Implementation Critical Success Factors - People Continued: ServiceNow Resources

[Josh Personius]

In a continuation of the people dimension in an implementation, I would like to review what you can expect from ServiceNow.

ServiceNow Role Examined

• ServiceNow Account Manager

The ServiceNow Account Manager is the representative of ServiceNow that is ultimately the one that is responsible for the overall success of the deployment.   The Account Manager is involved by not committed to the project and helps to insure any roadblocks are addressed.   They can be a point of escalation within ServiceNow and plan an important role in keeping communication and visibility open between ServiceNow and the customer.  

• ServiceNow Delivery Manger

The Delivery Manager is a new position within ServiceNow Professional Services with a focus on the consistency and quality of deployments from both a technical and project standpoint.   The Delivery manager is involved on a project unless the need arises whereas they can become committed.   The delivery manager can serve as a point of escalation for the projects.

• ServiceNow Practice Manager

The ServiceNow Practice Manager works together with the customer to scope and shape the deployment by reviewing the goals, requirements, resources, scope, level of effort and time-lines.   After reaching full understanding and agreement on the project scope the Practice Manager ensures that there is an effective hand-off of all information to the engagement team.   The Practice Manager remains an involved member of the project, providing oversight and a strong customer relationship, but is not committed in the day-to-day activities.

• ServiceNow Engagement Manager

The ServiceNow Engagement Manager (EM) primary responsibility is the overall success of the deployment.   The EM is a committed member of the team and works closely to create the overall project plan, identify resources, level of effort, time-lines and general project tasks and milestones. The EM focuses on supporting the customer's project manager and product owner(s) in managing the overall cost, time, scope, and quality of the deployment.   This EM may take the role of the Scrum Master until the team is confident that they can step in and take over.   The EM is also responsible for providing regular overall project status updates, including risks and issues, to the deployment team, project owner, stakeholder's, and ServiceNow management teams.

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• ServiceNow Technical Consultants

ServiceNow Technical Consultants are committed to the team by helping to support the customer resources on a day-to-day base though development workshop sessions, transfer of information (TOI), and general best practice development guidance. The primary goal of the TC is aiding the customer reach self-sufficiency.

• ServiceNow Business Process Consultants

The ServiceNow Business Process Consultants responsibilities are to work as a strategic advisor, helping the customer align their existing processes to the ServiceNow platform.   The BPC is committed to the project and works in an advisory position to help insure the process is adhered to throughout the lifecycle of the deployment.   The BPC also may help to build business requirements that will aid in the development of future functional requirements. When a BPC is not used in a project it is up to the customer to take on this responsibility.

• ServiceNow Training Consultants

ServiceNow Training Consultants will train the customer's technical staff on the ServiceNow platform either at a ServiceNow location or onsite if the need exists. Training Consultants are typically considered informed team members at the beginning of a project and then possibly moving into a committed role if they are helping to build training material for the customer resources.  

Each of these roles will be more/less involved in the project as the natural progression of the project evolves. Regardless of level of involvement, each member is focused on the creating the best outcome for the customer and ensuring overall business success.

In my next blog I will start to examine the Technology pillar and in specific StartNow.