The Professional Framework - IT Services & Best Practices

IT as a Service: What is IT Service Management (ITSM)?

IT Service Management (ITSM) refers to the entirety of activities involved in designing, creating, delivering, supporting, and managing the lifecycle of IT services. It represents a strategic shift from managing IT as a collection of individual technologies (like servers and networks) to delivering IT as a service that provides value to the business and its customers.

The core principle of ITSM is to align the delivery of IT services with the needs of the business. It focuses on creating standardized, repeatable processes to ensure that services are reliable, efficient, and effective. Instead of just fixing a broken laptop, an ITSM approach would focus on the entire "Laptop Provisioning Service," from the initial request and setup to ongoing support and eventual replacement, all while aiming to keep the employee productive. ITSM is about managing IT in a structured, customer-centric way.