One of the most common challenges I see with Service Catalog adoption is that catalog items are often designed around internal team structures instead of user outcomes. Over time, this leads to confusion, misrouted requests, and a return to email or free-text tickets.
Where things usually go wrong
Catalog items often evolve like this:
Separate items for each support team or technology
Technical language that makes sense to IT, but not to users
Too many mandatory fields up front “just in case”
Routing logic embedded in user choices rather than automation
As a result, users struggle to select the “right” option, and fulfillment teams spend time correcting submissions instead of delivering value.
A more effective design mindset
Start with what the user wants to achieve, not how IT fulfills it.
Examples:
“Request access to a system” instead of “Active Directory Group Request”
“Report an issue with an application” instead of “Application Incident – Tier 2”
“Request new equipment” instead of separate laptop, desktop, and peripheral items
The internal complexity should live behind the scenes, handled by workflows, flows, and assignment rules.
Key design principles
One request, one outcome: Users should not need to understand internal ownership
Progressive disclosure: Ask for only what’s needed at submission; gather the rest later if required
Automated routing: Use category, service, CI, or logic to route—not user guesswork
Consistent language: Use business terms users recognize, not platform or team names
Benefits of this approach
It also makes future changes easier—when teams or technologies change, you update the automation, not dozens of catalog items.
How this scales over time
This outcome-based approach works well across:
ITSM request fulfillment
HR and facilities requests
Employee onboarding/offboarding
Cloud, access, and equipment requests
It aligns naturally with service-based reporting and experience-focused metrics.
Key takeaway
A good catalog hides complexity instead of exposing it. When catalog items are designed around outcomes, users succeed faster and IT spends less time correcting mistakes.
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