Service Request or Change Record? The Grey Area Between

Keep It Simple

ITIL provides a framework not a doctrine. You may recall that on ITIL courses, debates arise due to ITIL interpretation varying between organisations. So the same set of steps may be classed as a Service Request in one business but as a Change record in the other. This is OK. Both businesses may have valid reasons for their approach. 

The definitions of Service Request  and Change - 

Service Request - A request from a user or a user’s authorized representative that initiates a service action which has been agreed as a normal part of service delivery.

Change - The addition, modification, or removal of anything that could have a direct or indirect effect on services.

- allow for some overlap (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1 - The grey area of overlap of Service Request and Change.

There are lots of Changes that will never be in that overlap. In practice, the overlap will predominantly be changes that arise from users approaching the service desk with Requests for Change. Since we expect the overlap to be user-driven requests, it may represent a way to influence Service Experience. The grey overlap in Figure 1 should be viewed as source of service improvement opportunity.  

It is a big jump to refactor a request from being handled as a Change to a Service Request. An intermediate step may be sensible. The progression from Change Request to Service Request may involve some time being a Standard Change. 

Standard Change - A low-risk, pre-authorized change that is well understood and fully documented, and which can be implemented without needing additional authorization.

Can you think of any examples of modifications in your business that have, over time, become Standard Changes or even Service Requests?

Examples will likely be generic requests for a resource or more resource. Maybe requests previously required a Change process approach to achieve budgetary approval.  But the availability of an Enterprise Resource Planning tool may enable budgetary authorisation to be streamlined - pre-approving small amounts. So a request for more space or access to a licensed software package may now be available via the request fulfilment. 

Conclusion

Those ITIL course discussions about the grey areas - the areas where there is debate about whether things are apples or oranges - are ripe for stimulating a service improvement conversation. The overlap areas may represent aspects of service that have become grey. This may have happened due to developments outside the scope of the service owner or even the business.  The overlap areas may be flags  indicating the prevailing wind. As such, they are worth noticing.

Related Topics - Shift Left; Agile; DevOps

Able-Blindness and Accessibility

 

The Telford Bridge connecting Dunkeld and Birnam

Able-blindness¹ is the overlooking of accessibility issues that do not affect oneself. The condition has a tendency to lessen with aging.

We all have a threshold at which we consider accessibility is compromised. Below this threshold there is a tendency for us to dismiss anything that is not a barrier for us. At our threshold we are challenged. Above our threshold we are excluded.

To illustrate, consider at the picture of Telford's Bridge at Dunkeld. The road and pathway rise to the centre of the bridge. The asphalt surface is relatively smooth, with no trip hazards. The footpath and the roadway narrow.  The gradient is approximately 10% for 50+ metres. 

Observing pedestrians who cross the bridge, their main concern is the proximity of traffic. It is rare to see anyone struggling to climb the slope. It would be tempting to think that adjustments are therefore not required and there is no issue.

This morning I was told a story about someone who visited Bilbao. This person observed lots of people in wheelchairs and wondered whether this was a demographic difference. Do more people in Bilbao require a wheelchair compared with the UK? The answer was no. There were fewer users of wheelchairs in Bilbao. The difference was, they could get out and about.

If you search online for pictures of Telford's Bridge, the majority will be the glorious, multi-arch view of the structure spanning the River Tay. But the picture above indicates a stark truth. The bridge is not accessible. 

The bridge gradient excludes some residents and visitors from active travel. This is not just users of wheelchairs. It includes those who can walk or cycle but for whom a prolonged 10% gradient is at or above their threshold. For them, the bridge is a barrier not a connector.

This blog is not about suggesting solutions but rather about reframing how we see or don't see our environment. Ideally, we can all reduce our able-blindness without losing our mobility.

Mapping Accessible Walking Paths

Introduction

The physical and mental health benefits of getting outside are now widely accepted. Charities such as Paths For All aim to help everyone to enjoy the benefits of walking.

A barrier to people getting out walking is not knowing what route may (am I permitted to) and can (am I capable to) I undertake. Thanks to Scotland's Outdoor Access Code, there are plenty of routes people may try. However some routes are harder than others and a big fear is that a route will be too difficult. How do you know if a path might be suitable? Is there a way to find out?

Difficulty grading exists for rock climbing, mountain biking and skiing were the number of routes is more limited. For walking, we have thousands of kilometres of paths. What grade guides exist?

