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Change Management Software: Solutions, Comparison, Interdependencies

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:05:44 +0000

Change Management Software: Solutions, Comparison, Interdependencies

2025-12-17
Tobias Kortas

Digital Transformation, ITSM

Change management processes are among the most critical undertakings that organizations have to face. Transformation and change are associated with many uncertainties, ranging from internal resistance to unstructured implementation.

The right software, tools, and methods are required to successfully manage this comprehensive, mission-critical process. This article explains which specific solutions and approaches come into question— including the ten best change management software solutions for 2026.

Software for Change Management

There is much that can be reported about change management and the most suitable approaches for it. Many of these are theoretically sound and can also be adapted in practice (in part), but they lack the decisive element: tools and software that ultimately make change processes successful.

One example: The ADKAR model is very well suited to analyzing change processes in phases. It proves to be a good foundation but, on its own, does not yet create added value, as it does not provide support for the concrete implementation of changes.

What is often missing, therefore, is the topic of software support, which is what makes large change processes possible in the first place. This is the focus of this article.

The Different Types of Change Management Software

In principle, a distinction must be made between software that is developed specifically for change management and solutions that—alongside other functionalities—also support change management. What is always important is the structure that the respective software solution provides and the most intuitive possible usability.

Below are the most important software categories that benefit change processes:

Specific Change Management Software

Yes, it exists—specific software developed exclusively for change management processes. It can be used to plan, implement, and monitor changes. This type of software primarily makes sense for long, extensive processes that can sometimes even span years.

IT Service Management Software

Software designed for IT Service Management (ITSM) offers a frequently used approach, as change management—alongside problem management and incident management—is one of the core ITSM processes. Advantages lie above all in an excellent overview of all change activities, automations, and controlled work on IT services and IT infrastructure.

Business Process Management Software

A Business Process Management Suite (BPMS) supports organizations in designing, modeling, automating, executing, and improving business processes. This makes it also highly suitable for changes to business processes.

Collaboration Software

Collaboration software has found its established place, particularly in hybrid or remote-based work. Often, it is simply about smooth communication. For change projects, it is also of interest for planning, organizing, and managing resources. For “simple” project collaboration, some form of collaboration software is almost always used.

Document Management Software

Document management is broadly defined; in the working world, a well-organized document repository proves to be decisive in many areas. Especially in (critical) change processes, countless documents are generated that must be centrally and clearly available. This also includes audit security and compliance.

The 10 Best Software Solutions for Change Management 2026

In general, the following applies: choosing the most suitable software for change management is an individual matter. Every organization, every industry, and every project comes with specific requirements.

Creating a fixed selection is therefore actually impossible. Thus, the overview of the ten best change management software solutions for 2026 is primarily intended to sharpen the view for the solutions on the market that appear to be the most useful and best suited for change management.

#1 OTRS

OTRS is a software solution developed for ITSM, but it also demonstrates its strengths across departments for Enterprise Service Management (ESM). A key point lies in automated, ITIL-compliant processes that can be excellently adapted to individual requirements.

For change management, OTRS covers and consolidates all requirements. Change processes are, for example, traceable and audit-proof at all times. Responsible parties and dependencies can also be automatically integrated into communication, with the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) providing classifications and documentation for all configuration items (CIs). Reminders, due dates, and priorities support the scheduling.

In short: responsible parties always have the status quo in view, while business processes safely guide through the change process. Automations and AI services accelerate workflows and create valuable capacity.

#2 EasyVista Service Manager

EasyVista Service Manager is an integrated solution that is suitable for the structured control of IT changes. The solution offers clear workflows, automated approvals, and complete transparency across all changes. Risks, impacts, and dependencies can be centrally assessed, while dashboards and reports provide information on process status at any time.

Through flexible customization options, defined roles, and SLAs, EasyVista supports controlled, compliant, and efficient change management.

#3 Freshservice

Through integration with other solutions from the California-based manufacturer Freshworks, the AI-powered Freshservice proves to be well suited for integrated automations in ITSM. Advantages include a user-friendly interface, a structured platform, and a centralized system for all change requests including documentation. With the tool, IT professionals, decision-makers, and stakeholders can collaborate on change processes.

#4 Jira Service Management

Jira Service Management is a holistic ITSM solution with which change requests can be comprehensively covered. Users can carry out risk assessments, access dependencies, and view the potential impact of changes. Those who focus primarily on risks may find Jira Service Management interesting.

#5 ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

This is also a complete ITSM solution with which IT changes can be visualized using a workflow designer. Changes can likewise be logged and tracked based on incidents and problems, and input and approvals can be obtained—for example from members of a Change Advisory Board (CAB). Users can also configure automated workflows and notifications.

#6 Whatfix

Whatfix is a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) that supports organizations in making processes such as change management, user onboarding, and the use of enterprise software more efficient. For change management, the software reduces training effort, aims to support employee adoption, and helps prevent errors when using complex systems.

#7 SolarWinds Service Desk

This is a cloud-based, AI-powered ITSM solution that aims to increase productivity, improve the user experience, and enhance IT operations. For change management, the provider promises structured processes to minimize risks and increase stability. Users are expected to be able to plan, implement, and communicate changes seamlessly.

#8 SysAid

The ITSM provider SysAid offers change management modules that support organizations in planning, tracking, and controlling changes. Promised benefits include seamless collaboration between teams, reduced downtime, and a structured approach to implementing changes.

#9 Ivanti Service Manager

Ivanti Service Manager, as a modular ITSM platform, maps various IT processes in a modular way, including change management in accordance with ITIL standards. Ivanti supports the entire lifecycle of changes in IT environments. Ivanti’s change management environment is intended to enable controlled, transparent, and low-risk implementation of changes.

#10 Monday Service

Monday Service is an Enterprise Service Management (ESM) platform that provides IT and service teams with central tools to uniformly manage workflows, tickets, projects, and change processes. It is intended to support transparent and automated change management in order to maintain service stability and simplify collaboration between different departments.

Important Interdependencies

Software that can be effectively used for change management is connected with many other areas. Below is a quick overview of some important relationships and interdependencies.

Project and Task Management

Project management, for example, often plays an important role, as significant changes logically always lead to projects or were part of a specific project from the outset. For example, kick-off meetings mark the beginning of the implementation phase of projects, which in many cases involve changes.
Task management follows seamlessly, focusing—whether on a project or process basis—on the tasks to be completed along with their status. Especially in important change projects, it is crucial to organize the countless associated tasks excellently and to let them run within a structured framework.

Incident Management and Problem Management

Change management is also closely linked to incident management and problem management. Incidents such as IT disruptions or overarching problems are often what lead to change processes.

A typical example: a long-used IT system repeatedly experiences outages and frustrates users, and even software updates cannot deliver the desired effect. Eventually, a completely new system is required as a change, since existing data protection regulations can no longer be complied with using the current system.

In addition, change projects themselves—as part of the transition and the disruption of familiar procedures—can in some cases lead to problems and disruptions, even though this should be avoided as much as possible. Thus, changes are also linked in this way to the resolution of incidents and problems.

Configuration Management

In the practical implementation of IT changes, configuration management also plays an important role, as having an overview of all affected IT assets and their connections or dependencies is essential. A Configuration Management Database (CMDB) therefore proves to be extremely valuable for change management.

This makes it clear which parts of the IT infrastructure will be affected by the respective changes, enabling measures to be controlled with regard to all IT assets so that outages, interruptions, and disruptions do not occur.

In the context of these interdependencies, it becomes clear that for change management—at least for changes to the IT infrastructure—an ITSM solution that satisfactorily covers all areas is extremely beneficial.

FAQ

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQ) related to change management software.

#1 What is change management software important for?

Change management software helps ensure that change processes—whether to IT infrastructure or in other areas—take place within a controlled framework and are carried out efficiently, securely, and without unintended negative consequences.

The respective software solutions provide a good overview, create a platform for goal-oriented collaboration, facilitate communication among professionals, decision-makers, and stakeholders, and ensure documentation, traceability, and transparency.

#2 Which change management software is best suited for mid-sized companies?

This question certainly cannot be answered in general terms, as much depends on individual, internal organizational requirements. However, mid-sized companies are often price-sensitive and can focus less on highly specialized areas than large enterprises and corporations.

Therefore, comprehensive solutions with fair pricing packages prove to be sensible. Consequently, the focus is less on specialized change management solutions and more on ITSM solutions that cover change management as a core area. This includes, among other things, a conscious approach to the IT budget as well as a smart approach such as determining the individual ITSM maturity level, on the basis of which the requirements for the “right” software solution can be perfectly identified.

Tip: In our report “The State of SMB IT for 2026,” you can learn—based on original survey data—how small and mid-sized businesses position themselves with regard to ITSM maturity, tools, AI, and automations.

#3 Where can change management software be tested for free?

Testing change management software for free is readily possible, as providers generally offer a free demo. Interested parties thus get in contact with an expert, can state their requirements, goals, and wishes, and do not incur any obligations.

#4 Where can change management software with GDPR-compliant data processing be purchased?

When selecting software, compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) plays an outstanding role alongside other compliance and security aspects. Anyone wishing to host or license software with a view to GDPR should value European hosting options or EU data centers. To also clarify security specifics, native-language support in the customer’s own language is important.

With US data centers or US companies, on the other hand, the CLOUD Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act), which allows US authorities access to stored data, could become a problem.

From the list of providers, one should select those that meet the criteria mentioned here.

#5 How do cloud-based and on-premises solutions for change management software differ?

Cloud and on-premises solutions differ due to hosting: “On premises” means that the customer hosts the software locally (on premises) in their own data center, while with cloud options the provider takes over hosting.

Manufacturers often offer both options, with the cloud increasingly becoming the standard. However, particularly when it comes to special, individual security standards, customers prefer on-premises solutions, while others prefer to entrust the effort for updates and security patches to the provider through a cloud option.

Conclusion

Change management tools and software: they do not necessarily belong to an organization’s standard repertoire, but they are immensely important for successfully implementing larger change projects in particular. They find their place in the context of ITSM, process and project management, as well as collaboration and document management.

For organizations, the challenge lies in selecting the exactly right software and tools. For very large change projects, specific change management software is suitable. However, typical ITSM solutions are more commonly used for change management, especially for changes that primarily affect IT infrastructure.

Since areas such as incident management, problem management, configuration management, as well as project and task management are connected to change management, many logically interrelated disciplines can thus be combined at once.

A software solution that enables change management as part of a comprehensive package of functionalities and features proves to be efficient and cost-optimized. As a rule, a return on investment (ROI) is achieved particularly quickly, especially with many integrations as well as well-designed automations and intelligent use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Finally, two brief tips:

If it concerns IT change management, it is advisable to conduct an ITSM maturity assessment before selecting software.
For important decisions regarding change management—including the selection of the software solution—it makes sense to rely on a Change Advisory Board (CAB) consisting of IT professionals, decision-makers, consultants, and stakeholders.

Tobias Kortas

Digital Transformation, ITSM

Service Level Management: Benefits and Application in the Ticketing System

Tobias Kortas — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:52:33 +0000

Service Level Management: Benefits and Application in the Ticketing System

2025-12-11
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Expectations and reality often differ. With intelligent Service Level Management (SLM) – also called service quality management – a different picture emerges: this way, service providers and their customers know exactly which services must be delivered and to what extent.

In IT Service Management (ITSM), support from a ticketing system is necessary to fully meet customer expectations. This article shows what the right software features can accomplish so that both customers and service providers feel clarity and complete satisfaction.

Definition: Service Level Management (SLM)

Service Level Management defines, negotiates, and optimizes the delivery of IT services. It also monitors the service provider’s ability to meet the promised service levels and generates reports about them.

The overarching purpose of this ITIL® discipline is to continuously adapt IT services to customer expectations.

Benefits that Service Level Management (SLM) provides

Here is a brief outline of how advanced Service Level Management benefits service providers and their customers.

Benefit #1: Ensuring customer satisfaction

Customers generate revenue for companies that want to ensure their satisfaction. This is achieved precisely and effectively with Service Level Agreements (SLAs):

Customers define clear requirements and expectations.
Companies define their services and the criteria for fulfilling them precisely.

The major advantage: the services and their costs are absolutely objectively traceable, leaving no inconsistencies or room for debate.

Tip: The exact timeframe in which customers can expect a response and a solution should be clearly established. Differentiating by communication channel makes sense, as customers expect faster responses in chat than by email.

Benefit #2: Minimizing risks

Because IT services and the related tasks are clearly defined, providers run little risk of overlooking anything. This prevents potential downtime for customers and potential sanctions or penalties for service providers.

Regular reporting and KPIs act as an early warning system for detecting and correcting deviations early.
Effort can be realistically assessed and responsibility clearly assigned.
By continuously monitoring service quality, potential weaknesses can be identified at any time.

“The best customer service is when customers don’t need to call you, don’t need to speak to you. It just works.”

Jeff Bezos

Founder of Amazon

Benefit #3: Controlling costs

Once Service Level Agreements are concluded with customers, they can serve as the basis for current and future needs. This makes clear which costs – both technical and personnel-related – can be expected.

This allows service providers to plan precisely and keep costs within the right scope: IT services are neither underutilized nor insufficiently equipped (i.e., overloaded).

Tip: Despite internal cost optimization, one should never lose sight of the customer’s costs. For example, if a premium customer suffers downtime or delayed problem resolution due to cost savings, it is extremely counterproductive.

Benefit #4: Continuous improvement

Clarity is the mother of improvement. With clear agreements and shared value creation, service providers and customers can use their resources efficiently. Over time, this leads to high efficiency for all parties involved.

Tip: With well-developed SLAs, all parties can communicate with transparency. This enhances the communication culture and acts as a useful tool to encourage improvements. It is paradoxical, but precisely because SLAs are binding—and therefore central—they serve beautifully as a starting point for relevant optimizations.

Service Level Management in the Ticketing System

With the right ticketing system, Service Level Management can fully demonstrate its value. Without appropriate software support, this process cannot be built in a sound and purposeful way.

The right software supports SLM in two ways:

It provides views that give insight into Service Level Agreements.
Many features indirectly support Service Level Management.

Service-Level-Management Views

Specific views make it immediately clear what the current status of Service Level Management is, which actions are necessary, and how different elements relate to each other.

Information about a service level agreement is displayed.
It provides insight into timeframes related to a Service Level Agreement.
It lists services that may require action—indicated by statuses such as warning or incident.
It displays the services linked to the respective Service Level Agreement.

Features that support Service Level Management

There are several features and functionalities in ticketing systems that are beneficial to Service Level Management. These form the foundation for building a dedicated SLM.

Through a clear IT Asset Management (ITAM) system and the Configuration Management Database (CMDB), all IT assets and their relationships are visible. This provides an excellent overview during issues, helping reduce resolution times, meeting promised service times, and preventing incidents and problems.
Automatic time tracking in Time and Quota Management helps you meet agreed-upon time commitments in a reliable and verifiable way.
With comprehensive escalation management, even complex cases can be resolved quickly enough to meet Service Level Agreements, as they are rapidly escalated to the appropriate contacts.
An IT service catalog is similar to a restaurant menu. Services can be assigned SLAs, including automatic SLA selection based on agreements.
Traceability is the only way to clearly prove the adherence (or non-adherence) to Service Level Agreements. Audit and compliance functions provide a complete history of relevant events and seamless documentation.

How OTRS supports Service Level Management

OTRS offers flexibly definable services and SLAs with clear response, update, and resolution times. A precise escalation system displays deadlines and automatically sends warnings in case of (impending) violations.

Workflows—such as forwarding or escalations—can be automated via the Generic Agent. SLA information is visible directly in the ticket, while reports and dashboards provide a quick overview of SLA fulfillment. The service catalog and CMDB also give a clear view of services and their dependencies.

Conclusion

Service Level Management (SLM) often seem somewhat complicated, but only to a certain extent: Service Level Agreements specify what type of service the provider must deliver by when and how the service recipient compensates for it. SLM defines, optimizes, and monitors this process.

In ITSM, with a multitude of interwoven services, the standard approach leads through dedicated software support. Various features and functionalities assist in this process, either developed directly for Service Level Management or indirectly supporting it.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

IT Operations Management (ITOM): The Silent Backbone

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 07:05:00 +0000

IT Operations Management (ITOM): The Silent Backbone

2025-11-04
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Organizations today depend on regular, stable IT operations. Failures, disruptions, and irregularities reveal that IT Operations Management (ITOM) — often unnoticed — forms a valuable cornerstone.

There are countless services, processes, and applications that organizations rely on every day. These must operate securely and reliably so that employees can work as usual.

This article explains the key functions of IT Operations Management, its benefits, and how it connects to IT Service Management (ITSM).

Tasks

ITOM teams ensure the daily operation of IT infrastructure and applications within an organization. In short, IT must be reliable, available, and efficient at all times.

ITOM represents the technical and invisible backbone that sustains the entire IT ecosystem.

Generally, the following tasks fall under IT Operations Management:

Monitoring and Event Management:
ITOM teams monitor the IT infrastructure — applications, servers, networks, and cloud services. They identify and categorize events, correlate them, and detect issues early to enable quick resolution.
IT Infrastructure Management:
Ensuring stable infrastructure operations is at the core of ITOM. Teams develop strategies and policies, negotiate vendor contracts, and supervise upgrades and installations.
Configuration Management:
A Configuration Management Database (CMDB) contains detailed information about IT assets (Configuration Items, or CIs), systems, and their relationships. The ITOM team maintains this data, ensuring transparency and supporting well-informed decisions.
Backup and Recovery Management:
ITOM teams create and manage data backups and restore systems and data after outages or cyberattacks.
Performance and Capacity Management:
ITOM also involves monitoring and analyzing resource usage and planning for future capacity needs to avoid bottlenecks.
Automation and Orchestration:
This area is becoming increasingly important, promising more efficiency, fewer errors, and faster response times. Repetitive tasks such as patching or parts of monitoring can be automated, while workflows can be orchestrated across multiple systems.

Many tasks — such as problem, incident, and change management — overlap with those of ITSM. As mentioned, there is a natural intersection between both areas.

Distinction from ITAM

ITOM is closely related to IT Asset Management (ITAM, though their goals, focuses, and perspectives differ.

ITOM is operationally oriented and asks: How is our IT running? Is it functioning as planned, and what will it look like in the future?

ITAM is administratively oriented and asks: What do we own, and are we using it effectively and in compliance?

Benefits

You could go so far as to call IT Operations Management the backbone of a modern IT organization, as it ensures IT is reliable, performance-oriented, and cost-efficient.

Here’s what that means in detail:

1. Better Service Availability and Stability

With ITOM, disruptions can be detected early, allowing organizations to proactively counteract outages and business-critical incidents. This improves service quality in line with SLAs and increases stability.

2. Problem Prediction

The monitoring performed by ITOM serves as an early warning system. Based on data, it enables accurate forecasts so that issues can be prevented or resolved before they become critical. In the best case, users never experience negative effects such as downtime — or notice them only minimally.

3. Workflow Automation and Standardization

ITOM can standardize and automate repetitive tasks such as system updates, patching, or backups, eliminating many time-consuming and error-prone activities. IT teams benefit from reduced workload and faster response times.

4. Greater Cost Control

IT budgets are often tight — and unnecessary expenses are best avoided. By revealing how resources such as servers, storage, or cloud services are actually used, ITOM helps identify potential savings. With demand-based adjustments, companies only pay for what they truly need.

5. Informed Decision-Making Through Transparency

ITOM documents all IT components, their relationships, and any changes — a process typically carried out in a CMDB. Just as details bring a painting to life, ITOM paints a full picture of the IT landscape. This transparency serves as a foundation for sound decision-making on changes, updates, or migrations.

ITOM vs. ITSM

There is no universally accepted definition of IT Operations Management, so its exact interpretation may vary between organizations. While there is overlap with ITSM, the distinction is clear:

ITSM governs the relationship with the user and the delivery of services.
ITOM ensures the stability and continuity of IT operations.

In ITSM, the organization reacts to user requests — for instance, when a change is required, the Change Management process is triggered. ITOM, in contrast, adds an operational component through monitoring, management, and measurement systems — enhanced by experience and data.

The advantage is clear: in many cases, ITOM enables action before users even notice a problem or open a ticket. This transforms the customer experience — instead of frustration over an outage, users are proactively informed about the incident and, ideally, its resolution.

Currently, the key term is integration — ITSM and ITOM are no longer viewed as alternatives but as complementary systems that must communicate effectively to create value.

Three Examples of Effective Integration

Optimized Incident Management
When an ITOM team detects a disruption or anomaly, the system automatically creates a ticket in the ITSM platform. The ticket is then categorized and assigned to the appropriate Incident Management team.
Automated Request Management
Recurring user requests — such as password resets — can be proactively handled through self-service portals supported by ITOM processes. This relieves first-level support through automated workflows.
Enhanced Change Management
TOM tools can validate the state of the IT infrastructure before critical changes are implemented. They simulate potential impacts and update both the CMDB and ITSM systems in real time, increasing transparency and security across all levels.

ITOM Software

Software solutions for ITOM vary significantly, as their features depend on each tool’s specific design and purpose.

Common functionalities include:

Intelligent Alert and Event Management: Quickly identifies critical or potentially threatening developments.
Automation and Orchestration Functions: Analyzes recurring standard processes and improves coordination across IT operations components.
Performance Analysis: Monitors current IT performance to identify optimization opportunities.
Device Management: Keeps track of all company-owned devices, ensuring quick updates or device blocking in case of loss.
Discoveries: Detects, inventories, and maps IT resources and their interdependencies — typically stored in a CMDB or similar repository.
Capacity Management (Forecasting): Predicts capacity usage and demand so ITOM teams can prepare in advance, avoiding bottlenecks or excess capacity.

Current Development – AIOps

With increasing automation and broader adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), ITOM is evolving toward AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations).

Because ITOM deals with measurable parameters, AI can quickly analyze fluctuations and peaks in data, deriving actionable insights for improvement.

Thanks to powerful AI capabilities and extensive analytical capacity, IT teams can act even more proactively and data-driven — opening the door to a wider range of opportunities.

In short, AI enables IT infrastructures to be secured more comprehensively and effectively. Key to this are the early warning signals AI can detect long before threats arise.

AIOps leverages machine learning, big data, and automation to make IT operations faster, smarter, and more proactive.

Current Capabilities of AIOps

Today, AIOps can already:

Analyze complex data in real time
Automatically detect anomalies
Identify root causes of issues
Resolve known problems independently

Potential of AIOps

In the future, it’s conceivable that AIOps will integrate with generative AI, such as Copilot-style assistants that explain analyses in natural language. Predictive Governance — proactively managing risks and compliance — also seems likely.

Moreover, AIOps could be linked with SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), RPA (Robotic Process Automation), and ITSM platforms — paving the way for hyperautomation.

Conclusion: ITOM – The Metaphorical Silent Hero

IT Operations Management (ITOM) not only keeps a company’s IT running but also ensures it operates as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Though often unnoticed, it remains a vital part of any modern organization.

ITOM ensures service availability, prevents problems, optimizes workflows, controls costs, and supports data-driven decision-making. In doing so, it strengthens business performance in essential ways.

The rise of AIOps, powered by rapid advancements in AI, further amplifies this dynamic: what ITOM already achieves through automation now happens even faster and more extensively.

Metaphorically, ITOM is the silent hero that safeguards operations behind the scenes and protects businesses from negative IT dynamics. Closely integrated with ITSM, it has a profound impact — especially during critical situations like incidents.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Change Advisory Board (CAB): Definition, Benefits, and Best Practices

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:08:23 +0000

Change Advisory Board (CAB): Definition, Benefits, and Best Practices

2025-10-14
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Whenever change happens, a lot is at stake. Businesses can achieve significant progress — or face substantial setbacks. Resistance to change is often the first sensitive pressure point, and from a technical perspective, numerous challenges can emerge as well.

