An Adaptive Approach to Design, Measure and Improve IT Agility: ITAAM Framework

Abstract

Information systems are compelled to adapt by developing agility abilities in order to respond effectively to rapid and unforeseen changes in the business environment, so the organization can grow or even survive in this changing environment. As a result, organizations must be given guidance on how to design, measure, and enhance the agility of their information systems. An iterative, integrated, flexible, and balanced framework has been established in this area. The ITAAM (Information Technology Agility Assessment Model) framework is based on a simple model developed from the Balanced ScoreCard approach, which is extensively used as a performance measuring system. Our approach is made up of a conceptual framework, an evaluation methodology, an agility grid, and a scoring system to compute the Global Agility Index. Furthermore, throughout each evaluation cycle, the agility level is detected, and a set of recommendations, as well as the appropriate organizational adjustment guidelines, are offered. As a result, we can ensure long-term viability and ongoing agility improvement, which is the primary purpose of our new structure. We believe that the framework can be adapted and generalized by sector of activities or by group of sectors that have common concerns and almost the same issues (level of competition, competitiveness, changes, etc.).