In Scotland's upland area, WalkHighlands has a 1-5 boots grading. Forestry and Land Scotland has some excellent accessible paths and a useful grading within their forests. These are great but are localised away from centres of population. There is no standard across Scotland and the infrastructure to provide it is unlikely to come via private interests or government alone.

Crowdsourcing Path Data - OpenStreetMap

In a similar way to Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap crowdsources content. OpenStreetMap, though independent, is supported by some of the biggest companies including Apple and Microsoft. It is used by our own Ordnance Survey, along with outdoor names Strava, Komoot and AllTrails. It is also used by Pokemon Go.

The use of Phone Apps is not without its critics. This story "Concerns raised over crowdsourced maps used by popular hiking apps" illustrates the importance of both having and taking account of extra information on the suitability of a path. Of course, in the mountains one should always have and know how to use a physical map and compass. But walking does not and should not just be taking place in the mountains. It should be happening in our neighbourhoods. 

OpenStreetMap has approximately 20,000 km of path mapped already for Scotland. This does not include all the additionally mapped tracks such forestry tracks or city pavements. This represents a huge potential resource for people to enjoy the outdoors. 

The information on OpenStreetMap is free at the point of access. Companies like Strava charge for the added value, such as the heat maps, but the map information comes free from OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap provides a rich set of attributes for footways and paths:

• width 
• smoothness (useful for wheelchairs, buggies and bicycles)
• steps (include how many and if there are handrails)
• incline (gradient %)
• trail visibility
• hiking grade (use the Swiss Alpine Club Grade)
• access (tag for legal aspects of access)

However, these attributes are not always mapped. If and when they are mapped, these data can assist people seeking an achievable walk.  The data also aids identification for targeted path funding to achieve the largest social impact. 

Around Dunkeld, in Perthshire, an effort to provide this information has reaped results. In Figure 1, we can see that the area is well served for easy hiking. Paths which need more outdoor experience are shown in orange. The red section represents a difficult route that utilises a hazardous watercourse tunnel under the A9. 

Figure 1 - Paths around Dunkeld showing accessibility grading

The mapping in the Dunkeld area will assist the local Community Action Plan in articulating issues most relevant to residents - for example poor wheelchair access and safer junctions. It has already assisted in identifying the absence of pedestrian workarounds when a pedestrian bridge and embankment were washed away in the October 2023 floods.

How Well Tagged Are Scotland's Paths?

Since 2021, the tagging of hiking grade information has increased in some areas. For example, Stirling has 13% of paths graded whereas Perth and Kinross has 11% graded. In contrast, the Highlands (which accounts for nearly half of mapped path distance in Scotland) has just 1.5% of paths graded (data from https://dashboard.ohsome.org). 

Figure 2 An easy hiking grade path through a beautiful woodland.

One of these updated paths is shown in Figure 2. It has a "hiking" tag and a width of 0.5m. The surface is tagged as "dirt". Whilst it is not wheelchair accessible the section pictured is achievable for most walkers. This attractive path is not part of a well-known circuit and without mapping fewer people will benefit.

Does Having Better Path Information Increase Healthy Outdoor Activity?

Online map data is an enabler - multi-million pound companies like Apple, Microsoft and Google know this. Residents of Dunkeld and Birnam will testify to the high numbers of walkers and mountain bikers out enjoying the paths. Does popularity cause better maps or do good maps lead to popularity? It is more likely both - a positive feedback loop.

Studies indicate exercise, particular outdoors, is beneficial for physical and mental health (see Useful Links below).  It is not unreasonable to believe better path information will enable an increase in path usage, and thereby positively influence health.

Challenges On The Road Ahead?

If we assume that having better access to path information is an enabler for walking, the biggest challenge is increasing the contributions and accuracy of path information. To do this effectively will require crowd-sourcing. New contributors will need to be identified, trained and mentored to help their community map. The new contributors will have to survey the paths, and do so with empathy for those with different  accessibility needs. (See this blog post for more thoughts).

Conclusion

Just as Pokemon-Go inspired many young people to go explore their local area, could community mapping tap into a similar enthusiasm? Perhaps some people who may be attracted to mapping would not otherwise consider walking for enjoyment in the outdoors. The activity could enrich their outdoor experience.

Mapping projects need not be solely be about paths. It may be easier to start mapping amenities such as toilets, play parks, litter bins, benches or whatever is valuable to your community.

