The world of IT services is complex. Numerous services are available in the modern corporate world. A catalog identifies these and provides users with an overview about what’s possible. This article provides an overview of the service catalog and how it may be structured.
What is an IT service catalog?
A service catalog can be compared to a menu in a restaurant: Customers or end users are given a clear and organized overview of which IT services, hardware options, and software options they can take advantage. It is a central directory of all available IT services.
The IT service catalog serves an important instrument of communication between the IT department and the end users. It offers transparency about offered services.
It also highlights what information and steps are needed to obtain each service. This improves overall efficiency because service requests are standardized.
Background: The IT service catalog has its origins in ITIL® (Information Technology Infrastructure Library); it was officially introduced as best practice in ITIL V3.
What is the difference between an IT service catalog and a self-service portal?
In IT Service Management (ITSM), the self-service portal and the ITIL service catalog both play a role, albeit a slightly different one in each case.
Where a service catalog provides information about available IT services, a self-service portal allows users to request services directly, find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and obtain further information.
In short, the catalog is informative, providing structure and definition. The portal is interactive. It empowers employees to take advantage of the IT services offered by an organization.
What Should Be Included in an IT Service Catalog?
Think of the menu again: It outlines dishes, ingredients, and the price. A service catalog is just a little more extensive than a menu card.
If you are building an IT service catalog, consider the following as part of the structure:
Overview
- Name – preferably according to an established and intuitive nomenclature
- Brief description of the service
- Category, such as network, application or security services
Description of the service – What does the service include?
- Target group – specific departments, end users, external customers, etc.
- Benefits and purpose for each service
- Requirements for successful implementation
- Limits of the service – What does the service not (or no longer) cover?
Scope and availability
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Response and resolution time
- Performance indicators (KPIs), if applicable – How is performance measured?
- Availability – usually a percentage for a guarantee (e.g. 98%)
Terms of use
- Access – Who may use the service? / How is access regulated
- Technical requirements and organizational prerequisites
Provider
- Responsible persons and contact persons
- Ordering – What is the procedure?
- Support information – What is the best way to contact the service desk? How can the helpdesk and escalation procedures be used?
- Which processes need to be run through?
Costs and billing
- Pricing model – How are the costs and fees broken down?
- Billing details – How is billing carried out
Depending on the requirements, there may be additional points. In some cases, information on:
- security and compliance,
- relevant processes,
- supporting services, or
- the expiration date of services may be important.
A service catalog should leave as few questions as possible unanswered so that users are fully informed and only need to contact the right person if they have unusual questions.
IT Service Catalog Benefits
A user friendly IT service catalog is essential for managing IT more effectively and providing better service. Both providers and end users benefit greatly.
These are the key benefits of an IT service catalog:
Benefit #1 – Clear and organized overview
An IT service catalog clarifies exactly which services are available. This means that everyone involved knows what’s offered and how to use the existing services. All users receive standardized information so that there are no misunderstandings or communication problems.
Benefit #2 – More efficient use
By documenting IT services centrally, there are fewer redundant inquiries or unnecessary deployments. Users select the appropriate services and don’t waste resources. Service delivery is improved as service request management can be standardized and even automated to a certain extent.
Benefit #3 – Optimized service quality
Clear service level agreements (SLAs) define exactly what users can expect and what the IT department is obliged to do. SLAs also make it easier to monitor and control performance and quality. All this increases service quality as it provides structure and clarity.
Benefit #4 – More budget control
The catalog provides information on the costs of individual IT services so that users can plan their budgets realistically and with foresight. On the other hand, providers can better analyze demand and optimize their service portfolios accordingly.
Benefit #5 – Higher customer satisfaction
The principle is simple: if users can learn about IT services quickly and easily, their satisfaction increases. It also sets clear expectations so that there is no dissatisfaction caused by misunderstanding.
Benefit #6 – IT strategy and governance
With a catalog, IT services can be better aligned with goals – simply through transparency and clarity. Service catalog management helps enable IT governance.
Benefit #7 – Good communication of innovations
Providers can easily integrate new services into the existing catalog, making it easier for them to implement new technologies and services. Users are also more likely to adopt them because they can clearly understand the benefits.
Best Practices for Creating an IT Service Catalog
Implementing and maintaining an IT service catalog requires a strategic approach. Here are some best practices for creating and managing an IT service catalog:
Involve stakeholders
Encourage users to provide qualified input. Constantly communicate with users (employees, customers, etc.) during the creation of a service catalog and incorporate their feedback. Even the finished catalog can be subject to continuous improvement based on surveys or stakeholder meetings.
Start with the most popular services
This much-quoted principle applies to the content of service catalogs. Companies should start with IT services that are in high demand, such as incident management. In this way, users quickly understand the value of the catalog. Additional services can then be added to the catalog.
Describe services clearly and precisely
It may seem trivial, but good descriptions are extremely important. Don’t let details get lost in or essential information missed. For example, the purpose and benefits of the service in question should be stated first. It is also important to explain exactly what it does and does not include.
“Intuitive navigation is key: users need to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible.”
Incorporate restrictions
People need different IT services depending on their role, position, department and other requirements. Show services dynamically based on role. This significantly improves the overview and user experience and prevents confusion.
Integrate the catalog into ITSM software
IT service catalogs can be perfectly integrated into IT service management (ITSM) software. This creates seamless processes and workflows for agents and end users. Process automation is also recommended to effectively manage orders, provisioning, approvals and more.
Prioritize user-friendliness
The user interface is extremely important: the catalog should be intuitive to use, including easy navigation and clear menus. Visual elements such as icons and diagrams can help. As a general rule, if something is not easy to use, users will quickly put it aside.
Make it easily accessible – even on mobile devices
The catalog should be easily accessible, such as through a self-service portal. Also, consider mobile access. This is crucial so that users can access the catalog from anywhere.
Offer training
No one should simply present users with an IT service catalog and expect them to be able to use it on their own. Basic training is important. In many cases, short videos and instructions added to a knowledge base or FAQs are sufficient. The important thing is that users are informed and know how to use the catalog.
Conclusion: IT Service Catalog – An Important Tool
An IT service catalog is an important tool – especially for complex and multi-layered IT services. It is of great importance for IT service management. Ideally, it provides users with transparent and clear information, resulting in a noticeable improvement in service quality. Providers also have more control over their IT strategy, can communicate more effectively and enjoy greater customer satisfaction.
The overview helps everyone understand the scope of services, service level agreements, terms of use, responsible parties, contact persons and information on costs and billing.
When creating an overview, it is advisable to involve stakeholders immediately, start with the most popular services and focus on clear and precise descriptions. User-friendliness and easy access – including mobile access – are of great importance. Integrating the catalog into ITSM software and offering users training on how to use the IT service catalog are also important.
Learn how OTRS can support you with ITSM and an IT service catalog.