In IT Service Management (ITSM), change management — alongside incident and problem management — is a core discipline. Given the constant pace of technological advancement, it receives particular attention in the IT context. For larger or business-critical changes, implementing a Change Advisory Board (CAB) is highly recommended. This board reviews proposed changes to IT environments and provides recommendations.

This article explores the concept of a CAB, outlining its definition, roles, responsibilities, benefits, and best practices — including a practical checklist for using it effectively.

What Is a Change Advisory Board?

This section explains what a CAB is and what roles and responsibilities are typically involved.

Definition

A Change Advisory Board (CAB) is a panel of experts within IT Service Management, defined by ITIL® (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). Its purpose is to assess proposed changes to IT systems and provide recommendations. The main goal is to minimize risks, understand potential impacts, and ensure that IT services remain reliable — even during change processes.

According to the ITIL® framework, a CAB helps ensure that changes to the IT infrastructure are implemented in a controlled, safe, and business-aligned manner.

You might also encounter the term Emergency Change Advisory Board (ECAB). This functions similarly to a regular CAB but operates under faster timelines. In urgent cases, an ECAB helps the responsible Change Manager make rapid yet informed decisions.

Tip 1: Organizations are not required to establish a CAB. Whether to do so depends on internal discretion — particularly the business context, scope, and risk level of the proposed change.

Tip 2: The composition of a CAB is also flexible. However, a balanced mix of technical experts and decision-makers is generally most effective. Depending on the nature of the change, additional specialists may be invited.

Roles and Responsibilities

As a decision-support body, the CAB’s effectiveness depends heavily on its composition. While flexible by design, there are several key roles commonly involved — both in leadership and participation.

Who Leads a CAB?

The Change Manager typically leads the CAB, ensuring that change-related decisions are made in a structured, transparent, and risk-aware manner.

Their responsibilities include not only organizing and moderating CAB meetings, but also overseeing the entire process, which covers:

Preparing the agenda and necessary documentation
Leading discussions
Considering all relevant perspectives
Recording meeting outcomes
Overseeing implementation of the agreed recommendations (while final approval rests with the Change Manager or a higher authority)

Who Participates in a CAB?

A CAB usually consists of a mix of technical experts and business decision-makers. The exact composition depends on the organization and the type or criticality of the change — there is considerable flexibility.

For example, an Emergency CAB (ECAB) typically includes a small, decision-capable group focused on swift action. Lengthy technical discussions have no place here, whereas they might be appropriate in a standard CAB meeting.

Common roles represented in a CAB include:

Change Manager: Leads the CAB and oversees the change process.
Release Manager: Evaluates how proposed changes affect releases and deployment plans.
Service Owner: Represents the services impacted by the change and ensures business interests are reflected.
Technical Lead / IT Operations: Provides technical expertise, assesses risks, and identifies dependencies.
Security Manager / Information Security Officer: Focuses on security and compliance considerations.
Application Owner / Developer: Evaluates the effect of proposed changes on applications and integrations.
Business Relationship Manager or Business Representative: Brings the end-user or business perspective to the table.
Problem or Incident Manager: Determines whether the proposed change will resolve known issues or potentially create new ones.

Benefits of a Change Advisory Board

A well-functioning CAB can be an invaluable asset and a key success factor within IT Service Management. It reviews and prioritizes planned changes to help avoid service disruptions and maintain IT service stability and quality.

By incorporating expertise from multiple domains, CAB decisions build trust and transparency in change processes. Additionally, involving key stakeholders and leadership helps align operational activities with strategic business goals, ensuring both technical and business value are considered.

In summary, the key benefits of a CAB include:

Efficient, low-risk implementation of changes
Smooth transitions between service states
Protection against unplanned outages
Alignment of changes with business objectives
Improved stability and availability of IT services

Key Responsibilities of a CAB

A Change Advisory Board evaluates proposed or upcoming changes from multiple perspectives to create a comprehensive understanding of potential risks and implications.

It’s important to note that a CAB does not implement changes or make binding decisions. Its primary role is advisory — offering recommendations that benefit from diverse viewpoints.

Typical responsibilities of a CAB include:

Supporting the Change Manager
Reviewing change requests and proposals
Providing implementation recommendations
Encouraging iterative and continuous improvement
Assessing potential consequences
Managing risks
Facilitating communication across departments
Documenting meeting outcomes and recommendations

Context and Practical Application

Much like a supervisory board, a CAB plays an advisory role — but it has no formal authority over the Change Manager, who leads the change implementation. The Change Manager makes the final decisions while taking CAB recommendations into careful consideration.

CAB roles and involvement can vary significantly depending on the organization and type of change. For emergencies, a CAB may take a more active role to ensure timely action. In other cases, it might function more as a stakeholder meeting, focusing primarily on information sharing and high-level recommendations.

From an IT leadership perspective, CABs are sometimes seen as “showstoppers” that slow down change unnecessarily. This perception usually stems from poorly organized meetings that add little value. However, when a CAB fulfills its true purpose — providing actionable, multi-perspective insights — the benefits clearly outweigh the effort.

Best Practices

CAB meetings are only effective when they serve a clear purpose. Holding them out of routine — simply because they’re scheduled — rarely adds value.

The following best practices will help ensure your CAB operates as efficiently and productively as possible.

1. Ask the Question: Do We Really Need This Meeting?

Every meeting should have a defined purpose — CAB meetings are no exception. The goal is to advance your change management strategy and identify the right actions for upcoming IT infrastructure changes.

Sometimes, however, CAB input may not be necessary — for instance, if no relevant change is pending, if the change is at the wrong stage, or if the board cannot contribute meaningful input.

Rule of thumb: Hold CAB meetings only when needed, not on a fixed schedule.

2. Set Clear Objectives

If a CAB meeting is justified, it must be focused and goal-oriented. A good approach is to structure the agenda around questions, such as:

What risks — to service delivery, security, or existing integrations — are associated with the proposed change, and how can we mitigate them?
How does this change align with business objectives?
How can we ensure end users perceive the change positively?

If these questions are addressed during the meeting, you can be confident that it has achieved meaningful results.

3. Choose Participants Wisely — and Get Their Buy-In

Not every usual participant may have relevant input for every CAB session, and that’s okay. Attendance should be flexible, with some roles participating only when needed.

Conversely, inviting unconventional participants who are not typically part of the CAB may bring fresh insights — depending on the nature of the change.

Also, don’t underestimate the importance of buy-in: the Change Manager should communicate the meeting’s purpose clearly and explain how it relates to each participant’s area of responsibility.

4. Get the Timing Right

A CAB can only provide meaningful input when it meets at the right time — typically before major deployments, release cycles, or urgent ECAB meetings. CAB sessions can also take place after key changes to review outcomes or optimize future processes.

If the CAB meets too early, there might not be enough information to make informed recommendations. If it meets too late, changes may already be too far along to influence effectively.

5. Create a Follow-Up

Follow-ups are among the most important — yet often neglected — aspects of meetings. They ensure that outcomes, particularly recommendations, are documented and translated into actionable steps.

In addition to formal minutes, the change management team can develop an action plan based on the most critical CAB recommendations and decisions.

Conclusion: The Change Advisory Board — A Vital Instrument

Change management is one of the most crucial processes in ITSM — often necessary, success-defining, and sometimes emotionally charged. Especially for fundamental changes to IT infrastructure, it is indispensable.

That’s why understanding the purpose and function of a Change Advisory Board is so important. The key word is “advisory” — the CAB provides expert recommendations, not binding decisions.

While organizations are free to design their CABs as they see fit, following some best practices and guidelines can make all the difference. With thoughtful planning and implementation, a CAB becomes a powerful tool for managing change successfully and driving long-term IT and business stability.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Assessment: How mature is your ITSM?

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Assessment: How mature is your ITSM?

2025-09-23
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Every serious improvement starts with a reality check. To get closer to their goals step by step, companies must reliably identify where they stand and where they want to go.

In fact, many companies overestimate their ITSM maturity level. Most are still in a relatively early stage. In other words, there’s still huge potential for growth. Big leaps can be made with just a few activities.

So where do you really stand with ITSM (or ESM; Enterprise Service Management)? By using the following ITSM assessment, you will quickly and easily find out.

Background

Determining ITSM maturity may sound technical, but in practice it’s quite simple. Maturity essentially reflects the extent to which organizations have developed their ITSM. It shows how effective and goal-oriented their service management capabilities are. It also indicates areas for improvement.

What does ITSM maturity mean?

ITSM maturity describes an organization’s ability to use ITSM in line with industry standards. It helps identify areas on which to focus in order to provide a better customer experience.
A maturity matrix (as shown below) provides valuable guidance. Using a scale, organizations can evaluate and compare their ITSM maturity.

The five key maturity levels are:

Level #1: Ad hoc
Level #2: Repeatable
Level #3: Defined
Level #4: Managed
Level #5: Optimized

Why is ITSM maturity important?

It is essential to know your level of ITSM maturity. This is an essential prerequisite for continuous process improvement, achieving business objectives, and leveraging IT as a strategic resource.

In short: those who know their level of ITSM maturity have a solid foundation to optimize practices, achieve success, and turn ITSM into measurable results.

Study: The State of SMB IT for 2026

Our study is called The State of SMB IT for 2026. It provides exclusive data on the ITSM maturity of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It is based on an online survey conducted between March 14 and April 4, 2025, commissioned by EasyVista and OTRS AG.

A total of 1,051 executives and IT professionals were surveyed. They work in companies ranging from 51 to 1,000 employees. The companies are located in Brazil, Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Portugal, Malaysia, Mexico, and the US.

ITSM maturity: The status quo

Most SMBs are still in relatively early ITSM maturity stages, relying on fragmented tools and reactive approaches. Only 12% describe their ITSM approach as fully mature and proactive.

Forty-nine percent report well-structured processes. Twenty-six percent have partially structured processes, and 12% still operate with ad hoc, reactive procedures. In contrast, 56% view ITSM as a strategic driver of business success.

This highlights a significant gap between reality (early development stages) and ambition (using ITSM for strategic goals and efficiency). Many SMBs find themselves at a dead end. They are aware of the need for modernization but are hindered by low investment and legacy technologies.

Outlook

ITSM is increasingly becoming a strategic driver for business success. This makes achieving a higher maturity level a necessity.

The outlook for SMBs is mixed. New opportunities, such as AI integrations and automation, could help them achieve more efficient service delivery. On the other hand, challenges like fragmented tools, limited budgets, and lack of staff continue to hold them back.

The path forward does not necessarily depend on high IT budgets. Rather, it’s about taking targeted action: improving workflows, equipping teams with the right tools, and enhancing security.

In other words: achieving the highest possible level of ITSM maturity is crucial. It can unlock success without massive investment.

The formula for success: Improve existing processes purposefully instead of starting over repeatedly.

The 5 Dimensions of Service Management ITSM Maturity

ITSM maturity is multi-layered though not overly complex. It is derived from the ITIL maturity model. It is a multidimensional model that covers the following:

Process maturity: Are there clearly defined, consistent processes? Is automation in place? Are KPIs being measured? Are processes reviewed and optimized regularly?
Governance & strategy: Does ITSM measurably support business goals? Is there a service catalog and SLAs? Are responsibilities clearly defined (e.g., service owners, process owners)? Are compliance and risk management integrated?
Organization & culture: Do employees have the necessary ITIL, automation, and security skills? Does IT work in silos or cross-functionally with other departments? Are employees included in change management? Are self-service portals being used?
Technology & tools: Are advanced features such as a CMDB, automation, and AI capabilities in use? Are portals user- and mobile-friendly? Are simple requests already automated?
Measurement & outcomes: Are metrics in use, such as First Contact Resolution, MTTR, SLA compliance, or change success rate? Does IT deliver concrete business value? How is customer satisfaction measured (feedback, NPS, CSAT)? How proactive is IT (e.g., preventive root cause analysis)?

Examples of ITSM maturity in practice

#1: Extreme example of low maturity

With very low ITSM maturity, processes are ad hoc, chaotic, reactive, undocumented, and highly person-dependent. There’s no clear strategy or accountability, silos dominate, and collaboration is limited. Tools are used in isolation, and issues are only addressed reactively.

The first step here would be to document and standardize processes.

#2: Positive example of very high maturity

Here, processes are optimized and highly automated. Processes are innovative and value-driven.

Additionally, ITSM is closely aligned with business goals and measurable results, with excellent service as the guiding principle. AI-powered methods and advanced integrations are in use. Business value is delivered reliably and cost-effectively.

ITSM maturity matrix

Evaluating your own ITSM maturity may seem quite complex. It can be done relatively easily by using a schematic approach.

To do this, assign the following five dimensions to each of the five maturity levels (stages) – ad hoc, repeatable, defined, managed, and optimized.

A maturity model can be used in practice by rating each dimension—processes, governance, organization, technology, results—on a scale of 1 to 5. This clearly shows where the respective strengths and weaknesses lie.

Calculation examples

On this basis, ITSM maturity can be quantified and compared with concrete numbers. Scores range from 5 to 25. If each dimension scores 1 (5 * 1), the lowest maturity level of 5 is reached. With all top scores of 5, the ideal maturity of 25 is achieved.

However, scores are not necessarily consistent across dimensions. For example:

4 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 2 = 16 (medium maturity)

This example is realistic but not a benchmark. Maturity is highly individual and should mainly help define the next logical ITSM steps.

It is not unusual to see mature processes paired with a weak ITSM strategy. Another example is advanced technology combined with an underdeveloped organization.

Tip: If certain areas matter more than others, you can apply weighting to dimensions. For example, processes often carry greater importance, which can be reflected by a higher weighting factor.

Perspective

It’s best not to treat ITSM maturity too concretely. Instead, the matrix should serve as a practical tool for several key purposes:

Gain a valid, quantified evaluation of ITSM’s status quo.
Have sufficient data to enable comparisons with peers and competitors.
Most importantly: identify the next logical steps and align them with business goals.
Refer to the matrix for continuous improvement efforts.

Conclusion: ITSM maturity reveals opportunities

In a perfect world, no one would need an ITSM maturity model. Everything would already be optimized and automated. But perfection only exists in theory. In reality, most organizations are still in early development stages.

The goal of maturity assessment is clear: to provide insights into the meaningful next steps and goals. Unlike a simple benchmarking tool, it’s a powerful instrument for driving continuous improvement. Conversely, it can also show where no optimization is needed.

Often, however, there’s significant room for improvement. A lower maturity level should be seen as an opportunity. It offers evidence of untapped potential to make ITSM processes more efficient and more valuable to the business.

Learn how OTRS can help you optimize your ITSM.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Device Management Software and Its Connection to Service Management

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:46:50 +0000

Device Management Software and Its Connection to Service Management

2025-08-26
Tobias Kortas

ITAM, ITSM

Modern IT landscapes are complex—and growing even more so. Countless assets and a wide variety of devices are managed by IT teams. At the same time, the business expects IT to deliver strong services.

A dedicated Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution is not only a key component for handling these challenges effectively. It also enables outstanding monitoring, significant time savings, and a high Return on Investment (ROI).

This article outlines how device management software creates real added value. It considers the benefits of pairing MDM solutions with a ticketing system. The article examines its role in IT Service Management (ITSM) or Enterprise Service Management (ESM). Finally, it gives an overview of various budget considerations.

What Is Device Management Software Today?

Mobile Device Management refers to software solutions and related strategies that efficiently manage, monitor, and secure endpoints regardless of location or operating system. Endpoints are devices such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Intelligent device management means that devices running in the environment are remotely identified, monitored and maintained.

Integrations with other tools are essential to gain a holistic view of IT environments. In addition, automation provides smart ways to save valuable resources.

Connections and Overlaps

Mobile Device Management is part of IT Asset Management (ITAM). Today, MDM is evolving into intelligent endpoint management. This combines MDM with customer management—leveraging AI-driven analytics and increasingly relying on automation.

In modern IT operations, it makes sense to connect device management with IT Service Management (ITSM). Device management helps support hardware. ITSM supports service processes. Request management, problem management, incident management, or change management are examples of service processes.

On this basis, IT environments can be managed holistically with ease.

ITSM becomes Enterprise Service Management (ESM) when its principles are extended to other areas of the business.. Device management also complements ESM. It helps teams manage both services and technology through a central platform, structured processes, and clear responsibilities. While ESM orchestrates services, MDM becomes a crucial service component (more on this later).

Key Functions—and Their Role in Providing Services

When combined with service management, Mobile Device Management brings several significant practical advantages. Even small teams can gain a surprisingly good overview of large diversified IT environments.

After device enrollment, MDM functions and service management work together to offer a number of benefits.

Device history and inventory data: Tckets can be auto-populated with prior device information. This could include device properties or earlier service cases. This saves time, provides clarity, and marks the first step toward adequately resolving a support request. It also helps technicians understand if someone is using a personal device.
Software and patch management: Installations, updates, and patches can be managed across many devices through MDM software. This helps proactively avoid disruptions which aligns perfectly with proactive problem management. Teams can eliminate root causes before they lead to problems and incidents.
Remote maintenance: Being able to easily maintain devices remotely is essential in MDM. For instance, if a device is lost or stolen, teams can make sure work data is not compromised by remotely wiping the device. When done reliably, first-level support experiences huge relief, as users contact support far less often with maintenance issues.
Automatic escalations: Device security is easier to manage. For instance, if devices violate security or compliance policies, automatic escalations can be triggered. This resolves issues as quickly as possible.
Policy management: Policies can be directly integrated into change management processes. This includes information on how devices, apps, and data should be used.

Integration with a Ticketing System

It’s already clear that Mobile Device Management has strong relevance for service management. To make work easier, the mobile device management solution should be integrated with a ticketing system.

Here’s how integration with a ticketing system makes sense:

Relevant device information is automatically available in tickets through a shared data foundation.
Events within MDM tools automatically trigger ticket creation.
Response times and SLA (Service Level Agreement) compliance improve.
Self-service portals can integrate device-related content (e.g., tailored suggestions for a “slow device”).

The combined power of device management and a ticketing system propels IT teams forward.

The key lies in having all device data and service processes in view. In this way, teams can act efficiently and logically.

Device Management in the Context of Enterprise Service Management (ESM)

Device management software plays an increasingly strategic role in Enterprise Service Management (ESM). It benefits the IT department but all other areas of the business.

A typical example is employee onboarding. HR initiates a service request. By using device management, IT can automatically provide, configure, and deliver the appropriate device. At the same time, these steps can be documented, managed, and tracked through the central ticketing system.

This is an excellent example of ESM in action.

In short: When device management is systematically integrated into the ESM platform, seamless, end-to-end processes emerge that increase efficiency and transparency across the enterprise.

IT saves time and is positioned as a driver of strategic services. IT becomes the heart of the digital organization.

AI in Device and Service Management

Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds a prominent place in service management. But it also optimizes and accelerates processes in device management.

Several use cases for AI come into play. For instance, device and ticket data can be used to generate predictions that support maintenance processes. AI also enables intelligent routing decisions in device management, such as when certain device types are frequently affected.

In service management, AI applications help in many ways. They can:

classify tickets,
generate responses,
provide real-time translations, or
perform sentiment analysis. Sentiment analysis gauges the emotional tone of inquiries.

AI creates numerous opportunities. It accelerates processes. It helps teams handle higher volumes, achieve better results, and generate forward-looking insights. The potential in this area is far from fully realized.

How Integrated Device Management Software Helps Save Budget

Using resources intelligently, acting efficiently, achieving Return on Investment (ROI): these have always been important in business. Today, they are even more critical due to increasing market pressure.

When organizations ask whether to implement an MDM solution, budget is taken into account in two ways:

The solution must be worth its price. The price includes the acquisition cost. It also includes factors that go into Total Cost of Ownership, such as training or maintainance.
The software should pay off and generate more financial value than it costs. Ideally, benefits such as productivity gains, automation, or error reduction should outweigh the expenses.

This is precisely what integrated device and service management achieves:

By reducing manual effort (e.g., in incidents and problems), support costs decrease.
Proactive monitoring extends device lifespans, reducing the need for costly replacements.
By providing key context information, device management enables faster and more comprehensive problem resolution.
License and asset management are optimized, ensuring licenses and devices are used more efficiently and in a coordinated manner.
Transparency on device status and usage enables well-founded, targeted investment decisions.
Remote device management makes it easier to enforce security, thus protecting the business from potential fines.

Conclusion

Device management plays a crucial role in IT operations and strongly overlaps with ITSM and ESM. It can also be described as the data-driven backbone of AI-powered automation.

Efficiency, security, and cost control are pressing topics—heavily supported by intelligent, integrated device management. That’s why it makes sense to integrate device management with a ticketing system or an ESM platform. It saves costs long-term, unifies processes, and maintains a holistic overview of IT-related workflows.

At the same time, device management remains a vital subcategory of IT Asset Management. It enables comprehensive device administration and application management regardless of location and operating system. This creates the foundation for fast remote support, delivers valuable automation, and ultimately saves considerable time and money.

Organizations that successfully leverage MDM software solutions to manage devices lay the foundation for intelligent data use and integration with ITSM and ESM processes. This includes automation and AI benefits.

Tobias Kortas

ITAM, ITSM

Service Desk Software – Definition and Key Features

Bernd Maus — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:53:02 +0000

Service Desk Software – Definition and Key Features

2025-08-19
Bernd Maus

ITSM

What Is Service Desk Software?

Modern service desk software is more than a support tool. It combines ITIL processes, integration features, and automation.

This creates one platform for all service requests. It serves as the main point of contact. This forms the base for efficient and measurable IT service management.

Definition and ITIL Alignment

A traditional helpdesk works reactively. It waits for users to report issues and then fixes them.

In contrast, the ITIL-defined service desk does more. It serves as the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) between IT and users. It also combines several ITIL processes and helps improve services proactively.

Service desk solutions bring this concept to life by:

Capturing, classifying, and prioritizing incoming tickets.
Supporting ITIL processes like Incident, Problem, Change, Request, and Knowledge Management.
Providing the data foundation for Continual Service Improvement (CSI).

Technical Architecture of Modern Service Desk Software

Modern service desk platforms are typically multi-layered, modular systems designed to integrate into heterogeneous IT environments.

Scalability is very important, especially for large businesses. Cloud-native platforms use microservices, containers like Docker and Kubernetes, and event-driven systems like Kafka and RabbitMQ. These tools help manage high demand effectively.

Typical Components

Frontend
Web portals, mobile apps, chatbots, and omnichannel interfaces provide a consistent user experience for agents and end users—ensuring fast access to services and seamless communication across devices.

Business Logic
Process engines, workflow orchestration, SLA/OLA management, and automation rules. This layer manages ticket prioritization, escalations, approvals, workflow automation and service-level monitoring for compliant and efficient service delivery.

Data & Integration Layer
APIs (REST, SOAP, GraphQL), webhooks, and middleware integrations (e.g., CMDB, monitoring tools, ERP). This enables context within tickets through deep integration with Active Directory/Azure AD, collaboration tools, and monitoring systems.

Knowledge & Analytics Layer
Reporting engines, machine learning models for ticket classification, NLP for chatbots, and knowledge base indexing. This layer supports analytics, self-service, and continuous knowledge updates to empower both users and agents.

OTRS – The Enterprise Service Management Solution

Turn your service desk into a strategic advantage—discover why OTRS is the ideal solution for modern service management.

7 Core Features of Service Desk Software

A service desk that delivers comprehensive services and contributes to the organization’s value creation needs more than just a ticketing system. It requires full support for all core ITSM processes. The selection of the right service desk software therefore depends heavily on the available functionality.

The following capabilities, grouped by area of application, should be provided.

Service Management

Service Level Management: Define, monitor, and report on Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and OLAs (Operational Level Agreements), with automatic escalation for breaches.
Service Catalog Management: Centralized, user-friendly catalog with service descriptions, costs, and delivery times.
Service Portfolio Management: Manage the full service lifecycle, from planning and rollout to retirement, aligned with business goals.
Service Reporting & Dashboards: Real-time visibility into performance, workload, trends, and bottlenecks.
Supplier Management: Integrate external vendors into workflows, including SLA monitoring and performance reviews.

