Service Improvement Part 1 The Frontline Robert.Gormley@ed.ac.uk http://www.is.ed.ac.uk/itil
Programme Overview of Service Management The ITIL Framework Incident Management Coffee Problem Management The Service Desk Where Now & Questions
What is ITIL? Worldwide de facto standard in Service Management Developed late 80s by UK Government Aim to promote best practice, drive up standards and improve value for money From same stable as PRINCE2
Why ITIL? Public domain Provides proven best practice framework for Service Management Common vocabulary Customer & quality focused
ITIL Library Structure (version 2)
Service Management House Customers Avail. Mgmt Capacity Mgmt Service Level Mgmt Continuity Mgmt Financial Mgmt Service Delivery Users Incident Mgmt SD Problem Mgmt Change Mgmt Release Mgmt Service Support Configuration Mgmt Part 1 The Frontline Part 2 Making Changes Part 3 The Strategic View
Service Definitions 1 Providing something of value to a customer that is not goods (physical things with material value). A Service is defined from the customer s perspective. Customer Someone who buys goods or Services. The Customer is the person or group who defines and agrees what the Service will be like and how it will perform. User A person who uses the Service on a day-to-day basis. Users are distinct from Customers, as some Customers do not use the Service directly.
Service Management House Customers Avail. Mgmt Capacity Mgmt Service Level Mgmt Continuity Mgmt Financial Mgmt Service Delivery Users Incident Mgmt SD Problem Mgmt Change Mgmt Release Mgmt Service Support Configuration Mgmt
What can ITIL do for us? Improved efficiency (more with less) Improved quality of service Improved consistency of service Improved relevancy Demonstrable value for money Increased individual productivity (morale?) Common Language = Better communication Better integration
Breakout Thinking about a service you provide: What is good about it? What can be improved? Would your customers and users agree with you?
Incident Management Goal To restore normal Service operation as quickly as possible with minimum disruption to the business, thus ensuring that the best achievable levels of Availability and Service are maintained.
Definitions 2 Incident Any event which is not part of the standard operation of a Service and which causes, or may cause, an interruption to, or a reduction in the quality of, that Service.
Incident Lifecycle Ownership, monitoring, tracking & communication Incident Detection & Recording Initial Classification & Support Service Request? No Investigation & Diagnosis Resolution & Recovery Incident Closure Yes Service Request Procedure
Early Stages Detection By user? Automatic? Recording Log everything! Initial Exploration Classification Prioritisation
Definitions 3 Priority Priority is based on Impact and Urgency, and is used to identify required times for actions to be taken. Impact A measure of the effect of an Incident, Problem or Change on a Service. Impact is often based on how Service Levels will be affected. Urgency A measure of how long it will be until an Incident, Problem or Change has a significant Impact on a Service.
Prioritisation Impact Low Medium High Low Low Low Medium Urgency Medium Low Medium High High Medium High High
Definitions 4 Service Request A request from a User for information or advice, or for a Standard Change. Service Requests are usually handled by a Service Desk, and do not require a Request For Change to be submitted.
Service Requests Anticipated Part of normal operations Consistent answer Standardised Established procedures Low risk of adverse impacts Pre-approved?
Investigation and Diagnosis Incident Matching Has this been seen before? Experience Knowledge base Documentation Wiki Quick fix
Definitions 5 Workaround An action to reduce or eliminate the Impact of an Incident or Problem for which a full resolution is not yet available.
Final Stages Resolution we think it s fixed. Restoration we tell the user it s fixed. Records up to date? Correct classification? Closure the user has confirmed that it s fixed.
Ownership Ownership of incident remains with initial contact (team, individual?) They monitor & track progress of incident, escalating as required Communicate with user (resolution, periodic or on-demand updates)
Benefits Faster resolutions = reduced incident impact Less disruption to business Elimination of lost incidents Better communication with users Improved user satisfaction Improved staff utilisation (& morale?)
Breakout Imagine you are responsible for the service providing coffee for this session: What incidents might occur? What workarounds could be used? What sort of service requests might be anticipated?
Problem Management Goal To minimise the adverse impact of Incidents by seeking their root cause and initiating actions to remove the Problem (or reduce its impact) and to proactively seek out potential Problems before they cause Incidents.
Definitions 6 Problem An unknown, underlying cause of one or more Incidents. Known Error A Problem where both the root cause is known and a temporary workaround or a permanent fix has been identified.
