Technology
The technology resources that service organizations use to coordinate and execute their operations are extremely varied. There are countless technology resources with different functionalities, and there are countless variants of these. The most common ones include automated tools and templates for activities and facilities:
- a service delivery coordination tool (SDC tool, service desk tool) that includes:
- a workflow administration function for all call management, with templates and call registers
- a database for the registration of managed infrastructure (MIR)
- tools for automating the execution of activities (mechanization) that include knowledge management tools, project portfolio management tools (PPM tools), reporting tools, monitoring tools, communication tool, and many system management tools that support the execution of activities in specific task domains
- non-automated tools, including templates, documents, forms, schemes
Schematically, such tools can be arranged according to the image below.
The tooling for service management includes only the top of the pyramid: a module for coordinating the work (the workflow administration function), and a module for registering the managed infrastructure (the managed infrastructure register: MIR). The coordination module can then be standardized by predefining the eight standard USM workflow patterns.
Certified products
Service delivery coordination tools can be audited against a set of requirements to demonstrate they can be used to support a USM management system.
Other products that support the USM Method can also be certified. These products include:
- training tools
- standardized workshops
- online learning environments
- assessment tools used by USM coaches
- publications
A list of certified products is kept at the USM Portal.
