Service Level Management Process
ISO20000 Toolkit: Version 10 ŠCertiKit
Service Level Management Process
Implementation guidance The header page and this section, up to and including Disclaimer, must be removed from the final version of the document. For more details on replacing the logo, yellow highlighted text and certain generic terms, see the Completion Instructions document.
Purpose of this document The Service Level Management Process defines the approach that will be taken by the service provider in this area, including the structure of SLA(s) adopted.
Areas of the standard addressed The following areas of the ISO/IEC 20000:2018 standard are addressed by this document: •
8. Operation of the service management system o 8.3 Relationship and agreement ▪ 8.3.3 Service level management
General guidance Our main recommendation in this area is to keep it as simple as possible; an overly complicated structure of SLAs may confuse your customer(s) and make reporting against the SLA a time-consuming task. Try to ensure that relevant service requirements are captured and are available for review during the certification audit.
Review frequency We would recommend that this document is reviewed annually.
Document fields This document may contain fields which need to be updated with your own information, including a field for Organization Name that is linked to the custom document property “Organization Name”.
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To update this field (and any others that may exist in this document): 1. Update the custom document property “Organization Name” by clicking File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties > Custom > Organization Name. 2. Press Ctrl A on the keyboard to select all text in the document (or use Select, Select All via the Editing header on the Home tab). 3. Press F9 on the keyboard to update all fields. 4. When prompted, choose the option to just update TOC page numbers. If you wish to permanently convert the fields in this document to text, for instance, so that they are no longer updateable, you will need to click into each occurrence of the field and press Ctrl Shift F9. If you would like to make all fields in the document visible, go to File > Options > Advanced > Show document content > Field shading and set this to “Always”. This can be useful to check you have updated all fields correctly. Further detail on the above procedure can be found in the toolkit Completion Instructions. This document also contains guidance on working with the toolkit documents with an Apple Mac, and in Google Docs/Sheets.
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Revision history VERSION
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Contents 1
2
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 9 1.1
Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 9
1.2
Objectives.................................................................................................................... 9
1.3
Scope ........................................................................................................................ 10
1.4
Service level management structure ........................................................................... 10
Service level management process ........................................................................... 12 2.1
Process triggers.......................................................................................................... 12
2.2
Process inputs............................................................................................................ 12
2.3
Process narrative ....................................................................................................... 12
2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4 2.3.5
2.4
Process outputs ......................................................................................................... 14
2.5
Process roles and responsibilities ............................................................................... 15
2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3
2.6
3
4
Define services .......................................................................................................................... 13 Agree service requirements ....................................................................................................... 14 Negotiate service level agreement(s)......................................................................................... 14 Monitor performance against targets ........................................................................................ 14 Review ...................................................................................................................................... 14
Service level manager................................................................................................................ 15 Customer................................................................................................................................... 15 Service desk analyst................................................................................................................... 15
RACI chart.................................................................................................................. 15
Service level management tools ............................................................................... 17 3.1
Service desk system ................................................................................................... 17
3.2
Email and messaging .................................................................................................. 17
3.3
Intranet ..................................................................................................................... 17
3.4
Availability monitoring tools ...................................................................................... 17
3.5
Office productivity tools ............................................................................................. 17
Communication and training .................................................................................... 18 4.1
Customers and IT management .................................................................................. 18
4.2
Process performance ................................................................................................. 18
4.3
Communication related to changes ............................................................................ 18
4.4
Training for service level management ....................................................................... 18
5
Interfaces and dependencies .................................................................................... 20
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Reporting ................................................................................................................. 21
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Conclusion................................................................................................................ 22
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Figures Figure 1: Structure of SLAs, OLAs and UPCs ................................................................................. 11 Figure 2: Service level management process ............................................................................... 13
Tables Table 1: RACI matrix ................................................................................................................... 16 Table 2: Interfaces and dependencies ......................................................................................... 20 Table 3: Key performance indicators ........................................................................................... 21
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1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose This process document defines how the process of service level management will be implemented within [Organization Name]. Service level management is key to the delivery of an effective service and one that is recognised as such by users and customers. Significant effort must be dedicated to ensuring that the levels of service provided are those required by the business and that early warning is available if these are starting to decline, allowing proactive action to be taken as part of a managed improvement programme. The approach to service level management at [Organization Name] must also take account of the fact that IT services provided to the user are sourced from a variety of different organizations. This means that an effective structure of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Underpinning Contracts (UPCs) and Operational Level Agreements (OLAs) must be in place and their service levels co-ordinated with each other. This document defines how the process of service level management is implemented within [Organization Name]. It should be read in conjunction with the following related documents: • • •
Service Level Management Policy Service Catalogue Management Process Service Catalogue
1.2 Objectives The objectives of the service level management process are to: • • • •
Define the way in which service levels will be managed and reported on so that consistency is achieved within the IT organization and a sound basis for decisionmaking is provided Ensure that the management of service levels takes due account of business priorities and helps to maximise business productivity Foster an effective and efficient approach to the management of services that presents a positive image to the business and maintains user satisfaction Ensure that information about service levels is communicated to the relevant parties in a timely and accurate manner at all times
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1.3 Scope The scope of this process is defined according to the following parameters: • • • •
Organizational o [List organizations and parts of those organizations covered] Geographical o [List locations from which service levels will be reported and managed] Services o [Define the services covered by the process] Technical o [If necessary, cover the technology managed via this process]
This process covers all services defined in the service catalogue. The following areas are specifically excluded from this process: [Describe any areas that need to be clearly stated as outside the scope]
1.4 Service level management structure The overall structure of SLAs, OLAs and UPCs (Under-Pinning Contracts) within [Organization Name] is depicted in Figure 1.
