Service Management Best Practices

Overview

Ownership that is not visible is ownership that cannot be relied upon. Customers who need to escalate a service issue cannot do so if they do not know who owns the service. Teams who need to coordinate service changes cannot do so efficiently if ownership information is buried in internal systems. Accountability that is hidden produces outcomes as poor as accountability that does not exist.

Best Practice

Publish service ownership information in a visible, accessible, and current form. At minimum, every service in the catalog and portfolio should display the name of its Service Owner. Portfolio ownership should be published to all stakeholders involved in portfolio governance. Catalog Manager identity should be published to all catalog contributors and consumers. Ownership information should be updated immediately when ownership transitions occur.

Benefit(s)

Visible service ownership builds organizational trust and operational efficiency simultaneously. Customers know who to contact. Collaborating teams know who to engage. Leaders know who is accountable for which services. Escalation paths are clear. Ownership transitions are visible rather than ambiguous. The organization develops a culture of accountability because accountability is publicly visible rather than privately understood.