Suitable tools

Many Service Operation processes and activities cannot be performed effectively without adequate support tools (as outlined in Chapter 7). Senior management must ensure that funding for such tools is included in ongoing budgets and support their procurement, deployment and ongoing maintenance.

Validity of testing

The quality of IT services that can be provided in Service Operation is dependent upon the quality of systems and components delivered into the operational environment.

The quality level will be significantly enhanced if adequate and complete testing of new components and releases is carried out in good time. Documentation should also be tested for completeness and quality.

This requires a comprehensive and realistic testing environment to be in place for all systems/components – which mirrors the operational environment in terms of volume as well as characteristics. There should be independent testers wherever possible. Funding for such testing environments is essential if high-quality services are to be achieved.

Additionally, sufficient time and effort are needed to ensure that testing is properly planned and designed – and adequate time is included for testing, and re-testing should some parts fail! The best way to ensure this is by following the guidance in the Service Transition publication.

Measurement and reporting

A clear definition is needed of how things will be measured and reported (as outlined in Appendix B) so that all staff have clear targets to aim for and IT and Business Managers are able to quickly and easily review progress and pinpoint any areas for attention.

Risks

Failure to meet the challenges already described in section 9.1 or to address the Critical Success Factors outlined in section 9.2 are obvious risks – but others are described as set out below.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 950