Skip to main content

Nine Guiding Principles for ITSM or… for Everyday Life

ITIL Practitioner focuses on nine guiding service management principles that distill the core message to facilitate improvement and success at all levels. The principles not only guide providers who want to adopt a good approach for successful products and services but can also be applied to ensure our day to day success. Yes, that’s right! These principles could be applied to buying a car, ordering food and more.

Example: I want to purchase a car. 🚗

Guiding Principles

ITSM Academy's ITIL Practitioner course is based on these 9 Guiding Principles

1) Focus on VALUE - I need a car but I don’t want to exceed my budget for this. Value for me means awesome performance and that this car looks amazing. It must be a good fit and be cost effective. Good luck, right? Value is determined by price but also by performance and perception.

2) Design for Experience – Here I would be looking for something that is durable, has lots of techno gadgets built into the dash and if it is luxurious when I get into it… even better. If it just looks good but is not functional than it is not fit for the experience. The provider of this vehicle will have to know their audience and who their customer base is. They will have to know the customer needs for such a car and ensure that they are able to meet them viewing the customer experience holistically. Value can only be determined by the consumer, NOT by the designer or the sales rep.

3) Start Where You Are – Leverage what is already available. ITIL sayslLook objectively at the current state. Of course, I will have to look at any risk involved too. The Engine, carburetor, and overall functionality is a must but I should also have the color and model that deliver value to me.

4) Work Holistically – All elements must work harmoniously together to deliver results. As with any service, the outcome must be fit for purpose and fit for use. Addressing only one element without looking at the overall product with features could result in a very expensive frustration. I must focus on the bigger picture rather than just one element. If I have a great engine but the vehicle is rusted and ugly, that is not an option. Example: Let’s say that I have selected a great performing vehicle and then decide that a sun roof is a required element for me. If the reviews show many consumers are unhappy due to leaks from this then the warranty or assurance of value from that overall vehicle is diminished; even if the engine, carburetor, and all other functional requirements are there. I not only want the functionality of a good performing car, the beauty and warranty or assurance that it will not cause trouble must also be there to deliver true value.

5) Progress Iteratively - I have the big picture now and the look I am going for. OK so maybe I won’t be able to get all of the nice to have features or all of the techno gadgets. Price matters. I will need to separate my must haves from nice to haves. Once that is done then I can begin to add elements accordingly to complete this vision. My minimum viable product is the functionality of the engine, good gas mileage, and performance.

6) Observe Directly – While it is true that some things can only be understood through observing and measuring, direct observation is the first and preferred option. Although the car that I have now selected looks right I know that I am going to have to take this for a test drive to observe how it feels and runs on the road. The reviews and historical data (metrics) alone might not give a true picture of what I thought this car really is. I do not want to make assumptions here. Try it on for size.

7) Be Transparent – Best practice for service providers state that leaders at various levels should provide appropriate information relating to the quality or the improvement in their communication with others. Therefore, I am bringing with me my friend the mechanic. Before I invest I want a qualified recommendation from someone I know will be open and transparent.

8) Collaboration – Although I value the input from others, my preferences and perceptions must be considered so that the end results are a win/win. Another aspect of transparency and collaboration is that accomplishments are communicated and celebrated so I am sure we will have to leave the dealership and celebrate our decision. This will emphasize the importance and value of my friend and a sense of pride for participating.

9) Keep it Simple – As an IT Service provider we know that when analyzing a process, service or improvement, we have to consider “Does it create value?”. As it relates to purchasing a car, if I get sidetracked and start looking at too many features in lieu of the functionality and performance that really deliver value I will regret this purchase.

OK, buying a car not your thing? Take these nine ITIL practitioner principles and apply them to any purchase or day to day service. They work. You might want to have fun and ask your staff to do the same. It is a fun way to embrace these simple yet critical principles for the provisioning of services.

For ITIL Practitioner Training and Certification - click here

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Four Ps of Service Design - It’s not all about Technology

People ask me why I think that many designs and projects often fail. The most common answer is from a lack of preparation and management. Many IT organizations just think about the technology (product) implementation and fail to understand the risks of not planning for the effective and efficient use of the four Ps: People, Process, Products (services, technology and tools) and Partners (suppliers, manufacturers and vendors). A holistic approach should be adopted for all Service Design aspects and areas to ensure consistency and integration within all activities and processes across the entire IT environment, providing end to end business-related functionality and quality. (SD 2.4.2) People:   Have to have proper skills and possess the necessary competencies in order to get involved in the provision of IT services. The right skills, the right knowledge, the right level of experience must be kept current and aligned to the business needs. Products:   These are the technology managem

What Is A Service Offering?

The ITIL4 Best Practice Guidance defines a “Service Offering” as a description of one or more services designed to address the needs of a target customer or group .   As a service provider, we can’t stop there!   We must know what the contracts of our service offering are and be able to put them into context as required by the customer.     Let’s explore the three elements that comprise a Service Offering. A “Service Offering” may include:     Goods, Access to Resources, and Service Actions Goods – When we think of “Goods” within a service offering these are the items where ownership is transferred to the consumer and the consumer takes responsibility for the future use of these goods.   Example of goods that are being provided in the offering – If this is a hotel service than toiletries or chocolates are yours to take with you.   You the consumer own these and they are yours to take with you.               Note: Goods may not always be provided for every Service

What is the difference between Process Owner, Process Manager and Process Practitioner?

I was recently asked to clarify the roles of the Process Owner, Process Manager and Process Practitioner and wanted to share this with you. Roles and Responsibilities: Process Owner – this individual is “Accountable” for the process. They are the goto person and represent this process across the entire organization. They will ensure that the process is clearly defined, designed and documented. They will ensure that the process has a set of Policies for governance. Example: The process owner for Incident management will ensure that all of the activities to Identify, Record, Categorize, Investigate, … all the way to closing the incident are defined and documented with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, handoffs, and deliverables.  An example of a policy in could be… “All Incidents must be logged”. Policies are rules that govern the process. Process Owner ensures that all Process activities, (what to do), Procedures (details on how to perform the activity) and th