APMG-International Launches Obashi Certification: For Those Who Want to Understand the Relevance of IT in Business

HIGH WYCOMBE, England, September 17, 2010 - This October, APMG-International, a global examination institute and
accreditation body, is launching a certification for the OBASHI methodology -
a new way to document and model IT business value (
www.apmg-international.com/home/News_Events/16Sept2010OBASHICertificationLaunch.asp)
and how people, processes and technology interact to make a
business work. OBASHI simplifies business complexity by highlighting business
assets, analyzing their interdependencies, and constructs a visual map of the
business.

The creation of the OBASHI framework was inspired by a project
with a large oil company to understand IT business value, specifically
enabling plant managers to visualize and understand how and why IT assets
supported business services, thereby quantifying IT value. (
www.apmg-international.com/home/News_Events/16Sept2010OBASHICertificationLaunch.asp)
The development of the OBASHI methodology followed, to provide
business professionals in the oil, gas and process control industry with
insight into the financial value of the data flow supporting key business
services. Now the OBASHI methodology can be applied in any industry.

The OBASHI Methodology assesses six 'layers' of business operations, the
first two of which examine how the business works, and a further four which
explore the IT assets supporting these activities:

    - Ownership (stakeholders)
    - Business Process
    - Application
    - System (Operating Systems)
    - Hardware
    - Infrastructure

These layers are mapped out in a Business and IT diagram (B&IT) which
provides the framework to store information usefully. Elements are placed in
these layers that represent the people, process and technology in a business.

Fergus Cloughey, CEO, OBASHI said "The OBASHI B&IT diagram is a
universally useful tool for quantifying IT value because it helps everyone
see and understand how the business works. For the first time, it will be
clear how activities, processes and the supporting technical infrastructure
are linked to deliver required business outputs. Being able to see and
understand these links and interdependencies provides a deeper understanding
of the challenges faced by the business and facilitates better
decision-making and appreciation of IT business value."

Candidates can now take an OBASHI Foundation examination which gives them
an APMG-International OBASHI certification. The OBASHI Foundation examination
assesses whether a candidate could act as an informed member of a management
team which is using the OBASHI method to understand and assess an
organization's IT business value and the relevance of IT in business.
(www.apmg-international.com/home/News_Events/16Sept2010OBASHICertificationLaunch.asp)
The examination is available through APMG-International's
network of Accredited Training Organizations.

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Potential candidates are invited to register their early interest at
APMG-International (www.apmg-international.com/home/Home.asp) where
further information is also available, ahead of the Methodology's launch in
early October.

Richard Pharro, CEO, APMG-International said, "The OBASHI Methodology
allows businesses interested in quantifying IT value to ascertain how the
business operates as a whole and within each department, which IT assets
enable critical dataflow, and how these assets are interdependent. We have
been working closely with the developers of OBASHI and can now offer a
certification to accompany this important new methodology."

The OBASHI Methodology is of particular use in quantifying IT value,
devising a merger or acquisition strategy, conducting impact or risk
analysis, re-aligning IT costs and managing external consultancy costs.

About APMG International

APMG-International is a global Examination Institute offering
accreditation and certification for knowledge-based workers. Our suite of
certifications includes qualifications for project managers, IT service
managers, risk managers and other knowledge-based workers.

    For further information, please contact:
    Amy Hopkins
    itpr
    +44(0)1932-578-800

For further information, please contact: Amy Hopkins, itpr, +44(0)1932-578-800