Seeing clearly: the lens of objectives in ITSM

In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, success is no longer measured in terms of profit alone. As organisations strive to thrive in an interconnected world, a new paradigm emerges – one that encompasses not only financial sustainability but also the well-being of people, the health of our planet, and the strength of partnerships with customers.

Welcome to the era of the quadruple bottom line, where businesses are called upon to balance the imperatives of profit with a broader commitment to people, planet, and user experience. That all sounds very grand. But it’s also abstract. How do we as IT professionals make this real?

Looking through a different lens

Regardless of your role—whether you’re in operations, project management, finance, sales, or any other field—you encounter objectives, goals, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The terminology may vary, but the essence remains the same. For instance, a finance target is often quantified in terms of cash, while an automation goal is measured by time saved. But is that the whole story?

Consider this: the benefits of achieving an objective are rarely one-dimensional. So why not contemplate the different dimensions from the outset and celebrate this diversity upon completion?

Let’s begin by asking critical questions at the outset. When setting an objective, consider whether it will:

1. Positively impact people: Will it enhance the well-being of individuals within your organisation?
2. Benefit society and the planet: Can it contribute to broader societal or environmental goals?
3. Boost organisational profitability: Is it aligned with financial success?
4. Enhance user experience: Will it improve the way that end users interact with your products or services?

Chances are, more than one of these dimensions will apply. People have different drivers that motivate them. By highlighting and promoting all the benefits delivered you’re likely to motivate more people to contribute.

Broader thinking

What seems beneficial from one perspective might have unintended consequences when viewed through a different lens. If you automate your incident logging for customers it’ll save money, but what effect will it have on user experience?

And let’s be candid—if your intended action doesn’t move the needle on any of these fronts, perhaps it’s time to reconsider whether it’s worth pursuing at all.

Measure what you want to improve, and get to the point!

Enablers are often communicated as goals, which can lead to a poorly defined outcome. If you want to improve something, measure it directly.

• I want to automate 50% of incident workflows. Great. So what? That’s an enabler. It enables quicker incident resolution (among other benefits). So, the objective is quicker resolution.
• I want to recycle 500 old laptops and give them to a charity to redistribute to digitally excluded people. Commendable. Fully supported. You clearly want to increase digital inclusion. So, measure digital inclusion.

You get the idea.

Visibility matters. I mean, it REALLY matters!

When people understand how their contributions fit into the larger picture, progress becomes tangible. Without this clarity, we risk stagnation. But it’s not just about knowing ‘what’ we do; it’s equally crucial to comprehend ‘why’ it matters. Purpose fuels engagement, and engaged individuals propel organisations forward.

And let’s acknowledge diversity. Each person brings a unique perspective. Some take pride in delighting customers—solving problems and bringing a smile to someone’s face. Others find fulfilment in the collective success of the organisation—the gears turning seamlessly, the shared victories. The wider the scope of the expected benefits the more people it will resonate with.

In conclusion, some things to try:

1. Look at objectives from different perspectives. You’ve likely achieved more than you think.
2. Directly measure what you want to improve. Feel free to measure the enablers to track progress but keep the actual goal front and centre.
3. Make your objectives and the different benefits visible. Different perspectives resonate with different people. If something resonates with them, they’ll lean in and help.