implementation of needed changes
- Start small with “bite-sized” chunks of the portfolio
- Expand over time to link your APM effort with broader enterprise portfolio management
- Don’t focus only on short-term cost cutting, but long-term value maximization and risk reduction
- Make one individual responsible for maintaining data about each application
- Put the funding and organization in place to sustain a long-term “lifestyle change”
- Balance the desire to do “perfect” APM with the need to deliver value incrementally
- Learn from others
I really like these tips because they are logical benchmarks you can use no matter if you have an existing APM program in place or if you are just getting started. These tips and more are featured in this white paper, “Achieving Best-in-Class Application Portfolio Management: Look Beyond One-Time Cost Savings to Continuous and Fundamental Improvement.” Get your copy and discover the drivers behind best-in-class APM, common obstacles to achieving it, and best practices for making well-informed decisions.
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