Block 1 Part 5: Service design Flashcards
How does ITIL classify suppliers, and what are the four classifications based on value, importance, risk, and impact?
ITIL classifies suppliers on a graph with value and importance on the y-axis and risk and impact on the x-axis. The four supplier classifications are:
- Strategic suppliers - providing high-value services with high risk and impact.
- Commodity suppliers - offering low-value services with low risk and impact.
- Operational suppliers - providing medium-high value services with low risk and impact.
- Tactical suppliers - supplying services with significant value or risk.
What criticism is commonly directed towards ITIL regarding its approach to technology-related activities, and how can it be addressed?
The criticism is that ITIL is overly bureaucratic with too many processes and a rigid framework. This can be addressed by recognizing that a service involves more than just developing systems and software; it requires a broader focus to ensure reliable maintenance throughout its lifecycle.
What is the primary aim of Service Catalogue Management?
The primary aim of Service Catalogue Management is to ensure that relevant information, including interactions with and dependencies on other services, is appropriately recorded, serving as a documentation activity within the service lifecycle.
What is the primary focus of Service-Level Management (SLM) in ITIL?
Service-Level Management (SLM) in ITIL is primarily concerned with setting agreed levels of service, including aspects like availability, capacity, speed, and performance. It plays a crucial role in the service operation phase of the service lifecycle.
What does the “Service lifecycle plan” cover in the SDP?
The “Service lifecycle plan” in the SDP includes:
- a Service programme (overall plan for the service covering all lifecycle stages)
- Service transition plan (transition strategy, objectives, policy, risk assessment, and plans)
- Service operational acceptance plan (how the service will be operated, plans for potential issues, and interaction with other systems).
- Service acceptance criteria (represent the basis for accepting the service at each stage of the lifecycle.)
What components, related to technology-elated activities are included in the Service Development Plan (SDP)?
The Service Development Plan (SDP) includes:
- functional requirements
- design
- architecture
Define the concept of a vital business function (VBF) in the context of availability management.
A vital business function (VBF) refers to a critical aspect of a business, the absence of which would render the business unable to function.
For example, in an airline, a failed boarding pass system could be a vital business function.
What is a Service-Level Agreement (SLA), and what does it typically outline?
A Service-Level Agreement (SLA) is a formal document between a service provider and a service consumer, outlining the agreed-upon service levels that the provider commits to meet.
What is the purpose of a Service-Level Agreement (SLA)?
A Service-Level Agreement (SLA) serves as a formal document specifying expectations and responsibilities related to agreed service levels.
It may be multi-level and encompass various aspects, including availability, capacity, speed, and performance.
What is the primary focus of supplier management in the service development process?
Supplier management involves understanding and planning the selection of suppliers for various services required to bring a service into fruition, considering whether a single supplier can handle both design and development.
in addition, The output from supplier management is the allocation of each supplier to the appropriate supplier category.
In addition to the CIA triad, what are two fundamental principles in information security according to ITIL?
In addition to the CIA triad, the two fundamental principles are:
- Authenticity (ensuring the origin of information is genuine and unaltered)
- Non-repudiation (preventing denial of involvement or validity of exchanged information).
What is the primary focus and output of the service design stage?
The service design stage focuses on compiling a fully documented Service Development Plan (SDP) for a new or updated service.
What is the main focus / concepts of availability management in the context of service level requirements (SLRs)?
Availability management is primarily concerned with:
* service availability
* reliability
* maintainability,
* serviceability.
What falls under the category of “Requirements” in the Service Development Plan (SDP)?
The “Requirements” category in the SDP includes:
- Business requirements (customer needs)
- Service applicability (how, where, and by whom the service will be used)
- Service contacts (stakeholders, including customers).
Why is the ‘People’ aspect important in the four Ps of service design?
The ‘People’ aspect, including customers and those affected by service changes, is crucial for communication, explaining service levels, and providing necessary training for those operating services.
What components may Service-Level Management create as part of its responsibilities?
- A service-level agreement (SLA), a formal document outlining expectations and responsibilities.
- Operational-level agreements (OLAs), which are internal service-level agreements.
- Contracts that formally establish agreed-upon terms.
What is the primary focus of the service design coordination process?
