4.5.1 Glossary (A-C)

  • Access to Resources: Granting rights/licenses to use provider resources (part of Service Offering).
    • Practical Context: Managing user permissions, software licensing.
  • Change: The addition, modification, or removal of anything that could have a direct or indirect effect on services.
    • Practical Context: Any modification to the IT environment, from a server patch to a new application deployment.
  • Change Authority: Person or group who approves a change before it is deployed. Assigned per change type/model.
    • Practical Context: The person or committee responsible for reviewing and approving changes to minimize risk.
  • Change Enablement: Practice: Maximize successful IT changes via risk assessment, authorization, scheduling.
    • Practical Context: The process and activities used to manage changes in your organization.
  • Change Schedule: Used to plan changes and help avoid conflicts.
    • Practical Context: A calendar or list showing planned changes to the IT environment.
  • Configuration Item (CI): Any component that needs to be managed in order to deliver an IT service.
    • Practical Context: Servers, applications, network devices, documentation – anything you track to manage your services.
  • Continual Improvement: Practice: Align practices/services with changing business needs. Everyone's responsibility. Decisions based on accurate, analyzed data. Uses CIR.
    • Practical Context: The ongoing effort to make things better in your team and organization.
  • Continual Improvement Register (CIR): Database/document to track and manage improvement ideas.
    • Practical Context: A backlog or list of potential improvements.
  • Cost: Amount of money spent. Consumer evaluates costs removed vs. costs imposed.
    • Practical Context: Financial considerations of services, from operational costs to the cost savings a service provides to the business.
  • Customer: Person who defines requirements and takes responsibility for outcomes.
    • Practical Context: The business unit or external client who uses the service and is concerned with its impact.
  • Customer Engagement (in SLM): Active listening/discovery (e.g., asking about goals) before service definition/measurement.
    • Practical Context: Proactively working with customers to understand their needs and expectations for a service.