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sourceDocument: Zurich IT Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/it-service-management

 Release :

    - zurich

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Zurich IT Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itsm

bundleId :

    - itsm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Overview

# Continual Improvement Management
overview {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Zurich  
Updated July 31, 2025  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read
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## Summary of Continual Improvement Management overview

Continual Improvement Management (CIM) is a centralized framework within ServiceNow that enables organizations to initiate, plan, implement, and monitor improvement initiatives across services, processes, and functions.
It supports defining improvement goals, organizing initiatives into phases and tasks, and tracking progress to ensure successful completion of improvements.
Show full answer Show less  

## Initial Setup and Configuration

To start using CIM, install the CIM plugin and configure it via the guided setup found under **Continual Improvement \> Administration \> Guided Setup**. After activation, assign appropriate user roles such as Improvement Manager, Improvement Coordinator, and Approver groups to enable role-based access and responsibilities.

## Key Roles and Workflow

* **Improvement Requester:** Identifies the need for improvements and submits requests.
* **Improvement Manager:** Reviews, accepts, assigns requests, runs prioritization meetings, monitors progress using the Continual Improvement Workbench (available in tile and list views), and reviews improvements for closure.
* **Improvement Coordinator:** Works with the Improvement Manager to create phases and tasks, coordinates with task owners, and tracks completion.

This structured workflow ensures clear accountability and efficient management of improvement initiatives from request to closure.

## Integration with Other Applications

CIM integrates with various ServiceNow applications, allowing creation of improvement initiatives directly from those apps and vice versa. This integration provides a unified platform to manage improvements across different processes and services.

Integration is facilitated through the **CIMIntegrationAPI** extension point, which defines inbound and outbound connections for seamless interoperability.

## Domain Separation

CIM supports domain separation out-of-the-box without additional setup, enabling organizations to segregate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical domains. This ensures that users only access data relevant to their domain, supporting multi-tenancy and data security within the platform.  
Continual Improvement Management (CIM) enables you to initiate improvement opportunities within your organization by providing a centralized framework for planning, implementing, and monitoring improvement
initiatives.
The following video gives you an overview of Continual Improvement Management application.

Use Continual Improvement Management to implement service, process, and function improvements. An improvement initiative contains goals to measure success, and phases that contain tasks with specific actions to complete the improvement. {#get-started-cim__CIMdescription}

## Initial CIM setup {#get-started-cim__section_yd5_4s1_zcb}

Install the CIM plugin. For more information, see [Install Continual Improvement Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/UZUX1SCorxNv8Q3SBz2wmA "Install the Continual Improvement Management plugin from ServiceNow Application Manager after purchasing a subscription.").

To use guided setup to configure CIM, navigate to Continual ImprovementAdministrationGuided Setup and select Configure in the Request CIM section.  
Once CIM is activated, assign user roles and groups.

* Improvement Manager
* Improvement Coordinator
* Approver group membership (CIM Approvers, default is empty)
{#get-started-cim__ul_ny2_h2j_1gc}

For more information, see [Assign a role to a user](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=t_AssignARoleToAUser&version=zurich&pubname=zurich-platform-administration&ft:locale=en-US).

Use the [Continual Improvement Workbench](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Uvuh0Z8k~ifcEuRuZ_t0fw "Monitor and plan improvements using the Continual Improvement Workbench that displays improvements in progress, under review, and in the backlog to help you plan your sprint.") to plan and manage improvements. Both tile and list views are supported.

## Workflow of CIM roles {#get-started-cim__section_j4h_2zj_4cb}

The workflow of improvements from an improvement request to final approval Continual Improvement Management involves various responsibilities.

1. An Improvement Requester, such as a help desk manager, process owner, or ITIL user, recognizes the need for an improvement with the organization and submits an improvement request.
2. The Improvement Manager reviews the improvement, accepts it, and assigns it to an Improvement Coordinator for implementation. The Improvement Manager also runs prioritization meetings with Improvement Coordinators and uses the Continual Improvement workbench to monitor, manage, and plan overall progress of improvements. When all tasks are complete, the Improvement Manager reviews improvements for closure.
3. After the improvement request is assigned, the Improvement Coordinator along with the Improvement manager creates phases and tasks to complete the improvement. The Improvement Coordinator also meets with task owners to track progress and timely completion.

{#get-started-cim__ol_mt5_1jb_1gc}

For more information about CIM roles, see [CIM roles](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jBkrHYJOMKHJLYNBLLhudw "Roles are added with installation of Continual Improvement Management.").

## Integration with other applications {#get-started-cim__section_w2g_vjg_2db}

CIM is integrated with other ServiceNow® applications to enable you to create improvements across various processes and services within the company. These integrations provide you a centralized framework to implement, manage, and
monitor the progress and impact of improvements. You can create improvement initiatives from integrated applications and conversely, create records for integrated applications from improvement initiatives.

For more information about the applications integrated with CIM, see [Applications integrated with Continual Improvement Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ye2SfATc9My1EnDr2iXKIA "CIM provides integrations with other ServiceNow applications to enable you to create improvement initiatives from these applications. You can also create records for integrated applications from improvement initiatives.").

## Domain separation {#get-started-cim__section_ktw_btf_d2b}

[Domain separation](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/FqdpQO~KD0_7y6Pn1I7_Vg "Domain separation in Continual Improvement Management is configured to apply to all features of the application. Separation of data is configured along with separation of logic and process. Domain separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical groupings called domains. You can control several aspects of this separation, including which users can see and access data.") capability is supported in Continual Improvement Management with no setup or configuration required.

You can create improvements separately in a specific domain, or in the global domain.
* **[Applications integrated with Continual Improvement Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ye2SfATc9My1EnDr2iXKIA)**   
  CIM provides integrations with other ServiceNow® applications to enable you to create improvement initiatives from these applications. You can also create records for integrated applications from improvement initiatives.
* **[Integrate CIM using extension point](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/VNhhxqfIldhBVA~AwOJSLw)**   
  Integrate CIM with other applications by using the CIMIntegrationAPI extension point. It defines the inbound and outbound extension points for integrating CIM with other applications.
* **[Domain separation and Continual Improvement Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/FqdpQO~KD0_7y6Pn1I7_Vg)**   
  Domain separation in Continual Improvement Management is configured to apply to all features of the application. Separation of data is configured along with separation of logic and process. Domain separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical groupings called domains. You can control several aspects of this separation, including which users can see and access data.

*[\>]: and then