The one thing that is certain, with big players sponsoring OpenStreetMap's community, crowd-sourced model, the platform is here to stay. So why not look into the beginners guide today?

Useful links

1. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/ has lots of documentation on using and contributing to your community's map. 
2. https://hiking.waymarkedtrails.org/ may have some routes near you. 
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36767034/ describes benefits of outdoor exercise in systematic review.
4. https://mapcomplete.org/ is a useful tool for searching the map for benches, water points or other amenities.

Consider "Utility" and "Warranty" in your ITIL Change Taxonomy

Photo of Street art in Belfast - "The Only Constant is Change"
Copyright 2024 James Jarvis, licensed use

ITIL defines a Change as "The addition, modification, or removal of anything that could have a direct or indirect effect on services."¹

If you are a Change Manager, you will know that every Change is different. For processing and reporting we tag Changes with additional metadata that makes our reporting more instructive and guides process flow. For example we may tag as a Minor or Major Change. If urgent, we may tick the Emergency Change  box. Your service management tool may have other metadata tags recording the requester, service business priority etc.

If you are not already doing so, then consider adding Utility and Warranty as metadata tags to aid handling and inform Continual Improvement. 

Utility can be summarized as ‘what the service does’ and can be used to determine whether a service is ‘fit for purpose’.² 

Warranty typically addresses such areas as the availability of the service, its capacity, levels of security, and continuity.²

Improvements in Utility and/or Warranty result in creation of value,  which is what we wish to gain through Change. Value to the business is why Changes are authorised.

By classifying using Utility and/or Warranty tags, we gain an ITIL-aligned way to filter changes and thus guide us through Change and Release processes. By differentiating based on whether Utility or Warranty is being changed or not, we create ITIL-specific subsets of Changes. The set of triggers for how we handle the changes, the stakeholders and the actions are clearer. 

How Does Tagging Affect Change Process Flow

The following table indicates how Utility and Warranty tags are useful for informing what considerations are required for a change to be successful.

	Utility Changing?	Warranty Changing?
Typical originator of request?	Customer or client	Service Provider, Upstream Vendor
Impact on Users	Immediate, user experience directly changes	May be negligible
Impact on Service Desk	High	Low
Impact on Service Provider	May incur early life support costs	Efficiency gains
User Acceptance Testing	Required	Not required
User communication plans	Extensive, active communication.	Passive communication may suffice if no downtime.
Typical documentation updates required	User Manuals, Service Desk, Knowledge Management	Service Design Package
Suitable for templated Standard Change?	Maybe	Yes

Feedback

I would be interested to hear your comments on the value of using Utility and Warranty as tags on Change records. Do you use them? Do use the subtags of Warranty such as Security? Does your ITSM tool allow you to add tags?

Please let me know if there is anything missing or that should not be included.

References

1. Change Enablement - ITIL^® V4 Practice Guide, Axelos
2. Service Level Management - ITIL^® V4 Practice Guide, Axelos

Created Wednesday 12 June - edited Thursday 13 June.

Scottish Islands Peaks Race 2010 - The Squeeky Mouse that rOARED!!!

Those dark winter days spent in the office desk under fluorescent lights are when the dreams of adventure come... in the form of an email that gets through the spam and "never-ever-again" filters. After last year's ordeal of Survival around the Mull one could be forgiven for hitting the delete key...

The glory team of last year on Marisca had split. Olly Stephenson chose the (easier?) option of the Paddy Buckley round in North Wales (60 miles, 28000 feet of climb and 47 summits). Debbie MacDonald had decided to compete in the tourist class as a runner this year. And Alastair was taking his yacht Marisca on a therapy tour of the Clyde in attempt to banish the flashbacks to '09!

So only Chris 'Doc' Oliver and I were left from last year's Class 3 winning team. The search for a all-rounder crew team for Chris's good yacht Mara began. A SIPR sailing veteran Dougie Bell was joining us, but for him running was new experience. We also had SIPR newbees Caroline Coyle and Abby White signed up, although with a week to go Abby had to pull out.

Salvation came in the shape of Ramon Garcia, the right man at the right time. Although new to the SIPR he came with impressive credentials - Mont Blanc Challenge being serious stuff!

So the team Squeeky Mouse was in place for Scottish Islands Peaks Race 2010. Why Squeeky Mouse? The Squeeky Mouse was a much sought after hill running prize for the (slowest) combined times for Manor Water and Pentland Skyline hill races. Chris and Caroline had vied for that title the previous year...

