Gap analysis

Gap analysis is a business assessment tool enabling an organization to compare where it is currently and where it wants to go in the future. This provides the organization with insight to areas which have room for improvement. This can be used to determine the gap between ‘What do we want?’ and ‘What do we need?’ for example.

The process involves determining, documenting and approving the variance between business requirements and current capabilities. Gap analysis naturally flows from benchmarking or other assessments such as service or process maturity assessments. Once the general expectation of performance is understood then it is possible to compare that expectation with the level of performance at which the company currently functions. This comparison becomes the gap analysis. Such analysis can be performed at the strategic, tactical or operational level of an organization.

Gap analysis can be conducted from different perspectives such as:

• Organization (e.g. human resources)
• Business direction
• Business process es
• Information technology.

Gap analysis provides a foundation for how much effort, in terms of time, money and human resources, is required to have a particular goal achieved (e.g. how to bring a service from a maturity level of 2 to 3).

Figure 5.3 illustrates the many gaps that can exist between the CSI model and the service lifecycle. Table 5.2 provides further explanation on the gaps.

Figure 5.3 Service gap model

Gap	Description
	This gap comes from the interpretation of the information coming from the outside and how it influences or directs the question ‘what do we want?’
	This gap comes from the interpretation of past experiences or the lack of data, information and knowledge to properly reduce this gap and how it influences or directs the question ‘what do we want?’
	This gap comes from the interpretation of the information coming from the outside and the organization ’s incorrect assessments of what it really needs.
	This gap comes from the translation of the information into requirements.
	This gap comes from either a lack communication or from unclear communication. Often expectations are not set properly or are unrealistic.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of the information coming from the outside and how it influences or directs the service strategy.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of Service Strategy into design specifications and from the limitation of the tools used to translate requirements and specification s into a plan.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of Service Strategy and design specifications and from the limitation of the tools used to create and transition the service into existence.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the provider perceives the deliverable s to be and from either a lack of communication or from unclear communication. Often expectations are not set properly or are unrealistic even from the perspective of the provider.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.
	This gap comes from the interpretation of what the message should be, what the message is and the frequency of the message.

Table 5.2 Explanations of the gaps in above figure

Дата добавления: 2015-10-02