ISO 20000 Project
The biggest challenge when preparing for ISO 20000 is to identify what needs to change in your organization before it can be certified against ISO 20000.
Unfortunately, the standard itself only sets out the requirements which must be fulfilled. ISO 20000 demands that you design and implement a set of processes to meet the standard's requirements, but it does not provide much advice (the authors say it is "intentionally independent of specific guidance"). This is where the YaSM model comes into the picture:
We created the YaSM model with ISO/IEC 20000 in mind, and it's therefore the perfect starting point for developing ISO 20000 compliant processes:
- In particular, our service management reference model - the YaSM Process Map - contains all process and document templates you need for your ISO 20000 project.
- An additional component supports all steps of a typical ISO 20000 initiative: The YaSM - ISO 20000 Bridge links every single ISO 20000 requirement to one or several of those templates.
What are the key factors for success in ISO 20000 projects, and what are the benefits of using the YaSM service management model? The following examples describe typical use cases:
1. Understand what exactly it means to become ISO 20000 compliant
The YaSM® Process Map presents the ISO 20000 processes and their interactions in an easy to read, graphical way. You can start from high-level views and explore every process by drilling down into details.
This makes it possible for you to quickly understand what you have to achieve in order to become ISO 20000 compliant, and to make those requirements visible to everyone in your organization.
2. Develop ISO 20000 compliant processes for your organization
The YaSM® Process Map, together with the YaSM® - ISO 20000 Bridge, contains the full list of ISO 20000 requirements and describes how they are fulfilled by the YaSM processes.
Next to every requirement you will find links to reference process flowcharts (process templates), so for every ISO 20000 requirement you can instantly navigate to ready-to-use process diagrams (for example in Visio format). You can modify these process diagrams to develop tailor-made processes for your organization.
3. Design ISO 20000 compliant documents and records
In the context of an ISO 20000 certification audit, documents and records serve as evidence that a certain process is actually 'alive' and does not only exist on paper.
For instance, your auditor may look at your service agreements to check if your processes for defining services and signing agreements with customers are actually implemented and in use.
The checklists (document templates) included in the YaSM® Process Map are the perfect starting point for creating such ISO 20000 compliant documents and records.
4. Create high-quality process documentation
Typically, your ISO 20000 auditor will start by assessing your process documentation, which must provide documented evidence of your ISO 20000 processes. This documentation should be coherent and describe the process activities to be performed, including responsibilities, as well as the information flows between the processes.
The YaSM process templates were designed with this in mind, so you are sure to create high-quality process documentation.
You will even save a lot of time and effort during process documentation, as you modify existing process templates.
5. Make sure all staff have an understanding of the processes
Your auditor will check if staff are familiar with the documented ISO 20000 processes, so it's important the process documentation is easy to understand. Presenting the processes as diagrams, rather than difficult to read text, works best.
Using our process templates, you can ensure that everyone does not only know their immediate responsibilities, but also understand how their activities fit into the big picture.
6. Keep track of progress during the ISO20000 certification project
The YaSM® - ISO 20000 Bridge with its complete list of ISO 20000 requirements can also be used as a project dashboard - a tick-list where all conformant and non-conformant areas are marked.
You are ready for the certification audit when no non-conformant areas are left.
More about ISO 20000
- What is ISO 20000?
- FAQ: ISO 20000 certification
- The new edition of ISO 20000:2018
- How YaSM service management relates to ISO 20000
- Product page: The YaSM - ISO 20000 Bridge
Notes and references
Is based on: The YaSM - ISO 20000 Bridge.
By: Andrea Kempter 
and Stefan Kempter , IT Process Maps.
The cornerstones of successful ISO 20000 projects › Compliant processes › Compliant documents and records › Process documentation
