itSMF conference must-go for ITIL, best-practice framework adopters

While normally I don't put my stamp of approval on topics I cover, this week I have to tell readers if you are considering, in the midst of, or maturing your IT service management processes, you should put next year's itSMF USA conference on your list of must-go industry shows.

I feel I can say this objectively without causing a conflict of interest because the itSMF USA is an industry organization comprised of nearly 8,000 members working to educate peers about IT service management best practices. It's not a vendor-sponsored group; its mission is about improving the work environment of its members through information and experience sharing, training and conferences such as the one I attended last week. (There are other such groups worldwide, so if you are not based in the U.S. or North America check out the international groups.)

The main reason I recommend the conference to anyone looking to adopt frameworks such as ITIL, CoBIT, CMM and more, is because you don't hear a word about vendor technologies. Sometimes a logo slips into the presentation, but conference planners advise speakers against being technology or vendor specific when detailing their experience with process improvements. I actually always want to know such information, however. It's noteworthy because IT service management process adoption, regardless of framework, starts with defining the processes that fit your organization and then finding the tool that works well with the framework you've developed.

For instance, presenting company Mary Kay Cosmetics in Dallas works with BMC tools. Yet Mary Kay Technology Leader Steve Moore, who presented, didn't promote BMC to session attendees. He detailed his company's efforts in streamlining processes and added comments on the tools toward the end, because installing a tool and expecting processes to develop from there is not realistic. And BMC was the right fit for his company and his company's IT process improvements. It might not be right for all considering ITIL or other best-practice frameworks. And at a show like this, it's OK to say that.

The second reason I always put this show on my calendar is the content. Where else can you hear first-hand accounts of IT process improvements at Wells Fargo, State Street, State Farm, Carnegie Mellon University, Duke Medicine, Procter & Gamble, The Mayo Clinic, The Bank of New York, General Motors, GE and more (than I can cover at a show chock full of case study presentations or list here because I am just one person). That may be why companies send teams of IT service professionals to such shows to gather tips and lessons learned from presenters not afraid to share down to the most granular detail -- because they can. They aren't endorsing products, which many companies have strict policies against; they are there to explain their very complex approaches to process improvements.

This show represents a source of great knowledge on an important area of coverage, and for IT professionals it may become a tool that helps improve operations within their company for years to come. And it doesn't hurt that the group also managed to get Cal Ripken, Jr. to deliver a keynote address.

Also, I am aware that I don't get to a lot of other gatherings that showcase IT professionals sharing their experiences in such a manner. If I could, I would, trust me, but apparently even with all the technology I use to do my job well, I can't be in two places at once. If you are aware of such gatherings at a local, regional or national level, please share with me your favorites and why.

Denise Dubie is senior editor with Network World.