A. ISO 20000 is the international standard for IT Service Management.
The standard actually comprises two parts: ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO/IEC 20000-2. ISO 20000-1 is the ‘Specification for Service Management’, and it is this which is certifiable against. ISO 20000-2 is the ‘Code of practice for Service Management’, and descibes best practices, and the requirements of Part 1.
It all started with BS15000….
ISO 20000 is in fact based upon an original pair of documents, BS15000-1/2, which were published by BSI in 2002 and 2003 respectively. An earlier version of BS15000-1 was first published in 2000. Even this, however, was not the earliest iteration. As far back as the 1980’s a BSI group called the ‘Service Management Group’ was at work defining ITSM processes.
An example fo this work is provided by the following diagram, which illustrates the state of play in 1998:
The Standard Evolves …
By the time the new release of BS15000 was published in 2002, the framework had been harmonized with other international standards, to embrace the familiar PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act). This approach is illustrated below:
The scene was thus set for ISO 20000, which was published at the end of 2005.
As described earlier, ISO 20000 is the international standard for IT Service management.
However, ISO 20000 itself is part of a much bigger picture, in that it aligns with ITIL, the IT Infrasture Library. This relationship is often illustrated via a diagram such as the one below:
Clearly, however, there is also a relationship with other management protocols and frameworks. This will be explored as additional content is added to our blog.
Implementation of ISO 20000 brings with it many benfits and advantages. These will fo course differ from organization to organization. However, the following list is a pretty good representation of the common results:
1. Alignment of information technology services and business strategy.
2. Creation of a formal framework for current service improvement projects
3. Provides a benchmark type comparison with best practices
4, Creates competitive advantage via the promotion of consistent and cost-effective services.
5. By requiring ownership and responsibility at all levels, it creates a progressive ethos and culture.
6. Supports ‘interchanging’ of service providers and staff by virtue of the creation of inter-enterprize operational processes.
7. Reduction of risk and thus cost in terms of external service receipt
8. Through the creation of a standard consistent approach, aids major organizational changes.
9. Enhanced reputation and perception
10. Fundamental shift to pro-active rather than re-active processes
11. Improved relationship between different departments via better defninition and more clarity in terms of responsibility and goals.
12. Creation of a stable framework for both resource training and service management automation.
BLOGGER: Lora Bentley 
