Module 7 - Continual Service Improvement

Question 1

What are the three key guiding principles for CSI

Answer 1

• You cannot manage what you cannot control
• You cannot control what you cannot measure
• You cannot measure what you cannot define

Question 2

What ar the Seven Steps in the Seven Step improvement process

Answer 2

• Identify the strategy for improvement
  
  • Identify the overall vision, business need, the strategy and the tactical and operational goals
• Define what you will measure
  
  • Service strategy and service design should have identified this information early in the lifecycle. CSI can then start its cycle all over again at ‘Where are we now?’ and ‘Where do we want to be?’
• Gather the data
  
  • In order to properly answer the question, ‘Did we get there?’, data must first be gathered (usually through service operations). Data can be gathered from many different sources based on goals and objectives identified.
• Process the data
  
  • Here the data is processed in alignment with the CSFs and KPIs specified
• Analyse the information and data
  
  • As we bring the data more and more into context, it evolves from raw data into information with which we can start to answer questions about who, what, when, where and how as well as trends and the impact on the business. It is the analyzing step that is most often overlooked or forgotten in the rush to present data to management
• Present and use the information
  
  • Here the answer to ‘Did we get there?’ is formatted and commnicated in whatever way necessary to present to the various stakeholders an accurate picture of the results of the improvement efforts.
• Implement Improvement
  
  • The knowledge gained is used to optimize, improve and correct services and processes. The improvements that need to be taken to improve the service or process are communicated. Following this step the organization establishes a new baseline and the cycle begins anew.

Question 3

What are the four reasons to drive measurements

Answer 3

• validate
  
  • monitoring and measuring to validate prior decisions
• direct
  
  • Monitoring and measuring to set a course of action in order to meet targets
• justify
  
  • monitoring and measuring to justify that a particular course of action is best
• intervene
  
  • monitoring and measuring to identify an issue and apply corrective actions

Question 4

the four basic reasons to monitor and measure lead to what three questions

Answer 4

• why are we monitoring and measuring?
• when do we stop?
• is anyone using the data?

Question 5

define the following: assessment

Answer 5

formal mechanisms of comparison for the purpose of measuring improved capability and/or to identify potential shortcomings

Question 6

define the following: Gap Analysis

Answer 6

an assessment methodology that enables the organization to compare where it is currently and where it wants to go in the future. (The CSI Model utilizes gap analysis)

Question 7

define the following: Balanced Scorecard

Answer 7

captures metrics from four different perspectives: Customer, Internal Business Learning/Growth and Financial. These assist in ensuring that the scope of improvements is broad-based.

Question 8

define the following: SWOT

Answer 8

a SWOT analysis employs risk management methods to determine potential risks of executing an improvement program

Question 9

define the following Deming Cycle of Improvement

Answer 9

key element of ITIL from the begining, a key driver in any Service Improvement Progam

Question 10

Which is the first activity of the continual service improvement (CSI) model/approach?

a) Understand the business vision and objectives
b) Carry out a baseline assessment to understand the current situation
c) Agree on priorities for improvement
d) Create and verify a plan

Answer 10

a) Understand the business vision and objectives

Question 11

What are the four stages of the Deming Cycle?

a) Plan, Measure, Monitor, Report
b) Plan, Check, React, Impement
c) Plan, Do, Act, Audit
d) Plan, Do, Check, Act

Answer 11

Plan, Do, Check, Act

Question 12

Which of the following does continual service improvement (CSI) provide guidance on?

1. How to improve process efficiency any effectiveness
2. How to improve services
3. Improvement of all phases of the service lifecycle

Answer 12

All of the above

Question 13

Which of the following is not a type of metric described in continual service improvement (CSI)

a) process metrics
b) service metrics
c) personnel metrics
d) technology metrics

Answer 13

Personnel Metrics