In the lead up to ITSM16, we’ll be posting blogs from various people answering a simple Q&A about ITSM16 and why they’ll be attending this year.
Jon Morley, Vice Chair of the Transition SIG, follows Richard Horton, Anthony Oxley and Matt Hoey.
What are you most looking forward to at ITSM16?
The awards dinner as the ITSMF Transition Special Interest Group (SIG) are shortlisted effectively for two awards which we will hopefully win.
One is via the Ashley Hanna Contributor of the Year for our chair Matt Hoey – whose dedication and tireless leadership has been sublime and instrumental in driving the SIG forward. The other through Thought Leadership (Whitepaper) of the Year for our Two Speed Transition paper.
What have you got out of attending previous ITSMF UK conferences?
There are too many things to list but summarily the networking, learning and presenting opportunities from previous years have been considerable and have helped me drive my own skill set and career forward as well as being able to apply ideas back in my own workplace.
Perhaps, the biggest highlight for me personally, was taking last year’s SIG ITSM15 presentation on Two Speed Transition ‘on the road’ via Bright Talk and the ITSMF Ireland Conference recently. This was only possible due to the opportunity to deliver this well-received slot at the ITSMF UK Conference in the first place.
Why are you attending the conference this year?
The award dinners I’ve already mentioned but I’m also supporting the SIG by presenting at our “Brilliant Service Transition – ten things you need to know” talk which utilises the ignite format as well as providing top tips on improving your approach to Transition. It should certainly keep us on our toes with the slides changing every few seconds!
I’m also looking forward to seeing talks from Stephen Mann, Matt Hoey, Stuart Rance as well as some of the stories from the “front line” like Skipton Building Society, LV & BT. Also, if time permits, I’d like to undertake some ‘Lego Serious Play’ with Christian Tijsmans.
Someone who hasn’t been to a conference before asks you what they’d get out of it. What would you tell them?
Last year’s conference was one of the best I’ve been to regardless of industry or subject matter. The venue and variety of content and vendor stalls, makes this a truly unique event without it being a “sales show”.
From a practical point of view, you will get to learn from not only the industry thinkers but get practical advice from people like you who have ‘gone through the pain’ and still delivered results for their organisations and customers.
At the very least, you will get the opportunity to develop a professional and personal network that can pay dividends when needing help and advice.
What’s been one of the biggest changes in the ITSM industry in the past 25 years?
For me, the fact that ITSM has reached out beyond the various versions of ITIL and being solely an IT “thing” to being a key building block for IT being a true partner to its customers. Moreover, its influence on non-IT functions like Finance, HR and front line customer service is growing.
It’s no longer about one way of doing business but blending a wide variety of non-traditional ITSM subjects like Agile, Lean, Architecture and so on with the growing demand for digital, self-service like mobile apps to give the customer what they truly want.
What are you most looking forward to in the future of ITSM?
Seeing how it develops – and continues to be relevant – in the digital world.
With the amount of smaller technology businesses coming through, it’s no longer enough for established firms to rely solely on market share and reputation to generate business – particularly, when smaller firms are generally more adaptable to the changing demands of their customers.
That said, some of those smaller firms can grow very large, very quickly and are realising that ITSM can, and does, add value – when applied in the right way.
What excites you most about companies embracing PSMF?
Giving the ITSM industry a more vocational and recognised career standpoint within IT. This like Technology, Projects and Architecture roles and industry have been around and respected for years but ITSM for me has never had the full respect or recognition it deserves.
What the PSMF gives us, is the opportunity to not only help overcome some of the ignorance about ITSM, but also to give the next generation of IT people a career path that they otherwise might not have heard about.
Equally, I really like that the PSMF is a body of knowledge that be applied across the board for companies. It provides not only recognition, but gives the company the ability apply practical solutions specifically for them – whereas, things like ISO are generally, standards driven.
In ten words or fewer, what does being an ITSMF UK member mean to you?
You can get back more, than what you put in.
Jon Morley
Award winning & dynamic ITSM, ILM, PRINCE2, DevOps & TOGAF IT professional. Experienced in many sectors. Vice chair of @TransitionSIG & Proud Adoptive father. Dynamic, passionate, award winning and commercially-minded technology professional, speaker and trainer with extensive experience in many sectors including Financial Services, Retail, Higher Education, Public Sector and Outsourcing.
