ITSM Newsletter - April, 2002

ITSM as a Strategic Effort
Last month we presented a workable definition for ITSM as Service Provisioning, a functional Business focused paradigm, and a Policy Based Service Management model called SolutionMethod™.

The sheer size, scope, and complexity of an ITSM effort makes it by definition, a long term strategy that is comprised of many tactical plans and implementations. Given this, it is natural that most frequently the questions asked are:
   1) Where is the best place to begin?
   2) What is the best way to proceed?
   3) What are the resource and expertise issues?

This month we will explore the possible answers to these questions as well as some appropriate information that surrounds these areas.

Where is the Best Place to Begin?
Due to the nature and complexity of ITSM it is typical that various processes and methods in several or many areas have already been done to varying levels of maturity. Most typically areas that are considered to be directly supported by IT such as Configuration, Change, Problem, and Availability Management, etc. have been done. The inter-relationships and dependencies between these areas have also been looked into, to a somewhat lesser degree. The relationships and alignment between these IT functions and business related ITSM processes and requirements are typically looked into much less, if at all.

Experience has shown that all ITSM areas should be evaluated initially to determine maturity levels in all perspective areas; people, process, technology, organization, and integration. During this assessment, inter-relationships and dependencies are evaluated in addition to a focus on how effectively these ITSM areas align to business requirements. Once the assessment is completed and the tactical and strategic directions have been identified and understood, and priorities set, an effective way to proceed is to retain those portions of processes and methods that fit with these directions, modifying and enhancing where appropriate, and developing new processes where necessary.

If an ITSM effort is commencing from scratch, due to need or desire, one of the most effective places to start is with Service Level Management, more specifically with the development of a Service Catalog. In parallel with this effort, Configuration and Change Management areas could be assessed and worked on.

What is the Best Way to Proceed?
Experience shows that for most ITSM efforts, a high level approach that encompasses the following 4 phases works well:
   1) Determine the current, existing IT infrastructure, processes, and services
   2) Develop some desired future state of IT and the services that it needs to provide
   3) Architect a "roadmap" that depicts how to get to the desired state from the current state
   4) Determine the steps needed to execute the "roadmap"

The ITSM implementation framework for each of the IT Service Management areas above is typically a 5 phase model:
   • Assessment - determine the current state and begin to collect and understand the metrics for the future desired state
   • Architect and Design - develop a mature design for the future desired state
   • Planning - develop those plans necessary to achieve the future desired state in a phased evolutionary fashion
   • Implementation - implement and deploy the plans within IT and across the enterprise to achieve the future desired state
   • Support - manage, maintain, and improve the future desired state being able to adaptively integrate enhancements as needed or required

Within this framework, effectively managing IT as an enterprise wide, service oriented entity typically comprises one or more of the following separate and distinct perspectives:
   • People - quantity and quality of expertise and knowledge
   • Process - IT and organization specific practices, procedures, guidelines, etc. and the level of complexity and sophistication of them
   • Technology - total logical and physical technology infrastructure consisting of hardware, software, communication networks, applications, DBMS, etc.
   • Organization - internal and external business factors that affect IT, how IT and the organization interface, what is the organizations "corporate culture", what are the organization's direction and how does that affect IT
   • Integration - how is IT integrated within the business model, what services does IT provide, how are the services provided, and how are best practices employed within IT

Consider the following ITSM implementation schema that begins with a Business Strategy, develops requirements definitions and metrics, and culminates with an alignment to IT infrastructure:

Initially, a strategic and business requirements assessment is done to determine what are the organization's needs both now and in the future. This initial assessment determines the current, existing IT infrastructure, processes, and services and an understanding of the organization's desired future state of IT and the services that IT must provide to achieve it across the enterprise.

Once done, then the Requirements Definition focus areas of Business, Service, Organization, and Technology within the organization and IT infrastructure are used to determine associated requirements and metrics:
    • Business - to determine what are the requirements driven by the organization needs
    • Service - to determine what services need to be provided to satisfy those requirements
    • Operational - to determine what IT infrastructure is needed to support the services
    • Technology - to determine what technology is needed with the IT infrastructure

What are the Resource and Expertise Issues?
Prior to or during the initial stages of planning and performing an ITSM effort, 3 critical success factors typically need to be addressed (both tactically and strategically):
    1) Dedicating of resources
    2) Availability of those resources
    3) Expertise of the resources

These factors can be addressed internally within the organization, externally with outside solution consultants, or with a combination of both. If done internally, any of the above three areas can have drawbacks. If done externally, project ownership in addition to expertise and knowledge retention could be drawbacks. A combination of both is typically the optimal choice since it supplies the necessary resources with the appropriate level of availability and expertise working jointly with the organization to ensure a successful ITSM effort both tactically and strategically. Further, it maximizes project priority, project direction, knowledge transfer, and knowledge retention for the organization with minimal cost and risk.

Other Critical ITSM Areas
In order to help ensure a successful ITSM effort, 4 areas MUST be addressed:
    1) Commitment - at all levels across the enterprise
    2) Coordination - across all appropriate departments and areas
    3) Communication - IT internally and externally and across the enterprise
    4) Cooperation - between and among all appropriate areas

Typically, an internal IT/Business group is organized that includes all appropriate personnel. This group is usually headed by an IT Service Manager.
New Downloads
White Papers:
   » SLA Description and Templates
   » Consolidation Questionnaires
   » Service Continuity Methods
   » Project Management Practices
   » Developing a Communication Plan
   » Data Management Process

Service Briefs:
   » ITSM Maturity Assessment
   » Incident and Problem Management
   » Service Continuity
   » Config and Change Management
   » Service Level Management
   » Capacity Management
   » Availability Management
   » Release Management

- Click Here -

Additional Information
Visit www.itsm.info to learn about ITSM, IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), and SolutionMethod™ (a Policy Based ITSM Approach). In addition, you can download free and informative white papers, questionnaires, and service briefs. This includes more in-depth information on the topics presented in this newsletter.

To learn how RL Consulting can assist in achieving IT Service Management goals and our full range of solutions:
Contact us at RL_Consulting@itsm.info or phone us at 602-996-6830

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April, 2002 - Happy Holidays!