What IT service management (ITSM) trends and developments will we see in 2024? And how will these impact the way you work? Good questions. Many factors affect service management, but these are the ones we anticipate will have the most impact as we continue to move forward this year and into the next. What do we expect to see? Let’s take a look at four top ITSM trends.
What #ITSM trends and developments will we see across 2024? This article via @TOPdesk explores. #ServiceDesk Click To TweetTop ITSM Trends #1 – AI is making a real impact
Recognizing artificial intelligence (AI) as a significant trend in our digital landscape is nothing new – and it will only get more relevant. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 70% of organizations will implement structured automation – up from 20% in 2021. But how will this expand as a trend for ITSM in 2024?
For one, IT professionals expect more ways to implement AI from their ITSM software. Think of automatically categorizing and routing calls to the right team based on the issue description of the call or using ChatGPT and other AI capabilities to auto-fill text fields in incident cards. While the margin for error with AI means content will still need to be reviewed and edited by an expert, this saves service desk departments valuable time on simple tasks.
AI applications shift from “cute but useless” to helpful business tools. Chatbots used to be (and still often are) tools that frustrate customers with simple conversation threads that loop and provide minimal solutions. Now, chatbots can leverage the power of AI to offer a complex matrix of solutions that benefit both customers and agents.
With @Gartner_inc predicting that by 2025, 70% of organizations will implement structured #automation – up from 20% in 2021. How will this expand as a trend for #ITSM in 2024? #servicedesk Click To TweetWe’re only just breaking ground when applying AI technology to service desk software. Still, AI will be a disruptive trend for IT departments in the long run. Registering and handling tickets is an integral part of the work of service agents, and AI is expected to automate this type of administrative work in the coming years.
Top ITSM Trends #2 – Increased demands on user experience
IT teams face increasing expectations for the experiences they provide their colleagues. End-users expect a seamless and user-friendly service desk experience; that’s nothing new. But a few developments will make this more urgent in the coming years.
For one, apps for private use are becoming better every year. They all provide a smooth and frictionless user experience. And your customers expect a similar experience regarding their business software, too. If you need to meet those expectations, your colleagues might use the latest free planning tool they can download in 20 seconds instead of the one you carefully selected for your business.
Next, meeting accessibility standards is an increasingly important ambition for many organizations. Partly because of today’s diverse workforce: Obviously, you want the software you provide to be usable also by people who, say, are color blind or happen to have trouble reading. Guidelines such as WCAG 2.1 help organizations in this endeavor.
From increased demands on user experience to focusing on value creation, what can we expect to see in the world of #ITSM in 2024? Click To TweetTop ITSM Trends #3 – Focus on value creation
The mission of any modern IT department is not so much to facilitate and maintain an IT infrastructure but to provide value to its customers. This focus on value creation has two main drivers.
The concept of “providing value” in ITSM has been further popularised in ITIL 4 in 2019. Instead of focusing heavily on processes, as in ITIL v3, ITIL 4 focuses on providing customer value. You aim to discover what’s valuable to your customers and deliver just that.
Another driver is the rising inflation organizations have faced in recent years. More than ever, you’re expected to show what you’re doing – and explain why you couldn’t do it with two fewer people or a 10% budget cut. The better you can demonstrate the value of your IT team, the stronger your case will be for next year’s budget talks.
Top Service Management Trend #4 – A service flux mindset – start small, iterate, and be pragmatic
The way IT departments approach projects is changing, too. The large, big-bang implementations with extensive design and implementation phases are making way for a more iterative project approach.
It’s a trend we see in many organizations. The service flux approach means embracing constant transformation. You first focus on implementing the low-effort, high-impact changes and go from there. It also means letting go of a “right first time” mentality.
The #ITSM landscape continues to be shaped by transformative trends that demand adaptability and innovation. So what trends can we expect to see in 2024? Click To TweetAn excellent example of this top ITSM trend is Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS). Traditionally, you first design a knowledge base, including all the necessary information, and then implement the whole thing. With KCS, you start small and expand as you go. You give all agents the possibility to create and adapt knowledge items. You make registering and updating knowledge part of their daily process – a small step in handling each call. Each day and each hour, your team is slowly building and improving their knowledge base. It’s much more efficient than saving up bulk work for a Friday afternoon.
The road ahead doesn’t need to be long and dusty
The ITSM landscape continues to be shaped by transformative trends that demand adaptability and innovation. From the increasing integration of AI applications to the emphasis on end-user experience and value creation, IT departments are navigating a dynamic environment where agility and pragmatism are critical.
Embracing these top ITSM trends and adopting a service flux mindset will be crucial for organizations seeking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of ITSM. As we move forward, it’s clear that those who embrace change and leverage emerging technologies will be best positioned to meet the evolving needs of their customers and drive success in the digital era.
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George Andrikopoulos
As an IT service management consultant, I get to do what I love the most: engage with people in meaningful and focused conversations, solve interesting problems, and do my best analytical thinking.
One Response
Good article. I fully agree the view that Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS) is highly beneficial in constructing a knowledge base system, especially for small-scale organizations. Thanks!