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The second step is to conduct an objective current-state assessment of existing services and service management practices. This should include consideration of the users’ perception of the value being received, along with a review of people’s competencies and skills, the processes and procedures involved, the capabilities of the available technological solutions and the prevailing organizational culture. The success of an improvement initiative depends on a clear and accurate understanding of the starting point and the required impact of the initiative.

For example, an organization can measure the current net promoter score (NPS) from a customer satisfaction survey, conduct a benchmark survey against its competitors or review findings of operational statistics or audit reports to understand its current state. If this step is skipped, the current state will not be understood and there will not be an objective baseline measurement against which improvement can be measured.

The purpose of the continual improvement practice is to align the organization’s practices and services with changing business needs through the ongoing identification and improvement of services, service components, practices, or any element involved in the efficient and effective management of products and services1. This practice needs the right culture to be embedded across the entire organization, as it requires a shared vision, commitment, empowerment, collaboration, learning, and measurement2. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 15; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 34; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Continual Improvement, page 7.

The incident management practice aims to minimize the negative impact of incidents by restoring normal service operation as quickly as possible1. This practice involves logging, categorizing, prioritizing, investigating, resolving, and closing incidents2. The service desk practice provides a single point of contact for users and customers to report issues, make requests, or seek guidance1. This practice involves providing communication with users, capturing feedback, managing user satisfaction, and facilitating continual improvement3. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 14; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 32; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Incident Management, page 7.