You are the Director of Information Technology for a large financial institution. You are launching an on going project to implement IT Service Management. You are aware that Senior Management commitment must be demonstrated for the project to be successful.
Outline how and where this commitment can best be shown, both initially and throughout the project.
(20 marks)
Marking Guidelines
This question could go almost any way at all, which makes these marking guidelines either very easy or very difficult.
First the easy approach
Many candidates will, quite rightly, tailor their answer in the light of their own organisation, the structure and politics of the organisation are a major influence over the way in which management support is shown. So.... be flexible in marking and accept the candidates internal logic, try not to impose your own on their answer.
Mark it as you see fit, go with sensible assumptions and directions, award marks for relevant ideas and demonstrated knowledge of how management commitment is essential for ITSM.
Now the harder way - some points I would expect to see, or at least what I would write if I was answering this question.
1. Money - you will need a budget and publicly earmarking funds for the installation of ITSM will state very loudly the organisation’s commitment - no one will take it seriously if management can no support it with money.
2. Resources - as above it needs staff time, ideally taken away from their routine work. Appointment of a full time project or programme manager will signal management commitment.
3. Awareness campaign - these will be arranged by the programme manager but what matters is the appearance of senior management at these sessions, saying that they support the initiative publicly to the staff. Articles with staff magazines etc.
4. Some knowledge - management should learn the basics, else they will be likely to destroy good work by not saying the right things, saying or doing things that conflict with good ITSM and giving the right answers to questions at the awareness sessions or other public occasions within the organisation.
5. Signing of SLAs themselves - not delegating
6. Using, and publicly committing to using the procedures established e.g. Help Desk when they have a problem, not pulling strings and going through the back door.
7. Ongoing visibility - Allocation of a percentage of their own time to the programme/project - taking a formal role within the project, chairing meetings etc.
8. Setting targets - although you might not welcome senior management giving you deadlines by which project stages must be done it is a very public statement of their interest and concern in the success of the project - could perhaps be coupled with bonuses for achieving the targets?
9. Delegation, fast track approval or whatever is appropriate for approving the expenditure required - i.e. cutting out delays in getting things going.
Guidelines have to start at a 2 marks for a good and relevant point, modified by examiners feelings.
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