There are many means to improve how incidents are managed but the first is implementing an formal Incident Management process, writes ITSMWatch columnist George Spafford of Pepperweed Consulting.
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Ask- Service Transition – Releases should be project managed with proper oversight to ensure budgets, timeliness and requirements are met. Releases that are properly tested and production changes managed will result in fewer incidents long term. The Configuration Management System spans phases and will aid all stakeholders in having a logical view of the IT services being provided to ensure proper planning and fewer errors.
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Service Operation – A well designed and implemented enterprise Incident Management process that is followed will create an environment wherein incidents can be managed in an effective and efficient manner. Moving past that, Event Management can assist with a logical approach to identifying criteria relating to changes of state and approved responses further reducing the response times, skills required to respond and certainty of success. In addition, Problem Management and a Known Error Database can be developed to help reduce the number and duration of incidents.
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Continual Service Improvement (CSI) – This phase can help ensure that the various processes that affect incidents remain designed in a manner that creates value and mitigates risks. Note, CSI should not be viewed as a project that gets triggered after a failure but rather as an ingrained philosophy. Thus, there should always be a drive to improve how incidents are managed.
Key IT Solutions
Many additional improvement opportunities can be pursue by moving outside of the Incident Management process and working with stakeholders in other processes and functions to improve processes in their areas that will reduce incidents over time. These reductions will definitely benefit the organization. With the current economic crisis, improvements that can cut costs while improving service are sorely needed.
George Spafford is a principal consultant with Pepperweed Consulting and a long-time IT professional. George's professional focus is on compliance, security, management and overall process improvement.
