Outsourcing IT can boost the efficiency of a business, but there are ways that firms can make sure they squeeze the biggest benefit possible out of their projects.

According to vendors at the Forrester's Services and Sourcing Forum, companies should keep tabs on the progress of their outsourcing partner in order to retain control and ensure savings continue throughout the project.

The vice president and principal analyst of technology research firm Forresters, Stephanie Moore, suggested that specific requirements for the outsourcing providers can be useful to achieve this.

This should not present much difficulty, she said, as "if IT service managers don't know what service levels they require, then they probably shouldn’t be in those jobs".

Then having established clear targets for the project, Ms Moore suggested a shift towards "outcome-based outsourcing".

"This means leaving the scorecards, attrition, re-sourcing and cost per head worries to the vendor and just engaging at the level where you can focus on the deliverables," she said.

Although IT managers at the firm may not like ceding control to an outside company in this way, Ms Moore advised that doing so can keep the spotlight on results – saving money and boosting the company's competitiveness.