Maximizing Efficiency with SharePoint in ITIL Process Implementation

Bring user experience not just documents!

K.P. Senthilkumar (KPS) played a SharePoint consultant role as his secondary responsibility where his primary competency as a Certified ITIL v3 Expert was into IT Service Management consulting. During his tenure at Airbus, he was tasked with advising on process changes and deploying best practices within a specific ICT domain. This article is about why and how KPS has proposed leveraging the client's internal platform called 'iShare,' while implementing the outcomes of process changes effectively.

In many enterprises, processes are often encapsulated within dense documents that remain largely unnoticed. These documents, while potentially rich in content, tend to be relegated to forgotten corners of document repositories. Some changes to the process artifacts can go unnoticed, and change management practices sometimes fail to address updates in process ownership. This can lead to quality lapses, particularly when outdated templates, checklists are used from local copies instead of latest versions.

By utilizing SharePoint's capabilities, KPS has set up a system that helps transform how processes are managed and communicated. SharePoint lists and libraries, combined with visually engaging pages, allowed the process owner to present newly defined local processes and their associated artifacts in a user-friendly manner. Users interacted with the process as if navigating a website, complete with links to relevant steps. This visual and interactive approach significantly enhanced user engagement and understanding.

Feedback from a specific team that piloted was overwhelmingly positive. The simplicity and visibility of the new system made it clear that a minimal effort in SharePoint could yield substantial benefits;  the value it brought in terms of user experience and process management was immense.

Behind the scenes, the workflows were set up within iShare to manage process changes. Each component, such as checklists or SOPs, had designated owners who were responsible for updates. Change requests triggered by project requirements can be managed efficiently, with updates reflecting on the front page as soon as process owners approve them. This ensured version control and audit compliance.

One standout feature was the dynamic display of roles, responsibilities, and KPIs linked to each process. Users could view all relevant information on a single screen, with terms and abbreviations automatically pulled from a global list. External links related to the process were also included, saving users from having to bookmark them manually.

A particularly effective feature was the inclusion of process owners' names and pictures from their SharePoint profiles at the top of each process page. This allowed users to easily identify and contact the relevant person for queries or updates, fostering clearer communication and facilitating quick adjustments in case of ownership changes, such as vacations or resignations.

An indirect benefit of using a collaborative platform like SharePoint to host process assets is the significant reduction in email server load from attachments. Instead of filling inboxes with documents, you can simply share a link to the relevant template for a process activity. This not only keeps email clutter-free but also directs users to the centralized repository, ensuring they always access the latest version of the document.

This case study demonstrates how ITIL consulting, when paired with an intuitive collaboration platform like SharePoint, can deliver quick wins and drive optimized management systems. By making processes more accessible and interactive, we can bridge gaps in process communication and enhance overall efficiency. For enterprises grappling with process management challenges, adopting such a system could be the key to transforming their approach and achieving tangible improvements.

It’s not just about storing documents; it’s about creating a dynamic, user-centric experience that drives process excellence.