After almost 45 years in Information Technology, I used to think that we (‘IT’) have failed the enterprise (i.e., ‘the business’); the truth is, ‘they’ are failing ‘us’.
Part of the problem is obvious right away (‘them’ and ‘us’). We’ve always been on the same team, even though many times it didn’t feel that way. But there’s a much bigger problem on the horizon.
Today, every part of the enterprise is a service provider. Everything’s provided ‘as-a-service’ and services are the fundamental basis of value exchange. Today’s economy is dominated by services of all kinds (IT and otherwise).
So, it shouldn’t be too surprising to find that we hear about Enterprise Service Management. It should also not be too surprising to find that the business (them?) looks to the IT organization (us?) to establish an enterprise service management strategy.
But this is an abdication of what should be an enterprise responsibility. The IT organization is flooded with demand, facing unprecedented security threats, talent shortages, and rapidly changing technology landscapes.
Asking the IT organization to create the enterprise service management system is a mistake, because the primary focus and expertise of the IT department are typically on technology and infrastructure, not on the broader business objectives and processes that a service management system must encompass. The IT department’s resources and attention are already stretched thin with maintaining existing systems, addressing security concerns, supporting user needs, and implementing new technologies.
A service management system requires comprehensive input and collaboration from various business units to ensure it aligns with organizational goals, customer needs, and cross-departmental workflows. This level of integration and strategic oversight is beyond the traditional scope of IT’s responsibilities, making it more effective for the initiative to be driven by enterprise leadership that can coordinate and unify the efforts of all departments involved.
In essence, the development and implementation of a service management system demand a holistic approach and strategic vision that transcends technological considerations and encompasses the entire organization’s processes, policies, and objectives, ensuring that the system supports and enhances overall business performance.
If you ask IT for a service management system, that’s what you’re going to get— an IT service management system. So, when you’re looking to blame someone when it doesn’t work for your whole enterprise, look in the mirror.