Service management system requirements
Domain 2 - Service management system requirements
This domain tests your ability to map ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 clauses 4 to 10 to auditable evidence. You need to know what each clause requires, how the clauses interlock, and how to distinguish a conforming SMS from a well-written manual.
Requirements framework
- Clause 4 Context: determine external and internal issues, interested parties and their requirements, define and document the SMS scope, and establish the SMS.
- Clause 5 Leadership: top management demonstrates commitment, establishes the service management policy, and assigns roles, responsibilities and authorities.
- Clause 6 Planning: address risks and opportunities; set measurable service management objectives that are monitored and communicated; plan changes.
- Clause 7 Support: provide resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information.
- Clause 8 Operation: plan and control operations; manage the service portfolio, relationships and agreements, design/build/transition, delivery, resolution and fulfilment, and assurance.
- Clause 9 Performance evaluation: monitor, measure, analyse and evaluate; conduct internal audits; hold management reviews.
- Clause 10 Improvement: handle nonconformity and corrective action and continually improve.
Worked example
A provider has a service level agreement with 99.9% availability. The monthly report shows 99.5%, but no action was taken. The auditor links the requirement to monitor and measure service performance (clause 9.1), the agreement target and the improvement requirement (clause 10.2). The gap is not bad performance; it is the absence of evaluation and action. A nonconformity should cite the requirement, the objective evidence and the effect on the SMS.
Traps
- Auditing clause headings instead of processes and their interactions.
- Accepting a policy that is not communicated or reviewed.
- Missing the link between objectives, KPIs, service reports and management review.
- Treating documented information as requiring every possible document.
- Overlooking clause 8 interfaces such as change, configuration and release.