April Theme Articles BS15000: the background to and implications of 3 articles which help to explain The Top Five IT Service Mistakes A practical guide to Continuity improving IT service delivery “Know the Unknowns”

Keeping the IT Balancing Act on the Tight Rope

£4 PLUS all the usual features covering April 2004 industry news, gossip and events Issue No. 66 Chief Executive Officer’s Remarks Service Management is high on the agenda for CIOs and IT Directors around the globe, which is The Journal of the IT Service evidenced by the continued growth in itSMF Management Forum it SMF chapters. Increasingly, those new to the ITSM philosophy are asking, “Is it worth it? Will there be a real return on an investment in ITSM?” In Contents many ways, it seems inappropriate to try to justify itSMF and Best Practice: Survey Conclusions 3 service management in isolation. Enterprises Seminar Report: should be looking at total IT investment returns – Sailing with ITIL in a Sea of Strategies 7 and that means complete life-cycle management. Planning to Achieve BS15000 9 Before investing in any new development, enterprises should understand the full cost of Institute Page 12 development plus an acceptable operational cost for a defined service quality over BS15000 Training & Qualification 13 the expected operational life of the development. It is only from these figures that Letters Page 15 they can make a business decision as to whether the value derived justifies the People on the Move 15 expenditure. BS15000: Past, Present & Future 16 However, the sad truth is that enterprises haven’t taken a true end-to-end view and Regional Reports 19 hence, for many, a specific investment in service management is necessary. Conference Details & Registration Form 22 Intuitively, those who understand the subject find the argument to be almost self- Ask the Experts 25 evident; successful service improvement programmes drive up the quality of itSMF Vendors 28 delivered service, and often reduce operating costs at the same time. And certainly the lot of the service provider is vastly improved as they move from whipping boy IT Physician Heal Thyself 29 to a position of respect. But how do you convince the sceptics or those who want SLAs: An Evolutionary Daze 30 hard financial figures? The Top Five Mistakes 32 Keeping the IT Balancing Act In order to try to provide some empirical answers, we have been engaged in some on the Tight Rope 35 research work, through an independent agency, with a number of organisations IT Service Continuity: “Know the Unknowns” 38 that have successfully implemented “best practice” solutions. The aim is not Axios Systems Achieve BS15000 40 merely to quantify some of the benefits achieved, but also to understand how such quantification might be modelled. Progress is slower than we had hoped, because International News 42 it appears that many organisations aren’t measuring and articulating the benefits servicetalk Data Information 42 in hard business terms. We will publish the findings in due course, with the first Diary 2004 43 tranche by the end of April, but meantime if you have information in this space Seminar Announcements 44 that you are willing to share, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

All communications to: What is the itSMF? itSMF, Webbs Court, 8 Holmes Road, The IT Service Management Forum Ltd. (itSMF) is the only internationally Earley, Reading RG6 7BH recognised and independent organisation dedicated to IT Service Management. It is Tel: 0118 926 0888 a not-for-profit organisation, wholly owned and principally operated by its Fax: 0870 706 1531 membership. The itSMF is a major influence on, and contributor to, Industry ‘Best Email: [email protected] Practice’ and Standards worldwide, working in partnership with the OGC (the UK Editor: Malcolm Button Government advisory body), the British Standards Institution (BSI), the Distributed Produced & Printed by: Management Task Force (DMTF), the Information Systems Examination Board Graham Burn Productions (ISEB) and the Examination Institute of the Netherlands (EXIN). The Atrium, 17 SeIworthy, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1HA The aims of the itSMF Tel/Fax: 01908 526219 To develop and promote industry best practice in service management Email: [email protected] To engender professionalism within service management personnel Distribution: Direct Logistics Ltd To provide a vehicle for helping members improve service performance The views expressed in servicetalk do not necessarily reflect To provide members with a relevant forum in which to exchange information those of the Editor or the itSMIF and share experiences with their peers on both sides of the industry

© servicetalk Material within this publication may not What services do we offer? be reproduced in whole or in part without the express Among the services we offer are: permission of the itSMF. opportunity to participate in setting best practice; reduced entry to seminars/exhibitions; Subscription Rates: discounts on book sales; Members Free Non-Members £4.00 products/services catalogues; Annual (UK) £18 per annum consultancy; Annual (Overseas) £24 per annum regional discussion groups; Advertising Rates: reference sites. Full colour (disc supplied to our specification) itSMF officers and staff Members Non-Members Chairman – Mark Hall; Vice Chairman – Ken Goff; Treasurer – Mary Fishleigh; Full Page £450 (+ VAT) £650 (+ VAT) Chief Executive Officer – Aidan Lawes; Events Manager – Maxine McMahon; Half Page £275 (+ VAT) £425 (+ VAT) Membership Services Manager – John McDermott; Marketing Manager – Kim May; Quarter Page £150 (+ VAT) £250 (+ VAT) Membership Administrator –Michelle Darby; Events Administrator – Jenny Bogg 2Series servicetalkdiscounts available Issue No. 66 April 2004Project Manager – Chris Lang; Book Sales – Sharon Shaw; Book-keeper – Sarah Nieto itSMF and ITIL Best Practice Are we getting the message? David Barker Qube Holdings Ltd Over the last year 600 servicetalk readers have been interviewed, representing over Figure 1 550 companies. In all over 20,000 questions have been asked and over 600 hours spent interviewing readers such as yourselves.

So what have been the key messages, what has been learnt and what should be done about it? These questions apply to the itSMF as much as they do to you as Figure 2 practitioners of ITIL best practice.

So what collectively have we learnt? In essence there are 4 key areas of learning: What ITIL Best Practice activities are happening and what you would like from the itSMF in support. The differences in understanding as to shown in Figure 1 above whilst in terms differences between sectors. (See Chart 1 what the itSMF can do in support of of those which are continuing during the below). your activities and what services it next 12 months are shown in Figure 2. has to offer. Whilst there is little difference in the top Your views of the itSMF as an Thus the level of ITIL Best Practice four initiatives, significant variation organisation and whether it offers activity has been and will continue to be occurs as you move down the list. This value for money. high. Although the priorities appear to be can be shown by the following examples: Your needs of the itSMF as an changing slightly it should be noted that Service Level Agreements organisation and overall what more over 61% of you are continuing to Pharmaceuticals (2) vs Government (11) you would like from it. implement activity into this coming year. Financial Management But what is this telling us? How does this Government (12) vs Utilities (4) What is happening in ITIL information help? Well, many have been Best Practice? asking the itSMF to give information This information might be helpful if you The overriding initiatives undertaken more specific to their sector. Indeed, when are looking to implement an initiative and over the last 12 months have been as separated out there are many priority wish for some comparative industry

Sector Last 1 Months – Prioritised 1- 12 where 1 is the highest volume of implementation and 12 is the lowest Business Clubs & Comms Finance Govern- Pharma- Retail Utilities Services Charity & IT & Ins. ment ceuticals Service Desk 4 1241421 Incident Management 3 2432234 Problem Management 2 3324451 Change Management 1 3112111 Configuration Management 7 11 876864 Release Management 8 3 12 698910 Service Level Management 6 7 5 8 11 2 3 4 Availability Management 12 11 11 11 6 10 10 10 Capacity Management 11 7 8 9 10 10 12 12 IT Service Cont./ DR 5 7755688 Financial Management 9 3 10 11 12 10 11 4 IT Security 9 7698678

Chart 1: Ranking of Activity by Sector

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 3 4 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Sector Next 12 Months – Prioritised 1- 12 where 1 is the highest volume of implementation and 12 is the lowest Business Clubs & Comms Finance Govern- Pharma- Retail Utilities Services Charity & IT & Ins. ment ceuticals Service Desk 2 2 2 24681 Incident Management 6 2 4 57231 Problem Management 7 7 3 10 2437 Change Management 2 7 1 31111 Configuration Management 1 7 8 144210 Release Management 9 7 12 536810 Service Level Management 2 2 5 46237 Availability Management 9 2 11 8 10 11 8 7 Capacity Management 8 1 8 9 11 9 6 1 IT Service Cont./ 2 11 7 58671 Financial Management 11 11 10 12 12 9 12 1 IT Security 11 2 6 11 9 11 11 10

Chart 2: Ranking of Activities by Sector information. It also gives a sense of studies becoming available in due course. itSMF is reviewing ways in which it ‘flavour of the month’ in each sector as In addition to case studies, there have might be able to offer support and advice priorities and issues clearly vary between also been a variety of additional requests, in the accurate measurement of service them. for example: improvement. More research into the specific In terms of coming activity, it is also activities such as release management, In addition, the management team will be useful to know what activities are configuration management etc. reviewing all the above requests for continuing by sector, as well as the An e-mail newsletter additional service and will assess how support for any implementation plans you More communication between they fit into the current portfolio of what might have for the coming year (see members – perhaps a forum? is offered. Chart 2 above). However, one of the areas of possible What about your understanding of As with the previous chart there are support that has not been specifically what we can offer you? significant variations when you move out asked for, but would appear to be of help In all, 16 “service” offerings were of the top four initiatives. to the readership, is the issue of customer identified that the itSMF provides to its Release Management service improvement measurement. members. Interviewees were asked which Government (3) they were aware of. vs Communications/IT (12) Currently 74% of all initiatives Service Desk completed were designed to improve They were also asked which they had Retail (8) customer service. This was by far the actually used in the last 12 months and vs Financial Services ( 2) largest reason for implementing ITIL which they were likely to use in the next Best Practice initiatives. What is 12. The results are shown overleaf on Well if that is what you are doing, what interesting however is that of this 74%: page 6. help do you want from the itSMF? The 73% have got some measures in place truth is that the overriding request has An interesting exercise for the itSMF.

been for specific and detailed case Perhaps you want to try it yourself. studies. There is a huge pent up demand of which Which are you aware of? across servicetalk readers for case studies. 78% have measures clearly defined

Indeed out of the 600 interviews, 180 of The itSMF view was that before you said you would be willing to of which expanding their range of services they complete a case study in the next year. 66% have a timeframe must first drive up the awareness of what is offered and then check as to the usage. In order to move this forward the itSMF Therefore: It is clear this needs to be done as has commissioned Qube to contact you to 73% x 78% x 66% = 38% awareness is only above 50% in 3 out of see who could actually complete a case have clearly defined measures in place the 16 services the itSMF offers. The study and so far 101 of you have agreed with a specific timeframe for results. question is will awareness drive up to be interviewed once your projects are usage? This is hard to tell. However, completed. Due to the protracted nature Clearly, with such an important output as before this can be assessed there must be of project completion, the itSMF intend improved customer service, and with so clarity in the range of services offered to to publish anonymous case study data many of you saying this is the reason for members as many members commented over the course of this year in servicetalk, implementing ITIL Best Practice, these that they simply weren’t aware of what as and when you are interviewed. results are at best worrying. the itSMF had to offer! This will lead to more detailed case Although not directly requested, the To this end the itSMF have produced a

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 5 services. It is also constantly looking at Service Awareness Used Going to Use ways to improve servicetalk to increase Conference & Exhibitions 83% 29% 19% its relevance and your readership of it. Seminar Programmes 80% 24% 19% Currently, 71% said servicetalk was Service Talk 67% 27% 21% Regional Groups 50% 13% 10% relevant to them and 72% always or often Contribution to Best Practice 43% 7% 4% read it. The itSMF would like to improve Web Discussion Forum 41% 10% 8% this so any suggestions are always very Web Products/Service Catalogues 40% 10% 8% welcome as it is your magazine, not Bookshop 39% 9% 7% theirs! Market Research 38% 8% 5% Web Chat 30% 5% 4% Finally, what are your needs of the Self Assessment Questionnaire 28% 7% 4% itSMF as an organisation and what Web Guide to Vendor Services 26% 7% 5% more would you like from them? Publication Opportunities 24% 3% 2% Well, clearly from all that you have told Members Database Services 22% 4% 4% us, the itSMF is currently actively Access an Expert 21% 4% 3% Discount Affiliate Products 21% 4% 4% striving to improve its communication to you and explore new services which it handbook which was distributed to over of you are already members. In terms of could provide. As was previously stated 800 people at their conference. A further whether the existing members would any views or ideas you have to move 100+ people have requested a copy of the renew, 91%, said they would, 91% said these forward are always gratefully handbook and each new member is they would recommend the itSMF to received. issued with a copy in their welcome pack. others and 87% said the itSMF offers The handbook covers all the itSMF value for money. In a final phase of improvement the services and explains the benefits. itSMF is currently undertaking a strategic Although the itSMF is delighted with review of its whole operation, looking at So what do you think of us these results, it is striving to achieve even the next two years’ direction. It is hoped at the itSMF? higher scores through improved this will ensure continued success for you Well, currently of those interviewed, 91% communication and delivery of its and the itSMF into the future.

