{"id":6626,"date":"2016-09-27T16:43:20","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T16:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multiacademstg.wpengine.com\/20000academy\/?p=6626"},"modified":"2025-03-07T12:05:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T12:05:14","slug":"how-to-structure-iso20000-documentation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/blog\/2016\/09\/27\/how-to-structure-iso20000-documentation\/","title":{"rendered":"How to structure ISO 20000 documentation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people identify ISO standards with a bunch of documents. Well, I have to admit that I understand that concern. If you just started reading the ISO 20000 standard\u2019s requirements, it may seems that you will be busy with producing documents for some time. Maybe you will, but that\u2019s also an opportunity to do more than just \u201cproduce documents.\u201d<\/p>\n

First of all, when starting the ISO 20000<\/a>\u00a0implementation, you have to define your own approach toward documents, which needs to be created in the scope of your Service Management System (SMS) \u2013 what is needed (i.e., must have vs. nice to have), in which scope, in which order to write the documentation, etc. By doing that, you will make your life easier. So, let\u2019s see how to decide which documents are needed and how to structure the SMS documentation set.<\/p>\n

What do I need?<\/h2>\n

ISO 20000 doesn\u2019t allow you to write the documents you\u2019d like to and omit the ones you don\u2019t. So, the logical question is \u2013 which documents do I need? To find the answer, ISO 20000 can be of great help. Why? Simply put, the standard requires that policies, plans, procedures, and records are documented. Further on, you will quite often find in the standard the word \u201cdocumented\u201d \u2013 meaning, you have to have recorded information for that requirement (either as a document or in the tool).<\/p>\n

ISO 20000 implementation, and the number of documents and records you need to create, depends on whether you use a tool or not. What\u2019s the trick? To be honest \u2013 there is no trick. If you have a tool, you will satisfy the need for recorded information (or documented information) for many ISO 20000 requirements. And, if you don\u2019t use a tool \u2013 OK, but you will need many more documents to fulfill all the requirements. For example, if you have a tool, that\u2019s where you will record your incidents and service requests. But, if you don\u2019t use a tool, then you have to find another way to record them (because it\u2019s required, as mandatory, by the standard). A spreadsheet will, at least for a smaller number of incidents<\/a> and service requests<\/a>, do.
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