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Delivery Maturity Index
Delivery Maturity Index
ISG Automation
Delivery Maturity IndexIndex
April 2017
Wipro’s Value-based Approach to Service Delivery
An evaluation report by ISG on Wipro’s service delivery measurement framework for managed
infrastructure services
December 2019
Tagline here. Shift + Control Click
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Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 DMI components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Driving value for clients by measuring integrated standard service delivery. . . . . 2 DMI inter-correlation and predictability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Wipro’s Delivery Maturity Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Wipro’s initiatives driving key DMI sub-groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Need for DMI: Challenges of Cloud and Infrastructure Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 DMI challenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Delivering managed infrastructure services is a complex process involving This platform intends to move away from traditional service level reporting
delivering the service itself as contracted, building the back-office capability and and toward a client experience-driven approach. It leverages Wipro’s delivery
selecting and implementing the technology. The last 20 years have shown that maturity framework through the Delivery Maturity Index (DMI), which measures
getting all this right is not enough: even when a provider is delivering services service performance for each client account. The DMI quantifies how Wipro
well, the client can have a negative perception about the provider. This is an creates value for each client, highlighting how it can influence the client’s
indicator of the client’s understanding of the contracted services, and its ability experience while meeting and extending service levels into the deeper potential
to develop a culture to work effectively with the provider. Wipro has recognized of the relationship. This is accomplished by measuring Wipro’s performance,
this challenge. To drive both its own continuous improvement and the client’s starting from the beginning with training and enabling personnel, through to
engagement in the process, it has created the Delivery Maturity Index (DMI). service delivery, continuous improvement and innovation.
Enterprise sourcing clients expect service providers to create continuous value ISG has assessed DMI and deems it not only a comprehensive tool for
on top of meeting contracted service levels. Meeting this expectation involves measuring the efficacy of service delivery but also as a powerful indicator of
consolidating best practices across different provider teams. Wipro’s approach is Wipro-client relationship maturity. This whitepaper explores the DMI model
designed to identify “accidental brilliance” in pockets of delivery and standardize in detail, the best service delivery practices that underpin the DMI model, its
this capability into “designed excellence” that can be measured with empirical challenges and future enhancements.
data. Wipro has developed a service delivery platform that brings together best
practices from multiple client service delivery teams and quantifies
service delivery maturity based on those best practices across its managed
infrastructure clients.
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Driving value for clients by measuring integrated standard service delivery
Service providers often struggle to measure and express the continuous value components and activities that work together to enable and accelerate value
they create for their clients. They also struggle to measure the effect of a creation. This kind of service value creation is essential to the ITIL 4 best
collaborative and trusting client-provider relationship. And while IT infrastructure practices, which is core to managed infrastructure services.
services may seem transactional in nature, outsourced largely with an objective
Automation and an end-user self-service knowledge base are two initiatives
of cost optimization and efficiency improvements, service providers offering
that can provide significant value for end clients. However, it has often been
managed infrastructure services often deal with dissatisfied clients even
observed that managed service providers are not able to fully support value
when they are receiving the agreed-upon service levels. The transactional
creation activities like these despite having the appropriate capabilities. Clients’
nature of these engagements often leaves little room for providing a value
internal environments can prevent the service providers’ ability to perform
creation experience for clients, which can lead to bitter service provider-client
to their full potential. A robust value creation service delivery framework is
relationships. ISG data shows this is a leading cause of rebids and losses of scope
transparent, helping make clients aware of such scenarios.
for providers even when they are delivering outstanding services.
A continuous value creation delivery framework requires a centralized approach
ISG also increasingly observes leading managed IT infrastructure service providers
to assimilate best practices. It should define and measure complete service
developing capabilities for strong operational efficiency and improvements in
delivery in a standardized and transparent way across clients. A managed
their service delivery. These capabilities include leveraging automation, digital
service provider should assess its delivery efficiency not only for each client but
knowledge management and reskilling resources. Many service providers have
also for delivery units. Such an assessment can identify areas for improvement
developed key value-added capabilities in certain service delivery teams. These
and service benchmark goals so delivery teams can achieve higher client
brilliant initiatives, however, often are developed in a siloed fashion and, in most
satisfaction on a continuous basis.
cases, are not implemented across the clientele in a standardized manner. This
mean best practices are implemented in isolation, creating a visible difference
in service delivery for different clients. Service providers need a system of
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Wipro’s Delivery Maturity Index
Wipro identified the need for a modern, value-focused service delivery framework for
its managed infrastructure services practice. It started by enabling its service delivery
teams with skills and consolidating best service delivery practices. Wipro is one of the
few service providers to achieve ITIL 4 certifications and develop value streams in its
client accounts. It has been developing its own service delivery platform powered by
its delivery maturity framework, aiming to move away from traditional service levels
toward an outcome-driven approach that measures its own effectiveness and value.