6 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Seminar Report “Sailing with ITIL in a Sea of Strategies” Held at Stoke – 5th February 2004 Joanne Laker House of Commons

My job title is Performance Reporting relationships between ITIL and other day there was a consensus of opinion that Officer and within my organisation the measurement methodologies. Secondly, ITIL is the first step and foundation to establishment of ITIL best practice is the agenda was logically structured establishing processes within an still in its infancy. My aim was to look to because the topic of BS15000 organisation. BS15000 certification is a our future and, once ITIL has been fully certification was covered first before relatively quick means of assessing implemented, explore ways of looking at the more comprehensive process maturity and effectiveness and developing performance measurement. methodologies such as Balanced the other methodologies of the Balance Scorecard, Sixth Sigma and CobiT. To Scorecard, Sixth Sigma and CobiT This was the first itSMF seminar I had conclude, Steve Ingall from Fox IT provide the means for more detailed and attended and I was impressed by two provided an absorbing overview in-depth analysis. things. Firstly, the quality of the examining the implications of introducing speakers’ presentations was of a very these measurement frameworks in a Overall I felt that this was an extremely high standard. Without exception they business and how they relate to business beneficial seminar because looking were all confident and knowledgeable strategy and service excellence. beyond ITIL itself and its context within within their respective fields and also business strategies and best practices is displayed a wider understanding of the During the panel forum at the end of the essential to its evolution.

itSMF itSMF Member New itSMF Members Member Individual Individual (cont.) Corporate 5 (cont.) Ivanska Radka Mark Lang University of Nottingham (Severomoravska Energetika AS) (Eclipse Networking Limited) United Utilites Serge Thorn (Serono International SA) Christian Fronteras (Netential Limited) Intelligent Finance Geoff Thirlwall (Bossman Swan) Padraic Tallon (FETAC) Frontrange Solutions Simon Lloyd Evans Atif Mahmood (Bradford Met Council) Intergralis Ltd (New Zealand Police) Dave Sutton (Keynote Housing Group) Lynx Technology Erik Stevens (J.D Edwards) Edexel Eileen Keddie (Consignit) Cable and Wireless Katrin Gorma (D&B International) Sole Trader University of Huddersfield Wendy Stewart David Salter (Port162 Ltd) CSF Group Plc (British Sky Broadcasting) Phil Hector (Konick Limited) Omnicom Praha Jon Salter (Neural Technologies) Irzan Ahmad (Vertinets Consulting) David Phelps (Wandara Consulting) Julie Goddard Rupert Prall (MBNA International Bank) Shane Hiller (Shapen IT) Corporate 10 Juergen Reetz (Netplan Reetz & Partner) Simon Anderson Scottish Enterprise Sharon Hampton (Itnet plc) (Maltings IT Consultancy) University Hospital of North Staffs Natalia Iglesias (Einsa Multimedia) Jan Boons (ADIT BVBA) BUPA Dave Rudd (Harcourt Education) David Spencer (BC Care Limited) Dave Oldham (Norfolkline) Matthew Clayton Steve Perkins (Chorus) (General Systems Development) Vendor 5 Alain Cadorette (Novell) Think Solutions Greg Hibbert (Fibernet) Corporate 5 Decision Focus Tim Wilson (Wilson Computing) Herbert Smith Itheon Mark Fenton (Saudi Business Machines) Larfarge Aggregates Tectonic Ltd Stephen Aspinall Hammonds LRQA

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 7 8 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 April Theme Article BS15000 Planning To Achieve BS15000 Tony Brooks Principal Consultant Fox IT

This article is about what has to be clear about the role of a quality standard, management quality standards to done to achieve a specific and the reasons for obtaining one and the way demonstrate appropriate management measurable quality standard: it isn’t that it will be used or interpreted by controls, but also needs to demonstrate about using a project management tool clients and suppliers. The ISO9000 industry best practice which is based and nor is it about the well-understood quality standard is a broad based standard around the ITIL guidelines. If an stages of a typical project although and serves suppliers in various industry organisation is already ISO9000 certified, that would be a sensible approach to sectors well. It is primarily management then much of the management adopt. Instead, it is an attempt to focussed, being concerned to ensure that requirement is likely to be met but you identify some of the fundamental issues defined processes are followed and shouldn’t assume that to be the case. that need to be considered as part of evidenced rather than ensuring that “best the planning process. It discusses some practice” processes are defined in the first BS15000 — and the Meaning of generic quality related issues and a place. Best Practice number of standard-specific issues but I will not go through each process in A Functionally Based Standard So the question is, what does best detail: the most fundamental point to practice mean in relation to BS15000? understand is the scoping requirement As a functionally based standard, While all of the ITIL processes are of the scheme and the approach that BS15000 is different: it is specific to the covered, it is a mistake to think that ITIL you will need to adopt. IT Service Management industry and alone will be enough. BS 15000 is more describes an industry consensus on what extensive than the ITIL processes. It is To start with, a few words about the role constitutes a quality service and, as a also worth pointing out that the Service of quality standards. The purpose of a result, is becoming commonly specified Desk is not identified as an auditable area standard is to establish a generally as a contract requirement. The BS15000 – the concentration is on the processes recognised level of achievement. As such, Certification Scheme is managed by the wherever they are operated and this is an in a commercial environment certification itSMF, which means that the official important scoping issue. Apart from can be understood to be part of a legal BS15000 Certificates are issued by process best practice, there are also trade description if it is quoted and auditors on behalf of the itSMF and will management control areas to consider. So identified clearly, or even if only feature the itSMF scheme logo. This does that we are clear about what has to be “compliance” or “conformance” is not detract from ISO9000 but included in the scope, planning and claimed, and it is important to ensure that complements it. eventual audit, the table at the foot of the any claims made or inferred in this way page shows the specific auditable areas. are not misleading to clients. This means that in order to achieve BS15000 Certification, an organisation Now that we have a starting point we This is why it is important to be very has not only to conform to overall need to understand the scoping

Managerial Areas Functional Areas Overall management system Service Level Management Management responsibility Service Reporting Documentation requirements Availability & Service Continuity Management Competence, awareness and training Budgeting and Accounting for IT Services Capacity Management Planning and implementing service management Information Security Management Plan service management Business Relationship Management Supplier Implement service management Relationship Management Incident Management Monitor, measuring and reviewing Problem Management Continuous improvement Configuration Management Change Management Planning and implementing new or changed services Release Processes

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 9 requirements of BS15000. Put simply, the objective of this process within the linked: this naturally takes you into a Certificate can only be issued to a single standard is to “manage third party programme of improvement, ie a CSIP. legal entity and it follows that to achieve suppliers to ensure the provision of seam- the Certificate, an organisation must be less, quality services”. To achieve this Projects need to be resourced: the success able to demonstrate that it is responsible aspect, you must understand and docu- potential of your certification project will for delivering all of the processes defined ment the full service delivery chain and be improved if you get this stage right. It by the scheme. While some limited this includes sub-contracted suppliers. To is no secret that projects are often seen to exceptions are possible, they will be assess a baseline we must determine a have failed because objectives were subject to specific agreement with the standard against which to be assessed. poorly defined, expectations were auditing body (and confirmation with the unrealistic or resources were inadequate: itSMF), and are likely to be restricted to you need to avoid these common failings. processes covered by external contract. The All-Important Selection of a You must also remember that the general Where an exception is allowed it will be Registered Certification Body audit requirement of three months identified on the Certificate when issued, records is likely to be required and will this is similar to the approach taken under While the assessment is going on, you need to be established as evidence of ISO9000: 2000. As an example, it may be should select a Registered Certification compliance. This might be an appropriate possible to exclude resource capacity Body (RCB) – this is your auditing point to think about integrating the management but not all aspects of the partner and establishing this relationship BS15000 project with other quality process i.e. service and business capacity at an early point is vital to the success of initiatives eg Six Sigma, Balanced management. the project. The sooner that you can Scorecard etc. These integrate well with select an RCB, the sooner you can define process based organisations and can and agree the scope of the standards provide a significant contribution to the How Self-Assessment Operates By project. This is vital if you are evidence required during the Certification Determination of Standards considering an exception clause in the audit. audit scope, as you must be certain that Let’s now consider some specifics: it is the scope is valid. You must be careful at important to be realistic about what you this stage to be clear that your RCB is The Role of Management Mustn’t are trying to achieve: in that respect it is officially registered with the itSMF and Be Forgotten important to discover where you are now that you are going to be certificated under by establishing a baseline. There are two the official scheme. As a final word, do not overlook the main options for this: self-assessment management requirements. It is tempting against an appropriate workbook or You do have to be careful to distinguish to focus on the processes alone because external assessment. Whichever you between the role of an auditing body and we understand them and evidence can be choose, you have to be sure that the that of an implementation partner: the gathered relatively easily but the results will be realistic, objective and “fit auditor cannot help directly with management requirements are central to for purpose”– you will need to be careful implementation of any aspect of the success. These areas can be hard to assess not to end up with an outcome which is scheme and you should be cautious of but they are fundamental in establishing a inaccurate or incomplete, because the any claim to provide an end-to-end culture of quality management by work done at this stage will be service. Equally, while implementation illustrating sustained commitment. These fundamental in defining the timescale for partners can advise on any aspect of the areas will be responsible for maintaining the standards project. I describe the project, they are not authoritative as far and improving standards over time, assessment as being “fit for purpose” as the audit stage is concerned. which will be critical to maintaining the because the baseline must give you a Certificate. This is best demonstrated by comprehensive view: not only the The assessment should give you a series identifying an overall “owner” for the traditional view of process maturity of improvement recommendations and, Certification programme, perhaps an assessment but also an assessment of the as long as the terms of reference for the existing Quality Manager (QM), and an extent to which suitable audit evidence assessment were properly defined, those overall Service Delivery Manager and managerial controls exists. improvements should give you a roadmap (SDM). Each role has specific through to an auditable standard of responsibilities: the QM for providing The difficulty at this stage is to determine performance. The roadmap will identify objective internal quality audit services what constitutes conformance to the improvement dependencies, groupings, while the SDM for the process element of standard. The assessment of ITIL and priorities and should link the service provision. processes is mature and should present improvements to identifiable areas of the no difficulty, however, the additional standard. You may find that some Achieving a defined standard of processes may be less clearly understood recommendations can be achieved performance is never easy and shouldn’t and may not be as easy to define and through fine-tuning in some areas while be so. The points that I have raised will demonstrate: in practice, it may prove others involve more substantial work: this hopefully help to ease the path but there difficult to identify where they are is where you need to start detailed project will be work to be done, even if you are performed and who is responsible for planning. It is probable that there will be already implementing ITIL-based them in the first place. As an example, work packages that can be handled as solutions, but it will be worth making the consider Supplier Management: the projects and that different projects can be journey.

10 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 11 Your Institute – The Way Forward A landmark date for the Institute of th that a larger audience may be able to Service Management (ISM), as the first Monday 9 February 2004 generate some better ideas. Therefore if ever “members-only” event took place. Sean Lewis anyone does have any ideas for Institute The event was attended by around 20 Sysop strap lines please send them to us via members of the ISM which given that email to [email protected] with the this was our first ever event of this type subject of “ISM strap line”. We may be was felt to be a respectable number. skills of the individual and was an able to offer the best suggestion a small Certainly no complaints could be made as important means of helping and being prize, as well as the recognition of being to the input from the attendees, as a great able to give advice on the members’ a suitably clever individual. deal of discussion and debate took place development and driving the CPD with very positive results. process. The outcome was a consensus of Advertising the ISM and promoting its feeling that it was a case of short-term benefits to the wider business community Colin Rudd, in his role as president, took pain for a long-term gain. was also a large subject of discussion. It the chair for the event and guided the was agreed that we need to target the attendees through the event agenda. To The Institute’s CPD scheme is certainly recruitment and human resource elements start the event with some positive news one of the most popular benefits of the of the business community in addition to attendees were briefed on the developing Institute for its members as was shown by those already involved in the main field agreement between the BCS and the ISM the interest in this area. Discussions on of Service Management. A campaign to for each to become a trusted partner of how the Institute was developing this tackle this issue is being planned, but it the other. While still only in the early scheme led to some good ideas and was also suggested that some form of stages of agreement, with a lot of the suggestions being generated on how the targeted advertising outside of servicetalk detail still to be fleshed out, this should Institute can further develop the CPD into associated trade press and journals mean that membership of one scheme as well as the mentoring. As a may also reap some rewards. If any organisation will be accepted as evidence result of these discussions and ideas it is readers of this article are involved with or to support the membership requirements likely that the next Institute event will use aware of any publications that you think of the other, reducing administration this as its theme, so watch this space and would be suitable then please send us the overheads of both the individual and the the web site for further information. relevant names and contact details and organisation and will also lead to a closer we will follow these suggested leads. Any working relationship between the BCS The Institute is involving itself with e- suggestions via email please to and the ISM in the future. skills UK on the development and [email protected] with “Advertising updating of the skills framework for the ISM” as the subject line. The future direction of the ISM was then information age (SFIA) alongside other opened to the floor using the business professional bodies. It is hoped that this The future of these events was discussed plans as a reference, which generated will mean that the specific roles and skills by the group and it was felt that holding some good ideas and suggestions from of service management are identified and these events quarterly was about right in the assembled group. A popular choice of included into this framework. This terms of the time gap and that scheduling discussion (as always) are the application framework will in turn influence the the events to take place from 4pm to form(s) that the Institute uses and this qualification areas like NVQ’s, B/TEC around 8pm was also about right. The was picked up by the group. The feeling and higher education qualifications. next two events should then take place of the group discussion was that the around May and August time, and further forms do require a commitment of time It was suggested at the event that the announcements will be made closer to the and effort to complete, even with the Institute needs a “strap line” in order to time as the dates, venues and topics for ability to use the reduced format form help promote itself and its purpose and a these are further firmed-up. with a current CV. This commitment was few suggestions were made without felt to be important as it created the unfortunately firing the imagination of For the full list of current members see “baseline” in terms of the experience and the event attendees, so it was suggested the web site www.iosm.com.

