The Service Configuration Management practice primarily supports these practices:
- Incident Management,
- Problem Management,
- Change Control,
- Release Management,
- Service Level Management,
- Financial Management of Services,
- Service Continuity Management,
- Availability Management,
- Capacity and Performance Management, and
- Service Desk.
Additionally, this process also supports these practices:
- Asset Management,
- Project Management,
- Supplier Management,
- Continual Improvement, and many others.
Considering the main practices related to or directly supported by the Service Configuration Management practice, it is evident that the operational aspect is the primary focus.
Implementing a Service Configuration Management practice is complex and requires a significant number of resources for the organization. Therefore, it is essential to ensure proper scope management during implementation. A phased approach is recommended, with the operational environment being a top priority. Furthermore, to ensure project success, it is crucial to have an automated solution for managing configuration items.
Including environments such as development, testing, or training introduces complexity that could jeopardize the project’s success. These environments should be considered secondary and assessed based on the need and impact. It’s vital to link benefits to project goals and objectives and identify impacts to define scope and prioritize activities.
Given the complexity of implementing the Service Configuration Management practice, reducing risks throughout the project lifecycle will contribute to its success. Thus, it’s important to use the organization’s governance principles as a starting point and reference.
If these principles don’t exist, they should be defined. Starting from the Service Catalog is also recommended, prioritized based on business needs.
Lastly, considering security and business continuity criteria will prioritize aspects of the Service Configuration Management practice for initial implementation. Existing organizational issues can also help define the implementation scope.
Throughout this scoping process, always keep in mind the methods, preferably automated, that will be in place to maintain these configuration items.
Following these recommendations will help facilitate the success of a Service Configuration Management practice implementation project. Always remember that business needs are critical in identifying the implementation direction. These business needs will drive the necessity for governance and controls, which in turn will guide the practice’s definition. Lastly, prioritize critical services and problematic operational scenarios.