A global organization wanted to improve the effectiveness of its Software Asset Management (SAM) practices, strengthen software license compliance and reduce the risk of unexpected IT budget pressures.

Rather than moving directly into a new SAM program, the organization recognized the need to understand its current position and determine what level of maturity could realistically be achieved.

ITAA was engaged to conduct an independent SAM Maturity Assessment as the first step towards developing a coherent and sustainable SAM strategy.

The Challenges

The organization had clear ambitions to improve SAM, but needed to establish whether its existing capabilities could support an effective program and what needed to change before implementation.

Any future maturity target also had to be achievable. Available resources, systems, skills, budget and expected return on investment all needed to be considered alongside existing gaps and potential risks.

Establishing these foundations first would enable the organization to prioritize improvements appropriately and avoid progressing with an implementation that was not aligned with its operational capabilities or business requirements.

The Solution

ITAA reviewed the organization’s existing SAM strategy, policies and processes, data management and technology effectiveness against industry standards and ISO 19770-1. The assessment examined the organization’s current maturity alongside the practical factors that would influence its ability to develop SAM successfully.

ITAA documented the analysis, findings and recommendations in a detailed report, providing the evidence needed to determine an appropriate maturity target and timeframe before developing the subsequent implementation plan.

The Results

The assessment established that fundamental changes were required before an effective SAM program could be implemented. Rather than progressing immediately to implementation, the organization now had a clearer basis for determining:

• The maturity level it should realistically target
• An achievable timeframe for reaching that level
• The gaps and potential risks requiring initial attention
• How available resources, systems, skills, ROI and budget should influence the approach
• The priorities that should shape subsequent implementation

With these factors established, ITAA was able to build a structured plan that addressed immediate gaps and risks first, followed by implementation designed to strengthen compliance and support future cost savings.

Conclusion

The SAM Maturity Assessment gave the organization something more valuable than simply a measure of its current capabilities: clarity about what needed to happen before implementation began.

By establishing a realistic maturity ambition and identifying the foundational changes required to support it, the organization could approach SAM development in a more structured and achievable way.

This created a practical path from identifying current gaps and risks through to an effective SAM program designed to strengthen software license compliance and improve cost control.

Organizations planning to develop or improve their SAM capabilities can benefit from understanding whether the right foundations are in place before implementation begins. ITAA’s independent SAM Maturity Assessment helps establish realistic priorities and a structured path forward.

Talk to us about assessing your SAM maturity and identifying the right next steps.

*Protecting our clients’ confidence is of the utmost importance at ITAA. While our case studies are based on true projects, we have used fictitious names and removed or changed other identifiable details.