Institute New Members Name Organisation Status Name Organisation Status Barry Corless Sysop Member Neil Battell Fox IT Member Michelle Hales Homebase Member Neil McCarthy Gartmore Investment Christian Nissen Post Denmark A/S Management Member (Royal Mail Denmark) Fellow Phillip Ives Yell Member Ronnie Coles Nuffield Hospitals Practitioner Jeremy Nuttall Schlumbergersema Practitioner Jonathan Traer-Clark Icore Ltd Member Brian Broadhurst Fox IT Ltd Member

12 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 April Theme Article BS15000 itSMF announces BS15000 Training and Qualification Ian Whyte Bishops Beech Ltd Vice Chair of the itSMF Certification Committee itSMF are the owners of the BS15000 and the delegate’s supporting Application of the requirements of the Certification Scheme and are qualifications and experience. standard in the real world committed to the further development Scoping issues such as what type of and promotion of BS15000. Training Options organisational structure is likely to The training options being made meet the requirements, what degree of There has already been significant world- available are a two-day course and a outsourcing is allowable, dealing with wide interest in the Scheme, and coupled three-day course, the choice depending multiple locations, etc with that there has been considerable on the objectives of the delegate. An overview of typical Service demand for training courses. In response Management tools in use to this, and to support further the take-up The two-day course is specifically for A BS15000 Auditor examination of BS15000, the itSMF have external auditors currently qualified to commissioned courses aimed at three audit against ISO9000 (specifically in the The three-day training for internal distinct audiences: IT sector) or BS7799-2:2002 and auditors and consultants will cover the external auditors working with assumes a thorough knowledge of audit above, although the emphasis is changed Registered Certification Bodies techniques. It is primarily focussed on slightly, and will also address areas such (RCBs) orientating existing auditors to the as: internal auditors with organisations requirements of BS15000. Starting off the project seeking to adopt BS15000 What is involved in planning to meet consultants giving advice to The three-day course is aimed at internal the requirements of BS15000 organisations preparing for BS15000 auditors preparing to adopt BS15000, and Techniques for conducting a gap consultants wishing to give advice in this analysis against BS15000, to establish Training Objectives area. This training is more general than where we are now and how to get to The objectives of the training are to the two-day option and whilst knowledge where we want to be ensure that delegates are sufficiently of audit techniques is helpful, it is not The importance of staff and knowledgeable about BS15000 so that, in currently a pre-requisite. management commitment to the the case of external auditors, they will project – not just at the start but add value to audits which they are ITIL qualifications, whilst obviously throughout and continuing into the carrying out against the standard helpful, are not a pre-requisite for either future whereas, in the case of internal auditors option. There are of course many The relationship between the and consultants, they can help organis- similarities between ITIL and BS15000 organisation and the Registered ations make preparations for adoption of but the emphasis of BS15000 is Certification Body the standard, eventual audit, certification somewhat different and it contains Where consultancy stops and and ongoing compliance with it. several areas which are not addressed in certification starts ITIL, hence the need for a more focussed Planning and preparing for the The training will also prepare delegates approach. BS15000 audit for an examination held at the end of the Ensuring the standard continues to be course, success in which results in the The Syllabus met into the future award of an itSMF BS15000 The syllabus for the two-day external A BS15000 Internal Auditor/ qualification. auditor course is intended to cover areas Consultant examination such as: The details of the qualification structure The background to BS15000, where it Dates for public courses will be notified are still being worked out but one came from, similarities with ITIL in servicetalk and on both possibility is that there could be three The itSMF Certification Scheme, the www.itsmf.com and levels of award – one for itSMF BS15000 role of the RCB, Scheme regulations www.bs15000certification.com. Auditors, one for itSMF BS15000 and operation in practice Internal Auditors and one for itSMF BS15000 terminology, the process In-house courses can also be arranged, BS15000 Consultants with the particular objectives and interfaces between and further details can be found by award depending on the course attended them following the links on these sites.

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 13 14 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Firstly, I’d like to complement you on would argue this is coming soon as more the last issue – it looked different and it and more companies review their felt different. I was particularly servicetalk suppliers for IT stability and security. In impressed by the inclusion of the the US, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, a challenging article by Neil McBride feedback/letter reaction to corporate scandals is forcing from De Montfort University. With companies to review fiscal, IT and ethical such a provocative argument it would Alan Drewett procedures. Cobit and ITIL have never be fantastic if you could include a Head of European Technology been in such demand to help ensure regular letters page allowing feedback. Bausch & Lomb corporate compliance. Imagine your I submit the following in optimistic customer base disappearing overnight anticipation. contributing equally to the desires and because you could not prove you had a objectives of the company. IT service continuity plan or because you This article attempts to shake the very could not guarantee you had the foundations of Service Management, There is also another issue to consider – procedures to deal with a denial or confronting its reason for existing and some aspects of infrastructure are service attack. If you can’t prove advocating (if I’m reading it correctly) a becoming commodity. As Utility continued operations in adverse return to the chaotic and anarchistic days Computing gains acceptance, sections of conditions why should your customer put where finding high systems availability, infrastructure will be honed down to the themselves at risk. business alignment, cost control and point where they will be treated, as Neil prompt quality service were as likely as says, just like a telephone. There is On a softer issue customer service from discovering WMD in Iraq or the Beagle 2 absolutely no point in waisting time IT is an underestimated but significant on Mars. It will make every Service trying to work out how to get a workforce morale booster. It serves to Manager step back and think – but not competitive advantage from these emulate and contribute to the company’s for long. components. But Service Management culture. Happier staff are more positive must nevertheless be applied irrespective and more productive. Consider the Perhaps De Montfort University users are of whether these services are in-house or opposite – “If IT can’t give me a reliable laid back and can wait until the IT outsourced. service why should I be so concerned Services Department ponder and about the quality of my work, I only hypothesise over innovative ways to So is Service Management a Strategy? make this widget that goes somewhere on deliver services but today’s businesses Absolutely. Without getting bogged down the undercarriage of a large commercial can’t. The demand for 24x7 IT services in semantics a strategy is to execute aircraft”. from ever more complex applications and against a plan in order to achieve a infrastructure requires a high degree of specific goal. So you can take your pick Is there a need for innovation? Of course, discipline and best practice. The author on what business goal SM may fit into but this runs happily alongside Service suggests that best practice and standards (reducing bottom line costs, customer Management disciplines. Service Level stifle innovation – this is not the case. If satisfaction, e-commerce services). Management and Service Improvement anything, the adoption of SM promotes it Programs act as the feeds for innovation by providing more time and resources to Can Service Management provide a and the introduction and maintenance of be focused on service improvements. competitive edge? Yes. The theory that value added services. Change and What most IT organisations want is to be SM’s value or “ITIL/BS 15000 Release Management will ensure that trusted by the business, to be seen as compliance” will become valueless they are delivered to the business in the “value added” and not as a cost. This because everyone will have it is correct manner without risking simply can’t be achieved in today’s world simplistic in the extreme. Given that it continuing operations. without continually improving reliability, could take several years to achieve [Ed. We are delighted to receive and print customer satisfaction and earning respect. compliance those that have it or are well responses to articles, etc published in the This opens doors and promotes down the road will already be enjoying magazine. We have attempted to have a letters collaboration between the Business and its benefits. Also consider what will page in the past and will continue to do so – it IT. Indeed, after time the barriers happen if the big players in the B2B merely requires some provocative and thought- provoking articles and some willing between them disperse and IT become a supply chain demanded BS15000 or correspondents! We try to encourage and provide fully paid up member of the business, BS7799 certification. Many pundits the former – over to you!!!] People on the Move

Fox IT are delighted to announce that Richard Stinton has joined as Business Development Manager for HP Openview from BMC Patrol and Mark O’Neil has joined as a Senior Consultant from the Post Office and CSC Prism Alliance.

A previous Student of the Year and Service Manager of the Year, Geoff Thirlwall, has left Diageo to start his own consultancy practice, Bossman Swan.

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 15 April Theme Article BS15000 BS15000: Past, Present and Future Dr. Jenny Dugmore ConnectSphere Chair, BSI Service Management Group

The first BS15000 audits Planning and implementing service and distant 80’s, initially producing a The first successful BS15000 audits, management processes code of practice covering four core done under the official itSMF Planning and implementing new or processes. This was replaced in 1998 by a certification scheme, have been changed services second edition covering the 13 processes completed. The 13 processes shown in Figure 1 shown in Figure 1. Moving to ISO The BSI has accepted the business The standard is in two parts. BS15000-1 At this stage attention was directed to case for BS15000 to become an is a formal Specification that defines producing the standard now referred to as International standard. This change is what is required for service management BS15000. The first edition of BS15000 subject to agreement by other processes to reach best practice was published in 2000. At the same time national standards bodies and if standards. It is against Part 1 that audits the group also published the IT Service agreed is expected to take 18 months. are performed. BS15000-2 is a Management – A Self-Assessment supporting Code of Practice that What is this “BS15000”? Workbook (PD 0015). The workbook is describes best practices and by doing so used to check the quality of service BS15000 is the world’s first standard explains the requirements of Part 1. It is management processes. specifically aimed at Service not itself part of the requirements. Management. It is published by the The standard is part of the BS15000 As well as the BSI group many British Standards Institution. The series, which includes a Self-Assessment organisations have been involved in standard defines the features of service Workbook and a Management Guide to review and testing the BS15000 series. management processes that are essential Service Management. Thanks for this work are due to the for delivery of high quality services. organisations in Figure 2. BS15000 is based on the knowledge and The origins of BS15000 experience of experts working in service The standard was produced by the BSI’s management. Service Management Group. This group consists of industry experts representing BS15000 covers: a range of organisations and professional Scope of service management bodies, with practical understanding of Terms and definitions service management. Requirements for a “Plan-Do-Check- Act” management system This BSI group started work in the dim

The role of “Early Adopters” It was agreed that the BS15000 series should be tested before a certification

16 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 scheme was developed. This was done symptoms and causes of inadequate Helps management by requiring with the support of the “Early Adopters”, service management. It helps managers ownership and responsibility at all 16 organisations who provided valuable understand the benefits of implementing levels feedback based on actual use of the processes. Common inter-enterprise operational BS15000. processes, giving easier management The Self-Assessment Workbook was also across a diverse environment, with The Early Adopters views can be updated to keep in step with the BS15000 inter-changeability of staff and summarised as: standard. service providers Realistic as a broad minimum Reduced risk and thus reduced cost in Fair, understandable and consistent Who is the standard for? using external service arrangements More specific than ISO 9000 The standard is of use to all service Assists with major organisational Provides a suitable benchmark providers, but in particular IT service changes, such as mergers, by providers. As BS15000 is process based providing a standard approach across During this test stage feedback was also the requirements are independent of the new organisation solicited from professional auditors, organisational form, and can be used by Reliable, consistent and cost-effective quality expert, operational service large and small organisations, across all services, giving competitive delivery managers and practitioners. sectors. It applies to commercial service advantage Following improvements based on the organisations as well as in-house service Improve overall reputation and feedback the BS15000 series was re- providers. perception of IS. published in 2002. Shift the balance towards proactive BS15000 business benefits processes A Management System Many companies are using BS15000 not Improves inter-departmental The major improvement was the addition only for their own benefit but also to help relationships by giving clarity on of the “Plan-Do-Check-Act” qualify and choose suppliers and partner “who does what” and common goals methodology. This aligned BS15000 with organisations. A framework for staff training management system standards such as Framework for automation of service management

In a Gartner research note (Gartner Strategic Planning, SPA-13-3434, Research Note, S. Mingay, M. Govekar, 4 March 2002) the standard was reported as a major step toward IT Service Delivery becoming mature and stable with a level of cross enterprise consistency.