The DMI measures Wipro’s performance for each client account across five major
components of service delivery. These groups are: governance, process, people,
service delivery and client satisfaction. Each of the groups have their own set of
sub-groups that are measured on a regular basis. Consolidating the scores of each
of the sub-groups produces a composite DMI score for a client account. Wipro also
measures the performance of its entire infrastructure services delivery unit against
each of the five groups to provide a composite score.
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Need for DMI: Challenges of Cloud and Infrastructure Services
Wipro’s infrastructure services division, called Cloud and Infrastructure Services The “watermelon effect”: Leaders observed that, while the delivery team
(CIS), generates approximately 30 percent of the firm’s total revenue powered was meeting service levels, the corresponding client satisfaction scores
by 180,000 FTEs globally. In 2016, the CIS leadership observed some concerns in like customer satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS) were not
managing client accounts: satisfactory. The service KPIs often were defined ad-hoc and were not
implemented holistically. Moreover, the KPI-driven approach failed to reflect
Siloed best practices: While the delivery teams were increasing service
the value delivered to the clients.
efficiency through automation and process improvements, they weren’t seeing
a corresponding increase in client satisfaction. Moreover, these initiatives, Lack of visibility in standardizing innovation: Leaders also believed that
internally termed as “accidental brilliance” were being conducted in a siloed each client is different and has its own innovation agenda. However, service
fashion either within a delivery function team or an individual account. The innovation should be introduced by analyzing its effect on the steady busi-
leadership observed a lack in delivery best practices across different client ness-as-usual (BAU) state. Wipro observed that, when clients were unable to
accounts and at an overall delivery unit level. understand the level of customization or standardization provided, they often
overlooked the value Wipro was creating.
Key person attrition: The leadership also observed that some client-provider
relationships were highly personnel-dependent, and the clients feared Disparity in service delivery maturity across clients: Because leaders ob-
knowledge and trust loss with those key individuals leaving. There was a served considerable disparity in delivery maturity across clients, they began
need to develop a standardized approach for client service delivery and to require a measurement that compares client service delivery maturity
relationship management that was less personnel-dependent and more across all Wipro clients and the use of industry benchmarks.
process-dependent.
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Need for DMI: Challenges of Cloud and Infrastructure Services
The CIS leadership realized the need for a framework that could provide a delivery
health-check through a standardized empirical methodology. A quantifiable
measure of service delivery maturity would provide clients, account delivery
heads and leadership with a visible, holistic view of Wipro’s performance and
associated outcomes. This would help clients understand the value creation
brought to them via delivery initiatives and ensure Wipro’s service delivery is
not dependent on individuals but on a standardized process, assuring them of
continuous value creation even if key personnel leaves. The CIS team considered
developing a standard and not a point-in-time solution that helps clients leverage
Wipro’s continuous improvements and best practices.
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DMI success story
The CIS team has witnessed several benefits and visible improvements in their groups and sub-groups. Also, DMI measurement is independent of client
service delivery and client satisfaction scores since they started measuring DMI account size and is equally applicable for a small or medium-sized business as it
values across accounts. Within the first 18 months of deployment, Wipro has seen is for a large enterprise. This provides a level-playing field for measuring service
an 18 percent rise in its overall client NPS. delivery quality, quantifying success not just in dollar value but in true client
satisfaction. DMI scores and subsequent client feedback also help identify key
CIS delivery leaders are now able to improve predictability of services and client
areas of improvement for the clients.
satisfaction. With DMI, CIS clients are assured of service delivery quality since
delivery teams consistently measure quality irrespective of the inclusion or The DMI has also significantly improved clients’ trust in Wipro delivery teams.
presence of key people in the account or the firm. Clients appreciate a transparent view of the effectiveness of Wipro’s initiatives.
