Working Together Successfully on Facilities and IT

These days, more and more IT and facilities management (FM) departments are joining forces and working together with one software tool. The reasons can be financial or logistical in nature or it can be that, by working together, a higher level of service provision can be attained. In this article, we will discuss how we can best go about succeeding in such a collaboration effort and the factors that need to be considered. We will start out by taking a look at the business case.

TEXT: ARJEN DIRKS, JORDI RECASENS

Formulating reasons in a business case

Whatever the project may be, it must always begin with a motivation. There needs to be a clear reason why the current situation should be changed and that is formulated in the business case. During the implementation of a project, it

and process-based working. Regarding cost savings: Researching whether departments and business processes can be run more efficiently is a commonplace activity, and definitely so in this period of economic uncertainty. Support services such as IT and FM are often (unjustly) targeted in

that FM managed ordinary telephones, but the introduction of VOIP meant that IT and FM needed to start working together on the same terrain. Likewise, copiers have evolved into multifunctional objects that have email capabilities and can place files on the network. Moving workstations also involves both IT and FM. Regarding customer-oriented and process-based working: A significant advantage to two or more departments working together is that you can combine the best of both worlds. IT is often characterized by structured and process-based working, while FM is often praised for their customer-oriented employees.

IT and FM are particularly affected by the evolution of technology

is essential to keep the business case at the forefront of activity, and to revise it if necessary. The collaboration of IT and FM is a good example of a project in which we at TOPdesk are getting more and more involved. When it comes to interdepartmental collaboration, three important motives can be distinguished: cost savings, overlap of services and improving customer-oriented this endeavour, since they do not directly contribute to core business processes, but do indeed play a supportive role. Among other factors, license and maintenance costs can be saved by integrating ITSM and CAFM applications. Regarding overlap of services: IT and FM are particularly affected by the evolution of technology. For example, it used to be so

FM and IT in one tool: the introduction

As we have discussed, a successful project begins with a sound business case and a well-considered project plan. Too often, though, the impact

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then the project will be able to proceed more quickly than it would if all the processes need to first be established or revamped. Departmental familiarity with TOPdesk is also a determining factor in the duration of the project. Most departments are responsible for multiple service management processes, but it has been found difficult to simultaneously implement multiple processes. We have learned from experience that it is much wiser to take things one step at a time. In practice, we do this by dividing the project into different phases in which one process is implemented per phase.

Step 3: Involve those concerned

Ensure that everyone that needs to be involved in a project is informed well in advance. Our projects require a lot of collaboration with staff; it is therefore essential that they have time available to do so. Staff availability often proves to be one of the largest obstacles to overcome when implementing project plans.

that large changes have on an organizations people is left out. The next article, The Psychology of Collaboration, sheds some light on that subject. The following steps outline how you can put together a clear, realistic project plan.

experience with these sorts of projects, our consultants can anticipate common problems and know how to avoid them.

Employee availability often proves to be one of the largest obstacles to overcome when implementing project plans
We delegate an experienced project coordinator to assist in drafting a project plan.

Step 1: Appoint a project committee and leader

Creating a sensible project plan requires a joint effort, as the probability of success increases when all the concerned parties are represented and are able to contribute. Including the suppliers consultants at an early stage in the planning process also increases the chances of success. Specifying distinct milestones is an important aspect in creating a clear, realistic project plan. As TOPdesk has considerable

Kick-off
If two departments are facing an intensive collaboration, it is very important that everyone is convinced of its goals. In regards to work routine and culture, FM and IT departments can differ quite a lot for that reason it is important to get everyone together on the same page. An effective way to go about doing that is to start the

Step 2: Formulate a detailed project plan

The exact formulation of the project plan depends on the current situation. If one or more departments are already working with well-defined processes,

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project with a collective kickoff in which the project leader and project coordinator present the project plan. This ensures that everyone knows exactly what to expect as well as what the short-term and long-term goals are. A kick-off is a good way to get everyone warmed up for the upcoming changes so that more support is created.

Starting the implementation

Now that all the preparations have been completed, the project can officially be started. There are three essential factors here: the process, the tool and the people.

Process mapping
Multiple processes must be set up within TOPdesk. It may seem that the processes and activities in which departments are involved vary a lot from each other, but they are actually quite similar. Except for perhaps the terminology (for example, IT refers to incidents while FM refers to calls) and the exact approach, the process is the same: a clients problem or request is logged and processed and results with a solution. For years now, IT processes have been designed in accordance with the best practices of ITIL. Based on years of experience, TOPdesk knows that the ITIL framework can also work well in other departments. It offers a solid basis for support departments and it specifies how these organizations can handle the various activities that are necessary to effectively render services. To work with ITIL theories in a facilities environment,

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different terminology needs to be used to avoid confusion. The next step is to examine all the existing processes and make them suitable for an environment in which FM and IT can work together. For many processes, this can be achieved by applying ITIL principles in a less rigid manner. However, even though more facilities departments are starting to use CAFM tools, their employees are not always used to working with them. For that reason, the plan must take into account adjustment time for facilities employees

and application. It seems like it should be a simple step, but it is very important that the introduction of TOPdesk goes well. First of all, it is essential that employees are properly trained to work with the new procedures. Enrolling employees in TOPdesk training courses and providing clear instructions for process managers can make a big difference. Secondly, turning the introduction of the newly combined service desk into a big event, by launching it amidst all your employees and clients, can have a positive effect. As has been said before, you do not get a second chance with

there should always be a designated group of people that follows these changes and guides the department in the right direction. The processes and set-up of TOPdesk need to be frequently evaluated and adapted accordingly. Extra process coaching in combination with periodic TOPdesk audits and customer satisfaction surveys can help things run smoothly.

Conclusion
Combining IT and FM together in one service desk offers many opportunities to improve your service management processes, but these changes

Except for the terminology (for example, IT refers to incidents while FM refers to calls) and the exact approach, the process is the same: a clients problem or request is logged and processed and results with a solution
to become accustomed to working with such tools. first impressions. Emphasizing the new procedures and the advantages of working together such as having a single point of contact for all service matters and faster service due to more efficient procedures will help make the launch a success. do not happen overnight. A sound business case, a project group that is representative of your employees and a clear, realistic project plan will greatly determine the success of such an undertaking. The changes have a big impact on employees and should not be underestimated by managers. Working with new procedures, a new tool and in a new environment are big steps, particularly for those who have grown accustomed to working a certain way after years on the job. In the end, service management is performed by and for people, not machines, which is why the participation of all those concerned has remained at the forefront of every point in this article.

Setting up TOPdesk
Once the processes have been mapped, they can be translated into a set-up plan for the tool. Since one tool will be used for two departments, the needs and desires from both departments need to be harmonized. This includes details such as authorisation structure, shared search lists and system settings.

TOPdesk is live now what?

Even though the project has been completed and TOPdesk is now live, the changes continue to go on. Many organizations underestimate the time and attention these changes require. Service management processes revolve around people and must adapt to the needs of both the client and the internal organization. Consequently,

Realization of the collaboration

While much is achieved by completing the preceding steps, the employees still have not started working with the newly designed processes

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