| Planning and conducting an IT Service Management | | | | used. A maturity-based assessment would aim to |
| (ITSM) assessment is a key activity undertaken when | | | | determine the level of maturity of each ITIL processes. |
| an IT organisation aims to improve its IT service | | | | Other data to gather includes availability of tools, skills, |
| effectiveness and business value. The key steps | | | | organisation role and responsibilities, availability and |
| involved are highlighted below: | | | | quality of documentation, evidence of continual |
| Step 1: Understanding the purpose, scope and | | | | improvement, metrics and reports, circulation and |
| expected outcome of the assessment | | | | usage of the reports. |
| At this stage, it would be good to confirm the scope of | | | | Step 5: Analysis |
| the assessment, the objective and the expected | | | | Based on the responses to the questions gathered, |
| outcome as well as to define what information is to be | | | | the scores are tabulated using a spreadsheet tool and |
| collected. The assessors (especially if they are not | | | | presented. A maturity-based assessment may use the |
| internal staff) would need to understand the business | | | | 5-level ITSM maturity model to rate the individual |
| goals, IT goals, vision and mission and IT strategy. This | | | | process. Spider diagrams or bar charts can be used to |
| is normally done through looking at documented IT | | | | compare current state with desired state and highlight |
| strategy and plans and also interviews with the project | | | | key gaps and deficiency areas. Benchmarks with the |
| sponsor to get his vision and goals. | | | | maturity levels of other companies in same industries |
| Step 2: Planning and Preparation | | | | are useful and that is one advantage of engaging |
| Various factors would need to be considered when | | | | external consultants to perform the assessment |
| planning the assessment. A copy of the organisation | | | | instead of conducting a self assessment. Gaps, issues, |
| chart should be obtained. The organisation chart | | | | constraints should be identified as compared to the |
| provide useful information that helps the planners | | | | vision, mission, goals and objectives. The analysis |
| identify who are the key managers and stakeholders | | | | should include highlighting potential risks to the quality |
| and who may have the information needed. Meeting | | | | and reliability of current service delivery. |
| and interviews will have to be planned and scheduled | | | | Step 6: Action Planning |
| at least one or two weeks ahead of the actual event. | | | | Having understood the current state versus the |
| Meeting or interview rooms would need to be booked. | | | | desired state and armed with the information obtained |
| Any visits to restricted sites should be highlighted and | | | | in the earlier steps, viable solution approaches would |
| authorization obtained. The output is usually a fairly | | | | need to be identified, including products and services |
| detailed project plan. A typical assessment would have | | | | that are needed. An IT service improvement initiative |
| duration of two to three weeks. | | | | may require multiple sub-projects to address what |
| Step 3: Kick Off Meeting | | | | needs to be done at each step of way. Each project |
| A kick off meeting is recommended. The kickoff | | | | should be defined with a possible project scope or |
| meeting starts the assessment formally. Invited | | | | charter, estimated time line and costs, products and |
| attendees may include process managers, | | | | services. |
| interviewees, data providers, stakeholders and external | | | | Step 7: Presentation |
| consultants involved in performing the assessment. It is | | | | The presentation should not be a lengthy session to |
| a good practice to invite the project sponsor or most | | | | discuss the details of the assessment or findings. |
| senior of the stakeholder to this meeting and say a | | | | Instead, it should be a high level, executive presentation |
| few words to define the purpose of the assessment, | | | | focusing on key pain-points uncovered, business |
| show management support and to introduce and | | | | implications and what are the recommended solutions |
| empower the assessors. Depending on the culture, the | | | | and next steps. The desired outcome is to seek |
| sponsor may have to set expectations that the | | | | sponsorship and approval from the management team |
| purpose of the assessment is not an audit and all staff | | | | to proceed with service improvement action plans. |
| should collaborate with the assessors fully. | | | | Step 8: Produce the Assessment Report |
| Step 4: Data Gathering | | | | A formal assessment report should be produced. The |
| The scope of the assessment would often cover only | | | | aim of this report is to document the objectives of the |
| the key Service Operations and Service Transition | | | | assessment, key findings, issues uncovered and |
| processes. Data are gathered though interviews, | | | | solutions proposed. This document is important as it |
| workshops session, reviewing of documentation and | | | | serves as the baseline upon which comparisons of the |
| site visits. Visits to the service desk and data center | | | | "before" and "after" snapshots of the situation can be |
| may be necessary. A checklist of questions is often | | | | made subsequently. |