Service management is undergoing a transformation, as seen in the shift from processes to practices in ITIL 4. While this change was made with the best intentions—to offer flexibility and adaptability—there have been some unintended consequences. A recent white paper titled Process to Practice…Unintended Consequences delves into the impact of this shift and how organizations can navigate the complexities introduced by moving away from process-based service management.
Why the Shift Happened
ITIL 4 moved from processes to practices to reflect the evolving nature of service delivery. The idea was that practices would allow organizations to be more flexible, collaborative, and adaptive to new technologies and methodologies like Agile and DevOps. Practices consider people, processes, and tools holistically, providing a framework to tailor operations to specific needs.
The Unintended Consequences of Practices
However, this shift has also brought complexity. Practices are broader than processes and encompass many elements beyond just activities, such as skills, roles, and governance. This can overwhelm organizations that prefer clear, simplified paths for service management. Additionally, without prescriptive steps, practices introduce ambiguity, making it harder to ensure consistent results.
The Clash with Systems Thinking
One key insight from the paper is how this change contradicts systems thinking, which promotes clear, predictable structures and feedback loops. Practices, with their many variables, make it harder to identify cause-and-effect relationships, slowing down continuous improvement efforts. Systems thinking advocates simplicity, yet the shift to practices has introduced layers of complexity that can obscure the core purpose of service management—delivering value through well-defined, repeatable actions.
How USM Offers a Solution
The white paper contrasts ITIL’s flexible practices model with the Unified Service Management (USM) method, which emphasizes simplicity and standardization. USM clearly separates processes and practices, offering five universal processes (AGREE, CHANGE, RESTORE, OPERATE, and IMPROVE) that remain stable across any organization or industry. Practices, on the other hand, are flexible but always built within this consistent structure.
USM’s approach helps organizations avoid the complexity that practices can bring. By maintaining a clear process framework, organizations can simplify service management while allowing practices to be adapted as needed. This aligns with systems thinking principles, focusing on simplicity and predictability while ensuring flexibility where it matters.
Rethinking the Balance
The paper argues that enterprises need to rethink their approach to service management. While practice frameworks such as ITIL 4 offer flexibility, they should be used to extend, not replace, core processes. Organizations can strike a balance between adaptability and simplicity by blending the best of both worlds—using well-defined processes alongside flexible practices within a stable, non-redundant system like USM.
In today’s complex business environment, navigating the shift from process to practice requires a thoughtful approach. The white paper encourages organizations to maintain a focus on clarity, feedback loops, and value creation while embracing flexibility where it adds real value.
For more information on how you can join the USM Revolution, take a look at the USM Revolution Live Video Series on YouTube. If you’re in the USA, contact me for a free consultation and I’ll point you to more free resources.