ServiceNow allows enterprises to utilize a single platform for all IT service management (ITSM) requirements, making it increasingly popular for businesses undergoing digital transformations. However, deploying these platforms is not as straightforward as implementing more traditional solutions, and to do so correctly requires adherence to ServiceNow ITSM best practices.
Six ServiceNow ITSM Best Practices
Before implementing a ServiceNow solution, businesses should first outline a plan to adopt this new platform per generally accepted best practices.
Six of those best practices might be as follows:
1. Identify and Develop a Roadmap
ServiceNow implementation often begins with designing a roadmap that outlines specific objectives and accurately defines supporting applications and processes.
Once crucial business processes have been mapped, and dependencies have been recognized, businesses can begin implementation.
The roadmap design steps might include the following:
- Identify executive support. A business should first determine what executives will help oversee the migration and in what capacity.
- Define your ServiceNow vision. Departments might hold brainstorming sessions to identify goals and suggest ideas that may produce results.
- Define ServiceNow initiatives. During this step, the business divides the goals from step #2 into several initiatives and business imperatives. They can then prioritize those initiatives by their positive impact on business development.
- Develop the roadmap. Next, the business could create a timeline using a phased roadmap approach. This method helps departments identify quick and simple accomplishments that eventually add up to an overall successful launch.
- Implement and review. Businesses often make the mistake of focusing too heavily on specific goals and ignoring the bigger picture. The internal ServiceNow team should reconvene with administrative support and relevant departments to verify that there were no oversights during implementation to combat this common error.
2. Hire an Implementation Expert
ITSM operation and ongoing management is a full-time job, and businesses should treat it like they do a crucial business KPI. Management should look to ensure that an expert ServiceNow technology partner guides them through the implementation process.
This partner should have experience handling similar industry transitions and employ knowledgeable staff to design a migration path into the digital ecosystem.
3. Understand the Platform’s Universal Impact
ServiceNow is not a standard IT project. Instead, it controls and synchronizes all workflows across an organization – including IT, finance, and human resources – to provide a single, firm-wide experience. As a result, its implementation and ongoing operation will be the responsibility of all relevant team members, not simply the IT department.
As such, team leaders from all departments should survey employees to collect feedback pertinent to implementation. This feedback might include:
- Issues with current platform functionality
- Pain points specific to each department
- Desired features to better to their jobs
- Ideas and suggestions for overall improvement
Managers should then review and discuss that feedback to determine how (and in what form) to integrate ServiceNow across the enterprise in a manner that minimizes conflict.
Organizations often fail to account for company-wide feedback before transitioning to a unified platform. As a result, they often implement an incomplete solution, leading to disruptions and unexpected challenges that often result in additional expenses for reimplementation.
4. Train and Educate Team Members
Successful migration and adoption are crucial components of all software implementation, and their success often starts with employees. As such, management should prioritize discussing with employees how the new platform will impact their day-to-day responsibilities.
For example, IT personnel should clearly understand how ServiceNow installation will influence their daily tasks and operate the technology independently.
Management should then consider educating teams on ServiceNow products and ITSM frameworks. Providing staff with the tools and information necessary to use the platform early in the process will boost the platform’s adoption rate.
Because ServiceNow covers all aspects of a company’s operations, employees will likely also require training to make the most of the platform and use its unique management capabilities in their different roles and responsibilities. Without proper training, the implementation and investments could end up a waste of time and effort.
5. Design an Appropriate Configuration
While ServiceNow is an adaptable platform that promotes significant configuration, excessive tailoring might overcomplicate the entire project.
A tailored ServiceNow design should meet the requirements of existing workflows and procedures while remaining aligned to industry-level standards independent of company size. Businesses should avoid incorporating unnecessary ServiceNow features and stay within the bounds of the existing business workflows.
Excessive configuration could run the risk of:
- Inconsistent use among departments
- Cumbersome and confusing platform navigation
- Information overload
- Miscommunication between departments
Businesses should benefit from a right-fit implementation at the minimum cost necessary for the desired performance by sticking to the required configurations.
6. Review Progress and Anticipate Growth
Once ServiceNow implementation is complete, businesses should conduct an ongoing evaluation of its performance to identify and resolve any inefficiencies or redundancies inherent within the process.
Businesses should also ensure that the platform is scalable and able to handle ongoing expansion. Accelerated growth often occurs as team members dig into the platform features and begin recognizing its value. As they do, demand for additional features and tailoring will rise, requiring further expansion.
Get the Most Out of ServiceNow
A successful ServiceNow deployment can aid in the organization’s digital transformation, the reallocation of resources and money toward innovation, and enhance efficiencies throughout the entire business. However, getting the most out of this platform requires taking specific steps to follow ServiceNow ITSM best practices.
