Service Managers
Service managers
Service managers individually manage services. Ideally, the service manager would have the capability to deliver every element of their service - designing it, building or buying it, and then running it - however, in practice, they must build and manage a team capable of doing all of those things.
In some instances, Service Managers may be responsible for more than one service. Where that occurs, it is happenstance. The individual services maintain their independence from each other and any relevant allocations - staff, budget, etc should be maintained within each individual service.
Service managers:
- Are accountable for their service
- Use the allocated service budget wisely
- Build the team they need
- Decide the way they run their team
- Publish Correction of Error documents when problems arise
- Publish measurements for their service
- Highlight where their service is not meeting user needs
Service managers are accountable for their service
Each service has a contract that defines the service, the needs it meets, and how users consume it. Service managers are accountable for delivery against that contract. Within the bounds of that contract, they are free to deliver the service as they see fit. The service is autonomous and operates independently.
Service managers use the allocated service budget wisely
Each service is allocated a budget by the executive and is responsible for ensuring it is used wisely. This budget should allow the service manager to build the team they need and perform any activities needed for its lifecycle stage.
Service managers build the team they need
Services need different capabilities at different times. For example, a service in discovery will have more user researchers than a live service; a service in alpha or beta will probably have more developers than a service that is live.
It is up to the service manager to staff the team as they see fit, with the people they need to perform the required activities. The cost of the team needs to be met from the budget that the service has been allocated.
Members of the team are line-managed by the service manager, or by the management structure that the service manager puts in place. In all cases, the performance of team members should be considered in accordance with guidance from the community of practice that represents their profession.
Service managers decide the way they run their team
Different types of services require different approaches for different stages of evolution, and different lifecycle phases. A novel service that addresses user needs in a completely new way requires different project methodologies, people, and techniques from the operation of a product or the management of a contract from a third-party supplier.
For example, a service team building a beta web-based front-end that interacts with end-users requires a different set of approaches to an infrastructure cloud service that provides the front-end team with the machines it uses.
The service manager is accountable for deciding the most appropriate way to run their team for their particular service.
Service managers publish Correction of Error documents when problems arise
Building and running a service is challenging at times, and issues and problems occur regularly. To help the organisation learn in a methodical, systematic way, service managers write about the problems they face in Correction of Error documents.
Publish measurements for their service
Each service has relevant measurements recorded in its service contract. The service manager has to ensure that the values for those measurements are captured regularly, and reported in an appropriate way.
Highlight where their service is not meeting needs
In some cases, the users of a service may express a desire to have additional needs met by the service. The service manager should not unilaterally decide to meet those needs but should highlight the opportunity as it is presented to the executive during future Service Assessments.
Service manager role
Being a service manager is not a job, it is a role.
While some services may require specialist service managers frequently they start their careers in other professions. Consequently, a service manager may perform additional duties on a service team. For example, delivery managers and lead engineers both may be suitable candidates to perform the service manager role alongside their other duties.
Purpose
Each service has a contract that defines the service, the needs it meets, and how users consume it. Service managers are accountable for delivery against that contract. Within the bounds of that contract, they are free to deliver the service as they see fit. The service is autonomous and operates independently.
The service manager understands the service’s users. They are able to identify who they are and what their user needs are. They can translate user stories and propose or consider approaches to meeting these needs. They engage in meaningful interactions and relationships with users, always putting them first.
Responsibilities
The organisation’s executive requires services managers to:
- Use the allocated service budget wisely. Each service is allocated a budget by the executive and is responsible for ensuring it is used wisely. This budget should allow the service manager to build the team they need and perform any activities needed for its lifecycle stage.
- Staffing & line management. It is up to the service manager to staff the team as they see fit, with the people they need to perform the required activities. The cost of the team needs to be met from the budget that the service has been allocated. Members of the team are line-managed by the service manager, or by the management structure that the service manager puts in place. In all cases, the performance of team members should be considered in accordance with guidance from the community of practice that represents their profession.
- Choose appropriate methods. Different types of services require different approaches for different stages of evolution and different lifecycle phases. A novel service that addresses user needs in a completely new way requires different project methodologies, people, and techniques from the operation of a product or the management of a contract from a third-party supplier. The service manager is accountable for deciding the most appropriate way to run their team for their particular service.
- Publish Correction of Error documents. Building and running a service can be challenging, issues and problems occur regularly. To help the organisation learn in a methodical, systematic way, service managers write about the problems they face in Correction of Error documents.
- Publish measurements for the service. Each service has relevant measurements recorded in its service contract. The service manager ensures that the values for those measurements are captured regularly, and reported in an appropriate way.