Furthermore, CIS can correlate results of its key value propositions with the
Account delivery heads are expected to drive improvements in DMI scores in their
corresponding client satisfaction scores.
individual accounts. As DMI offers comparative information for other accounts,
delivery leaders can identify gaps and strive to improve scores for individual
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DMI – An overview
The parameters for the DMI are consistent across accounts and are included
in the overall DMI score. Many of these parameters are related to directed Adoption Utilization Outcome
excellence initiatives undertaken by specific groups with a proclivity towards If Adoption is > certain If Utilization is > Adoption Outcome credit is given
a particular value proposition, for example, improving efficiency through level, account gets a level by certain level, based on Utilization level
bonus point account gets a bonus point
automation, re-skilling the workforce, and managing knowledge. The DMI
measurement gives more weight to utilization of an initiative than merely its
adoption within an account. Proper utilization of such initiatives yield visible Figure 2: Correlation between sub-groups in DMI measurement
measurable outcomes; hence, outcome credit is given based on utilization levels.
Measuring utilization also reveals correlation between sub-groups that affect
overall scoring. This is highlighted in Figure 2.
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DMI measurement
The DMI score for each account is measured on a maturity scale of zero to five, Collaboration and confidence: This measure the extent of Wipro’s influence
with five representing the greatest degree of maturity. The levels on the maturity over client satisfaction and building client confidence. It also measures how
scale not only indicate CIS unit’s maturity for key service delivery characteristics well Wipro’s teams collaborate with clients for mutual benefit.
but also the status of the service provider-client relationship. Key measurements
Perceived value: This measures the client’s perception of Wipro’s initiatives
that define delivery status and client-relationship maturity include:
through service delivery. A full Harvey Ball score suggests the client can see
Service delivery quality: This measures the Wipro’s ability to meet service significantly higher value provided by Wipro’s delivery team.
level agreements and reduce penalties. A full Harvey Ball score indicates
Trust: This measures the ability of Wipro’s delivery team to gain the client’s
complete achievement of service level targets, as seen in Figure 3 below.
trust and work with the client in an integrated fashion. A full Harvey Ball score
Best practices and standardization: This measure the effectiveness of indicates the highest level of trust between Wipro and its client.
the centralized and standardized approach for best practices. A full Harvey
Ball score indicates a complete standardization and best practices approach
followed across the teams and client accounts.
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DMI measurement
As seen in Figure 3 below, delivery status and relationship status are calculated
based on these five categories.
Aligned Trusted
Partner
Relationship Transformation
Cohesive Trusted
Service Provider
Aware Service
Provider
Reactive Uncertain
Figure 3: Key characteristics defining Wipro services based on delivery status and Wipro-client relationship status as per DMI scores
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DMI measurement
The five discrete, pyramidal layers of service delivery and the associated provider-client
relationship (depicted on both sides of the pyramid) maturity are described below:
Reactive: Delivery teams are mostly in firefighting mode, dealing with prob- Uncertain: Clients don’t perceive Wipro capable of providing value through
lems as they arise. The processes are set in an ad-hoc manner and this stage its service delivery. There is an absence of trust.
often struggles to meet service levels resulting in penalties and low client
confidence.
Aware: Delivery teams usually meet service levels with only occasional misses. Service Provider: Clients perceive Wipro as a service provider that meets
Delivery teams are able to consolidate and standardize best practices. service levels. Client confidence is improving in this stage with positive
perception of the overall engagement value.
Cohesive: Delivery teams can fully implement industry best practices. They Trusted Service Provider: Clients highly trust Wipro’s delivery capabilities.
rarely miss service levels and delivery teams start considering themselves as Clients perceive Wipro as a significant value creator, and, through regular
part of the client business with increasing cohesiveness. This stage is also a top management communication with clients, Wipro finds voice in clients’
“green threshold” level that Wipro can achieve with limited collaboration strategy planning.
from clients.
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DMI measurement
Relationship Transformation
Aligned: Delivery teams virtually eliminate all service level misses. There is Trusted Partner: Clients begin to perceive Wipro as a trusted partner than
an increased level of collaboration with clients through joint projects for new a service provider. Client is also interested in collaboratively engaging with
technology and innovation. Wipro to create higher mutual value.
Creative and Synergized: Delivery teams are providing 100 percent Trusted Advisor: Clients consider Wipro as an advisor that would play an
compliance and implementing best practices. In addition, they provide integral role in devising and implementing client technology strategy.
creative and innovative solutions that are relevant to client business and Wipro and the client face the future as an integrated team.
enable mutual growth.
