Inetum, a company offering specialized services and solutions around the ServiceNow platform, has a podcast series, The Flowdown, which is back with its fourth episode – diving into the real-world challenges of managing the ServiceNow platform. Inetum’s work with ServiceNow primarily benefits organizations across various industries, particularly those looking to enhance their IT and business operations through automation and digital workflows.
Hosted by Jack Williamson, Managing Consultant at Inetum, this episode is titled “Value Over Volume – Using SPM to Ensure the Right Work Gets Done.” It features two experts in ServiceNow’s Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) capability: Rick Ward, ServiceNow EMEA Practice Lead, and Phil Bool, Inetum ServiceNow SPM Architect.
ServiceNow’s SPM is increasingly vital for organizations aiming to align their work with strategic transformation objectives, especially in a market where demonstrating rapid ROI is crucial. It provides a structured approach to decision-making, allowing organizations to identify projects that offer the most value. It is important to trust data to make informed decisions, with Ward suggesting there is a need for a “single version of the truth.” Proper implementation and continuous evaluation of SPM are crucial for avoiding “bad value” and ensuring investments are in the right work.
Defining Value Beyond Cost Savings
Value, according to Ward, isn’t just about cost savings – it’s about aligning with an organization’s strategic objectives. He says: “I see more and more customers talking about value linked almost synonymously with outcome.” For any organization, defining value is crucial as it shapes strategic decisions and priorities, influencing the path forward.
Adding to this, Bool said the long-term benefits of investing in specific technologies, even when they don’t offer immediate returns. He explains: “An organization could be investing really heavily in a specific piece of technology and it may not feel like immediate value because of the cost – but if it actually takes them toward delivering a strategic objective that sets their enterprise at the very top level – then that journey has enormous value for the enterprise as a whole.”
It’s arguably a good shift in perspective to take – showing the importance of aligning technological investments with strategic goals to maximize enterprise-wide benefits.
The Role of ServiceNow’s SPM in Achieving These Goals
With ServiceNow’s SPM specifically designed to align work with strategic objectives, businesses can ensure that every effort contributes to their broader goals.
Ward says: “We think about SPM in a strategy layer, alignment layer and then the execution (or the delivery layer).” This structured approach provides a roadmap for decision-making, helping organizations prioritize projects that deliver the most value.
A key factor in SPM’s success is gaining organizational buy-in and proper implementation. Ward points out: “SPM is providing you with that single version of the truth. How do you get to that point? You need to trust the data. You need to trust the data to make informed decisions.” For Ward, this trust in data is critical for ensuring that the right choices are made, grounded in reliable insights.
Implementing SPM, however, is not a one-time effort. It requires ongoing planning, evaluation and adjustment to ensure that value is continuously delivered. This is where, as Bool warns, businesses should avoid falling into the trap of “bad value,” where efforts fail to align with strategic priorities.
Bool says: “If you have sunk a project, have the confidence to stop. SPM is designed to facilitate that.”
It’s important to mention here, that continuous feedback loops and course corrections are essential to maintaining alignment with long-term goals.
By aligning projects with strategic objectives, organizations can better ensure that they are investing in the right work and achieving meaningful outcomes.
As Bool succinctly puts it: “Get that visibility up the tree, not down, and all of a sudden you’ve got a set of assessments of your demands that really enable you to invest in a way that will deliver that value.”
What’s clear is that by focusing on the right work and making data-driven decisions, organizations can ensure they are on the path to achieving significant outcomes and, as this episode of Inetum’s ‘The Flowdown’ highlights, ServiceNow’s SPM is doing just that by helping users understand the real ‘value’ of their investments.
