Implementation of the Service Introduction process in Mars IS

    “You will not have a second chance to make a first impression” - this aphorism perfectly describes the situation that arises when new services are commissioned in the IT sector. In 2016, Mars IS switched to a new operating model consisting of 48 processes interconnected in order to ensure the effective functioning of IT services. Along with such widely used processes as incident management, problems, changes, etc., the new operational model includes the process of introducing new services into operation (Service Introduction).



    A universal tool for preventing crashes


    This process is actively and successfully used in world practice, it was just that the company “Mars” was not sufficiently formalized. Since the number of projects in the company is huge, while it is applicable to only the largest projects

    According to Tom McEvan, IT consultant at PA Consulting, even well-planned projects for launching new services can quickly fail such that the brand’s reputation will be damaged, the expected revenue from their implementation will decrease, and the confidence that the IT department will provide quality services. Therefore, in his opinion, “IT directors constantly demand the introduction of ready-to-launch solutions that do not have side effects, with the ability to get real measurable benefits for the entire organization." To prevent such disruptions, the process of introducing new services into operation has entered the new Mars IS operating model.

    Take care of everything in advance


    The service team should participate in the design of a new service at the very early stage in order to take into account today irrelevant, but in the near future very urgent issues, in particular, the purchase and content of licenses, support, availability management, continuity, etc. The task of the Service Introduction process is just and consists in posing these and other important questions and in finding answers to them.

    The process involves taking into account the criteria that allow you to develop and commission a service that is optimal in quality and cost that meets the operational and other requirements of service teams. At the exit of the project, we receive the service accepted by the operation department for support, as well as documentation on the management of the service: description of the service and operation manual. The process is applicable to all projects that design a new service or subject significant changes to an existing service.

    Who is responsible for everything?


    A key role in the process belongs to the Service Introduction manager. Usually this is an employee of the service team, which will subsequently provide support for this service. He is the link between the project and service teams. His tasks include evaluating the designed service according to a set of specific criteria, coordinating the actions necessary to reduce the identified risks, and also creating documentation for managing the service. And his work begins with the creation of the Service Design Package document (project documentation for the service) in the planning and organization phase of the project.



    As a process tool, a spreadsheet is used with a set of criteria by which the manager for the introduction of new services into operation evaluates the designed service at different phases of the project. The criteria are divided into groups: operational requirements, finances, requirements for continuity and level of service, information security, etc. After identifying risks in each group of criteria, the project team tries to minimize them, and the results of this work are documented.

    Advantages of introducing a new service


    Here is a recent case study. Mars Service Desk suddenly began to receive calls about a service that was not in their competence. Support staff hardly found the right service team, forwarded incidents that were open to users in their turn. The next portion of calls from the same users followed: no one returned to them, and the incidents remained unresolved. The flaw in the project team is obvious: they designed a support model, put the service into operation, but they forgot to inform all interested parties about it. This situation very clearly demonstrates the importance of timely communication. The process of introducing new services takes into account, among other things, such a moment.

    The benefits of the process are obvious, and it existed in one form or another even before its official introduction to Mars IS. It is a matter of standardization and formalization, without which the task of planning and controlling the commissioning of a service in a global organization becomes much more complicated.

    In the next publication of our block, we will talk about how our company changes the service vendor.


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