Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) Program

On this page:

• About the Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) Program
• Change Management
• Project Goals
• Benefits
• Current Project Timeline
• ITSM Glossary

About the Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) Program

In 2015, CaTS formally established the IT Service Management Program (ITSM). The primary goal of this program is to improve customer service and increase the effectiveness of service delivery at Wright State.

The CaTS-ITSM Program will define and build upon best practice frameworks for the delivery and management of IT services, enabling a consistent approach to servicing our customers. This framework will be managed in an ITSM application called ServiceNow.

ServiceNow is an enterprise application that provides a robust suite of applications to automate and streamline IT and business unit operations. ServiceNow is offered under a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model and is accessed through a web-based interface that can be easily configured to adapt to a variety of workflow and processes.

• Incident Management and Request Fulfillment Project Charter (PDF)
• Major Incident Process (PDF)
• Incident Management Process (PDF)
• Request Fulfillment Process (PDF)
• CaTS ServiceNow Training Document (PDF)
   

Change Management 

• Change Management Process (PDF)
• Change Management training document (PDF)
• ITSM Change Management Project Charter (PDF)
   

Project Goals

• Develop and implement single and repeatable Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes
• Clearly define the roles and responsibilities required to execute the activities of Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes
• Identify the key policies that support the Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes
• Improve the response and resolution times associated with incidents and service requests
• Identify the Critical Success Factors (CSFs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and Activity Metrics for Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes
   

Benefits

• Improved response to service disruptions
• Improved customer relationships
• Better alignment between business and IT
• Improved incident monitoring and reporting capability
• Improved cooperation and communication between existing IT functional groups
   

Current Project Timeline

• 31 December, 2015: Purchased ITSM application (ServiceNow)
• 15 January, 2016: Aptris selected as vendor to assist in ServiceNow implementation
• 25 February, 2016: Incident and Request Management project team formed
• 14 March, 2016: CaTS Customer Satisfaction Survey (PDF)
• 30 June, 2016: Incident and Request Management process design work completed
• 13-29 July, 2016: ITSM and ServiceNow stakeholder training
• 19 July, 2016-Ongoing: Request Fulfillment workflow development
• 2 August, 2016: ServiceNow, Incident Management, and Request Fulfillment launch
   

ITSM Glossary

• Critical Success Factors (CSFs): Something that must happen if an IT service, process, plan, project, or other activity is to succeed. Key performance indicators are used to measure the achievement of each CSF. For example, a critical success factor of 'protect IT services when making changes' could be measured by key performance indicators such as 'percentage reduction of unsuccessful changes'. 'percentage reduction in changes causing incidents', etc.
   
• Customer: someone who buys goods or services. The customer of an IT service provider is the person or group who defines and agrees to the service level targets. The term is also sometimes used informally to mean user - for example, 'This is a customer-focused organization.'
   
• Downtime: the time when an IT service or other configuration item is not available during its agreed service time. The availability of an IT service is often calculated from the agreed service time and downtime.
   
• Efficiency: a measure of whether the right amount of resource has been used to deliver a process, service, or activity. An efficient process achieves its objectives with the minimum amount of time, money, people, or other resources. 
   
• Event: a change of state that has significance for the management of an IT service or other configuration item. The term is also used to mean an alert or notification created by any IT service, configuration item, or monitoring tool. Events typically require IT operations personnel to take actions, and often lead to incidents being logged. 
   
• Fit for Use: the ability to meet an agreed level of warranty. Being fit for use requires suitable design, implementation, control, and maintenance. 
   
• Incident: an IT service is not working, or not working at an expected level
   
• Incident Management: the process responsible for managing the lifecycle of all incidents. Ensures that normal service operation is restored as quickly as possible and the business impact is minimized.
   
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): a metric that is used to help manage an IT service, process, plan, project, or other activity. KPIs are used to measure the achievement of critical success factors. Many  metrics may be measured, but only the most important of these are defined as key performance indicators and used to actively manage and report on the process, IT service, or activity. They should be selected to ensure that efficiency, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness are all managed. 
   
• Priority: a category used to identify the relative importance of an incident, problem, or change. Priority is based on impact and urgency, and is used to identify required times for actions to be taken. For example, the service level agreement may state that Priority 2 incidents must be resolved within 12 hours. 
   
