Feedback Loops Negative and Positive
IT professionals agree that vital
information is required in order for a service provider to adapt to the ever
changing dynamic needs of the business. Best
practice tells us we should create a culture of ongoing continual service
improvement (CSI). In order to propose strategies
for service improvement plans that will allow us to meet the ever changing
demands of our customer we need to get a pulse on what is really happening in
our internal and external environment. Taking
a SWAG at it is not good enough. Data, information and knowledge are not
enough. A service provider needs to
provision the measurement systems that will enable success. In comes “Feedback Loops”.
Negative Feedback loops are positive for ITSM
A Negative feedback loop brings
you toward your target set point to optimize and sustain an internal stable
environment. An animal maintains
homeostasis or a stable body temperature through negative feedback loops. Humans use a negative feedback loop to
maintain a body temperature of 98.6 degrees which is our internal target set
point. We see this when our body is over
heated and produces sweat to cool us
down and also when the body produces goose bumps to warm us up. Both are a
means to move us toward our target set point.
Your body is consistently monitoring, measuring and reporting via
negative feedback loops to sustain a stable internal environment.
Closing the Loop
Defining Critical Success Factors
(CSF) for our strategies and for our processes in ITSM is a good starting point
for determining what is required in your measurement system.
Key Performance
Indicators (KPI) allow us to quantify the CSF’s for targets. These KPI’s make tangible our target set
point. Having a target set point can
enable the service provider to scope the depth and breadth of measurement and
ensure the target set point is stable. Using targets or set points in a closed
loop system allow for appropriate thresholds, vital reporting, and most
importantly set the tone and direction for all cross functional teams in the
value stream. The service provider and
the business are able to work lock step together toward the same common goals
and outcomes. In the same way that an animal uses
homeostasis to sustain stable internal body functions through multiple complex
systems, a service provider can use nested feedback loops to sustain consistent
performance while adopting and adapting to dynamic business requirements. We get real-time information, scoped effort,
and the means to automagically self-correct for ongoing continual service
improvement.
With negative feedback loops we speed up or slow down based on a target
set point. We the service provider become dynamic in order to shift or change
to meet customer demand.
If negative feedback loops are positive then what about positive feedback loops?
Stay tuned for - “ITSM …. We’ve Gone Loopy [Part 2 of 2]
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