I really like the Continual Service Improvement (CSI) approach. Really, I do. It makes so much sense.
In ITIL Foundation classes (at Global Knowledge), we present the CSI approach immediately following the Deming Cycle. We often indicate that the CSI approach is a series of questions based on the Deming Cycle.
The CSI approach is:
- Understand the vision of the business
- Determine where we are now
- Determine where we want to be
- Decide how to get where we want to be
- Ask how we keep the momentum going
In my opinion, the CSI approach is the most valuable bit of knowledge in the ITIL CSI book. It works, because it’s a very intuitive method. Here’s what we do at each of the steps:
- Understand the vision of the business
To complete step one, we must determine and understand the high-level business goals and objectives. In other words, we must ask: When the activity/project/etc. is complete, what will success look like? - Determine where are we now
Step two involves knowing, with respect to the vision, what our current state is. This baseline assessment gives an indication of the current state of the organization with respect to the desired state described by the vision. - Determine where we want to be
Visions are often high level, nebulous, and not very actionable. Once we know the vision and our starting point, we can break down that vision into specific goals and objectives that we can work to achieve, and importantly, complete in a manageable and measurable time frame. - Decide how to get where we want to be
Once we have specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives, we can then decide which improvements need to be made and which activities need to be completed to achieve those objectives. - Ask how we keep the momentum going
With any significant project or organizational change, things will always arise that knock us off track. Additionally, the vision we understood in step one can change over time. When these things inevitably happen, we can’t just throw our hands up in the air and give up. Instead, we must ask what needs to be done so that we can keep moving toward our vision.
The CSI approach is simple, elegant, and easy to follow. When I work with organizations on adopting ITIL best practices, it’s always one of the first things we discuss. We always try to think in terms of the CSI approach and how we must not only understand the vision, but also continually move toward that vision. I encourage you to embrace the CSI approach in all of your ITIL adoption activities.