Major Incident Management - Common Pitfalls

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Major Incident Management (MIM) in ServiceNow is designed to handle high-impact incidents that disrupt business-critical services. Unlike standard incidents, major incidents require rapid coordination, cross-functional communication, and executive visibility.
Key Features of Major Incident Management
• Major Incident Declaration: ITIL-aligned workflows allow you to promote a regular incident to a major one.
• War Room Creation: Automatically sets up a virtual collaboration space for stakeholders.
• Communication Templates: Ensures consistent updates to affected users and leadership.
• Post-Incident Review: Captures lessons learned and root cause analysis.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid
1. Delayed Declaration

Waiting too long to declare a major incident can slow down resolution and increase business impact. Train teams to recognize escalation criteria early.
2. Overuse of Major Incident Flag

Declaring too many incidents as “major” can dilute the process and overwhelm stakeholders. Use clear thresholds (e.g., number of users affected, service criticality).
3. Lack of Automation

Not leveraging automation (e.g., auto-notifications, task creation) can lead to manual errors and slower response times.
4. Poor Communication

Without structured updates, stakeholders may be left in the dark. Use ServiceNow’s communication templates and notification rules to keep everyone informed.
5. Skipping Post-Incident Review

Failing to document and analyze major incidents means missing opportunities for process improvement and risk mitigation.