Many companies strive to implement Self Service (service orchestration) in order to streamline IT and give a better service to the end-users. This way the IT services can be delivered consistent, secure and automatic. The I and T of IT is put back in order. Information is the responsibility of the organisation and the IT department is responsible for the Technology.
In order to be able to implement any kind of self service system, there has to be task automation in place. Daily routine tasks such as adding an Active Directory account, creating an Exchange mailbox, changing a phone number or installing an application must be automated and delegated back to the organisation. Without automation, no self-service!
The basic concept of a self service solution consists of three elements:
1. Qualification
2. Delivery
3. Return
A user qualifies for a service based on categories such as an identification. There should also be restrictions and dependencies tied to any service. A user allowed to create purchase orders should not be able to approve them i.e. a restriction. In order to have a mailbox you have to have an user account i.e. a dependency.
When a user qualifies for a service the delivery of the service is initiated either automatically or triggered by the user.
And when the user no longer qualifies, the service is returned.
Delivery of a service might also involve manual tasks such as order a new laptop or purchase an additional application license or an approval process, showing a message or asking for input.
Service orchestration is very useful for self service but also for employee onboarding and offboarding. Other areas of use is employee role change, application decommissioning, self paced migration and requesting a service for someone else.
You get better control, lower TCO, increased security and more productive users.
So if you are thinking of self service - make sure you start with automating your daily IT tasks!
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