Virtualising Process Assessments to Facilitate Continual Service Improvement in IT Service Management

Authors

Anup Shresth, School of Management & Enterprise, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, AustraliaFollow
Aileen Cater-Steel, School of Management & Enterprise, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, AustraliaFollow
Mark Toleman, School of Management & Enterprise, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, AustraliaFollow

Abstract

The IT Service Management (ITSM) industry has defined processes as best practices in the widely-accepted IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework. However, studies on the measurement of ITSM process improvement are scant. Our research addressed the dual problems of the lack of transparency and the need for efficiency in ITSM process assessment. Using the Design Science Research methodology, we developed a Software-mediated Process Assessment (SMPA) approach that enables assessment of ITSM processes. The SMPA approach includes process selection; an online survey to collect assessment data; measurement of process capability; and reporting of process improvement recommendations. We implemented a decision support system (DSS) to automate the SMPA approach and evaluated it at two IT service providers. The evaluations indicated that the SMPA approach supports decision-making on process improvements. The findings provided design knowledge of virtualisation in ITSM process assessment and how this may facilitate continual service improvement.

Recommended Citation

Shresth, Anup; Cater-Steel, Aileen; and Toleman, Mark, "Virtualising Process Assessments to Facilitate Continual Service Improvement in IT Service Management" (2015). ACIS 2015 Proceedings. 139.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/acis2015/139