Incident Management

Automated ticket creation from monitoring alerts.
Prioritization by Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and criticality matrix to respond to critical issues as quickly as possible.
Playbooks and predefined workflows for faster resolution.
SLA tracking with escalation paths.

Problem Management

Root cause analysis through incident correlation.
Integration with CMDB to identify impacted configuration items (CIs).
Documentation of workarounds and permanent fixes.

Change & Release Management

Approval workflows (CAB meetings, risk assessments).
Integration with DevOps pipelines (CI/CD).
Change calendar and conflict detection.

Knowledge Management

Central knowledge base for FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and how-to articles.
Full-text search with AI-powered relevance ranking.
Self-learning systems that auto-update articles with new solutions.

Service Request Management

Catalog-based requests (e.g., “Order a new laptop”).
Approval chains with automated provisioning (e.g., shared drive access).

Continual Improvement

CSI Register: Centralized tracking of improvement initiatives.
Automated KPI Analysis: MTTR, FCR, Change Success Rate, and more.
Feedback Integration: Surveys, ticket ratings, sentiment analysis.
Trend & Problem Analytics: Early detection of recurring issues or process inefficiencies.
Process Modeling & Simulation: Test changes in a sandbox before rollout.

KPIs, Monitoring, and Reporting

Without capturing data, optimization is impossible. Advanced systems offer real-time dashboards, drill-down analytics, and automated alert functions when thresholds for defined KPIs are exceeded or not met.

The following key metrics should be tracked by a service desk software solution:

MTTR (Mean Time to Resolution or Recovery)
FCR (First Contact Resolution Rate)
Ticket backlog and aging
SLA/OLA compliance
Change success rate
User satisfaction (CSAT, NPS)

Advanced systems provide real-time dashboards, drill-down analytics, and automated alerting functions when thresholds for defined KPIs are exceeded or not met.

Integration Across the Enterprise

In many organizations, the service desk is still limited to IT support. It receives requests, assigns a ticket number, and then disappears from the broader process context.

Today, however, IT has permeated almost all of a company’s value chain. The service desk must therefore be understood as an enterprise-wide solution.

This persistent silo mentality costs time, quality, and money. In a modern, highly connected IT environment, the service desk is not just a data entry tool. It is the nerve center of IT service management (ITSM).

Its true strength emerges only when it is deeply integrated—with monitoring, CMDB, identity and access management, DevOps pipelines, collaboration tools, and governance systems.

These integrations are not a luxury—they are prerequisites for efficiency, rapid response times, precise decision-making, and compliance.

Information Flow and Context: Faster Decisions Through Data

A ticket without context forces agents to conduct manual research (Who is the owner? Which CIs are affected? Which changes have been made?).

By integrating with CMDB/asset management, monitoring, and HR/ERP systems, tickets are automatically enriched upon creation. They include information such as affected CIs, dependencies, business criticality, owners, ongoing changes, and maintenance windows.

Result: The average time to correctly assign a ticket decreases, incorrect routing is reduced, and unnecessary “ping-pong messaging” between team members disappears.

Systematic Reduction of Waiting Time

Every unnecessary wait and manual process slows down the cycle time (CT) and ticket resolution time.

Manual decision-making, copy-paste between tools, or follow-up questions due to missing information add workload.

Here, significant time and cost savings can be achieved: automation features like event-to-ticket, auto-prioritization, and skill-based routing substantially shorten CT.

Example: Reducing manual triage from five minutes to one minute per ticket via monitoring/CMDB integration saves four minutes. While that may seem small, at 3,000 tickets per month this amounts to 12,000 minutes—or 200 net hours—saved.

Reducing Error Rates & Rework: Duplicate Data, Twice the Cost

Copying information between tools leads to typos, incorrect CI assignments, and missed SLAs. Integrated systems use unique identifiers (e.g., CI IDs, UIDs), idempotency, and reference integrity. These result in less rework, fewer follow-up questions, and fewer errors. Audit findings are also reduced.

All Services in One Portal

An integrated self-service portal (SSO, service catalog, knowledge base, chatbot) resolves standard cases early, displays ticket status in real time, and triggers auto-fulfillment.

Result: Higher first contact resolution (FCR) rates and reduced workload for second- and third-level support.

Governance, Compliance, and Security: Proof Instead of Gaps

Siloed solutions make it harder to meet today’s compliance requirements for revision and traceability (Who changed what, when, and why?).

Integration with SIEM/SOAR, DLP, and GRC provides a complete audit trail and policy check (e.g., four-eyes principle for production changes). This reduces risks, ensures traceability, and eliminates recurring manual tasks like assignment, status updates, fulfillment, or feedback requests.

Conclusion: Integration and automation mean time savings and fewer errors caused by manual work.

The following benchmarks once again highlight the potential for savings:

If 40% of service requests are standard, it can save agents a lot of time. This is possible by using a service catalog, auto-provisioning, and knowledge base automation. Also, it doesn’t compromise service quality.

AI in the Service Desk

The future of the service desk is intelligent and highly automated. The use of AI is steadily increasing and will continue to transform the way service operations are managed.

Service desk teams can focus more on creative tasks and improving the value contribution of service management—supported by AI-driven capabilities.

The following tasks can already be performed more efficiently with AI:

AI-based classification: Automatic ticket categorization based on free-text descriptions.
Personalized support: AI can incorporate the current ticket and the complete history of the requester into the resolution process. This enables more personalized responses by considering previous requests—regardless of the currently assigned agent—avoiding impersonal or repetitive interactions.
Intelligent routing: Assigning tickets to technicians with the right skill sets (skill-based routing).
Sentiment analysis: Detecting critical tickets and trends in current ticket volumes through Natural Language Processing (NLP), automatically identifying the emotional tone of a text.
Predictive analytics: Forecasting ticket volumes for better resource planning.
Self-healing: Automated scripts that resolve issues without human intervention (e.g., restarting services).
Lessons learned with generative AI: Creating solution suggestions based on the content of previous tickets.

OTRS AI Services

With OTRS AI Services, you can automatically classify over 80% of incoming tickets—saving hours of manual work and dramatically speeding up resolution times.

Cloud vs. On-Premise Deployment

While SaaS and cloud adoption are growing, the choice between cloud and on-premises depends on more than cost and maintenance.

Key decision factors:

Latency Requirements: On-premises offers lower latency for time-critical workloads; cloud provides global access.
Customization Depth: On-premises allows deep code-level customization; cloud offers configuration within platform limits.
Data Sovereignty: On-premises may be required for GDPR or industry compliance; cloud requires vendor compliance checks.
Critical Infrastructure: Energy, healthcare, and public safety sectors may need fully isolated, offline-capable solutions.
Hybrid Models: Combine cloud-based service desks with on-premises CMDB and sensitive data for a balanced approach.

Conclusion – Why a Modern Service Desk Is Essential

A service desk today is far more than an IT ticketing tool. Without it, organizations risk losing efficiency, transparency, and the ability to position IT as a true business enabler. The right platform delivers faster processes, happier users, and a more resilient, compliant IT environment.

FAQ

What is service desk software

ESM vs. ITSM: Differences and Similarities

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 08:32:49 +0000

ESM vs. ITSM: Differences and Similarities

2025-08-05
Tobias Kortas

ESM, ITSM

Enterprise Service Management (ESM) extends the principles of IT Service Management (ITSM) to the entire organization. The value of service management increases when companies are able to apply it effectively across different departments. In addition to technical aspects, business and strategic orientations become more prominent.

However, ESM isn’t always the right choice. Whether a company should focus on ITSM or ESM depends on various individual factors.

This article clarifies the differences and similarities between the two. It also explains under which conditions ESM makes the most sense.

What is IT Service Management (ITSM)?

IT Service Management (ITSM) is a strategic approach to delivering IT as a service. Using workflows and tools, IT services are created, implemented, delivered, and managed with a focus on customer needs.

The goal of ITSM software is to help IT teams manage services better. It provides the tools and processes they need. This can improve business performance, boost productivity, and increase customer satisfaction.

ITSM helps core IT functions. It supports organizations in reaching their business goals. It also keeps costs low by using budgets wisely.

ITIL® is the de facto framework for ITSM, featuring 34 practices. Key ITIL processes include:

Benefits of ITSM

Companies can benefit greatly from ITSM when the IT department plays a central role.

Key advantages include:

Effective and secure management of the IT environment
Rapid resolution of incidents and problems
Transparent and traceable implementation of changes
Fast and efficient deployment of innovations like new applications
Clear visibility into IT assets and their interdependencies

ITSM Software

Organizations use dedicated software solutions for ITSM that support services through features like incident and change management. Key aspects include simple setup, high usability, and maximum flexibility.

A Practical Example

The Saxony State Office for Schools and Education (LaSuB) had problems with its IT support system. The request management system was complex, unclear, and inefficient.

With OTRS, request management is now centralized and clearly structured, enabling better service. Requests and related notes can be quickly and easily forwarded to the appropriate colleagues. This allows even small teams to operate efficiently.

What is Enterprise Service Management (ESM)?

Enterprise Service Management (ESM) aims to enable efficient, transparent, and highly collaborative service management across all departments. It adopts ITSM principles and technologies. Teams apply these concepts to areas such as HR, Legal, Facility Management, Finance, or Marketing. This creates a consistent service approach that improves quality and reduces workload.

In short: As a cross-departmental or cross-industry concept, ESM uses ITSM practices as a model to achieve better organization, visibility, transparency, communication, and efficiency.

Benefits of Enterprise Service Management

When used correctly, ESM offers the major benefit of improving organization-wide processes. It is also strategically beneficial with respect to achieving company goals.

Key advantages include:

Better service experience for customers and employees—without long wait times, miscommunications, or data loss
Reduced stress and increased satisfaction among support agents due to better structure and transparency
Cost savings through efficient processes and workflows—both direct and opportunity costs
Continuous improvement and long-term success through active management of the service portfolio
Consistency, fewer errors, and more time for complex, value-added work thanks to process automation

ESM Software

Companies also use dedicated software for ESM to improve efficiency, increase security, and enhance customer satisfaction. Important features include process orientation, integrations and automation, self-service, scalability, as well as reporting and analytics.

ESM Examples: Onboarding and More

Onboarding is an important process. New employees feel it strongly, and a bad experience can cause early resignations.

A functional ESM system simplifies the process with automated workflows and clear communication. Everyone knows what to do. All the needed resources are ready from day one. This includes a detailed plan, hardware, account info, learning materials, and training registration.

Other examples include:

Internal self-service: Employees can find helpful answers on a portal. It has FAQs, guides, and solutions. No long email threads are needed.
Approval processes: Without ESM, requests may get lost or delayed. With structured approvals, status tracking, escalation handling, and defined timelines, processes become smooth and transparent
Integrations: Connecting tools and systems automates data flows and enables information sharing across platforms

Similarities and Differences Between ESM and ITSM

ESM is an extension of ITSM, so the concepts are closely related. Their common core is “SM” (Service Management). The difference is in the focus: “E” stands for Enterprise, while “IT” stands for Information Technology. ESM covers the entire organization, while ITSM focuses on the IT department.

Shared Features

Both ESM and ITSM enable efficient and goal-oriented service management through:

Efficient workflows that improve collaboration and save time and money
Automation for consistency, fewer errors, and time savings
Knowledge bases with FAQs, guides, and learnings for fast support
Self-service portals for customers or employees, improving accessibility and handling simple requests 24/7
Use of frameworks like ITIL® to standardize and optimize processes
Strong focus on customer and service orientation
Similar software tools to manage tickets, workflows, and services

In essence, both are built on the same foundation and pursue similar goals.

Key Differences

ITSM is concerned with IT services such as system upgrades, access control, and application delivery. ESM, in contrast, also covers non-technical areas such as HR onboarding or customer service. It also includes business-focused processes in finance, legal, and marketing.

Here are the main differences:

ITSM focuses on IT-related services
ESM addresses non-technical and business-oriented services across departments
ESM is more strategically aligned with goals like cost savings, high service quality, and customer satisfaction
ITSM is well-established with standardized processes, often using ITIL®
ESM often requires pre- work since not all departments are used to process-based work

Conclusion: ITSM delivers IT services, while ESM expands service delivery across the organization.

The key takeaway: ESM holds tremendous potential. It’s less widely adopted than ITSM but offers broad use cases. Companies that enable process-based work across departments can significantly optimize their internal workflows and gain a competitive edge.

ITSM or ESM: What Should Companies Choose?

ITSM and ESM are not mutually exclusive—they blend together. IT departments with extensive ITSM experience can act as enablers, helping apply these practices elsewhere in the company.

Where process orientation exists, an iterative implementation of ESM is highly recommended. Automation, standardized workflows, and access to knowledge bases streamline operations, save time, and improve outcomes.

The best approach is to build on the overlap of ITSM and ESM—essentially evolving ITSM step-by-step into a comprehensive ESM strategy.

What works well in IT may also benefit the entire organization. For example, HR departments, which handle many complex processes and inquiries, can benefit significantly from structured service management.

When to Stick with ITSM

IT departments deal with incidents, root causes, change management processes, and asset tracking. In such a complex, interdependent environment, structured and transparent service management is essential.

If other departments are not prepared for process-oriented work, they might only need basic service management. In that case, ITSM could be sufficient.

When to Use ESM

Enterprise Service Management is always a good choice when various departments handle broader service needs. For example, the Facility Management team might trigger workflows when new workstations are needed.

Since many service processes involve multiple departments, ESM is particularly valuable. A prime example is onboarding a new employee. Onboarding typically involves IT, HR, Facility Management, Legal, and the employee’s future department.

If organizations are ready to streamline processes and implement automation where appropriate, they should take that step.

Final Thoughts: Expand What Works

ITSM and ESM aren’t alternatives—they’re different expressions of the same principle. If ITSM is already working well in your organization, consider extending it to ESM.

Since ESM is still relatively underused, early adopters can gain a significant advantage. It also offers strategic value, helping achieve important business goals like high customer retention (CRR).

ESM isn’t automatic—it requires a foundation of process-oriented work. But when that’s in place, ESM offers enormous potential for highly structured, results-driven service management.

Contact us to learn how we can support your ITSM and ESM journey.

Get first-hand insights into how OTRS can support you.

Tobias Kortas

ESM, ITSM

The Best Knowledge Management Software: Best Practices, Criteria, Comparison

Author OTRS — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:03 +0000

The Best Knowledge Management Software: Best Practices, Criteria, Comparison

2025-07-08
Author OTRS

ITSM

The way an organization manages its knowledge base can significantly impact productivity, innovation, and customer satisfaction. With the increasing complexity of the digital work environment, companies must rely on leading knowledge management solutions.

The goal is to ensure that their teams operate efficiently, make informed decisions, and provide exceptional service.

This article highlights the importance of Knowledge Management (KM) systems. It also lists best practices and key criteria for evaluating available software. We will compare the main KM platforms. This will help us understand why more companies are choosing OTRS.

The Importance of Knowledge Management

Knowledge is a fundamental resource for any organization. However, information silos and diversified teams make acquiring and distributing complete, correct, and timely information increasingly difficult. This is where knowledge management (KM) becomes fundamental.

Effective KM enables organizations to collect, store, share, and use knowledge to improve operational performance. It helps employees quickly find important information. It cuts down on repeated work and encourages ongoing learning and teamwork.

Good knowledge management (KM) practices help businesses in many ways. They allow faster responses to customer requests. They also make it easier to onboard new employees.

The main advantages of knowledge management include:

• Greater efficiency: time spent searching for information is reduced.
• Better decision-making process: it’s simpler and more immediate to make data-based decisions.
• Better customer experience: quick and consistent responses increase the user experience quality.
• Risk management: when employees leave the company, disruptive information losses don’t occur.
• Innovation support: a knowledge management system encourages the sharing and development of ideas.

KM success doesn’t just happen because a company has the right tools. It requires a consistent strategy and practices.

Useful Practices for Knowledge Management

Implementing effective knowledge management doesn’t just mean choosing software. It requires a combination of corporate culture, processes, and technology. It’s important to:

1. Create a Knowledge Sharing Culture

Encourage employees to share what they know. Reward contributions made to the knowledge base and facilitate the documentation and retrieval of information.

2. Identify and Prioritize Knowledge Resources

It’s important to first gain valuable knowledge. This includes customer service procedures for solving problems, process documentation, company information, decision trees, and lessons from successful projects.

3. Standardize Documentation

Use clear templates and guidelines to ensure that all knowledge base articles are consistent, easy to read, and actionable.

4. Use Tags and Categories

Structure content logically with tags, categories, and metadata to make retrieval fast and intuitive.

5. Maintain and Review Content

Keep knowledge bases updated. Make organizing and sharing information a dedicated aspect of someone’s role. Assign content review tasks based on workloads and responsibility levels to ensure frequent reviews. Archive or remove any outdated information.

6. Measure Usage and Impact

Management should monitor how users use content, what they search for, and what they can’t find in order to refine KM activities.

These practices constitute the foundations on which to build a solid knowledge management system. The next step is finding the top knowledge management tool to support them.

Essential Software Features and Evaluation Criteria

Choosing the best knowledge management software means looking at how well the tools support KM best practices. It should also fit the needs of the business. Here are the key characteristics and criteria to consider:

1. Search Functionality

Users must be able to quickly find relevant information. Advanced search features such as full-text search, filters, and AI-powered search suggestions are essential.

2. Content Management

KM tools make content creation and management simple and consistent. They should offer WYSIWYG editors, templates, version control, and publishing workflows.

3. Categories and Tags

The ability to organize content using tags, folders, or taxonomies helps users navigate easily within large volumes of information.

4. Collaboration Tools

Collaboration features such as comments, co-editing, and feedback mechanisms allow teams to continuously improve informational resources.

5. User Access Control

Granular permissions ensure that the right people can view, edit, or publish content while protecting sensitive information.

6. Analytics and Reporting

Drawing insights from usage patterns helps us find popular articles and identify content gaps. This improves the knowledge base over time.

7. Integration Capabilities

The knowledge management system should work with your CRM, help desk, project management, and other business tools. This approach ensures people can access knowledge when and where they need it.

8. AI and Automation

Modern KM tools use generative AI to suggest content, assign tags automatically, and create drafts. This speeds up content development and customization. AI powered knowledge management continues to develop and will boost productivity even further in years to come.

9. Scalability and Customization

As an organization grows, the KM system must grow too. To promote sustainable development, tools must be scalable, customizable, and free from the need to write complex code.

10. Mobile and Multi-channel Access

Organizations should give access to knowledge in many ways. This includes mobile devices, chatbots, portals, and support tickets. It should be available wherever your users are.
Now, with these criteria in mind, let’s look at some of the best knowledge management solutions available today.

Comparison of Leading Solutions

As you begin to explore solutions, it’s important to understand what knowledge management is. It is the management of organizational information.

It differs from other similar options. Other types of knowledge management include:

Educational content is managed in learning management system (LMS)
Documents is stored in document management system
Website content is handled by a content management system

The focus in this article is on solutions that specifically secure organizational information.

Here’s a comparison of some of the most common knowledge management tools based on the criteria described above.

1. Confluence

Confluence by Atlassian is a popular tool for teamwork. It helps teams gather, organize, and manage information easily. It lets users create organized pages, edit content in real-time, and keep a version history for project alignment.

It integrates well with Jira, the agile tool for planning, monitoring, releasing, and supporting high-quality software. Confluence is mainly used by development teams that need to coordinate software documentation and workflows.

Key Features:

Predefined page templates
Simultaneous editing
User permissions and notifications
Hierarchical page structure
Tight integration with Jira

Main Advantage: allows teams to centralize documentation, outline project roadmaps, and monitor progress collaboratively.

Ideal for: software development and product teams that already work in the Atlassian ecosystem.

2. Zendesk Guide

Zendesk Guide provides self-service and knowledge base functionality. It allows customer support teams to publish useful articles, provide automatic content suggestions, and monitor knowledge base performance. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, it simplifies ticket deflection and improves customer experience.

Key Features:

Customizable help center layouts
AI-based content suggestions
Multi-language support
Tools for monitoring article relevance and quality
Integrated feedback and reporting functions

Advantages: allows users to find answers on their own, helping to reduce support volume and improve service efficiency.

Ideal for: customer support teams that already use Zendesk for ticket management, live chat, or help desk functions.

3. Guru

Guru is simple and easy to use. Guru offers browser extensions and Slack integration to provide knowledge during workflows.

Its artificial intelligence can answer direct questions. It uses a large and growing knowledge base. You can get real answers with cited sources.

Key Features:

Intuitive interface and browser-based access
Real-time synchronization and verification reminders
Integration with Slack and Teams

Main Advantage: intuitive interface to use for storing and retrieving knowledge.

Ideal for: real-time knowledge sharing within sales and support teams.

Why OTRS Stands Out from Other Knowledge Management Software

The best knowledge management software depends on your goals, size, and current technology. OTRS is notable for its complete features at every level.

OTRS combines robust knowledge management with specific features for services, ticketing, automation, and security.

It’s ideal for companies that want a single platform. It supports both internal and external knowledge bases. It has a flexible design and works well with ITIL practices. It’s also particularly suitable for IT departments, customer support teams, and regulated sectors.

For organizations that need a powerful, customizable, and scalable solution that covers all essential KM elements, OTRS offers comprehensive functionality for most needs.

Investing in the right knowledge management software is not just about storing information. It is about giving your employees the knowledge they need to work more productively and efficiently.

Author OTRS

ITSM

ITIL Incident Management – Definition, Benefits, and Process

Bernd Maus — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 09:59:43 +0000

ITIL Incident Management – Definition, Benefits, and Process

2025-06-17
Bernd Maus

ITSM

In a more digital work environment, delivering IT services smoothly is important for organizations to succeed. IT teams face the challenge of restoring normal service operations as quickly as possible after unexpected disruption. This is precisely where ITIL® Incident Management comes into play as a proven approach within service management.

This article examines the mechanics, benefits, and strategic implications of the ITIL Incident Management process, particularly efficiency, user focus, and continuous improvement.

What Is Incident Management According to ITIL?

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a framework of best practices in IT service management. In this framework, Incident Management is a structured method. It helps handle unexpected problems, quality drops, or outages in IT services.

The goal is to quickly restore service quality. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) establish expectations for how quickly this should happen. Fast service reduces the impact on users.

Incident Management vs. ITIL-Compliant Approach

Many organizations already have Incident Management procedures in place. However, some people do not know about ITIL best practices. Others avoid them because they seem too complex.

This typically leads to inefficiency, inconsistency, or purely reactive processes. Companies should decide for themselves to what extent they need to orient themselves around ITSM or ITIL.

ITIL Incident Management distinguishes itself through:

Standardized workflows
Clear role assignments (e.g., Incident Manager)
SLA-based incident prioritization
Integration with service management tools
Documentation for use during and audit or in process improvement

As a result, organizations gain control over service disruptions. Support teams also get the ability to systematically evaluate and strategically optimize services.

Why ITIL Incident Management? – Key Benefits

A consistently implemented ITIL Incident Management process offers several key benefits:

Faster problem resolution: Structured procedures and escalation mechanisms help restore services more quickly.
Customer satisfaction and transparency: Affected users receive regular status updates via the service desk, which fosters trust.
Measurable service quality: SLAs enable objective assessment of performance and availability.
More effective incident handling: Reusable solutions, improved communication, and automated processes save resources.
Foundation for continuous improvement: Systematic evaluation of incidents provides valuable insights for optimizing services and processes.
Stronger customer relationships: Reliable services and clear communication build trust in the IT department and the whole organization.

