Dashboard   (Service Operation) A graphical representation of overall IT Service Performance and Availability. Dashboard images may be updated in real-time, and can also be included in management reports and web pages. Dashboards can be used to support Service Level Management, Event Management or Incident Diagnosis.
       
Data-to-Information-to-Knowledge-to-Wisdom (DIKW)   A way of understanding the relationships between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. DIKW shows how each of these builds on the others.
       
Definitive Media Library (DML)   (Service Transition) One or more locations in which the definitive and approved versions of all software Configuration Items are securely stored. The DML may also contain associated CIs such as licenses and documentation. The DML is a single logical storage area even if there are multiple locations. All software in the DML is under the control of Change and Release Management and is recorded in the Configuration Management System. Only software from the DML is acceptable for use in a Release.
       
Deliverable   Something that must be provided to meet a commitment in a Service Level Agreement or a Contract. Deliverable is also used in a more informal way to mean a planned output of any Process.
       
Demand Management   Activities that understand and influence Customer demand for Services and the provision of Capacity to meet these demands. At a Strategic level Demand Management can involve analysis of Patterns of Business Activity and User Profiles. At a Tactical level it can involve use of Differential Charging to encourage Customers to use IT Services at less busy times.

See Capacity Management.
        
Deming Cycle   Synonym for Plan Do Check Act.
       
Dependency   The direct or indirect reliance of one Process or Activity upon another.
       
Deployment   (Service Transition) The Activity responsible for movement of new or changed hardware, software, documentation, Process, etc to the Live Environment. Deployment is part of the Release and Deployment Management Process.

See Rollout.
        
Depreciation   (Service Strategy) A measure of the reduction in value of an Asset over its life. This is based on wearing out, consumption or other reduction in the useful economic value.
       
Design   (Service Design) An Activity or Process that identifies Requirements and then defines a solution that is able to meet these Requirements.

See Service Design.
       
Detection   (Service Operation) A stage in the Incident Lifecycle. Detection results in the Incident becoming known to the Service Provider. Detection can be automatic, or can be the result of a User logging an Incident.
       
Development   (Service Design) The Process responsible for creating or modifying an IT Service or Application. Also used to mean the Role or group that carries out Development work.
       

Development Environment   (Service Design) An Environment used to create or modify IT Services or Applications. Development Environments are not typically subjected to the same degree of control as Test Environments or Live Environments.

See Development.

Diagnosis   (Service Operation) A stage in the Incident and Problem Lifecycles. The purpose of Diagnosis is to identify a Workaround for an Incident or the Root Cause of a Problem.
       

Diagnostic Script   (Service Operation) A structured set of questions used by Service Desk staff to ensure they ask the correct questions, and to help them Classify, Resolve and assign Incidents. Diagnostic Scripts may also be made available to Users to help them diagnose and resolve their own Incidents.
       
Differential Charging   A technique used to support Demand Management by charging different amounts for the same IT Service Function at different times.
       
DIKW   Data-to-Information-to-Knowledge-to-Wisdom
       
Direct Cost   (Service Strategy) A cost of providing an IT Service which can be allocated in full to a specific Customer, Cost Center., Project etc. For example cost of providing non-shared servers or software licenses.

See Indirect Cost.
        
Directory Service   (Service Operation) An Application that manages information about IT Infrastructure available on a network, and corresponding User access Rights.
       
Do Nothing   (Service Design) A Recovery Option. The Service Provider formally agrees with the Customer that Recovery of this IT Service will not be performed.
       
Document   Information in readable form. A Document may be paper or electronic. For example a Policy statement, Service Level Agreement, Incident Record, diagram of computer room layout.

See Record.
        
Downtime   (Service Design) (Service Operation) The time when a Configuration Item or IT Service is not Available during its Agreed Service Time. The Availability of an IT Service is often calculated from Agreed Service Time and Downtime.
       
Driver   Something that influences Strategy, Objectives or Requirements. For example new legislation or the actions of competitors.