The DMI reports Wipro’s service delivery effectiveness with its client with com- that the Cohesive level is the highest possible score Wipro’s delivery teams can
plete transparency. The Index reveals lower scores on parameters and provides achieve on their own. Up to this level, DMI measurements are not intrinsically
clients insights into reasons for low scoring. For example, the DMI can highlight dependent on increased client collaboration. This stage is called Relationship
instances in which certain factors are not dependent on Wipro’s own abilities but Transformation and any stage above this level requires significant client
rather require stronger collaboration from clients’ side, particularly as maturity collaboration
rises to the Aligned and Creative and Synergized levels. It is important to note
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DMI components
DMI tends to consider service delivery with respect to five key attributes which
can influence client satisfaction. These five groups are depicted in Figure 4.
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DMI components
For scoring of each of the five groups, the DMI calculates scores of associated Service Delivery Governance
sub-groups involving participation from different teams relevant to service
delivery.
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DMI inter-correlation and predictability
Wipro calculates the DMI to ensure higher predictability for increasing or declining stage) ensures a high average CSAT score (more than 6). CIS drives the delivery
overall DMI scores with preponderance on value added initiatives. As depicted in teams to achieve DMI score of 3 that can ensure higher client satisfaction.
figure 6, a DMI score close to 3.0 (which is at the Relationship Transformation
• High correlation observed betw een DMI levels improvement and ACSAT average scores.
4 • 85% of accounts w ith DMI Level >=2.6 have rated Wipro services experience as Satisfied or Highly Satisfied in ACSAT Survey
3.5
3
DMI Score
2.5
1.5
0.5
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DMI inter-correlation and predictability
An analysis of DMI score trends indicates client satisfaction is often indirectly (of which CSAT is one part) and People and Competency were on downward
affected by initiatives that may not provide immediate benefits. An overall high trends from January till March, overall DMI was improving. This was attributed
or increasing DMI score may not always be driven by similar spikes in client CSAT to high scores in Compliance that includes audit, risk and process compliance
scores. For example, for one of the clients, while score for Client Satisfaction (See Figure 7).
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DMI inter-correlation and predictability
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Wipro’s initiatives driving key DMI sub-groups
Though all sub-groups scores affect the overall DMI score, trend analysis The “Right Fitment” skill assessment program ensures that employees
highlights that some key sub-groups with high value creation scores impact DMI have the required skills for their roles in the account. The delivery teams
more than others. Clients with high CSAT scores have a higher score for value can match the required skills for the client project with available employee
creation initiatives measured by DI, Automation Maturity and Right Fitment information and related skillset on a portal. During onboarding, the skills of
Indices Some of these initiatives are explained below: the employees are assessed and gaps are identified. The competency group
organizes required trainings and can replace employees based on the result
Trainings and continuous development initiatives: The CIS competency group
of assessment. DMI calculations also measure the Right Fitment Index,
undertakes many training initiatives to support the client and employee’s
which identifies the percentage of “right fit” employees for clients across busi-
continuous development. These initiatives are designed to ensure technical
ness units and industry verticals. The target score for this index is more than
readiness. Key initiatives include:
80 percent in each client account. Right Fitment Index helps clients reduce
Client focused initiatives: These initiatives are part of a three-dimensional skill gaps in their account delivery teams and rapidly improve efficiency.
delivery excellence program that trains and assesses employees on clients,
Organization-wide competency initiatives: The CIS team and Wipro’s
process and skills as follows:
competency group undertakes many organization-wide talent transformation
The “Own the Client” training and assessment program is part of onboard- initiatives to ensure both client satisfaction and employee upskilling. Some key
ing a client project and is focused on helping employees understand the client initiatives are highlighted as follows:
business and its technology landscape.
The Architect Career Essentials (ACE) program ensures that only
The Code of Operations Conduct training program ensures that employees certified employees can take on the role of a solution architect. The
adhere to Wipro’s standard incident, problem and change management areas covered in this program are key managed infrastructure domains
processes. like datacenter, networks, cloud, DevOps, security and mainframe. DMI
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Wipro’s initiatives driving key DMI sub-groups
calculates the percentage of certified architects with ACE or industry- WIMS trained students in their first year of technical education also
recognized architect certification. The CIS team also drives the Architect qualify for CATAPULT to deepen their skills in the next year.
