10 ServiceNow Best Practices You Should Be Following

ServiceNow has emerged as a leading platform for IT service management (ITSM) and digital workflow automation. Its ability to streamline operations, improve service delivery and foster collaboration makes it a powerful tool for organizations across various industries. To maximize the potential of this powerful tool, it’s crucial to follow best practices in implementation, management and optimization. Here are ten ServiceNow best practices you should follow.

Top ServiceNow Best Practices

1. Define Clear Objectives and Requirements

Before implementing ServiceNow, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of what you aim to achieve. Define your objectives and requirements meticulously. This process should involve identifying the specific problems you want to solve, the processes you want to automate and the goals you want to accomplish. Engage stakeholders from different departments to gather comprehensive requirements and ensure alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives.

Key Points:

• Conduct thorough requirement analysis.
• Engage stakeholders from the outset.
• Align objectives with organizational goals.

2. Establish a Governance Framework

A governance framework for ServiceNow typically involves a structured approach to managing and controlling the platform’s deployment, usage and evolution within an organization.

An effective governance framework begins with establishing a dedicated governance team, often called a ServiceNow Governance Board. This board comprises key IT, business units, compliance and security stakeholders, ensuring a cross-functional perspective. The board’s primary responsibilities include defining policies, standards and best practices for using ServiceNow, overseeing configuration and customization decisions and managing change control processes. Setting clear guidelines and monitoring adherence helps the governance board maintain consistency, alignment with business objectives and regulatory compliance.

Another critical component of a governance framework is a structured change management process. This process involves evaluating, approving and tracking changes to the ServiceNow platform to minimize risks and ensure seamless integration with existing systems.

Conduct regular audits and reviews to assess compliance with governance policies and identify improvement areas.

The framework should also include continuous training and support for users and administrators to promote best practices and keep everyone updated on new features and functionalities.

Key Points:

• Form a governance team.
• Define policies and standards.
• Regularly review and update governance practices.

3. Prioritize User Experience

The success of any ITSM tool largely depends on user adoption. To drive adoption, prioritize user experience (UX) by designing intuitive user-friendly interfaces.

Better UX simplifies interactions and enhances productivity by enabling users to find and utilize the tools they need quickly. Organizations should design straightforward workflows and interfaces that align with users’ daily tasks to achieve this.

Involving end-users early in the design process through feedback sessions and usability testing can provide valuable insights into their needs and preferences, ensuring that the final product is effective and user centric. Clear navigation, accessible self-service options and consistent design elements contribute significantly to a positive user experience, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and engagement levels.

Again, continuous user training and support are vital components of prioritizing UX in ServiceNow. Comprehensive training programs help users proficiently use the platform, reducing frustration and resistance to change. Also, provide ongoing support, such as a 24/7/365 help desk, knowledge bases and user forums. These resources ensure that users can resolve issues promptly and continue to use the platform effectively. Regularly collecting and acting on user feedback helps identify pain points and areas for improvement and fosters continuous enhancement.

By investing in UX, organizations can achieve smoother ServiceNow adoption, improved efficiency and a more satisfied user base, driving the platform’s overall success within the organization.

Key Points:

• Design intuitive interfaces.
• Provide comprehensive user training.
• Collect and act on user feedback.

4. Implement ITIL Best Practices

The ServiceNow ITIL library is a comprehensive collection of best practices, guidelines and processes designed to align with the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework.

ITIL is a globally recognized set of practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focuses on delivering high-quality IT services that meet business needs. The ServiceNow ITIL library provides pre-configured processes and templates that help organizations implement ITIL best practices quickly and effectively within the ServiceNow platform. These include modules for incident management, problem management, change management, service request management and more, all designed to streamline IT operations and improve service delivery.

Leveraging the ServiceNow ITIL library enables organizations to standardize their ITSM processes, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the entire IT service lifecycle. By adopting these best practices, businesses can reduce the complexity of IT service management, enhance operational performance and improve customer satisfaction.

The library also includes tools for continuous improvement, allowing organizations to regularly review and refine their ITSM processes based on performance data and feedback. This alignment with ITIL principles helps achieve operational excellence and gain certifications and compliance with industry standards, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to quality and best practices in IT service management.

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) provides a set of best practices for IT service management. Implementing ITIL principles within ServiceNow can significantly improve your ITSM processes. Organizations should focus on key ITIL processes such as incident, problem, change and service catalog management. This approach ensures standardized and efficient service delivery.

Key Points

• Adopt ITIL best practices.
• Standardize ITSM processes.
• Ensure continuous improvement.

5. Utilize Out-of-the-Box Functionality

ServiceNow offers a plethora of out-of-the-box (OOTB) functionalities that can address common ITSM needs. Leverage these functionalities before considering customizations. OOTB features are easily deployable and maintainable, reducing implementation time and effort. Organizations should only consider customizations when OOTB capabilities don’t meet their specific requirements.

Why is this a ServiceNow best practice? IT customization in any software, while often necessary to tailor the platform to specific business needs, can lead to significant technical debt if not managed carefully. Customizations, especially extensive ones, can create complex, hard-to-maintain code that deviates from the standard functionalities provided by the platform. This complexity increases the difficulty of implementing future upgrades and patches, as custom code may require significant rework or re-testing to ensure compatibility.

Over time, these accumulated customizations can slow down system performance, increase the risk of errors and elevate maintenance costs. Highly customized environments can make it challenging to adopt new features and improvements released by ServiceNow, effectively hindering the organization’s ability to innovate and keep up with industry best practices. Managing technical debt effectively requires a balanced approach to customization, emphasizing out-of-the-box capabilities and adopting custom solutions only when necessary.