Gartner also predicted that international recognition or an international equivalent was needed for the standard to achieve full potential. This is now happening, with active take-up of BS15000 outside the UK and support for BS15000 to ISO 9000. This is shown in Figure 3. Is BS15000 right for your organisation? become an international standard. “Plan-Do-Check-Act” crosses all service Will it bring you business benefits? management process. In practical terms BS15000 is not a panacea for all quality BS15000 and ITIL this means that BS15000 requires more issues but can bring a wide range of Following a concordat between the BSI, than a high standard for individual business benefits, even when service Office of Government Commerce and processes. management processes fall far short of itSMF, BS15000 and ITIL were aligned. BS15000’s requirements. The alignment of BS15000 and ITIL It is also essential to have senior does not mean you have to choose one – management commitment, service The benefits include: they are not interchangeable and serve management plans and policies, clear Alignment of business strategy and IT different purposes: process ownership, for the individual services ITIL sets out the best practices that, if processes to be integrated, and with A framework for existing service adopted, would assist an organisation interfaces clearly defined and well improvement programmes and assists to achieve the quality of service understood. in building the business cases for new management required by BS15000. programmes BS15000 sets the standards that At this stage a Managers’ Guide to Shows how your service really service management processes should Service Management was published. It compares to best practices and best in aim for, and objectively tests that best includes practical details such as the breed service providers practices really have been adopted.

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 17 The relationship between the two sets of 2000, ISO15288, to name just some. BS15000 requires a “top down” approach publications is shown in Figure 4. There are many examples of proprietary that checks and eliminates these failings. material. Useful ideas and Applied properly BS15000 will help techniques for service and organisations achieve significant process improvements are improvements without wasting resources available from these other publications. The itSMF Certification Scheme Claims to comply with BS15000 can be Experience has shown that it independently verified as part of a formal is beneficial to align service certification scheme. The itSMF created management improvements and now manage the official Certification to the initiatives adopted in Scheme which provides this your organisation. The key independence. distinction between BS15000 and other How and where to buy the BS15000 publications is that BS1500 series is a management system that The publications can be obtained from is specific to service the BSI. management processes which checks: Visit: http://www.bsi-global.com. The others? are you doing the right things? itSMF are also a distributor of the Increased maturity in the service industry and BS15000 series. has seen an explosion in the production are you doing them correctly? Visit http://www.itSMF.com and use of best practice advice, capability [And of course members are entitled to and maturity models and standards. This Some organisations use a ‘bottom up’ discounts!] includes not only ITIL but many others: approach to adopting best practices, this Extracts from BS15000 series material TQM, Six Sigma, CobiT, EFQM, eSCM, can lead to duplication of effort, gaps and are reproduced with the permission of ISO12207, BS8600, ISO15505, COPC- overlaps in processes. Implementing BSI under license number 2003DH0285.

18 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Regional Reports itSMF Regional Groups provide a vital link with our members. Their regular meetings offer the chance to discuss issues of current concern and to network with fellow professionals. These reports illustrate the importance of the groups.

a case study based on multi-party London & South East Paul Simpson then provided an relationships and what lessons were Beaty Tyrrell interesting insight as to how Abbey has learnt. How, in spite of SLA’s having Abbey addressed the issue of Internal been agreed with all parties, there can St Valentine’s day often prompts thoughts Relationships. The presentation detailed still be underlying discontent resulting in of cards and presents, bought or to be how different initiatives had been strained relationships, which needs to be bought, and how this might affect our instigated within different areas of the continually monitored and addressed. current relationship. Therefore the theme company in order to foster understanding Also, how it became evident that if of ‘Relationships’ was an apt choice for and improve relationships. The initiatives members of the consortium have a the seminar held on St Valentine’s eve, were tailored to each of the relationship similar service offering, it is not always 13th February 2004, and hosted by Abbey areas, as there was an understanding that possible to eradicate the natural at their Head Office in Triton Square, each area would have different views, embedded competitiveness that exists London. perceptions and expectations. Again within the individual organisations. A discussion followed on a variety of topics lively floor debate followed covering Ken Goff (Prudential), Chairman of the including the need to promote ITIL issues such as the importance of sharing Region opened the event by explaining Awareness outside of Service both work and rewards, the need to that, unlike a seminar day, this was a day Management areas in order to gain some reduce overlap of expertise and the for the attendees to participate, an ‘buy-in’, as well as how internal importance of attaining a workable opportunity for members to network and presentations, mentoring and learning dynamic within group relationships. exchange experiences and develop ideas games can be used to maintain an based on the theme of the day – appropriate ongoing level of awareness in Finally, Ken brought the day’s event to a Relationships – What are they? – Why staff that have undergone formal ITIL close, thanking everyone for their are they important? – What are your training. contribution and thought provoking experiences? discussion. Roll on St Valentine’s Day Following lunch Jane Curry (Exel) and a better understanding of the This was followed by a brief welcoming started the afternoon session by speaking importance of making relationships speech by Linda Chapman on behalf of about Business Relationships. The basis work! the hosting organisation Abbey. of her presentation was, ‘Do we need Relationship Management and what is Ken returned to the floor to provide an the impact of not having it?’ Jane has Scottish itSMF update, which included been involved in developing an effective Caroline Drummond information on new itSMF chapters, the business relationship from a poor FMS March Seminar and Annual Conference. foundation and was able to provide the Ian French of FMS and the Scottish audience with details of her experiences itSMF Regional Chair welcomed The initial presentation was given by Sue in the areas of appropriate members to the event at The Holiday Inn, Southern (of Southern Assignments) who communication, hidden agendas and Glasgow on 16 February 2004. He then introduced the subject of Customer / understanding the culture of the outlined the format for the day’s events Supplier Relationships, covering company. The fact that this period is and introduced Jon Efford and Zoe matters such as Relationship Issues, the normally deemed the ‘graveyard’ slot Armstrong representatives from Abbey importance of Perception Management, seemed to have slipped the audiences who were sponsoring the event. the concept of the Balanced Scorecard mind and yet again there followed a and the Kano Model. This presentation period of interesting discussion covering The first part of the meeting took the prompted many questions and led to a topics from, how to supply your form of a presentation by first of all Ian lively discussion of topics ranging from – customers with the appropriate facts, to French followed by Ian Whyte (Bishops Who is the Customer? – through – Are the management of OLA’s. Beech Consultancy). They presented Senior Managers more interested in around the topic of IT Reporting to projects than Business as Usual Activity? The last session of the day was begun by Business Teams. Ian French began with – to – Is there a perception that people Mike Askew (Atkins Global), who some background information about involved in support and delivery activities presented on the topic of Third-Party himself and then discussed the main are lesser beings than Project Managers? Relationships. The presentation detailed issues surrounding the collection of

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 19 information and presentation of service Reports should be fit for purpose. And how ‘pragmatic’ is Appendix E in reports. The following questions were SMART – Specific, Measurable, reality? used to examine this subject: Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. What do we need to supply? Where service fails to satisfy These workshops generated so much Are statistics really any good? expectation then a penalty charge may material that we plan to refine and IT meets SLA’s but does it meet the apply. This should be reviewed condense it into the discussion topics for Business? closely prior to entering into any the next group get-together. agreement. Reporting is dependent upon the In the afternoon each of the 3 groups had environment in which the company This was an informative presentation that a different subject to brainstorm and then operates and the type of services which it generated discussion and feedback from present back to the others. These were, offers. In order for reports to add value the other attendees. Reasons for Implementing ITIL, How there should be frequent discussions i.e. can we sustain interest in ITIL? And monthly or quarterly between the John McDermott from itSMF provided an What should you Implement first? customer and supplier to review these update from the office of new Some reasons for implementation high- reports. The nature of the reports that are developments in publications and lighted were, it’s accessible, adaptable produced will depend on an agreement, mentioned the prospect of a new Events and credible within the industry. The which is usually included in the contract. Manager post. He then facilitated a favourite choice to implement first was All meaningful reports will contain a discussion on the issues, which were the Service Catalogue. management summary which will include raised during the presentation and asked for example the incidents that occurred, for some suggestions for future seminar We were particularly keen for feedback steps taken to rectify those incidents, key topics. Ian then summarised and thanked on sustaining interest, as this ties in with changes, plans for the future and service those involved for their efforts in the theme of the 2004 conference. level reporting. organising the event. Annelise Savill from TSO was able to make us aware of just how much new and The first step to producing worthwhile We then retired to lunch where the relevant material they are able to provide statistics is first of all to establish what it Holiday Inn had provided an excellent in order to assist in keeping up with the is that you’re trying to do and then look meal enjoyed by everyone! The event market. Their new website www.get-best- at how the systems can help to achieve provided useful information for all practice.co.uk is firmly focused on this. Statistics can be measured on both involved and provided an excellent business success both in ITSM and hard subjects (availability) and soft opportunity for networking. Our thanks Project Management. Customers can subjects (training). Unfortunately again to Abbey for sponsoring the event. subscribe to have access to OGC statistics are open to interpretation. This material, glossaries and information on presents a problem in that there is a high training organisations. Both easy to use probability that these statistics will be East Anglian & Midland and practical, it acts as a useful interpreted wrongly. Statistics help to SarahWhittaker springboard to best practice. understand performance, continuous Computacenter improvement and planning. For the January meeting of this regional John McDermott was also on hand to group we were again welcomed by give us an itSMF update. Each large ITIL Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) are Norwich Union. Jim Davies our regional book will have its own pocket guide often constructed and agreed in advance chairman opened the day by welcoming released by March, and the large books of the service being available. It is the 26 members attending and introduced are expected in various languages during important to: the agenda for the day. Q2. We were again encouraged to join the Review SLA’s for achievement Institute of Service Management, which Review SLA’s for relevance For the morning myself, Jim, and Dave offers professionals within this industry Review them in the context of the Backham of Microsoft, ran a facilitated the opportunity to have their abilities impact on the business. workshop around the topic ‘How can we properly recognised. The forthcoming put into practice the guidance in the new conference will again be held at the Building a good relationship with a publication, Planning to Implement Brighton Metropole from 8-10 customer is important, and putting Service Management?’ I don’t think any November, and submissions for achievement into context is essential to of us could put hand on heart and say presentations are now being requested for understanding how IT provides added we’d read it from cover to cover! Many this. John reiterated the fact that this is value to the business. of those present were however finding it our forum and if anyone would like to useful to dip into when required as a contact the itSMF with requests for future Ian Whyte then took to the floor to talk point of reference. seminar topics these would be happily about IT reporting in relation to the received. relevance of measurement and statistics. We discussed questions such as, How He covered the following points: useful and relevant is the book? How do Thanks again to Norwich Union for Under the current BS15000 standard, we get the positive involvement of sponsoring this event. The next regional IT Reporting is a process in its own colleagues and user-customers? Which of meeting will be held at Marval’s right. the disciplines should we tackle first? headquarters in Kettering on 7 April.

20 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 21 22 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 discretion. SMF it Name ______Name ______Name ______Name ______Name ______Post Code: ______Fax No ______Fax August 04 August st address (if alternative to above please state) to above (if alternative address s – no refund. Substitutions mays – no refund. time. be made at any . (Prices exclude VAT) . (Prices exclude July 04 Booked after 1 st Where payment is not received within our 30 day payment terms and a booking deadline has been passed, an additional paymentWhere charge is not received £93.50 with partner and Memberships will not be fully activated until full payment is received. Therefore any applicable discounts will be at applicable Therefore any until full payment is received. will not be fully activated Memberships SMF it BOOK ON LINE – www.itsmf.com April April 04 Booked before 31 th £52.50 single FAX BACK TO +44 (0) 870 706 1531 TO BACK FAX SMF, Webbs Court, 8 Holmes Road, Earley, Reading, Berkshire RG6 7BH Reading, Berkshire Court, Earley, 8 Holmes Road, Webbs SMF, it £795£1020 £845 £1120 £995 £1320 name ______Title Job Email: ______Partners name ______Title Job Email: ______Partners name ______Title Job Email: ______Partners name ______Title Job Email: ______Partners name ______Title Job Email: ______Partners Please send an invoice quoting Purchase Order No ______quoting Purchase Order Please send an invoice can be booked at a cost of at can be booked SMF Conference Delegate Booking Form it isa/Mastercard/Delta/Switch payments only Company ______Company Address ______No. ______Tel ______email ______Main contact Name: (Please tick appropriate method of payment) for £ ______enclosed Cheque Forename______Sur Forename______Sur Forename______Sur Forename______Sur Payment is subject to our Standard Terms and Conditions of 30 days from date of invoice. date of invoice. from and Conditions of 30 days Terms is subject to our Standard Payment band will be charged. and the next price between the booked for the difference Prices (excluding VAT):Prices (excluding 30 Booked Before Forename______Sur – 50% refund. 4-12 weeks Less than 4 week notice – full refund. 12 weeks in writing. Notice mustCancellations: be received Please Debit my credit/debit card:credit/debit my Debit Please V accept We name ______cardholder’s date: ____/____ issue no: expiry Signature: ______Date: ______booking by post to: your Return Please make cheques payable to ITSMF Ltd. Please make ______Facsimile:Email to: on +44 (0) 118 9260888 or by telephone via the above enquiries please contact the office any For +44 (0) 870 706 1531 [email protected] Members Non-members Sunday night accommodation Please indicate the number of Single and/or Double rooms you require for Sunday night ______

