How to Protect the Viability of Your IRM Implementation

ServiceNow Integrated Risk Management (IRM) is a proven game-changer for organizations across a variety of industries, but it can also require a non-insubstantial amount of time, energy, and dollars to implement. Similar to purchasing a home, there are on-going maintenance and preventative care activities you can do to ensure the longevity of your platform and maximize the returns received from your investment.

Without intentional enrichment, the applications may become stale, unworkable, or difficult to support. Fortunately, this is avoidable through a proactive approach to the solution lifecycle. Employing the following tactics will protect the viability of your implementation for the long-term, expanding the value received from the platform while preserving the existing processes it was designed to carry out in the first place.

Evolve Workflows and Automations Based on Feedback. Even the best implementations will need adjustment over time to align with corresponding changes in the operating environment, whether it be the introduction of new service lines or revised organizational priorities. Additionally, workflow configurations and automations may need alteration based on feedback received from the workforce. These enhancements would include items like clarifying notification text, building new reports, changing approval protocols, or removing process friction points.

Increase Value by Leveraging Accumulated Data. Like a fine wine, some areas within ServiceNow will improve as the solution ages and more information becomes available. For example, as the platform is used the additional data can be leveraged to design, build, and refine key performance and risk indicators. These KPI’s and KRI’s can provide a glimpse into workflow efficiency and organizational risk posture that wasn’t available at initial go-live.

Incorporate Platform and Application Updates. For the most part, the core functionality and data architecture within ServiceNow’s Integrated Risk Management (IRM) application suite are stable. However, like any quality SaaS provider, ServiceNow is continuing to strengthen and enhance its product offering with new features and platform updates (approximately twice per year). Accordingly, it’s important to have a process in place to evaluate new features as they are released and incorporate desired capabilities into your workflows. This will ensure you are continuing to maximize the value received from your application subscription.

Leverage Sound Implementation & Upgrade Practices. Platform upgrades must occur in order to bring this new functionality into your ServiceNow environment, and to ensure your application is running on a supported build. There are two categories of updates, and each can be carried out independently: platform version and application version. In either case, it’s imperative to have effective procedures in place to ensure a seamless process. It starts with the original configuration: sound techniques and tactics must be used as part of the initial implementation to enable a clean upgrade path in the first place. Secondly, it’s important for parties knowledgeable of the IRM application functionality be involved in the upgrade cycle to preserve and validate the operation of pre-existing workflows (i.e., regression testing).

In many of these use cases, it can be tremendously helpful to have dedicated support with functional knowledge in the IRM space. Utilizing a combination of domain and technical expertise will help prevent mission drift and ensure your program is being steered in the direction you want it to, not simply kept afloat.

Is your support team bogged down with requests and unable to keep up with growing demand? Does it seemingly take weeks or longer for simple feature changes? If you would like on-going support with the development and maintenance of your Integrated Risk Management (IRM) applications, please reach out to info@lionwarellc.com.

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