Review Council (ARC) that enables architects to gain greater expertise and
Technical Competency Framework (Trend.Nxt) is a step-by-step
exposure to emerging technology solutions and offerings.
approach to building expertise in various technologies. Trend.Nxt
CATAPULT is an upskilling program that trains employees for career provides an end-to-end framework for employees to develop skills.
growth. As automation takes on repetitive tasks in managed infrastructure The program is meant for aligning resource competency development
services, CATAPULT ensures that existing employees can take on higher- strategy with organizational requirements. The framework focuses on key
value work. It focuses on developing skills required for the current skills required in digital and emerging technologies. These trainings also
roles and expanding adjacent and peripheral skills. DMI measures the have credits associated with them, which affect promotion and salary
percentage of employees upskilled through CATAPULT every quarter. increases.
Wipro Infrastructure Management School (WIMS) is a partnership with Digital knowledge management through the DI Index: DMI’s DI Index leverages
a leading technical educational institute that provides MTech degrees Wipro’s award-winning knowledge management (KM) practice that focuses on
through a Work Integrated Learning Program (WILP) to students joining proper information documentation creation and utilization. With its wide array
from campuses across India. WIMS curriculum is designed by the CIS of services around knowledge creation, Wipro develops digital capabilities
team in collaboration with the university and is aligned to the CIS business like cognitive search features and automated bots to solve known incidents
requirements. by leveraging the existing knowledge base. The DI Index assesses whether
a project delivery team is creating the required technical documentation as
Project Readiness Program (PRP) trains fresh campus recruits for nine
per client account project scope and leveraging existing knowledge artifacts.
weeks to prepare them for projects. This is followed by a mentorship
Specific trainings and assessments are mandated for every applicable technical
program with CIS leaders for career and professional development. Some
skill. The DI Index assigns a greater weight to utilization of these KM practices
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Wipro’s initiatives driving key DMI sub-groups
by measuring the number of knowledge-sharing sessions for best practices and party tools to measure bot utilization. As the DMI emphasizes utilization of value
accuracy of automated bots. Wipro’s CIS team also developed a portal-based KM creation initiatives over adoption, it ensures automation initiatives are executed
system called CRYSTAL through which the delivery teams collaborate with clients properly and are producing favorable results. Hence, there are instances in
to add relevant knowledge artifacts. With extensive usage of the DI Index, delivery which AMI can be low even when bot deployment is high. This suggests that,
teams have been able to reduce ticket resolution time by 31 percent. The number despite high automation adoption, utilization and outcome is not significant,
of tickets handled by delivery resources in a day has increased by 16 percent. reducing overall AMI score. AMI scores let clients know the extent of automation
adopted by delivery teams and the value it is delivering. The account delivery
Automation Initiatives: The CIS automation strategy covers operational aspects
teams can then plan activities to achieve the desired level of automation
of all infrastructure domains leveraging several automation tools developed
maturity and impact.
internally. Wipro provides its own automation platform HOLMES and supports
partner solutions like ServiceNow. It also leverages emerging technologies Digi-Q: Wipro’s quality function leverages a centralized tool Digi-Q to track
like artificial intelligence and cognitive intelligence to automate standard projects and associated quality measurements. The service level data is
infrastructure operations like event monitoring and runbook automation. uploaded in Digi-Q, and it schedules all audits and track findings to closure.
Automation manages infrastructure operations like automated provisioning,
Start Green: CIS teams undertake the Start Green program to address transition
proactive monitoring, system health checks, event correlation and ticket
challenges for new accounts. This 8- to 10-week program addresses issues
resolution. In service desk services, automation enables first-call resolution, first-
like improper sales to delivery handover and absence of key roles during
point interaction, ticket classification and end-user experience management.
the beginning of transition. Start Green handles 85 checkpoints associated
The Automation Maturity Index (AMI) measures actual transactions executed with resources onboarding and offboarding, offshore delivery center setup,
by bots. It leverages a BotGovern tool that integrates with HOLMES and with third- procurement, client dependency and other similar factors.