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 23 “Broaden your Service Management Horizons” Service Management Symposium AN OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK 18th – 19th May 2004 Hellidon Lakes Hotel, Golf & Country Club, Daventry, Northamptonshire

Speakers will be talking about their real-life work experiences Service Management – The Business Benefit Improving Service Performance Change Program in a Global Company Outsourcing Customer Satisfaction Best Practice – A Different Approach Service Catalogue The benefits and role of the itSMF Business Continuity Management Life-Cycle PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS Capacity Management & Service Desk

For an agenda or further information contact Linda Campbell Tel: 0161 432 6001 or email [email protected] We can accept payment by MasterCard, Visa, Switch, Solo and Electron cards

Due to rapid expansion we will be recruiting lecturers and consultants to join the team over the next few months. Please email your CV to [email protected]

Guild House, 51 Yarmouth Road, Norwich NR7 0ET www.ceceurope.com 24 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Ask the Experts

QUESTION 1 Management, Release Management and informed answer which shows that you My Service Desk is asking me Change Management processes are understand not just the theory and basic to estimate the likely volume of analysing measurements and metrics, the concepts but can also show an problems and problem types which will situation is not a static one. The processes appreciation of the practical issues facing arise following a software release. would be working together to learn from those who are to implement or operate Given that the size and complexity of past experience and proactively improve the function, then you are probably ready. the release will change with each release by release, through better release, is there a methodology or development, testing, training, Don’t forget that your answer should set process available to assist me in documentation etc. out arguments for and against and come providing this information. What other up with a conclusion. As an aside, my alternatives are available to help me ANSWER 1-2 view is that it is “A Good Thing” – but in assisting the Service Desk? Sean Lewis, Sysop there are a few respected players in the Problem Management leaps to mind as a world of Service Management (mostly ANSWER 1-1 process that would help you to identify Johnny-Come-Latelys, I would add) who Colin Rudd, ITEMS Ltd and highlight these issues, particularly say that true Configuration Management The answer, as always, is it depends. It based on problems detected in past is too ambitious, “get Asset Management depends on the type of organisation, the releases. Even without problem right first”, they bleat. “Have a bit of quality and maturity of the processes management having already performed vision, have faith and read the Good used, the people involved and the quality an analysis of the Incident records Book”, I respond. Perhaps the heretics of information available. In mature following previous releases, you may would like to engage in a debate on the organisations the processes used are wish to do this as an exercise and may be letters page?? I digress. Back to the subject to continuous improvement able to generate some insights into the question. therefore there should be an underlying type, volume and nature of problems you trend of incidents and problems experience with software releases. Don’t forget that your answer should occurring as the result of software show that you understand all the sub- releases. As it is your Service Desk who are processes and interfaces. It should highlighting this, it would be a good idea also form the basis of a business case – However, in reality the only real answer to involve them in this and if possible containing benefits, possible problems, to this question is to look back at past “own” this activity. This information options and an appreciation of the costs experience, and analyse what has while not perfect from day 1 will be and resources involved. You should also happened during and subsequent to more meaningful in terms of your own address the cultural issues of acceptance previous software releases, but organisation as compared to an industry and the organisational changes that could unfortunately it’s not an exact science. “norm”. This would form your initial be involved. Most importantly you However, if the Service Management measurement on which you can further should say how Configuration processes are mature and provide the refine and improve this information and Management will benefit the business right sort of information a lot can be your own metric and reporting/analysis goals and improve customer service. achieved. on in the future. Be prepared for some of Worth mentioning also the issues that these issues to be based on breakdown of could arise if you have outsourced By regular analysis of the statistics from procedure as well as development errors Infrastructure Management and parts of previous releases on a “service by as this is a common area where releases Service Management – how will this service” or “application by application” can be seen to generate problems from. affect the situation? basis, the characteristics of each type of release of each service or application can I seem to remember that back in the early be deduced, for example: QUESTION 2 90’s when Red Badges were blue all the Every time we have a major release of Having passed the Foundation exam, questions on my exam paper were a bit “Service Z” we experience a 30% how do I know that I’m ready to take like this one. These days the questions increase in the number of Service the Managers Certificate? are much more specific and based on a Desk incidents for that service during case study. Not really any easier or the first week after the release ANSWER 2-1 harder, just more explicitly designed to Every time we have a minor release of David Johnston, DAJex Ltd bring out the practical application and “Application A” we notice very little Try this mock exam question: management angle of Service increase the volume of incidents for “Configuration Management is a good Management. that application thing. Discuss.” If you are confident that you could do

However, as was previously stated in the If you can produce (in 35 minutes, long this for all the disciplines then you could best organisations where the Problem hand, closed book) a cogent and be heading for a distinction or the much-

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 25 coveted Student of The Year award. If Continuing Professional Development work also needs to be factored in to the the question seems daunting – then do (CPD) scheme equation. For these two weeks you will your research. Read the books, trawl the need to be prepared to make sacrifices in internet for white papers, but most Members of the Institute will help you to terms of your social and personal life and importantly – understand how you develop your own CPD plan, geared to have the capability of spending a serious do Service Management in your own your own skills, knowledge and amount of time on this commitment. So organisation. Be a nuisance. Find out experience. Many of the members have do you have time to give to this amount about the Business and Service faced a similar dilemma to that which is of study? Refer to the article about Continuity recovery strategies. Visit the now facing you and would be happy to attending a Managers course, in an earlier Service Desk. Talk to the Problem assist you in achieving your ambition of edition of servicetalk by Paul Wigzel if Manager. Read your SLAs. Have a good gaining the Manager’s Certificate. Many you doubt this statement. play with your integrated Service of the members already have the Management tool-set – if you haven’t got Manager’s Certificate, some having Before attending a Managers course one, what problems is that causing? Find passed it years ago and some having only make sure that you are ready to out what your Release Management recently achieved it, any of whom would participate in a knowledgeable way about policy is. Dig out all process be ideally placed to provide advice and the SS and SD topics, which means documentation. Speak to the Head of guidance to someone such as yourself. brushing the dust off the Foundation Service Management about the overall Further information is available from the course you did and maybe even getting Strategy and Framework. Institute’s web site at www.iosm.com. hold of the SS and SD books themselves and doing some pre-study if you feel that Research BS15000 – is your organisation ANSWER 2-3 your knowledge is a little rusty or weaker planning to seek certification? Get hold Sean Lewis, Sysop than you would like it to be. Do you feel of the project plan. Don’t stop there – go When is a person ready to take the you would be able to talk about any of on a mission of discovery. Managers Certificate? I could argue that the disciplines in a confident and the answer to that is, Never! Perhaps a informed manner? Then compare everything you have seen better way of stating the question might with what the Good Book says. What are be – how can I make sure that I am ready If you are lucky enough to work in an the strengths and weaknesses that you to take the Managers Certificate. organisation that has people who have have seen? Where are the gaps? What already gone through the Managers, ask do you think could be done about them? The Managers Certificate is based very them for their thoughts, advice and much on the belief that delegates should experiences and then ask yourself – Am I When you have got the bug and are be a manager or should have their next ready for this? If the answer is yes to this obsessed with Service Management and career step into management. This in and the above then you are probably service quality then you are ready for itself assumes that the person has a good ready to take the Managers certificate. greater things. Go for it. The world of understanding of management issues, Service Management needs more Red such as people management, project Badges. management, supplier management, QUESTION 3 financial issues and constraints etc. This With so many patches / updates being ANSWER 2-2 background knowledge of management automated by the supplier (for example Colin Rudd, ITEMS Ltd issues is an assumed pre-requisite of the Windows XP Updates or AV definition Congratulations and I think your course itself and the course will draw on updates) how do I decide within which enthusiasm for Service Management this experience and further develop the specific process(es) the activities should be welcomed and encouraged. candidates knowledge, but does not associated with the management of The first thing you should do is to expect to teach these concepts as a part of patches, fixes, bugs, applications and / consider joining the Institute of Service the course itself. Would you feel or infrastructure best fit? Is this simply Management. As you have now obtained comfortable in being able to give a a function of Release Management or your Foundation Certificate, if you have presentation to a CEO or board and feel are there other considerations? at least one year’s experience in the confident in being able to speak to them Service Management area, then you can in their own language? ANSWER 3-1 join the Institute as a Practitioner Colin Rudd, ITEMS Ltd member. This enables you to gain all of One of the biggest dangers with the There are many processes involved in the the benefits associated with membership Managers course is to focus on the two implementation of patches to operating of the Institute such as: weeks and two exam days as being the systems, applications software and anti- Use post nominal letters after your sole limit of commitment to the course. virus definitions. The major ones being: name (FISM, MISM, PISM, AISM The courses are intensive and are VERY Release Management and SISM) hard work and will probably require Change Management Attend Institute events and workshops something in the region of 6+ weeks Configuration Management Join, network and consult with like- worth of study which encompasses these Underpinning, technical support, minded Service Management two weeks of Service Support and distribution and implementation

professionals Service Delivery, but the extra processes and procedures Be involved in the Institute’s commitment of self-study and revision It is essential that all of the processes are

26 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 27 followed and all of them wherever testing of changes. Techniques can also Best practice tells me to protect the live possible are automated and integrated. be developed where the back-out plans environment as far as possible and to The whole process should be triggered by for such changes are also repeatable, but manage risks that could cause disruption an incident, problem or a proactive they also need to be tested on a regular to the best of my ability. With this in preventative action. Once the need has basis. Once testing has been completed mind I would be very wary of allowing been identified a change should be raised then final authorisation will be needed updates to my live environment operate within the Change Management process, from Change Management ensuring that outside of my change/release controls. often this step is an automated link from everybody is aware of what is happening Security management in an organisation either an incident or a problem. and that all communication, will wish to have the ability to ensure that documentation and support is available these are done on very quick timescales Once the change has been raised then the for the new software. but we also then have to be able to test change should be assessed for risk, and release these in a controlled manner - impact and benefit and if deemed ANSWER 3-2 maybe in some form of test office necessary should be authorised for Sean Lewis, Sysop facility. Many vendors are now building and testing. This stage of the Answer: It depends. There, I’ve said it, providing tools that can be used to change lifecycle relies heavily on the so we can get that out of the way right at support this type of strategy, which is quality and accuracy of the information the start. Release management in good news and means that this can be contained within the Configuration conjunction with Change and Security controlled far more effectively. Some of Management Database (CMDB). In a management should be able to define a this will be done through a formal release good CMDB, relationships between workable solution for an organisation. mechanism whereas some may have to be infrastructure components and their The main purpose of this activity that you implemented under change control or relative impacts will all be readily identify is risk management in particular even during emergency change control, available and the assessment activity can in terms of a security hole being it’s the consideration of your organis- be quickly completed. exploited or an unknown error in your ational structure, approach to risk live environment occurring and causing management and the facilities at your For high volume routine or standard service disruptions. disposal which will normally define the changes “change models” should exist who, why, where and how the necessary that automate as many aspects of the I find that there is a large amount of trust actions are carried out. change lifecycle as possible. These placed in the quality control of third If you want to either: models enable these types of change to parties and suppliers who are providing Add your views to the above fast track through the system particularly this sort of service, in terms of their own Join our panel of Experts where they are changes that are controls being sufficient that there own Then contact: implemented on a frequent and regular processes are robust enough so that a John McDermott at the office basis. Again automated build techniques patch/update of this sort will not effect (t) 0118 926 0888 can be employed together with pre- my live environment in any way. History (e) [email protected] assembled “test beds” enabling rapid tells me that this is not always the case. itSMF Vendors Clarity Provided and Questions Answered Chris Bradbrook-Armit Vendor Executive Committee Chairperson

It is not often that the Vendor community to those frequently asked questions from Marketing Communications of the itSMF is able to make an the Vendor community of ‘How do we go Vendor Conduct announcement, which is not related to about getting a specific service from the their own company’s products and itSMF?’ or ‘What services are available In recognising that the Vendor Guidelines services, but this is a rare occasion when to us?’ are ‘fluid’ and will no doubt evolve and we can. be refined over time (continuous Published on the itSMF website the improvement), the most up to date and The itSMF Vendor Guidelines have been Guidelines cover a multitude of areas current version will be displayed on the produced by the Vendor Executive including: itSMF website. Committee in conjunction with the itSMF Services available to the Marketing Executive Committee and Vendor Community Please take time out to review the Aidan Lawes, the CEO. Sponsorship document and provide any comments or Participation from both the Vendors feedback through the itSMF office or via The Vendor Guidelines provide answers and the itSMF ([email protected]).

