KA2 Partners with leading International Education Organisation to achieve ISO 20000-1 Certification

Overview: 

Our client, a leading International Education Organisation, has made significant advancements in recent years by adopting ITIL processes and industry best practices to enhance their global operations. In line with this ongoing journey, our client sought to elevate their processes further and integrate best practices in alignment with ISO 20000-1 standards throughout the entire organisation.

In pursuit of this objective, they entrusted KA2 to deliver comprehensive guidance and establish a robust foundation to underpin their business objectives and transformation journey.

“When we were initiating our ISO journey, it became quickly obvious that KA2 were to be my preferred partner, with their wealth of experience across multiple disciplines they were the natural choice.

KA2 quickly established the requirements and how we wanted to achieve them”.

Group Head of IT Operations.

 

The Challenge: 

The organisation set a formidable challenge for itself: Could it achieve ISO 20000-1, an internationally recognised standard for Service Management, by implementing current processes and best practices? Several crucial questions remained unanswered: Where did they currently stand? How far were they from obtaining the certification? Most importantly, what were the missing pieces?

KA2 collaborated closely with the client to establish a baseline, determining the maturity levels of existing processes and identifying any critical areas that required further development to meet the high standards set by ISO 20000-1. We meticulously mapped out the processes to align them with the standard, allowing us to pinpoint any existing gaps.

Once the baseline and gaps were identified, we partnered with a certification body to conduct an official gap analysis, validating our internal review. Following this analysis, the challenge was to work alongside our client to bridge these gaps, update the relevant processes, and ensure that all documentation relating to the Service Management System was in place.

 

The Delivery: 

As part of this delivery, a separate project initiated by our client aimed to redefine the Service Transition process, which is an integral component of the ISO standard.

However, our client aspired for more than the standard requirements; they sought a more robust process that wouldn’t just entail a “throwing over the fence” approach.

Instead, they wanted greater control over the design and delivery phases, emphasising the need to address essential operational questions related to service requirements.

The primary objective was to concurrently run two projects, each in its own individual objective. KA2 utilised the expertise of our highly skilled Process Consultants to realise this goal. With both teams in action, we pursued their respective goals, while remaining mindful of the ISO standards’ requisites.

The KA2 ISO team played a pivotal role in delivering new process documentation, providing training, and shaping the Service Management wrapper, a critical component for establishing a robust Service Management System.

Additionally, we conducted an Internal Audit on the processes to ensure compliance with ISO standards.

Simultaneously, the KA2 Service Transition team introduced an updated v2 process, and all systems within the client’s organisation were standardised to this new process, ensuring that any future changes to this baseline would be comprehensively documented.

“During both workstreams, I was kept regularly informed of any risks or issues and was provided with weekly reports that allowed me to fully understand the project status plus related risks and issues.

The knowledge and professionalism of KA2 has ensured our success in the ISO accreditation and on our Service Introduction v2 journey. I look forward to working with the team on further projects.”

Group Head of IT Operations.

 

The Benefits:

As is the case with any certification, pursuing ISO 20000 offers several compelling advantages. It demonstrates the organisation’s alignment with its business objectives, underscoring a serious commitment to service management. ISO 20000 reassures customers that their supplier delivers effective services, instilling confidence in its operations. Moreover, as part of the accreditation, ongoing surveillance prompts regular performance reviews to ensure that optimal results are consistently delivered for the business, thereby satisfying stakeholders and adhering to international standards.

This engagement also empowered the organisation to refine its processes and procedures, ensuring they remain in harmony with overarching business goals. Furthermore, it fosters closer alignment among teams within the organisation, promoting seamless synergy across different departments, from various IT teams to the Board.

“Adding in some further complexities on improving Service Introduction v2 for our organisation, KA2 assured me they could handle the challenge and immediately made an impact, delivering with quality and excellence, this in addition to the ISO work already underway”.

Group Head of IT Operations