IT Takes Two

IT Service Management is rich and complex. So how does an IT manager navigate these choppy seas? There are a few ways to make the process much easier. Here we look at ITSM from a user and technology manager perspective.

The IT/Business Partnership

Successful ITSM requires a true partnership between departments. Nowadays there is much more of a balance between IT and the business groups that it supports--there is recognition that the two departments need one another more than ever before. However, in many organizations there is still a little bit of a divide--and to really leverage one another there needs to be a true partnership.

Service Level Management: A Paradigm Shift

Most of the information available on Service Level Management focuses more on the technical and logistics side of implementing various agreements--and on the relationship management side of the equation. While the technical and logistics aspects of SLM are very important, there seems to be an abhorrent vacuum around the intrapersonal side of making SLMs truly flourish.

IT Business Management

Running an IT department isn’t about the technology, it’s about the business. To be a strategic contributor, IT needs to take a much more proactive view to managing the technology portfolio--driving business-focused projects with bottom-line benefits.

ITIL: An Arm and a Leg?

For some, the tough economy means there is a greater willingness to accept risk on projects in exchange for lower costs--and that brings the benefits of ITIL into question. Is the additional structure, process and service quality worth the cost and schedule impact on initiatives?

SMITten with ITSM

Since service management is far more important to our customers than information technology, the acronym should be SMIT--or Service Management through Information Technology--rather than ITSM. There are many methods for structuring the improvement of the service that we provide to our customers, but all of the complexity boils down to a few important considerations.

Migrating to ITIL: Evolution, Not Revolution (Part 1)

ITIL appears ready for prime time. So why isn’t it being implemented with great success across the board in IT organizations? This two-part series will set forth some observations and insights on how you can successfully evolve ITIL standards into your organization.

Migrating to ITIL: Evolution, Not Revolution (Part 2)

ITIL appears ready for prime time. So why isn't it being implemented with great success across the board in IT organizations? As we continue to look at how you can successfully evolve ITIL standards into your organization, we present the remainder of ITIL’s modules along with implementation recommendations.

Key Elements of a Change Request

What is the minimum amount of information that an effective change request should include and why is it needed? What do established change management systems usually require? This article looks at the change management process defined by the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), a methodology used in many service management groups in IT organizations.

Foundations for an ITIL Adoption Business Case

Like most projects, the value of ITIL needs to be quantified and communicated clearly to the rest of your organization. The combination of information on benchmarked cost saves--paired with baselined metric data or value drivers--will present them with the information needed to tell a convincing story and sell the business case.

What is Service Management?

How do I introduce service management into my organization?

What are some service management best practices?