The fourth edition of the IT Quality Index book has been published to further expand the family of IT qualitative metrics, supporting IT leaders in transforming their departments from quantitative measurement to systemic, multidimensional quality.
The Innovation Quality Index (INQI) and Support Quality Composite Indicator (SQCI) are key parts of the added chapters and the expansion of the quality metrics family.
Version History
2017
The first edition introduced an innovative approach to defining quality — distinguishing it from compliance. It established six domains and 48 dimensions of IT quality, a non-linear scale, an efficient assessment process, and a predefined set of outputs to ensure consistency and enable statistical benchmarking.
2019
This edition introduced a predefined IT Quality Management System (IT QMS), including the concept of negative improvement at the component level to enable systemic quality optimization. Unlike continual improvement approaches, the IT QMS supports intentional quality degradation when necessary — for example, as a result of reduced available resources.
2022
A minor update added new qualitative metrics such as the Knowledge Worker Quality Index, Collaboration Experience, and Collaboration Quality.
2026
The upcoming 2026 edition represents a significant expansion, centered around measuring IT innovativeness by evaluating 24 innovation-related dimensions, resulting in a single figure — the Innovation Quality Index (INQI). INQI serves as a strategic metric for positioning IT as a key contributor to organization-wide innovation. This helps CIOs elevate the perception of IT as a critical innovation asset, especially in organizations that lack a dedicated Research and Development function.
A more tactical metric, the Support Quality Composite Indicator (SQCI), provides a framework for assessing support quality beyond traditional satisfaction scores. SQCI begins by recognizing the absence of the need for support as a positive outcome (a productivity indicator), then evaluates how large a portion of support interactions were frictionless—not triggering the need for feedback (the concept of Zero Experience). Only as a third attribute is User Satisfaction considered in the composite. Adopting this metric encourages preventive work as a top priority, leading to a reduced overall need for support.
Summary
The IT Quality Index continues to iteratively expand its portfolio of qualitative metrics, all sharing the same foundational logic: multidimensionality, a non-linear scale, and the absence of bad as a prerequisite for quality.
While the goal is not to eliminate quantitative metrics and KPIs entirely, balancing qualitative and quantitative metrics represents the path forward in the modernization of IT governance.
IT Quality Index 2026 Edition, ISBN: 9798269810812
IT Quality Index 2026 Edition