I’m not normally the type to get over-excited by software. I like it to do it’s job and, if it doesn’t cause me too much grief in the process, I’m usually happy, but I don’t shout about it. If it is software for the home I might have a quiet word with a couple of my friends to let them know but, more often than not, they will already know about it and have already tested it to destruction (yes Martin I mean you). If the software in question is business-related I’ll mention it to customers if it is relevant to them but otherwise I usually keep it to myself. After all, choice of software is often quite personal and most experienced IT users are able to up their minds for themselves.

So why I am writing about Google Chrome? It isn’t just because Chrome is an excellent piece of software. It is undoubtedly an excellent application but it has the potential to be much more than just the fastest web browser on the planet. The experts predict that, within 12 months, we will see the first PCs running on a “Chrome” based operating system and I have no reason to doubt this. Google are a business and, apart from trying to upset Microsoft, they have no reason to launch a web browser unless it is going to make them money in the long run.

For some time now Google have been offering web-based applications for home and business (check them out at http://www.google.com/apps/, not that they need any free advertising from me). The apps themselves are great but you need an operating system and a web browser to use them so Microsoft (for the non-Linux users among you) still get a very large share of the Google pie even if Google have eaten into the Microsoft Office market in a small way. Removing the need for an independent operating system and making a PC, laptop, palm device or phone work on Chrome is a perfect way for Google to dominate the world in much the same way that Microsoft has done for as long as anyone can remember. Personally I can’t wait!

And why do I like Google Chrome so much? Like most people I use the web extensively for work and play and ever since I started with Netscape Navigator about 100 years ago I’ve been searching for the perfect web browser. For a short time I was lured by the bright lights of Internet Explorer, then the stripped-down functionality of Opera and the millions of add-ons for Firefox. However all of them had their downside; IE was too flabby and clunky, Opera was just a little bit boring and I never used any of the add-ons I’d installed with Firefox (except maybe the ebay companion). All I want to do is browse the web, listen to music, watch video and check my e-mail and Chrome does all of this really well with the minimum of fuss and at great speed (and I love the way you get a picture of your most visited web pages on your home page). 

If you use Windows XP or Vista and haven’t already tried Google Chrome get it now from http://www.google.com/chrome. If you are using Linux you will have to wait a while for Chrome but you can sign up here http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/linux.html to find out as soon as it released.

1. Have they got any formal processes in place already? If they have there is a good chance that these have been based on a version of ITIL, even if they don’t know it. Chances are that these processes have been in place for some time and have therefore been based on ITIL v2. In this scenario I would advise them to continue with the version they are already familiar with, at least until all the existing processes have been audited. If the majority of existing processes are deemed fit for purpose following an audit stay on your existing version of ITIL. If most of the existing processes are being discarded you might as well start from scratch on v3.

2. Do you have any staff with ITIL qualifications? If you have staff with v2 qualifications you probably want to implement v2 first. If, however, you’ve got someone with the v3 Master or Expert qualifications you might want to go straight to v3.

3. Are you going to need outside help? The number of v3 qualified consultants is rising quickly but there are still many more people with v2 knowledge than with v3. Also, most of the pitfalls of a v2 implementation have been discovered (sometimes painfully) whereas v3 is still largely unknown in the live environment. One further consideration is cost of outside help. Because of the shortage of qualified v3 consultants their advice is likely to cost you more money in the short to medium term. You may, of course, make long term savings by missing out v2 entirely but many businesses don’t plan this far ahead.

4. The final consideration is the nature of your IT Department and its attitude to new technology. Are you normally early adopters or do you like to wait for a solution to be fully tested and bug-fixed by others before you commit to it. If you are one of the few companies to have already implemented Vista throughout the business you are likely to want to jump straight into the relatively untamed wilderness of v3. If you prefer to play it safe you will be much happier with tried and tested v2.

Getting to know your business is part audit, part awareness campaign. It needs to be planned carefully as it is very easy to spend more time than is really necessary. You need to be thorough but set yourself a series of realistic deadlines and stick to them where possible. A small amount of slippage now in order to gain a full picture may save time later in the project but don’t overdo it as it is very difficult to catch up during implementation.

Once you have completed your project plan you will need to begin to identify the key staff in each business unit. When doing this it is important to get a good cross-section across all staff levels. Talking to the key stakeholders in each business unit is obviously important as they will be able to give you an overview of the business unit activities. However, in order to understand how the business unit really operates, you will also need to interview those at lower levels. This is key to the success of your project and is often missed by the consultants.

To carry out your audit you will need to devise a questionnaire or at least a series of relevant questions to identify the key business requirements of each unit and the services provided to each unit by IT. Don’t fall into the trap of e-mailing the questionnaire to each recipient and expecting them to complete it to your satisfaction but make sure that you work with them, either individually or in groups. By working together on the questionnaire you will significantly improve the quality of data collected.

Finally, when talking to the key stakeholders in the business, don’t just talk to them alone, get them together in the same room or on a tele/web conference. They should meet regularly but it might just be the first time they have all been together in the same meeting. Getting them to communicate can only benefit the business as a whole. Don’t let them forget it was you who suggested it!

With ITIL-based Service Management the one rule that needs to be reiterated more than any other is that of “Communication, Communication, Communication” and, luckily for you, this communication travels in both directions. This means that you actually have a very large team at your disposal because just about everyone you talk to in the business will have a useful contribution.

It might be the Managing Director explaining exactly which elements of the business are of the most strategic importance, allowing you to give them priority when defining SLAs. On the other hand it might be the new graduate appointee complaining that he couldn’t use his PC on day one because he hadn’t been provided with a username, giving a heavy hint that the new starters process (if such a thing exists) isn’t working. Whatever the scenario you will quickly see how much value can be gained from talking to your colleagues in all areas of the business.

So you’re not on you own at all are you?

The most important step is to raise awareness of yourself and your aims to as wide an audience as possible. You should already have sponsorship for your project from a senior business leader so use their influence to set up meetings with as many key stakeholders as possible. When you talk to them make sure that you come out understanding not only how their part of the business operates but also the key issues they think are hampering their ability to deliver. By doing this you can begin to put together your Service Improvement Programme and ensure that it is targeted to real business requirements. You should also have gained their trust and support as someone who is willing to listen to them and act on their behalf.

Of course the above assumes that your ITIL® or other Service Management project has already been agreed by the business. In most large organisations this will certainly be the case but, in smaller companies, you may have decided upon the need yourself and you then need to sell the concept to the business. Once again the obvious person to target is a key business leader such as the Managing Director or Senior Partner. Nowadays it is highly likely that he or she will have heard something about ITIL® but you may still struggle to convince them that it is worthwhile for a small business. Remember that ITIL® will scale up or down to any size of business and don’t give up. One good strategy to use if you find yourself up against stiff resistance is to look for quick, inexpensive wins based on Service Management principles e.g. draw up your own Service Catalogue and define a few SLAs for delivery of key services. Once presented to the management they will almost certainly begin to see that you are onto something that will benefit both them and the business and, if nothing else, it will get them talking about the services you have defined and the Service Levels you are proposing.