What is ITIL CSI – An Introduction to IT Service Improvement

Running a business is a complicated process. For it to be a successful venture, being passionate and patient is not enough, a great and working business needs to have proper guidance and the right tools to survive in this cutthroat world.

It is especially hard to be part of the IT Service Management industry. With an avalanche of competitors vying for the same market, it’s difficult to be both original and cutting edge, while keeping in mind to deliver the promised services for its customers.

Some businesses flounder on the fact that they didn’t take the time to figure out their stance and vision. Without ample knowledge and verifiable tools, it would be very hard to keep the interests of its customers and to provide them with their specific service demands.

The founding of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), as a means to provide frameworks and best practices, has been more than helpful and handy to the growing industry in the IT sector. ITIL provides a wealth of information regarding the inner workings of IT service - making it easier for providers and owners to know how to manage and operate their businesses more efficiently.

With various stages and recommended processes accumulated over the last 20+ years, as proven by the success of several IT business, ITIL is a great guide to further enhance the business of delivering quality IT Services at costs the business can afford.

Their notes on what might happen, and their views of what steps to take will teach young and growing IT service management firms to create an original, yet efficient business, that will serve their strategy and (hopefully) cater to the expanding needs of their market.

A great example of how helpful ITIL is to business entities is the process known as Continual Service Improvement (CSI). Continual Service Improvement is one of the pivotal aspects of IT service management. As the name implies, change is certainly foreseeable in the business process and the need to oversee the continual changes in a business is imperative, as certain alterations or fixtures are needed to improve the quality of the services. The use of the term continual fits the regular and distinctive cycle of most IT businesses.

With vigilant monitoring, CSI is an important process in the success of the IT service management. CSI can easily distinguish and note what the business would need in the changing demands of the customers. Provided with a distinct life cycle approach consisting of Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition and Service Operation, the task of improving the quality of the business gets easier and more manageable.

While some businesses tends to discard CSI as soon as their problems are fixed, it is more cost efficient and helpful for them to have it built in permanently within their IT service management practices and culture. By being aware of any business’ faults and which applications are better for a job, would surely be a great investment for the IT Provider and ultimately their business in the long run.

CSI Purpose - Why ITIL CSI is Important

The core CSI purpose is to continually align and then re-align IT services to constantly changing business needs by identifying and then implementing quantifiable improvements to IT services that support the business.

Such CSI improvement activities support the full service lifecycle approach across all of Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition and Service Operation. (Remember the lifecycle diagram - with CSI moving around the outside and interfacing with every stage).

A valuable CSI process must always help the Service Provider to look for ways to enhance and improve process efficency and effectiveness.

Recall the management 'mantra':

1. If you cannot measure it - you cannot manage it
2. If you cannot manage it - you cannot control it
3. If you cannot control it - you are destined for failure!

Remember - you simply cannot measure what you cannot define in the first place.

The business will always suffer if IT Service processes are not implemented, managed and supported using:

1. Clearly defined goals
2. Well defined objectives
3. Relevant measurements

... all of which must lead to real world, actionable improvements.

Typical business 'pain' here might include: loss of productivity, increased costs, loss of reputation, increased business risks or maybe even total business process failure.

Understanding what to measure, why it is being measured and then carefully defining the desired (successful) outcome is an imperative with ITIL CSI.