This document discusses the anatomy of an IT service and the process used to successfully build services at the University of Oklahoma. It describes identifying key factors for successful services, including design, transition, and operations considerations. Services are built using a "camp" approach, which involves dedicating focused time with all relevant stakeholders to work in parallel teams on visible work using measures and notes. The camp approach has resulted in mostly mature services delivered on time with great buy-in across teams through a process of learning and maturation.
1. Anatomy of an IT Service
University of Oklahoma Information Technology
Dana Saliba, OU-Tulsa &
Chris Jones, OU Health Sciences Center
With Nicholas Key, OU Norman
2. Anatomy of an IT Service
Intro to Services
Camp Approach
Successful
Services
3. Intro to
Services
Identify and define
“What is a service?”,
Understand and agree
why services matter,
Be clear about our own
specific services,
All leading to the
development of a
comprehensive Service
Culture
The foundational goals
of our service
management
approach is to…
4. What is a Service?
• Based on value added
to the organization
– Example…email
• In IT, usually a solution
involving technology
– It is not the actual piece
of technology
• Services different than
Technology
5. Why Services Matter
Everything we do is actually a service
(or part of a service).
• Test everything…where is the
value that you are providing to
the university?
“Central” or mandated-IT are no
longer the only option
• Self-service cloud solutions
People use services, not technologies
– not how we normally think of it
• “Technology” can be intimidating
• Example: VPN exists, but how do
we get it, use it, correct it,
communicate about it, etc.
6. Our Services
These ideas formed our
effort in March 2013 to
roll out the initial five (5)
services within OU’s new
private cloud called “IT
Shared Services.”
File storage
(Isilon)
Block storage
(Compellent)
Team
collaboration
(SharePoint)
Virtual server
hosting
(VMWare)
Data Center
Co-location
7. Service Culture
We had to “sell” the idea of
service development – a.k.a.
“product-ization” – to our
technical teams that
primarily focus on
technology implementation:
• Highlighted “customer
experience”
• Professional development
in ITIL
• Shifting focus from
technology to value
(service)
8. Successful
Services
Use of the Design-
Transition-
Operations lifecycle
for structure,
Development of
twelve (12) service
factors, and
A concentrated
emphasis on each
factor.
After agreement on
the necessity of a
service-based
approach, successful
implementation
comes from…
9. Design-Transition-Operations
In ITIL, a service has a
lifecycle…
We used the D-T-O phases
to identify critical features
needed to make a service
successful. Continual Improvement
How do we improve it?
Operations
How do we run it?
Transition
How do we put it into place?
Design
What should it look like?
Strategy
What should we offer?
10. Key Factors Needed for a Service
DESIGN
Business Service
Catalog
Request Catalog
Business office
process
Measures &
Metrics
Technical Design
Service Level Mngt
TRANSITION
Training
Marketing
Technical
Implementation
Knowledge
Mngt
Support Mngt
Tools
(ServiceNow)
OPERATIONS
13. Service Design Needs
• What is service? Who is audience?
How will it be consumed? How will it
be differentiated? Will it be direct
from S2 or local IT?
Business Service Catalog
• Establish request form & fulfillment
workflow (tasks, assignments, SLAs,
etc.)
Request Catalog
• Determine cost, price (if any),
chargeback/showback model, asset
mngt (if any)
Business Process
• Identify baseline & minimum
measurements needed for
tracking (if any)
Measures & Metrics
• Identify known or emerging
technology considerations still
needed
Technical Design
• Identify minimum service
expectations and ensure inclusion
in design
Service Level Management
14. Service Transition Needs
• Develop & deliver any needed training or documentation for (a) end
users, (b) support teams, and (c) system admins & infrastructure
managers
Training
• Develop & deliver any needed publicity and outreach
Marketing
• Identify the status of the technical deployment and any outstanding
roadblocks or issues that may affect service timelines
Technical Implementation
15. Service Operation Needs
• Document end-user and operational knowledge required for successful
implementation
Knowledge Management
• Identify new or changed support process workflows (incident
management, request fulfillment, categories & notifications, etc.)
needed for successful operations
Support Management
• Identify & implement changes to ServiceNow forms, fields, records, etc.,
including categories, fulfillment groups, business services, etc.
Tools (ServiceNow)
16. Service
Process
Builds a Service
through highly
focused effort,
Using specific
parameters of
work know as a
“camp,”
That resulted in
both expected and
unexpected
outcomes.
After definition of the
factors in a successful
service, the service is
implemented through
a unique approach
that…
17. Building a Service
• We developed
(discovered?) an idea
based on need:
– Too complex, too many
perspectives, too short a
timeline, too…
– Had to get everyone in the
room at the same time
• Eventually came to be
called “CXG Camp”
(“camp” for short)
18. “Camp” - Time
• Key features of a camp:
– Dedicated, focused time
(days, not hours)
– Large, consecutive
blocks of time (9am-
4pm, breaking for lunch)
– Scheduled relative to
technology availability
• Not too early or too late
• Best…better…good
19. “Camp” - People
The single most critical
success factor for service
camp success is properly
aligned people &
relationships:
All key participants in the room
People with the answers
(SME’s) engaged and on-board
Trust & collaboration with
willing negotiation
20. “Camp” - Activities
• Activities & working
teams operate in parallel,
not sequentially
– Multiple teams
– Ad hoc interest groups
– Dynamic size
– Fluid, Persistent, Chaotic?
• Work is visible & tactile
using wall-sized progress
measures & sticky notes
21. Camp Outcomes
In most of our service
camp attempts, we have:
Delivered (mostly) mature services
on time,
Developed great buy-in and
ownership across the teams,
Learned to accept some level
of chaos in the process,
Matured process, team, and
structure,
Learned much greater detail about
our own environment* * Resulting in great service delivery (value!)
23. Thank You for Your Time
Dana Saliba
Director, IT
University of Oklahoma
(OU-Tulsa)
Dana-saliba@ouhsc.edu
Chris J Jones, MSEd
Director, IT Service Desk
University of Oklahoma
(Health Sciences Center / IT
Shared Services
Chris-Jones@ouhsc.edu
@itcxvision