The ITIL Incident Management Process in Detail

Incident Logging and Documentation
All incidents are documented systematically within the service management tool, including all logs. This enables complete traceability and forms the basis for accurate analysis and efficient reporting.
Categorization and Prioritization
Incident categorization (e.g., network, applications) helps team members decide what to focus on first. Teams assess the urgency and impact of incidents to prioritize them and meet SLAs.
Initial Investigation and Diagnosis
The service desk, or first-level support, does initial checks to find and, if they can, fix the problem right away.
Escalation Management
If a quick solution is not possible, escalation management engages the right people to find a solution. These incidents go to specialized teams.
Organizations usually divide these teams into 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level support. Teams assign incidents to higher levels based on how serious and complex they are.
Resolution and Recovery
A solution is implemented, tested, and documented. Teams restore service in accordance with the SLA.
Closure and Documentation
Once the incident has been resolved and the affected user confirms restoration, the incident is closed. The documentation contributes to the knowledge base and continuous improvement.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
Incidents should be analyzed regularly to prevent future occurrences. Are there recurring patterns? Can Problem Management identify root causes?

Operational Role of the Incident Manager in ITIL Incident Management

The Incident Manager is responsible for the overarching coordination of all incidents. This role is critical to effectively manage incidents, especially during business-critical disruptions.

Responsibilities include:

Ensuring SLA compliance
Coordination between IT teams and the service desk
Escalation management
Reporting and quality control
Organizing post-incident reviews for critical cases

Service Desk as the Central Point of Contact

The Service Desk holds a central position in ITIL Incident Management. It acts as the designated Single Point of Contact (SPOC) within the ITIL framework. This helps improve communication between IT service providers and end users.

It coordinates incoming incident reports and manages the initial diagnosis. An efficiently operated Service Desk not only improves response times but also ensures a high-quality user experience.

Giving the service desk the right tools is critical. Automated categorization, access to knowledge bases, and easy solution paths set apart reactive support from proactive support.

How ITIL Incident Management Connects with Other ITIL Processes

Incident Management is closely linked to other ITSM processes:

Problem Management: Recurring incidents may indicate underlying issues requiring structural resolution.
Change Management: Teams replace temporary workarounds with permanent changes.
Knowledge Management: Successfully resolved incidents enrich the knowledge base.

The collaboration between these processes increases the efficiency and sustainability of the overall IT service landscape.

Importance of SLAs (Service Level Agreements)

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) define binding targets for incident response and resolution times. They make sure that both the provider and client agree on expectations. This agreement improves monitoring performance.

Example resolution timeframes based on types of incidents (illustrative only):

Major incident: Resolved within 4 hours
Medium incident: Resolved within one business day
Minor incident: Resolved within 3 business days

SLAs enable objective service quality evaluation and are a central control mechanism in service management.

Tailoring ITIL Incident Management to Business Needs

ITIL provides a standard framework, but it is not prescriptive. Organizations should adapt processes to their specific requirements to maximize value:

Assess the maturity of the IT organization
Analyze existing service management processes
Establish interfaces to related ITIL processes (e.g., Problem or Change Management)

Pragmatic implementation means translating ITIL concepts into the organization’s context—not applying every guideline literally. Leaders should take agility, corporate culture, and existing system landscapes into account.

Best Practices for Successful Implementation

Establishing an ITIL Incident Management process requires a structured approach. Proven practices include:

Management buy-in: Executive support is essential for successful implementation across all phases.
Training for stakeholders: IT teams, Incident Managers, and service desk staff need a shared understanding of processes, responsibilities, and goals.
Pilot phase with selected services: A test phase should validate and refine the process before full implementation.
Technical infrastructure: Choose appropriate tools (e.g., OTRS) that support workflows, SLAs, and reporting.
Cultural integration: People should not see ITIL as bureaucratic overhead. Position it as a path to better service management—with benefits for both customers and employees.

How OTRS Supports ITIL Incident Management

OTRS offers a robust platform for implementing ITIL-compliant processes:

Integrated service management modules for Incident, Problem, and Change Management
SLA management with configurable response and resolution times
Self-service functionality to reduce service desk workload
Monitoring and reporting via dashboards (e.g., incident volume, SLA compliance, trend analysis)
Knowledge base to enable fast resolutions through reusable solutions
User-friendly interface to minimize training time and increase adoption

With OTRS, organizations achieve more effective incident management through automation, transparency, and continuous optimization. IT teams, in particular, benefit from structured processes, streamlined communication, and measurable outcomes.

Conclusion

ITIL Incident Management is more than just a reactive process. It’s a structured, SLA-driven component of service management. It enables fast restoration of IT services, high user satisfaction, and strategic control over resources.

Organizations can improve incident management by using roles such as Incident Manager. They should also have a professional service desk. Additionally, using tools like OTRS helps create a strong foundation for effective incident management. The result: reduced downtime, greater user satisfaction, and enhanced control over critical IT processes.

Bernd Maus

ITSM

ITSM vs. ITIL: The differences between the discipline and the framework

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 20 May 2025 07:20:41 +0000

ITSM vs. ITIL: The differences between the discipline and the framework

2025-05-20
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

ITSM stands for IT service management. People often use this and the term Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) interchangeably. They have many important parallels, but it is still important to differentiate between the two. This article explains how the terms relate to each other – and how they are best used.

What is ITIL?

ITIL®️ is a set of best practices to approach IT service management. The framework provides a series of processes designed to enable effective ITSM.

Key objectives are to successfully manage IT services and improve IT support and service level management. With the help of the framework, companies can better plan and implement their services. This ensures high quality and controls service management costs.

In addition to ITIL, there are other, less popular frameworks. COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) or CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) also offer guidelines for ITSM.

(Note: ITIL®️ is a registered trademark of Axelos Limited who provides the latest version of ITIL and ITIL certification.)

What is ITSM?

ITSM helps IT teams deliver IT services effectively and with high satisfaction. It’s not only about running the IT infrastructure smoothly, but it is also about optimizing business value creation.

In addition to the IT infrastructure, the focus is on service. ITSM aims to meet the needs of users and customers in the best possible way by using defined measures and processes. It is important to solve service problems, continuously improve IT services and adapt them to new requirements.

ITSM aligns IT services with the company’s requirements and objectives. Companies can use it to identify potential risks to service provision.

The most important ITSM processes are:

● Incident Management (processing faults and incidents)

● Problem Management (identifying the causes of recurring faults)

● Change Management (implementing changes)

● Service Request Management (processing user requests)

The differences between ITIL and ITSM

Despite frequent confusion between ITSM and ITIL, they do differ significantly from each other in some respects.

ITSM deals with all the processes and activities involved in providing IT services. It refers to the management of all activities related to IT services. Overall, ITSM has a much broader focus.

ITIL is a framework. It aims that makes these services better and more efficient. It’s important as a quality standard with its best practices.

In short: ITSM is the what and ITIL is the how of ITSM. While ITSM describes what is actually done, ITIL explains how this should ideally be done.

ITIL is also more customer-centric, while ITSM focuses more on the service provider. This is because ITIL aims to improve service quality. ITSM, on the other hand, aligns IT services with the company’s own requirements and objectives.

Conclusion: ITSM is a broad approach to managing IT services, including topics like itsm tools, people and processes. ITIL provides specific guidance and recommendations to implement ITSM effectively.

The similarities

ITSM and ITIL both support a structured approach to IT delivery, but they should not be confused. Despite this, people closely intertwine the terms, because the combination offers the best output. ITIL describes the path to success in ITSM.

ITSM and ITIL have the following in common:

● Goals: Both improve IT services and increase customer satisfaction.

● Processes: Both rely on clearly defined processes such as incident and problem management.

● Service orientation: Both are about services and not about areas such as the technical infrastructure.

● Continuous improvement: Continual service improvement is an important principle for both ITSM and ITIL.

● Measurability: Both use key performance indicators and service quality benchmarks to quantify the services provided.

ITSM and ITIL are also similar in these respects:

● Both enable good IT services. However, ITSM focuses a little more on the company. ITIL focuses a little more on the customer. Nevertheless, both see IT as services offered to the customer.

● They work together. ITIL clearly supports ITSM. Effective ITSM in practice relies heavily on ITIL as the de facto standard.

● The processes are more or less the same, but TSM focuses more on objectives. ITIL focuses more on the necessary procedures.

Consideration: ITSM vs. ITIL

ITSM and ITIL work together. Although there are several other frameworks for ITSM, most users closely link ITIL to ITSM.

For example, when companies implement ITSM, ITIL provides important guidance. Over time, companies adopt their own unique processes and procedures by using ITIL.

Leaders can now ask a new question. On which of these two pillars should companies focus?

The outcome depends heavily on whether the team focuses more on what is needed or how it should be done. ITSM guides the “what.” ITIL guides the “how.”

It is crucial for organizations to choose the approach that best suits their needs, requirements and goals.

Reasons to focus on ITIL

Many professionals regard ITIL as the most important framework and the standard for information technology service management. Although the best practices described are not obligations, they carry great weight as recommendations when developing a service strategy.

Among other things, these reasons and advantages can be a good reason to deal with ITIL rather than ITSM:

When companies are beginning with ITSM, ITIL supports them in doing so. If you follow best practices, you will have an excellent structure for your own IT services.
ITIL places great emphasis on improving the quality of IT services. This automatically leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are important building blocks for a company’s profitability.
There is a strong focus on continuous improvement in ITIL. This supports the business in being agile, adaptable and able to adapt to future developments.
ITIL contains standardized processes and workflows that companies can use again and again. This saves them time and money while making them more productive overall.
Those who rely on ITIL are not starting from scratch. This happens because the framework retains what is working well. It only makes changes where necessary.

Reasons to focus on ITSM itself

ITSM is a lived practice that is specifically tailored to the respective company. ITIL is more theoretical. It does not generate any added value on its own.

Despite the importance of ITIL, the bottom line is how ITSM works so that practical improvements can be implemented directly.

The following reasons and advantages speak in favor of a stronger ITSM focus than ITIL:

1. ITSM is a more flexible approach than ITIL. It adapts easily to the requirements of very different organizations.

2. Even though ITIL is a de facto standard, there are many other ITSM frameworks. Focusing on ITSM promises cross-method work. Teams can combine the best of different frameworks with one another.

3. It’s the business that counts. ITSM focuses on the business. Functional ITSM dovetails IT services with business objectives.

4. Optimizing a few processes in a targeted manner is more effective than trying to do everything at once. ITSM lets teams focus on core processes and their practical application.

5. Smaller teams, in particular, will find ITSM a more manageable approach with more practical relevance. It allows them to organize their day-to-day work flexibly and according to their own capabilities.

Conclusion of the trade-off between ITSM and ITIL

Ideally, ITSM and ITIL work together as a powerful combination. Anyone who operates ITSM should pay attention to the ITIL set of guidelines. And ITIL presupposes a clear discussion of ITSM.

The only question is where companies should focus their efforts. This must be individualized according to objectives and any current areas for improvement. As a best practice guideline, ITIL offers excellent orientation. ITSM is more flexible and places greater emphasis on business aspects.

Summary

ITSM and ITIL are equally important for managing IT services in organizations effectively and efficiently. For users, it is crucial to know the differences in order to make dedicated use of both concepts. ITSM describes the goal and puts it into practice. ITIL provides the methodology to do so effectively.

Both terms improve IT services and increase customer satisfaction. Both also use clearly defined processes.

Businesses must ask themselves how they can best combine ITSM and ITIL. If each company pursues its own approach here, it is always necessary to weigh the options individually. Ultimately, however, the measures always serve one goal – providing good ITSM.

Find out how OTRS ITSM software can support implementation of your efforts in this area.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

10 Best Practices for IT Help Desk Success

Bernd Maus — Mon, 12 May 2025 06:15:51 +0000

10 Best Practices for IT Help Desk Success

2025-05-12
Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

An efficient IT help desk is essential for modern IT systems. It is also a key part of IT service management. It ensures smooth operations, reduces downtime, and improves user satisfaction. In an era of rapidly evolving technologies and increasing user expectations, it is essential to implement the right strategies.

Here are ten IT help desk best practices. These tips show how IT teams or service desks can improve help desk operations. They can lower staff workload and improve the value of their services over time.

Define Clear Service-Level Agreements (SLAs)

A help desk must know what it is supposed to deliver—and what it is not. Clearly defining the services offered avoids misunderstandings, promotes efficiency, and simplifies ticket prioritization. This also includes categorizing services (e.g., hardware, software, user management) and establishing a clear escalation structure. A structured service overview, ideally within an IT service catalog, ensures that all stakeholders share the same expectations.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) provide a binding framework and define the scope of services for both the help desk and users. A solid SLA outlines:

Which services are provided

Response times to requests

How escalations are handled

System availability

A well-defined SLA creates transparency, builds trust in the help desk, and helps with ticket prioritization. It is important to review and adapt SLAs regularly to adjust to changing requirements. Teams align performance with business goals by using effective service level management tools.

Use a Centralized Ticketing System

A ticketing system is often the main part of help desk software. However, not every system meets the needs of a modern IT help desk. Key elements include well-designed processes, access to relevant data, and efficient ticket management. Consider the following:

Who is responsible for which tickets?

Are ticket types categorized and prioritized by urgency?

Are automated workflows in place?

Can tools retrieve infrastructure data for more efficient support?

How is documentation handled?

With clearly defined workflows, standardized input fields, and transparent status tracking, resources can be better managed. Additionally, users experience a consistent support process.

A powerful ticket system offers:

Complete documentation of every incident

Automated ticket assignment based on priority or department

Transparent communication with users

Reporting tools built into the system allow for continuous analysis of service quality. They help identify bottlenecks and improvement areas. Modern ticketing solutions also integrate with platforms like email, chat, or broader ITSM tools.

Learn how OTRS can support your help desk with its ITSM solution.

Optimize First Contact Resolution (FCR)

Simply logging an issue and forwarding the ticket isn’t enough. The goal should be to competently resolve as many cases as possible during the first contact.

This requires technical expertise, fast analytical skills and sound judgment. Standardized diagnostic guides, access to configuration data, and close collaboration with specialist departments are all beneficial.

Communication should be about finding solutions. It should be proactive, forward-thinking, and reliable.

Resolving issues during the first contact enhances the customer experience and relieves second-level support. There is a direct correlation between resolution times and customer satisfaction.

Ways to improve FCR:

Train help desk staff on common issues

Provide a rich internal knowledge pool

Use templates and decision-making aids for frequently asked questions

Regular FCR tracking helps identify progress and refine service desk processes accordingly.

Establish Knowledge Management

Many help desks view documentation as a chore, yet it is a key success factor. Good knowledge management reduces follow-up questions and serves as a valuable reference for the help desk team.

Knowledge management goes beyond capturing ticket notes. It involves systematic databases for recording problems and known solutions.

A centralized knowledge base saves time and prevents recurring mistakes. It should include:

Troubleshooting guides

Documentation of common problems

FAQs for end users

Experts must regularly update content. Tools must offer versioning and easy search options. Help desk team members should actively contribute to maintaining the knowledge base. A public version for end users also supports self-service and reduces the ticket volume.

Implement Proactive Monitoring and Early Warning Systems

System monitoring should not be confined to the infrastructure team. If the help desk has real-time monitoring data, it can find and sort outages faster.

Ideally, specific alerts would trigger tickets automatically. This establishes a proactive support approach that addresses issues before users even notice them.

An effective help desk doesn’t just respond—it anticipates. Monitoring tools should:

Track system load and availability

Set thresholds and trigger alerts

Automatically generate tickets for certain conditions

This allows the help desk to intervene early—boosting system reliability and user trust.

Continuously Train and Develop the Team

The help desk thrives on the expertise and motivation of its staff. Management should attend to professional development. Also consider other formats such as case reviews, job shadowing, and in-depth sessions on specific topics. Soft skills like stress resilience and communication skills also deserve dedicated attention.

Help desk skills must evolve with business and technical demands.

Service desk best practices for continuous improvement:

Regular training and certifications

Cross-team collaboration (e.g., with DevOps or infrastructure)

Simulations and role-playing for critical scenarios

A well-trained, motivated team is efficient and effective. It directly enhances support quality.

Offer Self-Service Portals and Chatbots

Self-service can significantly relieve the help desk—when well implemented. Processes like password resets, software requests, or ticket status checks must be intuitive and seamless across channels. The service portal is also a point of contact when the help desk is closed.

Important: self-service must meet the same quality standards as direct support. Teams should optimize self-service offerings based on usage data and user feedback.

Effective self-service includes:

User-friendly portals with FAQs, guides, and forms

Chatbots that handle simple requests autonomously

Integration with knowledge databases

These tools should be regularly evaluated and updated to remain effective and relevant.

Strengthen User-Centricity and Communication

User satisfaction is not a vague concept. It’s measurable. Some ways to gather data include:

Sending short surveys after ticket resolution,

Conducting regular key user reviews, or

Establishing feedback channels in self-service portals.

Once gathered, take feedback seriously. Translate it into concrete actions that improve processes and enhance the help desk’s reputation. Being transparent about changes made based on feedback also builds trust.

The help desk should be seen as a problem solver and a true service partner.

Key points:

Clear, jargon-free communication—especially for non-technical users

Friendly, empathetic interactions

Structured mechanisms for support evaluation and feedback

The goal is to continuously identify areas for improvement and strengthen user engagement.

Use Artificial Intelligence Effectively

AI can significantly ease the help desk’s workload. Intelligent systems can identify patterns in requests, automatically prioritize tickets, or suggest suitable solutions from the knowledge base. AI-enabled chatbots can efficiently handle standard inquiries. The key is knowing when AI can take over and where human expertise remains essential.

Possible AI use cases:

Intelligent ticket classification and prioritization

Chatbots with natural language processing

Predicting support demand based on past data

Success lies in balancing automation with human support. Implementation should be well-planned, piloted, and accompanied by human-centered options to ensure acceptance and value.

Put KPIs and Feedback to Use

A modern help desk doesn’t operate on instinct. It runs on data. KPIs are valuable indicators of performance. Examples include first-contact resolution rate, average ticket resolution time, repeat incidents, or user satisfaction.

Teams gather the numbers and take actions to improve them.

Metrics-driven help desk management includes:

Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)

Ticket volume by category

Satisfaction scores from user feedback

Regular reviews and dashboards enhance transparency and foster continuous improvement across the team.

Conclusion

A modern IT help desk is much more than a support hotline. It’s a strategic partner and innovation driver within the organization. The best practices for the IT help desk show how to create processes that are efficient, easy to use, and ready for the future. Leveraging automation, knowledge management, and AI not only conserves resources but also boosts customer service quality.

Yet the human element remains key—whether it’s in helping the support staff or the end user. Striking this balance is what defines the long-term success of your IT support structure.

Discover how OTRS can support your help desk transformation.

Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

Trouble Ticket System: Functions and Areas of Application

Bernd Maus — Fri, 09 May 2025 09:16:47 +0000

Trouble Ticket System: Functions and Areas of Application

2025-05-09
Bernd Maus

ITSM

Efficient handling of incidents and service requests is a key component of modern IT and support structures. In complex system environments, standardized processes enable traceable and scalable case management. Trouble ticket systems support the structured documentation, classification, and tracking of requests throughout their entire lifecycle.

This article explores the fundamentals, core features, and practical use cases.

What is a Trouble Ticket System?

People also call a trouble ticket system a ticketing system. It is software that helps keep track of incidents, requests, and tasks. Teams use this software in service processes. Each “ticket” is part of a process that follows a defined handling workflow.

The concept originated in the 1980s in the context of technical call centers. The rise of IT service management standards such as ITIL© further formalized it.

Early implementations of trouble ticket software were often simple databases or email-based systems. Specialized platforms with escalation logic, status tracking, and workflow management later replaced these.

Relevance in IT and Service Management

In IT service organizations, trouble ticket systems are central tools for structured case management and quality assurance. They support standardized processing of incidents, service requests, and changes. Furthermore, they provide transparency for efficient service level management, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.

Facility management or customer service teams also use ticket systems.

They ensure clear assignment responsibility and audit-proof documentation. As systems become more complex and accountability requirements increase, the importance of ticketing systems continues to grow.

Core Functions and System Architecture

Trouble ticket systems offer key functionalities and a modular architecture that enable reliable case handling, clear responsibilities, and automated workflows.

Ticket Creation and Management

Tickets can be created by end users, service staff, or automatically via monitoring systems. Those processing tickets capture relevant information—such as issue description, affected systems, timestamps, and contact details.

Trouble ticket management includes editing, categorizing, taking notes, reading ticket histories, and linking related tickets. Filtering, sorting, and tracking ensure efficient case handling and evaluation down the road. Modern systems also offer templates, automated classification, and integration with knowledge bases to speed up ticket resolution and improve solution quality.

Prioritization, Escalation, and SLAs

Teams process support tickets based on urgency and business impact. This assessment determines handling order.

Escalation mechanisms activate automatically if response or resolution times are exceeded. These times are called SLAs, or Service Level Agreements. They also trigger if there is no activity.

Agents escalate tickets to higher support levels or alert management staff. Contracts typically define SLAs and key metrics for maintaining service quality.

Agents address critical issues promptly by evaluating priorities and ticket escalations.

User Roles and Access Control

Trouble ticket systems distinguish between different user roles, each with specific permissions. Typical roles include end users, service agents (1st to 3rd level), administrators, and system owners. Depending on the role, users can create, comment on, edit, or close tickets.

Role-based access ensures data security, process compliance, and clear responsibility assignment. In large organizations, this is essential when handling multiple clients, reporting, and ensuring compliance with regulations, especially regarding data protection and auditability.

Status Models, Workflows, and Communication

Status models define various ticket processing states such as “Open”, “In Progress”, “Waiting for Response”, “Resolved”, or “Closed”. The ticket statuses enable clear process control and early detection of bottlenecks. Combined with workflows—i.e., defined rules and transitions—responsibilities can be automatically assigned, notifications triggered, or escalations begun.

Ideally, communication between users and support happens directly within the ticket to preserve context and history. Transparent communication and consistent documentation are essential for efficient processes, quality assurance, and analysis.

Learn how OTRS can support your service with its integrated ticketing system.

Technological Foundations and Integrations

System Architectures (On-Premise vs. Cloud-Based)

IT teams select local (on-premise) or cloud-based trouble ticket system operation. Teams have a ligher level of control and can more easily customize on-premise solutions. They do, however, require internal maintenance.

Cloud-based systems are quick to set up and can grow easily. They need less maintenance but have some outside dependencies. These systems must also follow rules, especially for sensitive data.

Interfaces to Third-Party Systems (e.g., CMDB, Monitoring, ERP)

Modern ticketing systems offer interfaces to other IT systems. Integration with a CMDB allows for contextual information about affected assets. Here are a few examples:

Monitoring tools can automatically generate tickets upon detecting faults.

Connections to ERP or time-tracking systems enable seamless process and cost control.

Live chat solutions allow agents to create talk remotely with a customer while creating a ticket.

Use Cases and Ticket Lifecycle

Various business operations use trouble ticket systems — wherever structured case handling, traceability, and defined responsibilities are essential. Depending on the industry and use case, functional requirements and integration depth vary.

IT Service Management (ITSM)

As mentioned earlier, ticketing systems are foundational to structured and standardized IT support processes. They enable core ITIL processes, particularly incident, problem, and change management.

Classification and escalation ensure efficient handling. They also enable audit-proof documentation and systematic root cause analysis. Integration with monitoring and asset management systems allows for proactive issue detection and improved response times.

Customer Service, Facility Management, HR

Outside of IT, ticketing systems are widely used. In customer support, they facilitate structured handling of inquiries, complaints, customer issues or support requests. In facility management, they help track maintenance tasks, malfunctions, or cleaning schedules. In HR, they support processes such as onboarding, leave requests, or internal support.

In all cases, ticket systems promote transparency, accountability, and consistent communication. They also generate valuable data for process optimization and efficiency improvements in non-technical service areas. And, they ensure a positive customer experience.

