Red Sky Travel Company - Report Example

Contents Executive summery 2 Service oriented approach to IT 3 BACKGROUND 3 Identification and Classification of Services 4 IT Governance 6 DOMAINS IN IT GOVERNANCE 6 RECOMMENDATIONS 6 Incident Management and Service Desk 7 RECOMMENDATIONS 8 Problem Management 9 RECOMMENDATIONS 10 Access Management and Request Fulfilment Processes 10 OBJECTIVES OF ACCESS MANAGEMENT 11 RECOMMENDATIONS 11 Service Asset and Configuration Management 11 CONFIGURATION MODEL 12 RECOMMENDATION 13 Service Level Management 13 BUSINESS VALUE OF SLM 14 BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING SLM 14 RECOMMENDATION 14 Service management process 15 STAFFING AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES 15 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 15 LEVEL OF EXPERTISE 16 TRAINNING 18 Conclusion 18 Process flowcharts/diagrams 19 Works cited 22 Executive summery This document is a post implementation report for the new system installed for Red Sky Travel Company. It acts as a review process detailing the structures incorporated within the new system, each function, roles that accompany them and persons in charge of executing them. The report intended to improve user interaction with the system as well as help prepare new users on the various aspects of the system. Since the review process is part of the system implementation, it was initiated by Wilson consulting company who are responsible for the system. The report will however, be handed to the managing director of Red Sky Travel company, Philip Spector for appropriate action to be taken. This post implementation report is broken down into sections as summarised below for easier comprehension: Identification and Classification of Services IT Governance Incident Management and Service Desk Problem Management Access Management and Request Fulfilment Processes Service Asset and Configuration Management Service Level Management Recommendations are provided within the PIR document based on how each section is to be handled. In addition, roles in the system have been defined and assigned to staff based on qualifications and experience level. These recommendations are to be carried out by both Red Sky Travel staff and The Wilson Consulting services team. Service oriented approach to IT Since customers are situated at the end of the line as recipients of products or services, their opinions, values and experiences are regarded as the most crucial aspect of any project. Therefore, information technology service management and delivery in the contemporary environment is a carefully crafted process that considers the customers’ perspective. This implies that there has been a shift not only in software delivery, but also in the architecture of the software and fundamentals of managing the entire process. This new service oriented approach enables a seamless integration of business and information technology (Williams & Business, 2008) which is especially important considering the growing demand for technology on the business front. However, with these innovations, IT systems have become extremely complex. This, coupled with the business perspectives of cost reductions and strict regulations, requires the implementation process to go beyond software training and delivery. Thus, the role of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library is to provide a set of practices best suited to aiding in implementation of service management. This document will explore best practice in ITIL in terms of implementation of service management at Red Sky Travel. The report is organized into subtopics, each describing the process of support that will be accorded to Red Sky Travel after implementation of the new system. In addition, a set of recommendations will be included which cover the operational services and system architecture. Together, these would assist the Red Sky Travel team in understanding the relevant actions necessary for a smooth transition to their new system. It will also offer a step by step guide on how to initiate processes and perform minor troubleshooting in case of a system malfunction. Finally, the document describes the roles of each user in the system to aid in the allocation of access rights. BACKGROUND Established in 1981, the red Sky Travel Company is a travel agency that operates in South East Asia. It is a travel package wholesaler that develops markets and sells tours of Western Australia to retail agencies that, in turn, provide these services to tourists. However, these retail agencies simply act as resellers and, once the package is sold, it is the responsibility of Red Sky to manage these packages. Management usually involves handling the bookings of clients, each reservation, and the travel arrangements. In other words, Red Sky travel handles two sets of clients. One is the retailers who market their products, and the other set is the individual clients who purchase these tour packages. The key areas of management in Red Sky are sales and operations departments. The sales department creates the tour packages based on clientele requirements and are also responsible for marketing and selling them to retail travel agencies. Since revenue is generated from the sale of these packages, this department is considered to support some of the key functions within the organization. This department negotiates for competitive prices and is constantly monitoring the market to ensure the organization remains in business in the face of increased competition. On the other hand, the operations department can be regarded as the face of the organization. It is responsible for handling the logistics within Red Sky. In addition, the