Reducing the cost of IT ownership using feedback from the IT helpdesk

The paper provides a discourse on the use that can be made of data derived from corporate data systems in reducing the cost of ownership of IT. The paper is based on a series of case studies carried out on systems in use at Rolls-Royce and Associates Limited. The case studies draw on data contained in the corporate IT help desk system, and system monitors. It describes the methodology used to draw together metrics for failure and use in determining the whole life cost of IT systems. This is demonstrated through examples of cost improvement initiatives applied to personal computers. The paper concludes with a summary of simple system attributes that can both improve our understanding of the more cost significant system elements, and which can then be used to carry through a TQM cost reduction initiative.