Defining Roles and Responsibilities in a Multi-Vendor operating model

[Akash Bhardwaj]

In the first part of this blog, we looked at how a multi-vendor operating model can be structured around a ServiceNow Centre of Excellence and Innovation (CoEI) to drive governance, standardization, and platform growth.
In this follow-up, let’s dive deeper into how that model works in practice — through a clear RACI framework that defines who owns, executes, and supports every key function across the ServiceNow ecosystem. I have seen this as part of my large scale delivery for an organization.

Why RACI is Critical in Multi-Vendor Environments

When several vendors, platform teams, and business stakeholders collaborate on the same ServiceNow ecosystem, role clarity becomes essential.
Without it, you risk overlaps, delays, and inconsistent delivery.

A RACI model brings that clarity.
It ensures that every process — from demand intake to release management — has a defined owner, while still allowing shared collaboration across vendors and governance bodies.

The model presented here is designed for large enterprises and public sector organizations operating with multiple delivery partners, guided by a central ServiceNow CoEI.

Key Areas of the ServiceNow CoEI Operating Model

The RACI matrix focuses on eight major areas of responsibility across the platform:

1. Idea & Demand Management
• The Portfolio Boards own prioritization and approvals.
• The CoEI captures and standardizes demands, ensuring they align to enterprise strategy.
• Vendors provide feasibility input, while QA and OCM stay informed for downstream planning.
2. Strategy & Governance
• Strategic oversight stays with the Steering or Portfolio Board.
• The CoEI defines platform standards, policies, and governance mechanisms.
• Vendors are consulted to ensure operational feasibility, and QA/OCM are kept informed.
3. Platform Architecture & Operations
• The CoEI holds accountability for architecture, guardrails, and operational governance.
• Vendors execute technical work under strict guidelines, while QA ensures compliance.
4. Automation & Innovation
• The CoEI leads the innovation roadmap — driving automation, AI adoption, and the innovation factory.
• Vendors contribute accelerators, reusable components, and propose new use cases.
• QA and OCM are informed to ensure quality and readiness.
5. Quality Assurance & Testing
• The CoEI ensures alignment with enterprise QA standards.
• The QA function, under the CoEI, owns test strategy, governance, and final sign-off.
• Vendors handle functional and unit testing.
6. Release Management & Code Deployments
• The CoEI reviews and approves release content, ensuring readiness.
• Vendors handle packaging, build preparation, and deployment handover.
• QA executes controlled deployments and rollback as needed.
7. Organizational Change Management (OCM)
• The OCM team under the CoEI drives user adoption, communication, and enablement.
• Vendors support through content creation, user guides, and training materials.
• The CoEI tracks adoption metrics and readiness indicators.
8. Continuous Service Improvement & Vendor Performance Management
• The CoEI monitors KPIs, service levels, and improvement initiatives.
• Vendors provide feedback, implement changes, and report on performance.
• Portfolio Boards are informed of key metrics and outcomes.