APPENDIX A
EXAMPLES OF VALUE STREAMS
A Appendix A: Examples of value streams
The ITIL story: Value stream for the development of a new service
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Reni: To help introduce new starters at Axle to our ways of working, I have documented the value stream for the development of our online payment app, selecting the practices that we required to create a successful new service offering. The value stream was triggered by demand from our bike customers, who expressed the desire to make online payments. We proceeded to investigate this opportunity further. |
Value stream for the development of an online payment app
Description of the value stream |
The development of an online payment app |
Demand or trigger |
Demand from customers wishing to manage payments for bike hire online |
Outcomes |
Customers can conveniently and securely manage payments from their smartphones or mobile devices Swifter payment to Axle due to reduced transaction times Reduced staffing effort to manage the payment process Better compliance with local laws and regulatory obligation for electronic money transfer |
Value created |
Improved customer satisfaction Better liquidity/balance sheet for Axle |
Estimated or target lead time |
5 months |
Roles and responsibilities (for the whole value stream) |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, board of directors, customers, regulators, auditors, finance staff, legal representatives |
Informed |
Office staff, sales and marketing teams, customer service |
Step 1: Understand and document the requirements of an online payment app
Value chain activity |
Engage |
Inputs |
Request from customers for an online payment app |
Outputs |
Survey of typical customers with regard to an online payment app Financial requirements from Axle CFO Requirements for transactions over an app from financial regulators |
Desired outcomes |
A business case for the creation of an online payment app |
Estimated or target lead time |
3 weeks |
Supporting practices |
|
Business analysis |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to understand the requirements for the new online payment app service |
Portfolio management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to understand the impact of the introduction of the online payment app on the bike hire service |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, board of directors, customers, regulators, auditors |
Informed |
Office staff, sales and marketing teams, customer service |
|
Reni: The response from our customers confirmed our assumptions; our customers’ preference is to pay online. We put together a business case for the creation of an online payment app, and presented it to the board of directors for approval. |
Step 2: Business case for the online payment app
Value chain activity |
Plan |
Inputs |
Survey of typical customers with regard to an online payment app Financial requirements from Axle CFO Requirements for transactions over an app from financial regulators |
Outputs |
Go/no-go decision on whether to create the online payment app |
Desired outcomes |
Approval of the business case |
Estimated or target lead time |
10 days |
Supporting practices |
|
Business analysis |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to analyse responses from the survey and provide input to business case |
Portfolio management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to complete a viability assessment of the value of adding an online payment app to the service portfolio |
Risk management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to assess the risks of the online payment app for Axle Car Hire |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, board of directors, customers, regulators, auditors |
Informed |
Office staff, sales and marketing teams, customer service |
|
Reni: The board of directors approved the business case for the online payment app, so the next step was to design it. |
Step 3: Design the online payment app
Value chain activity |
Design and transition |
Inputs |
A decision to proceed with the creation of an online payment app based on the business case |
Outputs |
Service architecture for online payment service A design for the technical architecture of the app An understanding of which data systems need to speak to each other, e.g. booking system, financial clearing house, etc. |
Desired outcomes |
A design for the online payment app |
Estimated or target lead time |
2 months |
Supporting practices |
|
Service design |
Provides the knowledge, skills, and other resources to understand the requirements of customers of the online payment app |
Business analysis |
Provides the team with knowledge of the requirements of customers and the organization as documented in the business case, and help them understand how the information relates to the app |
Project management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to manage and coordinate the development of the new functionality, liaising with all stakeholders, including customers, and to find and employ required team members |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, board of directors, customers, regulators, auditors |
Informed |
Office staff, sales and marketing teams, customer service |
|
Reni: When the app had been designed, we then needed to build it. |
Step 4: Build, configure, or buy the online payment app
Value chain activity |
Obtain/build |
Inputs |
Service architecture for online payment service A design for the technical architecture of the app An understanding of which data systems need to speak to each other, e.g. booking system, financial clearing house, etc. |
Outputs |
All service components are acquired or built, and tested Connection to the financial clearing house |
Desired outcomes |
The online payment app tested and ready for deployment |
Estimated or target lead time |
8 weeks |
Supporting practices |
|
Project management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to liaise with the various roles within the team and to report to the business transformation manager on the progress, successes, and risks of the initiative |
Supplier management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to source the technology for the online payment app, and manage the vendors |
