Getting Started with TBM

TBM uses a standard taxonomy that can be understood by technology, finance and business leaders. Cost modeling to an industry standard taxonomy allows agencies to make data-driven decisions, benchmark against peers, and align IT investments to business capabilities that serve Washingtonians.

Agencies getting started with TBM can expect cost transparency self-service reports which included: categorization of IT spend into non-technical understandable terms, visibility of IT spend across entire agency, awareness of shadow IT spend, and benchmarking reports.

• Agencies in the program for current fiscal year
• Roles & Responsibilities

Developing the Statewide Cost Model

In the state of Washington, agency cost modeling starts with mapping IT expenses to cost pools and technology towers. TBM Program technology towers are key to the foundation and support moving to the next level of maturity which entails modeling costs to the applications, services/solutions and business capabilities.

• Taxonomy Placemat
• Modeling Cost to Technology Towers (visual diagram)
• Modeling Cost to the Business (visual diagram)
• Apptio Education The ATUM Model Please create a free account to view training. Select “No” when asked if you have an Apptio AAEP.

TBM Cost Pool & Technology Tower Templates

The TBM program overlays the Cost Pool taxonomy across the state chart of account. Agencies use a the following Technology Tower mapping templates to document their agency cost centers to the Tower taxonomy as required per WaTech policy Mgmt-02 (previously Policy 113) using the following Chart of Account mapping file and Technology Tower mapping template. 

• Cost Pool Mapping to State Chart of Account For reference.
• Technology Tower Mapping template (Labor) This template is required for agencies to map their IT labor to technology towers.
• Technology Tower Mapping template (Non-Labor) This template is required for agencies to map their IT non-labor expenses to technology towers.
• Technology Tower Mapping by SO-SSO (Recommended)This template can be used instead of the non-labor template; it overlaps the tower taxonomy across most IT sub-objects within the state chart of account Agencies will still be
• Technology Tower Mapping - Best Practice Quick Guide This resource has been developed to help agencies with their Technology Tower mappings. It is intended to supplement, not replace, agency specific instructions and desk manuals

Software Guides & Report Overviews

Reports available through the TBM Program provide cost transparency and serve multiple audiences. The program has developed a quick start navigation guide to jump start user viewing.

• Cost Transparency Quick Start Navigation Guide
• Cost Transparency Report Collection Guide

VIDEO - Apptio Cost Transparency Training Navigation & IT Financial Reports

Additional Resources

Learn more about TBM as a discipline and the taxonomy at https://www.tbmcouncil.org/learn-tbm/. The TBM Council is the preeminent industry organization for technology executives and practitioners. They are a non-profit, open ecosystem dedicated to advancing the TBM discipline through education, collaboration, standards, and best practices.

Federal Government GSA Technology Business Management Playbook