Quality management - Management of IT services

ISO/IEC 20000 - the modern approach to management of IT services

LLC "Art-master" specializes on granting of services in the field of IT. After introduction of quality management system (the basis for improvements) and information security management system (the necessity connected with maintenance of continuity of business) we decided not stop on reached and continue the way of perfection.

We realized that to provide to clients qualitative IT services, it is necessary to use the best world experience of management in IT field. Therefore our following step is an introduction in the company of International Standard ISO 20000 in which the modern approach to management of IT services is realized.

Qualitatively working department of information technologies is the problem actual for many domestic companies. Heads of companies expect that IT services will be not only support for the organization but also will give new opportunities for realization of business goals. Suppliers of IT services also cannot afford being concentrated only on technological aspects and internal organizational questions any more. Now they should think about the quality of provided services and relationships with their customers.

Reasons for the management’s dissatisfaction of quality of corporate information technologies (IT) are great deal. Part of them is in the field of IT introduction project management. By far not always projects are completed in the set term and within limits of allocated budgets. But even when projects are realized daily questions concerning use of IT become actual; these questions in many respects form opinion about quality of IT department work:

• Whom to address if problems arise?
• How much time will it take for IT department to process my inquiry?
• Plans demand change of information corporate systems. When can it be made with condition of preservation of current functionality and continuity of the work for maintenance of the present moment activity of the company?
• Where do the resources for support of growing information systems disappear?
• How effectively are they used?
• How to organize the work of IT department before forthcoming growth of the company?

In present conditions application of the special approaches, allowing making work of IT department effective and rational, becomes actual. Development and introduction of IT services management system that corresponds to requirements of Standard ISO/IEC 20000 is one of such approaches.

ISO/IEC 20000 is the first specialized standard of universal importance focused on IT services management. Standard describes integrated approach to processes management for effective granting of IT services both inside the company and to its clients. ISO/IEC 20000 is harmonized and supplements the process approach defined in ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library – advanced IT experience library that contains recommendations based on generalization of world experience and decision for creation of infrastructures and organization of corporate systems work). Standard is harmonized also with Standards ISO/IEC 9001 and ISO/IEC 27000, that allows construction of integrated control system based on these three Standards.

ISO/IEC 20000 consists of two parts:

• ISO/IEC 20000-1:2005 «Information technologies — Services Management — Technical requirements». This part is the criterion of audit and sets requirements that must be executed for passing the certification on conformance to this Standard.
• ISO/IEC 20000-2:2005 «Information technologies — Services Management — Vault of rules» describes the best practice in the management of IT services which is used by organizations during preparation to the audit and planning of IT services improvements.

Standard can be used:

• by companies that grant IT services to external customers;
• for providing the single approach in IT services granting by all providers of services in the chain of delivery;
• as banchmarking of IT services management;
• as basis for an independent estimation;
• for demonstration of ability to conform to customer’s requirements;
• for improvement of IT-services.

13 processes collected in five key groups were defined within ISO/IEC 20000:

• processes of services granting;
• processes of relationships;
• control processes;
• release processes;
• processes of problems solution.

In addition requirements are set up to the measure of responsibility of the heads of the company that is granting IT services, as well as to the management of documentation, competence, knowledge and preparation of personnel.

Picture 1. Processes of grant of services