It is all about the people when it comes to a successful implementation. As you move on with your implementation, bear in mind that having the appropriate people involved at the right moments is crucial.
- Employees from several divisions within a business are frequently required to participate in the ServiceNow installation process.
- These people must be accessible to engage as required and offer feedback when it is appropriate.
- As they begin on this new adventure, your team members should be aware that clients expect them to learn new skills and be open-minded.
Following a multi-step approach can be valuable for a successful ServiceNow implementation.
PHASE 1: DESIGN PHASE
1. Develop a Project Plan and Business Scope.
The right team for a ServiceNow project includes at least one executive sponsor, a project manager, and several individuals who will be your subject matter experts (SMEs).
- Develop a detailed project plan that includes both a timeline and the steps required to execute each element of the plan successfully.
- The business scope should prioritize which modules are to be implemented first along with a list of functional requirements for each module.
2. Determine Which Modules Would Be Delivered First.
When the design phase of your ServiceNow implementation is complete, your team will be ready to move on to the build phase. The build phase can last anywhere from 8-12 weeks and often overlaps with other phases.
The build phase has three sub-steps: configuration, customization, and integration.
- You will be configuring the system according to the guidelines in your design documents.
- You might also need customizations to meet the special requirements of your organization.
- Finally, you will integrate ServiceNow with external systems if necessary.
3. Create A List of Required Functionalities.
To begin using ServiceNow, you will need to choose the features and functionalities that are essential for your business. You can work with a consultant at iBuildsoft who will understand your organization’s business processes to identify those functionalities or create your list on your own.
4. Determine Your Implementation Budget, Timeline, and Resources.
- Establishing a budget can be an excellent tool to help keep the project running on time and on track.
- Allotting sufficient time for implementation and outlining your resource requirements can allow you to have internal staff available to support the project during critical implementation and training phases.
5. Determine Any Business Process Changes That Need To Occur.
The next step is to evaluate any business process changes that need to occur. Use this time to ask the following questions:
- Are your current processes aligned?
- What improvements to your current processes can be made?
- What processes work efficiently and should remain as they are?
- Which processes ServiceNow can automate?
- What policies would need to change if ServiceNow was implemented?
PHASE 2: CONFIGURE SERVICENOW
ServiceNow is a very versatile tool and your configuration needs will be unique to your company and specific use case.
IBuildsoft’s preferred method of configuring ServiceNow is an agile approach where each sprint contains a list of items to accomplish to achieve a milestone goal. In addition to planning, we've identified four key areas worth focusing on:
- Access controls – create access roles for all levels of users (superuser, admin, regular user)
- Service catalog – set up product offerings for purchasing
- Configuration management database – define how assets are stored in CMDB (assets, relationships)
- Incident workflow – specify how incidents are reviewed, assigned, and resolved
1. Create user access and roles.
- Roles define the modules, tabs, and records that can be accessed.
- In ServiceNow, roles are created via the User Administration application.
- Role-based access control (RBAC) is the most common method for controlling access in ServiceNow.
- Create a small number of generalist roles that can serve as templates for additional roles.
2. Configure ServiceNow according to the project plan.
The implementation of ServiceNow is a systematic approach. It is critical to maintain track of progress and all modifications made so that you can undo a deployment if something goes wrong. To monitor any changes, record them, and offer a means to easily roll back the system if necessary, a change management tool should be utilized.
3. Establish the ongoing maintenance process for ServiceNow.
As with any software, ServiceNow requires regular monitoring and maintenance to keep it running smoothly. Before you kick off your implementation project, decisions you will make include:
- How regularly will you check that the ServiceNow configuration is set up according to best practices?
- Who should be responsible for reviewing this information? Is this a role that already exists within your company, or does this need to be created?
- How often will data backups from ServiceNow be downloaded and stored locally?
- How much documentation is needed around these processes?
Your ServiceNow deployment might be effective if you have a good implementation plan in place. Specific goals that you want to achieve before moving on to the next phase define the implementation process; nonetheless, there is considerable overlap between them. For the system to be set appropriately with features designed especially for what works best for you or your company's needs, you must first define your requirements so that it can help solve issues in new ways rather than just reproducing old ones!
