Week 1 – Introduction to IT Service Management
August 26, 2025
The first week of my IT Service Management (ITSM) course felt less like simply opening a textbook and more like stepping into a new way of thinking about how technology actually creates value in people’s lives. Our lecturer began by setting expectations: this would not just be a theory-heavy class where we memorize frameworks. Instead, it would be an ongoing journey, one where each week we would tackle real tasks, reflect on what we learned, and gradually build a portfolio that tells our story.
That idea struck me immediately. ITSM is not just about technology or processes; it is about connecting the dots between organizations, people, and value. This week gave me a strong foundation in those concepts and through the homework and study cases, I began to see how abstract theories translate into real-world impact.
Core Concepts Explored
Service Management as a Capability
We started by unpacking what “service management” actually means. It is not just the delivery of tools or platforms, but a set of specialized organizational capabilities aimed at enabling value for customers. In other words, it shifts the focus from “providing IT” to “helping people achieve their outcomes.
Value and Co-Creation
Another key idea was that value is subjective. It depends on the perspective of the stakeholder. What is valuable to a student may not be the same for a lecturer, a company, or a government partner. Importantly, value is never delivered in isolation. It is co-created through collaboration between providers, consumers, and stakeholders.
Products vs. Services
One of the clearest ways to internalize this was through the distinction between products and services. We compared them across multiple aspects, from ownership to involvement:
| Aspect | Product | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tangible results or standalone packages (e.g., software sold as a one-time license). | Ongoing activities that generate value through continuous interaction. |
| Ownership | Once bought, fully belongs to the customer. | Not owned; experienced only during use. |
| Focus | Features, functions, or quality of the item itself. | Outcomes, experiences, and benefits created together. |
| Interaction | One-time; the product is delivered or installed. | Repeated and continuous, requiring ongoing engagement. |
| Involvement | Users simply consume what is provided. | Users contribute to creating value (co-creation). |
| Example | MyITS Portal | MyITS Classroom or MyITS Shortener |
The example from campus made this real: the MyITS Portal functions like a product, while tools like MyITS Classroom or MyITS Shortener operate as services, because they depend on ongoing interactions and create shared value over time.
Utility and Warranty
Another major concept was the difference between utility and warranty.
- Utility is about whether a service does what it is supposed to do, the core function, or "fit for purpose".
- Warranty is about how well the service performs, whether it is reliable, secure, and available, or fit for use.
When I applied this to MyITS, it became very concrete:
- Utility students can register for courses, check schedules, view grades, and even submit graduation applications.
- Warranty the system remains stable during peak usage, is available 24/7, and keeps student data secure through backups and protections.
The distinction matters, because one without the other is incomplete. A system with utility but no warranty might technically work but fail under stress. A system with warranty but no utility might run smoothly but serve no real purpose.
Study Case and Homework
Homework 1 – Understanding the Four Dimensions of ITSM
The first homework assignment asked me to break down the Four Dimensions of IT Service Management (ITSM): Organizations & People, Information & Technology, Partners & Suppliers, and Value Streams & Processes. I represented my findings in a mind map to show how each dimension contributes to successful service delivery.
Homework 2 – ITS Blackout Analysis
Perhaps the most eye-opening assignment this week was analyzing the impact of a blackout at ITS. We were asked to map the consequences across the Four Dimensions of Service Management:
- Organization & People
The immediate effect was felt by students, who were unable to submit assignments or receive lecture announcements. Lecturers could not share updates or coordinate meetings, and administrative staff faced delays in processing payroll notifications and internal memos. Even external partners struggled, as communication lines to the campus were cut off.
- Information & Technology
The failure stemmed from the Microsoft 365 email system experiencing regional outages. This led to login authentication failures and the collapse of cloud infrastructure supporting the service. What looked like a simple “email down” incident quickly revealed the fragility of technological dependencies.
- Partners & Suppliers
The disruption rippled out to cloud providers, particularly Microsoft, which faced a regional outage. Vendors and third-party services that relied on ITS email also found themselves unable to function, underscoring how external suppliers are an inseparable part of service continuity.
- Value Streams & Processes
Academic workflows ground to a halt, assignments couldn’t be submitted, lecture announcements didn’t reach students, and communication between staff and students was interrupted. Administrative processes like payroll and internal correspondence stalled. External communication, from prospective students to industry partners, was severed, weakening ITS’s image as a reliable institution.
- Value Lost
The incident went beyond inconvenience. It eroded trust in ITS’s reliability, reduced the productivity of staff and students, caused potential delays in academic and administrative work, and risked damaging the university’s reputation in the eyes of external partners.
Homework 3 – Creating a Digital Poster
For the final task this week, I created a poster analyzing Netflix as an IT service. The exercise focused on identifying value from two perspectives, the customer and the provider, and then mapping where co-creation happens.
