VeriSM Foundation cheat sheet

VeriSM is a service management approach that helps an organization govern, manage and deliver products and services across a mesh of management practices, not a single prescriptive framework.

Core VeriSM definition of value: value is co-created with the consumer at the moment of consumption, so outcomes matter more than outputs.

The VeriSM principles: focus on value, co-create with consumers, work iteratively, keep it simple, be transparent, and evolve continuously.

Three 'E's of the VeriSM model layers: the why (governance), the what (service management), and the how (progressive practices and technologies).

VeriSM is technology-agnostic and practice-agnostic: it integrates Agile, DevOps, Lean, ITIL and other practices rather than replacing them.

The VeriSM definition of a service: a means of delivering value to consumers by facilitating outcomes they want to achieve without owning specific costs and risks.

VeriSM treats the organization as part of a wider ecosystem; supplier and partner capability is part of the management mesh, not an afterthought.

VeriSM is designed to be scaled from a single team to the whole enterprise; the governing body sets direction and the mesh delivers.

The VeriSM model is a cyclical loop: define, produce, provide, respond, then back to define, driven by consumer needs.

Stage 'Define' establishes the service promise and the requirements; 'Produce' builds or assembles the product/service using the mesh.

Stage 'Provide' delivers the service to consumers; 'Respond' handles feedback, incidents and changes, feeding the next cycle.

The model has three layers: governance (top), service management (middle), and the management mesh (bottom, made of practices and technologies).

The management mesh has four elements: resources, emerging technologies, management practices, and the environment.

Resources in the mesh include people, processes, information, tools and finances; they are combined differently for each product or service.

The environment element covers the internal and external context: culture, market, regulation, and consumer expectations.

A product is the tangible or intangible output; a service is the co-created experience of consuming that product's value.

The VeriSM model is iterative, not linear; organizations may run several loops at different speeds for different services.

Governance in VeriSM sets direction, defines the service promise, and ensures accountability; it is not day-to-day delivery management.

The governing body provides the 'why': it defines the organization's purpose, values, and the outcomes services must deliver.

Governance components: direction, accountability, oversight, and decision rights; these are exercised through the operating model.

The VeriSM operating model connects governance to delivery by defining how work flows through the mesh and who decides what.

Separation of governance from execution: governing bodies set constraints and outcomes; teams choose how to meet them.

Governance must be transparent and evidence-based; policies, risk appetite and compliance requirements are made visible to delivery teams.

The operating model must evolve as the environment changes; governance reviews the service promise and mesh composition periodically.

Accountability cannot be delegated away by governance; it can be assigned to roles but the governing body remains answerable for outcomes.

Progressive practices are current, evolving ways of working (Agile, DevOps, Lean, CI/CD, site reliability, design thinking) that the mesh combines as needed.

The mesh is not a fixed stack; practices and technologies are selected and combined per product/service based on the environment and requirements.

Agile practices provide iterative delivery and feedback; DevOps practices integrate development and operations for flow and reliability.

Lean practices focus on value stream, waste elimination, and flow; they inform the 'produce' and 'respond' stages.

Emerging technologies in the mesh include cloud, automation, AI, analytics, and containerization; they enable but do not replace practices.

The mesh's four elements must be balanced: over-reliance on technology without matching practice change undermines outcomes.

Practice selection is driven by the service promise: the 'define' stage determines which practices and technologies the mesh needs.

Continuous improvement is built in: feedback from the 'respond' stage adjusts mesh composition and practice adoption.

VeriSM is a service management approach that helps an organization govern, manage and deliver products and services across a mesh of management practices, not a single prescriptive framework.

Core VeriSM definition of value: value is co-created with the consumer at the moment of consumption, so outcomes matter more than outputs.

The VeriSM principles: focus on value, co-create with consumers, work iteratively, keep it simple, be transparent, and evolve continuously.

Three 'E's of the VeriSM model layers: the why (governance), the what (service management), and the how (progressive practices and technologies).

VeriSM is technology-agnostic and practice-agnostic: it integrates Agile, DevOps, Lean, ITIL and other practices rather than replacing them.

The VeriSM definition of a service: a means of delivering value to consumers by facilitating outcomes they want to achieve without owning specific costs and risks.

VeriSM treats the organization as part of a wider ecosystem; supplier and partner capability is part of the management mesh, not an afterthought.

VeriSM is designed to be scaled from a single team to the whole enterprise; the governing body sets direction and the mesh delivers.

The VeriSM model is a cyclical loop: define, produce, provide, respond, then back to define, driven by consumer needs.

Stage 'Define' establishes the service promise and the requirements; 'Produce' builds or assembles the product/service using the mesh.

Stage 'Provide' delivers the service to consumers; 'Respond' handles feedback, incidents and changes, feeding the next cycle.

The model has three layers: governance (top), service management (middle), and the management mesh (bottom, made of practices and technologies).

The management mesh has four elements: resources, emerging technologies, management practices, and the environment.

Resources in the mesh include people, processes, information, tools and finances; they are combined differently for each product or service.

The environment element covers the internal and external context: culture, market, regulation, and consumer expectations.

A product is the tangible or intangible output; a service is the co-created experience of consuming that product's value.

The VeriSM model is iterative, not linear; organizations may run several loops at different speeds for different services.

Governance in VeriSM sets direction, defines the service promise, and ensures accountability; it is not day-to-day delivery management.

The governing body provides the 'why': it defines the organization's purpose, values, and the outcomes services must deliver.

Governance components: direction, accountability, oversight, and decision rights; these are exercised through the operating model.

The VeriSM operating model connects governance to delivery by defining how work flows through the mesh and who decides what.

Separation of governance from execution: governing bodies set constraints and outcomes; teams choose how to meet them.

Governance must be transparent and evidence-based; policies, risk appetite and compliance requirements are made visible to delivery teams.

The operating model must evolve as the environment changes; governance reviews the service promise and mesh composition periodically.

Accountability cannot be delegated away by governance; it can be assigned to roles but the governing body remains answerable for outcomes.

Progressive practices are current, evolving ways of working (Agile, DevOps, Lean, CI/CD, site reliability, design thinking) that the mesh combines as needed.

The mesh is not a fixed stack; practices and technologies are selected and combined per product/service based on the environment and requirements.

Agile practices provide iterative delivery and feedback; DevOps practices integrate development and operations for flow and reliability.

Lean practices focus on value stream, waste elimination, and flow; they inform the 'produce' and 'respond' stages.

Emerging technologies in the mesh include cloud, automation, AI, analytics, and containerization; they enable but do not replace practices.

The mesh's four elements must be balanced: over-reliance on technology without matching practice change undermines outcomes.

Practice selection is driven by the service promise: the 'define' stage determines which practices and technologies the mesh needs.

Continuous improvement is built in: feedback from the 'respond' stage adjusts mesh composition and practice adoption.