operations department directly interacts with customers, thereby making it crucial to the organization. It is the successful interaction of these two core functional areas that makes Red Sky the organization that it is to date. The Red Sky Travel Company is in the process of implementing a new custom-developed system for their operations. It will integrate their reservation, booking, accounts, and administration into one real time process and greatly facilitate better performance. In addition, having a single system managing all operations will eliminate duplication of work and make their operations more efficient. In this way, Red Sky Travel Company will successfully manage all its clients from one platform. However, a successful implementation will require a lot more than a simple standalone installation. Before fully integrating with the current processes, Red Sky will have to undergo a lot of alterations in order to accommodate the changes. In addition, new developments are always met with a certain degree of resistance. This calls for a lot of training and awareness for the entire team and is likely to have huge financial implications. Identification and Classification of Services Service quality is essential to the operations of Red Sky Travel Company as it is in the hospitality industry. This counts among the core business drivers in terms of performance as it identifies the organization to its clients. It is also a critical determinant in market share and enables organizations obtain a competitive advantage over rival companies. In this regard, it is important for Red Sky Travel to identify, classify, and properly manage its key service areas. In this way, it will be working towards strengthening the various aspects that drive its business and performance. The process of identifying and classifying services ensures that customer satisfaction is given priority (Cater-Steel, 2009). The following table is a list of the core services provided both by the system and Red Sky travel Company. In addition, roles have been defined for each service and the person responsible for its execution and management. Service Manager Role 1 System administration System admin Overall system management 2 System Incident Management Service desk and incident manager Take error logs Trouble shoot system on reported errors Manage system errors Report solved errors 3 Error handling and reporting I.T Support team Understand system processes Identify and prevent errors Find long term solutions to system errors 4 End user problem management Wilson consulting service team System installation Handle user enquiries User support System updates System maintenance and clean up 5 Project management Project/ Operations manager Monitor system implementation Provide real time solutions during implementation process Provide system change over plan 6 System progress monitoring I.T manager Monitor system performance In addition, the above team from Wilson Consulting services will have to work in liaison with Red Sky travel staff in order for the system to fully function. The sales manager and his team interact with the system at a partial level mostly to monitor sales progress. This team holds the least responsibility for the core functions of the system and only use its output reports. Since Red Sky has a separate accounting system, it will be integrated with the new system. Therefore, accountants and administration staff can be categorised as second level users. The remaining departments however, are directly involved in the systems operations and will require extra training. The operations, I.T, and managing director positions require thorough knowledge of the system. IT Governance Today, every organization engages in IT processes at some level. The pervasiveness of technology in the current business world and in public institutions has made it increasingly important to oversee its effectiveness and utilization. Currently, IT is firmly entrenched in every aspect of business and monetary transactions. These processes , without proper regulation and compliance ,create a major loophole for crime and fraud (Calder, 2009). Therefore, IT requires a regulation mechanism to align its processes with business objectives in order to realize and deliver goal oriented values. A proper implementation of IT governance ensures that companies get value for their time and transactions. DOMAINS IN IT GOVERNANCE Strategic technology alignment Value delivery Resource management Performance measurement Implementing an IT governance system RECOMMENDATIONS IT governance is best initiated, monitored and implemented at management level. It is crucial that governance forms part of Red Sky Travel Company’s strategic vision and is given enough support in terms of follow up and resources. In most cases, the introduction of IT governance meets a lot of resistance as it is viewed as a form of restraint. Should such an instance occur, it will require a lot of communication for the entire team to understand it merely seeks to better facilitate optimal performance of Red Sky operations. The introduction or improvement of IT governance practices into Red Sky Travel requires a lot of detail and planning. For a successful implementation, it is important to carefully plan each detail to ensure it conforms to Red Sky Travel objectives. The core objective of IT governance is to improve the value of the organization by mitigating possible risks that may arise from incorporating technology into the business (Cater-Steel, 2009). Therefore, it is a logical practice to set the expected benefits Red Sky Travel seeks to reap after incorporating the new system. The key to a successful implementation of IT governance