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Wipro’s initiatives driving key DMI sub-groups
Start Green ensures presence of the core team during transition kickoff through Stay Green: Wipro’s Stay Green program ensures uninterrupted service
the Headstart initiative. HeadStart identifies in advance the resources who would level, training and process-compliant service delivery. Stay Green leverages
be a part of the core team with a concept called “new for old, old for new.” This automation for optimum resource productivity and efficiency. Its Next-gen
concept signifies that the core team, consisting of seasoned and highly skilled (NG) delivery initiative increases automation usage and reduces manual work
Wipro system technologists, will handle all new engagements. The new hires will dependency. It aims for a delivery team structure where fixed project resources
be involved in older, stabilized and mature client accounts. form a third part of the headcount; bots constitute the second third part
and the remaining are crowdsourced. The team formulated a crowdsourcing
strategy through two programs: TopCoder meant for resources external to
Wipro, and TopGear meant for internal resources. Thus, NG delivery helps
reduce manual effort and increase the number of tickets resolved per person.
Stay Green also leverages automation to reduce the flow of tickets through an
initiative called Operational Weight Loss (OWL).
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DMI challenges
Implementation of DMI is not without its share of challenges for the CIS team. Regulatory compliance and new parameters: Introduction of regulatory
DMI measurement involves close collaboration with multiple teams and units requirements would cause significant changes to the DMI measurement. For
and its adoption requires significant cultural shift. Hence, delivery teams and CIS example, with the GDPR, sharing of employee data became a challenge that
leadership sometimes face obstacles from both the client’s side and from internal- affects measuring many resource-specific sub-groups. Similarly, whenever
external ecosystem. Some of the challenges with DMI implementation include: DMI parameters had to change or new parameters had to be introduced
because of an external ecosystem, overall scores shifted significant initially.
Initial resistance: the CIS leadership team faced significant resistance
The leadership now introduces newer parameters in DMI only at the end of
implementing DMI measurement for clients from account delivery owners
the year to avoid significant disruption.
who objected to usage of certain sub-groups, which, according to delivery
heads, would not be applicable to their accounts. There were many requests New accounts and DMI: Any new win and new client accounts do not
asking for exception for those sub-groups. However, the leadership insisted automatically come under DMI purview. It takes some weeks’ time to get the
on standardization and asked the delivery leaders to comply with each account ready to be measured for all groups and sub-groups. Hence, any
measurement criteria. Eventually, the account delivery owners were able to new account is first subjected to a “transition DMI” phase in the Start Green
understand the value of DMI and the team now rarely faces this issue. program.
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The DMI future roadmap The DMI differentiator
Inspired by the initial success and growing adoption of DMI, the CIS leadership With its years of experience in managing client-provider relationships, ISG
team has planned some incremental changes and improvements to the model. has assessed and evaluated the DMI model in detail. Wipro’s DMI initiative
The CIS leadership team wants to put the DMI on an online portal to make data is a differentiator in the managed infrastructure services space as it helps
capture and measurement easier. Also, there are plans to encourage clients to clients consistently and holistically measure all aspects of service delivery.
identify champions who will own certain themes from the DMI. These “theme DMI measurement allows clients to understand the direct impact of efficiency
owners” can become Wipro’s evangelists in client organizations and educate and improvement initiatives with automation and help analyze gaps. Initiatives
percolate the idea about changes for Wipro’s initiatives like automation. The CIS like Right Fitment ensure only right-skilled employees are working on projects.
leadership goal is to encourage the gamification of competition among different Several talent and competency initiatives under DMI ensure clients will always
client account teams, which would help improve client delivery and strengthen have Wipro’s highly trained and skilled workforce engaged with them. KM
client confidence in the DMI. initiatives like the DI ensure that the client is leveraging not only Wipro’s
knowledge but also best practice learnings from other engagements.
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DMI as a maturity model
Maturity models are everywhere in the services universe. Typically, they intend by the use of this approach shows the power of the data and its ability to
to show growth of capability. The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) pinpoint cross-functional improvement opportunities. Without all the measures,
model from Carnegie Mellon University is a perfect example. Popular models these improvements, which became obvious to individual clients of the CIS
usually have unique criteria for each stage of the maturity or capability measured. services over only a few months, would not have been possible.
Most models state that achievement of level 3 out of 5 on each criterion
ISG’s evaluation process consisted of in-person interviews with the CIS
constitutes acceptable performance – and often, the ability to characterize
leadership team, who themselves had to experience a complete cultural
meaningfully differentiated levels at 4 and 5 is challenging and blurry. Often,
transformation. Each area, from personnel to technology, had to prepare
the measures are qualitative as opposed to quantitative, and readings are often
itself to see across the span of the entire client service spectrum, as anomalies
higher than the actual capability or accomplishment of the evaluated entity and
identified early in the development of DMI pointed to changes within
therefore lead to false improvement readings over time. A maturity model must
specific departments that were not visible to the leads. The leadership and
have empirical, quantitative measures that can be traced to the source to be
delivery teams have grown past the discomfort this caused and appear to be
validated for the scale rating.
wholehearted in their embrace of this detailed reporting approach.
