Completed in December 2008, this final EMA research survey polled 143 IT professionals with knowledge and direct involvement in IT Service Management (ITSM) initiatives and asked them about current and future approaches to both technology and process, analyzed what has been successful and unsuccessful to date, and solicited best practices advice.  This Advisory Note summarizes the survey findings, highlighting the most interesting statistics with a prioritized list of best practices advice.

Throughout 2008, Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) has been following trends in IT Service Management (ITSM) at both the micro and macro levels.  At the micro level, hundreds of research papers and studies on detailed technologies and ITSM vendors have been completed.  Overlaying this, at the macro level, are several studies which investigate large-scale ITSM trends across companies of all sizes, geographies and industries.  In its final study of the year, 2009 Trends and Best Practice Advice for IT Service Management Technologies and Processes, EMA looks at ITSM trends and best practices holistically - across the board - focusing particular attention on the impact from the current economic recession on IT.

EMA believes that 2009 will be a pivotal year for IT executives.  A careful balance between fiscal pragmatism must be weighed against the escalating challenges of IT – increasing complexity in the infrastructure, unprecedented user demand for new services, the expectation of continual, sub-second response times, etc.  Indeed, successful CIOs will earn their pay in 2009 by advancing ITSM maturity while keeping a careful eye on business drivers and the corporate balance sheet.