IT Service Management Consulting: Improving Platform Performance for a Banking Client

Overview

KA2 began working with this banking client in 2021 to improve its IT Service Management (ITSM) platform, address existing limitations and support the organisation’s future ambitions.

An internal review had revealed that the platform was not meeting the organisation’s current business requirements. The client was also struggling to realise the full commercial value of its software licences and make effective use of the functionality available.

KA2 was engaged to identify the underlying issues, improve platform performance and establish a foundation for more effective service management.

The Challenge

The existing platform did not adequately support the organisation’s core processes. Change management operated outside the platform with limited integration, while much of the available functionality remained unused or underutilised.

Limited discovery capability and an incorrectly structured data model meant information was not consistently captured or centralised. As a result, users lacked confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the data.

Previous configurations had also restricted the platform’s capabilities, making it difficult to adopt additional functionality already covered by the organisation’s software licences.

The client needed to improve configuration management, IT asset and infrastructure discovery, process integration and knowledge transfer across technical teams, service management teams and end users.

The Solution

Working alongside the newly appointed platform owner, KA2 brought together experienced engagement leadership, solution consultancy and business analysis to identify priority areas for improvement.

The work focused on:

• Improving the data model and Configuration Management Database (CMDB).
• Strengthening incident management, including major incident processes.
• Integrating change management with existing processes managed through Jira.
• Establishing a roadmap for knowledge management, the service portal and problem management.
• Evaluating the potential of virtual agent technology through a proof of concept.

This approach helped the client address immediate operational challenges while identifying opportunities to develop its wider IT Service Management capabilities.

The Delivery

KA2 reviewed the client’s business and operational requirements to understand the existing challenges and define the desired future operating model.

Through stakeholder workshops and the development of delivery stories, we captured the intended outcomes and used them to guide decisions throughout the project.

A key principle was to maximise the use of standard, out-of-the-box functionality wherever possible. By challenging requirements and avoiding unnecessary customisation, KA2 helped ensure the platform could meet the client’s needs without introducing additional complexity.

Using an agile, incremental delivery approach, we delivered improvements iteratively and gathered regular stakeholder feedback to refine the solution throughout the project.

We also resolved several issues affecting the discovery capability, enabling the CMDB to be populated correctly for the first time.

Supported by the KA2 Smarter Framework for project governance, the project was delivered on time and within budget.

The Benefits

The client now has a fit-for-purpose IT Service Management platform that supports its ongoing efforts to improve internal processes and enhance the experience of customers and end users.

A key outcome was enabling the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) to update automatically through the platform’s discovery capability. This helps ensure that data remains accurate, trusted and centralised, while supporting integrated processes and significantly improving service availability for end users and customers.

Critically, the client achieved a dramatic improvement in return on investment from its platform, with full utilisation of its licensed functionality. This means the organisation can focus on further initiatives and enhancements, including automation and the user experience, with confidence that its platform can support its future requirements.