is a simple, easily understood template. IT governance does not just cover the IT department but rather the entire organization and everyone who uses its IT infrastructure. Therefore, this document should be relayed in a manner likely to be understood by novices. Not everyone is technology savvy and a complex document is likely to be met with a lot of resistance. An easy to implement structure will ease the process of implementation, thus giving the organization time to focus on understanding the system better. Therefore, this process should be handled by the administration department under Petula Clark and Anita Mui. Currently, the administration department is responsible for data entry among other reconciliation details that makes them interact with every department. Since IT governance encompasses the entire organisation and the implementation of IT protocols, administration department can quickly and easily implement the required changes. Incident Management and Service Desk In any software environment, incidences and mishaps are bound to occur. An incident can be taken to be any occurrence that is not standard with the set parameters of the software’s operations. Therefore, without the provision of a service desk and incident management process, the software is likely not to function within its specified limits. The service desk option and incident management application is used to log emerging errors within the system(Louis N. Molino, 2006). As the new system continues to be implemented and be used by the Red Sky team, challenges will emerge that have to be addressed appropriately. Incident handling is usually a reactive action as it is primarily a response to an issue that has been raised by a client. The incident management and service desk is also usually a process that comes with any software installation and management contract. This process serves the purpose of restoring normality in case of a service outage, thereby ensuring business continuity with the least amount of interruption. With such measures in place, the software is not only set to meet its laid out objectives but will also function in line with the core objectives of Red Sky Travel. Incidents are logged at the service desk and the customers’ requests are categorized. Red Sky is issued with a ticket number in case follow up will be required. Time is recorded from the time the incident is reported to closure of the process. Any time above 24 hours calls for the incident to be escalated to a higher level. In this instance, a range of site solutions are initiated. In terms of the case study, Wilson consulting services is constantly monitoring these systems, and incidents noted before being reported will be proactively acted upon. The company provides a system monitoring mechanism that ensures a seamless performance of the system with minimum interruption to Red Sky travel. RECOMMENDATIONS Incident management is a wide aspect in the system that requires constant monitoring and management. For this reason, the operations team leaders will be handed the responsibility of managing the process as follows: Sandra Shaw will be responsible for incident reports from all end users of the system. This includes all red Sky staff and its subsidiary travel agents who interact with the new system. To ensure that all incidents are centrally managed, Marie Lawrie and Kelly Chen will handle the incident log, categorising, and first level management of all reported incidents. Finally, Karen Mok will record any tackled incidents, manage the database, and keep track of escalated incidents. Along with the incident management application, the following features will be incorporated at Red Sky Travel. In addition, for best performance, these will serve as recommendations for handling emerging incidents: An enhanced user interface consistent with business processes will be introduced. To ease use and common error handling, the user interface has forms, a help tab, and streamlined dialogue boxes added on the welcome page. An escalation procedure should be provided within Red Sky Travel team which will act as the channel for logging an issue from discovery to the point when it will be resolved. Much as an escalation matrix will be provided by the software vendor, an in house system should also be implemented to monitor the process to completion. The incident management and service desk should also provide the following to Red Sky team: Real time monitoring of the system processes An incident tracking system that shows progress of the solution implementation A well-defined management process of incidents, problems, errors, and change of service requests Problem Management In any business where IT systems play a central role in management and decision making, problems are bound to occur due to system failures. Based on this, correlation systems are put in place to predict and correct probable system failures. This is the basic process of dealing with problem management and is a core contributor to system availability and dependability for better performance. In the systems and service industry, the capacity of automation in case of failure is an important feature that makes the difference between performing and non performing systems. In information systems, a problem is any unwanted situation that causes the system to deviate from standard protocols. Problems usually trigger one or a set of events that, if unchecked, may cause failure of the entire system. Through incident management, the cause of the problem can be identified to the root referred to as a system error. Unlike incident management, problem management seeks to identify the unwanted situation and find a permanent solution