Application Management: What You Need to Know

A major business concern in recent years is the inefficient management of applications. In reality many organizations struggle with inadequate application management (AM) practices, leading to a mountain of challenges and missed opportunities. Poor AM can result in a variety of issues, including system inefficiencies, security vulnerabilities, data breaches, and user dissatisfaction. Inefficient allocation of resources, disjointed processes, and lack of oversight often exacerbate these problems, obstructing the smooth operation of business functions and impeding growth.

Imagine a scenario where critical business applications suffer from frequent downtime due to inadequate maintenance or improper configuration. Employees struggle with outdated interfaces and functionalities, leading to decreased productivity and morale. Moreover, without proper governance and oversight, sensitive company data becomes vulnerable to security threats, risking regulatory compliance and reputation damage. The solution? Adopting a robust AM strategy to address these issues effectively. In this article, we’ll dive into definitions, benefits, key components of a successful strategy, and actionable tips that businesses can implement to optimize their application management practices. 

The scope of application management

While vital for ensuring the smooth functioning of software applications, AM is not responsible for the broader governance issues in your company’s IT infrastructure. Unlike IT governance, which focuses on establishing policies, procedures, and decision-making frameworks to align IT activities with business objectives, application management deals specifically with the operational aspects of individual software applications. Similarly, AM should not be confused with application lifecycle management, which manages the entire lifecycle of an application from inception to retirement, including development, deployment, maintenance, and decommissioning phases. 

Application Management vs. IT Governance

Understand that application management and IT governance serve distinct but complementary roles in your IT landscape. AM focuses primarily on the operational parts of individual software applications, including installation, configuration, maintenance, and support. Its objective is to ensure the efficient performance and usability of applications to meet your business needs. On the other hand, IT governance is concerned with establishing broader policies, procedures, and decision-making frameworks to align your IT activities with your strategic business objectives. It encompasses broader considerations such as risk management, compliance, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement, aiming to maximize the value of your IT investments and mitigate potential risks.

Application Management vs. Application Lifecycle Management

Application management and application lifecycle management are also two clear-cut but interconnected processes within the realm of software management. Application management focuses on the ongoing operational tasks associated with individual software applications, such as installation, configuration, updates, and user support. In contrast, application lifecycle management encompasses the entire lifespan of an application, from its initial development through deployment, maintenance, and eventual abandonment. While application management ensures the smooth day-to-day operation of applications, application lifecycle management provides a framework for managing the broader development, maintenance, and evolution of applications over time. Together, they form a complete approach to maximizing the value and effectiveness of your software applications.

Key stakeholders responsible for application management 

Key stakeholders responsible include IT managers, system administrators, software developers, and end-users across various departments. Effective practices positively impact these stakeholders and the organization as a whole. 

• IT Managers: IT managers oversee the overall strategy and implementation of AM practices. They are responsible for allocating resources, setting policies, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Effective application management allows IT managers to streamline operations, reduce costs, and mitigate risks associated with software applications.
  
  
• Application Managers: Application managers are directly responsible for the day-to-day management of specific software applications. They coordinate with various teams, including system administrators, software developers, and end-users, to ensure the smooth operation and performance of applications. Application managers play an important role in implementing policies, procedures, and best practices to meet business objectives.
  
  
• IT Operations Team: The IT operations team is responsible for managing infrastructure and systems that support the operation of software applications. They ensure the availability, performance, and reliability of servers, networks, and other IT resources that applications depend on. Collaborating closely with application managers, the IT operations team contributes to the effective management of applications by maintaining a stable IT environment.
  
  
• System Administrators: System administrators are responsible for the day-to-day maintenance and operation of software applications. They handle tasks such as installation, configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting. Efficient application management practices empower system administrators to ensure high availability, performance, and security of applications, thereby enhancing overall system reliability.
  
  
• Software Developers: Software developers develop and enhance software applications. They rely on feedback and usage data gathered through AM processes to improve software functionalities. Effective AM practices enable software developers to deliver better-quality products, respond quickly to user needs, and innovate more effectively.
  
  
• End-Users: End-users are the people that interact directly with software applications to perform their daily tasks. They rely on efficient application management to ensure that applications are accessible, reliable, and user-friendly. Well-managed applications enhance end-user productivity, satisfaction, and overall experience, leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness in their roles.

Benefits of Application Management

Effective application management enhances efficiency by ensuring that software applications operate smoothly, reducing downtime and low productivity. Secondly, it facilitates cost reduction by optimizing resource allocation, streamlining processes, and minimizing unnecessary expenses associated with application maintenance and support. Thirdly, it improves user experience (UX) by ensuring that applications are user-friendly, accessible, and responsive to user needs and preferences. Lastly, effective AM enables better decision-making by providing timely and accurate data insights into application performance, usage patterns, and user feedback. Organizations are empowered to make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement.

Application Management Strategies

Implementing effective application management strategies is essential for maximizing the value and performance of software applications within an organization. Here are five key strategies to consider:

1. Effective user training:

Leveraging a digital adoption platform (DAP) can enhance user training and onboarding processes from the first use. A DAP ensures employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively utilize software applications. By providing interactive, guided walkthroughs and tutorials, DAPs help users overcome barriers to adoption and resistance to change. DAPs ultimately increase proficiency, and improve productivity and user satisfaction.

2. Integrations with IT Service management (ITSM):

Integrating application management processes with IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks enables seamless coordination between application support and IT operations teams. This integration streamlines incident management, and service request processes, ensuring the timely resolution of issues, minimal disruptions, and improved service delivery to end-users.

3. Data Governance and integration:

Establishing data governance policies and practices ensures the accuracy and security of data managed by software applications. By implementing data integration strategies, organizations can standardize data from multiple sources, facilitating better decision-making, data analysis, and business insights.

4. Business process adoption:

Aligning application management efforts with business processes and objectives enhances the relevance and effectiveness of software applications. By mapping application functionalities to specific business workflows organizations can optimize process efficiency, automate routine tasks, and drive continual change.

5. Security management:

Prioritizing security management is critical to protecting sensitive data and mitigating cyber threats associated with software applications. Implementing strong security measures, such as access controls, encryption, and vulnerability assessments, helps safeguard against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security risks.

Implementing these strategies will help your organization to optimize the performance, reliability, and security of your software applications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, effective application management can help you to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and drive innovation. If you adopt a range of strategies including user training, ITSM integration, data governance, business process alignment, and security management, your business can maximize the value and performance of its software applications. 

Additionally, digital adoption platforms such as Lemon Learning can play an effective role in improving AM practices. With a DAP, you can provide interactive training, onboarding, and support solutions that ultimately empower users to utilize the full potential of their software.