IT service management involves designing, implementing, and supporting IT services a business offers to its customers. The activities are organized into solid processes and are guided by organizational policies towards achieving desired goals.
In the past, it was more difficult for IT teams to provide effective services to their organizations, standardize processes, streamline communication or even resolve issues effectively and timely. However, many IT departments have progressed, especially in the way they offer services to the organization. ITSM is, therefore, a new way through which IT organizations provide support and services. Follow the link to read our page about ITSM and get more insight into the principles of It service management.
Precisely, the idea of the ITSM system refers to the management of IT as a set of services. IT managers should therefore ensure their objectives and strategic objectives of the company are aligned together. Also, they should ensure that the work they do support the delivery of high-value services to their customers.
However, because these practices were not optimized or standardized, there was a need to develop a cohort of best practices for ITSM. The practices, which were first published between 1989 and 1996 in the “Information Technology Infrastructure Library” as a set of 30 books, helps IT managers, in conforming with the requirements of standard IT service management.
There are, therefore, a number of standard rules IT managers need to know before implementing ITSM. In this article, we look at some of the things required by IT managers for the successful implementation of IT service management services.
1. Resources
It is important for IT managers to understand that setting up an IT service desk is a resource-demanding process. There will be a need for new processes, new staff to be recruited, new documentation, among others, and that all these will require time and money.
You will therefore require time to plan, train people, upgrade tools and systems and bring the IT team to implement the processes.
2. Long Term Projects
The implementation of IT services in an organization is not a short-term exercise. These activities may, therefore, not be completed in just a few weeks. IT managers, therefore, need a well-planned project management approach for the successful execution of ITSM processes.
Here are some of the factors to be considered.
- A strong communication plan
- A project team
- Create a project plan
- Nominate process owners and other important roles
- Develop an agreeable long-term vision and strategy
- Get an executive sponsor for the project
3. Communication
This is a key requirement that IT project managers need to incorporate in the ITSM process. This is because failures to communicate the processes or the changes to teams may lead to resistance. IT managers, therefore, need to develop a good communication plan before the project starts.
Some of the things to be clear in the plan should be:
- The forms of communication to be distributed
- Who gets access to what type of information
- The different types of progress reports required
- Frequency of reporting
Also, the managers will need to play a central role in executing the communication process, implementation of processes, and results in management.
4. Top-Down Management
Before implementing ITSM, IT managers need to ensure that the IT staff are aware and understand that the top management is in full support of the change. You can do this by sending newsletters or just doing a launch with the executive sponsors actively involved.
5. Change Of Culture In The Organization
Organizations have a culture that primarily dictates their operations. As much as it may be easy to initiate a change, it may not be very easy to change the culture of an organization. As a result, managers should understand that behavior change will be essential in effective implementation and realize benefits brought in by the ITSM.