Starting a SAM Program

Starting a SAM Program

1. Review & analyse processes related to Software
2. Prepare a Business Case
3. Obtain management support
4. Develop policies to support your SAM program
5. Design or refine SAM processes
6. Implement (and maintain) your program.

1. Review and analyse your processes

You need to know what the current processes are before you can see if there are any opportunities to improve them. This will also help you determine what is the best strategy for staffing your SAM program, and also to determine whether you need to invest in any tools. You can use the information you gather during this exercise to build a strong business case for implementing SAM.

2. Prepare a Business Case

A Business Case gives management valid reasons why a project will be a worthwhile thing for them to invest in. In the case of a SAM implementation project it WILL be an investment as it’s likely that there will be some aspects of SAM that you will need to spend money on, but in the long run if the program is implemented effectively it will have tremendous benefits, including many financial benefits. The Business Case gives management an understanding of what the program means and what benefits the organisation will obtain from implementing such a program.

3. Obtain management support

You will need management support to put an effective SAM program in place, and not just for financial reasons. SAM often requires organisational change to policies and procedures, and management support is vital for this.

4. Develop policies to support your SAM program

In order to get your SAM program off to a good start your entire organisation needs to be aware of the policies, as they will affect all employees. The most common policies are that affect employees are: Software Acceptable Use Policies; Software Purchasing Policies; There are also likely to be other Information Technology specific policies. Once these policies have been approved, you will need to communicate them to all staff so that they are aware of their responsibilities.

5. Define or refine SAM processes

You have probably already identified gaps in your existing processes that mean that changes have to be made. Your policies may also influence changes within your organisation which require changes to existing processes. (e.g. you may determine that centralised software purchasing is critical to the success of your project. This means that a new policy will need to be agreed, and new processes put in place to allow for the centralised purchasing.) You might also need to add in some processes around new technologies or tools which you are using to support your SAM program.

6. Implement and Maintain your Program

You will need to run your implementation of your SAM program like any other project, with strict controls and reporting practices, and a clear plan for when, where and how things will happen. Applying your new policies, processes and procedures to the lifecycle of Software is critical, and once you have all these things in place you will be able to go into ongoing management and maintenance of your Software Asset Management Program. You will find that you are better able to plan for Information Technology budgets, have a better understanding of the actual costs of software, and know exactly where things are at all times.