  The IT Service Management (ITSM) industry has defined processes as best
practices in the widely-accepted IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework.
However, studies on the measurement of ITSM process improvement are scant. Our
research addressed the dual problems of the lack of transparency and the need
for efficiency in ITSM process assessment. Using the Design Science Research
methodology, we developed a Software-mediated Process Assessment (SMPA)
approach that enables assessment of ITSM processes. The SMPA approach includes
process selection; online survey to collect assessment data; measurement of
process capability; and reporting of process improvement recommendations. We
implemented a decision support system (DSS) to automate the SMPA approach and
evaluated it at two IT service providers. The evaluations indicated that the
SMPA approach supports decision-making on process improvements. The findings
provided design knowledge of virtualisation in ITSM process assessment and how
this may facilitate continual service improvement.

Computers and Society