How can you measure the quality and timeliness of IT incident management?

1 Mean time to resolve (MTTR)

One of the most common and important metrics for IT incident management is the mean time to resolve (MTTR), which measures the average time it takes to restore a normal service level after an incident occurs. MTTR reflects the efficiency and effectiveness of your IT incident management process, as well as the impact of incidents on your business operations and customers. A low MTTR indicates a fast and reliable IT incident management process, while a high MTTR suggests a slow and inconsistent process that may result in service degradation, customer dissatisfaction, and revenue loss.

2 Incident resolution rate

Another metric that can help you measure the quality and timeliness of your IT incident management process is the incident resolution rate, which measures the percentage of incidents that are resolved within a specified time frame or SLA (service level agreement). The incident resolution rate reflects the compliance and accountability of your IT incident management process, as well as the alignment of your IT service delivery with your business expectations and customer needs. A high incident resolution rate indicates a high-quality and timely IT incident management process, while a low incident resolution rate implies a poor-quality and delayed process that may lead to SLA breaches, customer complaints, and reputational damage.

3 Incident backlog

A third metric that can help you measure the quality and timeliness of your IT incident management process is the incident backlog, which measures the number of incidents that are pending or unresolved at any given time. The incident backlog reflects the workload and capacity of your IT incident management process, as well as the potential risk of escalation and recurrence of incidents. A low incident backlog indicates a well-managed and responsive IT incident management process, while a high incident backlog suggests a overwhelmed and unresponsive process that may cause service disruption, customer frustration, and operational inefficiency.

4 Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)

A fourth metric that can help you measure the quality and timeliness of your IT incident management process is the customer satisfaction score (CSAT), which measures the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of your customers with the resolution of their incidents. CSAT reflects the perception and feedback of your customers on your IT incident management process, as well as the value and impact of your IT service delivery on their business outcomes and experiences. A high CSAT indicates a customer-centric and effective IT incident management process, while a low CSAT implies a customer-averse and ineffective process that may erode customer loyalty, retention, and advocacy.

5 Incident root cause analysis (RCA)

A fifth metric that can help you measure the quality and timeliness of your IT incident management process is the incident root cause analysis (RCA), which measures the frequency and depth of identifying and eliminating the underlying causes of incidents. RCA reflects the learning and improvement of your IT incident management process, as well as the prevention and mitigation of future incidents. A high RCA indicates a proactive and mature IT incident management process, while a low RCA suggests a reactive and immature process that may repeat the same mistakes, waste resources, and compromise service quality.

6 Incident management maturity

A sixth metric that can help you measure the quality and timeliness of your IT incident management process is the incident management maturity, which measures the level of development and optimization of your IT incident management process based on a set of criteria or standards. Incident management maturity reflects the vision and strategy of your IT incident management process, as well as the integration and alignment of your IT service delivery with your business goals and customer requirements. A high incident management maturity indicates a robust and agile IT incident management process, while a low incident management maturity implies a weak and rigid process that may lack innovation, collaboration, and adaptation.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?