E

Early Life Support      (Service Transition) Support provided for a new or Changed IT Service for a period of time after it is Released. During Early Life Support the IT Service Provider may review the KPIs, Service Levels and Monitoring Thresholds, and provide additional Resources for Incident and Problem Management.
       
Economies of Scale   (Service Strategy) The reduction in average Cost that is possible from increasing the usage of an IT Service or Asset.

See Economies of Scope.
        
Economies of Scope   (Service Strategy) The reduction in Cost that is allocated to an IT Service by using an existing Asset for an additional purpose. For example delivering a new IT Service from existing IT Infrastructure.

See Economies of Scale.
        
eSCM-CL   eSourcing Capability Model for Client Organizations
       
eSCM-SP   eSourcing Capability Model for Service Providers
       
Effectiveness   (Continual Service Improvement) A measure of whether the Objectives of a Process, Service or Activity have been achieved. An Effective Process or Activity is one that achieves its agreed Objectives.

See KPI.
        
Efficiency   (Continual Service Improvement) A measure of whether the right amount of resources have been used to deliver a Process, Service or Activity. An Efficient Process achieves its Objectives with the minimum amount of time, money, people or other resources.

See KPI.
   
Emergency Change   (Service Transition) A Change that must be introduced as soon as possible. For example to resolve a Major Incident or implement a Security patch. The Change Management Process will normally have a specific Procedure for handling Emergency Changes.

See Emergency Change Advisory Board (ECAB).
        
Emergency Change Advisory Board (ECAB)   (Service Transition) A sub-set of the Change Advisory Board who make decisions about high impact Emergency Changes. Membership of the ECAB may be decided at the time a meeting is called, and depends on the nature of the Emergency Change.
       
Environment   (Service Transition) A subset of the IT Infrastructure that is used for a particular purpose. For Example: Live Environment, Test Environment, Build Environment. It is possible for multiple Environments to share a Configuration Item, for example Test and Live Environments may use different partitions on a single mainframe computer. Also used in the term Physical Environment to mean the accommodation, air conditioning, power system etc.

Environment is also used as a generic term to mean the external conditions that influence or affect something.
       
Error   (Service Operation) A design flaw or malfunction that causes a Failure of one or more Configuration Items or IT Services. A mistake made by a person or a faulty Process that impacts a CI or IT Service is also an Error.
       
Escalation   (Service Operation) An Activity that obtains additional Resources when these are needed to meet Service Level Targets or Customer expectations. Escalation may be needed within any IT Service Management Process, but is most commonly associated with Incident Management, Problem Management and the management of Customer complaints. There are two types of Escalation, Functional Escalation and Hierarchic Escalation.
       
eSourcing Capability Model for Client Organizations (eSCM-CL)   (Service Strategy) A framework to help Organizations. guide their analysis and decisions on Service Sourcing Models and Strategies. eSCM-CL was developed by Carnegie Mellon University.

See eSCM-SP.
        
eSourcing Capability Model for Service Providers (eSCM-SP)   (Service Strategy) A framework to help IT Service Providers develop their IT Service Management Capabilities from a Service Sourcing perspective. eSCM-SP was developed by Carnegie Mellon University.

Evaluation is also used to mean comparing an actual Outcome with the intended Outcome, or comparing one alternative with another.
       
Event   (Service Operation) A change of state which has significance for the management of a Configuration Item or IT Service.

The term Event is also used to mean an Alert or notification created by any IT Service, Configuration Item or Monitoring tool. Events typically require IT Operations personnel to take actions, and often lead to Incidents being logged.
       
Event Management   (Service Operation) The Process responsible for managing Events throughout their Lifecycle. Event Management is one of the main Activities of IT Operations.
       
Exception Report   A Document containing details of one or more KPIs or other important targets that have exceeded defined Thresholds. Examples include SLA targets being missed or about to be missed, and a Performance Metric indicating a potential Capacity problem.
       