and related incidences. In addition, the corrected problem is stored in an error database, thereby ensuring that a reference to the solution is accessible. Should a similar problem arise in future, it will take a shorter time to recover the system and resume normal operations. When a final solution to the problem is reached, a request for change is be initiated to change the occurrence from active to a solved problem (Walker, 2001). Handling of the problem management process is done in either a reactive or proactive way. In a reactive process, the problems are handled after the incidents caused by the problem occurring. In other words, identification of the problem is done through the unresponsiveness of the system or the negative effects of the incidents. On the other hand, a proactive process entails an investigation of the operative service data sources. This process predetermines an occurrence and minimizes its impacts on the system. Early detection of a problem allows for ample time to create a workaround solution. Therefore, proactive way of problem management is a preference in the Red Sky system. RECOMMENDATIONS In order to fully realize the benefits of the new system, mechanisms have to be put in place within the organization to bridge gaps. The following key performance indicators are the best approach to monitoring the system performance: Frequency of interruption chart Mean time to diagnose and repair an incident Total downtime of the system Since the sales team best interacts with the new system at this level, the sales manager will be best placed to understand the problems of the system from the end user perspective. George Starkey who handles the business perspective of Red Sky will be responsible for managing these problems and ensuring the system meets its objectives. Access Management and Request Fulfilment Processes Basically, this is the process of managing users and access rights to a system or particular service in the Red Sky Travel system. Access management involves granting access rights to authorized users, while at the same time ensuring that non- authorized access is detected and prevented. System access management can also be termed “user rights or identity management” (Ferrari, 2010). Request fulfilment, on the other hand, is the process of allowing requested permission or setting protocols within the system to respond to queries by Red Sky clients and staff. Access requests to the Red Sky system can be made using one of the following means in the system according to the service catalogue: A change of request by the Red Sky team. A standard access right request by the Red Sky system Administrator A request for service by a Red Sky client OBJECTIVES OF ACCESS MANAGEMENT Access rights grant users permission to use a service or a group of services within the system. Therefore, access management and request fulfilment processes allow for the execution of a number of actions and security protocols that must be outlined (Ferrari, 2010). These objectives should be in line with Red Sky Travel Company goals, thereby ensuring that the IT service and business aspects work towards a common agenda as follows: To control service and application access so as to ensure Red Sky’s data integrity and confidentiality To grant all Red Sky Travel Company employees the required level of access rights to effectively execute their designated duties. To assign the correct role and access rights only to authorized personnel as directed my Red Sky Management RECOMMENDATIONS Since access management involves granting and denial of service to users of the Red Sky system, it is imperative that guidelines are set to differentiate authorized and non-authorized users. Services, data handling, and system configurations should be granted only to super users and to the Red Sky system Administrator only. The IT support department headed by Christopher Squire will be responsible for managing users in the system. Access management determines the performance of the system and ensures internal threats are minimised. Therefore, it is important that the objectives of the Red Sky towards the system are clearly understood at this level. Data confidentiality, integrity, and availability should be upheld at all times and security must be enforced. This can be done by removing access from people once they are done using the system. The Red Sky team should perform regular audits for users and system parameters for vulnerabilities. Monitoring all Red Sky Travel systems and security features discreetly at all times is crucial. Service Asset and Configuration Management This section expounds on service asset and software configuration management (SACM) of the new Red Sky travel system. SACM provides a complete inventory of IT assets and the users responsible for their control. Service asset management ensures that a detailed record is kept of the red Sky Travel system from the point of acquisition through to its upgrade or disposal. It also keeps a maintenance record that will be carried out by Red sky IT team or the Wilson consulting services team. This ensures correct maintenance procedures are followed when working on the system (van Bon, 2004). It is, therefore, imperative to effectively manage Red Sky Travel IT assets, particularly those that directly affect the core functions of the organization. Configuration management sees to it that the selected components in the system are well defined within the service document. It covers the interfaces of the service provider where assets need to be externally configured. The goal of service asset and configuration management is as follows: To identify, manage, and verify the service assets to ensure each