IT Service Management (ITSM) is primarily known as a process and service-focused approach to IT Management. Its primary objective is to align IT services with the business and to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of IT services. ITSM is a business-focused and systematic approach to managing IT services.
In order to be successful, ITSM processes must address conflicting requirements. Scheduled services such as enhancements and projects are frequently impacted by the need to respond to unscheduled requests such as problems, consultation requests, and training inquiries. Additionally, since most IT organizations do not charge the business for requested services, there is no incentive for the business to manage their demand.
ITSM controls the provision and support of IT services that are tailored to meet the needs of the organization. Effective ITSM processes should minimize or eliminate the following problems that are common to many IT organizations:
- Unfavorable business experiences associated with IT delivery
- Accelerating operational expenses
- Fragmented IT management
- Lack of a unified, customer-oriented view
Betz also notes that ITSM allows IT to use the following approaches to address these problems:
- Emphasizing the business as a “customer” of IT and defining what customers are “purchasing” in business terms.
- Creating a systematic and standard management framework for operations.
- Focusing on cross-functional IT business processes such as change, incident, and configuration. [i]
[i] Betz, C. T., “Architecture and Patterns for IT Service Management, Resource Planning, and Governance: Making Shoes for the Cobbler’s Children”, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, CA, 2007, pp 11-12, 15, 22.