Oban

Arriving with Ramon by train on Thursday night we met up with the crew at Oban. Chris, Dougie and Caroline were already there. We were getting some amused looks from the other teams as glam Caroline had a flower in her hair, pink suitcase on wheels and other baggage more suited for a Caribbean cruise than a yacht race...

Once we had all our luggage on the yacht we had a wee dram (all except the teetotal Ramon) and undertook to approach the race with a "let's finish rather than be competitive..." attidude. Hmmm...!

Nervous

Friday morning, race about to start as we picked up some last provisions from Oban Tesco. Caroline notices that I was rather nervous.

Caroline: "Why are you nervous?"

Me: "Because I have done the race before!"

Caroline was recovering from a knee operation. Dougie had not run further than 14 miles. Ramon was hopefully fine but in many ways an unknown. Chris occasionally mentioned his plantar fasciitis and I was recovering from a wipe out in the Ben Lomond Race. Sea-sickness was probably the least of my worries!

Off To A Crawling Start

The Oban Run passed unevently. The slippy steps caught some other poor runner this year! We were soon backt to Mara and underway - slowly!

Chris and Dougie had fixed rollocks on so we could row and row we did. We crept passed several yacht out of Oban harbour, probably about half-way up the fleet that was busy dodging the CalMac Ferries!

The sail up the Sound of Mull was slow but very beautiful. The Morvern coast rising on one side, Mull on the other. The yachts with spinnakers just about filling looked like so many colourful flowers drifting across a pond. The Bristol Pilot Cutter looked stunning with its yellow hull and many sails. Dougie put Chris's Runrig CD on which blasted out as we passed rival yacht from last year Ogun. We would see a lot of them over the next 70 hours...

Ben More in the Dark

Caroline, Ramon and I set out from Salen on the Mull leg. It was getting late.

"We should slow down and keep a steady pace so we can pass runners on the return."

"Not that we are competitive?"

"No, I am not competitive..."

We reached the summit of Ben More in the gloaming. The final scramble to the summit was a new experience for Caroline. The descent into the dark proved interesting. Ogun's runners joined us. The checkpoint in on the Dhiseig Burn appeared to be lower than it should according to Ramon's fancy altimeter watch. It usually is!

It was headtorches now as we we contoured round the head of Gleann na Beinne Fhada to the col. The descent into Glen Clachaig was slow. Caroline yelped in peril... only for us to be told she had seen a toad!

Sail to Jura - Whirlpools and Sea Creatures

Back on the yacht Dougie and Chris had a fantastic meal of Caroline's lasagne warm and ready for us. The runners got some rest as Dougi and Chris inched us back down the Sound of Mull.

Rising from slumber to find we were still in the Sound and just approaching Duart Castle with yachts all around spurred us into some rowing action. Out with oars, Ramon and I - though not competitive(!) - were willing and eager. Passing other yachts a fair amount of banter was exchanged. In particular, a rivalry between ourselves and Ogun, who were not even in our Class, arose...

Tide was helping us along to the Sound of Luing but progress was slow. Behind us, many yachts were still stuck by Duart Point and we were leaving them far behind. Helming through the Sound was a thrilling roller coaster as the sea, other calm, boiled in the tidal races. Soon the Gulf of the Corrievreckan, famous for its whirlpool was to our starboard. We passed it.

By now the tide was changing. As evening approached we needed to get out of the counter-tide and we rowed to a safe anchorage of Lussa Bay, out of sight of the pursuing yachts. A very quick swim to wash off the Mull mud was most refreshing.

At 1 am the alarm went off. The tide was turning back in our favour as Chris, rudely awakened, came up one deck. The anchor was lifted and we rowed silently out with the stealth of Jason on the Argo so as not to alert the serpent fleet behind.

As the tide and the very slight wind pulled us to Craighouse, dolphins came to play with Mara. Maybe five of them, their paths marked by the phosphorescence in the dark water, escorted us along. It was a magical moment. Too dark for the camera - but all the more special for that.

As daylight came Mischief was catching us as we rowed in past the Small Isles. Coming into Craighouse their dinghy work meant they arrived ashore ahead of us. Caroline, Chris, Ramon and I were ashore and heading for the kit check.

Paps of Jura - Snakes and Eagles

Jura is another world. The kit check was thorough. It needs to be. Jura is very remote and very rugged. There are no paths.

