Prepare an improvement

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read

    • Create CIM phases and tasks to implement an approved improvement. The Improvement Coordinator works with the Improvement Manager to plan implementation and track progress.

    Before you begin

    • Improvement Requester created the improvement request.
    • Improvement Manager accepted and assigned the improvement request.
    • Approver group member assessed and approved the improvement.

    Role required: sn_cim.improvement_manager, sn_cim.improvement_coordinator

    Procedure

    1. Determine phases and tasks needed for the improvement.
      Improvement Manager and Improvement Coordinator meet to determine the tasks required to complete the improvement, and whether multiple phases are required.
    2. Set up CIM phases to track CIM tasks.
      1. Navigate to Continual Improvement > Open and open the improvement in the In Progress state.
      2. In the CIM Phases related list, click New and fill in the description and planned end date.
      3. Right-click the form header and select Save.
      4. In the CIM Tasks related list, click New to create a CIM task.
      5. In the Parent field, select the a CIM Phase record to which you want to associate the CIM task.
      6. Set the CIM task attributes, including assignment, priority, state, planned end date, and short description.
      7. Click Submit.
    3. Create and assign CIM tasks for an improvement.
      1. In the CIM Tasks related list, select New to create a CIM task.
        By default, the CIM task is linked to the CIM initiative. To track the task within a phase, in the Parent field, select the a CIM Phase record to which you want to associate the CIM task.
      2. Set the CIM task attributes, including assignment, priority, state, planned end date, and short description.
        Note:
        • When the planned end date for a CIM task is updated, the planned end date that the CIM initiative that the task is associated with also gets updated. When the state for a CIM task is moved to Work In Progress, the Actual Start Date field is automatically updated with the current date.
        • When the task is assigned, the task assignee receives an email notification.
    4. To create a separate application task for an integrated application, select the related link for that application task.
    5. To monitor a KPI with the improvement, add a record to the Impacted KPIs tab.
    6. Meet with CIM task owners to oversee status, monitor work completed, add or update tasks and phases, and track overall progress of the improvement to completion.
      1. Oversee the progress of CIM tasks with task owners on a regular basis until all tasks are presented as complete.
      2. On the Improvement Initiative form, verify that all tasks in the CIM Tasks related list are Closed Complete.
        The improvement coordinator and task assignee receive an email notification when the task is moved to Close Incomplete, Closed Skipped, or Closed Complete state.
      3. On the Improvement Initiative form, verify that all phases in the CIM Phases related list are 100% complete.
    7. Select Review in the header bar to request the improvement be reviewed by the Improvement Manager for closure.

    Implement improvement

    In the process of reviewing KPI performance in the Performance Analytics application, the incident manager noticed the Average time to resolve an incident KPI scorecard was too high (24 hours).

    As part of the implementation process, the Improvement Manager and Improvement Coordinator determined the work required in the next three to six months to complete the improvement, with a target review date 3 months after start.
    • Configured default CIM Phase 1 (added two CIM tasks), and created CIM Phase 2 (added two CIM tasks).
    • Created a Change Management application task record (CHG0030001) associated with CIM Task 2 using the Create Change related link, and set the change record attributes.
    • Added four KPIs to the Impacted KPIs tab to monitor with the improvement.

    Improvement Coordinator met with CIM task owners regularly to oversee status and monitor work completed, and set the improvement status to review after all implementation was complete.

    Table 1. CIM Phase 1 - CIM Tasks 1 and 2
    Field Value
    Number CIMT0000116 (assigned internally)
    Parent CIM0000135
    Percent complete 0
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Actual end date --
    Short description Resolved incident and reassigned count improvements
    CIM Task 1
    Number CIMT0000118 (assigned internally)
    Parent CIMT0000116
    Configuration item --
    Active (Selected)
    Implementing task --
    Assigned to Bernard Laboy
    Improvement register CIM0000135
    Priority 4 - Low
    State Open
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Short description Improve % of incidents resolved by first assigned group by using self service and more automation
    Work notes --
    CIM Task 2
    Number CIMT0000119 (assigned internally)
    Parent CIMT0000116
    Configuration item --
    Active (Selected)
    Implementing Task CHG0030001
    Assigned to Change Manager
    Improvement register CIM0000135
    Priority 4 - Low
    State Open
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Short description

    Reduce the reassigned count by using ServiceNow Auto Categorization and Auto Assignment models
    Work notes --
    Table 2. CIM Phase 2 - CIM Tasks 1 and 2
    Field Value
    Number CIMT0000120
    Parent CIM0000135
    Percent complete 0
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Actual end date --
    Short description Knowledge improvements and self-service improvements
    CIM Task 1
    Number CIMT0000121 (assigned internally)
    Parent CIMT0000120
    Configuration item --
    Active (Selected)
    Implementing task --
    Assigned to David Loo
    Improvement register CIM0000135
    Priority 4 - Low
    State Open
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Short description Add new KB articles for common issues
    Work notes --
    CIM Task 2
    Number CIMT0000123 (assigned internally)
    Parent CIMT0000120
    Configuration item --
    Active (Selected)
    Implementing task --
    Assigned to Adela Cervantsz
    Improvement register CIM0000135
    Priority 4 - Low
    State Open
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Short description Provide training and enablement training for new apps
    Work notes --
    Table 3. Change Request form
    Field Value
    Number CHG0030001 (set internally)
    Requested by Improvement Manager
    Configuration item --
    Planned start date 2018-03-18
    Planned end date 2018-06-19
    Type Normal
    State New
    Priority 4 - Low
    Impact 3 - Low
    Risk Moderate
    Short description

    Reduce the reassigned count by using ServiceNow Auto Categorization and Auto Assignment models.
    Description --
    Table 4. Impacted KPIs related list
    Field Value
    Impacted KPI
    • % of incidents resolved by first assigned group
    • % of incidents resolved on same day opened
    • % of incidents resolved without reassignment
    • Average age open incidents