IDC PeerScape: Practices for IT Cost Forecasting

This IDC PeerScape examines modern forecasting best practices, informed by discussions with a CIO and a cloud forecasting expert."With planning horizons shrinking to quarterly reviews, and the cloud suppliers demanding near-perfect prognostication of cloud usage a full year out, it is critical for an organization to adopt an adaptive planning process to generate a successful IT forecast," says Bob Multhaup, adjunct research advisor for IDC's IT Executive Programs (IEP).

IDC PeerScape Figure

Executive Summary

Peer Insights

• Practice 1: Align Forecasting Priorities with the Business/IT Strategy
  • Challenge
  • Example
    • Casey's
  • Guidance
• Practice 2: Define an Adaptive Forecasting Process
  • Challenge
  • Example
    • Casey's
  • Guidance
• Practice 3: Note That Forecast Cloud Costs Are a Key Cost Component
  • Challenge
  • Example
    • Roku Inc.
  • Guidance
• Practice 4: Integrate the Processes Surrounding Forecasting
  • Challenge
  • Example
    • Casey's
  • Guidance