Whether or not an organization has formally adopted a framework such as ITIL , IT service management (ITSM) practices are doomed if you fail to recognize the need for continual improvement. Capability assessments  can be used to determine how well your practices are established and improving, and they serve as a diagnostic tool for continual improvement. A capability assessment typically involves a straightforward set of activities. Plan and prepare – define the scope, objectives, and participants of the assessment. Define and organize the supporting elements of the assessment model. Conduct the assessment   – collect input through interviews, workshops, observations, or surveys and validate evidence against the defined criteria. Analyze, interpret, and report out the results   – aggregate the findings to identify the current capability level. Identify gaps, improvement opportunities, and options. Formulate prioritized recommendations for ...

Part 1 of this series explores the activities involved in planning and preparing for practice capability assessments . This blog focuses on conducting assessments.  Organizations typically use three broad types of practice capability assessments, each differing in purpose, depth, and rigor. Self-assessments – internally led, often using surveys or worksheets where practitioners rate their own practices. Helps to raise awareness of strengths and weaknesses and capture a baseline Facilitated assessments – led by a neutral internal facilitator or cross-functional team (e.g., a Certified Process Design Engineer (CPDE), a process improvement team or members of a Service Management Office (SMO)) that guides stakeholders through structured discussions and consensus-based scoring exercises. Provides a shared understanding of capability across stakeholder groups Independent or formal external assessments – conducted by experienced consultants, certified assessors or acc...

Before you can chart a course toward higher capability levels, you need to know your current position. A capability assessment provides that orientation. It is the moment you unfold the map and mark, “You are here.” Capability assessments reveal not only how well individual practices are established, but how deeply they are embedded into the organization’s culture. They are not about chasing a number. They are about obtaining a clear, evidence-based understanding of where your capabilities stand. Well-scoped and well-conducted assessments shine a light on both strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps most importantly, they allow you to determine where targeted improvement will create the greatest value. Assessments transform perception into data and data into direction. Once you have gathered scored criteria, evidence, and data from across the organization, now comes the part of the assessment process where insight begins to take shape. Each of the most widely used asse...

With the introduction of ITIL 4 , some concepts have changed in ways that affect how service management assessments are performed. (1) Focusing on practices vs. processes ITIL 4 has evolved to focus on holistic practices vs. isolated processes. By definition, a practice is a set of organizational resources designed for performing work or accomplishing an objective. In ITIL 4, each practice includes resources based on the four dimensions of service management. One of those dimensions is ‘ value streams and processes ’, and so while processes are still an important component of service management, they are now considered in a much more holistic context. (2) Assessing practice capability vs. maturity In 2021 AXELOS (now a part of PeopleCert) introduced the ITIL Maturity Model . Organizations can use this model to objectively and comprehensively assess their service management capabilities and the maturity of the organization’s service value system (SVS). In this...

In ITIL 4, there are four dimensions…  but at the heart lives the Service Management Trinity. In the dynamic landscape of business operations, achieving and sustaining service excellence is a complex challenge. Service management plays a pivotal role in ensuring that organizations meet and exceed customer expectations. Enter the Service Management Trinity: a holistic approach that encompasses three key pillars: People , Processes , and Technology . In this blog, we explore how these elements synergize to create a framework for unparalleled service delivery. People: The Heart of Service Management At the core of any successful service management strategy are the people who drive it. The human element is the heartbeat of service excellence, as dedicated and skilled individuals form the backbone of effective operations. This includes not only frontline service professionals but also those working behind the scenes in roles such as training, leade...

“The purpose of the Problem Management practice is to reduce the likelihood and impact of incidents by identifying actual and potential causes of incidents and by managing workarounds and known errors. (ITIL® 4) ” One of the ways that Problem Management reduces the likelihood and impact of incidents is by making changes via the Change Enablement practice. Given the benefits, it’s a wonder more organizations don’t have highly capable and well-integrated Problem Management, Incident Management, and Change Enablement practices in their organizations. One reason could be misconceptions about the Problem Management practice, which we explore in our blog Misunderstood and Misused - A Rant About Problem Management . Another reason could be the inability to support these practices with an integrated toolset that includes a solid Configuration Management System (CMS), as configuration information supports the activities of all these practices. Of course, before we talk about tools,...