component is functioning towards a common goal. To account for the integrity of service assets by ensuring that regular maintenance is carried out and that only authorized components are used in the overall functioning of the entire software. To support the core business function of Red Sky Travel and customer oriented protocols within the software. To optimize the software, business and information technology configurations, resources, and service assets functions To ensure that the system operates within the least operation costs to the benefit of the Red Sky team To maintain an adequate asset and configuration report both for internal and the external stakeholders. CONFIGURATION MODEL This model identifies the relationship between the assets and the infrastructure through displaying their relevant roles and information (Van Grembergen & De Haes, 2009). By so doing, it is possible to clearly assess the causes and impacts of related incidents, design new systems requirements as raised by users, plan system maintenance schedules, and to optimize assets utilization in order to achieve best results. RECOMMENDATION This process entails setting up and configuring the system to perform within required objectives. It can only be performed by the IT support staff in liaison with Wilson consulting services. The process will therefore be spearheaded by Christopher Squire and his team in order to achieve best results. The process of managing assets ensures that the pillars that support other management functions within Red Sky Travel are secured. The following is a description of the set of activities the red Sky team will be involved in when dealing with the systems configuration and asset management process. Management and planning which takes centre stage in the process of service asset and configuration management in Red Sky Travel Company. Configuration identification is a process that involves the execution of outlaid plans. Required assets are identified through pulling them together and determining how to best boost the new systems performance. Configuration control involves monitoring of implemented protocols to ensure they conform to Red Sky’s objectives. The changes carried out after every setting should be accurately made and must not interfere with previous settings. Verification and audit is the final stage of the rigorous process of SACM. This procedure ensures the accuracy and integrity of the new system and its output. It involves verifying every crucial process critically and on a regular basis. If correctly done, audit reports also display system compliance to governing laws and adherence to Red Sky’s set objectives. Service Level Management Service Level Management (SLM) is a process that acts as a connection between the business aspects of Red Sky Travel and the Information Technology components within their new software. SLM offers a foundation level for a reliable and quality IT service delivery while, at the same time, maintaining focus on the fundamental goals of the Red Sky’s operations. Through the implementation of SLM, it is possible to proactively evaluate and manage information systems performance. In addition, SLM facilitates the measuring of the systems objectives that are documented in the service asset and configuration management (McConnell & Siegel, 2004). In essence, the true picture of an effective SLM is seen through the successful integration of the IT and systems performance with the daily business operations of Red Sky Travel Company. Through careful monitoring and reporting of the SLM processes, customer satisfaction is guaranteed, thereby ensuring optimum performance of both the software and the organization. BUSINESS VALUE OF SLM Adopting an SLM process ensures the IT function in a business maintains integrity of the business processes, while at the same time managing the IT assets. Business processes are considerably improved, and the efficiency of its systems is also ensured, thereby placing the IT aspects in the organization in a position to act as a valuable asset. BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING SLM Customer perspective: Through the integration of IT processes with the core business functions of Red Sky, the IT processes get to directly interact with customers, thereby ensuring direct service delivery. Therefore, Red Sky’s staff will not be confined to the system but will also get the opportunity to obtain the customer’s perspective and customize the system based on these new requirements. Consistency: Red Sky’s business functions will achieve a direct and consistent improvement as the systems get maintained and aligned to the core business objectives (McConnell & Siegel, 2004). RECOMMENDATION The following is a step by step guide for a successful implementation of SLM into the organization Description of the current scenario Understanding the business process Listing business requirements Addressing incidents Service monitoring and improvement Service management process Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) entails handling IT support based on requirements of the customer. Generally, this entails managing the process, infrastructure, and supporting staff. In this case, the consultants own the entire process, thus categorizing both the end user of the system and the owner as clients. Therefore, Wilson consulting services will own the entire process in the new system being installed by Red Sky Travel Company. In addition, Wilson Consulting Services will be responsible for training and managing the IT staff of Red Sky Travel. STAFFING AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES A converged approach is to be used to select and set up staff