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Figure 1: Structure of SLAs, OLAs and UPCs
[This diagram may need to be amended if you have more than one SLA with different customers.]
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2 Service level management process 2.1 Process triggers The service level management process is initiated as a result of one or more of the following triggers: • • •
A new service starts to be defined via the service design and transition process Significant changes are made to an existing service, including decommissioning As a result of regular service reviews or audits
2.2 Process inputs The process of service level management requires a number of inputs in order to be able to function effectively. These may not always be available but will ideally be: • • • • • • • •
Service definitions Service requirements Information about planned service outages Details of the scope and timing of changes being implemented under change management (including those for which an outage is not expected) Key business operation cycles e.g. peak times at which service outages may become more urgent Organizational and contact information Availability of key support resources User and customer communication about service and satisfaction levels
2.3 Process narrative The process of service level management within [Organization Name] is shown in Figure 2.
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Figure 2: Service level management process
This process is explained in the following sections.
2.3.1 Define services The services provided to the customer by the service provider are defined in the service catalogue. This is agreed between the service provider and the customer and represents the customer’s view of the services provided i.e. all of the services should be recognisable by one or more customers. As part of the service catalogue the organization that actually provides the service to the user is recorded, including third parties. Where appropriate, the service is broken down into its components and the provider of each of those service components identified. Dependencies between service components are also shown.
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2.3.2 Agree service requirements For each of the services defined in the service catalogue, a set of service requirements will be documented. These will represent the starting point for the negotiation of the SLA. For new or changed services, requirements will be defined as part of the service design and transition process.
2.3.3 Negotiate service level agreement(s) The terms of the SLA are discussed based on the service requirements and the ability of the service provider to meet them. An agreement is reached and appropriate targets for service levels are set.
2.3.4 Monitor performance against targets A quarterly service report is produced containing details of performance against the SLA targets and reviewed with customers at a face-to-face meeting to provide the opportunity for discussion and feedback. These reports and feedback are input to a Service Improvement Plan (SIP) which provides a vehicle for the managed development of the services on an on-going basis.
2.3.5 Review User satisfaction surveys will also be carried out, both on an individual incident basis and across all user departments. In addition to quarterly review meetings with management, business relationship meetings are held with specific departments to solicit views and feedback from users directly. A full review of the SLA and service catalogue is held on an annual basis at which time the continued suitability of the service level targets is considered, and any changes agreed.
2.4 Process outputs The service level management process has the following outputs: • • •
Service catalogue Service level agreement Service reports
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2.5 Process roles and responsibilities The following roles have the stated responsibilities within the service level management process.
2.5.1 Service level manager • • • • •
Owner of the service level management process Responsible for identifying improvements to the process and ensuring it is adequately resourced Provides information regarding the success rates of the process Runs the process on a day-to-day basis Ensures that annual reviews are carried out
2.5.2 Customer • • • • •
Provides information about service requirements Agrees the definition of the service catalogue Participates in negotiation of the SLA Provides feedback on service performance Attends review meetings
2.5.3 Service desk analyst • • •
Records information about performance against the SLA Manages incidents to SLA guidelines Implements many of the terms of the SLA on a day to day basis
2.6 RACI chart The table below clarifies the responsibilities at each step using the RACI system, i.e.: • • • •
R: Responsible A: Accountable C: Consulted I: Informed
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STEP Define services
SL MANAGER
CUSTOMER
SERVICE DESK ANALYST
A/R
R
I
C
A/R
I
Negotiate SLA
A/R
R
I
Monitor performance
A/R
I
R
Review
A/R
R
I
Agree service requirements
Table 1: RACI matrix
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3 Service level management tools There are a number of key software tools that underpin an effective service level management process. These are subject to change as requirements and technology are updated and so specific systems are not described here. However the main types of tools that play a significant part in the process within [Organization Name] are as follows.
