ITIL Continual Service Improvement (CSI) Template

Run this checklist periodically to optimize service delivery

Introduction:

Enter CSI manager details

Strategy for improvement:

Define a set of goals

List key objectives

Summarize the overall vision

Define metrics:

Determine what will be measured

Determine sources of information

Data collection:

Gather all data identified as needed and measurable

Approval: All relevant data has been gathered

Data processing:

Organize and divide the data into categories

Convert metrics into KPI results

Generate reports to condense data

Approval: Data is ready for analysis

Data analysis:

Look for clear trends

Verify support of goals and objectives

Identify opportunities for improvement

Approval: Data has been sufficiently analyzed

Presentation:

Format data to be audience-friendly and value driven

Present the data

Detail feedback from the audience

Note down key takeaways

Implementaiton:

Clarify action items

Clarify other plans and initiatives

Approval: Improvement plans

Inform management of service improvement plans

Sources:

Related checklists:

Introduction:

Continual Service Improvement (CSI) is the final stage of the ITIL lifecycle. During this process, all IT services are reviewed to identify whether there are any areas that can be improved upon moving forward.

The CSI process is clearly defined, following a set of 7 stages that are based on a metric-driven methodology to support business operations, recognize improvement opportunities, and accurately measure the influence of those improvement efforts.

The 7 stages, which have now been adapted to fit the format of Process Street superpowered checklists, are as follows:

Strategy for improvement
Define metrics
Data collection
Data processing
Data analysis
Presentation
Implementation

This checklist will guide you through each step to help you streamline the CSI process, one of the most critical ITIL processes you can execute.

A little info about Process Street

Process Street is superpowered checklists. By using our software to document your processes, you are instantly creating an actionable workflow in which tasks can be assigned to team members, automated, and monitored in real-time to ensure they are being executed as intended, each and every time.

The point is to minimize human error, increase accountability, and provide employees with all of the tools and information necessary to complete their tasks as effectively as possible.

Enter CSI manager details

Enter the contact details of the CSI manager so they can be assigned approval tasks and easily contacted whenever necessary.

CSI manager - Name

CSI manager - Email address

Strategy for improvement:

Define a set of goals

The first thing to do is lay the foundations for successful improvement initiatives, and this requires defining a set of goals, listing key objectives, and clearly stating an overall vision that everyone can get behind.

In the text field below, write down a set of goals that you and the team are looking to achieve.

For both goals and objectives, you should consider inputs like:

Service level requirements and targets
Corporate, divisional, and departmental goals & objectives
Legislative requirements
Governance requirements
Budget cycle

Improvement goals

List key objectives

Next, list at least three key objectives that you looking to complete through this process of service improvement.

Key objectives

Summarize the overall vision

Before any further activity can be started it is imperative that the overall vision is identified.

The following two questions are very important and should not be ignored or taken lightly.

What are we trying to achieve for the business as a whole?
How can improvements enable the business vision to be achieved?

Consider these questions and write a concise summary of the overall vision for your continual improvement strategy.

The overall vision

Define metrics:

Determine what will be measured

Of course, before any data can be analyzed and valuable insights can be obtained, you must first determine what will be measured and from what sources you will obtain the data.

Start by listing the tools you currently have in place. These tools will include:

Service management tools
Monitoring tools
Reporting tools
Investigation tools

Compile a list of what each tool can currently measure without any configuration or customization.

Then finalize a list of what will be measured.

You can upload and/or link to supporting information such as reports and databases using the form fields below.

What will be measured?

Link to supporting document (e.g. report, database)

Supporting document (e.g. report, database)

Determine sources of information

List your sources of information.

Sources of information

Data collection:

Gather all data identified as needed and measurable

The kind of data gathered is determined according to the goals and objectives of the service operation.

For reference, the goals and objectives, as stated earlier in the process, are:

Goals: {{form.Improvement_goals}}

Objectives: {{form.Key_objectives}}

The quality of data is critical and it can be gathered through various means – manual or automatic.

A lot of data is entered manually by people. It is important to ensure that policies are in place to drive the right behavior to ensure that this manual data entry follows the SMART (Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Relevant-Timely) principle.