28 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 IT Physician Heal Thyself and Don’t Let HR Pick Up IT’s Bad Habits? John Gibert Southcourt

Have you five minutes to read this? engage the eyes of the HR account innovation, with what did you call it – This is a prelude to the last in the series manager as he spoke but the ceiling was NRFO?” of seven articles on IT Physician Heal winning his attention. “Well, I don’t Thyself. It has been put in before the actually have a problem with my current A slight pause for breath and a last article, hopefully to provide a bit supervisors or junior managers. I have considered moment later, the HR of light relief to readers of the series, just managed to get them working Account Manager replied. “Not as such – which many people have found hard effectively individually and as a team. It well not as we in HR see it. We just look reading. has taken me three years and I want to upon NRFO as an opportunity for leave them just as they are.” developing the new resources. These A business manager of a key function Eastern European people will pick up the within the operational part of the business “Well I am sorry to hear that” replied the English language and customs quickly, was working at his desk, when a knock at HR Account Manager. “You are missing and we in HR, feel that within five years the door interrupted him. Swinging a huge opportunity here to reduce your everybody will be looking back saying – through the door was a smiling, suited labour costs by 50%; the only alternative what was the problem?” gentleman. is to outsource the work to Libya, yes Libya – that’s the latest opportunity and The manager walked around his desk to “Hello, I am your new HR Account is yielding an 80% saving at present, but face the HR Account Manager, “It’s Manager. It’s a new role and I am pleased we have not got an arrangement lined up going to take five years?” to meet you. I have come to see you yet to do that.” today and tell you about the innovative “No less than five, we reckon probably HR services that we are now introducing. The HR Account Manager continued just three years” the HR Account You no doubt have seen information again, still without taking breath, “Now it Manager was now smiling, he felt that he about them on notice boards – all part of is HR policy to improve the efficiency of was getting his message across and that the new proactive HR function!” the Human Resource across the company, he was providing a level of reassurance to and I am afraid to say that we will stop the manager. He was looking at the ceiling as he supporting managers who want to use the spoke, clearly practised, word perfect and old high-costs labour resources. We are The manager leaned over the HR without taking breath. “Now we have a undertaking a rationalisation programme Account Manager, “But that’s going to set of new services which we are to eradicate costs through innovative HR cause us problems! It is going to take us encouraging our customers to take up, provision and this service, we call it three years to get back to where we are that’s you, you’re one of our customers, ‘New Resources For Old, nick named today, and what about our services to our yes? OK?” NRFO, is a key plank on our HR customers?” strategy.” He had now found a place on the ceiling The HR Account Manager retorted, “Well to focus his eyes as he spoke. “Now the “What do you mean you will stop it’s for the good of the company – in the first one of these new HR services is the supporting managers?” queried the longer term there’s a 150% payback, use of low-cost, hard working people manager, now sitting so far forward that that’s over 10 years, and NRFO is now from Eastern Europe. We have just he almost fell from his chair. HR policy. ‘No gain without pain’, as acquired a load of them and they are well they say, and after all, you are a manager educated and have shown good attitude. “Well what we mean is that we will stop and you get paid a lot of money – to sort We think that they have the potential to paying the staff involved, and you the out things like this.” replace some of the expensive managers will have to sort that out with supervisory and junior management staff them.” There was a verbal expression of across the company and in particular in disbelief, as the manager recoiled back your department.” The first moment’s silence was broken by into his chair. the manager who was now standing up The manager looked up and tried to asking, “Is there a downside with this HR The HR account manager carried on in

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 29 his own excitement, oblivious to the thought it would bring that calm to our not getting from the IT suppliers what the manager now sitting with his head in his working environment.” business needs, which is frequently not hands. this year’s innovation, but the innovation “So that’s where we are, they are all HR of three years ago that is now working “Now as your HR Account Manager I policy, so you will need to know all of well. need to tell you about the other HR them in some detail because these are all innovations we are introducing. We being implemented this week”. But you The IT industry is still driven by the need believe they will differentiate us from our have the reassurance of having me as to market IT innovation rather than just competitors.” your own personal HR Account Manager, find ways to help the business evolve in “I need to tell you about the ‘Extended to help you where I can.” its competitive markets. Maternity Leave Scheme’ – XMLS – as we are marketing it, where, if an The HR Account Manager now looked To do this IT needs to understand its employee has any member of their family into the eyes of the Manager for the first business and the business processes, far that has had a baby, then they can take up time and asked, “So what do you think?” more than this year’s technology to a year off, on half pay, to help.” innovations. This is where ITIL should help IT take the Business Perspective and “And then there’s the ‘Staff Manager not its own perspective of the business Switch Scheme’ – SMSS – as we have The story is a bit far fetched – of course world. abbreviated it, where members of staff it is – but can you draw the parallel with take over the department for a week and IT and the imposition of unwanted Has anybody heard of HRIL? Our HR the manager does the work of the staff counterproductive IT innovation on the companions need it in the company member. This will be very popular.” business? Just as the business is working involved in the story above. smoothly with one set of information “And then there’s the ‘Bring Your Pet To technologies –along comes another set – This article was written by John Gibert of Work’ scheme, that goes by the title, yes I things don’t work, things work Southcourt as part of the IT Physician can see you have guessed it, haven’t you? differently and people are back to square Help Thyself articles, as a prelude to the – BYPTW. We are doing more than just one – taking a year to get back where last in the series of seven articles that will extending our crèche arrangements. Pets they were. appear in the next edition of servicetalk. will be with people in their work place. Any queries or comments please contact They are so calming at home that we And whose fault is it? The IT industry for him at [email protected] SLAs: An Evolution That Might Leave Darwin in a Daze Brian Hendry Senior Consultant Axios Systems Remember when you first heard about an IT function, such as network maturing steadily over the past decade, Service Level Agreements? availability or desktop performance. developing in line with the establishment of ITIL, the internationally accepted It may have been more than a decade But after an initial buzz, SLAs were no guidelines for best practice in IT service ago, when the trade press had firmly longer the thing of headlines and the management. An increasing number of dubbed SLAs as the NBT – the Next column inches were overtaken by other companies have moved from talking Big Thing. And no wonder. IT fashions of the day. One may well ask about SLAs to actual implementation, – what went wrong? across industries ranging from finance to For the first time, SLAs offered the manufacturing. alluring possibility of formalising an Actually, the fact is that SLAs and agreement to guarantee performance of management of SLAs (SLM) have been What has changed, however, is the nature

30 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 of the SLA itself. The Service Level reason is that IT managers themselves periods such as the end of the month or Agreement of today is a very different may look askance at SLAs, fearing that close of the financial quarter. beast from the SLA of 1993, and here’s they’re just a sneaky management tool why. aimed at cutting costs, cutting jobs, or rooting out embarrassing inefficiencies in Let’s Look At That Again First, let’s appreciate what the SLA “the way we do things.” One of the first Is a company on the road to complete actually is. At its core, it is a formalised things that we at Axios Systems always efficiency once it has identified the agreement between the IT function and try to help companies realise is that SLAs functions to be monitored and set the business it serves. SLAs can be can be empowering for everyone in the realistic targets for availability in its between outsourced technology providers company. They don’t have to be a big SLA? The answer is no. All of the SLA and their clients but, quite crucially, they stick. preparation work will certainly be for also cover the relationship between a nothing unless strict procedures are in company’s internal IT function and the On a practical level, implementing an place for reporting and remedial action. wider organisation. SLAs are about SLA entails looking at the key IT Unless a company examines the areas in ensuring that the IT infrastructure serves processes that must perform to a certain which its SLA is being violated, it can’t the business function, and as that efficiency level for the business to run start to look for the causes. It’s only by infrastructure has changed, so the SLA smoothly. This process of examination looking closely at the areas that are has become a different animal indeed – forges a new, open line of communication falling down that a company can and the evolution has occurred so quickly between management and IT, because diagnose the underlying triggers and it might leave even Darwin breathless. both parties must clearly enunciate what really start its process of continuous the business expects of IT, and what the improvement. From straightforward mainframe systems IT department can realistically deliver. connecting dumb terminals to a humming If a company wants to get into its stride cabinet of powerhouse systems locked in with its SLA and develop that culture of the basement, the corporate IT Some of the “gotchas” constant improvement, it must look at infrastructure has rapidly transformed these Service Level Agreements as part of into a frighteningly complex chain with a deeper alignment of the IT function many more links…which of course that can taint an with the business function. Some very means more points of failure. The important business benefits emerge when desktop PC links to a hub on the local SLA implementation the IT people and the business area network, the LAN may link to other management people have established that LANs and wide-area networks, including are when companies dialogue – budgeting is just one of them. intranets, extranets and the Internet. All the applications, hubs, routers, switches do not set For example, if management takes a and servers may make the IT manager decision that it wants to grow by 20% think fondly of the days when dumb realistic goals for next year, what chance do you think it terminals walked the earth. has of achieving that goal if its network delivery of a service. resources are already operating at 90% Today the SLAs that we see in companies utilisation? A company that has Service are far more wide-ranging than in the old Level Management as part of its days, and that’s precisely because IT isn’t The functions that SLAs govern can vary corporate culture will be communicating locked in the basement any more. hugely but they may include availability its goals to the IT department. That Functionally, IT has moved into a of key financial applications, response means that IT can then look ahead, strategic position at the very nucleus of times for incidents or help desk queries, calculate what new people and systems modern business. When the end user’s or timing for delivery of hardware resources will be needed to provide for system is down, he or she doesn’t care components. Part of the process of 20% growth over 12 months, and the whether it’s the PC, the local server, the putting in place a realistic SLA is not just company can budget accordingly. telecom network, the Web server or some identifying what functions should be other element that has failed. They just monitored, but also negotiating what Looking back at what’s changed with want their system up again. This means levels of availability can realistically be Service Level Agreements over the past SLAs of today must be as wide-ranging attained. decade or 15 years, what strikes me most as the IT function itself, covering not just is how very much broader SLAs have a single function – such as network For instance, when first broaching an become to cater for the maturing role of availability – but the whole gamut of SLA, management may demand 100% the IT department as a service provider. services that IT supports. availability of the accounting package. The IT department isn’t just providing But following negotiation with IT – and boxes and software and cabling any after hearing how much it will cost to get more. It has become – and I believe it is We Don’t Need That Around Here 100% availability all the time – beginning to see itself as – a real service If SLAs are so wonderful, why isn’t an management may realise that 95% is provider, catering to its customers, who integrated SLM programme already in completely satisfactory most of the time, are its colleagues in the rest of the place in every business in the world? One and that 100% is needed only for crunch organisation.

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 31 The Top Five Mistakes A practical guide to improving IT service delivery Derek Brown Managing Director Available Systems Limited One of the biggest challenges for IT need to be answered honestly: With regard to processes, there has to be departments today is delivering high What efforts do we as IT professionals a solid Application Development availability of systems to meet the ever- make to understand and support the methodology with the business playing a increasing expectations of customers, drivers and challenges faced by our key role throughout the life cycle as well both internally and externally. IT customers? as Release and Change Management environments are complex in their What efforts do we make to build and processes to control risk effectively. organisation, approach and infrastructure develop relationships with our and have to grow and change at a pace to customers? Inappropriate balance between match the rate of business development. How well do we manage customer technology and process Is it any wonder therefore that things expectations so that we don’t const- It’s a fact that as techies we are in love frequently go wrong and both sides end antly over-promise and under-deliver? with technology. After all, without the up disappointed and disillusioned! Do we do enough to deliver metrics technology where would we be? that are meaningful in business terms? Virtually any issue that has a detrimental Long gone are the days when percent- However, so many issues arise because effect on IT service delivery has an age availability of the mainframe is of processes have been neglected. Either impact on the business as a whole. From any value to anyone! they have not been developed properly or my 30 years experience in the IT sector not adhered to – or both. The key the top five issues which IT departments You may say it’s a two-way street; the processes required to run an effective IT have to address to negate this impact are: customer has to participate equally in department are well covered by ITIL Poor understanding of the business maintaining and growing the relationship. documents. These are a very useful set of and customer relationships Of course that’s right but IT can still take guidelines and with a pragmatic approach Difficulties managing the quantity and the lead. This can be done by ensuring to process development and implement- speed of change required by the your IT function makes this a primary ation, it is possible to achieve some very business. focus and has agreed processes in place good practice in your IT operations. An inappropriate balance between which determine how the relationship technology and process. will operate and what is expected of each Communication between development party. Having this will provide a solid Ineffective communications and service delivery is ineffective. foundation upon which to deliver service between development and service Too much top-down focus on the “fire- and deal properly with the issues that will delivery fighting spiral” means service inevitably arise. Application Development and Operations protection, recovery and improvement teams often have widely different is neglected. Difficulty managing the quantity agendas. Development is only interested and speed of change required by in delivering on time, within budget and So how do we address these issues? the business meeting the functional requirements. Of course, the customer wants the new Operation’s prime aim is for the Poor business understanding and development at the lowest price and they implementation to go cleanly and the customer relationships want it tomorrow. Relationship and system to be operable. The mind-sets It never ceases to amaze me how difficult processes are again key. Whilst we don’t may be different but the end-game has to relationships can be between IT depart- expect the customer to accept the fact be the same. ments and the businesses they serve. that our development will take “for ever” Frequently things can be exacerbated and cost a “fortune” they have to be Operations and Development need to when outsourcing is in place. Neverthe- realistic enough to know that it won’t be work in partnership to design, build and less, even within a company one wonders delivered “yesterday” for “free”. deliver a solution that: if they are working on the same team. Takes account of non-functional In a mature relationship expectations will requirements as well as functional. IT is such an integral part of every be realistic on both sides. Obviously Accounts for the running costs of a business today that good communications there will be business-critical solution as well as the development between the customer and IT are developments where IT has to pull out all costs. absolutely crucial. Fostering trust and the stops, but this can’t be achieved all Includes sign-off points throughout the honesty is vital as the relationship grows the time. The development workload has life cycle. and develops. Some difficult questions to be prioritised by the business. Interfaces with Release and Change

