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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Contract templates
Does anyone know of any good practice examples of underlying IT service contracts (or other documentation that could be used in these contracts)?
I'm not interested in the legal boilerplate, but am very keen to understand how best to:
1. Structure the contract, so it can be adapted to work across the full range of IT services/technologies and across various size deals.
2. Describe the full range of IT services in as "technology neutral" way as possible.
3. Describe the service management interfaces between the internal and external service provider, across all levels of ITIL maturity.
4. Define KPIs/CSFs and other metrics are common across the full range of IT services and service management.
To give you some context, I'm a specialist ICT contract drafter (ex lawyer) and am just starting to dip my toes into ITIL based contracts. I've digested a number of ITIL v2 and v3 overviews and have started to get my head around the v3 glossary. I've also glanced through the v3 service design book, but found the contract description there rather light (does that reflect the perceived importance of contracts?). I haven't done an ITIL course yet - yes I do plan to! I've ordered "Metrics for IT Service Management" from ITSFM which I hope will help with 4.
I'd be happy to continue an offline discussion with anyone wanting to explore this in more detail.
Really good question, unfortunately I don't think I can give you exactly the answer you're looking for because I've not worked directly with service contracts for a couple of years and would probably be out of date. I hope one of the other posters is a little nearer the coal face and can give you something tangible.
In relation to your specific points:
Quote:
1. Structure the contract, so it can be adapted to work across the full range of IT services/technologies and across various size deals.
Well ITIL is a framework from which you take what you want of the 'good practice' on offer. How you define your services will define how easy it is to create a one size fits all type approach to the documentation.
What is an ITIL-ised service contract? Well, there isn't such a thing per se, yet certain principles of ITIL are uber important in the broader consideration:
Ultimately, some services are going to be all in-house, some all third party, and some a mixture. The key is to define the business process from end to end and ensure third party contracts, i.e. their KPIs/SLAs, are the base point on top of which you add the in-house KPIs/SLAs. Think end to end and all the service providing people and teams in between.
Quote:
2. Describe the full range of IT services in as "technology neutral" way as possible.
This is all about the service catalogue, have you read about that bit yet? If so, you should be aware you will be looking to have a customer facing 'view' and a technical 'view'. It's a very challenging task, but don't let anyone tell you that you can't call a service 'email' for the sake of your business-side customers. The only 'right' language is the language being understood. Techies still don't get it, even in this day and age!
Quote:
Describe the service management interfaces between the internal and external service provider, across all levels of ITIL maturity.
Look at the Service Management sections of the books and decide what is the best approach for your organisation. I think that it doesn't really matter how you structure the interface as long as you've got measurable KPIs, incentives and penalties. That's a bit of a naff answer, someone else will do better, but I'm spending too long on the forum this morning!
Quote:
Define KPIs/CSFs and other metrics are common across the full range of IT services and service management.
This links to how well you define your organisation and how you define your service catalogue, this can really only be understood by you and others within your organisation.
However, I'd put money on most organisations needing some broad KPIs for 'important' enterprise services e.g. email system availability, file servers etc. at 99.995% or whatever, but then you'll need much more specific KPIs for 'mission critical business process apps' which will take into account availability and response at particular times of the month or year. Oh and payroll. You've got to pay staff no matter what!
Anyway, not very practical answers but just trying to give some broad perspective...
UJ _________________ Did I just say that out loud?
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