which part or discipline of ITIL applies to a helpdesk?

Dear Mr Wizard

We are setting up our helpdesk team and I just wanted to ask which part or discipline of ITIL should I start looking at?

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts on this.

Al

Dear Al

A helpdesk cannot exist without a context so I strongly recommend you start with the ITIL Service Strategy book. The new 2011 version should be readily accessible to those working in helpdesks. Pay particular attention to the sections on defining what your market is and defining your product value.

Next I would read ISO38500 in conjunction with section 5.1 of Service Strategy, then figure out who your governors are (probably the Board of Directors) and work with them to establish a governance framework for your helpdesk.

The governors will direct yuou to the executive management team responsible for oversight of the helpdesk. Work with them to define your sourcing strategy (Service Strategy 3.7). It could be that you want to outsource yourself in the best interests of the organisation.

Dependent on the sourcing decision, you will then want to concentrate on Supplier Management (Service Design 4.8) or Business Relationship Management (Service Strategy 4.5), or job-hunting (LOL).

Don't be distracted by the "Service Desk" section of Service Operation - a service desk is an entirely different kettle of fish to a helpdesk.

Good luck!
The ITIL Wizard

Comments

We've just posted some interesting Helpdesk Findings

So, we're 6 months on from a major Service Desk and ITIL process consolidation and renewal.

One of our goals was to significantly reduce the amount of end-user to IT support interactions which were not captured and run through the Service Desk formally...and this is what we found:

http://itilosaurus.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/oh-the-coffee-machine-is-a-fertile-location/

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