..when you are responsible for managing several thousand (or more) different technology components, from desktops and standard peripherals, through to notably complex server and mainframe systems. After years of working in application development, hardware configuration and assembly or diagnosis and resolution of IT faults, the notion that we are actually doing all this for those unseen masses (the end users) can be quickly suppressed. After all, they don’t even speak our native language (binary of course)!
But it is exactly this tendency of many professionals working in the IT industry to focus on the technology components they manage rather than the services they provide that has resulted in many businesses, customers and users feeling confused, irritated and downright angry with their organization’s IT Service Provider. In response to this, the practices within the scope of Service Offerings & Agreements seek to improve this relationship between the IT Service Provider and its customers, by developing a service culture, understanding and delivering upon actual business requirements through quality design, and ultimately ensuring support of the strategic objectives and vision defined by their organization.
In light of this, The Art of Service aims to develop the reader’s knowledge and appreciation of the practices for IT Service Management, with particular focus on those capabilities required for Service Offerings & Agreements in the modern IT environment.