Key Points:

• Maximize use of OOTB functionalities.
• Minimize customizations.
• Evaluate OOTB solutions thoroughly.

6. Develop a Robust Data Management Strategy

Accurate and reliable data is the backbone of any ITSM platform. Develop a robust data management strategy that includes data governance, quality management and integration. Implement data validation rules and cleansing processes to maintain accuracy, consistency and completeness. Also, ensure that data is clean, consistent and up to date. Implement data validation rules and periodic audits to maintain data integrity.

Regular data audits and reviews are important for identifying and rectifying errors, duplicates and inconsistencies. Employing automated tools for data quality management can streamline these processes and provide real-time monitoring and reporting on data quality metrics. High-quality data enhances the reliability of reports, dashboards and analytics, leading to better decision-making and operational efficiency.

Key Points:

• Implement data governance policies.
• Ensure data quality and consistency.
• Conduct regular data audits.

7. Leverage Automation and AI

ServiceNow provides powerful automation and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to enhance efficiency and productivity. Some examples include:

• ServiceNow’s Virtual Agent is an AI-powered chatbot that automates common service requests and inquiries.
• ServiceNow’s predictive intelligence features use machine learning to automatically categorize, prioritize and route incidents, requests and tasks.
• ServiceNow provides robust tools for creating automated workflows that streamline complex processes across IT, HR, finance and other business functions.
• IT Operations Management (ITOM) automation includes capabilities such as automated event management, orchestration and cloud management.

ServiceNow users have many more automation options to streamline repetitive tasks, reduce manual effort and improve accuracy. Another ServiceNow best practice is to utilize AI-driven features like predictive analytics, virtual agents and machine learning to enhance service delivery and decision-making.

Key Points:

• Automate repetitive tasks.
• Utilize AI-driven features.
• Enhance decision-making with predictive analytics.

8. Monitor and Optimize Performance

Continuous monitoring and optimization are essential to ensure ServiceNow implementation performs at its best. ServiceNow’s Performance Analytics uses AI to provide predictive insights and proactive recommendations.

These features allow organizations to create dashboards and reports that visualize trends and performance metrics. AI-driven analytics help identify potential issues before they become critical, enabling proactive management and continuous improvement. You can use performance monitoring tools to track key metrics such as response times, incident resolution times and user satisfaction. Then, analyze the data to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Regularly update and optimize processes to ensure they remain efficient and effective.

Key Points:

• Monitor key performance metrics.
• Identify and address bottlenecks.
• Continuously optimize processes.

9. Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

ServiceNow implementation is not a one-time project; it’s an ongoing journey. Fostering a culture of continuous improvement within your organization is a critical best practice. Encourage user feedback, conduct regular reviews and implement changes that enhance the platform’s functionality and user experience. Also, stay updated with the latest ServiceNow features and best practices to ensure your implementation evolves with the platform.

Key Points:

• Encourage user feedback.
• Conduct regular reviews.
• Stay updated with the latest features and best practices.

10. Invest in Training and Development

To fully leverage ServiceNow’s capabilities, it’s essential to invest in training and development. Provide ongoing training sessions for administrators, developers and end-users. Encourage certification programs and continuous learning to update your team with the latest features and best practices. Well-trained personnel can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your ServiceNow implementation.

Key Points:

• Provide ongoing training for all users.
• Encourage certification programs.
• Promote continuous learning.

Red River’s SNOW as a Service (ServiceNow as a Service)

Following these ten best practices can help you maximize the potential of ServiceNow and ensure a successful implementation. Red River’s ServiceNow as a Service helps enterprise organizations create a robust and efficient ServiceNow environment that drives business success. Find out more.

Q&A

What are the security standards for ServiceNow?

ServiceNow adheres to stringent security standards to protect sensitive data and maintain the integrity of its platform. One of the core frameworks it follows is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines, particularly the NIST 800-53 security controls, which provide a comprehensive set of standards for protecting information systems. Additionally, ServiceNow complies with the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, an internationally recognized standard for information security management systems (ISMS). This certification confirms that ServiceNow has implemented rigorous security measures and practices to safeguard data and manage risks effectively.

Moreover, ServiceNow is compliant with various other industry-specific regulations and standards, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for healthcare data, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for data privacy in the European Union and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) for cloud services used by U.S. federal agencies. The platform also undergoes regular third-party audits and assessments to ensure ongoing compliance and to identify potential vulnerabilities. By adhering to these security standards and regulations, ServiceNow provides a secure environment for organizations to manage their IT services and operations, fostering trust and confidence in its robust security framework.

What kind of out-of-the-box functionality does ServiceNow offer?

ServiceNow offers a robust array of out-of-the-box (OOTB) functionalities designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses without the need for extensive customization. These pre-configured features cover a broad spectrum of IT service management (ITSM) processes, including incident, problem, change and service request management. The platform’s ITSM module comes with predefined workflows, forms, dashboards and reports that enable organizations to implement and use the system quickly. OOTB functionality accelerates deployment and helps businesses achieve immediate value by streamlining IT operations, improving service delivery and reducing downtime.

Beyond ITSM, ServiceNow provides OOTB capabilities for various other business functions. For instance, its Customer Service Management (CSM) module includes pre-built case management, knowledge management and customer portals to enhance customer service operations. The Human Resources Service Delivery (HRSD) module offers employee self-service portals, case management for HR queries and workflows for common HR processes like onboarding and offboarding. Additionally, ServiceNow’s IT Operations Management (ITOM) includes tools for event management, operational intelligence and service mapping, all designed to provide visibility into IT infrastructure and optimize performance.

These comprehensive OOTB functionalities enable organizations to leverage best practices and standard processes from the start, ensuring a more efficient and effective use of ServiceNow.