The ISM Method®, a proven standard for successful and compact IT service management.

Every IT department works with the same basic processes, and still everyone is writing their own processes. Service Level Agreements are made, incidents are solved, changes executed and systems are operated.

ITIL® gave us a great reference model and told us to adopt and adapt, and that is where ISM comes from. With ISM (Integrated Service Management) a compact, complete and standard applicable model is created with only 6 related processes.

The ISM model has proven its value for over more than 10 years. Within the ISM Method the Process model is accompanied by People and Product descriptions. Explaining how these resources together, organize all aspects of a successful service delivery organization.

Processes are all about creating flow. With the ISM Method an organization is ready to meet compliancy and security demands and is prepared to apply eg. Agile, DevOPs and LeanIT.

Title

The ISM method Version 3 – In 3 minutes

The Basics

All service delivery organizations have the same goals and are therefore capable of using the same basic IT processes. With only 6 fundamental processes, every IT-organization can do their work on tactical and operational level.

IT Service management is more alive than ever. It’s about organizing Service Delivery. Maybe it became big with ITIL, but nowadays it includes ABC, agile, LeanIT, DevOps, OBM etc. Integrating all these meaningful designs and models in to one solution wherein each can fulfill its necessary role is one of the exciting challenges for the coming years.

Processes are mend to support IT professionals in executing their profession, not to control them. Processes should follow and support the natural professional behavior and increase flow and quality. Staff and management should be capable of using the model.

Summary

The ISM Method, first published in 2010, describes clearly the need for a compact process model to support the professional IT service delivery. The ISM model applies the lessons learned from ITIL by reducing the amount of processes and relate them in a complete and compact model.

The focus of ISM is on result, service delivery, therefore the model must be simple and applicable. Only applicable knowledge is useful.

Service management is considered to be the profession that organizes the way of working of IT departments. Therefore the ISM Method aligns all resources, People, Processes and Product. The ISM method cts, that are necessary to realize operational excellence in a process oriented way.

Organizational change is the red line throughout the ISM Method. How to become an excellent service delivery organization. Leadership, clear distinction of roles, and especially a phased and structured approach to increase service excellence with a fundamental role of IT Management.

Other important elements are:

Clear distinction of the position of Technical Management (the area of ISM®) and Information Management (the area of FSM®)
The relation between People, Process and Product, the organizational resources
The relation between process management and line management
The ISM process model and the relation between the processes
The fundamental role of the 6 basis processes, covering all activities on tactical and operational level
The emphasis on a phased implementation, introducing processes is changing the way of working
- phase I the installation of all the People, Process and Product resources,
- phase II implementation wherein an organization learns to work with the processes and to continually improve
Clear distinction between processes and functions
The usage of clear definitions – more than 600 terms easily explained

Target audience

IT Managers – who realize that excellent services are delivered by well-organized teams wherein IT professionals closely work together, guided by clear and compact processes. Managers who realize that they have to facilitate the growth of their staff and organization to a mature and flexible level.

Process managers – who wants their process to support the service delivery, to become in control and not to control. Managers that want to focus on flow and flexibility and not on designing processes and tools.

Team leads – who wants to facilitate their staff with proper understanding of the value of process oriented working

IT professionals – Who wants to professionalize their way of working by using IT-processes to improve their performance

IT service management consultants – Who wants to help organizations to grow to service excellence by introducing applicable processes

IT service management trainers – who wants to train managers and staff in modern service management

Scope and constraints

The ISM Method combines best practices and a structured design. It’s simple by choice to make it applicable and manageable for every IT department.

Strength

Easy to apply
Complete and compact on tactical and operational level
All resources covered and aligned (People, Process and Product)
Free of organizational structures, re-organizations do not influence the processes
ready for hybrid organizations wherein classical knowledge teams (silos), projects, outsourcing and service teams (like in DevOps) are combined.
One size fits all
Proper preparation for compliancy and security

Constraints

Limited to IT management, information management is described in FSM (Functional Service Management)
Limited to organizing the way of working, technical skills are not part of the method
Organizational structures are not included or prescribed, the model should fit in any organizational structure
Although the method is complete and ready to use, growing to service excellence will still need a phased and persistent approach of all involved players