Service validation and testing |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to test the online payment app to ensure that it is fit for purpose (utility) and fit for use (warranty) |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, developers, software testers, board of directors, customers, regulators, auditors |
Informed |
Office staff, sales and marketing teams, customer service |
|
Reni: When the app had been built and tested, we prepared to deploy it to a live environment. |
Step 5: Deploy the online payment app in preparation for launch
Value chain activity |
Design and transition |
Inputs |
All service components of the app, which have been acquired or built, and tested |
Outputs |
The online payment app in a live environment Release notes for the launch of the app Trained staff to support the app |
Desired outcomes |
The successful launch of the online payment app |
Estimated or target lead time |
10 days |
Supporting practices |
|
Project management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to liaise with the various roles within the team and to report to the business transformation manager on the progress, successes, and risks of the initiative |
Deployment management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to deploy the online payment app |
Release management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to release the online payment app |
Incident management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to agree the duration, channels, and methods that will provide early-life support, as well as train support staff in how to handle incidents that arise with the app |
Problem management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to document all known defects (technical debt) and workarounds for the new functionality |
Service desk |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to ensure that all customer-facing support roles are adequately trained to handle enquiries about the online payment app |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, board of directors, customers, sales and marketing teams, PR, office staff, customer service |
Informed |
Legal team, regulators, auditors, customers, users |
|
Reni: With the app deployed, the final step was to release it to our customers. |
Step 6: Begin operating the service
Value chain activity |
Deliver and support |
Inputs |
The online payment app in a live environment |
Outputs |
CFO sign-off that the value stream has successfully completed Onboarded user accounts |
Desired outcomes |
The app to be available for customers, so they can begin to use it to make payments for bookings online |
Estimated or target lead time |
1 day |
Supporting practices |
|
Project management |
Provides cross-team coordination of activities, issues, and risk tracking, and to provide regular status updates of the functionality to the business transformation manager and the board of directors |
Incident management |
Provides early-life support for the app |
Service desk |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to capture customer demand (issues, requests, and queries) when the online payment app service is operational |
Configuration management |
Provides information on online payment app and configuration items, and to tweak the service if necessary |
Problem management |
Documents all known defects (technical debt) and workarounds for the online payment app |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
CIO |
Responsible |
Product owner |
Consulted |
CFO, board of directors, customers, sales and marketing teams, PR, office staff, customer service, project manager |
Informed |
Legal team, regulators, auditors |
The ITIL story: Value stream for the restoration of a live service
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Reni: Alongside the launch of our new bike hire service, it was important that we prepared for times when there was a disruption to service. We created value streams to map how a live service would be restored in a number of scenarios, including a failure in the online payment system. |
Value stream for the restoration of the online payment app
Description of the value stream |
Restoration of the online payment app after an incident |
Demand or trigger |
A phone call or email from a customer to the IT support centre, reporting an issue with the online payment app |
Outcomes |
A restored service, with correctly working online booking functionality A satisfied customer, who is able to make an online booking properly A completed customer or user feedback form Improvement opportunities logged in the continual improvement register |
Value created |
Increase in customer confidence, even when incidents occur Improvement in customer engagement with the services provided |
Estimated or target lead time |
High-priority incident – 1 day |
Roles and responsibilities (for the whole value stream) |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Incident manager |
Consulted |
Chief data officer, branch manager, product owner, vendor account managers, customer support manager |
Informed |
Board of directors, CIO, CFO |
|
Reni: When a customer informs us of an issue with the online booking app, the first step is to acknowledge this and register the customer’s query. |
Step 1: Acknowledge and register the customer’s query
Value chain activity |
Engage |
Inputs |
A phone call or email from a customer, received by the workshop manager or the branch customer desk, reporting an issue with the online payment app |
Outputs |
The customer receives acknowledgement that their call has been received and logged A record of the customer’s query is created |
Desired outcomes |
Customer reassurance that their call has been received and that the issue is being investigated The gathering of sufficient information to enable an initial investigation into the customer’s query |
Estimated or target lead time |
5 minutes |
Supporting practices |
|
Service desk |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to allow the customer to report their issue and enable customer support to manage communications with the customer |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Incident manager |
Consulted |
Customer support manager |
Informed |
CIO, CFO |
|
Reni: The next step is to investigate the customer’s query and try to discover whether the issue can be fixed with a phone call, or whether there is a larger problem with the app itself. |
Step 2: Investigate the query
Value chain activity |
Deliver and support |
Inputs |