The service design coordination process focuses on two aspects:
- the development of individual Service Development Plans (SDPs)
- the overall approach to developing SDPs within the service design stage.
Note:
In this module, we shall look only at the processes for the first of these – the development of individual SDPs.
What is the main focus in service design, distinguishing it from software design?
The main focus in service design is on designing the service itself, emphasizing understanding and adapting the service to business needs.
What are the common criticisms directed towards ITIL regarding its approach to technology-related activities? and what are ITILs responses
- The criticism is that ITIL is perceived as overly bureaucratic, characterized by too many processes and a rigid framework.
- Another criticism is that ITIL lacks direct emphasis on development.
Response:
- This can be addressed by acknowledging that a service involves more than just developing systems and software; a broader focus is necessary to ensure reliable maintenance throughout its lifecycle.
- ITIL responds to this by promoting a service-focused approach, prioritizing the interests of the service as a whole rather than fixating on specific software. It is designed to complement and integrate with existing development frameworks that a company may already be using.
What does the “Service design” category encompass in the SDP?
The “Service design” category in the SDP includes:
- Service functional requirements (functionality (utility) of the new or changed service)
- Service-level requirements (desired warranty for the service)
- Service and operational management requirements (needs to manage both the service and its operation).
When is a service recorded in the Service Catalogue?
A service is recorded in the Service Catalogue as soon as it has been approved for design and development.
What is the primary responsibility of the Service Catalogue Management process?
The primary responsibility of the Service Catalogue Management process is to record the outcomes from various service design processes, including Design Coordination, in the Service Catalogue.
These outcomes become part of the service design package (SDP), which constitutes the comprehensive specification for a service, encompassing its deployment and operation.”
What are the three components that capacity management focuses on, as recorded in a capacity plan?
Capacity management is concerned with business capacity, service capacity, and, in the case of complex services, component capacity.
These are recorded in a capacity plan.
What does the CIA triad stand for in information security, and what are its three key components?
The CIA triad stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.
- Confidentiality: Ensuring authorized access to information.
- Integrity: Maintaining accuracy and reliability of information.
- Availability: Ensuring accessibility of information and resources when needed.
What are the key concerns of IT service continuity management (ITSCM) regarding recovery from an IT failure?
The key concerns of ITSCM are:
- Business impact analysis, which determines the consequences of failures on the business.
- Risk assessment to understand the likelihood of such failures.
What key concepts are associated with availability management, and how are they defined?
Key concepts include:
- reliability (duration of service function without failure)
- maintainability (speed of restoring a failed component)
- serviceability (adherence to contracted levels. i.e. availability, reliability and maintainability)
- vital business functions (critical aspects without which a business cannot function).
What is the primary concern of capacity management in the context of services like online ticket sellers?
Capacity management aims to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to serve as many customers as needed at any given time, preventing services from grinding to a halt due to high demand.
How do SLRs and KPIs relate, and what is the distinction between SLA and KPI?
SLRs (Service-Level Requirements) often correspond directly to KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
While the SLA (Service-Level Agreement) captures the minimum service level for a particular customer, the KPI measures the overall performance of the service.
If there is only one customer or all customers agree to the same service level, the service level specified in an SLA may be the same as a KPI for the service.
What is the primary purpose of service design, especially concerning the delivery of the service strategy?
The main purpose of service design is to design services that are fit for purpose, ensuring they can effectively deliver the service strategy.
What does the “Organisational readiness assessment” sub-category cover in the SDP?
The “Organisational readiness assessment” sub-category in the SDP includes a summary of:
- expected business benefits
- financial and technical assessments
- details of any new skills or capabilities that the service supplier will need.
What are the ‘four Ps of ITIL,’ and why are they collectively considered important in service design?
The four Ps of ITIL are People, Processes, Partners, and Products. They are collectively considered important in service design because they encompass key elements like customers, effective documentation of processes, involvement of external stakeholders (partners), and the tools and software underlying services.
What does a SLAM chart represent in the context of Service-Level Management?
A SLAM chart, amusingly known as a Service-Level Agreement Monitoring chart, is used by Service-Level Management to record and monitor the achievement of agreed target service levels.
It highlights service levels that are threatened or not achieved, triggering potential service reviews and service improvement plans if needed.
