Reader Question:  Should a Service Owner be focused only on the delivery of a service?

Third Sky Expert Answer:  

Kai Holthaus, Director of Consulting, Third Sky

No, the Service Owner’s responsibilities are much broader than that. The Service Owner role is similar to a “Product Manager” role in a traditional brick-and-mortar company. This means that a Service Owner’s responsibility starts when the service is merely proposed. The Service Owner retains overall responsibility for the service throughout the service’s life cycle, acting as a sponsor for the service as well as ensuring quality at any stage. A Service Owner oversees the strategy for the service, the design, the transition into operation, and the delivery and support of the service.

A Service Owner will also ensure that the service continues to meet customer requirements, and will be responsible for changing and improving all aspects of the service. This includes liaising with the Process Owners of the various IT Service Management processes, like Event Management, Incident Management or Configuration Management.

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