The data collection method must be reliable and repeatable in order to collect quality data for continuous improvement. As much as possible, you need to standardize the data structure through policies and published standards.

Upload and/or link to gathered data using the form fields below.

Collected data

Link to collected data

Approval: All relevant data has been gathered

Gather all data identified as needed and measurable
Will be submitted

Data processing:

Organize and divide the data into categories

Process the data into information (i.e. create logical groupings) which provides a better means to analyze the data – the next activity step in the process.

Dividing the data into categories is the first critical step to creating a data set that can be effectively analyzed and presented to the target audience.

Processing the data is an important component of CSI that is often overlooked.

Data categories/grouping

Convert metrics into KPI results

Converting/re-formatting metrics to be viewed against KPIs plays a vital role in processing data.

Report-generating software is typically used at this stage as various amounts of data are condensed into information for use in the analysis activity.

KPI report

Link to KPI report(s)

Generate reports to condense data

The final step concerning data processing is to generate reports which present the data in the form of information that is ready for analysis.

Data report

Link to data report(s)

Approval: Data is ready for analysis

Organize and divide the data into categories
Will be submitted
Convert metrics into KPI results
Will be submitted
Generate reports to condense data
Will be submitted

Data analysis:

Look for clear trends

Data processing is the act of converting data into information. Data analysis is the act of converting information into knowledge.

Start by asking the following questions:

Are there any clear trends?
Are they positive or negative trends?
Are we operating according to plan?
Are we meeting targets?

The information and techniques you need to effectively answer such questions include:

Monitored data that has been processed
Existing KPIs and targets
Problem-solving techniques
Perception and analysis of customer satisfaction surveys

Description of trends identified during data analysis

Data trend report

Link to data trend report

Verify support of goals and objectives

This is an important step because the verification of goals and objectives validates that objectives are being supported and value is being added.

Goals: {{form.Improvement_goals}}

Objectives: {{form.Key_objectives}}

How does the data support current business goals and objectives?

Identify opportunities for improvement

Now that you have analyzed the data to identify trends and ensure that business goals and objectives are being supported, its time to identify opportunities for how service delivery could be improved.

What kind of opportunities for improvement does the data reveal?

How could these opportunities be captured?

Opportunities for improvement

Brief overview of how these opportunities could be captured

Approval: Data has been sufficiently analyzed

Look for clear trends
Will be submitted
Verify support of goals and objectives
Will be submitted
Identify opportunities for improvement
Will be submitted

Presentation:

Format data to be audience-friendly and value driven

Now for the glamorous part of the process.

The data you have gathered and analyzed needs to be presented in a way that is easy to understand and shows value.

"This stage involves presenting the information in a format that is understandable, at the right level, provides value, notes exceptions to service, identifies the benefits that were revealed during the time period, and allows those receiving the information to make strategic, tactical, and operational decisions. In other words, presenting the information in a manner that makes it the most useful for the target audience." - SimpliLearn

The main thing to focus on is the amount of detail you include in the presentation. It should be just enough to demonstrate credibility but not too much, which could result in confusion and misunderstanding.

Upload and/or link to the presentation below.

Presentation (file)

Link to presentation

Present the data

Present your analysis to senior management and other relevant stakeholders.

You have prepared well and maximized the chances of receiving some great, productive feedback while supporting informed decision-making.

Detail feedback from the audience

Note down what kind of feedback you received during and after the presentation.

Consider questions like:

What were the key insights provided by the audience?
Did some data points receive more attention than others? If so, why?
Were there any concerns raised that require careful attention?

Feedback from the presentation

Note down key takeaways

This task is an extension of the previous task.

Carefully filter the feedback you received to identify some key takeaways.

Key takeaways from the presentation

Implementaiton:

Clarify action items

This is an incredibly important part of the process. In many ways, it is what all of the work boils down to - identifying what can be done in order to continuously improve business operations.

The knowledge obtained from conducting this analysis should be combined with previous experience to make informed decisions and necessary improvements; focused on optimizing and correcting services, processes, and tools.

Action items

Action items (document)

Link to action items