32 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Management processes. change and risk. Keep the customer fully informed of Retains development support for a Be proactive in addressing issues that progress and manage expectations for “warranty” period following you know leave your service service restoration. implementation (ensuring this support vulnerable. Service Improvement: is properly costed and not “thrown in” Ensure ownership and accountability Have a management focus on for free). are at the heart of everything you do. improving service – continually Take time to learn and apply solutions review your strengths, weaknesses, Fire Fighting Spiral from incidents and problems opportunities and threats. Delivering consistently reliable service to encountered. Develop and manage a formal service customer is what it’s all about. Hardware, Test your procedures on a regular basis improvement programme with an software, processes and people will fail at to ensure they will stand up to a real allocated budget and involve ALL some stage or another. However, the crisis. areas of IT as well as a customer effort put into reducing the risk of failure Human behaviour is unpredictable – representative. can pay dividends. Why not use your robust, highly-conformant best Measure key performance indicators fire-fighting resources as gatekeepers and practice processes and procedures are and set realistic, but demanding checkers instead? therefore vital. improvement targets. Service Recovery: Have a management system for Make sure you have top-level support in Ensure that incidents are detected formally reviewing service and the organisation for service protection, either before service is affected or at introducing additional activities to the service recovery and service improve- worst immediately it is affected. service improvement programme. ment by considering the following: Quickly implement diagnostic and Service Protection: recovery skills and techniques to In conclusion, problems and issues over Identify critical components in your IT detect the cause and expedite service IT will always be with us but if infrastructure and configure them to recovery. technology, communications and minimise or avoid business impact Manage incidents effectively including processes are correctly aligned it should upon failure. where necessary escalation and go a long way to minimising the risks of Changes cause problems, ensure you invocation of Crisis Management failure and hopefully producing delighted have effective processes to manage procedures. customers!

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 33 34 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Keeping the IT Balancing Act on the Tight Rope Tim Young Proxima Technology A great deal is written about the value of Balanced scorecards measurement, but apart from knowing are very relevant to IT that it is necessary, it appears to be service-level something that we generally need management (SLM). improvement on. As a result, business Not only is this a data decisions are made based on empirical intensive task that evidence that is either lacking or woolly needs unscrambling, to say the least. “Gut feel” and “intuition” but also our universe is are very much the order of the day and an electronic one in any moves to put in place a measurement which you can easily system invariably lead to cries of protest capture and analyse about freedom, trust and creativity. While vast amounts of data intuition has undoubtedly created some to establish true of the world’s most successful meaning. Furthermore, businesses, it has probably wreaked IT departments need havoc on many more. So the adage—you tools to improve can’t improve what you don’t measure— service quality and needs to be your mantra if you are to reduce costs, but they become an effective decision maker. also need tools to articulate their value in A balanced scorecard is a measurement terms meaningful to system that provides real insight into the their colleagues in status of a business or some part of it. other departments. Finally corporate between IT services and the business According to Gartner, balanced executives need to understand fully processes they support to allow IT scorecards are the most widely where their IT investment is paying off. service quality to be analysed in the recognised business measurement So what better than to use the defacto context of the resultant effect to the systems1. Developed in the 1990s by management measurement system for business. A vehicle for achieving this Kaplan and Norton, this approach this purpose? alignment is the scorecard, which converts value drivers—such as customer delivers metrics that chosen at this level, service, innovation, operational A scorecard implementation takes the will reflect corporate business strategy in efficiency and financial performance—to “less is more” adage to its logical order to show how IT contributes to these a series of defined metrics. Companies conclusion to provide a picture of service end goals. record and analyse these metrics to help quality that is instantly accessible to all determine if they are achieving strategic participants in Service Delivery. From the The next level in our hierarchy is goals, and use this model to ensure each technicians operating the service, the occupied by Service Delivery Managers potentially conflicting perspective is in Chief Information Officer (CIO) who are responsible for quality of balance. For example, an insurance accountable for it, to the end-users who application service. Essentially, this part company may increase profitability by are the ultimate beneficiaries, everyone of our scorecard reports service level offering incentives to Claims Assessors has a common understanding of value— agreement (SLA) compliance. This view for taking a tough stance on payout, but with each viewpoint tailored to specific also requires IT services to be aligned they will also quickly find dissatisfaction responsibilities. This hierarchy is with at least the critical business among their clients that may lead to illustrated in Figure 2 overleaf. processes in order sensibly to prioritise attrition. Scorecards help get this balance and direct the service provisioning task. right and are a significant breakthrough At the top-level, sits the CIO accountable Scorecard users at this level may also over more traditional single dimension for the service of the overall investment include business process owners who are approaches that tend to be based purely in IT. Here, interest focuses on the responsible for the IT-dependant business on expense management and business business value of IT and the impact of processes and who need to understand growth. An example of a balanced any failure or some service improvement how IT affects business services, at any scorecard is shown in Figure 1 above. activity. This view requires alignment given moment. Although these business

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 35 service. While over capitalisation cannot be addressed overnight, a downward trend in this regard provides a good indicator of cost savings. Candidate metrics for the finance perspective include: billing, consumption, perform- ance to budget, savings, COPQ, penalty payments, asset depreciation costs, ROI, profitability (by user/customer).

The customer perspective shows the opinions and behaviour of our target customer (or end user). The opinions of the end-user customer are significant and oftentimes a perception of reality can carry more weight than actual events. So it makes a lot of sense to capture and understand this viewpoint. Measuring the user perspective is not straightforward, process owners are not in a position to to the business terms (it’s a wonder that but the voice of the customer (VOC) is a address IT problems, being aware of how so many people take a negative stance technique that can be deployed to great IT impacts business service allows them towards quality management!). For the effect. VOC is basically a survey, but with to take steps to minimise disruption. For organisations using these quality manage- advances in technology, can be deployed example, a manager of a customer ment processes, the balanced scorecard on a corporate intranet, kiosk style. Apart response centre can instruct every other simply provides a placeholder for metrics from measuring user perception, VOC agent to take customer details for that are already available, such as process becomes a huge marketing exercise: subsequent call-back in the event of a sigma and cost of poor quality. Although when users express their opinion, they system slow-down. it somewhat defeats the purpose of the feel part of the process—providing exercise to propose pre-canned metrics, someone actually listens, that is. At the lowest level in the hierarchy, since the metrics ought to reflect strategy, although playing a critical role none the metrics that we would not be surprised to Of all the perspectives on our scorecard, less, are the technicians responsible for see in the process perspective include: probably the most troublesome is that of the constituent parts of the service, for performance to SLAs, throughput, innovation and learning. This perspective example, the Database Administrators availability, capacity forecasts, accuracy describes our capability at achieving the (DBA) and Systems Administrations. The of capacity forecasts, incident recovery, required results in the other perspectives. view taken here is to clearly understand mean time to fix (MTF) and mean time This boils down to the skill set of our the root cause of any problem and the between failure (MTBF). workers, their effectiveness and the value of the scorecard lies very much in capability of the infrastructure that allows the shared viewpoint. This allows In order of ease-of-implementation, them to execute the internal processes to Administrators to see situations clearly probably the next perspective is that of create happy customers and achieve the where they are responsible for a root finance since there already exists an desired profitability and revenue goals. cause versus simply being affected by it abundance of well-defined and well- This perspective is more easily and to take action as appropriate. policed metrics. Although matters fiscal understood with example metrics, which are generally well known to upper could include: rewards and recognition, The Value Perspectives in the management, it is a concept that rank and classes taken, lateral moves, teamwork, SLM Scorecard file employees may have had little “Corporate Citizen”, upgrade activity, In an SLM scorecard, the internal process exposure to. Since this is the harshest of efficiency and so on. perspective shows you the effectiveness all realities, it can only be a good thing of your Information Technology that it becomes a factor in routine Summary Infrastructure Library (ITIL) service decision-making—particularly since this Keeping a balanced scorecard is key to delivery process. relates directly to the scorecard user’s providing understanding, accountability area of responsibility. For example, a and insight into the overall business. By Organisations that take continuous DBA aware of the cost of poor quality of maintaining records of business-relevant improvement seriously and have a poorly running database is more likely metrics, cross-department employees standardised on a quality management to direct attention to this, even though a achieve one strategic business vision. process—such as Six Sigma—will also service may not actually be in breach. Having one solid perspective across the benefit from having a ready-made recipe Another aspect of the financial organisation is more effective as comp- for measuring the effectiveness of these perspective that has a bearing (at least to ared to many; and using this model seeks processes. Furthermore, these quality longer term planning) is that of keep the IT balancing act in-check. management methods identify adverse capitalisation: that is, how many 1 Gartner Inc., “Drivers and Challenges of waste and report this in meaningful cost resources you are consuming to provide a Corporate Performance Management” Jan 2004

36 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 37 assigned an appropriate recovery policy. “There are known knowns. These are The limitations of available technologies things we know that we know. There should be considered when assigning are known unknowns. That is to say, recovery policies. there are things we know we don’t know. But, there are also unknown Step 3 – Demonstrate recovery capability unknowns. These are things we don’t and identify gaps know we don’t know.” The Financial Services Authority and Donald Rumsfeld Civil Contingencies Bill both contain specific reference to the need to Well thanks for clearing that one up demonstrate recovery capability. By Donald! In fact, to manage IT Service implementing a robust Service continuity Continuity effectively, an IT Manager programme, the IT Manager can develop needs to know one of these known a gap analysis between recovery policies unknowns. IT Service and current capabilities. A robust Service Continuity programme includes: A Known Unknown Continuity – Documented recovery procedures for A common known unknown for many IT each type of asset. Managers is the relative priority of IT A recovery-testing programme that Services provided to the business. Often “Know the proves technical recoverability. the business itself does not understand: An alignment between actual or The dependency placed on IT Services. expected recovery timeframes and the The cost that the business would incur Unknowns” recovery policy. if IT Service was lost. Gary Donlon Third party contracts and Service Level Senior Consultant Agreements that may assist recovery Why Is This A Problem? Jermyn Consulting (e.g. maintenance and disaster recovery The IT Manager is in a difficult position contracts). of having to allocate scarce resources to practical application of the ITIL model A maintenance system to manage provide IT Service Continuity capability, for IT Service Continuity can be changes in technology, IT Services, often with little or no input or direction accomplished by the following Five business priorities and business from the business. This is because Steps to Success. impacts. business managers often assume that IT A Disaster Recovery Plan that Service Continuity is a problem only for Step 1 – Measure IT Service Loss integrates emergency management the IT Manager. The IT Manager needs to work with procedures with IT functional recovery. representatives from the business to Of course IT Service Continuity should measure the impact of loss of each IT Where any of these components are be a shared responsibility between IT and Service, over time. Agree the measure- missing, recovery capability is the business. After all, following IT ment criteria in advance, remembering diminished. Remedial work to reduce or Service loss it is the business managers that impacts / losses to the business could eliminate the gaps should be prioritised that will incur the cost and they will be incurred qualitatively as well as according to the business impacts. The expect the IT Manager to fix it. quantitatively. table at the foot of the page illustrates the relationship between business impacts Sharing Responsibility for IT Service Step 2 – Develop recovery policies for IT and prioritisation of remedial works. Continuity Services In order to share responsibility effective- The recovery policy is the time during Step 4 – Identify appropriate solutions ly, the gap between IT and the business which IT Services must be recovered Developing solutions to close the gap needs to be bridged. To manage IT before the business incurs an between recovery policies and current Service Continuity effectively, it is unacceptable loss. Each IT Service and capabilities may require a substantial critical there is a mutual understanding of the assets supporting them should be investment in time and money. Often the how IT and the business work together. Table 1 – Recovery Capability Gap Analysis This is a broader issue, but in the context Email ERP Payroll Management Intranet of IT Service Continuity, the IT Manager Information could set the following objectives: Business impact HIGH HIGH MEDIUM LOW LOW 1. To understand the business impacts of Current recovery IT Service loss. capability 3 days 4 hours 1 day 4 hours 3 days 2. To allocate resources to effectively Priority for mitigate business impacts. remedial work HIGH Not req. Not req. MEDIUM1 Not req. Note 1: A MEDIUM priority for remedial work has been assigned to this IT Achieving These Objectives Service since it may be appropriate to reduce recovery capability. Achieving these objectives and a

38 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Chart 1 – Cost v Benefit Model organisation’s appetite for risk has a apparent complacency is broadly bearing on the responsible for the ineffective decision. implementation of solutions.

