The goal is to coordinate the approach for improvements to IT Services and ITSM Processes

ITIL states the following:

• You cannot manage what you cannot control
• You cannot control what you cannot measure
• You cannot measure what you cannot define

This is good guidance, but as long as IT knowledge is not documented and open to scrutiny we cannot go forward. Using SKMS is the only option, as data is searchable, therefore can be baselined, thus measurable and if it is visible it is easier to define. To use a cliche to know where you are going you must first know where you been. Everything is about baselining. Once you fully understand where the company stands you can then look at the Continual Service Improvement Model is to identify the following:

1. What is the vision?
2. Where are we now so that we have a baseline?
3. What are the tactical goals and operational goals?
4. What the strategy to achieve the goal?
5. Did we achieve all that was required?
6. How do we maintain the momentum

In the 1950s W. Edwards Deming in the 1950's recommended that business processes be placed in a continuous feedback loop so that managers can identify and change the parts of the process that need improvements. He created the continuous process, commonly known as the PDCA cycle.

• Plan - Design
• Do - Pilot
• Check - Results
• Act - Rollout

ITIL has taken this 3 steps further which is::

1. Define what you should measure
2. Define what you can Measure
3. Gather data Who? How? When? Integrity of data?
4. Process the data, frequency? Format, System, Accuracy?
5. Analyse the data; Relationships? Trends? According to plan? Targets met? Corrective action?
   
6. Present and use the data, information, assessment summary, action plans etc
   
7. Implement corrective action