Problem Management Activities Problem Control Known Error Control Assisting in handling major Incidents Proactive prevention of Problems Obtaining management information Completing major Problem reviews
Problem Control Service Desk Automatic Incidents Proactive 3 rd Parties Identification & Recording Tracking & Monitoring Classification & Prioritisation Investigation & Diagnosis Work around? Yes Known Error
Error Control Problem Control 3rd Parties Identification & Recording Tracking & Monitoring Classification & Prioritisation Investigation & Diagnosis RFC? Yes Change Management
Major Incidents Extreme impact or duration Responsibility for Incident remains with Incident Management (IM) IM busy with communication and workarounds Structural fix required urgently, hence Problem Management involved early
Proactive Prevention Trend analysis Where are problems likely to occur? Targeting action Which problems should be investigated first? Which known errors should be fixed first? Which known errors should not be fixed?
Obtaining Information Pain Value analysis Number of users affected Duration of downtime Cost to the business Pareto Analysis Technique for identifying the causes of 80% of the failures Normally only ~20% of the possible causes need addressed
Major Problem Reviews What did we do well? What was done badly? How can we do it better next time? How do we prevent reoccurrence of the problem? Communicate actions!
Tools & Techniques Chronological Analysis Timeline Kepner & Tregoe Analysis Define, describe, possible cause, test most probable, verify true cause Brainstorming Ishikawa ( fishbone ) Diagrams
Benefits Improved Services Reduced incident impact Improved first-time fix rate Permanent solutions Improved organisational learning Proactive rather than reactive
Breakout Thinking about Incident and Problem Management: What are the differences between these? What are the similarities? Describe a situation where Problem Management would be helpful.
Service Desk Goal To act as the single point of contact between the Users and the Service. To handle incidents and service requests and act as the User interface for all other Service Management disciplines.
Definitions 7 Service Desk The Single Point of Contact between the Service and the Users. A typical Service Desk manages Incidents and Service Requests, and also handles communication with the Users.
Service Organisation as Cell Knowledge Service Desk User Service Organisation
Gatekeeper Knowledge Incidents Service Requests Service Desk Gatekeeper Reduced interruptions Reduced simple enquiries
Communicator Knowledge Incidents Service Requests Service Desk Communicator Understands users Understands user language Understands service Understands service language
Translator Workarounds Service announcements Training/documentation Knowledge Service Desk Translator Speaks to each in their own language
Director Incidents Service Requests Knowledge Service Desk Director Manages internal complexity of service
Collator Workarounds Service announcements Training/documentation Knowledge Service Desk Collator Produces single communication Coherent, intelligible, targeted communication
Shop Front Knowledge Service Desk Shop Front Public face of service Represents the service to the user Imposes order on chaos?
Shop Front Knowledge Service Desk Shop Front Public face of service Represents the service to the user Makes whole service look bad?
Staff Skills Business Awareness Understand the users and their needs Interpersonal Skills Excellent interface communicators Technical Awareness Understand the service on a technical level
Service Desk Continuum Call Logging Skilled Expert First Time Fixes Few Many Calls Escalated Many Few Cost of Analyst Cheap Expensive
Service Desk Types Local Geographically, organisationally or functionally Centralised All desks brought together physically Virtual Distributed desks, operating as one Follow-the-sun Desks worldwide, 24 hour support without shiftwork
Routes to Service Desk In person enquiries Telephone Email Internet/Intranet Self service?
Benefits Improved service Improved user perception & satisfaction Increased accessibility via single point of contact Improved communication intelligibility Improved communication targeting Improved coherency & branding More effective & efficient use of staff
Breakout The Service Desk is the shop front for Services. What should the Service Desk do to make and retain a good impression? The aim should be to exceed Users expectations (not in what you deliver but in the way you deliver it) and give them confidence in your ability to satisfy all their future needs. What do you think?
Where Now? Session 2 Making Changes Session 3 The Strategic View Foundations of IT Service Management based on ITIL Van Haren Publishing, 23.80 via itsmf Exam preparation chapters Introduction to ITIL TSO, 25.29 via itsmf Covers more of ITIL E-learning Foundation Course now v3 http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/usd/cts/courses/elearning.html Exam Onsite, 117.50 Full Foundation Course?
Training Routes (version 2) ISEB Manager s Course ISEB Practitioner Courses ISEB Foundation Certificate ISEB Foundation Exam ISEB Foundation Course (Classroom) UoE ITIL Clinics Foundation E-learning Course UoE Service Improvement Parts 1-3 UoE 1 Hour Overview http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conwebdoc.2061
Questions?
Thought Can I use the ITIL processes of Incident Management, Problem Management and the Service Desk function to improve the services I offer to my users?
Acknowledgements ITIL is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and Queen's Printer for Scotland. itsmf copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the itsmf