In This Case, Too Many Chefs Are Required

By Padma Nunna

Once an IT manager hears about what ITIL can do, every one of them wanted it for dinner yesterday. How many of them really know how long and what it would take for the chef to cook it? Who is this chef? Is there one recipe?

The trick to getting the recipe right for your organization is that the chef in this instance is not just one - there are multiple and contrary to the popular saying - "Too many cooks do not spoil this ITIL broth." Of course, we do need a chef to manage and an expert to ensure that the dish is still consumable!

Getting an IT manager to understand the scope of what ITIL processes encompass, fitting into the current vision and goal for their organization while aligning to the corporate CIO goals can be a challenge. Understanding and positioning the impetus for improving the way things are traditionally done is critical. In order to get the support, participation and involvement from all levels of an IT organization is important.

So is there a way to ensure that the dish comes out appetizing to all levels? Initially, it is usually not palatable to all levels of an organization as they have to change the way "they've always done it." The trick is to get them more involved and explain the benefits of how it would impact the way they have done it and why doing it this way is better in the long run. Some times this change process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the size of the organization.

Does there need to be an effort to make that change at all levels? Can't we force it? Forcing only works to some extent. It has been proven that unless all levels get bought into the concept and why and how the institutionalization is happening, there is no shortcut to get to the end state.

It starts from the top though, when a manager asks for ITIL to be "implemented" - one or multiple processes - the scope and benefits - short term vs. long term have be clearly communicated and understood. The fact that buying a tool or bringing in a chef from outside is not going to make it any better and in most cases only makes it worse.

There are several ways of reaping the benefits and unless the program is properly scoped with the right elements of change management and the benefits are clearly communicated to all levels, usually it is a state of "are we there yet?" "You started it yesterday - you are still cooking?" Does this sound familiar?

When the chef and the expert probably are saying forget about starting to cook - we are still getting the recipe right for our organization, then we shop for groceries and then finally cook it. Sorry - but this is not an instant 2-min noodle soup; it does take some time to marinate (plan) whether you want a gourmet meal or a quick hamburger!

Padma Nunna is currently with Halliburton Energy Services leading their IT Service Management Program and the Enterprise Management Operations. Prior to Halliburton, she served as a consultant in various capacities - Enterprise Management Architect, Project Manager and Business Analyst for a number of organizations like Capital One Auto Finance, Services Corporation International, ConAgra Foods, and Nokia amongst several others.

Her background and experience in strategy and operational planning, process management, enterprise monitoring, IT infrastructure development cycle, capacity planning and organizational change management brings a unique perspective to IT Service Management. She is the founder for the itSMF Houston chapter and is acting as the Local Interest Group coordinator. She holds certifications in networking (CCNP), HP OpenView Series (OVOW, OVOU, NNM, Service Desk) and the ITIL Service Manager. She has a Masters in Computer Engineering from Texas A&M.