Who is it for?

The ISO 20000 standard has been designed for all companies and organisations (regardless of their size, legal form or sector) for which IT services form the basis or a significant part of their operations. These include entities that:

• provide (or intend to provide) IT or ICT services,
• have an IT department that is a key part of their operations,
• use outsourced IT services, which are a key part of their operations,
• require all contractors to adhere to consistent principles (e.g. IT security) as part of their cooperation,
• wish to improve the quality of the services they provide through efficient monitoring processes,
• need to demonstrate their ability to provide clients with services that meet the highest international standards.

Information about the standard

The ISO 20000 standard (actually ISO/IEC 20000, as it is also a standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission) is an international standard for IT service management. It was developed based on the ITIL framework – a collection of best practices for IT service management, in use since 1989. It is also largely based on the BS 15000 standard, which ceased to be valid in mid-June 2007 – in the new standard, it has been adapted to the structure of other international standards. ISO 20000 is currently the only ‘binding’ system in the field of IT service management.

The ISO 20000 standard applies to both internal IT departments and the outsourcing of IT services. It provides guidelines on the quality of IT service management and defines an integrated set of processes necessary to achieve such quality. These include, amongst others, procedures concerning:

• IT system configuration,
• problem management,
• collaboration with business partners,
• customer service.

IT is now a key component of how most organisations operate. However, it is a complex area to manage, not least because of the rapid pace of change driven by technological progress. Meeting the ever-increasing demands placed on IT services, whilst also addressing the growing number of risks associated with them, presents a major challenge for managers working in this field. The ISO 20000 standard is an extremely helpful tool for them, the effectiveness of which has been proven in practice by the world’s largest companies.

Benefits of implementation

The implementation of the ISO 20000 standard brings a number of practical benefits, such as:

• greater ability to meet customer expectations,
• increased operational productivity resulting from the implementation of IT processes that support specific business objectives,
• reduction in costs associated with IT processes,
• easier communication – both internally and with partners – due to the introduction of standardised terminology,
• constant control over IT processes and the possibility of their continuous improvement,
• efficient rectification of defects in the IT process management process.

The implementation of ISO 20000 is also a key element of an organisation’s image strategy. It is essential for any entity wishing to enjoy the reputation of a modern company operating in accordance with the highest standards of IT services. An independent, objective assessment of the quality and effectiveness of operations in this area can be obtained through ISO 20000 certification. This translates into:

• convincing potential and existing customers of the high quality and efficiency of the services provided,
• the company’s competitiveness in the market, e.g. a better chance of winning a tender (holding ISO 20000 certification is often a prerequisite for participating in a tender),
• the opportunity to collaborate with partners in global markets.