CASE STUDY: Oxford University Press SECTOR: Publishing ISO/IEC a milestone for continued success at OUP

Transcription

1 CASE STUDY: Oxford University Press SECTOR: Publishing ISO/IEC a milestone for continued success at OUP MSM integrated IT Service Management software solutions have been adopted by organisations across many diverse sectors worldwide; from public services to publishing, from travel to telecoms and from entertainment to education. Long before computers, IBM, Microsoft and the cloud, thought leaders in Information Technology (IT) were emerging that would change the world forever. Oxford University Press (OUP) is one such organisation, which remains the largest, most successful university press in the world. It has its origins in the IT revolution of the 15th Century, beginning with the invention of printing from movable type. The first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, only two years after Caxton set up the first printing press in England. Never an organisation to be complacent, OUP s Group IT Services has achieved another milestone which would contribute to its continued success. OUP s 80 strong internal IT department achieved certification against ISO/IEC 20000, the International Standard in IT Service Management (ITSM). Page 1 of 6

2 Why did OUP want to achieve ISO/IEC 20000? OUP had originally embraced ITIL as its service management framework, which delivered real improvements. With significant increase in the dependency on IT to deliver innovative new business services, coupled with increased competition, rising costs and greater customer demands, there was pressure to do more with the same or less. The challenge undertaken by Group IT Director, David Smith, was to give the business, stakeholders and customers confidence that Group IT Services are a value for money, world class service provider. Operational responsibility for this challenge was given to Chris Stavrinides (IT Customer Services Manager) who had already introduced ITIL and transformed the We have a responsibility to demonstrate to the business, customers and stakeholders that we are a world class service team and how we measure up against a recognised worldwide standard David Smith (OUP Group IT Director) Service Desk. Chris firmly believed attaining ISO/IEC certification was the next natural step for any IT service department. We asked Chris to describe the ISO/IEC journey and some of the challenges faced. We talked a good talk, we had the people, the tools and the processes in place; but, in terms of hard objective evidence, were we able to back it up? frankly, no. It was always in the back of my mind that, if we didn t capitalise on our achievements to-date, and instigate formal controls, there could be a risk of complacency and a slide back to bad habits. There was a view by some, that ITIL was enough, but it was clear that achieving ISO/IEC certification was the only viable solution to meet the challenge. Why OUP needed ISO/IEC to ensure success: ITIL is NOT prescriptive ISO/IEC IS ITIL does NOT insist on continual improvement ISO/IEC DOES ITIL does NOT insist on evidence to prove quality & progress ISO/IEC DOES ITIL quality CANNOT be externally/internally audited or benchmarked - ISO/IEC quality CAN ITIL is NOT being demanded by business - Governance controls, agility, auditability and accountability ARE ITIL is NOT a business and/or organisational certification ISO/IEC IS Marval, which provides our ITSM training, consultancy and tool set (MSM), had already been discussing the benefits of adopting ISO/IEC We needed a partner to help us achieve our goal. This was a no brainer. We selected Marval; their credentials were ideal. Page 2 of 6

3 Marval he adds, was able to supply everything training, consultancy and product. Certainly, it has the right credentials to do so, being ISO/IEC certified, co-authors of ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000, while its integrated ITSM tool is designed to support both ITIL and ISO/IEC And, as Chris points out: Most of the evidential data required is automatically collected in the Marval tool. We wanted a partner that s been there and got the certificate, and was not afraid to challenge our approaches and ways of working, he continues. Marval assisted at every stage, at all times their overall motive was not profit, but the satisfaction to see us succeed (discussing/arguing issues with Marval team members late at night or exchanging s during the weekend was a common occurrence). This is what I call partnership. OUP s selected auditor was DNV, which also performed two pre-audits, demonstrating continued commitment and focusing everyone on being accountable in preparation for the main audit. The pre-audits kept us on our toes and focused us on identifying any weaknesses and areas that needed to be addressed. All process owners and Marval worked together to create, review and amend existing processes, procedures and plans. During the project, OUP worked with Marval CEO Dr. Don Page to further enhance the ISO/IEC capabilities of the Marval tool - the heart of OUP s management system. I am very proud of my personal contribution to the continual service improvement and supplier management functionality in the Marval tool, states Chris. Two of the biggest challenges along the way were communication and education. We held ISO/IEC awareness seminars and created standard process presentation templates and workshops. Process owners held workshops to drill staff on the usage of the upgraded processes, procedures and plans. It was essential that everyone understood their roles and responsibilities. If we can t prove it, we don t do it. In fact, the process owners were a critical contributor to OUP s success. Adopting ISO/IEC was not difficult, just a little different. One of the key ISO/IEC advantages is that it enforces process compliance, by turning shoulds into shalls. For example, all requests for change shall be recorded and classified. This statement is unambiguous; it is NOT optional, if ISO/IEC certification is required. In our hearts, we know it is the right thing to do. Evidence gathering As the project progressed, Group IT Services continually reviewed and improved ways of working, but always underpinned by the statement: Do we have the evidence to demonstrate we are complying to ISO/IEC 20000? Page 3 of 6