Learn how OTRS can increase efficiency across various application areas with tailored solutions.

Ticket Lifecycle: From Creation to Resolution

The lifecycle of a ticket begins with its creation—manually by a user or automatically by a system. It is then classified (e.g., incident, request, change) and prioritized. The responsible agent or team is assigned to the ticket.

During processing, there may be follow-up questions, escalations, or status changes. The entire process is documented. Agents close the ticket after successful resolution.

Depending on the system, metrics such as handling time are automatically recorded for reporting purposes.

Challenges and Best Practices

Successfully implementing a trouble ticket system requires more than technical deployment. Scalability, user acceptance, and the thoughtful use of modern technologies are key to long-term value.

Scalability and User Acceptance

A ticketing system must be able to scale with organizational growth—both functionally and in user capacity. Ease of use is critical: only intuitive systems with low barriers to entry achieve widespread adoption. Training and feedback loops foster long-term acceptance.

Automation and AI Support

Automation—e.g., using templates or prefilled responses—can streamline routine tasks. Automatic ticket assignment, classification, or prioritization boosts resolution process efficiency and frees up staff for higher-value work.

AI can help detect patterns in incoming requests, suggest solutions to frequently asked questions, and generate predictions. However, such technologies must be purposefully implemented and regularly reviewed to avoid errors and meaningfully support workflows.

Outlook

Role in Modern Support Structures

In service-driven organizations, trouble ticket systems are key control instruments. They ensure transparency, efficiency, and traceability in handling requests. When considered as integration platforms, they connect technical systems, organizational processes, and human communication.

Trends: Self-Service, Automation, Predictive Analytics

Future developments focus on greater user autonomy via self-service portals, intelligent automation, and predictive analytics. These allow for proactive issue identification and targeted resource management. Such trends not only boost efficiency but also transform support into a strategic function within the organization.

Want to learn more about OTRS?

Bernd Maus

ITSM

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ITSM Glossary

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 07 May 2025 08:20:44 +0000

ITSM Glossary

2025-05-07
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

The field of IT Service Management (ITSM) is full of important terms and concepts. This glossary provides clarity and a quick overview of relevant knowledge.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used in ITSM in various ways, mostly to accept requests, classify tickets, or generate responses. AI-based translations, summaries, sentiment analyses, or solution suggestions are also part of the spectrum. As AI features increasingly penetrate the market, users should always consider them based on benefits – such as time savings or concrete service improvements.

Asset Management

Asset Management, also known as IT Asset Management (ITAM), deals with the entire lifecycle of IT resources – hardware, software, and cloud resources. It involves planning, procuring, deploying, maintaining, decommissioning, and disposing of assets.

Change Management

In ITSM, Change Management controls and coordinates changes to infrastructure to reduce risks and prevent disruptions to IT services. Along with Incident Management and Problem Management, it is one of the core disciplines of ITSM.

Chatbots

Chatbots are primarily used in customer service, providing users with quick access to knowledge and information and enabling efficient self-service. These bots communicate either through text or voice messages, answering (frequently asked) questions and handling requests. AI chatbots, which use natural language processing and machine learning to understand queries in context and provide increasingly better answers, are becoming more prevalent.

Configuration Management

Configuration Management is a key process in ITSM that enables effective recording, management, and control of IT assets such as hardware, software, and networks. By always having reliable information about the IT infrastructure, fewer errors occur, changes can be better implemented, and systems are more stable. An important element is the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) for storing configuration data.

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

A Configuration Management Database serves as a central data repository and is often described as the heart of an ITSM system. It functions as a storage facility and maintains information about a company’s IT environment. A CMDB proves to be the foundation for high-quality IT customer service as well as stable systems and applications.

Continuous Improvement

In ITSM, continuous improvement aims to continuously evaluate and optimize IT services and their management. This ensures that optimizations are carried out systematically, structurally, and in accordance with the goals and strategies of the respective company. “Continual Service Improvement” (CSI) plays an important role in the ITIL framework as one of five core areas.

Data Management

Data Management is about using data securely and efficiently. The challenge is to apply adequate strategies, methods, and technologies to maintain reliable, clean, and up-to-date data. It is crucial that this data is of high quality, accessible, and has integrity.

Endpoint Management

Endpoint Management aims to manage and secure all endpoints – such as computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, or IoT devices – in a corporate network. The critical factor is achieving a secure, legally compliant, and efficient IT infrastructure, as well as creating good conditions for remote maintenance.

End-to-End Solution

This refers to a comprehensive, integrated solution that covers the entire lifecycle of IT services – from planning to continuous improvement. End-to-end solutions are characterized by a holistic approach, integration of all ITSM processes, self-service, configuration management, workflow automation, and AI support.

Enterprise Service Management

Simply put, Enterprise Service Management (ESM) is the same as ITSM, but applied to additional business areas beyond IT. The goal is to establish good service company-wide and design efficient workflows. This includes standardized processes, self-service portals for user requests, automation for better efficiency, and a central platform to monitor and optimize services.

Escalation Management

Escalation Management comes into play when customer problems cannot be resolved at the first contact – see First Contact Resolution. The problem (often in the form of a ticket) moves hierarchically upward until someone with the right expertise can make a decision. By helping customers quickly find appropriate solutions, escalation management increases customer satisfaction and prevents conflicts.

First Contact Resolution

As the name suggests, First Contact Resolution (FCR) achieves a solution during the first customer contact. It is an important metric for support and a key component of customer satisfaction. A high FCR rate can be achieved especially with predominantly uncomplicated service requests.

Help Desk

A Help Desk serves to receive and process user requests – it contributes significantly to a positive customer experience by developing quick and helpful solutions. Dedicated software, commonly referred to as a ticket or issue tracking system, is used to support service employees.

Incident Management

Incident Management forms a core process in ITSM and a central component of the ITIL framework: it deals with quickly identifying, analyzing, and resolving disruptions (incidents) in IT services. Effective incident management reduces downtime, minimizes negative impacts on business operations, and improves service quality.

Incident Response

Incident Response involves appropriate procedures to respond to a disruption (incident). After an event such as a cyberattack, those responsible determine the causes, close security gaps, and restore the affected systems. Ideally, a special solution such as a SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) system is used for this.

I&O Management

I&O Management (Infrastructure & Operations Management) involves managing and optimizing IT infrastructure and IT operational processes to ensure they are efficient, secure, and reliable. For example, an ITSM solution can improve operational processes by enabling structured incident and change management.

IT Change Management

Change Management is an ITIL core process for introducing new IT services or modifying existing services in a structured, secure, and successful manner. The primary maxim is to avoid unnecessarily affecting business operations – through minimizing risk and maximizing control – and to ensure stable services.

ITIL

ITIL® (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a best practice guide and the de facto standard in IT Service Management. The framework serves to plan, provide, and support IT services. It also offers comprehensive guidance for effectively managing IT infrastructures. ITIL® is a registered trademark of Axelos Limited.

ITOM

ITOM (IT Operations Management) deals with managing and monitoring infrastructure, services, and processes in IT. By reducing failures, operating more efficiently, and reliably providing IT services through ITOM, companies create high service quality and consistency. ITOM includes administrative processes as well as hardware and software support and customer services.

IT Service Catalog

An IT Service Catalog provides customers or end users with a clear and structured overview of available IT services and hardware and software options. By creating transparency about services and their conditions, such a catalog standardizes and streamlines the provision of IT services. It originates from the ITIL® framework, where it is officially mentioned as a best practice.

Knowledge Base

A Knowledge Base provides easy access to relevant knowledge, information, and instructions. Such a database is often integrated into a self-service portal and proves to be a central source of information with its knowledge base articles, videos, and detailed descriptions. A distinction is made between an internal knowledge base for employees and an external database for customers.

Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management involves systematically capturing, structuring, making accessible, and effectively using knowledge. A knowledge base is often used to make it centrally accessible in the form of articles, videos, how-to descriptions, or FAQ content. Knowledge management is important both internally – for example, to make strongly pronounced individual knowledge usable for colleagues – and externally, such as part of a self-service area.

Patch Management

Patch Management involves managing, testing, and implementing software updates (patches). By closing security gaps, fixing errors, and effecting improvements, this process keeps systems secure, stable, and up to date. Patches can be both small changes like bug fixes and larger adaptations with new functions.

Problem Management

In ITSM, problems are the underlying causes of incidents (disruptions). Resolving a problem can therefore mean the end of multiple disruptions. The teams responsible for problem management identify problem sources and develop solutions and preventive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Along with Incident Management and Change Management, Problem Management forms a core area of ITSM.

Process Automation

In ITSM, the ability to automate processes using software saves a lot of time and (opportunity) costs: By eliminating particularly time-consuming routine tasks, employees can focus more on value-creating work. Since processes usually consist of several workflows, such automations are quite complex and require well-functioning processes.

Process Management

Process Management involves planning, analyzing, and optimizing business processes. In ITSM, ITIL helps to visualize and control processes to clearly define and standardize procedures. The focus is primarily on recurring tasks. Depending on their nature, processes can be both optimized and automated.

Self-Service (Portal)

Self-Service in ITSM offers the ability to independently, easily, and quickly access relevant information. For example, users of a self-service portal can access instructions, status displays, FAQs, and problem solutions, and create tickets, place orders, and manage user accounts. Self-service relieves the support team and provides users with quick answers, making the service more pleasant, satisfying, and effective for everyone involved.

Service Desk

A Service Desk forms the central point of contact for IT services and support within a company. It consists of the appropriate staff and a software solution (ITSM software, ticket system). Accessibility through various channels is important to solve disruptions, request services, solve problems, or initiate IT changes.

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) prove essential in ITSM to set clear expectations and assess service quality through reliable criteria. Such a contractual agreement between a service provider and a customer includes service descriptions, goals and metrics, responsibilities, as well as escalation processes and reports. Possible specifications concern response times to tickets, resolution times, and availabilities.

Service Request Management

Service Request Management aims to adequately fulfill and respond to requests in ITSM – such as password resets, software installations, or access requests. Typically, those responsible use a ticket system or an integrated self-service portal to record, prioritize, approve, and implement requests.

Ticketing System

A ticketing system serves as a central instrument for structuring, documenting, and tracking IT processes so that requests, disruptions, and problems can be effectively processed. A ticket system often includes a self-service portal that allows users to independently make requests and track their status. Automation functions and AI applications enable efficient ITSM, allowing users and their customers to achieve their goals without much effort.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

When companies acquire ITSM software, they usually focus primarily on the pure acquisition price. With a focus on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), they think more holistically and realistically, as this involves costs over the entire lifecycle. This makes hidden costs and savings potential visible and helps avoid unexpected follow-up costs.

For example, low acquisition costs may lead companies to favor an on-premise solution, whereas a cloud solution – in terms of TCO – usually has an advantage due to lower costs for hardware, maintenance, and electricity.

Workflow Automation

Automated workflows save a lot of time in ITSM, simplify processes, and lead to consistent results. By automating workflows through appropriate technologies, companies gain productivity and reduce errors. Examples of automation concern notifications, access rights, ticket assignments and categorizations, or approval processes.

Workflow Management

Workflow Management focuses on organizing and optimizing work processes. By defining structured and repeatable workflows for ITSM, incidents, service requests, and changes can be processed efficiently, consistently, and transparently.

A distinction is made between optimizations – targeted improvements of processes – and automations, which require already (almost) perfect workflows. A prominent example of workflow management concerns systematically recording, prioritizing, and escalating disruptions.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

What Gartner’s Latest ITSM Report Means for Mid-Market ITSM Teams

Rachel Blackwell — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 10:02:42 +0000

What Gartner’s Latest ITSM Report Means for Mid-Market ITSM Teams

2025-04-10
Rachel Blackwell

ITSM

The Gartner® ITSM report is a popular guide for IT leaders. They use it to stay updated on ITSM platforms. The report shows which platforms can best help them meet their business goals. The Gartner Market Guide for ITSM tools 2025 dives deep into several service management platforms that are key players in the industry.

Let’s look at some of the compelling information to be found in the report. We’ll also examine if the major players are the right fit for mid-market IT teams.

3 Key Takeaways from the Gartner ITSM Report

When IT leaders begin their tool search, they consider the tactical objectives that they need to address within the next one to two years. They must also think about the long-term usefulness of the service management ITSM tool the choose. They consider scalability, how processes will mature, and even if it’s fit for enterprise-wide usage.

As such, leaders must consider tomorrow’s trends and how ITSM providers are addressing these within their solutions. The Gartner Market Guide ITSM addresses three notable trends.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence in ITSM helps support business objectives by speeding up work and improving customer experiences. Vendors are seeking new ways to incorporate AI into their platforms. Examples of AI usage in ITSM are summarizing ticket data, conversational chatbots or knowledge generation.

Enterprise Service Management (ESM)

Enterprise service management is a digital transformation initiative that pushes service management principles into business units outside IT. In ESM, teams like HR and facilities deliver their services in a value-added way. They use tools like those found in IT settings. These may include service portals, knowledge bases, real-time reporting, and ticketing.

Automation

When teams automate repetitive tasks, they improve response times and enhance the overall user experience. Tools that leverage advanced process managers aid I&O teams in meeting these goals.

Many ITSM Tools Fall Short for Mid-Market Leaders

While keeping trends in mind is important for IT organizations, mid-market leaders need to balance “bells & whistles” with practicality. Too often, teams over-buy their ITSM solution which leads to big spending and little value. Mid-market buyers need to be aware of the following when considering an ITSM investment.

Enterprise desire on a mid-market budget

Enterprise solutions have enterprise price tags. By their nature, they are not designed for budget conscious buyers.

In contrast, mid-market ITSM vendors fill the gap. They may not be well-known names because they are not always in the Gartner Market Guide. However, they provide high-quality ITSM solutions that fit the needs of mid-market buyers.

For example, vendors may offer a concurrent user pricing model to help businesses save on licensing costs.

People powered: lack of time and skills reduce value

Hefty tools built for enterprise environments require a lot of set up and administration. From challenging integrations and workflow customization to feature overload and complex CMDBs, the setup and maintenance of enterprise solutions is a huge commitment. It generally requires increased headcount or significant service costs.

Avoiding this is critical for the mid-market buyer. A better option is to find a solution that:

Offers managed options. Let the experts handle updates, security and patching.
Aligns with your core needs. Don’t try to do everything at once. Consider starting with incident management. Aim to expand from that point.
Has pre-configured workflows. If your aim is to mature the organization, begin with pre-built workflows. This allows you to get started by leveraging the expert knowledge. Then, you can adapt these to fit your specific needs as you gain experience.

Need for speed: implementations are too slow.

Few mid-market players can wait a year before they enhance their infrastructure and operations departments. Yet, implementation time with enterprise solutions can take that long – or longer.

Most midsized businesses need to be nimble. They must innovate to keep pace with their markets. They need their IT organizations to keep up.

In talking with vendors, ask about their project management and onboarding speed with organizations similar to yours. How fast did they become operational?

Evaluate ITSM Tools Beyond the Market Guide

According to Gartner, there are hundreds of ITSM solutions in the market. Only 20 vendors are identified in the Gartner Market Guide, so there are many others to explore. In fact, the Guide itself indicates that exclusion from the report does not mean that a product lacks viability.

This is good news for the mid-market buyer when choosing an ITSM tool. They aren’t simply stuck with the same old 20 vendors. Beyond basic features, ITSM software evaluation should a holistic view on the offering and vendor.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

The total cost of ownership is the total of all items needed for a long-term solution for your company. Consider costs beyond the licensing price tag, such as:

Modules and add-ons
Usage costs, like texting or social media
Costs related to hosting
Cost increases as you scale
Services and support for customizations, integrations, or configuration
Data migration services
Training
End user onboarding

Flexibility and Integration

Flexibility is a crucial consideration. Ultimately, you’re not just putting money into current requirements. You should be forecasting your needs into the future so that you find a solution that will scale with your business. Points to investigate include:

Workflow adaptation. How easily can workflows be adapted? Does it need extra development services? Is it low-code / no-code, allowing internal teams to manage it effortlessly?
Pay as you grow. Are you required to cover all expenses now? We noted earlier that ITSM buyers often pay for more than they are able to use right now. Instead of having HR workflows available on day one, for instance, ask if these can be added later.
Self-service savings. As you change, can you easily modify the solution internally. For instance, can you update the service portal on our own? Are you able to administer it internally?
Support and Service Options
Of course, if you’re considering internal administration, make sure to have product support experts available. They can assist you when you’re feeling lost. Training and customer service should be top priorities when engaging with vendors. Understand the vendor’s:
SLAs. Will you be able to reach someone quickly and easily enough to ensure business operations? Do they have 24/7 operations? Are representatives regional to your area?
Support channels. Are there specific processes to follow? Will you have a dedicated Customer Success Manager who you can contact to resolve issues?
Onboarding. Is the procedure clear? Do you know what to expect for configuration, integration and training? Are there established processes to expedite the rollout?

Conclusion

As a flexible ITSM solution, OTRS deserves a look. It’s built with ITSM best practices in mind and has over 17 pre-configured ITSM processes on board. Highlights of the offering include:

Request management/ticketing
CMDB/asset management
Reporting and analytics
Knowledge management
Customizable service portal
Easy-to-use process manager

Add OTRS to your shortlist. As a mid-market purchaser, keep in mind that this and other alternative options are available to you.

And, take time to read the Gartner Market Guide. It offers perspective on the market and trends that are shaping the industry. You will think about what’s possible and your own vision for the future – regardless of your team’s size.

Rachel Blackwell

ITSM

What is a CMDB?

Tobias Kortas — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 06:38:36 +0000

What is a CMDB?

2025-04-03
Tobias Kortas

ITAM, ITSM

A Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is a foundational component for optimizing IT Operations Management (ITOM) and delivering IT services in a structured and transparent way.

By providing a single source of truth about IT assets and their interrelationships, a configuration management database enables better decision-making and prompt action. This article explains what a CMDB is, how it works, and why it’s such a powerful tool.

Configuration Management Database: Background

Organizations face the challenge of using a CMDB effectively and profitably. This requires a clear understanding of what a CMDB is as well as the key concepts and terms associated with it.

Definition: CMDB

A CMDB is a centralized database that manages and stores information about IT assets, known as Configuration Items (CIs). By mapping relationships and dependencies between IT components, a configuration management database enables organizations to understand, control, and optimize their IT infrastructure.

Its core purpose is to improve transparency across IT services. It simplifies incident resolution and change management, streamlines IT processes, and makes better use of resources.

This centralized management system is critical for proper security and compliance. It helps improve the business’s security posture by offering one place to find weaknesses and prioritize threats. Additionally, any time a CI is changed, the change is documented. This creates an audit trail that is used to verify compliance when necessary.

Configuration Items (CIs): What They Are

If the CMDB is a master list, Configuration Items (CIs) are the entries within it. These include all IT infrastructure assets — hardware and software assets, networks, services, and documentation. In addition to attributes such as name or status, the relationships between CIs are key to identifying dependencies.

Examples of Configuration Items:

Laptops
Servers
Operating Systems
Cloud Resources
Applications
IT Services
IP Addresses
Processes
Contracts and Software Licenses
Users and Roles
Service Providers and Vendors
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Technical and Non-Technical Items

Although CIs are often associated with technical assets, non-technical items are equally important. For instance, identifying which users, customers, or locations are impacted by certain incidents is essential. Including both technical and non-technical CIs ensures the configuration management database accurately reflects the real IT environment.

The Role of a CMDB in IT Asset Management

Configuration management is a discipline within IT Asset Management (ITAM) with a unique focus: identifying dependencies. As the number of assets grows, so do their interconnections.

Dependent assets are most relevant to a CMDB. Yet, even standalone assets can be CIs if they are critical to IT services. The decision to include an item in the configuration management database should be based on its relevance to IT operations.

CMDB and Ticketing Systems

Configuration management tools work best when integrated with a ticketing system. For example, during an incident, the ticket holds details of the issue. The CMDB provides context about the affected CIs. When linked, these systems offer a complete overview, enabling teams to act quickly.

Together, they form a powerful combination in IT Service Management (ITSM). The CMDB supplies the data and context. Meanwhile, the ticketing system connects incidents and requests to relevant CIs for efficient resolution.

Using a CMDB

To implement a CMDB effectively, it’s important to understand its features, advantages, and challenges.

Key Features

A configuration management database is more complex than it might initially appear. It provides a transparent, centralized view for improved decision-making and structured incident, problem, and change management.

There are many benefits of a CMDB, including:

Holistic Overview: Offers a centralized view of the IT infrastructure with normalized and aligned data.

Flexibility: CIs can be added manually, via integration, or automatically.

Faster Resolution: Speeds up issue resolution and minimizes risk.

Impact Analysis: Highlights how changes or outages affect other systems.

Data Quality: Supports up-to-date, accurate, and complete data.

Access Control: Role-based permissions protect sensitive data; audit logs track activity.

Dashboard Insights: Provides an overview of CI status, changes to asset data, and costs.

Benefits

Transparency and centralized data offer significant advantages. A CMDB prevents information silos and outdated data, ensuring up-to-date insights into assets and their dependencies.

Key benefits in core ITSM practices include:

Optimized Change Management

A CMDB supports secure, efficient change management. It helps assess risk by identifying affected assets, systems, or users and clarifying potential impacts. Documentation allows tracking and correlation with other events.

Streamlined Incident Management

With visibility into dependencies, teams can identify root causes, assess impact, and resolve recurring issues more effectively. Incidents can be analyzed in the context of affected assets over time.

Proactive Problem Management

A configuration management database helps uncover the root causes of recurring incidents and implement lasting solutions, improving IT stability. It documents changes, incidents, and workarounds to support proactive management.

Improved Business Decisions

The insights from a CMDB help forecast bottlenecks, identify optimization opportunities, and support lifecycle planning for upgrades and investments. CI data enables informed budgeting decisions.

Efficient Accounting

Financial planning requires accurate documentation. A CMDB simplifies this by providing clear overviews, enabling proper cost allocation and financial tracking.

Common Challenges

A CMDB is only effective if maintained properly. Many organizations struggle to do so. They may have inadequate processes, missing or outdated data, or an unclear scope of what should be included.

To address these challenges:

Ensure all CIs are complete, accurate, and current.
Make ongoing CMDB maintenance part of the team’s routine. Establish a configuration management process and ensure it’s governance.
Avoid overcomplication—structure and clear processes are essential.
Integrate the CMDB with ticketing, monitoring, discovery tools and asset management tools.
Clearly define access permissions and change protocols.

CMDB Software

To build an effective CMDB, the right software is essential. Without it, configuration management becomes difficult, and critical insights are lost.

Why CMDB Software Matters

Without specialized software, CMDB data may be scattered, un-documented, or locked in employees’ heads. A solid CMDB tool centralizes data, supports clear understanding of dependencies, and enables quick, effective decision-making.

Key Features to Look For

Integration with Ticketing Systems
When integrated with a ticketing tool, a CMDB enhances visibility and accelerates resolution by linking tickets with relevant CIs.

Benefits include:

Faster root cause analysis
Improved ticket handling through instant access to relevant data
Better decision-making with access to comprehensive incident/change history
Proactive measures thanks to a complete view of dependencies
More accurate impact assessments

Scanning and Automation
Automated scanning ensures up-to-date information. Ideally, the tool should support automated import/export to simplify data handling.

Visualization
Good CMDB software visualizes data, making relationships easier to understand and interpret. This supports accurate diagnostics, planning, and decision-making.

Dynamic CI Selection
When the system functions as both a configuration management database and a ticketing tool, users can directly assign assets to tickets. This streamlines incident documentation and resolution.

Integrated Monitoring
Effective CMDB solutions support monitoring by showing real-time status and flagging anomalies. Linking monitoring tools to CI data adds context to alerts. In some cases, the system can also notify users of critical changes or failures.