A record of the customer’s query, and the initial categorization by the service desk |
Outputs |
The call record is reclassified as an incident, and includes a record of the measures taken in an attempt to remedy the situation |
Desired outcomes |
An understanding of the nature of the customer query Customer’s awareness that the organization takes their query seriously A resolution of the incident or a discussion of the plan to resolve it |
Estimated or target lead time |
30 minutes |
Supporting practices |
|
Incident management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to understand the nature of the customer’s query, to reclassify it as an incident if it cannot be resolved quickly, and to consider ways of fixing it |
Knowledge management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to assist in the investigation and diagnosis of the incident, and to suggest technical information and workarounds |
Configuration management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to assist the investigation and diagnosis of the incident by providing information on relevant configuration items |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Incident manager |
Consulted |
Customer support manager |
Informed |
CIO, CFO |
|
Reni: If the incident cannot be resolved over the phone (for example, if there is an issue with a back-end system of the app), the team will look into providing a fix. |
Step 3: Obtain a fix for the incident
Value chain activity |
Obtain/build |
Inputs |
Incident record updated with the results of the diagnosis |
Outputs |
A fix for the incident that has been tested and validated |
Desired outcomes |
To be prepared for the deployment of the fix |
Estimated or target lead time |
2 hours |
Supporting practices |
|
Incident management |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to update the incident record with the activities necessary to build and test the fix to the accounts receivable system |
Service desk |
Provides the skills, tools, and resources needed to enable support agents to empathize and manage communications with the customer or user |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Incident manager |
Consulted |
Customer support manager |
Informed |
CIO, CFO |
|
Reni: The team found that the issue was in the way our accounts receivable system was processing payment information. When a fix for this had been created and tested, it could then be deployed. |
Step 4: Deploy the fix
Value chain activity |
Design and transition |
Inputs |
A fix for the incident that has been tested and validated |
Outputs |
Completed deployment records |
Desired outcomes |
Technical aspects of the incident are resolved |
Estimated or target lead time |
2 hours |
Supporting practices |
|
Incident management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to update the incident record with details of the activities needed to deploy the fix to the accounts receivable system |
Knowledge management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to update existing knowledge records with information about the fix |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Incident manager |
Consulted |
Customer support manager |
Informed |
CIO, CFO |
|
Reni: After the fix has been deployed, the team must verify that the incident has been resolved and that the booking app is functioning correctly. |
Step 5: Verify that the incident has been resolved
Value chain activity |
Deliver and support |
Inputs |
Completed deployment records |
Outputs |
Resolved incident record |
Desired outcomes |
Satisfied customer Data to assist management reporting and decision-making |
Estimated or target lead time |
1 hour |
Supporting practices |
|
Incident management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to update then close the incident record |
Knowledge management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to update the existing knowledge records with information about the fix |
Configuration management |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to update the service configuration records now that the incident has been resolved |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Incident manager |
Consulted |
Customer support manager |
Informed |
CIO, CFO |
|
Reni: When we are sure that everything is working properly again, we ask the customer for their feedback about how the incident was handled. We also collect feedback from our own support agents, as they may have useful information about the incident (for example, whether this type of incident occurs regularly). |
Step 6: Request feedback from the customer and other stakeholders
Value chain activity |
Engage |
Inputs |
Resolved incident record |
Outputs |
Completed feedback records from customers and Axle employees Updated record of the incident, along with its solution |
Desired outcomes |
An understanding of the nature of the incident, its causes, and how it was resolved To collect information that can be analysed to identify improvement opportunities |
Estimated or target lead time |
2 hours |
Supporting practices |
|
Continual improvement |
Provides the skills, tools, and other resources needed to collect feedback from the customer and the Axle staff |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Continual improvement practice owner |
Consulted |
User, support staff, technical specialists |
Informed |
CIO |
|
Reni: After the incident is resolved, we need to understand the lessons that we can learn from it. |
Step 7: Identify opportunities to improve the service
Value chain activity |
Improve |
Inputs |
Completed feedback records from all relevant stakeholders |
Outputs |
Improvement opportunities logged in the continual improvement register |
Desired outcomes |
To provide information to aid the ongoing identification, analysis, prioritization, and execution of potential improvements to the booking app |
Estimated or target lead time |
10 days |
Supporting practices |
|
Continual improvement |
Provides the skills, tools and other resources needed to identify: • ways in which the booking app can be improved • opportunities to improve the way in which feedback is collected and analysed. Records these in the continual improvement register |
Roles and responsibilities |
|
Accountable |
Service owner |
Responsible |
Continual improvement practice owner |
Consulted |
Users, support staff, technical specialists |
Informed |
CIO |