Our observation of the quantitative measures behind the Wipro DMI model is
Wipro has not shied away from making periodic adjustments to the model.
that they are remarkably specific, going down into the detail at the individual
Whenever the CIS leadership adds a new parameter or sub-group measure, it
account level and to individual persons working on that account. The delivery
leads to an initial decline in the overall DMI score. However, service maturity
teams have a strong grasp and control of the data deployed in the DMI scoring
models must continually evolve in today’s complex digital environment, and the
at the strategic, tactical and operational levels. In managed IT services delivery, it
ability of the DMI team to identify areas for periodic resets or additional metrics
is rare to observe such a sweeping and complete control of empirical detail. The
is critical for this model to maintain validity over time.
extraordinary improvement in the Net Promotor Score that Wipro has achieved
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DMI as a maturity model
While the output of the DMI work yields a maturity rating, ISG also views it as For one large financial service client, the overall DMI score dipped after
a robust balanced scorecard. Wipro CIS not only has control of its operations continuous decline in the service delivery group score as shown in figure 8. Even
and service delivery performance data, it has predictive and cross-functional after maintaining a score of 3 for DMI, the corresponding client satisfaction
indicators for future performance – both at the client level and for the CIS group score kept on declining. While Wipro was maintaining a Cohesive service
business as a whole. The ability to see these levers and to be able to manipulate delivery level, DMI could identify gaps in the client’s perception (such as lack of
operations based on these early warning indicators gives a strong sense of innovation), which provided direction for service improvements. To increase
control to the CIS leadership. the satisfaction, and hence the overall DMI score, the client needed to be more
collaborative. Deeper DMI analysis can also suggest areas clients can work with
Of particular interest is Wipro’s focus on what it can do as an entity within the
Wipro to improve collaboration.
relationship, and where its clients need to become active participants. Most
infrastructure services clients expect continuous improvement and innovation; ISG is aware of other services providers’ internal measures, and many have the
however, they generally do not engage in a way that makes such enhanced ability to measure specific areas of services as one would expect. However, we
offerings possible. The top two levels of maturity in DMI, the Aligned (Level 4) are yet to see a fully integrated balanced scorecard with the degree of specificity
and Creative & Synergized (Level 5) are only possible when there has been a of DMI or the ability to pull levers based on data to influence services, evolution
Relationship Transformation in which the client is a full and coactive participant and innovation at this level of sophistication. Wipro’s current overall CIS rating
in the services relationship. It is our view that the Cohesive (Level 3) maturity level of 2.8 after 18 months of recording and adjustment is truly remarkable on the
is adequate to be in full and active compliance with a services contract. However, DMI scale. However, with deeper client collaboration at an individual account
Wipro’s ability to identify for the client where it is holding back a higher level of level, Wipro has been able to achieve DMI scores of about 4 and more for many
trust and innovation using the DMI scale is a unique way for the client to see for clients in different industries.
itself how it needs to enhance its engagement with Wipro and with the services.
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© 2019 Information Services Group. Inc. All Rights Reserved. 0619
DMI as a maturity model
DMI is driving value for Wipro CIS on many levels and also is ensuring that CIS
clients know with specific detail the value they are receiving. They now can clearly
see the improvement to services as part of the reporting they receive in monthly
and quarterly reporting events.
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© 2019 Information Services Group. Inc. All Rights Reserved. 0619
ISG Authors
Jan Erik Aase, Author
Director
Jan Erik Aase is a director and principal analyst for ISG. He has more than 35 years of collective experience as an enterprise client, a services provider, an ISG
advisor and analyst. Jan Erik has overall accountability for the ISG Provider Lens™ reports, including both the buyer-centric archetype reports and the worldwide
quadrant reports focused on provider strengths and portfolio attractiveness. He sets the research agenda and ensures the quality and consistency of the Provider
Lens™ team.
ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory
firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including more than 70 of the top 100
enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and
service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm special-
izes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing adviso-
ry; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design;
change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006,
and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating
in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep
industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the
industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data.