• Process: a structured set of activities designed to accomplish a specific objective. A process takes one or more defined inputs and turns them into defined outputs. It may include any of the roles, responsibilities, tools, and management controls required to reliably deliver the outputs. A process may define policies, standards, guidelines, activities, and work instructions if they are needed. 
   
• Project: a temporary organization, with people and other assets, that is required to achieve an objective or other outcome. Each project has a lifecycle that typically includes initiation, planning, execution, and closure. Projects are usually managed using a formal methodology such as Projects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE2) or the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). 
   
• Quality: the ability of a product, service or process to provide the intended value. For example, a hardware component can be considered to be of high quality if it performs as expected and delivers the required reliability. Process quality also requires an ability to monitor effectiveness and efficiency, and to improve them if necessary. 
   
• Reliability: a measure of how long an IT service or other configuration item can perform its agreed function without interruption. Usually measured as MTBF or MTBSI. The term can also be used to state how likely it is that a process, function etc. will deliver its required outputs. 
   
• Request: user wants to be provided an available service
   
• Request Fulfillment: the process responsible for managing the lifecycle of all service requests.
   
• Resolution: action taken to repair the root cause of an incident or problem, or to implement a workaround.
   
• Response Time: a measure of the time taken to complete an operation or transaction. Used in capacity management as a measure of IT infrastructure performance, and in incident management as a measure of the time taken to answer the phone, or to start diagnosis. 
   
• Service Catalog: the sub-process of capacity management responsible for understanding the performance and capacity of IT services. Information on the resources used by each IT service and the pattern of usage over time is collected, recorded, and analyzed for use in the capacity plan. 
   
• Service Desk: the single point of contact between the service provider and the users. A typical service desk manages incidents and service requests and also handles communication with the users.
   
• Service Level Agreement (SLA): An agreement between an IT service provider and a customer. A service level agreement describes the IT service, documents service level targets, and specifies the responsibilities of the IT service provider and the customer. A single agreement may cover multiple IT services or multiple customers. 
   
• Service Level Management (SLM): the process responsible for negotiating achievable service level agreements and ensuring that these are met. It is responsible for ensuring that all IT service management processes, operational level agreements, and underpinning contracts are appropriate for the agreed service level targets. Service level management monitors and reports on service levels, holds regular service review with customers, and identifies required improvements. 
   
• Service Level Requirement (SLR): a customer requirement for an aspect of an IT service. Service level requirements are based on business objectives and used to negotiate agreed service level targets. 
   
• Service Level Target: a commitment that is documented in a service level agreement. Service level targets are based on service level requirements, and are needed to ensure that the IT service is able to meet business objectives. They should be SMART and are usually based on KPIs.
   
• Service Portfolio: the complete set of services that is managed by a service provider. The service portfolio is used to manage the entire lifecycle of all services, and include three categories: service pipeline (proposed or in development), service catalog (live or available for deployment), and retired services.
   
• Service Request: a formal request from a user for something to be provided - for example, a request for information or advice; to reset a password; or to install a workstation for a new user. Service requests are managed by the request fulfillment process, usually in conjunction with the service desk. Service requests may be linked to a request for change as part of fulfilling the request.
   
• Stakeholder: a person who has an interest in an organization, project, IT service, etc. Stakeholders may be interested in the activities, targets, resources, or deliverables. Stakeholders may include customers, partners, employees, shareholders, owners, etc.
   
• User: a person who uses the IT service on a day-to-day basis. Users are distinct from customers, as some customers do not use the IT service directly. 
   
• Utility: the functionality offered by a product or service to meet a particular need. Utility can be summarized as 'what the service does', and can be used to determine whether a service is able to meet its required outcomes, or is 'fit for purpose'. The business value of an IT service is created by the combination of utility and warranty. 
   
• Warranty: assurance that a product or service will meet agreed on requirements. This may be a formal agreement such as a service level agreement or contract, or it may be a marketing message or brand image. Warranty refers to the ability of a service to be available when needed, to provide the required capacity, and to provide the required reliability in terms of continuity and security. Warranty can be summarized as 'how the service is delivered', and can be used to determine whether a service is 'fit for use'. The business value of an IT service is created by the combination of utility and warranty.