C.6 A sample implementation strategy

In general, the impact of current weaknesses on IT service quality should determine priorities. For example, if User services are less affected by 'real' errors than those that arise from poor implementation of Changes, Change Management should have priority. While each organisation should therefore set its own priorities, the following phased approach may be used as a starting point:

C.6.1 Phase 1:

• determine the baseline
• start with an assessment to determine priorities.

C.6.2 Phase 2:

• survey the services/system(s) currently used by the organisation for providing day-to-day User support and for handling Incidents, Problems and Known Errors
• review the support tools used, and the interfaces to Change Management and Configuration Management, including inventory management, and the operational use of the current system within the IT provider; identify strengths to be retained, and weaknesses to be eliminated
• identify and review the agreements in place between service providers and Customers.

C.6.3 Phase 3:

• determine and document service level requirements
• plan and implement the Service Desk using tools designed for this function that support Incident control - these tools should either support, or be capable of integration with, tools for Problem Management, Configuration Management and Change Management
• implement at least the inventory elements of Configuration Management that are required for Incident Management and Change Management.

C.6.4 Phase 4:

• extend the Incident control system in order to allow other domains, such as Computer Operations and Network Control staff, to log Incidents directly
• negotiate and set up SLAs.

C.6.5 Phase 5:

• develop the management reporting system.

C.6.6 Phase 6:

• implement the balance of 'reactive' Problem Management (Problem control, error control and management reporting) and Configuration Management
• realise the proactive parts of Problem Management as staff are released from reactive duties by gradually improving service quality
• establish the Release Management process.

This six-phased approach reduces the development overhead experienced at any given time for the four IT infrastructure management systems under consideration (Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management and Configuration Management). It should, nevertheless, be noted that, although busy sites will appreciate this smoothing of the development bulge, the approach will increase the overall time scale for implementation.