and a support structure for the Red Sky Travel system. This approach consolidates different technologies that support individual solutions and separates the systems life cycle into multiple functions. It is a cost effective means that delivers results based on set objectives, thus ensuring optimal performance. Consideration will be given to the following factors when selecting and assigning responsibilities to Red Sky Travel IT support staff: Expertise of the existing IT staff Operation and service level agreements of Red Sky Travel Expected system outcomes Number of expected end users including affiliated travel agencies Complexity of Red Sky Travel Company network architecture ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Table 1 below identifies the roles and responsibilities of the IT support team Team member Role Recommended qualification Service desk admin Maintain log of reported incidents Respond to Red Sky incident reports Run basic troubleshooting of reported problems Initiate incident and problem management protocols Initiate ticket escalation procedure Basic knowledge of systems and diagnostic procedures Should be familiar with project and problem management environments Problem manager Convert problems with known errors Manage escalated incidents and problems with the system Perform analysis of major incidents Identify countermeasures and initiate quantifiable system improvement process Should have a good working knowledge in change management procedure Knowledge of security management tools, system analysis and system design High level problem identification, isolation, and resolving in complex network architectures System admin Manage log of all countermeasures done by problem manager Engage end users including affiliate agencies on system utilization Raise request of change on system parameters Cisco certified Network professional is a must or its equivalent An in depth understanding of network topologies, hierarchies, overall designing, and network protocols LEVEL OF EXPERTISE The Level of expertise implemented for the new system will determine the quality of work produced by the system and quality of solutions put forward. In order to identify the training and human capital gaps within Red Sky travel organization structure, Wilson Consulting Services has used a skill matrix as demonstrated in the tables below. Table 2 Skills Matrix Rating Staff skill level Description 1 Novice 2 Basic management 3 Analytical and advanced management 4 Advanced analytical and solution management 5 An manage, analyze, deploy, and fully implement a system Table 3 Skills Gap Analysis Matrix Functional Role Manager Managing a team 5,4 Level Assessment 3, 2 Analysis of countermeasures 3 Problem management and reporting 2 Project initialization 1 TRAINNING In order to fully build an effective IT service management, Red Sky Travel Company will work hand in with Wilson Consulting Service to adopt a training schedule for the entire team. The schedule will include a formalized training course based on the work experience and skill level of each member. Training will be fully conducted by Wilson Consulting services and will be based on the following areas: Network management System analysis Trouble shooting Incident identification and reporting Problem solving Conclusion The key objective of post system implementation service is the alignment of business transactions with the technology aspect of IT. This, in essence, will lead to the realization of business value. Before IT systems are brought into the picture, a business has separate objectives that serve as the core of the business. Therefore, introduction of technology should seek to enhance these objectives and facilitate their quick realization. This ultimate objective can be realized through proper implementation of correct frameworks and by enforcing best IT practices. This framework is comprised of several structures as well as recommendations and processes highlighted in this document. However, more often than not, problems with software and their solutions are unique to individual situations. Therefore, the implementation of this system also couples as a learning experience for Red Sky Travel. Process flowcharts/diagrams Figure 1. Service level Management process (McConnell & Siegel, 2004) Figure 2. Problem management process, according to (Walker, 2001) Figure 3 implementation of IT governance process (Van Grembergen & De Haes, 2009). Figure 4 Project implementation and post implementation process (Williams & Business, 2008). Figure 6 Problem management process (Walker, 2001) Works cited Calder, A. (2009). It Governance: Implementing Frameworks and Standards for the Corporate Governance of It: IT Governance. Cater-Steel, A. (2009). Information Technology Governance and Service Management: Frameworks and Adaptations: Information Science Reference. Ferrari, E. (2010). Access Control and Privacy in Data Management Systems: Morgan & Claypool Publishers. Louis N. Molino, S. (2006). Emergency Incident Management Systems: Fundamentals and Applications: Wiley. McConnell, J., & Siegel, E. D. (2004). Practical Service Level Management: Delivering High Quality Web-based Services: Cisco. van Bon, J. (2004). IT service management: an introduction based on ITIL: Van Haren Publishing. Van Grembergen, W., & De Haes, S. (2009). Enterprise Governance of Information Technology: Achieving Strategic Alignment and Value: Springer Science + Business Media LLC. Walker, G. (2001). IT problem management: Prentice Hall. Williams, A. L., & Business, C. U. S. o. (2008). Enterprise Resource Systems: Post-adoptive Use Behavior After Implementation of Student Management Systems: Capella University. Read More