There is a very interesting trend in the professional writings of the IT industry. The trend is use of terms that have traditionally existed as verbs to be used as nouns, or traditionally nouns and used as verbs. In other words, there is confusion between the action and the result.
In many ways, the computing industry is almost like a parallel universe, where the logic of everything is the opposite from the logic of our traditional universe. The nature of the industry might be causing the confusion. After all, it is the first industry where the output of the “techno” (Latin for value added by the machine) action is primary and the “techne” (Latin for value added by the human) action is secondary.
Perhaps the confused writings are the result of the type of personality drawn to such an industry; and for some reason, either they are un-able to separate the process from the product, or they tend to reverse the roles, using terms traditionally defined to represent “products”, to represent “processes”, or visa versa.
While this was very common for the last two decades when the term “project” as in “project management” was used to represent a type of product, after more than one hundred years of use to represent a type of process.
Today, in many writings regarding service management, either Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) or Business Service Management (BSM), the term “service” is used to describe either a process or a system, even though it has been used traditionally for more than on e hundred years to represent the product of a process or system.
Products are always the result of a process. There are two types of product (goods or services) and four types of process (artisan, project, operation or automated). Any of the four processes can be used to create either of the two products.
Type One processes are temporary and ad-hoc, for unique or customized efforts of inventing something. Products (goods or services) delivered via this process are one of a kind. For example, type one processes are used to capture the likeness of an individual in a painted portrait.
Type Two processes are temporary, plan-able and control-able efforts. Products delivered with this type of processes are customized derivatives of an original created by the type one process. For example, type two processes are used in Restaurant Service situations, where customers control requirements and providers control delivery.
Type Three processes are on-going, plan-able, control-able and repeat-able efforts. Products delivered with this type of process are commoditized (not customized) replicas of an original. For example, type three processes are used in the original telephone service, when individual operators where used to make the person-to-person connections.
Type Four processes are the same as Type Three processes, with one exception – no people. For example, type four processes are used in “Self-Service” situations, where customers control the delivery of service benefit.
A service is not a type of process or system; it is the result of a process or system. Service is the benefit consumed by the individual. For example, the ability to communicate a written message is the benefit of post office or e-mail. When used in the title of a person or organization, it is used to communicate expectations. Postal Service does not mean the post office is the service, it means they provide the service.
Service Managers are a type of Product Manager. They are responsible to ensure that the service delivered to the consumer meets the expectations of the consumer. It does not mean they manage the processes, systems or operations that deliver the service.
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