3.itil categorization for remedyforce- an evolution into service desk self service
TRANSCRIPT
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Remedyforce Cloud ITSM Services Specialist
June 5th, 2015Nick Glaser
Remedyforce CategorizationAn Evolution into IT Service Desk Self-Service
Agenda
• Overview and Best Practices• Application in Remedyforce• Configuration Steps• Final Thoughts
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01Overview and Best Practices
Categorization: A named group of things that have something in common. Categories are used to group similar things together, usually to three or four levels of granularity. (Source: ITIL, v3)
Two reasons why categorization in Remedyforce service desk software matters…
We Categorize for two primary reasons1. Routing: To enable automatic assignment of
issues or requests to the appropriate teams for resolution
2. Reporting: To enable Reporting against the nature of the issues or requests that the organization is dealing with
Basic Categorization StructureTaxonomies follow a basic: Type >Subtype > Detail structure
Note that all Shirts are Clothing, but not all Clothing are ShirtsEach subsequent layer describes a “Kind” of the previous layer in more specific detail, and therefore has further constraints
Establishing Categorization Taxonomy
Step 1: Triage – Establish the customer’s need
Step 2: Assignment – Route to the responsible group
Step 3: Resolution – Validate categorization
Categorization Activities
AssignmentInitialState
CategoryResolutionTriage Category
ValidationCategory
Finalization
Process Flow
Step 1: Triage Activities
Step 2: Assignment Activities
Step 3: Resolution Activities
DO’s Categorization Rules of Thumb– For IT Staff consider using
your services as the high level category choice• Server Services• Network Services• Accounts and Security
Services• Facilities Services
DO’s Categorization Rules of Thumb
– Remember that the Subtype represents the ‘Kind’ of high level services being offered• Ask what ‘Kind’ of Application Services the client offers
Cloud
Application Services
On Premise
DO’s Categorization Rules of Thumb
– Use Details where appropriate
– Consider whether the customer has the CMDB and use it for ‘named’ devices or applications• Keeping these out of the
category tree helps avoid duplication
Mixing across subsets can cause confusionInconsistent approaches make both routing and reporting impossible
DONT’s Errors to Avoid in Categorization
– Create categories that mimic the your org chart• While it may sometimes
work out that way, the category will enable routing to the Assignee so no need to duplicate data
DONT’s Errors to Avoid in Categorization
– Provide categorizations to Customers unless they are broken down into Outcomes / Symptoms
DONT’s Errors to Avoid in Categorization
– Assume that there is no time / staff to categorize properly• Ticket routing can only occur after proper categorization• Improperly categorized or uncategorized issues will still need to be
categorized by someone, thus taking (more expensive) time
DONT’s Errors to Avoid in Categorization
– Assume that different categories or teams has to mean different ticket types• Categories represent kinds of Services that can be provided, and are
merely a way to classify and obtain that service when properly assigned
– Waste a category layer with redundant information• Service Request and Repair Request can be determined by using Activities
and do not need their own drop down devoted to them
– Exceed 3 layers of Dependencies plus 1 Activity• Think efficiency and avoid more detail than is absolutely necessary
DONT’s Errors to Avoid in Categorization
– Place Verbs in your Type/Subtype/Details• Use Activities for these terms – it streamlines categorization tremendously
– Duplicate Activity words with verbs that have similar meanings• E.g. Provide and Give have essentially the same meaning
– Use ‘Other’ at the Subtype layer, or use too frequently in Details
DONT’s Errors to Avoid in Categorization
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02Configuration in Remedyforce
cloud help desk software
Application of Categories in Remedyforce service management
– BMC Remedyforce on the Salesforce Platform• Custom Object• Leveraged by multiple objects in the SFDC database• Other objects align with ITSM practices
– Agent and customer facing category structures• Self-Service
– Leverages automation• Categories can be aligned with urgency values• Urgency values help calculate priority
Customer vs Agent facing categorization - Customer
BMC Confidential – Subject to Change
• Symptom Based Focus
• Minimal hierarchy (One to two layer hierarchy)
• Activity, if included, comes first and is hierarchical
Customer vs Agent facing categorization - Agent
BMC Confidential – Subject to Change
• Classification Based Focus
• Three layered hierarchy
• Activity based
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce– Remedyforce Administration• Web Based Training (www.bmc.com/education)• Configure Application – Category
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce
– Remedyforce Administration• Configure Application -
Category
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce Service Management software
– New Category• Populate data
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce– New Category
• Populate data
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce– New Category
• Populate data
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce
– New Category• Populate data
Configuration of Categories in Remedyforce
– New Category• Populate data
—03Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Final Considerations
Help Desk Service Owner owns the responsibility for final categorization.The days of asking an end user to select the correct category are fading away.Using “other” without a supporting process to do gap analysis will be detrimental to metrics.
Top Five Take-Aways
1. Measure Twice, Cut Once2. Stick to the basics3. Don’t leave anything on the table4. Things change5. Ask for help
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