ISO standard for IT services soon

An ISO standard for IT service management, along the lines of BS 15000, is expected to be in place by 2005-06.

Currently, the software services sector subscribes to standardisation measures like ISO 9001, Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (SEI CMMI), which measures a company's software process effectiveness, BS 7799 (for information security) and BS 15000 (for IT service management).

The information technology service management forum (ITSMF), a UK-based non-profit organisation with over 1000 member companies including Hewlett Packard, Microsoft and IBM, approached the International Organisation of Standardisation with a proposal to fast track the ISO certification for IT service management.

"Gartner had predicted around 18 months back that an ISO standard for IT service management is expected in 2006.

"But if things go the way we want it to, we may have it in place by 2005," said Aidan Lawes, chief executive officer, ITSMF.

The standardisation will have a special relevance for India which has emerged as a global offshoring hotspot.

"With the coming of the 24-hour, follow the sun global delivery model, it is necessary that people are equipped to speak the same language and understand the same value propositions," said Peter van der Fluit, vice president, software global business unit, Hewlett Packard.

The country which is riding the IT wave even in the domestic industry with computerisation of its banking systems, e-governance etc is now combating qualitative problems like failed projects, overshooting budgets or running out on time.

The British standard (BS) for IT service management, BS 15000, recommends that service providers should adopt common terminology and a more consistent approach to service management, thus increasing productivity, saving costs and improving customer service.

The scope includes: requirements for a management system, planning and implementing service management, planning and implementing new or changed services, service delivery processes, relationship processes, resolution processes; control processes and release processes.