3.1 Service desk system The service desk system provides key items of information regarding the availability of services and the degree of success in addressing incidents associated with them. The reporting module allows useful graphs to be presented regarding success against SLA targets and service trends.
3.2 Email and messaging The email system may be key to communication between the service level manager and the customer. In addition to allowing discussion about levels of service, it also provides an easily automated method of keeping users informed of the status of the services they use. This may be supplemented by the use of other electronic communication methods, such as instant messaging and social media.
3.3 Intranet The intranet provides a window for the user into the IT organization in general and service level management in particular. Reports on service performance against the SLA can easily be made available via the intranet.
3.4 Availability monitoring tools Software tools which report on and record periods of service downtime are useful in establishing the reliability of services in an objective way.
3.5 Office productivity tools Tools such as spreadsheets and word processors allow reports to be easily produced in a professional manner and analysis of service statistics to be performed and presented.
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4 Communication and training The service level management process is all about communication and there are various forms of this that must take place for the process to be effective. These are described below.
4.1 Customers and IT management Communication should take place with the customers of the IT service with regard to SLAs and the management of IT concerning resource utilisation and allocation. Depending on the health of the process it may be appropriate to hold regular meetings with customers and IT management to discuss the performance and agree any actions to improve it.
4.2 Process performance It is important that the performance of the service level management process is monitored and reported upon on a regular basis in order to assess whether SLAs are being met and whether the process is operating as expected. The content of performance reports is set out in section 6 of this document, but it is vital that the reports are not only produced but are also communicated to the appropriate audience.
4.3 Communication related to changes Changes to the IT environment can have a significant impact on the delivery of an effective IT service and service level management must be aware of any changes that are due to take place prior to them happening. The service level management process manager must have visibility of the change management schedule as a minimum and ideally will be briefed on any changes with the potential to give rise to service outages. This may be a regular meeting or carried out on an ad-hoc basis according to the frequency of occurrence of such changes.
4.4 Training for service level management In addition to a well-defined process and appropriate software tools it is essential that the people aspects of service level management are adequately addressed. The process requires that training be provided to all participants in order that it runs as smoothly as possible. The main areas in which training will be required are as follows.
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Service Level Management Process • • • • •
The service level management process itself, including the activities, roles and responsibilities involved Service level management tools such as the service desk system reporting, intranet and office productivity Soft skills such as customer service, dealing with difficult conversations and avoiding technical jargon The basics of the technology and how it is implemented within [Organization Name] The business, its structure, locations, priorities and people
In addition, training should be provided to customers regarding the purpose, objectives and activities of the service level management process. This training may be provided via short workshops and supplemented by on demand resources such as blog articles, videos and user guides.
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5 Interfaces and dependencies The service level management process has a number of interfaces and dependencies with other processes within service management. These are outlined here and are described in further detail in the relevant procedural documentation.
PROCESS
INPUTS TO SERVICE LEVEL MANAGEMENT FROM THE NAMED PROCESS
OUTPUTS FROM SERVICE LEVEL MANAGEMENT TO THE NAMED PROCESS
Business Relationship Management
Updates regarding business changes e.g. staff movers and leavers Business awareness and knowledge Feedback regarding user and customer satisfaction levels
Reports on service performance Communication regarding ongoing issues and potential outages
Information Security Management
Alerts regarding current threats to services
Details of outages that could be information security-related e.g. denial of service attacks
Demand and Capacity Management
Advance warning of possible capacity constraints affecting service
Information regarding service level requirements
Availability Management
Understanding of availability measures in place
Reports on incidents affecting availability, including lengths of outages
Supplier Management
Information regarding changes within suppliers e.g. contact details and support structure
Service level requirements
Change Management
Notice of upcoming changes that may give rise to incidents or outages
Feedback on the effects of changes on service levels
Release and Deployment Management
Consultation regarding timing of deployment of releases Deployment schedules
Feedback about service level issues resulting from deployments
Table 2: Interfaces and dependencies
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6 Reporting Reports on service levels will be produced on a monthly basis and consolidated into the IT service report every quarter. The following KPIs will be used on a regular basis to evidence the successful operation of the service level management process:
KPI REF
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
KPI1
Number of services for which service level targets are met
KPI2
Number and percentage of services for which an SLA is in place
KPI3
Percentage of service reports produced on time
KPI4
Percentage of service meetings held on time
KPI5
User satisfaction scores from user surveys
KPI6
Customer satisfaction scores from customer surveys
KPI7
Number of complaints about the service level management service
Table 3: Key performance indicators
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7 Conclusion Service level management is a key process which seeks to match business requirements and perceptions with the day to day delivery of IT services. As such, it has a wide variety of areas to communicate with and bring together into a coherent and consistent message for the business customers of the services. It is important that this process is able to capture and present an accurate, objective view of how well services are being delivered so that difficult and often costly decisions can be made about the prioritization of resources within the organization.
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