Optimization Model Structures Sales Efforts

Infrastructure Optimization (IO) is a Microsoft methodology for measuring the capabilities of an IT infrastructure’s “maturity” and is used by Microsoft to identify gaps in its product lines and help customers assess their current IT capabilities, how they compare to others, and the most cost-effective improvements. Microsoft has used the model to identify important acquisitions, and it is particularly useful to the company’s sales force in guiding conversations with customers. Although IO can offer important insights, customers and partners need to ensure that it accurately discerns gaps in their systems and does not overstate savings or neglect non-Microsoft solutions.

Maturity Models

The concept of maturity models was developed at the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie-Mellon University, where a five-stage Capability Maturity Model (CMM), updated in 2002 to Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), was developed to describe the maturity of IT processes in an organization. The SEI has also developed tools that can be used to appraise IT systems and determine their maturity level.