Published: 03 August 2024
Organizations that clarify scope expectations and define outcomes and deliverables in agreeing IT services SOWs will generate better service results. Sourcing, procurement and vendor management leaders can use the five ARMED criteria to strengthen these agreements.
Most IT services statements of work (SOWs) lack the clarity of scope to be performed, as well as clearly defined outcomes and deliverables. This clarity is required to provide the security, strength and efficacy to hold the service provider to account for the successful delivery of the expected outcomes.
Wording used in IT services agreement templates from service providers can be intentionally vague, or disproportionately favors them.This includes statements that lack reasonableness and materiality and fail to provide a fair representation of expectations of both parties, which leads to misinterpretation in the future.
Poorly defined SOWs can potentially enable the
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Analysts:
Christopher Wiles, Sundar Viswanathan
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