IT Governance, Risk, and Compliance » Continuous Process Improvement

Measuring Delivery Value – Part IV

Robert Davis — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:25:27 +0000

Performance measurement is a control activity. Measurement techniques are the means for effective information security performance monitoring. “Selective measurement utility is realized when a critical few indicators permit accurate and timely information for decision-making and, by extension, appropriate information assets protection.” KPIs provide the critical measuring technique for aligned objectives and goals. Adequate KPIs permit comparative analysis for assessing resource deployment and utilization success. When processes are evaluated within the pre-established context, KPIs enable rapid resource mobilization, substitution and/or elimination for organizational objectives fulfillment.

“View Part I of the Measuring Delivery Value series here“

Measuring Delivery Value – Part III

Robert Davis — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:41:22 +0000

Information security service management can include financial and non-financial indicators to enable performance assessments. However, selected indicators must represent a mathematically measurable quality. An adopted KPI should have an established target, associated with a completion date and a path for improvement. Furthermore, an adequate KPI enables determination of the degree of change from the current state to future expectations. For instance, an information security goal might address access privileges. Consequently, considering the current state requires comparison to accepted standards for performance measurement, the “time to grant access privileges” KPI would specify whether the measurement duration is in minutes, hours or days. Reflecting the established time basis, a target for the KPI can be derived. Therefore, “reduce time to grant access privileges by four percent per year” communicates a clear target that employees should understand and undertake specific actions to accomplish.

One of the managerial challenges for process-driven entities is integrating ‘leading indicators’ into KPIs. Similar to leading economic indicators, information security leading KPIs enable swift conditional service delivery responses to ‘code red’ impact alerts. If leading indicators are properly implemented, management can preemptively adjust a process (or processes) before the expiration date on achieving an expected outcome.

“View Part I of the Measuring Delivery Value series here“

Measuring Delivery Value – Part II

Robert Davis — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:42:38 +0000

Procedurally, once information security management has analyzed the entity-centric mission, identified stakeholders, and defined objectives; goals must be established with appropriate performance indicators for status assessments. “Practical information security service delivery and support utilization requires identification of a critical few measurement indicators in each of the relevant measurement domains that align safeguarding initiatives to targeted processes and activities. At the detail-level, these few critical measurements represent key performance indicators [(KPIs)] tailored to gauge objective achievement elements. To effectively drive performance alignment, entities should utilize expected outcomes to enable multiple measurements identification so the positive impact safeguarding investments contribute are visible.”

KPIs are utilized to measure achievements through comparative analyses. Information accuracy and consistency are rudimentary to measurement reliance. If KPIs are going to reliably convey activity status, management must accurately define and consistently measure expectations. That is, activity calculation inputs must be understood and accepted by those accountable for expected performance until revision notification.

“View Part I of the Measuring Delivery Value series here“

Measuring Delivery Value – Part I

Robert Davis — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:56:48 +0000

Considering adamant demands for continuous process improvements, focus on overall information protection and delivery value in terms of enabled services has become a managerial necessity. Information Security Service Management is a set of processes enabling and potentially optimizing IT security services for an entity in order to satisfy business requirements, while simultaneously providing strategic and tactical IT security infrastructure management. Consequently, information security service level management should be considered quality of service administration permitting demonstrable process improvement contributions. Measuring, monitoring and reporting on information security processes assist in ensuring organizational objectives are achieved.