Both the Service Design Package (SDP) and the Service Catalog are produced in the service design stage of the service lifecycle and to some extent both drive the activities that happen in all subsequent stages of the service lifecycle.   The SDP will detail all aspects of a service and its requirements throughout the entire lifecycle.   A service design package is produced for all new services, major changes to an existing service or the removal of a retired service.    From a high level the service design package will contain the following: ·     Business requirements ·     Service applicability requirements (how/where used) ·     Service contracts ·     Service functional requirements ·     Service and operational management requirements ·     Service design and topology (including service definition and model ·     Organizational readiness assessment ·     Service Program (timescales and phasing of transition, operation and improvement of the new s

One of the key processes in the ISO/IEC 20000 standard is Business Relationship Management. This process “establishes and maintains a good relationship between the service provider and the customer based on understanding the customer and their business drivers.” Business Relationship Management (BRM) within ISO/IEC 20000 is one of the Relationship Processes (along with Supplier Management). These processes help to establish the links in what Harvard Professor Michael Porter described as the “value chain”. BRM creates the link between the service provider (including IT, but full delivery may involve other organizational functions) and the customers and users, both internal (“the business”) or external (“the end customer”). Business Relationship Management is now a formalized process in newest (2011) edition of ITIL. With the newest edition, the authors recognized the importance of having BRM as an extent process, rather than as guidance embedded in other ITIL processes (such as Ser

In a previous blog we discussed the revised 7 step improvement process.  Step 6 of that process is to present and use the information.  There are various levels of management in an organization. When presenting this information and implementing improvements it is important to understand which level to focus on and have a good understanding of the perspectives of each level and what their drivers are. This will enable us to derive the maximum value and benefit out of the information delivered. First order drivers:   At the highest level of the organization are the strategic thinkers.  The reports delivered at this level need to be short, quick to read and deliver precise data about risk avoidance, protecting the image or brand of the organization, profitability and cost savings.  These are the drivers that will support your reasons for improvement efforts. Second order drivers: The second level of management is occupied by vice presidents and directors.  Here, reports can be more