Expanded Incident Lifecycle   (Availability Management) Detailed stages in the Lifecycle of an Incident. The stages are Detection, Diagnosis, Repair, Recovery, Restoration. The Expanded Incident Lifecycle is used to help understand all contributions to the Impact of Incidents and to Plan how these could be controlled or reduced.
       
External Customer   A Customer who works for a different Business to the IT Service Provider.

See External Service Provider, Internal Customer.
       
External Metric   A Metric that is used to measure the delivery of IT Service to a Customer. External Metrics are usually defined in SLAs and reported to Customers.

See Internal Metric.
        
External Service Provider   (Service Strategy) An IT Service Provider which is part of a different Organization to their Customer. An IT Service Provider may have both Internal Customers and External Customers.

See Type III Service Provider.
       

External Sourcing   Synonym for Outsourcing.

F

Facilities Management   (Service Operation) The Function responsible for managing the physical Environment where the IT Infrastructure is located. Facilities Management includes all aspects of managing the physical Environment, for example power and cooling, building Access Management, and environmental Monitoring.
       
Failure   (Service Operation) Loss of ability to Operate to Specification, or to deliver the required output. The term Failure may be used when referring to IT Services, Processes, Activities, Configuration Items etc. A Failure often causes an Incident.
       
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)   An approach to assessing the potential Impact of Failures. FMEA involves analyzing what would happen after Failure of each Configuration Item, all the way up to the effect on the Business. FMEA is often used in Information Security Management and in IT Service Continuity Planning.
       
Fast Recovery   (Service Design) A Recovery Option which is also known as Hot Standby. Provision is made to Recover the IT Service in a short period of time, typically less than 24 hours. Fast Recovery typically uses a dedicated Fixed Facility with computer Systems, and software configured ready to run the IT Services. Immediate Recovery may take up to 24 hours if there is a need to Restore data from Backups.
       
Fault   Synonym for Error.
       
Fault Tolerance   (Service Design) The ability of an IT Service or Configuration Item to continue to Operate correctly after Failure of a Component part.

See Resilience, Countermeasure.
        
Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)   (Service Design) (Continual Service Improvement) A technique that can be used to determine the chain of Events that leads to a Problem. Fault Tree Analysis represents a chain of Events using Boolean notation in a diagram.
       
Financial Management   (Service Strategy) The Function and Processes responsible for managing an IT Service Provider's Budgeting, Accounting and Charging Requirements.
       
First-line Support   (Service Operation) The first level in a hierarchy of Support Groups involved in the resolution of Incidents. Each level contains more specialist skills, or has more time or other Resources.

See Escalation.

Fishbone Diagram   Synonym for Ishikawa Diagram.
       
Fit for Purpose   An informal term used to describe a Process, Configuration Item, IT Service etc. that is capable of meeting its Objectives or Service Levels. Being Fit for Purpose requires suitable Design, implementation, Control and maintenance.
       
Fixed Cost   (Service Strategy) A Cost that does not vary with IT Service usage. For example the cost of Server hardware.

See Variable Cost.
        
Fixed Facility   (Service Design) A permanent building, available for use when needed by an IT Service Continuity Plan.

See Recovery Option, Portable Facility.
        
FMEA   Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
       
Follow the Sun   (Service Operation) A methodology for using Service Desks and Support Groups around the world to provide seamless 24 * 7 Service. Calls, Incidents, Problems and Service Requests are passed between groups in different time zones.
       
FTA   Fault Tree Analysis
       
Fulfillment   Performing Activities to meet a need or Requirement. For example by providing a new IT Service, or meeting a Service Request.
       
Function   A team or group of people and the tools they use to carry out one or more Processes or Activities. For example the Service Desk. The term Function also has two other meanings

An intended purpose of a Configuration Item, Person, Team, Process, or IT Service. For example one Function of an Email Service may be to store and forward outgoing mails, one Function of a Business Process may be to dispatch goods to Customers.
To perform the intended purpose correctly, "The computer is Functioning" 
       
Functional Escalation   (Service Operation) Transferring an Incident, Problem or Change to a technical team with a higher level of expertise to assist in an Escalation.