The Infrastructure and Operations Playbook
12 Steps to Excellence in Managing Infrastructure & Operations
Book a Call to EnrollGet More InfoAdvancing I&O:
Organizational Challenges
Many organizations face the following challenges as they try to drive I&O forward with the organization:
End-user expectations change dynamically and outpace IT capabilities
Critical processes are immature and informally managed
Scarcity of skills & resources for modern challenges
Technology sprawl creates unnecessary costs and risks
Service continuity risks and immature governance risk derailing your career
A rapidly expanding vendor ecosystem leads to a lack of control and visibility
Hybrid and multi-cloud environments lead to complex and fragmented infrastructure
Demands for disruptive and innovative technologies are a challenge for core stability and reliability
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67%Organizations using Info-Tech's IT M&G diagnostic rated their I&O effectiveness at only 67%
M&G Diagnostic -
45%45% of respondents believe that most or all, IT skills will need to change over the next five years.
2025 IT Tech Trends survey
8 Secrets for Infrastructure & IT Operations Excellence
Understanding the eight secrets is imperative to overcoming your most prominent challenges and systematically improving IT for the future.
The Infrastructure and Operations Playbook
12 Steps to Excellence in Managing I&O
Our 12-step process has been proven across maturity levels, and each step comes with a matrix of methodologies, tools, and templates that's right for you.
Structured, Actionable, 12-Step Framework
Clear activities to delegate to your team
Customizable initiatives with measurable results
Our highest-value advisory engagements
A proven path to I&O excellence
Stakeholder Management
Embedded self-service delivery is key to keeping up with dynamic end-user requirements.
Core Operational Processes
Make the right process the one of least resistance.
I&O Workforce Development
Build on skills from adjacent areas to develop your modern I&O team.
Technology Management
Inventory assets when they enter your environment rather than after the fact.
Risk & Governance
Resilience secures an I&O leader’s job, but governance secures resilience.
Vendor Management
Prioritize vendors according to value and criticality to enable a strategic approach to vendor management.
Cloud & Core Infrastructure
Strategic planning and automation is key to effectively managing modern cloud and core infrastructure.
Disruptive Tech & Innovation
Balance suitability, value, and risk to realize value from disruptive and innovative technologies.
Organizational Value
Strategy & Roadmap
Budget & Capacity
Renewal & Reflection
Benefits of the Program
Your Infrastructure & Operations department has the potential to be the powerhouse that drives your organization to new heights. With our targeted improvement plan, you won't just keep up - you'll redefine the game. Let's make Infrastructure & Operations the catalyst for your next big success.
A Proven Methodology to Lead I&O
serving as a consistent career guide and offering a superior and structured alternative to ad hoc advisory engagements.
A Structured Framework
with 12 actionable steps and eight key insights from best practices to manage and improve the complex moving parts within core I&O functions.
Clear Activities You Can Delegate
to your team with Guided Implementations and actionable best practices.
High-Value Advisory Engagements
that deliver tangible results and valuable experiences with higher effort-to-value ratios and a focus on core activities.
Customizable Initiatives With Measurable Results
that align with your organizational, departmental, and personal goals, with annual proof of improvement.
How Infrastructure & Operations Systematic
Improvement Works:
Commit to your Applications Evolution
- Contact your Counselor to learn more about the Infrastructure & Operations Playbook.
- Become familiar with the Applications Playbook benefits, steps, expectations, and deliverables.
Assess your Team Performance
- Build your Infrastructure & Operations scorecard based on your personal success metrics and targets.
- Conduct your Annual Infrastructure & Operations Department Assessment by evaluating your team’s performance of each step based on your current business context and performance goals.
- This will result in a prioritized set of steps for which to leverage Info-Tech’s support in your first year.
Customize Your Playbook
- Create your individual systematic improvement key initiatives plan, which will include your top 2-3 Playbook initiatives with your Counselor.
- Leverage Info-Tech's Diagnostics, Advisory Guided Implementations, Workshops, and Consulting experiences to customize and expedite your progress.
- Identify key contributors to the 12 monthly steps (direct reports) and delegate.
Stay on Track & Accelerate
- Quarterly, connect with your Counselor to review progress on the remaining Playbook activities and determine if you would like additional assistance with any of them.
Celebrate Wins & Evolve
- At the end of each year, you will review and measure your progress across each of the 12 areas through quantifiable success measures.