Checklists for getting service management right

Checklists are an essential tool to minimise errors and maximise efficiency when the heat is on and you need to act. Pull up one of these checklists when you need it.

Select from the available checklists listed below. Anyone may refer to them for free or print a copy.
If you register, then the checkboxes become active - check them off as you go - and it will save your progress on the checklist for when you come back later (but you can only have one copy of any checklist, for now).
Please respect our copyright on these checklists. You may distribute them freely within your own organisation, but note that the smart thing to do is to distribute only the link and access them on demand as you need them, as we want to see these checklists improve over time through input from you the users.

To learn more about operating and supporting services, read the little 50-page book Image
Basic Service Management
.

See my article advocatng checklists .

If you don't see what you need here, be nice and define one of your own (you will need to register first), or send the list to me and I'll create a checklist for you. There are some basic principles here.

A checklist used during a single procedure is called a READ-DO checklist: read out an item, do it, check it off.
A checklist used at a point in time or "pause point" in a procedure is a DO-CONFIRM checklist: do what you need to do, then pause to confirm them all on the checklist.
To those categories I'd add a CHECK-CONFIRM category, used in assessment and audit to ensure all accountabilities, capabilities, controls and activities are in place.

Although these lists are generic to any industry, they are a perfect fit for ITSM and ITIL processes.

These checklists are inspired by the book The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande.

Approve a change

Objective: to ensure everything is as it should be before approving a change request.
This is a Do-Confirm checklist: run through this just before approving a change.

Closing a Problem record

Objective: to ensure everything is as it should be before closing the ticket.
This is a Do-Confirm checklist: run through this just before closing a Problem

Closing an incident

Objective: to ensure everything is as it should be before closing the ticket.
This is a Do-Confirm checklist: run through this just before closing an Incident

Declare a Major Incident (or Problem)

Objective: to initiate the Major Incident process as cleanly as possible.
This is a Do-Confirm checklist: run through this in any order as you declare a Major Incident to ensure you don't miss anything
[Updated 8th March 2012]

Operational acceptance of a new service

Objective: to ensure everything is in place to operate and support and deliver a successful service
This is a Do-Confirm checklist: run through this just before signing off a service as accepted by Operations

Operational Readiness

Objective: to assess or audit the Operational Readiness capability of an organisation.
This is a Check-Confirm checklist: run through this when assessing or auditing.

Resolve a Major Incident (or Problem)

Objective: to complete the Major Incident process as cleanly as possible.
This is a Read-Do-checklist: check these off as you resolve a Major Incident to ensure you don't miss anything

This checklist follows on from Declare a Major Incident (or Problem) checklist.

Supplier/provider contract checklist

Objective: to ensure all aspects of a supplier contract have been considered.
This is a Do-Confirm checklist: run through this when preparing or reviewing a contract