Conclusion: A CMDB Brings Clarity and Control

A Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is a powerful asset in IT Asset Management (ITAM). It centralizes data on Configuration Items (CIs) and visualizes dependencies, turning abstract IT landscapes into clear structures.

Beyond visibility, a CMDB actively supports key ITSM processes like change, incident, and problem management, while improving planning and accounting. When properly maintained—with accurate data, clear structure, and defined permissions—a CMDB simplifies everyday IT operations.

The right software adds value through automation, visual clarity, and monitoring integration. Its synergy with a ticketing system is especially vital for linking incidents and changes directly to affected CIs.

Tobias Kortas

ITAM, ITSM

Service Request Management – Definition, Tools and Best Practices

Bernd Maus — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 08:36:51 +0000

Service Request Management – Definition, Tools and Best Practices

2025-03-18
Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

What is Service Request Management?

Service request management refers to the structured processing and management of service requests within an organization, particularly in IT service management (ITSM). These are standardized requests from users that do not constitute an incident or malfunction, but relate to access requests, the provision of resources or general information.

The process for managing these includes the receipt, documentation, processing and final resolution of service requests. The aim is to ensure a high level of service quality and to make processing efficient and transparent.

Service Request Management is a central component of modern ITSM frameworks such as ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). It helps to increase user satisfaction through repeatable and scalable processes.

By using self-service portals and automated workflows, companies can further optimize and personalize these processes. This increases efficiency without neglecting control mechanisms.

Objectives of Service Request Management

Increased efficiency, quality assurance and improved user satisfaction

The standardized processing of requests should enable recurring requests with minimal effort and high reliability. Transparency and traceability should ensure that quality standards are met in areas such as customer experience and service delivery.

These goals are achieved through clear process definitions and the documentation of all steps. Ultimately, well-established service request management supports adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and compliance requirements. It contributes to the scalability of IT services.

Relief for IT Teams

Service portals, knowledge base and automated processes should be used to handle repeatable requests. Examples of when these can be used include password resets or access requests. The aim is to allow service desk employees to focus on more complex tasks and strategic initiatives.

Concepts in service request management

Service request management is based on various central concepts of IT service management. These include classifying service requests, setting priorities and defining a life cycle that structures processing from request to completion. These concepts create the basis for standardized and transparent processes in the IT service organization.

The role of IT service management

IT service management (ITSM) is an organizational framework for the implementation of service request management. It defines the processes, guidelines and roles to ensure that service requests are handled consistently and efficiently. ITSM frameworks such as ITIL offer best practices that create standards for processing service requests.

ITSM automates workflows, clearly defines responsibilities and increases the quality of services. ITSM also promotes the integration of service request management into other ITSM processes, such as incident or change management. This supports a holistic IT operating strategy.

Service request classification

The classification of service requests is used to categorize requests according to type, category or complexity. This ensures assignment to the responsible teams and enables efficient processing. Typical categories are access requests, information requests or provision requests. A clear classification forms the basis for automated processes and prioritized processing.

Prioritization

Service requests are prioritized based on criteria, such as urgency and impact on business operations. Requests with a critical impact are given a higher priority than routine requests. This classification helps teams use resources effectively. It also reduces the time needed for important business requests.

Service request life cycle

The lifecycle describes the entire process needed to fulfill service requests. Typical lifecycle phases include acceptance, validation, processing and completion. Structured documentation of the lifecycle ensures transparency and traceability, both for users and for the IT organization itself.

Five tools for service request management

Well-structured service request management requires powerful tools and modern technologies to efficiently record, manage and automate requests. Choosing the right solution makes a significant contribution to optimizing IT service processes. Five important tools that support companies in implementing effective service request management are presented below.

ITSM Solution from OTRS

The preconfigured and ready-to-use ITSM solution from OTRS offers a flexible, customizable platform for handling service requests and other processes according to ITIL standards. It enables clear ticket management, automated workflows and transparent communication between IT teams and end users.

Find out how OTRS can make your service request management more efficient.

ServiceNow

ServiceNow is an elaborate cloud-based platform that integrates asset, change and incident management alongside service request management. It helps large enterprises optimize IT processes through AI-supported automation and a self-service portal.

BMC Helix ITSM

An ITSM tool that is based on the Salesforce platform and enables close integration with CRM systems. The cloud-based solution offers scalability and flexibility for companies

Jira Service Management

Atlassian’s Jira Service Management is particularly useful for DevOps. It provides flexible workflows, a strong ticketing system, and easy links to other Atlassian products for better process control.

Remedyforce (BMC)

Remedyforce (BMC) is an ITSM solution based on the Salesforce platform that enables seamless integration with CRM and cloud services. It offers an intuitive user interface and automation capabilities to efficiently manage IT and business workflows.

Important technologies in modern service request management

Importance of self-service portals

Self-service portals play a key role in the transformation of service request management. They provide users with a user friendly way to submit a service request. Requests are standardized for easy input. Entry is supported by intuitive user interfaces and extensive knowledge databases.

The use of AI clearly demonstrates the potential for further development. For example, an AI chatbots can identify problems, suggest the appropriate solution and guide users through the process.

Self-service portals promote autonomy and transparency by giving users the opportunity to work out solutions independently/ They also provide insights into the processing status. They significantly reduce the workload of the service team.

They are becoming increasingly indispensable thanks to their contribution to user satisfaction.

Cloud- and SaaS Solutions

Cloud-based ITSM platforms offer flexibility, scalability and easy integration into existing IT landscapes. SaaS solutions enable companies to implement them quickly without high maintenance costs.

Automation of service requests

AI-supported automation reduces manual intervention and speeds up service processes. Chatbots, automated ticket assignments and machine learning optimize the processing and prioritization of requests.

Automation is a key driver of efficiency in service request management. With the help of workflow technologies and artificial intelligence, we can find and handle routine requests automatically.

This significantly reduces processing times. It frees up employees for more complex, value-added tasks. Automation increases efficiency. It also minimizes human error and creates a scalable basis for future IT services.

By using these tools and technologies, companies can improve how they manage service requests. They can automate processes and enhance service quality over time.

Best practices for service request management

The following are proven practices and strategies for the implementation and operation of successful service request management.

Standardization of service requests and processes

Uniformly defined and documented processes ensure consistent processing of service requests. Classifying requests according to type and priority and defining Service Level Agreements (SLAs) creates transparency and increases efficiency.

Clear distribution of roles and responsibilities

By clearly defining roles and responsibilities within service request management, requests can be processed efficiently. Responsibilities should be clearly assigned throughout the service request process. This helps avoid escalations and allows for a quick solution. This also helps with optimizing resource allocation.

Integrate security and compliance into processes

IT security and compliance requirements are indispensable components of modern service request management. Automated approval processes, role-based access controls and audit-proof documentation ensure that all service requests comply with the applicable regulations and security standards.

By implementing these additional best practices, service providers can optimize their service request management process.

Implementation of a self-service portal

A well-structured self-service portal with an integrated knowledge database reduces the manual workload for IT team members. Users can submit standard queries independently or find solutions to common problems, which significantly reduces processing time.

Automation of workflows

The automation of recurring service requests minimizes sources of error and reduces the workload of IT teams. This is often done through workflow engines or RPA (robotic process automation). Automation enables faster processing and scaling of services.

Continuous monitoring and optimization

Regularly checking KPIs like processing times, SLA compliance, and customer satisfaction helps spot problems early. Continuous improvement of processes should be carried out continuously based on this data to increase efficiency.

Integration with other ITSM processes

Bringing service request management together with ITSM processes like incident, change, and asset management creates a clear ITSM strategy. This improves service coordination, increases quality and supports sustainable IT governance. By using these best practices, service request management can become more efficient. This can increase user satisfaction and improve IT operations over time.

Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

10 ITSM Best Practices – Delivery Service More Successfully

Bernd Maus — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:08:28 +0000

10 ITSM Best Practices – Delivery Service More Successfully

2024-12-17
Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

ITSM and its relevance

IT service management (ITSM) is the basis for the efficient provision and management of IT services. Service provision requirements in both B2B and B2C environments cannot be successfully met without well-positioned IT service management.

ITSM aims to seamlessly adapt IT to business requirements. It maximizes service quality through clear processes, roles and best practices. As a strategic approach, ITSM ensures optimized workflows, improved customer satisfaction and adherence to compliance standards.

Utilizing IT service management frameworks like the information technology infrastructure library ITIL^®️ (ITIL^®️ is a registered trademark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.) allows for the focused management of information technology resources effectively. It also helps drive continuous service improvement.

This text highlights 10 ITSM best practices. It shares examples of how ITSM bridges the gap between technology and successfully achieving business goals.

Core concepts and objectives of ITSM

The core concepts of ITSM include standardized processes, service orientation and continuous service improvement. The aim is to provide IT services efficiently, align them with business objectives and ensure their quality. ITSM enables transparency, optimizes resources and promotes the ability to innovate in a dynamic, technology-driven environment.

Today’s demands on IT services require higher standards

In a digitalized world, the demands on IT services are constantly increasing. Higher standards are essential in order to integrate complex technologies, minimize downtimes and meet increasing user expectations. Sophisticated IT service management forms the basis for efficiency, quality, and competitiveness.

Definition and objectives of best practices in ITSM

Best practices in ITSM are proven methods that ensure the efficient provision and management of IT services. They serve to optimize processes, increase service quality and align with strategic business objectives. The aim is to sustainably promote scalability and customer satisfaction.

Best practices in ITSM are crucial for ensuring process standardization, service quality and consistently good service provision. They minimize risks, promote compliance and strengthen collaboration between IT and other departments. Through clear structures and continuous optimization, you create a basis for sustainable corporate success.

10 best practices for successful ITSM

Define ITSM processes and roles

Defining ITSM processes and roles creates transparency, minimizes overlaps in areas of responsibility and ensures accountability. This enables efficient collaboration and promotes compliance with standardized processes. The result is consistent service operation. This is the foundation for successful IT service management.

Establish a culture of continuous service improvement

Continuous improvement in ITSM means regularly analyzing and adapting processes and services. Establish a structured management process that includes:

feedback mechanisms,
audits and
the use of proven frameworks, such as the PDCA cycle,

This will support the adaptation of services to new requirements.

Use KPIs and metrics to measure ITSM performance

Data-based analyzes can be used to identify bottlenecks and weaknesses, monitor progress and make well-founded decisions. This promotes transparency, ensures compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and supports alignment with strategic goals.

Involve stakeholders and promote communication

Involving stakeholders and promoting open communication are crucial to success. Successful teamwork and continuous dialogue ensure that requirements are acknowledged, priorities set, and changes implemented transparently. This strengthens trust and promotes acceptance among all those involved.

Proven change management practices ensure that all necessary steps are taken during implementation. They also identify potential risks at an early stage.

Automate recurring tasks and processes

Automating recurring tasks and processes reduces the workload, minimizes errors and increases efficiency. Automated workflows, such as ticket assignment or notifications, speed up processes and free up time for strategic tasks. Resources are used in an optimized way and good services are offered as a result.

Put know-how to use by adding knowledge management

Effective knowledge management enables systematic access to documented know-how, which speeds up incident management and problem management. It avoids redundant work and improves efficiency. The structured provision of solution-oriented knowledge base articles and best practices provides a clear structure. This helps employees make well-founded decisions more quickly.

Involve data security and compliance teams

Integrating security guidelines and regulatory requirements into ITSM processes protects sensitive data and reduces liability risks. Regular audits, training, and certifications such as ISO 27001 ensure that security and compliance requirements are met seamlessly without compromising service delivery.

Take a user-centered approach

A user-centric approach focuses on the needs and expectations of end users to maximize their satisfaction. Through continuous feedback and customized approaches, service design better aligns with the needs of the customer. This promotes acceptance and leads to better results in less time.

Keep scalability in mind

ITSM structures and the service management tools used should be designed flexibly. This lets the business integrate growing requirements and new technologies. Modular processes, scalable architectures and early resource management ensure smooth expansion and guarantee that service quality is maintained even as complexity increases.

Leverage the right software and technologies

The choice of suitable ITSM software should be based on functionality, integration capabilities and adaptability. Modern ITSM tools support the integration of AI-based applications, data-driven work, automation and seamless collaboration. Future-oriented technology choices ensure that the IT infrastructure meets the requirements of innovation and long-term growth.

Find out how OTRS takes ITSM to a next level and grows with your requirements.

3 examples of ITSM best practices in action

The following examples show practical approaches to the successful implementation of best practices in ITSM. The aim is to highlight industry-specific challenges, strategies, and results.

ITSM process optimization reduces processing time in the telecommunications industry

A leading telecommunications company was faced with the challenge of overcoming inefficient service processes and fragmented workflows. A systematic analysis removed redundant activities, optimized interfaces between teams and introduced a central ticketing system. The use of agile methods and proven ITIL practices sped up incident and problem management. This reduced the average processing time by 35%.

In addition, the introduction of a comprehensive reporting framework led to better traceability and increased transparency. Regular training for employees strengthened acceptance of the new processes, which also allowed them to be routinely improved. The company significantly increased customer satisfaction. It also saved money and secured its position in a highly competitive market

Take Away: Holistic process optimization and a methodical approach to strengthening service quality in ITSM offered distinct improvements in the telecommunications industry.

Financial services company reduces critical outages through automation

A leading financial services company was faced with the challenge of adapting ITSM to increasing service requests and complex processes. By using process automation and artificial intelligence in IT service management, frequent requests were processed automatically. Examples included password resets and access control changes. This allowed IT staff to focus on strategic tasks, while the processing time for routine requests was reduced by 50%.

At the same time, critical outages were significantly reduced. This was through AI-optimized event management, anomaly detection and proactive measures. These technologies were integrated into existing IT systems step by step, accompanied by training for the IT service desk.

Take Away: The combination of automation and innovative technology increased service performance, agility, and resilience in the financial sector.

Service catalog brings structure to the healthcare sector

A large healthcare company implemented ITIL to improve the quality and reliability of its IT services. By introducing structured management of the service catalog, all IT services were clearly defined and prioritized. They were more easily adapted to the needs of doctors, nursing staff and administrative employees.

Emphasis was placed on incident and problem management. With the help of a centralized system for tracking and documenting faults, recurring problems were analyzed and resolved. This significantly increased the availability of critical applications such as patient management systems.

In addition, change management was optimized to ensure smooth updates to medical systems. Training programs on ITIL practices strengthened the technical expertise of employees, enabling the IT team to work better.

Take Away: The targeted use of ITSM frameworks in the sensitive healthcare environment significantly improved service quality and resilience.

AI and automation are gaining in importance

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are changing IT service management. They offer opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce errors and proactively solve problems. They focus on:

identifying suitable service processes,
implementing proven methods for automation tools and
weighing the benefits and challenges

in order to achieve sustainable improvements in ITSM

Identifying processes for automation and AI use cases

The selection of suitable service processes for automation requires data-driven analysis and clear prioritization. Processes with high repetition, that are standardize and which have strategic added value should be prioritized. A careful evaluation of complexity, ROI (return on investment) and dependencies is crucial to ensure that AI and automation will actually improve processes in the long term.

Best practices for the use of AI and automation tools

Successful use of automation tools requires a strategic selection that takes scalability and integration capability into account. Tools should work seamlessly with existing ITSM systems and be adaptable to individual requirements. Regular testing and iterative implementation approaches minimize risks.

The use of AI and automation tools in ITSM requires a combination of technical expertise and clear objectives. Transparent algorithms, regular monitoring and individual adaptation of AI models ensure reliability. In addition, team training promotes acceptance and understanding.

It is advisable to initiate pilot projects in order to minimize risks and gain insights for a scaled introduction. Early involvement of stakeholders is crucial to ensure acceptance and sustainable use.

Benefits and challenges of AI and automation in ITSM

AI and automation offer enormous potential for increasing efficiency and service quality in ITSM. For example, they offer the possibility of proactive error detection and faster processing times. However, challenges exist in the complexity of implementation and ensuring data quality. A balanced approach maximizes benefits and minimizes risks.

Customer focus and user-centricity: the key to success in ITSM

Customer-oriented and user-centric approaches are essential in ITSM in order to increase service quality and meet expectations. Targeted measures to support this include:

customer journey mapping,
self-service solutions and
effective feedback systems.

Strategies and tools that enable a sustainable focus on user needs are key.

Introduction of customer journey mapping for IT services

Customer journey mapping enables a comprehensive analysis of the user experience along all touchpoints with IT services. By visualizing interactions and identifying critical touchpoints, gaps in the service offering can be uncovered and targeted improvements implemented. This creates a user-centric basis for strategic decisions and improves long-term satisfaction.

Implementation of self-service options and knowledge databases

Thanks to self-service portals and knowledge databases, user autonomy increases, and support costs are reduced. Successful implementation requires a user-friendly design, clear structuring and continuous updating of content. The integration of AI-supported search and personalized recommendations speeds up the solution finding process. This increases efficiency, reduces operating costs and improves satisfaction through immediate access to relevant information.

Feedback systems and their role in the continuous improvement of customer service

Feedback systems identify areas for optimizing customer service in ITSM. They enable the collection of user opinions in real time and identify weaknesses and potential for improvement. Effective systems combine automated surveys, tools for analysis and the targeted derivation of activities. Through regular evaluation and integration into decision-making processes, IT services can be proactively adapted to user expectations and sustainably improved.

Challenges for future-proofing ITSM

In the dynamic environment of modern IT landscapes, adaptability is crucial for future-proofing ITSM. Flexibility in process design as well as the ability to respond to disruptive technologies and changing business requirements are essential. Agile thinking, modular tools and continuous process optimization help companies maintain efficiency and innovation. They are better able to meet the increasing expectations of stakeholders.

The ITSM situation today

The rapid pace of technological change and the increasing shift to the cloud present ITSM with complex challenges:

Legacy systems need to be modernized.
Hybrid infrastructures must be managed.
Security requirements need to be met.

At the same time, the integration of new technologies such as containerization or edge computing requires flexible processes. An agile approach and continuous training are essential to meet these requirements.

Agile ITSM, AI and machine learning

AI and machine learning are changing ITSM by enabling automation and personalized service experiences. Predictive analytics can proactively identify system failures, customer sentiment and user requests, while chatbots and virtual assistants optimize interaction with users. These technologies improve error detection and free up support teams, creating resources for strategic tasks.

Fostering an agile culture based on continuous improvement and effective development of the IT staff is crucial to ensuring the ongoing optimization of performance and service quality.

A sustainable ITSM strategy requires constant adaptation to technological developments and changing business requirements. Best practices help to meet these requirements by regularly evaluating processes, integrating innovative technologies — such as AI and machine learning — and working closely with stakeholders.

Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

IT Solutions: How companies benefit from them

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:11:45 +0000

IT Solutions: How companies benefit from them

2024-12-17
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

What are IT solutions?

“That’s the solution!” is how an IT solution should ideally feel. It should solve an existing problem, lead to process optimization or ensure efficient target achievement.

On the technical side, this includes the following:

software
hardware
data
infrastructure, and
security mechanisms.

On a qualitative level, these factors include:

consulting
integration
support, and
other services, as necessary.

Examples include ERP systems, cloud services, IT security solutions, databases, communication platforms and automation tools.

IT solutions: Definition

An IT solution is a comprehensive approach that goes beyond the mere application of software. It combines components such as hardware, infrastructure, services, integration, support or consulting. It is often individually tailored to a company in order to meet its specific needs.

An IT solution is different from software because it is a complex concept. It may comprise several software products and other elements.

Tobias Kortas

What types of problems are solved?

In the corporate world, there are countless problems and opportunities to use information technology in a meaningful way. It is important that an IT solution brings peace of mind to business owners.

IT solutions: Examples

The following examples use specific categories to illustrate the types of IT solutions available. Each type addresses specific requirements in companies or organizations.

Example #1: Information centralization

These include solutions such as ERP, CRM and HR systems. These are comprehensive, scalable IT solutions that meet the complex requirements of large companies. They integrate various systems and processes, such as financial management, customer relationship management (CRM) or human resources (HR). One of the aims is to manage data centrally and optimize company-wide processes.

Example #2: Data management

Data management solutions help companies organize, store, protect and analyse data effectively and purposefully. In the best case scenario, better decisions can be made based on this and processes can be sensibly revised.

Example #3: Increased IT security

Protecting systems and networks from threats such as hacker attacks or malware is of fundamental importance. The spectrum ranges from firewalls, encryption, analysis and incident identification to comprehensive protection of sensitive company data through an Information Security Management System (ISMS).

Example #4: Communication and collaboration

In the modern corporate world, business has changed. Remote work and large geographical distances are now the norm. Team members must communicate with each other and external parties in a targeted manner.

By using the right communication and collaboration platforms a strong culture is developed. This also improves the quality of collaboration.

Example #5: Automation and AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) and process automation lead to better outputs. For example, companies benefit from AI chatbots for support or use machine learning for better workflows. The list of benefits of artificial intelligence is long. Related solutions should always should always focus on the practical benefits.

Example #6: E-commerce

An e-commerce solution supports companies in setting up and operating online stores. It includes functions such as product management, payment processing, ordering processes and marketing tools. An important goal is to offer customers a seamless shopping experience.

Example #7: Industry-specific solutions

An industry-specific IT solution optimizes processes according to specific requirements. Examples of this include electronic patient records in the healthcare sector or trading systems in the financial sector. In most cases, the aim is to be competitive within one’s own industry or to offer clients a good service.

Application in large companies

Large companies (enterprises) usually have complex IT environments. Each department usually has its own requirements, prerequisites and success metrics.

Needless to say, solutions must cover a wide range of application scenarios. Selected systems must have a wide range of functionalities, be highly scalable and integrate easily.

Examples of enterprise solutions include:

ERP systems – for managing business processes
CRM tools for customer relationship management or
Data analysis solutions such as business intelligence platforms.

Use in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Large companies tend to focus on goals such as process optimization, greater security or staying ahead of the competition. In contrast, small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly focusing on factors such as:

cost savings,
process digitalization and
diving growth.

These require effective solutions that deliver as much performance as possible at the lowest possible cost. They must also be scalable to support the business as it grows.

Typical IT solutions for SMEs may include:

Cloud-based business software such as Microsoft 365,
Collaboration tools such as Slack or Trello, or
CRM systems such as HubSpot.

However, IT security also plays an important role here. And, depending on their model, e-commerce solutions, such as web store services, may be practical.

Customized IT solutions

It’s like clothing: Tailor-made fits best.

IT service providers can develop options that are individually tailored to specific company needs. These are highly beneficial when there are unique business processes for which a standard offering is not sufficient. For example, automation of a unique business process may be developed individually.

Of course, a cost-benefit analysis would reveal whether this is possible. In commercial terms, the ROI must be calculated before such a project begins.

Sometimes, these are created in-house. These can be helpful as an interim answer. This gives room for advance planning that will support the longer-term business goals.

Tip: Since customized solutions also mean a high cost factor, it is advisable to choose an IT solution that can be easily adapted to individual needs and requirements.

Tobias Kortas

What does your business need today?

When investing in a new solution, it should deliver on an overarching benefit. Examples may be better service provision, reliable security or concrete time savings.

Below are some key benefits to consider.

1. Greater efficiency

Companies strive for productive and effective work. They also aim for the best possible results with the least possible effort – efficiency. In concrete terms, optimizing or automating processes can save a lot of time, money and resources. At the same time, optimized processes lead to better results.

2. Increased customer satisfaction

The customer is king. Companies depend on the loyalty of their customers. By using the right tools, processes and training customer satisfaction increases.

An example of using a solution would be improving communication or enabling personalized services and quick responses to inquiries. A self-service portal, for example, can guide customers quickly to the answers they are looking for.

3. Competitive advantage

The right IT solution helps companies gain valuable advantages over the competition. For example, automated processes or targeted workflow management can lead to faster and more cost-effective work. AI and IoT technologies also make it possible to develop new products, services or business models,

4. More security and compliance

The right IT solutions lead to better security in a variety of ways. Examples include data encryption, access controls, backups and restores.

