How can I learn ServiceNow effectively?

[AksiyaM]

I am new to ServiceNow. What are the best resources and steps to learn ServiceNow effectively?

[boteeuwen]

If you're completely new to ServiceNow, I'd keep the learning path simple at first. Start with the official ServiceNow learning content on https://learning.servicenow.com/ and create a free Personal Developer Instance through https://developer.servicenow.com/. Having your own instance is really useful because you can try things yourself without worrying about breaking anything.

I'd spend quite a bit of time practicing while you're learning. For example, when you learn about Incident Management, create and update incidents yourself. When you get to users, groups, roles, tables, forms, and access, configure them in your PDI and see how everything connects. Also spend some time with Flow Designer and try building a few simple flows.

For the basics, https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ is worth keeping nearby. You probably won't read the documentation from beginning to end, but it's useful when you want to understand a feature or check how something is supposed to work. The ServiceNow ccommunity at https://www.servicenow.com/community/ is also really useful when you run into a problem or want to see how other people approached something similar.

Once you're comfortable with the platform basics, I'd start working toward the CSA certification. You can find the official training and certification information at https://www.servicenow.com/university/training-and-certification.html. CSA gives you a structured goal while you're learning, but I wouldn't focus only on passing the exam. Being able to actually configure things in your PDI is just as important.

After that, you can start deciding which direction you enjoy most. If you're interested in development, learn some JavaScript fundamentals and then start looking at things like Business Rules, Client Scripts, Script Includes, and application development. 

If you prefer the functional side, you can spend more time learning ITSM processes and then explore areas such as ITSM, CSM, or HRSD. You don't need to learn every ServiceNow product at once. Getting comfortable with the core platform first makes learning the individual products much easier.

I'd also recommend building a small project in your PDI once you understand the basics. Something like an equipment request application is enough. Create the table and form, add users and roles, build an approval process with Flow Designer, and add notifications. That forces you to combine several things you've learned instead of just following individual exercises.

The biggest thing I'd avoid is only watching tutorials. Use https://learning.servicenow.com/ for structure, https://developer.servicenow.com/ for practice, https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ when you need documentation, and https://www.servicenow.com/community/ when you're stuck. Learn something, try it yourself, and then move on once you understand what actually happened.