Climbing in the warm sun up from the burial ground at Keils we were making steady progress. Overhead an eagle soared and our eyes followed it. "Watch out!" There on our path was an adder, Britain's only venomous snake, right by our feet - hissing. After that we proceeded with more caution, only for another to appear even closer hissing at Chris' ankles as he cleared the trail.

A team of runners passed us and then took a low line. We met them again by the Lochan on the ridge before the first Pap. Navigation, slow and steady, makes a difference on the Paps.

The first Pap rose above us like an impenetrable fortress. At first glance there appears no way up but by following dribbles of heather between the scree it is possible to make steady progress to the ridge. The descent however is something else, riding the scree down. Chris likened it to skiing and was an instant convert. Ramon took it steadily. For Caroline it was a whole new world that her mother would never believe...

The next Pap was similar, with a tough descent but the final one had two teams waiting on the summit - one of them Ogun's runners. They joked they were waiting for someone to show them the way off. One team took their own line and Ogun's runners followed us in search of the "Golden Scree Run". Dropping through a hollow further along the ridge we found the line. The trodden scree is yellower than that around - truly golden amidst the bigger, more difficult boulder scree. We descended steadily, Chris loving it and preferring the scree to any line of heather. "Easier on the knees." he said...

The return run from the loch at the foot of the last Pap is in two stage - across the moorland and then along the road. Caroline set a scorching pace over the moorland, sinking deep into the boggy sections. Reaching the road we washed off in the river before heading along the road. Caroline was tiring. Ramon and Chris forged ahead. When they stopped we thought they were waiting for us. Perhaps they were or perhaps the topless bathers had caught their eye... Oh, well. Without a Caroline, Ogun's runner behind us might be more delayed!

With the finish in sight Ogun's runners were catching us but with a final effort Caroline kept going to hold them off. Then, in the community hall she disappeared to "freshen up" with proper plumbed facilities available!

Around The Mull

Heading southwards the wind was picking up. For the first time Mara started to fly along, exceeding its hull speed as we planed along at up to 7.1 knots. Caroline in her Princess forecabin emerged looking green. Both her and Dougie were sick. Ramon and I got our heads down and slept through the worst of rough sea. It was a rough night for Dougie and Chris on deck. Cold too.

At 3am, Monday, I joined them in the cockpit. Sanda was now behind us . Dougie went below to get some shut-eye before his Arran run. Chris slept in the cockpit while I helmed a 60 degree course for Pladda. Alongside Ogun was struggling. We passed as they fought their spinnaker. Being no sailor and having two sailors exhausted, sticking with the sails as set seemed the sensible gamble. We were at least making progress. At Pladda, Ramon rose and made Chris and me tea and a roll. Very welcome.

Ramon took the helm with Chris. and tacked into Lamlash at about 9am.

Arran Run

Ramon, Dougie and I set off from Lamlash. we were warned about dehydration as we would be running through the middle of the day. We ran the flat and downhill and walked up all the hills. Dougie was motivated to beat Chris's time from last year. (In fairness to Chris he had ran in the dark in foul weather).

In many respects Arran and Goatfell are a doddle. However lack of sleep and cumulative exhaustion of running, rowing and sailing mean that it is still arduous. Navigation though is very simple (in daylight at least) and the compass did not come out of the bag.

With fluids and issue, the cleaner mountain streams proved a real saving. We met several teams who had motored - they were out on the hill for experience.

Descending Goatfell, Dougie set a blistering pace for a non-runner. It took its toll as his knee started to ache. Gamely he ran on the flat bits through Brodick. At Prospect Hill we stopped for him to cool his knee in streams.

Phoning ahead, we startled Chris and Caroline by being early. They had not even put the pasta on!

We finished and rowed out to the yacht, parched with thirst. Unfortunately the boat was out of water - perhaps used to salve the scalding Caroline received from the pasta - so we were forced to resort to beer. Tough life!

Sail To Troon

The sail to Troon was fantastic. The wind was set fair. We had no yachts close. At the marina, dashing up to the offices, we arrived 14 minutes before the 1800hrs cut off time and only 28 minutes behind Ogun.

Amazingly, we were third place in the all-rounders class and 14th boat overall! But most of all, we were finishers of one of the most amazing and varied challenges available. We were the "Squeeky Mouse That rOARED!!!"

Thanks

Thanks are due to our crew: Chris, Dougie, Ramon and Caroline; the organisers and marshalls: many, many thanks; and most of all my family for letting me go.

Links

Scottish Islands Peaks Race