Building IT Service To overcome this complacency, the IT Continuity capability Manager must increase awareness is not just about regarding the impact of IT Service loss. implementing the To achieve this it is useful to assign technology. Equally responsibility for IT Service Continuity important is the to individuals. Improvements in organisation’s ability capability can be measured through to identify when an regular performance reviews and a testing incident becomes an programme. emergency, and then to manage the response. In Summary cost of the solution is inversely related to The impact of IT Service loss is a known the required recovery timeframe. A wide The effective integration of incident unknown for many IT Managers. By range of technical and procedural management, emergency management following our Five Steps to Success, an solutions is available in the market, and and resolution procedures underpins IT Manager can be confident that: in order to obtain the necessary recovery capability. This is a subject A known unknown becomes a known resources, the IT Manager needs to build matter in its own right and will be known! a business case. discussed in a future issue of servicetalk. Recovery capability will be improved. The likelihood of serious disruption to The business case is made by comparing Step 5 – Implement the solutions IT Services will be reduced. the cost of achieving the recovery Often, IT operational staff assume that Resources will be assigned where policies against the benefit of avoiding serious IT Service failure will not happen needed most. the business impacts. This equation is to them, or that they will be able to The level of understanding between IT slightly more complex however, since the resolve the problem when it arises. This and the business will be increased.

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 39 Axios Systems Achieve BS15000 Certification Brian Kerr BS15000 Project Director Axios Systems

On 27th February 2004, Axios Systems, journey was to ensure Director level documentation correctly reflected the the leading international Help Desk & IT commitment to the project. Given our processes and working practises already Service Management solution vendor, historical commitment to ITIL, our in place within Axios. This step provided became one of the first organisations in Directors and other senior members of us with a list of tasks that were then the world successfully to achieve staff embraced the concept and allocated to specific individuals within BS15000 accreditation as verified by the encouraged everyone in the organisation the Project team. Regular review official IT Service Management Forum to display the same level of commitment meetings ensured we were maintaining (itSMF) BS15000 certification scheme. to the certification process. The next step our momentum, staying on track and was to appoint a project manager and building our enthusiasm for the project! BS15000 is the first worldwide standard allocate roles and responsibilities. The specifically aimed at ITSM and is based certification project was then formally on the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), launched throughout Axios Systems. Let your tool assyst you the internationally accepted Best Practice framework. The certification scheme was During our BS15000 journey, we found launched last year to provide independent Where are we now? that much of the evidence required by verification against the standard. BS15000 can be provided through use of Embarking on our certification journey, a fully integrated IT Service Management This is the story of our certification the primary approach taken was similar tool. A key component therefore in process; the highs and lows, the internal to that of the audit. We had to establish demonstrating our conformance to the commitment and activities required in where we were, where we needed to be standard was our own use of our core order to be a Best Practice success. and what we needed to do to close the solution, assyst. gap. A useful tool in this exercise was the PD0015 workbook – a self-assessment Using assyst we were able to demonstrate Axios Systems and Best Practice – a tool from British Standards that helped us the recording, tracking, updating and winning partnership determine our position at that point. We formal closure of Incidents, Problems were pleased by the positive result of our and Changes. assyst also contained pre- Since its inception in 1988, Axios initial self-assessment – but knew there defined automated workflows and Systems have embraced ITIL and Best was still considerable work to be done to escalation paths depending on the Practice methodology and subsequently meet the exacting standard!! circumstances of the Incident, Problem or designed our core solution, assyst, around Change being logged. the ITIL processes. With the introduction of BS15000 as the only recognised Evidence is all-important We were also able to demonstrate the measurement of a company’s ITIL recording and measurement of Service compliance, it seemed a logical step that In adhering to BS15000, documentation Level Agreements (SLA’s), Operational Axios should set themselves the goal of is extremely important as it is regarded as Level Agreements (OLA’s) and Supplier being one of the first organisations in the evidence of the provision of quality Contracts within assyst as well as holding world to achieve certification against the Service Management. Historical records comprehensive asset information, standard. In achieving this certification, are also used during the process as including relationships between assets. we would demonstrate our commitment evidence of the performance of past to ITIL and Best Practice and also show Service Management activities. We that we practice what we preach. therefore built a team to gather all Be prepared – readiness is key documentation relating to ITSM and establish that which we did not have. We were fortunate to have qualified Embrace across the whole Because we operate a policy of auditors and ITIL qualified Service organisation – starting at the top continuous improvement, we didn’t have Managers within Axios who could to create new processes to meet the undertake an internal pre-audit of our The crucial first step on our BS15000 Standard; we just had to ensure that our readiness for the full audit. We used the

40 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 results from this pre-audit to plug any gaps identified and when we were satisfied with the results booked the final audit through one of the itSMF registered auditors, KPMG.

The audit itself

In scheduling the audit we discovered that the audit length can vary in terms of the number of days required based on the size of the organisation being audited. Our audit took approximately six days in total to complete.

On arrival, KPMG undertook a Gap Analysis exercise of our documentation against that required by the Standard. They also reviewed our supporting records and trend analysis reports generated from assyst, which offered definitive proof that we follow our documented processes.

The result of this phase of the audit was a corrective action plan for Axios from KPMG; this thankfully was reasonably short as a result of our own successful pre-audit activities. We then had to address the issues raised in the corrective action plan and move onto the certification audit stage. As with the Gap Analysis stage, the audit generated a list of recommendations, of which none were major. The auditors were then in a position to recommend certification against the standard.

Success!

Following recommendation that Axios Systems be awarded BS15000 certification, formal sign off was required by a senior partner within KPMG. Our certificate confirming our success was issued on 27th February 2004.

Colin Rudd, Chair of the itSMF BS15000 Certification Committee said, “The standard is very demanding in its requirements of IT service providers. It is incredible that Axios have been able to demonstrate that they have achieved such a high level of process maturity so soon. This far exceeds our expectation and we hope that many other organisations will follow their excellent example”.

Rudd went on to say “Although the standard and scheme have been developed in Britain the attention is not confined purely there. The enthusiasm for this activity is happening on a global basis, with organisations in India, Australia, USA and the Far East also actively working toward the standard and certification. The fact that Axios have been the first in Europe to achieve certification under the scheme is a major accomplishment for them and demonstrates their commitment to service quality.”

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 41 International News The spread of itSMF across the globe continues apace, with Hong Kong significant development in the Asia Pacific region. A first meeting of interested parties comprising representatives from Fujitsu, HK Computer Society, HK Jockey Club, HK Italy MTR, HP & IBM has been held. A steering committee will February saw Italy become the latest country to join the commence work on the business plan and chapter formation. community. Cathay Pacific have since joined the group.

India New Zealand A business plan has been submitted and is currently Following several presentations last year from CEO, Aidan undergoing minor rework. A number of customer and vendor Lawes, planning meetings for establishing the chapter are being organisations are committed to bringing the chapter into held in early April with assistance from Brian Jennings, itSMF being. Australia President.

Singapore Elsewhere, Brazil’s business plan has been approved and subject With significant input from EXEL, HP, IBM, Singapore to ratification at the International Board, they will be accepted as Computer Society and a number of independent consultants, a an official chapter. Other countries where there are activities steering committee has commenced work on establishing the underway include Finland, Hungary, Poland and Spain. legal entity with the aim of launching formally with an event in August. By the time this reaches your desk, the first meeting of the International Executive Board will have occurred. There are China significant changes to the International operations under review A steering committee comprised of representatives from HP, and the next issue will contain full details of the outcome. With IBM, half-a dozen user organisations and a government the growth in chapters, there is now a wide range of conferences agency are formalising the legal entity. on offer – see the diary for dates. servicetalk Deadline Dates Thinking about submitting an article? Issue Copy Deadline Advertising Articles should be between 1200 – 1500 words in length, and in PC June 2004 Tuesday May 4th Thursday May 6th compatible format.

August 2004 Tuesday July 6th Thursday July 8th File Formats for Photos or Graphics October 2004 Tuesday September 7th Thursday September 9th Any accompanying photographs need December 2004 Tuesday November 2nd Thursday November 4th to be high resolution files (300dpi). Graphics need to be supported by the February 2005 Tuesday January 4th Thursday January 6th separate original files in which they are created – not just a copy of the Advertising rates Word document. Ideally these files As from February 2004 should be created in a high quality programme such as Photoshop (as a itSMF Vendor Members Non-Vendor members 300dpi TIF file or JPG file for colour material or BMP file for mono 1 x Full page £450 £650 material), or in Illustrator (as a high 1 x Half-page £275 £425 resolution EPS file).

1 x Quarter page £150 £250 Articles should be emailed to [email protected] as an A 10% reduction is available if a series of 6 adverts is booked and paid for in advance. attachment to an accompanying email Contact [email protected] to book advertising. detailing the topic of the article

42 servicetalk Issue No. 66 April 2004 Diary 2004

Date Meeting Venue Comments April 6 Institute of Service Management meeting Reading April 7 Midlands & East Anglia Regional Group Meeting Kettering April 15 South West & Wales Regional Group tbc April 21 Scottish Regional Group Meeting tbc April 22 Northern Regional Group Meeting tbc May 13 itSMF Seminar: Problem Management Dublin May 18 BS 15000 Certification committee Reading May 18-19 itSMF South Africa Conference Indaba Hotel, IT Service Management Safari Johannesburg – the journey to success May 25 itSMF Portugal – Conference Lisbon June 3 Management Board Reading June 3 Northern Regional Group Meeting tbc June 8 Institute of Service Management meeting Reading June 10 South West & Wales Regional Group Meeting tbc June 29 itSMF Seminar: BS15000 Seminar Reading June 29 Vendors ESC Meeting Reading July 7 Midlands & East Anglia Regional Group Meeting tbc July 8 Publications ESC Meeting Reading July 28 itSMF Seminar: Business Perspective Birmingham August 2- 4 itSMF Australia Annual Conference Melbourne September 1 Scottish Regional Group Meeting tba September 2 Management Board Reading September 9 South West & Wales Regional Group Meeting tba September 9 itSMF Canada AnnualConference Toronto September 16 itSMF Seminar tbc September 27 itSMF USA Annual Conference Long Beach ITSM: Beyond the Foundation, – 2 October Building the Future October 6 Midlands & East Anglia Regional Group Meeting tbc October 7 Publications ESC meeting Reading November 8 – 10 itSMF 13th Annual UK Conference & Exhibition Brighton “Creating & Maintaining the Metropole Momentum” — Book Early! November 24 Scottish Regional Group Meeting tba December 2 Management Board & Council of members Reading December 7-8 itSMF Germany Annual Conference Hamburg December 8 itSMF Seminar tbc December 9 South West & Regional Group Meeting tbc

Issue No. 66 April 2004 servicetalk 43 Forthcoming Seminars “Out of the Darkness in to the Light!” 13 May 2004 Dublin

The itSMF return to Ireland with one of the most problematical (excuse the pun) aspects of Service Support, that of Problem Management. The ITIL framework appears simple to understand, but is the implementation in reality a great deal more complex? Without due care a fog can descend, obscuring the lines between Incident and Problem Management adding to the swirling mist surrounding that of problem control, error control and proactive prevention; it is easy to become encased in complete darkness. Is there a magic light bulb? Or do you have to find some tinder and a spark to find your way out of the darkness, back in to the light?

This seminar will consider and cover some of the following areas: How to Achieve Problem Solving at the Strategic Level Ensuring Analysis of the Real Problem and the Cost of Analysing the Wrong One The Importance of Problem Solving with a Disciplined Approach Good Problem Managers need to be Good Problem Solvers – Discuss! Does the Theory Fit the Reality? Can We Afford to Ignore Proactive Problem Management? BS 15000 Certification – “From the Horse’s Mouth!” 29 June 2004 Reading

Everyone seems to want to know about BS 15000 and plenty have their own view, but what is the reality? As the itSMF is the owner of the official certification scheme it would seem sensible to hear it as it were, “from the horse’s mouth”! In this seminar we will dispel any misconceptions and put you and your organisation on the right track. We will also listen to your comments about future communication. The final programme has yet to be decided but is anticipated to include: BS15000 The Standard Explained BS15000 The Certification Scheme An Auditors Experience A User Experience Benefits and ROI

Please check the website for a list of speakers and associated synopsis. Recent Seminars organised and run by the itSMF have been extremely successful and so we suggest you consider booking early to avoid disappointment.

Finally, future seminar topics are being considered. Is there a subject matter that is becoming a burning issue? Please email Jenny at [email protected] with your suggestion.