4 With most of the ISO/IEC evidence required automatically collected by MSM, this was no longer in doubt. What was once seen as requiring more time was now saving us time, says Chris. We can now make informed decisions faster and more efficiently. How did ISO/IEC initially affect the organisation and the IT Department? The impact of ISO/IEC for the organisation was an overall improvement in service availability, quality, communication and, most importantly, customer satisfaction. The impact on the workload of Group IT Services was minimal. ISO/IEC has made every member raise his or her game; become more productive and spend more time focusing on overall service improvement. The four-day ISO/IEC audit was a bit of an anti-climax, admits Chris. By now, the teams were accustomed to quality checks, self-assessment and having to show evidence. The only person who appeared to be stressed was myself! I will never forget those last four days of the audit. I had 100% confidence in every team member. I knew we were in control, but, to be honest, I was still worried. In the end, though, I had no reason to be. Everything worked out just fine. A good service management system is paramount, people can follow processes and procedures but people can also fail to follow the process if it can be circumvented. We are all like water, following the easiest route, whether it is the right one or not. A good system should force good habits and improve customer service. Chris Stavrinides, IT Customer Services Manager Achieving ISO/IEC Project - Lessons Learned Management Support: leading by example from managers and team leaders is critical Be Honest: about your strengths and weaknesses whether true or perceived Education: do not neglect education, OUP invested a lot of time to ensure success Involve Everyone: at a departmental level, rather than by select individuals Concentrate on Future Gains: don t dwell on the way things used to be done. Some people may be sensitive to becoming more accountable Empowerment: empower your process owners Audit: hold regular team progress reviews and internal audits Tooling: the correct integrated ITSM tool in place is critical ISO/IEC certification is the icing on the cake, concludes Chris. It meets the challenge set by David Smith (Group IT director, OUP) to give the business, stakeholders and customers confidence that they have a world-class service department. What was lacking was an auditable culture of continual improvement and accountability; ISO/IEC 20000, with the contribution of everyone within OUP Page 4 of 6

5 Group IT Services, has delivered this to the business clearly laying down the IT foundations. OUP and ISO/IEC Certification 3 years on Since achieving ISO/IEC20000 certification, OUP Group services has grown in size with extended services and personnel. In addition to its traditional IT support structure it has also adopted a service lifecycle team approach for two of its critical, high business value services, SAP and WEB. Each team has end-to-end responsibility for that service, from development to support. Chris Stavrinides, Our IT services have become a much more mature, ISO/IEC and ITIL best practice methodology is now part of our culture. It is how we work, it has become the norm. When new people join our department we are confident there will be no adverse affect on the level and quality of our service whether they have previous knowledge or experience of ISO/IEC or ITIL or not. Through our induction courses, they will learn about our policies and procedures that adhere to our best practice principles and standards, ensuring our customers receive continuity of service. Quantifying the benefits of ISO/IEC or ITIL to customers is not always easy it is often only the employees that were there before its implementation who remember how things used to be that can see the difference and benefits. All customers want are services that are fast and reliable, repeatable services that are available when and where they need them. How this is achieved, albeit through defined, structured processes and procedures is of no real interest to them. For us, we have the satisfaction that by following ISO/IEC we continue to provide the best service to our customers. We don t just see ourselves as part of IT, but more and more consider ourselves as an integral part of the business, contributing to the overall success of the organisation. It is part of everyone s responsibilities to follow ISO/IEC processes and procedures. Job descriptions and objectives have been changed to ensure everyone contributes to the successful attainment and continued benchmarking against the ISO/IEC standard. Adopting ISO/IEC was the correct decision for OUP Group Services. It provides a formalised, accountable process for us to follow. Whenever we introduce a new service we know exactly what we need to do. So we do it right first time, minimising risk of making mistakes or missing things out. In a key development for OUP Group services, it has successfully achieved certification against the latest version of the ITSM standard, ISO/IEC Page 5 of 6

6 About Marval Marval is committed to the ongoing development of integrated IT Service Management (ITSM) software, consultancy and education. It is a single-source supplier for all your ITSM needs, designed to improve service quality, productivity, customer satisfaction and reduce costs. MSM - an ITIL process compliant and ISO/IEC compatible, integrated software solution ensures a reliable IT and service infrastructure, increased productivity and adaptability in service provision. It has been implemented by organisations across many diverse sectors worldwide. MSM is used by internal and external support and by providers of outsourced and managed services. Marval is a major practitioner, innovator, thought leader and contributor to Best Practice and standards in ITSM and is co-author of ITIL and ISO/IEC It has been helping customers deliver service excellence since 1989 and understands what it takes to become a world-class service team. Marval is an ISO/IEC registered company supporting internal and external customers to international standards. Contact us now to discuss how you can improve your service Marval and MSM are Registered Trade Marks of Marval Software Limited. The Swirl logo is a trade mark of the Cabinet Office. ITIL is a registered trade mark of the Cabinet Office. Marval also recognises the trade mark rights of any 3rd party trade mark owners mentioned in this document. Page 6 of 6