The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), a collection of best practices that address core service management issues such as problem, incident, change and request management, is all about servicing the end user.
Many IT departments have rushed to implement ITIL, but fallen into common pitfalls. The important thing to remember about ITIL is it is not a quick fix solution. It is not a short-term solution. It takes time and a change in culture for it to take root and grow.
Here are some of the common pitfalls found when rushing to implement ITIL.
Purchasing Unnecessary Tools
Organizations assume ITIL based tools are the answer. All they have to do is purchase them or a complete suite of tools and ITIL will work its magic. What they need to do is invest time in mapping a strategy and training their staff about ITIL.
Failing to Do An Assessment
One of the first things you should do is an assessment of your IT department. Look at where you are now and where you want to be and determine what you need to do to get there. How does your current organizational structure compare to the ITIL framework? How will you change your organization and culture to best use ITIL?
Seiso is the third step in a 5S System. Translated it means to shine or scrub. Now that you have completed the Sort Step and Straighten Step, the workplace should be free of debris and all areas in need of cleaning should be exposed.
In this step you will clean the entire work environment. Everything should be cleaned including floors, workspaces, walls and equipment. If any area needs painting consider adding the extra time to do this.
Before you begin the shine step, be sure you have all of the cleaning tools and supplies you will need. Brooms, mops, dust pans, lots of rags, trash bags and a variety of cleaning fluids. Be careful that you match the cleaning fluid to what is being cleaned. You can damage equipment by using the wrong cleaner.
Each day we send email to our co-workers, vendors and clients. Have you ever thought what how your message looks? I am not talking about the actual message, but the format and layout of the email.
As often as you use email you should make sure that you are presenting your message in a clear and professional manner. Your email says a lot about yourself.
Here are some areas you should pay attention to when creating or reply to an email.
Performance management is the process of assessing progress toward achieving predetermined goals. Performance management is building on that process, adding the relevant communication and action on the progress achieved against these predetermined goals. (Source: Wikipedia)
Performance management strives to optimize results by aligning all of the parts of an organization. With a well designed plan and good training you can build a culture of performance that will improve every part of your organization.
Here are some of the key parts in building a strong culture of performance.
Develop Clear and Measurable Goals and Objectives
The starting point for performance management is to review the goals your organization from the top to the bottom. Every department should have their own goals which align with the overall goals of the company. The goals should be clear and in terms of units of performance that can be measured such as time goals, production goals, spending goals and improvement goals.
From the Japanese word Seiton we get the next step in the 5S System, straighten. Now that you have completed the first step sort, the workspace should be free from clutter and unnecessary items.
Key parts of the straighten step include:
- Everything has a place and everything goes in its place
- Limits are set on the about of work in progress and parts kept in the workspace
- Improve the workflow to reduce waste and improve efficiency
- Work to be done, parts and supplies needed should be near the workspace
- All areas of the work place should be sectioned off and clearly labeled
- All storage areas should be clearly labeled or marked off
- An electronic version map or log that can be printed and distributed or posted should indicate the location of everything for easy reference
- Straighten is about improving organization, workflow, productivity and morale
From the Japanese word is ‘Seiri’, the first step in the 5S system is sort. The concept of the sort step is to classify items in the workspace between necessary and unnecessary. You organize what is necessary and dispose of or put in place what is not. Take pictures of workspaces before and after the sort so you can post them. The pictures can be used to reinforce the 5S system as examples.
This is the first of at least 6 articles that will give you some basic information on how to implement a 5S system in your workplace. One of the keys to the success of a 5S system is to have the full support of the management of your company. While a 5S system is low cost to implement, it will require changes to the work habits of employees and needs the support and reinforcement of management.
The first thing you need to do is educate yourself on 5S. Purchase books, (see our Amazon Store ASTORE for suggestions) and do some research online. Write an overview of what the 5S system is and how it will be implemented in your company. Present your proposal to management for their approval. You may meet resistance since old habits are hard to break. Explain how the 5S system is a useful tool that can improve productivity, promote safety and lower costs. Explain how the 5S system will make the workplace cleaner, safer and more pleasant for the employees. Emphasize the low cost involved to implement and the potential savings of a successful 5S system. Management loves to hear of low cost ways to save the company money!
If your company is looking at implementing the ITIL v3 best practices framework, Training Camp is now offering an accelerated 3 day boot camp. The course features the latest v3 edition of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).
Training Camp’s ITIL v3 Foundation Accelerated Certification Program is the most effective, efficient way to learn a practical understanding of the key concepts, principles, processes and functions that enables successful IT Service Management (ITSM) provision.
They offer both individual training at one of their facilities nationwide as well as on-site corporate training.
Is your company looking at the ITIL best practices framework to fill an IT need? If you want to see how other companies have adopted ITIL, read the ComputerWorld article “How to Get Started on ITIL, How Companies Get Started on ITIL.
Read the article here: ComputerWorld - How to Get Started on ITIL
