Making It Lean ─ Applying Lean Practices to the Work of IT

Making IT Lean: Applying Lean Practices to the Work of IT presents Lean concepts and techniques for improving processes and eliminating waste in IT operations and IT Service Management, in a manner that is easy to understand. The authors provide a context for discussing several areas of application within this domain, allowing you to quickly gain insight into IT processes and Lean principles.

The text reviews IT Service Management, with reference to the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL^R) as a framework for best practices—explaining how to use it to accommodate Lean processes and operations. Filled with straightforward examples, it provides enough modeling tools so you can start your Lean journey right away. Examining the work of IT from an IT practitioner perspective, the book includes coverage of:

• The OM Perspective—considers the work of IT from an Operations Management (OM) perspective, showing how many of the concepts that have been successfully applied within manufacturing can be applied to IT
• The Lean Improvement Model—explains Lean concepts and practices and details the authors’ Lean improvement model
• Lean Problem-Solving (Identifying and Understanding Problems)—considers operational work in IT and explains how to apply Lean practices related to problem identification and root cause analysis
• Lean Problem-Solving (Identifying and Managing Solutions)—describes how to use good problem identification as the basis for identifying the right solutions
• Lean IT Service Management—examines IT work from an IT Service Management perspective, using the ITIL^R framework as a guide
• Implementing and Sustaining Lean IT Improvements—explains how to implement and sustain Lean IT improvements

Throughout the book, the authors use a simple model for Lean Improvement as the framework for communicating practical guidance on identifying and understanding problems, as well as identifying, implementing, managing, and improving solutions. Emphasizing alignment with core Lean concepts, such as A3 Thinking and Plan Do Check Act, it introduces concepts in a manner that allows you to take away small bits at a time and immediately apply them in your IT operations. Exploring the notion that any IT organization can benefit from the application of Lean, the text supplies you with virtually limitless opportunities for improvement in your IT organization.

Howard Williams is an IT Service Management Consultant in Microsoft’s Consulting Services organization, with several years of experience designing and implementing ITSM solutions for a diverse customer population. He is an ITIL^R Expert (V3), and has an MBA in Operations Management from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Rebecca Duray is a Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Programs at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs College of Business. Professor Duray received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and her B.S. and M.B.A from Case Western Reserve University. Her research interests are in the strategic use of operations, mass customization, and Lean Information systems. Prior to obtaining her Ph.D., Professor Duray was a management consultant for various firms including Price Waterhouse and A.T. Kearney focusing on operations and systems issues.