By Dick Stark

RightStar just finished an internal project aimed at determining customer value—what processes have been enabled or improved using ITSM tools and is that improvement measurable in terms of improved efficiencies or reduction in the overall cost of service management?  To investigate, weset up interviews with ten FootPrints, Remedyforce, and Remedy customers ranging in size from small to large. Although there was room for improvement, especially around process consulting, overall the customers had a positive experience with RightStar. Additionally, most customers, despite their ITSM toolsets, operate at a relatively low level of ITSM maturity.

In a 2014 Gartner Study, “The IT Service Management Unified Framework: Linking ITSM to Business Value and Maturity,” Gartner introduced a new model, the IT Service Management Unified Framework—a single strategic view into the relationship between ITSM, delivery, maturity and business value.  The report begins by discussing organizations that use a bottom-up approach to ITSM, (what I refer to as the “necessary evil” concept), are not recognized by business stakeholders as providing value. ITSM should be part of an integrated IT strategy. The Gartner Report recommends:

• Determining the maturity levels and IT delivery optimization model needed to deliver value.
• Defining the business value before developing the IT service catalog.
• Mapping the processes to service requirements.

The Report introduces an extension of Gartner’s maturity model, known as the IT Service Management Unified Framework (ITSMUF.)  It provides a more in-depth road map for organizations looking to upgrade their IT maturity and delivery models. See below:

Gartner is essentially saying that the old maturity model was not enough because it didn’t provide direction related to overall strategy and value. It is like complaining that the ITIL framework is not adequate because it doesn’t include work instructions. So, how does ITSMUF apply to customer implementations?

• Process matters, but process linked to a defined IT strategy matters more. Using ITSMUF, customers should outline a strategy that takes them to a focused set of IT services with associated value statements.
• All customers, no matter how small or immature, have a desire to move up the maturity model and drive real value. We can help them get there, by first mapping out an IT strategy and deploying tools such as Remedyforce in a phased approach. ITSMUF is a strategic guide to improve service delivery and provide real business value.