IT Service
Management (itSM)
Overview
27th November 2013
Steve Finn
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Agenda
• By the end of this session delegates should
be able to:– demonstrate an understanding of the itSM Service
Operation and Transition processes, how these are
related to each other, and help in supporting and
delivering quality IT Services
– list the benefits of itSM processes to the business
– explain the issues with planning, implementing and
running itSM processes
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Background Context
• It is widely recognised that information is a key strategic
resource within NHS Wales
• Quality IT services, and the IT systems that underpin them,
are key to the collection, analysis, production and
distribution of this information and should be considered as
crucial, strategic, organisational assets
• Organisations must invest appropriate levels of resource
into the support, delivery and management of these critical
IT services
• This has to be done in a climate where there is a growing
business need to reduce the total cost of ownership whilst
at the same time increasing the frequency, complexity and
volume of Change
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How can IT Service
Management help?
• IT Service Management (itSM) offers a way of realising
these objectives by ensuring that the IT services we
provide are aligned to the business needs and actively
support them
• All organisations that use IT depend on IT to be successful
• If IT services are implemented, managed and supported in
the appropriate way then the business will;
–
–
–
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be more successful
suffer less disruption and loss of service
reduce costs
improve public relations and achieve its business objectives
• itSM methodology encompasses a set of processes,
functions, roles and activities that provide value to
customers in the form of services.
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Where does ITIL fit in?
• ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) is a public
framework that provides comprehensive ‘best
practice’ guidelines on all aspects of ‘end to end’
itSM covering people, processes, products and the
use of partners.
• Many experts, authorities, leading practitioners
and exponents within the IT industry have
contributed to its development and the result is a
framework that provides a ‘common sense’ and
structured approach to the essential processes
involved.
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ITIL – A Brief History
•
Was developed in the 1980/90’s by CCTA
•
Updated to v2 in 2002 and v3 in 2007 and has evolved to provide a
common framework of itSM ‘best practice’ for all activities and processes
required to provide an IT service.
•
Covers service lifecycle activities such as;
–
–
–
–
design
transition
operation
continual service improvement
•
Requires knowledge bases and skill sets that are appropriate to support
these activities.
•
The ITIL framework can be adopted, adapted and improved to suit the
needs of the organisation and can focus on those aspects of quality that
are important to the organisation.
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How much have we adopted?
• Operation
– Event Management
– Incident Management
– Request Fulfilment
– Problem Management
• Transition
– Change Management
– Release Management
– Configuration Management
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itSM Operational & Transitional
Processes
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Event Management
• Definition
– An event is defined as “any change of state to a configuration item
that has significance for the management of the IT infrastructure or
the delivery of an IT service”
• Inputs
– Automated Notifications from Monitoring Tools such as SCOM,
HPSIM, RADIS Dashboard, WCP HealthChecker
• Outputs
– Event records, Incident records, Problem records
• Measurements
– Key Performance Indicator (KPI) on Event Records investigated
and reviewed within target time
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Incident Management
• Definition
– An incident is defined as ”an unplanned interruption to an IT
service or a reduction in the quality of an IT service”
• Inputs
– Users contacting service desk
• Phone, email, ServicePoint UltraLite, other approved webforms
– Critical failures reported through Event Management
• Outputs
– Incident records, Resolutions, Workarounds, Problem records
• Measurements
– Service-based KPIs on Incident response and resolution targets,
Customer-based and Team-based management reports
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Request Fulfilment
• Definition
– A service request is defined as ”a request from a user for
information, advice, a change or access to a service”
• Inputs
– Requests to the service desk from users or support staff
investigating Problems
• Outputs
– Request records, Fulfilled (or declined) request
• Measurements
– Service-based KPIs on Request response and resolution targets,
Customer-based and Team-based management reports
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Problem Management
• Definition
– A problem is defined as “the unknown cause of one or more
incidents”
• Inputs
– Event records, Incident records, Configuration details from the
CMDB, Supplier details
• Outputs
– Problem records, Known Error database, Workarounds, Proposed
Solutions, Approved Risks
• Measurements
– Service-based KPIs on Problem response and resolution targets;
Known Error and Approved Risk management reports
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Change Management
• Definition
– A change is defined as “the addition, modification or removal of
anything that could have an effect on an IT Service”
• Inputs
– Request for change from end-users, Requests for change from
Problem Management, CMDB records, current Forward Schedule of
Change
