Target Operating Model Examples for IT

What a target operating model example looks like

A worked example lays out the IT services an organisation runs and marks who is accountable for each, along with how they are governed and measured. In practice that means a grid of services, from service desk and end-user support through to infrastructure, cloud, security and out-of-hours cover, with each one assigned to the internal team, a managed provider, a co-managed arrangement or a specialist third party. A good example also shows the reasoning, not just the result, so you can see why a service sits where it does.

Example: a growing mid-market organisation

A mid-market business with a small internal IT team often keeps user-facing and business-specific work in-house, where knowledge of the organisation matters most, and hands the round-the-clock elements to a managed provider. In this example the internal team owns application support and vendor relationships, a co-managed arrangement covers the service desk at peak times, and monitoring, patching and out-of-hours cover sit with the provider. The result keeps control where it is needed while closing the gaps a small team cannot staff alone.

Example: an enterprise with a mature IT function

A larger enterprise with an established IT function tends to retain strategy, architecture and governance internally and source delivery selectively. In this example the internal team owns the technology roadmap and security governance, specialist third parties handle niche platforms, and a managed provider delivers scalable support and out-of-hours cover across sites. The operating model makes the boundaries explicit, so accountability is clear even though several parties are involved.

Example: a firm in a regulated sector

Organisations in regulated sectors, such as legal or financial services, weight the model toward control and evidence. In this example confidentiality and compliance stay firmly with the internal team and named accountable owners, security is co-managed with a provider who can demonstrate the right certifications, and day-to-day support is delivered to agreed service levels. The model is designed to be auditable, so who owns what can be shown at any time.

Build your own target operating model example

These examples are starting points, not answers. Your model should reflect the services you actually run and the outcomes you are aiming for. Our free target operating model builder lets you produce your own worked example in minutes and leave with an executive PDF.