Professional device management – the proper administration of various devices – also provides effective protection against unauthorized access or data loss.

In addition, the right IT solutions support compliance with legal requirements, which is particularly important in highly regulated industries.

5. Better decision-making

IT can pave the way for clarity and documentation of data that drives better decisions.

Data can “nudge” targeted user behavior. Applications such as AI-based summaries can provide a quick overview of complex processes. This means a quick decision about the next step can be made.

Remember: the cost-benefit ratio must be right

IT solutions offer many other solutions too. Examples include an optimized user experience, 24/7 service and cost savings through proven IT solution providers.

But, it is crucial that the cost-benefit ratio is high. Companies should have clarity on how they will benefit from selected solutions. Where this can vary greatly from company to company, steps such as a company-specific selection makes sense.

Solving customer problems

OTRS offers customized IT solutions that can be used for many different purposes across all industries. Through good adaptability, fast implementation and reliable local support OTRS customers solve a vast number of operational problems.

Often addressed areas in which OTRS Group works, include:

Conclusion: Apply technology for success

If you have a problem, you should look for a suitable solution as quickly as possible – and find it. This is no different in IT. The subtle difference is that IT often forms the basis for a company’s success.

It is important to point out the difference between pure software and an IT solution. A solution solves a business problem by using software, services, processes and more.

Users benefit from the focus on finding benefit-oriented answers to their problems. This includes options that improve upon processes and workflows, security and data-driven – decisions.

Find out how you can best benefit from OTRS IT solutions.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

IT change management: background, objectives and checklist

Tobias Kortas — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:11:07 +0000

IT change management: background, objectives and checklist

2024-11-25
Tobias Kortas

ITSM

Definition: What is IT change management?

Changes to the IT infrastructure occur regularly. IT change management is the process for implementing these in a structured and controlled manner. It reduces potential service disruptions and better aligns IT objectives with business goals.

Adequate IT change management is based on proven standards, such as ITIL^® (ITIL^®️ is a registered trade mark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.). It helps to ensure the continuous operation of critical systems.

Change management vs. IT change management

Change management generally refers to the structured implementation of changes in organizations. Its goal is to successfully adapt people, processes and systems. IT change management is a specific sub-area that focuses on IT system management including their stability and security.

Change management encompasses all organizational changes. IT change management focuses on technical changes and their potential impact on the IT infrastructure.

IT change management and release management

Their focus is the key difference between IT change management and release management. IT change management is about making individual changes to IT systems in a controlled manner without causing major disruption.

Release management is concerned with software releases. It includes the planning, coordinating and providing software releases which often of several changes. It also executes a successful rollout.

„In a nutshell: Where IT change management reviews and approves changes, release management delivers finished, tested changes to the production environment.“

Tobias Kortas

Examples of IT change management

IT change management occurs frequently in organizations and in various contexts. Time and again, companies are asked to implement new software, install relevant updates and optimize existing processes.

Example #1: Introducing a critical software update

An application needs to be updated. Its potential effects are first identified.

Then, there is a risk assessment. It is used as a basis for analyzing the consequences for the IT infrastructure.

Finally, those responsible check the update in a test environment. This prevents as many errors as possible in the live environment.

Once the update has been approved for use on the live system, detailed planning takes place. This includes time windows, backup strategies and potential rollback procedures. Rollback proceduares are defined in order to be able to react quickly in the event of problems.

During the update, the IT team monitors the systems to avoid disruptions. After successful implementation, IT documents the result – and informs everyone involved of the current status.

Example #2: Switching to a cloud-based infrastructure

A company wants to switch from local servers to a cloud-based infrastructure. Change management begins by analyzing the requirements in more detail and evaluating the benefits and risks of cloud migration. Finally, a change plan is drawn up that describes the gradual transition – including employee training and price adjustments.

IT services are then gradually transferred to the cloud. Adequate communication ensures that everyone involved – from IT team members to end users – is sufficiently informed and prepared. Monitoring is also carried out to ensure that the new IT services function smoothly and problems are resolved quickly.

Important components of IT change management

IT change management is made up of a number of components. Here is some information on the most important terms in this context.

Request for Change (RfC)

A change request (CR) or a Request for Change (RfC) forms the basis for a corresponding process. This can be triggered in many ways. Examples include by a problem management process, a simple IT problem or even a process optimization.

A request for change is a formal inquiry to change something in an IT system or process.

„The aim: planned changes should be adequately evaluated, analyzed together with possible risks and approved. “

Tobias Kortas

An RfC can include the following information, among others:

Description of the change
Reasons for the change
Affected systems or product versions
Steps required
Date for specific implementations
Resources for implementation
Time required
Cost estimate

Forward Schedule of Change (FSC)

This term refers to a calendar or plan in which all planned changes for a specific period are recorded. A Forward Schedule of Change provides a tried and tested overview of upcoming steps. It is used to avoid conflicts and implement changes systematically, with the necessary approvals and a minimum of risk.

Post Implementation Review (PIR)

An evaluation of a completed change is carried out after a particular change has been made. This is called a post-implementation review.

Its importance should not be underestimated. This step provides an evaluation of whether the change process was successful. It also ensures the desired results have been achieved.

IT changes often need to be readjusted and many processes are never really completed – in line with continuous improvement. Possible problems or optimization potential should come to light as early as possible.

Classification of changes

Changes to be made are usually classified according to their importance and urgency. The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) – the de facto standard for best practices in IT Service Management (ITSM) – defines the following categories.

Standard change

A standard change is a pre-approved, low-risk and frequently implemented change that follows a defined, repeatable process. Such known changes do not require detailed approval and risk assessment, so they are quick and easy to implement. Common examples include resetting a password or adding a user.

Normal changes

This form of change is planned, repeated and standardized. Depending on the scope and risk, the changes can be minor, significant or serious. They are naturally less urgent than emergency changes. Examples include software updates, hardware replacements, rights adjustments, configuration changes or the onboarding and offboarding of employees.

Emergency changes

This is where things get explosive. As the name suggests, emergency changes are unexpected and usually have to be implemented immediately. The aim is to immediately mitigate negative situations and threat scenarios, resolve a major incident, or prevent serious consequences.

One example is post-attack recovery. Infected devices need to be isolated and cleaned quickly to prevent malware or ransomware from spreading further.

The IT change management process

An IT change management process implements changes in the IT infrastructure in a controlled and efficient manner to meet growing requirements and market changes. Changes should be as automated as possible.

The objectives include improved control and traceability of changes, clear responsibilities and continuous optimization. This promotes transparency and efficiency. It minimizes disruptions in IT operations.

Overall, the IT change management process contributes to the company’s competitiveness. It enables participation in trends and implementation of smooth changes

Roles and responsibilities

Adequate change management in IT involves a number of important tasks for which individuals must take responsibility. There is no universally valid list of roles and responsibilities. Rather, the specific people involved depend on the company’s internal processes.

Nevertheless, some roles can be identified that are usually part of IT change management:

Change Advisory Board (CAB)

A Change Advisory Board (CAB) usually consists of representatives from different IT and business teams. In the CAB meeting, people evaluate, approve or reject complex and high risk changes, in particular. The focus here is on possible effects and whether a planned change will actually be implemented. Sometimes an Emergency Change Advisory Board (ECAB) – a smaller, fast-acting committee – is also used for emergency changes.

Change Manager

This function coordinates and monitors the entire change process and manages the Change Advisory Board. It reviews the relevant requests, decides for or against planned changes and applies project management to the corresponding implementations. This is often also referred to as a change owner.

Change initiator

This refers to individuals or teams who propose or request changes. These are often developers or system administrators, for example, who have identified opportunities for improvement or bug fixes.

Change Implementer

This refers to IT employees or administrators who ultimately implement the corresponding change. They may be tasked with installing software, running updates or adapting configurations.

Change tester

The task here is to check possible changes so that there are no complications as a result of the changes.

Configuration manager

This role is responsible for ensuring that changes to the system configuration are documented. They make sure that the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is updated and that configuration items are tracked. This ensures documentation of lessons learned.

The most important goals
of IT change management

The objectives of an IT change management process are quite simple – implement planned, necessary and desirable changes.

However, this only describes the execution, the change process itself. The overarching goals (keyword: management) can be manifold.

The most important objectives are listed here:

1. High level of control

Changes need the right processes to be successful. With a dedicated approval process, organizations can better control them and manage each step effectively. By carefully planning changes, for example, errors and disruptions in operations can be avoided. Such control leads to good results.

2. Continuous improvement

The stakes are high with IT changes. Just think of the consequences of failed updates or implementations at company level.

„For large-scale changes good management brings about continuous improvements. This helps to avoid missteps in the medium to long term, keep pace with trends and achieve high quality. “

Tobias Kortas

3. Faster implementation

Effective IT change management allows changes to be carried out more quickly. This saves costs, time and resources in equal measure. For many employees, functional IT is the basic prerequisite for being able to work effectively. Important achievements include, for example, rapid – yet complete – approval and implementation processes.

4. Collaboration of IT teams

The DevOps approach shows the way. IT teams must work together in a goal-oriented cross-departmental way. This ensures a suitable overall vision and results-oriented working. ITSM, ITOM, development and operations teams must be well coordinated and collaborate with each other in order to implement relevant changes quickly and effectively.

5 Communication, documentation and transparency

Good communication is the basic prerequisite for IT teams and stakeholders to successfully complete important change projects. Documenting completed work steps and creating transparency creates an ideal basis for teamwork – an important prerequisite for change projects. Adequate process management is just as crucial as an intact flow of information for good IT change management.

Checklist for IT change management

To ensure that changes are planned as precisely as possible and progress is monitored, it can prove useful to work with a checklist.

The following contents may prove useful:

Requirement and documentation

Change request submitted and documented
Stakeholders informed
Requirements recorded

Categorization and prioritization

Change category defined
Prioritization completed
Resources and requirements checked

Roles and responsibilities

Responsibilities assigned
Tasks delegated
Communication plan drawn up for stakeholders

Risks and impacts

Risks analyzed
Impacts evaluated
Emergency and recovery plans drawn up

Planning and approval

Required approvals obtained
Compliance checked
Schedule created
Project plan created
Rollout plan developed
Communication planned
Resources secured

Implementation and review

Change tested
Change automated
Function and feedback checked
Implementation monitored and communicated
Documentation
Service desk training

Completion and monitoring

Change completed
System documentation updated
KPIs and change performance evaluated
Report and improvements documented

Conclusion: a comprehensive, decisive process

Changes are often critical – and IT affects companies on a holistic level. Adequate IT change management is required to operate efficiently. Change processes, such as the implementation of new software, should be standardized and structured. It is also crucial to adequately communicate and document relevant information and work steps.

The focus should be on the purposes and objectives of the respective changes and their anticipated consequences. Changes must have the greatest possible positive effect. They must also be of low risk and introduce as few negative effects as possible.

In change management, many eventualities must be considered, goals set, strategies outlined, stakeholders informed and appropriate tests carried out. An IT change never really stops. It should always be the focus of “daily business” through consistent monitoring and the resulting measures.

Find out how OTRS can support you in IT change management.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

IT Operations: definition, applications, best practices

Tobias Kortas — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 07:50:14 +0000

IT Operations: definition, applications, best practices

2024-09-27
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

Definition: What is ITOps?

In IT operations, or ITOps, processes and tools are managed. This helps keep the business running smoothly.

The goal is to provide and manage high-quality IT services. These services should be available at all times for both internal and external users.

IT operations must enable companies and their customers to have permanent access to suitable software, cloud solutions, tools and data. It is also responsible for the IT infrastructure, ensuring quick problem solving and high levels of security.

Meaning in ITIL^®

ITOps is a core area in IT Service Management (ITSM) and defined in the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL^®️ is a registered trade mark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.). It is responsible for ensuring that the IT infrastructure and supporting services – both in day-to-day business and during maintenance – function without any problems.

In principle, ITOps covers all ITIL processes. For example, it is important to respond quickly and consistently to incidents in ITIL Incident Management. This helps ensure that ongoing operations are not affected. IT Operations is closely paired with Problem Management to determine the underlying causes of incidents.

ITOM and ITSM

ITOM is the abbreviation for IT Operations Management. It oversees the work of ITOps. It manages services and aligns the IT requirements of a company with the work being done. This leads to quality business operations.

Essentially, ITOM should ensure that the IT infrastructure is ready and permanently available. It also keeps an eye on the capacity and performance of the respective resources.

ITSM falls under ITOM and includes other areas, such as continuous improvement, IT strategy and service design. Sub-disciplines, such as change management, are subordinate to this. ITOM is hardly visible to the end user as it focuses on service management behind the scenes.

Background: A key difference of ITOM is that it is proactive. It does not react to reported incidents, problems or change requests alone. Rather, it works proactively to avoid that incidents in the first place.

In contrast, incident management in ITSM does. With ITOM, IT teams notify users about possible problems ahead of time. This is different from ITSM, where users report incidents to the teams.

Connection with DevOps

ITOps and DevOps both aim to run IT systems reliably and efficiently. However, their roles and responsibilities differ. ITOps enables the stable and smooth functioning of the infrastructure. DevOps enables the agile and collaborative provisioning of software applications.

In a modern IT environment, it is advisable that ITOps and DevOps to work closely together. This ensures that all relevant areas are seamlessly covered. Additionally, they can both benefit from automation and the principle of continuous improvement.

ITOps: areas of application

IT operations have an impact on various processes and factors. This section deals with the individual areas to which they relate.

IT infrastructure

IT Operations enables the IT infrastructure to be efficient, secure, stable, available at all times and scalable. It works to prevent service interruptions.

Infrastructure management also ensures better use of resources. It helps follow guidelines, like compliance, and supports new technologies. By automating and standardizing processes, ITOps builds a strong and cost-effective infrastructure. This infrastructure meets the needs of the company.

Networks

ITOps operates and monitors networks. This involves data center management, security and other factors, such as the hardware used. The network infrastructure and its integrity are very important. Communication, network security, and remote access also play key roles.

IT Operations monitors and maintains networks so that they are permanently available without outages.
By sensibly regulating load distribution and managing traffic, ITOps creates good network utilization and speed.
By implementing firewalls, VPNs or intrusion detection systems, ITOps protects networks from attacks.
By adapting networks to increasing requirements, ITOps creates scalability – for example through segmentation and cloud-based solutions.
Rapid responses to network disruptions and root cause analysis help to solve problems and prevent future outages.

Security

IT Operations can prove to be extremely important for security and incident response. For example, by monitoring systems, suspicious activity and threats can be detected at an early stage.

To support this, regular updates and patches can eliminate security gaps. ITOps is also responsible for access controls, encryption techniques and other measures to protect sensitive data. If security incidents have already occurred, incident management restores systems and minimizes damage.

Problem solving

Solving problems adequately is extremely important for IT operations. Ideally, this starts with predicting potential problems and creating opportunities for prevention. Understanding how a specific problem could affect you helps you see how serious it is and how quickly you need to act. If problems do occur, the aim is to respond and recover as quickly as possible.

In general, ITOps should effectively manage ongoing operations as well as possible. This leads to IT weaknesses being handled as well as outages, security incidents and other events being thwarted.

Best practices for IT operations

IT operations should not only function, but also have the best possible impact. After all, it’s about achieving relevant goals, making a difference, and ideally, being efficient in the process.

Analyze and audit data

One thing is certain: Data must form the basis for IT process decisions and business services. Consistent, target-oriented and robust decisions can only be made with accurate data.

This presupposes a number of requirements for data, such as the following:

Accuracy
consistency
comprehensive content
timeliness

On this basis, meaningful measures can be developed to optimize IT operations.

Evaluate solutions

In order to optimize IT operations, the existing IT landscape should be regularly compared with available solutions. A good knowledge base of internal processes on the one hand and suitable solutions on the other are crucial. Of course, a decision can also be made that the existing IT landscape is already completely sufficient.

In order to arrive at an ideal solution, a dedicated comparison is required:

What requirements do the IT processes and the status quo entail?
What are the current ITOM goals? How can they be achieved?
Which specific solutions fit the requirements and objectives?

Align with KPIs

IT should work – that is already clear. It must also support relevant growth in business services. Its operations have long since become a decisive factor in achieving corporate goals.

This means that IT operations acts as a strategic business unit. To fulfill this role, they should establish KPIs that align with corporate level goals.

Introduce automation

Anything that runs automatically saves effort and costs and frees up time for more value-added and innovative activities. More importantly, however, automation reduces errors and prevents the resulting problems.

However, steps such as process automation or workflow automation must be well thought out and require clear work steps. Anyone who automates a process that is not sufficiently good will duplicate errors and produce them again and again.

Check AI implementations

Increased use of AI is not just a trend. It makes perfect sense in many areas. When used correctly, AI leads to fast and satisfactory results, fewer errors and more time for value-added activities.

AI in ITSM is a pioneering area. It promises benefits such as shorter resolution times, better and more flexible service and increased efficiency.

However, IT teams should carefully evaluate which AI and machine learning solutions promise real improvements. They must understand individual use cases and practical applications.

While AI offers many benefits, practical experience and clear goals are what truly matter. These factors help decide which solutions, tools, services, and features make a real difference.

Embrace collaboration

Collaboration has many benefits. They can only achieve a solid overall result if they collaborate closely with each other.

For IT operations, this applies above all to areas such as DevOps or IT security. It also serves as a partner to the business. Teams should collaborate with various operational teams about needs and expectations.

Team members should take responsibility to collaborate frequently.

Design clear documentation

Clearly documenting configurations, processes and changes is a basic requirement. It is crucial that this is also clear and can be viewed and understood by all those involved via a knowledge base. In practice, missteps and mistakes occur too quickly, so a granular approach is needed.

Plan with scalability in mind

The world is constantly changing, and the IT infrastructure is changing as well. What works today may be inadequate tomorrow. Those responsible need to be aware of this and keep an eye on possible future developments. If the company and the associated IT requirements grow, the infrastructure must reflect this.

Engage in proactive monitoring

Problems don’t usually appear out of nowhere. They announce themselves. When people who monitor systems and services are dedicated and organized, they can find problems quickly. This helps them prevent incidents from happening.

The main point is to keep working on this task in real time. They should aim to stop problems from happening before they start.

ITOps and the use of ticket systems

IT operations is a core area in ITSM. It requires a high level of responsibility as well as a pronounced need for organization, structure and an overview.

By covering these requirements, a ticketing system creates efficiency, transparency and traceability. It helps manage areas such as critical processes, problem solutions, service request handling and changes. In short: work is faster and more reliable, which improves the relationship with the business and its customers.

This starts with systematically recording, prioritizing and assigning inquiries and problems. Clear documentation of all processes is very important. It provides a central source of information for key tasks. This includes solving problems and managing changes.

In addition, analyses and statistics integrated into a ticket system can serve to optimize processes. For example, it may bring current or recurring problems to light.

Finally, it improves communication both inside and outside the organization. Users can interact clearly and focus on tasks while staying well-informed.

Conclusion: ITOps – an important pillar for business success

IT operations plays a key role as a core ITSM area. Modern companies are highly dependent on functional and goal-oriented IT. It forms an important pillar of success for companies as a whole.

With many challenges, change requests, detailed security needs, and problems, keeping regular IT operations running is often hard. Aligning IT effectively with KPIs and business goals, introducing meaningful automation and implementing relevant AI complicates the task.

It is therefore clear that those responsible in ITOps have important roles with a high impact. This work needs a clear structure. It can improve a lot with best practices and a good ticket system.

Learn how OTRS can support and optimize your IT operations.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

20 Best Practices for IT-Change-Management

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:42:05 +0000

20 Best Practices for IT-Change-Management

2024-09-18
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

IT change management is a structured approach to handling technology changes. It plays an important role in IT service management (ITSM). In other areas of the company, change management may deal with adaptations to goals, processes or teams as well.

Companies should understand how to start a change management process. The best practices below will help teams improve their processes. These tips are based on others’ experiences, key frameworks, and useful knowledge.

Why is change management important?

Changes to critical IT systems and services can cause serious interruptions and disruptions that might affect users. Suppliers and service providers should avoid this as far as possible.

A thought-out change management process evaluates the potential impact of suggested changes to ensure minimal disruptions.

Of course, dedicated change management is also useful in many other areas, including the following during:

Introduction of new systems and software
Implementation of new processes
Process optimizations
Organizational restructuring
Introduction of new project methods
Adaptation of business strategies
Relaunches and implementation of new marketing channels
Implementation of new communication channels such as AI chatbots

In these areas processes involved can be critical to the business and extremely error-prone. It is therefore obvious that the right best practices make a huge difference in change management. In many cases, success depends on how exactly those responsible initiate, implement and follow up the change processes.

10 ITIL^®-Related Change Management Best Practices

The following best practices are aligned with the ITIL (ITIL^®️ ist ein eingetragenes Warenzeichen von Axelos Limited. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.) framework and are particularly relevant for ITSM teams. They could also be adapted for other areas. Changes to IT services and infrastructures should be systematic and structured in order to be successful and minimize risk.

The practices mentioned here can be modified, revised and expanded upon based on your business. (More on this in the following section.)

Practice #1: Develop a format for change requests (RFC)

Every change should begin with a Request for Change (RFC). It should include all relevant information, such as the change’s benefits, risks, implementation details and a rollback plan.

Practice #2: Set up a Change Advisory Board (CAB)

Establish a team of key stakeholders who evaluate, prioritize and approve upcoming changes. An Emergency CAB (ECAB) can be established for urgent cases. The CAB should have an established approval process in place for determining if a change should be implemented.

Practice #3: Categorize upcoming changes

Assign upcoming changes to categories. This makes it easier to have a quick overview of how important and urgent they are. The following classification can be useful:

Standard changes have been approved in advance, are often recurring and carry only a low risk.
Normal changes require formal approval.
Emergency changes. These should be carried out as quickly as possible to resolve critical problems – faster approval is used.

Practice #4: Clearly define roles and responsibilities

Managing change typically requires a:

Change Manager – person who oversees the entire process
Change Requester – person who asks for the change
Change Implementer – person who ensures that changes are implemented

It’s not necessary to keep these titles and breakdown of responsibility. What is important is for clear responsibilities to be defined so that change processes run in a structured and effective manner.

Practice #5: Conduct risk assessments

Changes are always associated with risks – sometimes these are smaller and sometimes larger. Question how the change may negatively impact:

operations,
processes and workflows
security
compliance
data protection
employees
other technology, or
customers

Ideally, stakeholders should be aware of these risks at the onset and take steps to mitigate them when possible.

Practice #6: Ensure effective communication

Regularly discuss changes with stakeholders to promote the positive aspects of the change and increase its acceptance. This also helps people and teams prepare themselves for the upcoming change. In most cases, basic information on planned changes, status and potential problems are sufficient.

Practice #7: Conduct testing

Before making a change, test the technology and its implementation methods, especially in critical environments and processes. Do so in a safe environment such as a test system.

Practice #8: Conduct and document audits

Change management processes should be documented so that they can be analyzed. This ensures compliance. Regular audits check how effective the processes are and identify potential areas for improvement.

Practice #9: Schedule a change review

Change management does not end with the implementation of a change. Rather, in the post-implementation review (PIR), change managers ensure that changes are successful. They evaluate results and check for errors.

Practice #10: Continuously improve technology and processes

Changes that have been made become part of an ongoing process and thus become routine. To ensure long term success, teams should subject them to continuous improvement.

10 Best Practices – Independent of ITIL

While ITIL forms an excellent basis for IT change management, the framework simply offers recommendations. To improve your change management and set yourself apart from the competition, go beyond ITIL. Consider these additional best practices in addition to the framework.

Practice #1: Consider ITIL as a guideline

To use the ITIL framework profitably, don’t try to follow it strictly. Rather, align your teams around precisely those points that prove helpful for in your company. ITIL is simply a stable foundation on which ITSM teams can build.

