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What’s The Big Deal About A Service Catalog? Many senior IT managers today have a goal to run IT like a business. The Service Catalog is a critical first step for IT organizations to become more business and customer focused, and service driven. According to Forrester Research: “Service Catalogs are the cornerstone of service delivery and automation, and the starting point for any company interested in saving money and improving relationships with the business.” As the foundation for defining services and communicating value, the IT Service Catalog is an essential element for any IT performance improvement initiative. What Is A Service Catalog? The IT Service Catalog offers a way to:

• Document and publish the specific range of available services • Standardize service deliverables • Establish service level expectations • Determine associated costs/market service offerings to users and internal customers

It is a means by which IT services can be defined, configured, deployed and governed. When used effectively, a Service Catalog is an excellent communication tool, and a highly effective IT marketing and business relationship building vehicle. What’s The Big Deal About A List Of Services? How does a listing of services help IT organizations achieve IT business alignment? Well, the answer is that lists – inventories of available services, applications, etc - actually don’t much help on their own. But, the creation of a Service Catalog that goes beyond a list of services, and acts a conduit for a fully integrated and holistic IT Service Level Management process, will most definitely help you. That’s because ITIL’s best practices for Service Level Management addresses the need for IT organizations to align services with the most critical business functions of the organization. Creating a Service Catalog in conjunction with Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Operational Level Agreements (OLAs), and Underpinning Contracts (UCs) can optimize service provision to the business while reducing the overall costs of IT service support and delivery. The requirement to demonstrate value to the business is one main reason driving many IT organizations to implement best practices for IT Service Management, specifically through the ITIL framework. The Service Catalog is a means to capture and communicate the key linkages between IT and the business. In fact, this is so important that there is now a trend toward positioning the Service Catalog as the central element in the ITIL service delivery implementation model. Benefits Of A Service Catalog There are many benefits to implementing a Service Catalog including:

• Improved relationships and communication between IT and its users/customers • Improved communication across IT

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• Improved understanding of business requirements, issues and challenges • Allocation and matching of costs to specific business units • Establishing standards to promote consistency • Reduced IT operational costs by identifying and eliminating IT service waste • Increased awareness and visibility for IT service provision • Reallocation of resources to critical business systems

Conclusion The importance of a clearly defined Service Catalog in IT performance improvement initiatives cannot be overemphasized. It is an important first step, and it’s fundamental to any ITIL improvement initiative. Want To Learn More? 1. Recommended reading:

Guidance about how to create a Service Catalog, which services should be included, and who should be involved in the process, can be found in the following three ITIL books: Service Support; Service Delivery; Planning To Implement Service Management.

2. Attend Pink Elephant’s ITIL Implementation Road Map, which is being presented next in San

Diego, December 7-9, 2005.

Learn how to implement ITIL! The industry exclusive workshop - presented by Pink’s highly experienced executive consultants – provides you with a detailed ITIL implementation “road map” including how to implement a Service Catalog, SLAs, and OLAs. Plus, you’ll walk away with white papers, sample forms, templates, plans, checklists, and more! Click here to view the detailed program.

3. Attend Pink Elephant’s 10th Annual IT Service Management Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas on February 12-15, 2006.

The conference agenda features 10 tracks with over 100 sessions – the most content rich and comprehensive IT service management conference in the industry! Track 1: Leading Change Track 2: Strategic IT Perspectives Track 3: Implementing ITIL Support Processes Track 4: Implementing ITIL Delivery Processes Track 5: Implementing Tools & Technology Track 6: Winners’ Circle: ITIL Awards Alumni Track 7: IT Business School Track 8: Beyond ITIL Track 9: Pink University Track 10: ITIL Clinics Register before October 31st to take advantage of Pink’s extraordinary Early Bird Special - $1,000. Click here to view the full conference program.

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4. Attend Pink Elephant’s ITIL Service Manager Certification Program – the highest level of ITIL certification.

The certification program, which is designed for those who’ve already achieved Foundation Level Certification, includes the most comprehensive, intensive and in-depth look at ITIL’s IT Service Management processes. To view course dates and locations, click here.