The Service Value System — Continual improvement | World Of Agile

Continual Improvement

Continual improvement takes place in all areas of the organization and at all levels, from strategic to operational.

When provisioning a service we should always keep continual improvement in mind, and should always be looking for opportunities to improve.

To support continual improvement at all levels, the ITIL SVS includes:

• ITIL® Continual Improvement Model
• provides organizations with a structured approach to implementing improvements
• Improve Service Value Chain Activity
• Continual Improvement Practice

Continual Improvement Model

Continual Improvement Model can be used as a high-level guide to support improvement initiatives.

The model supports an iterative approach to improvement, dividing work into manageable pieces with separate goals that can be achieved incrementally.

The scope and details of each step of the model will vary significantly based on the subject and the type of improvement

The steps of this model do not need to be carried out in a linear fashion, and it may be necessary to re-evaluate and return to a previous step at some point.

Steps of the continual improvement model

Step 1: What is the vision?

Step 2: Where are we now?

Step 3: Where do we want to be?

Step 4: How do we get there?

Step 5: Take action

Step 6: Did we get there?

Step 7: How do we keep the momentum going?

Step 1: What is the vision?

• Each improvement initiative should support the organization’s goals and objectives. The first step of the continual improvement model is to define the vision of the initiative.

Step 2: Where are we now?

• The success of an improvement initiative depends on a clear and accurate understanding of the starting point and the impact of the initiative.
• An improvement can be thought of as a journey from Point A to Point B, and this step clearly defines what Point A looks like.
• A journey cannot be mapped out if the starting point is not known.

Step 3: Where do we want to be?

• Based on the results of the first two steps, a gap analysis can be performed, which evaluates the scope and nature of the distance to be travelled from the starting point to the achievement of the initiative’s vision.
• It is important to note that the initial vision of the initiative is aspirational and may never be achieved in full. Improvement is the goal, not perfection.

Step 4: How do we get there?

• Now that the start and end points of the improvement journey have been defined, a specific route can be agreed. Based on the understanding of the vision of the improvement and the current and target states, and combining that knowledge with subject matter expertise, a plan for addressing the challenges of the initiative can be created.

Step 5: Take action

• In Step 5 the plan for the improvement is acted upon. This could involve a traditional waterfall-style approach, but it could be more appropriate to follow an Agile approach by experimenting, iterating, changing directions, or even going back to previous steps.

Step 6: Did we get there?

• checking the destination of the journey to be sure that the desired point has been reached.
• Too often, once an improvement plan is set in motion, it is assumed that the expected benefits have been achieved, and that attention can be redirected to the next initiative. In reality, the path to improvement is filled with various obstacles, so success must be validated.

Step 7: How do we keep the momentum going?

• If the improvement has delivered the expected value, the focus of the initiative should shift to marketing these successes and reinforcing any new methods introduced. This is to ensure that the progress made will not be lost and to build support and momentum for the next improvements.