“It seems strange: But a good practice can be to throw good practices overboard and replace them with more suitable ones.”

Tobias Kortas

Practice #2: Communicate change goals and benefits

Why is a change necessary at all? Too often, teams only have a basic understanding of this. Instead, the background should be clear.

For example, a team requests a change to implement granular authorization management in the software, because certain customers have problems with their compliance requirements. The customers are threatening to leave.

The benefit for the company would be to avoid current customer churn as well as offer prospective customers an additional advantage. Stakeholders should understand this.

Practice #3: Get communication teams involved

Marketing, PR, and internal communications should know about important changes. This way, all communication channels can be used effectively.

The knowledge manager is also a key communicator. They can be made easier for people to adapt to the change by keeping documentation in a knowledge base.

Practice #4: Remember project management

Implementing change management is only one step towards making changes successful. Project management should be considered to keep tabs on the timeline and budget of the pending change.

Practice #5: Redefine the CAB’s scope

The ITIL Change Advisory Board (CAB) is a helpful approach. However, it can make changes more complicated and slow them down. Experienced teams, in particular, should be able to work agilely, quickly and flexibly.

This can be achieved by only requiring approvals for risky changes. In this way, the CAB supports teams strategically.

Bonus tip: Checklists, automation and peer reviews are quick alternatives to engaging the CAB on smaller changes.

Practice #6: Weigh individual risk tolerance

Making a decision based on risks depends on how much a team or company can handle those risks. The higher the risk tolerance, the more proactively and freely extensive changes can be made. Discuss this with management and leadership teams.

Practice #7: Track data to improve long-term decision

Ongoing adjustments and iterations will be needed until the desired result is achieved. Collecting data, like the effects of a new implementation or customer feedback, helps teams improve change management over time.

Practice #8: Automate change processes

There are definitely some change processes for which automation makes sense. Standard and routine changes are particularly suitable for this. With the right software, teams can work together better. This helps them save time and effort.

It is a good idea to automate processes that are already efficient and well-developed. These processes are easier to repeat and have fewer errors.

Practice #9: Celebrate successes

Successes do not happen by chance. Celebrating them can increase productivity and motivation immensely.

This does not mean that managers have to call one celebration after another. However, the employees involved in change management should experience appreciation and recognition. This will make them feel better and be more motivated to perform, making overall projects much more likely to succeed.

“Celebrating successes creates a good basis for further - sometimes even greater - successes.”

Tobias Kortas

Practice #10: Evaluate long-term impacts

Many change projects fail because they are too short-term. The long-term consequences and the wider context often remain unclear. After all, it is a considerable challenge to recognize these, assess them, and keep an eye on them in the long term.

However, if these are known at an early stage, teams can act with foresight and anticipate the subsequent effects. The best situation is when we know as many factors as possible. Changes should focus on long-term effects. This includes both the change project itself and its context.

Conclusion: Best Practices Pave the Way for Good Changes

Change for the better: This is the epitome of the Japanese Kaizen method for process optimization and the aim behind so many management initiatives. Clearly planned changes in ITSM and other areas help businesses achieve this goal.

The right practices and methods are of immense value to teams. They can bring quality to change management and optimize it sustainably.

In any case, best practices offer more guidance than fixed rules. They provide valuable assistance in identifying the most promising procedures. How companies, teams or individual employees proceed is, however, almost always an individual matter.

Seeking to automate change management practices? Learn how OTRS can support your change management team today.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

IT Service Catalog: Definition, Benefits and Best Practices

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:51:14 +0000

IT Service Catalog: Definition, Benefits and Best Practices

2024-09-11
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

The world of IT services is complex. Numerous services are available in the modern corporate world. A catalog identifies these and provides users with an overview about what’s possible. This article provides an overview of the service catalog and how it may be structured.

What is an IT service catalog?

A service catalog can be compared to a menu in a restaurant: Customers or end users are given a clear and organized overview of which IT services, hardware options, and software options they can take advantage. It is a central directory of all available IT services.

The IT service catalog serves an important instrument of communication between the IT department and the end users. It offers transparency about offered services.

It also highlights what information and steps are needed to obtain each service. This improves overall efficiency because service requests are standardized.

Background: The IT service catalog has its origins in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL^®️). (ITIL^®️ is a registered trade mark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.); it was officially introduced as best practice in ITIL V3.

What is the difference between an IT service catalog and a self-service portal?

In IT Service Management (ITSM), the self-service portal and the ITIL service catalog both play a role, albeit a slightly different one in each case.

Where a service catalog provides information about available IT services, a self-service portal allows users to request services directly, find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and obtain further information.

In short, the catalog is informative, providing structure and definition. The portal is interactive. It empowers employees to take advantage of the IT services offered by an organization.

What Should Be Included in an IT Service Catalog?

Think of the menu again: It outlines dishes, ingredients, and the price. A service catalog is just a little more extensive than a menu card.

If you are building an IT service catalog, consider the following as part of the structure:

Overview

Name – preferably according to an established and intuitive nomenclature
Brief description of the service
Category, such as network, application or security services

Description of the service – What does the service include?

Target group – specific departments, end users, external customers, etc.
Benefits and purpose for each service
Requirements for successful implementation
Limits of the service – What does the service not (or no longer) cover?

Scope and availability

Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Response and resolution time
Performance indicators (KPIs), if applicable – How is performance measured?
Availability – usually a percentage for a guarantee (e.g. 98%)

Terms of use

Access – Who may use the service? / How is access regulated
Technical requirements and organizational prerequisites

Provider

Responsible persons and contact persons
Ordering – What is the procedure?
Support information – What is the best way to contact the service desk? How can the helpdesk and escalation procedures be used?
Which processes need to be run through?

Costs and billing

Pricing model – How are the costs and fees broken down?
Billing details – How is billing carried out

Depending on the requirements, there may be additional points. In some cases, information on:

security and compliance,
relevant processes,
supporting services, or
the expiration date of services may be important.

A service catalog should leave as few questions as possible unanswered so that users are fully informed and only need to contact the right person if they have unusual questions.

IT Service Catalog Benefits

A user friendly IT service catalog is essential for managing IT more effectively and providing better service. Both providers and end users benefit greatly.

These are the key benefits of an IT service catalog:

Benefit #1 – Clear and organized overview

An IT service catalog clarifies exactly which services are available. This means that everyone involved knows what’s offered and how to use the existing services. All users receive standardized information so that there are no misunderstandings or communication problems.

Benefit #2 – More efficient use

By documenting IT services centrally, there are fewer redundant inquiries or unnecessary deployments. Users select the appropriate services and don’t waste resources. Service delivery is improved as service request management can be standardized and even automated to a certain extent.

Benefit #3 – Optimized service quality

Clear service level agreements (SLAs) define exactly what users can expect and what the IT department is obliged to do. SLAs also make it easier to monitor and control performance and quality. All this increases service quality as it provides structure and clarity.

Benefit #4 – More budget control

The catalog provides information on the costs of individual IT services so that users can plan their budgets realistically and with foresight. On the other hand, providers can better analyze demand and optimize their service portfolios accordingly.

Benefit #5 – Higher customer satisfaction

The principle is simple: if users can learn about IT services quickly and easily, their satisfaction increases. It also sets clear expectations so that there is no dissatisfaction caused by misunderstanding.

Benefit #6 – IT strategy and governance

With a catalog, IT services can be better aligned with goals – simply through transparency and clarity. Service catalog management helps enable IT governance.

Benefit #7 – Good communication of innovations

Providers can easily integrate new services into the existing catalog, making it easier for them to implement new technologies and services. Users are also more likely to adopt them because they can clearly understand the benefits.

Best Practices for Creating an IT Service Catalog

Implementing and maintaining an IT service catalog requires a strategic approach. Here are some best practices for creating and managing an IT service catalog:

Involve stakeholders

Encourage users to provide qualified input. Constantly communicate with users (employees, customers, etc.) during the creation of a service catalog and incorporate their feedback. Even the finished catalog can be subject to continuous improvement based on surveys or stakeholder meetings.

Start with the most popular services

This much-quoted principle applies to the content of service catalogs. Companies should start with IT services that are in high demand, such as incident management. In this way, users quickly understand the value of the catalog. Additional services can then be added to the catalog.

Describe services clearly and precisely

It may seem trivial, but good descriptions are extremely important. Don’t let details get lost in or essential information missed. For example, the purpose and benefits of the service in question should be stated first. It is also important to explain exactly what it does and does not include.

“Intuitive navigation is key: users need to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible.”

Incorporate restrictions

People need different IT services depending on their role, position, department and other requirements. Show services dynamically based on role. This significantly improves the overview and user experience and prevents confusion.

Integrate the catalog into ITSM software

IT service catalogs can be perfectly integrated into IT service management (ITSM) software. This creates seamless processes and workflows for agents and end users. Process automation is also recommended to effectively manage orders, provisioning, approvals and more.

Prioritize user-friendliness

The user interface is extremely important: the catalog should be intuitive to use, including easy navigation and clear menus. Visual elements such as icons and diagrams can help. As a general rule, if something is not easy to use, users will quickly put it aside.

Make it easily accessible – even on mobile devices

The catalog should be easily accessible, such as through a self-service portal. Also, consider mobile access. This is crucial so that users can access the catalog from anywhere.

Offer training

No one should simply present users with an IT service catalog and expect them to be able to use it on their own. Basic training is important. In many cases, short videos and instructions added to a knowledge base or FAQs are sufficient. The important thing is that users are informed and know how to use the catalog.

Conclusion: IT Service Catalog – An Important Tool

An IT service catalog is an important tool – especially for complex and multi-layered IT services. It is of great importance for IT service management. Ideally, it provides users with transparent and clear information, resulting in a noticeable improvement in service quality. Providers also have more control over their IT strategy, can communicate more effectively and enjoy greater customer satisfaction.

The overview helps everyone understand the scope of services, service level agreements, terms of use, responsible parties, contact persons and information on costs and billing.

When creating an overview, it is advisable to involve stakeholders immediately, start with the most popular services and focus on clear and precise descriptions. User-friendliness and easy access – including mobile access – are of great importance. Integrating the catalog into ITSM software and offering users training on how to use the IT service catalog are also important.

Learn how OTRS can support you with ITSM and an IT service catalog.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

Knowledge Management – The Path to Profiting from Experience

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 10:00:10 +0000

Knowledge Management – The Path to Profiting from Experience

ITSM

Knowledge is a crucial factor in the corporate context – and is becoming increasingly important. In most companies, information trapped with one person will stiffle efficiency and innovation. Instead, knowledge should be available quickly, validly and in the right format so that many people can use it. Knowledge management is the practice of making effective use of knowledge and information.

What is Knowledge

In short, knowledge is awareness of and understanding about a certain topic or fact.

It is important to differentiate the term knowledge from those of information or data as follows:

Data -> Information -> Knowledge

Knowledge = opinions, processes, ideas that stem from knowing about the information
Information = data provided with context
Data = measurements or objective details

Another term that is often confused with knowledge is skill. Typically, knowledge can be transferred from one person to another. When it comes to knowledge within a company, is often shared through writing or video.

In contrast, skills – for example, how to drive a car safely – can usually only be learned. They must be learned and put into practice by someone.

Knowledge Management: A Definition

Knowledge management (KM) is a structured process for capturing, organizing, storing, sharing and using knowledge or information.

Knowledge management is a multidisciplinary approach. It draws on learnings from many subject matter experts. These experts share knowledge with others, generally through a knowledge management program.

This provides everyone with adequate access to available knowledge. It does so in an easily accessible way that offers knowledge users an overview and structure. This makes it easier for people to put the knowledge to use.

Against this background, the challenge for companies is to use their inherent know-how profitably. They need to benefit as much as possible from their own expertise.

Why is knowledge management important?

By implementing a knowledge management process, companies can operate more efficiently, increase their innovation and gain competitive advantages.

The challenge is to separate the important from the unimportant. It is also necessary to provide truly relevant information to the right addressees and store it in the right places. This is where knowledge management tools come into play. They make knowledge content accessible as well as provide structure.

Effectively managing and access knowledge gives companies a competitive edge.

Relevant steps in knowledge management

Knowledge management is made up of the following steps and components:

Identify relevant knowledge
Capture and document knowledge
Save knowledge
Distribute and pass on knowledge, e.g. through knowledge base articles
Use and apply knowledge
Preserve knowledge and protect confidential information

It's not enough to know - you also have to apply. It's not enough to want - you also have to do. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johan Wolgang von Göhte

Knowledge management in a company is a continuous process that never really comes to an end. Those responsible must constantly maintain, update, renew and supplement know-how. It must be up to date and truly helpful.

Knowledge Management Use Cases

Using knowledge in the corporate world is important. Here are two use case examples that illustrate how it may be a competitive advantage.

Example #1: A company develops an AI strategy

A company wants to establish itself more strongly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). So far, however, there have been very few points of contact with the topic. In other words, no one has been explicitly assigned to it.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) must develop a strategy. As a first step, they source all of the existing knowledge in the company:

The relevant knowledge that employees already have can be collected in an internal company forum.
Any existing self-service portal is searched for relevant information.
The existing knowledge is consolidated in a knowledge base.

Now, there is foundation on which to build. An AI strategy is developed based on the company’s own knowledge. In this way, knowledge about AI is used collectively and transferred into a target-oriented strategy.

Example #2: A team develops new software

A group of developers is in the process of creating new software. They need detailed information about previously developed modules, technologies used and frequently occurring problems for this extensive project.

This means that prior history, or knowledge, about the software must be accessible. Fortunately, a variety of items are available in a wiki (a type of knowledge base). This includes best pratices, peer and code reviews, project templates, checklists, etc.

By also documenting details such as code snippets and individual bug fixes, knowledge about the entire project is tracked The information serves as a basis for continuous improvement.

In the end, other people from the developer’s company can use this as an important reference for similar projects. This closes the cycle of learning and improvement.

The Benefits of Knowledge Management

Solid knowledge management leads to specific benefits that have an extremely positive impact. Specifically, the advantages are as follows.

Advantage #1: Work effectiveness

With the right knowledge at the right time, companies and their employees can expand their potential. This is a basic prerequisite for being effective and achieving goals.

Know-how pushes work in the right direction. This adds value and makes a real difference. When the right information is available to everyone at the right time, people are able to convert it into tangible results.

Advantage #2: Creativity and innovation

Ideas, suggestions, information, leanings, knowledge objects – all of these stimulate creativity and innovation. The basic concept is to build on what already exists in order to develop something new. Those who are well informed broaden their horizons and are much more likely to develop new approaches.

This is not just a basic scientific principle. It is also helps companies develop concepts that are in line with certain circumstances and market situations.

Advantage #3: Better products and services

By making best practices and experiences more accessible, companies can continuously optimize the quality of their products and services. Among other things, the principle of continuous improvement helps to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction.

This is in line with consistent knowledge management. It is the best way for organizations to pool their expertise, skills and experience to ultimately provide better products, customer support and related services.

Advantage #4: More efficient problem solving

By quickly accessing knowledge from past projects and similar challenges, companies can solve their current and future problems more efficiently.

With a well-structured knowledge management system, employees can quickly see how someone has successfully solved a similar problem. They do not have to reinvent the wheel. It is often sufficient to use best practices for similar cases as a guide and adapt this to the current situation. This speeds up the problem solving for the new case.

Advantage #5: Better decisions

Good knowledge management also makes it easier for companies to make targeted and logical strategic decisions. This is because the required information is available to people quickly.

After all, the quality of a decision often depends heavily on the information used to inform it. It’s a simple calculation: only those who have the right knowledge at their disposal can make truly logical and target-oriented decisions.

All change creates fear. And the best way to combat this is to improve knowledge.

Ihno Schneevoigt, former Managing Director at IBM Germany

Knowledge Management: Methods

The aim of knowledge management is to deal effectively with the knowledge available.

Knowledge should…
… not be lost.
… have a clear benefit.
… be available to as many employees as possible.
… bring clear added value.
… be applicable in the right situations.

Let’s look deeper into the knowledge creation process.

Identify knowledge

The first step is to identify existing knowledge. This often begins inconspicuously through conversations, team chats or group discussions. A more direct method is expert interviews. Documents, reports or minutes are also relevant sources of knowledge.

Collect and store knowledge

Both individual and collective knowledge must be well recorded. Individual knowledge can come from interviews, recordings or lectures. Collective knowledge (swarm intelligence) comes is created during meetings and can be found in minutes and recordings. Companies should store this knowledge digitally and make it centrally accessible.

Create a knowledge base

A knowledge base is at the heart of effective knowledge management. Knowledge base articles, FAQs and instructions can be essential for companies because they provide they structure and organization.

They also form the basis of a digital self-service for customers.

Actively use and apply knowledge

Even the best knowledge base is ultimately only a means to an end. Customers and employees should be able to use it frequently and satisfactorily. In general, it is often a decisive goal to be able to use the available knowledge as comprehensively and effectively as possible.

Optimize and enrich knowledge

Knowledge is not a static thing. It is constantly evolving. Organizations and individuals should regularly evaluate existing knowledge, identify “needs” and look for new sources of knowledge. The overriding question here is which knowledge is useful and up-to-date.

The SECI model

The SECI model has established itself as a systematic approach to knowledge management. It is one of the most widely used methods for systematic knowledge management.

SECI stands for Socialization, Externalization, Combination and Internalization. The model describes the process of how companies create and transform knowledge.

The SECI model depicts knowledge development as a dynamic cycle. It was developed by the two Japanese knowledge theorists Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi.

This cycle can be applied to different levels of a company, such as individual, group or ove level. It promotes a learning organization that is constantly evolving and generating innovations.

The four phases of the SECI model are:

Socialization

In this phase, knowledge is transferred from one person to another through conversations, observation, imitation or shared practices. Examples include mentoring, on-the-job training and informal meetings. For example, an experienced salesperson might take a trainee along to a prospect meeting.

Externalization

Now tacit knowledge (that which is personal and experienced) is transformed into explicit knowledge (that which is codified and captured). In other words, the knowledge is recorded in some way such as in a document, model or concept. In the example above, this could be as simple as the trainee writing a report on the interview.

Combination

In this phase, knowledge from various sources is combined to create new knowledge. The aim is to collect and process information, combine data and systematize knowledge. This might involve several trainees comparing their reports in order to draw more informed and better conclusions.

Internalization

Now the explicit knowledge is transformed into implicit knowledge. It is internalized through practical application and experience. It is finally integrated into people’s actions. In the example, this means that the trainees apply the acquired skills in practice.

Tips for Successful Knowledge Management

In addition to understanding types of knowledge management, it is worth using a few tools, tactics and strategies too. This helps the company use of existing knowledge resources in the best ways.

Tip #1: Promote knowledge

sharing in a targeted manner
Knowledge management is far more useful when it is practiced by the entire company. In the best case scenario, employees actively participate in knowledge exchange and share relevant content immediately.

Companies can encourage this by calling for an open exchange of ideas, information and knowledge, involving key people with critical knowledge, and valuing or rewarding the exchange.

Tip #2: Actively use collaboration platforms

Lively exchanges bring relevant knowledge content to light. This requires good collaboration tools and document management systems. These make it easy to share information, ideas and concepts.

Tip #3: Create templates for documentation

If it is easy to create knowledge content, this will happen much more frequently. All too often, employees are overwhelmed by the task of creating useful and meaningful documents. Templates can be an important aid. Plus, they help standardize the documentation.

Tip #4: Incorporate security measures

Sharing relevant knowledge is a good idea. However, not every single person should be able to access it. It is important to implement access restrictions that protect confidential and sensitive content from unauthorized access.

Tip #5: Measure results

It is advisable to use metrics and key figures to evaluate the success of knowledge management. This can be as simple as the number of knowledge contributions created. It is also possible to record the extent to which a knowledge base is used. Other metrics include how much time employees saved or how many innovations emerge.

Relevant connections

Knowledge management only reveals its strengths in combination with other information management disciplines and tools.

Knowledge management and information management

Information management is closely linked to knowledge management. It enables companies to make targeted use of information as a strategic resource. Information must first be available in the right form. Then, it can be transformed into knowledge content.

Often, however, information and knowledge cannot be clearly separated from each other. This means that information management and knowledge management merge seamlessly.

The relevant difference between the two is that knowledge combines factual with experiential information.

Knowledge management and knowledge databases

Knowledge databases are an important means of recording knowledge centrally, clearly and easily retrievable. They are an important component of knowledge management, which also covers other areas.

Databases prove to be essential for recording, maintaining and retrieving relevant information. Knowledge management also controls how knowledge is used and how it is strategically deployed.

Knowledge management and information flows

Information flows describe the path that information takes within a company. Sender-recipient relationships are defined here.

Functional information flows are required in order to obtain relevant knowledge. Because communication does not necessarily take the most effective routes, information management directs the information.

For instance, two team members share important project experiences in an informal conversation (information flow) and ultimately come to the conclusion that this knowledge should be shared (information management). Based on the conversation, a knowledge base article (knowledge management) is created with lots of relevant and exciting information, learnings and experiences from the project.

Knowledge management and artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in the effective handling of knowledge. Recently, users have become accustomed to consulting generative AI tools. Typically, these are AI chatbots that promise simple, fast and intuitive access to relevant knowledge content.

However, the benefits of artificial intelligence – such as increased efficiency, time savings and optimized decision-making – can be used in a variety of ways. AI summaries of texts, for example, are often useful for gaining a better overview. This captures relevant content more quickly and easily transfers it into knowledge base articles.

Conclusion: knowledge management – an important discipline

Knowledge is of enormous importance. It is a decisive factor in the modern corporate world. Companies that operate a knowledge management system can make much better use of their information, ideas, experience, learning, values and skills.

To achieve this, use a suitable knowledge database, systematically generate documentation, and use the knowledge content. Drawing on models, such as SECI, and some best practices can bring great added value.

Find out how OTRS can support you with knowledge management.

Tobias Kortas

ITSM

IT support – definition, tasks, and tips

Tobias Kortas — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:21:25 +0000

IT support performs an important task for companies. This is the organization that customers reach out to for help with all types of technical inquiries. IT support services can vary greatly – from helping people with standard processes to solving complex technology problems. This article sheds light on what exactly IT support is about and how to get started in the field.

Continuous improvement: principles, goals, relationships

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 08:47:29 +0000

Achieving optimization is not only a frequent objective, but often also an absolute necessity. Companies must constantly improve individual processes and workflows in order to be competitive and strengthen their positions. Continuous improvement process (CIP) is the article’s topic. The article explains how this can best be achieved, specifically in ITSM.

Configuration Management – Definition and Best Practices

Bernd Maus — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:44:23 +0000

In increasingly complex corporate infrastructures, structured configuration management is crucial to meet the increasing demands on availability, performance and security. Initially, IT teams exclusively used configuration management. Today, other industries use it as well. However, in this article, we focus on the use of configuration management in support of the IT infrastructure.

AI in ITSM – Importance, Examples and Study

Tobias Kortas — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:43:11 +0000

Recently, there has been a lot of AI hype in ITSM. Companies have recognized that artificial intelligence (AI) and automation can significantly increase efficiency, shorten resolution times, improve service availability and much more. Find out all about how AI is revolutionizing IT service management here.

Kanban board – for agile project management

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 28 May 2024 13:35:15 +0000

Kanban is a method used in agile project management to make work processes visible and thereby improve them. A Kanban board is a project management tool that uses the principle of visualization. This means teams can work transparently on tasks and problems. This article shows how Kanban can be used effectively and will be used as a feature in OTRS.

Achieving corporate objectives with IT governance

Tobias Kortas — Thu, 16 May 2024 09:03:20 +0000

We face numerous challenges in the corporate world. With advanced digitalization and the importance of the technology environment, success depends heavily on the role of IT. Governance, or oversight, is needed to ensure that IT initiatives strategically align with corporate objectives. This article explains IT governance and discusses how it can be achieved.