The four forgotten facets of a smooth ITSM implementation

ITSM implementation can be a mammoth project that is a huge investment for organisations. It includes many elements that need to be considered and steps that should be followed closely. When it comes to ITSM implementation, the success is significantly attributed not only to how well best practices are followed but also getting buy-in from stakeholders and how agile the formation is of those involved in the project.

However, there are facets that are rarely mentioned and are conducive to how smooth your project will run. In this blog, we will be highlighting what these facets are and how they can keep your implementation on the road to success.

1. Identify champions

When embarking on any adventure, it is always important to have people with you who have your back. It is also worth identifying who your objectors will be and what their objections may be. In our recent blog How to successfully implement an ITSM solution, we explained what steps you should follow for best practice. One of the first steps is to engage with stakeholders to understand what the organisation's requirements are— now, in the future, and what they were in the past —which should be used to inform future requirements. At this stage, it's vital to start identifying champions within your organisation who can evangelise and drive the new solution's adoption rate.

Not only will having champions benefit during the project, they will also be a useful resource during the management and continuous improvement of your ITSM platform. They’ll also act as a feedback filter, by having the ability to deal with general enquiries and only reporting feedback necessary for service optimisation.

2. Invest in a communications campaign

Make your new technology and processes visible with a well-planned communications campaign for users and stakeholders. Discuss project progress updates and how the new platform will benefit the day-to-day responsibilities of users, note any minor inconveniences that may occur in the beginning, and provide your audiences with all the information necessary to make the most of your new ITSM solution.

The audience
Be strategic, consider who your audience is and segment them — from senior management to admin roles. Ensure they receive the appropriate level of information that will explain how it will impact them in doing their job, but also create an environment that encourages feedback that is listened to. Try to address the concerns and pain points of the groups most likely to resist implementation.

Frequency and timing
This is important. If you engage with stakeholders too early you could end up sending information that continues to change frequently, like with most projects at the early planning stage. On the other hand, if you engage with your stakeholders too late, you may not be able to address any of their key concerns or requirements, leaving them feeling forgotten and disengaged.

Even after transitioning to your new platform, continue to regularly engage with your stakeholders to identify new opportunities for improving service value. A lack of this could result in disengagement and a negative impact on ROI.

Methods of communication
In the new remote working era, it's easy to become complacent with how we communicate with each other. Your communications plan should include a range of methods of communication. Why? Because not everybody will want to read a painfully long email that details how the project is progressing. You could set up a workshop or Q&A session to allow stakeholders to join and ask any questions, giving you the opportunity to answer them whilst gathering useful insights. The workshop can also be recorded and circulated to those who are unable to attend, bonus!

3. Drive collaboration

Collaboration needs to be embedded into the project's operations to ensure it plays an integral role in supporting the momentum of the implementation. Real-time cross-team collaboration empowers teams to ditch the "silo” mentality that translates into quicker problem-solving whilst obtaining a range of perspectives.

4. Celebrate all wins

Like with any project, it can sometimes feel like you’re taking one step forward and two steps back. It’s important especially with large projects, that even small wins are celebrated and acknowledged. Not being able to celebrate wins can have a negative impact on morale that can spread like wildfire amongst those involved in the project.