Powerful IT: Service Improvement Process (SIP)

Capability Maturity Model works on a premise of begin where you are and improve over time.  Be where you are, improving response to  business need.  

Invoking 'service improvement process' as a buzzword is not as inspiring as transforming business by delivering 'Service Improvement Process Value".   

The difference of claiming "SIP AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST"  buzzword, and delivering value is intent to look at change and planning to respond and deliver IT Valued Services.  

Regular Service Improvement, over time, will improve quality and  solutions delivered

Consider a regularly managed service improvement plan as less of "something else to check off the to do list" and more of a "keeping pace with business and correcting course to stay competitive and value".  It is an organized way for looking at what needs to be done when service levels are not being met, or critical business needs are missed, or the business needs have changed. It creates an understanding for the problem, a clear roadmap to resolve, and a plan to get there. 

1. DEFINING OPPORTUNITY
2. MEASURE, ANALYZE
3. SELECT TARGETS AND MAKE THAT CHANGE  
4. DOCUMENT, UNDERSTAND AND EVOLVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE

DEFINING OPPORTUNITY:  Where are you now, where do you need to go?  These questions asked during the course of service excellence can go a long way to improving the quality of your problems.  Talk to the people on a regular basis, incorporate a survey or service review periodically to discuss with Business Stakeholders, Problem Management Frequent Time Wasters or dissatisfiers, Executive Staff, Key Partners and Support Staff.  

• What does the business want? 
• What are the biggest issues? 
• What affects you the most?  
• What is most frustrating or confusing or inefficient?  
• What is missing that could improve the service experience and efficiency? 

GOGO TV created a nice video on Approaching Continual Service Improvement (a 6 step process)  

MEASURE ANALYZE:  Look at metrics and trends.. how bad is the problem, how 

frequently is it occurring  what are we unable to do as a result? Executive Reporting, Project Management Issues Logging and Problem Management Analysis often gives valuable insight to focus areas. 

SELECT TARGETS AND IMPLEMENT IMPROVE PLAN:  Encouraging participation, to improve the process and being transparent that their participation is valued, and while not every suggestion can be delivered immediately, the process exists to analyze and select improvement efforts that can make the biggest difference and prioritize and implement them, some might need to be developed over time, however all input to improve service and participating in the process is key, valued, and managed for the long term. 

POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENT INCLUDE:

• Reduced Operational Inefficiencies
• Improved Staff Efficiencies
• Stronger Communications and Engagement Between IT, Vendor Partners, & Business Organizations 
• Improving Operating and Service Level Capacities 
• Better defined Roles, Responsibilities, OLAs, and SLAs over time
• Improves Cost of Service Delivery and Customer Satisfaction

OTHER TIPS AND HELPS: 

• ITIL Oriented Checklist Service Quality Plan 
• FAST ITIL TEMPLATES offers a Service Improvement Plan Template for download
• PINK ELEPHANT Integrating Six Sigma and ITIL for Continual Service Improvement 
• CIO IT Cannot See the Forrest For the Trees (Continual Service Improvement)