IT Operating Model: Internal, Managed or Co-Managed
An IT operating model sets out how your technology function delivers its services, how those services are governed, and, above all, who is accountable for each one. This page explains what an IT operating model is, the components it covers, and how the main sourcing choices, internal, managed and co-managed, compare, so you can decide where each service belongs.
What is an IT operating model?
An IT operating model is a blueprint for how IT runs. It describes the services the function provides, the people and structure that deliver them, the processes and technology behind them, the governance that holds them to account, and how each service is sourced. It is the IT-specific view of a wider target operating model, focused on the question that matters most for technology: who should own each service.
The components of an IT operating model
Most IT operating models cover a consistent set of components: the services themselves, the people and structure delivering them, the processes and service management that keep them running, the technology and platforms they depend on, the governance and security that keep them accountable, and the sourcing model that decides who owns what. Getting these to fit together is what keeps technology reliable without overloading the internal team or losing control to an outsourcer.
Internal, managed and co-managed: comparing the options
The defining choice in any IT operating model is sourcing. A fully internal model keeps everything in-house, which gives maximum control but is hard to staff around the clock. A fully managed model hands delivery to a provider, which adds scale and cover but needs clear governance to keep control. A co-managed model sits between the two: your internal team keeps the work that needs their knowledge of the organisation, while a managed provider adds the monitoring, out-of-hours cover and specialist escalation that are hard to resource in-house. Most organisations land on a blend once they map their services honestly.
From operating model to delivery
Deciding the model is the first step; delivering it is the second. Managed247 provides managed and co-managed IT for mid-market and enterprise organisations across the UK, with a UK-based service desk running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If your operating model shows gaps where no one is clearly accountable, those are the services we can take on.
Map your IT operating model in minutes
The clearest way to see your operating model is to build it. Our free Target Operating Model Builder lets you map every IT service to internal, managed, co-managed or third party and download an executive PDF in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
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What is an IT operating model?
An IT operating model is a blueprint for how the IT function delivers and governs its services and who is accountable for each one. It covers people, process, technology, governance and, crucially, how each service is sourced.
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What are the components of an IT operating model?
Typically the services, the people and structure, the processes and service management, the technology, the governance and security, and the sourcing model that decides who owns each service.
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What is the difference between an IT operating model and a target operating model?
A target operating model describes how a whole organisation will operate in the future. An IT operating model applies the same thinking to the technology function specifically, with sourcing, who runs each service, as its central question.
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What is a co-managed IT operating model?
It is a model where the internal team keeps the work that needs their business knowledge while a managed provider adds monitoring, out-of-hours cover and specialist escalation. It is the blend many organisations reach when they map their services.
Decide who should own each IT service.
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