Guest host post by Lisa Schwartz , ITSM Academy Founder and Chief Experience Officer Many years ago, I attended a presentation at an itSMF conference where the speaker introduced the audience to the mantra; Discuss, Decide, Champion. It's a decisive approach to building a healthy culture. Culture is more than a buzzword—it's the essence of how we interact, work, and live together. At the heart of a thriving culture is a simple yet powerful mantra: discuss, decide, champion. This approach fosters open communication, decisive action, and unwavering support for shared goals. It is a powerful tool for promoting positivity and discouraging negativity. Discuss: The Foundation of Understanding Every strong culture begins with open dialogue. Discussing ideas, challenges, and solutions openly and honestly allows for a diversity of perspectives. It's through these discussions that we gain a deeper understanding of each other's viewpoints, fostering empathy and collaboration. By

ITIL, originally known as the IT Infrastructure Library, serves as a globally recognized framework for IT service delivery. It advocates for best practices in IT Service Management (ITSM), fostering the standardization of various processes and stages across the IT lifecycle. Initially introduced by the British government's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) in the 1980s, ITIL aimed to establish consistent guidelines and mitigate disparities among evolving IT architectures. Over the years, ownership has changed multiple times. In 2021, PeopleCert bought AXELOS, the owners of ITIL. ITIL 4 represents the latest iteration of the framework, and holds significant importance for organizations for several key reasons: Standardization : ITIL provides a set of best practices and guidelines for IT Service Management (ITSM). By implementing ITIL practices, organizations can standardize their IT processes and procedures, ensuring consistency and reliability in service deliver

I was recently asked this question... "Say an RFC is submitted between Mon - Fri and the CAB is on a Tuesday the following week. We are finding the following issues. 1. The approvals within the ServiceNow workflow have not been approved by individuals within the RFC workflow, for example, the architecture or security team. 2. Due to a delay in approvals not being actioned by individuals by the time of the weekly CAB the change implementation dates need to be postponed and rescheduled until all approvals have been completed and change Comms sent out. How can the above 2 issues be addressed?" Addressing the issues related to the approval delays in the change management process could involve several strategies: Improving Approval Turnaround Time Automated Reminders and Escalations Automated Reminders : Configure ServiceNow to send automated reminders to approvers at set intervals. These reminders should escalate in urgency the closer it gets to the CAB meeting. Es

By Donna Knapp   At one point in my career, I was a change manager. I ran my company’s change advisory board (CAB), and I spent endless hours trying to convince project managers to submit requests for change (RFCs). Despite my best efforts, I invariably had to explain, fairly often, that ‘poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency change on mine.’ At that time, the change manager role was one of the many hats that I wore. My ‘real’ job was service desk manager. We called it a ‘hotline’ then and so yes… it was many, many years ago. In that role, I and my team saw the impact of poorly executed and failed changes. We dealt every Monday morning with the chaos that came out of the massive changes made over the weekend. That was then. Since then, much has changed. But it was through that lens that, more than 10 years ago, I first started researching a movement in the IT industry called DevOps. At the time, it was early days for DevOps and individuals and organizations were s

By Donna Knapp For years, people , process , and technology (PPT) was a widely recognized framework for balancing and integrating the components needed to achieve optimal performance and outcomes. In the ITIL v3 Service Design publication, this framework was expanded to the four Ps: people , processes , products , and partners . ITIL 4 has further expanded and evolved this framework to the four dimensions of service management. These four dimensions are collectively critical to the effective and efficient facilitation of value for customers and other stakeholders in the form of products and services. The four dimensions of service management are: Organizations and people Information and technology Partners and suppliers Value streams and processes. These four dimensions represent perspectives which are relevant to the whole service value system (SVS), including the entirety of the service value chain and all ITIL practices. Each ITIL practice is a set of organizational resources base

Investing in ITIL 4 is widely recognized as a strategic advantage for organizations aiming to enhance their service management capabilities. With its modern, flexible, and customer-centric approach, ITIL 4 provides the tools and practices needed to thrive in a dynamic and complex IT environment. Based on conversations with high-performing organizations, we compiled five compelling reasons why organizations should invest in ITIL 4: 1. Enhanced Agility and Flexibility In a rapidly changing business environment, the ability to adapt quickly is vital. ITIL 4 is designed to provide organizations with the agility needed to respond to new opportunities and challenges. How ITIL 4 Helps : Service Value System (SVS): ITIL 4 introduces the SVS, which provides a holistic approach to service management, ensuring flexibility and quick adaptation to changing business needs. Guiding Principles : The framework’s guiding principles, such as “focus on value,” “start where you are,” and “progress iterati

Change Enablement is a practice within the ITIL 4 framework that focuses on managing changes to IT services, systems, and infrastructure in a controlled and efficient manner. The primary goal is to minimize the negative impact of changes while maximizing their benefits. This involves assessing, authorizing, and overseeing changes to ensure they are implemented smoothly and successfully. The Importance of Change Enablement Change Enablement is a critical practice for managing the complexities of IT service management. By adopting a structured approach to change, organizations can minimize risks, ensure business continuity, and remain agile in the face of new challenges.  1. Risk Mitigation : Uncontrolled changes can lead to service disruptions, security breaches, and compliance issues. Change Enablement ensures that all changes are carefully evaluated and authorized, reducing the likelihood of negative outcomes. 2. Business Continuity : By managing changes effectively, organizations can