The constant challenge of managing internal service providers and multiple third-party vendors supported by complex IT systems can seem never-ending.
Fortunately, Service Integration and Management (SIAM) has emerged to bring sanity to an IT world plagued with chaos and poor return on digital investment, yet for many organizations adopting the SIAM methodology poses unique challenges. My experience as a community manager across diverse industries confirms that to navigate and foster innovation of SIAM and to get the most out of it, good practices and harnessing collective knowledge through a supportive community is key.
Why be a part of a SIAM community?
There will never be a “one size fits all” approach to a SIAM operating model, and communities act as vital platforms for SIAM, fostering the sharing of experiences, best practices, and expertise. Active participation in online platforms, forums, and professional associations enables practitioners and organizations to tap into a collective knowledge pool, accelerating their learning curve and contributing towards the enrichment of the SIAM discipline. The benefits are multifold, and this interaction nurtures a strong network of professionals who collectively drive SIAM forward. At Scopism, we speak to companies and individuals in over 40 countries that are practising SIAM across a broad spectrum of industry sectors and have created our SIAM Community made up of cutting-edge companies at the forefront of SIAM and supported by our exclusive education partner, EXIN and our first community partner, HCL. The SIAM Community offers companies an unparalleled opportunity for connection, learning, and growth amongst a knowledgeable, reliable, and trusted SIAM network to ensure their unique operating model works hard for them.
Tapping into other perspectives to problem solve
Involvement in a SIAM community allows individuals to build personal networks, gaining access to diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving mechanisms. These networks serve as a strength, providing knowledge and support in navigating professional journeys. Since 2017 we have been conducting our Global SIAM Annual Survey helping to build a picture of the growth of SIAM and how it’s evolving. Our 2022 survey took responses from 200+ people from 31 countries, reflecting the global nature of the SIAM community. Presented in a whitepaper, the survey results help to build a picture of SIAM adoption across the industry and deliver valuable information to SIAM practitioners. Adam Martin, Director, Regional Engagement (NSW), Kinetic IT Pty, who specialises in SIAM and provided expert commentary throughout the white paper noted, “There is an increase in relationship building across numerous data points. This is positive to see and reinforces a SIAM community recognizing that being able to influence outcomes is a key driver of healthy SIAM. I am confident that as SIAM maturity and the harder-to-measure intangibles begin to be realized, results that suggest simple, effortless, transparent, and helpful describing the end users’ service outcomes exhibited far more.”
Integrating Community Knowledge
Taking on board the views and opinions of the SIAM community, SIAM practitioners can navigate challenges more effectively and foster collaboration. The collective intelligence of the community is a powerful tool to spur growth in the discipline. This inclusive culture promotes learning, sharing, and collaborating, empowering practitioners to harness collective knowledge, and fostering a sense of camaraderie and collective growth. Building projects around motivated service providers that fully understand your SIAM model is key, but often face-to-face discussions are not always possible. This is where working groups and process forums come into their own and are a fruitful and structured way to enable collaboration. Using video conferencing and chat technology to achieve successful virtual ‘face-to-face’ discussions delivers a great alternative. In the end, the best outputs emerge from self-organizing teams built on trust, empowerment and a healthy working relationship between supplier and client. Mohan Kewalramani, Vice President and Practice Head, Service Integration & Management (SIAM), HCL Software has reinforced this saying “In the realm of open-source, it is imperative to cultivate a culture of sharing and establish a community of individuals committed to learning and growing together. Scopism’s SIAM Community resonates HCL SIAM’s vision, inspiring us to partner in creating a learning environment which is transparent and trustworthy.”
Be a Part of the SIAM Conversation
An area of frequent discussion in the SIAM community is the growing focus on service integration contributing to driving enhanced performance across complex provider ecosystems. There is less focus on costs and contractual levers, and a greater appreciation of the need for service quality, cross-provider collaboration, along with necessary cultural alignment for ecosystem unification and cohesion. As SIAM models mature, more and more models are also incorporating non-IT services as organizations shift to a value stream/workflow focus other business areas including HR, finance and logistics are naturally merging into an organization’s SIAM model.
SIAM can provide real value in complex supply chain environments and for those beginning their SIAM journey, platforms like LinkedIn, forums on Scopism, and professional associations such as ITSMF are a good start. Participation in webinars, workshops, and conferences also provides opportunities to connect with other SIAM practitioners.
At the start, the goal is to listen and learn. With time, contribute your insights and experiences. Every contribution, no matter how small, is valuable to the collective growth of the SIAM community.
Offering an unparalleled opportunity for SIAM learning in one place, Scopism provides a comprehensive range of resources, including articles, case studies, and white papers to show the benefits of SIAM. There is also an active forum within the community where practitioners can engage with global SIAM professionals who are knowledgeable, reliable, and trusted.
Go ahead and ask the question
Don’t be shy to start a conversation, share an experience or ask a question. The SIAM community thrives on these interactions and the future of SIAM is community-driven and empowered by collective intelligence. SIAM addresses global issues faced by companies around the world. With the acceleration of cloud services, the challenge is to ensure that businesses deploy effective and joined-up IT services. The 2022 Scopism survey data is clear, businesses are not looking to do things independently, but rather through a hybrid SIAM model. By harnessing the power of community, we can surmount obstacles, foster innovation, and drive the discipline forward. Remember, the strength of the community lies in the collective intelligence of its members. For more insights, join the conversation at the Scopism community page and share your stories and contributions.
About the author: Steph Ward is a community manager for SIAM at Scopism. Her experience spans various industries, providing her with unparalleled knowledge of shared value and good practices within a trusted, reliable, and diverse network. She is passionate about building thriving communities and understands the benefits an involved and supportive SIAM community can bring.
About the Author
Steph Ward is a community manager for SIAM at Scopism. Steph experience spans the Telecommunications, Science, and Manufacturing industries both in the UK and internationally. This experience of learning from frameworks and methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma, has broadened Steph’s knowledge of shared value and good practices amongst a trusted, reliable, and diverse network is unparalleled. Steph has first-hand experience from new business ventures to well-established large organisations at various stages of their journey and is passionate about building thriving communities. Steph understands the benefits that an involved and supportive SIAM community can bring, enabling sharing of invaluable knowledge and good practices to help individuals and organisations gain maximum value end to end.
Featured image: ©hywards
