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Agile Service Management – Techniques and Methods

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Most of us are aware that Agile can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency needed for software development.  Agile core values and principles are defined in the Agile Manifesto . But wait!  There is more! While there are many techniques, methods and frameworks that can be utilized to ensure agility within your organization, what is important to note is that they can and should be expanded beyond software development.  

Agile Values are realized via many different techniques and methods including:


Continuous integration - A software development practice where:
  • Members of a team code separately but integrate their work at least daily
  • Each integration goes through an automated build and test to detect errors and defects
  • The team collectively builds the software faster with less risk


Continuous delivery - Continuous delivery does not infer that you are deploying every day or every hour. It means that you COULD release when needed.  It is a software development practice where:
  • Software is always in a releasable state
  • Automated testing and deployment is standard
  • Continuous integration is the norm
  • Collaboration between Development and Operational teams (DevOps) is necessary
  • Organizations can rapidly deploy enhancements and fixes


Scrum - Scrum is a simple framework for effective team collaboration on complex projects. Scrum provides a small set of rules that create “just enough” structure for teams to be able to focus their innovation on solving what might otherwise be an insurmountable challenge.  While Scrum was originally intended for software development, it has been successfully applied to other types of complex projects and is”:
  • The most commonly applied Agile practice
  • Deceptively simple yet difficult to master


Kanban - A Kanban board makes work visible and enables team to:
  • Limit work in progress (WIP)
  • Measure velocity (quantity of work done in an iteration)
  • Design and improve processes (i.e. Change and Release)
  • Improve standard operation workflows


ITSM - ITIL defines the processes and best practices that underpin Agile Service Management:
  • ITIL promotes an integrated process approach around a service lifecycle


Lean - The goal of lean thinking is to create more value for customers with:
  • Fewer resources
  • Less waste


These are just a few of the techniques and methods that can be expanded beyond software development for Agile Service Management.  Agile Service Management (Agile SM) ensures that ITSM processes reflect Agile values and are designed with “just enough” control and structure in order to effectively and efficiently deliver services that facilitate customer outcomes when and how they are needed.   


If you are interested in learning more about Agile Service Management or if you would like to become a Certified Agile Service Manger (CASM) … http://www.itsmacademy.com/certified-agile-service-manager-casm-course-accredited/
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