• Outputs
– Change records, Approved or Rejected Changes, Change Plans,
updated Forward Schedule of Change, new or modified services
and/or Configuration Items
• Measurements
– Service-based KPIs on Change response and approval targets
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Release Management
• Definition
– A release is defined as “a collection of hardware, software,
documentation, processes or other components that are tested and
deployed as a single entity”
• Inputs
– Approved Changes, Release Policies, Test Plans, Acceptance
Criteria
• Outputs
– Release records, Release and Deployment Plans, Test Results,
Known Errors, Implemented Changes
• Measurements
– Service-based KPIs on Release success/failure rates
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Configuration Management
• Definition
– A configuration item (CI) is defined as “an asset, service
component or other item that is (or will be) controlled by
configuration management”
• Inputs
– CMDB Schema, Naming Convention, Service Maps, CI Records,
Approved Changes
• Outputs
– New or modified CIs, Baseline configurations
• Measurements
– Service-based KPIs on volumes of changes to and failure rates of
CI’s
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Benefits of itSM
• To implement consistent delivery
– build a repeatable and predictable set of processes to ensure quality and delivery to
the business
• Improved quality and efficiency
– measurement and control allows the identification of areas for improvement in terms
of quality and cost
• Reduced cost of failure
– IT incidents and downtime cost money, both in terms of unproductive time for the
users of the systems, and potential loss of business if services are not available and
customers can potentially go elsewhere
• Reduced risk to the business
– IT is at the frontline of most businesses these days and any area of risk should be
minimised and mitigated. itSM helps service organisations to reduce the risk of losing
services and also speed up recovery time in the event of major losses
• Greater visibility of services
– this helps management to assess performance clearly and to prioritise changes and
resources required to meet business needs
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More Benefits .....
• Improved management and accountability
– with greater visibility comes greater control, and also a more accountable service.
Many successful internal IT organisations get outsourced not because they are poor
but because they can’t demonstrate how good (or bad) they are
• Improved communications
– itSM requires communication and collaboration in a manner that transcends
traditional management lines and boundaries. Generally this works well to improve
understanding between stakeholders, and raises awareness of business and
operational needs
• To ensure ‘best practice’
– using the knowledge of many who have gone before, implement industry standard
practices and save time being unnecessarily creative, when its all been done
already.
• IT aligned to the business
– the goal of most IT organisations. Most IT customers complain that IT exists as an
‘ivory tower’ and doesn’t understand or work towards the business goals of the rest
of the organisation. itSM forces IT organisations to go out and engage with
customers and work towards meeting their goals, not just the needs or whims of IT.
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Issues ....
• Fear and uncertainty/Understanding of itSM
– Sell the project and benefits. Run overview workshops/sessions to give people initial
understanding of what can be achieved and the opportunity to discuss this in groups.
Sending everyone on ITIL Foundation training can be overkill in this situation.
• Lack of clarity of objectives
– this comes down to good project planning and governance, and the need for
consistent clear communications coming out of the project. All staff should at least
know what the project is trying to achieve and be generally up to date on progress.
• Poor and excessive documentation
– Again this is a communications issue. The project must display quality and
professionalism, as well as being able to speak directly to people rather than down at
them.
• Unilateral approach
– If the project is only focussed on one area (e.g. the Service Desk) then it will be
ignored by other IT staff. It must be clear that this is a cross-IT project and that
everyone must be involved.
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More Issues ....
• Resistance to Change/Unwillingness to commit to targets
– SLAs are vital to any service improvement plans and these must be sold to all staff
concerned. The point must be made that, regardless of how the department has
worked before, this is how it must work from now on, and that SLAs are in place not
to control them but to improve quality.
• IT Lip Service
– Very difficult to shift and even tofully identify. The most important thing to do is to try
and engage people as much as possible and therefore spot any tacit resistance – at
least if you are dealing with a stated doubter you can work on them. The key here is
to find good ‘WIIFM’ (What’s in it for me) arguments.
• Customer Indifference
– Customers and users must be engaged in the service improvement plans at some
level and it is useful to try and develop reporting and communications formats with
them that speak their language and reflect their business, rather than simply ‘this is
what IT does’.
• Systems constraints
– One area that you do not want to be tripped up on is your ITSM system - can it
provide you with the reports and data that you need? – If not then this may need to
be changed.
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Any further Questions?
• Where to get more information .....
Online
http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/servicemanagement/
Email
steve.finn@wales.nhs.uk
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