The IT Service Management Standard is published in two parts:

ISO/IEC 20000-1:2005  ITService Management Specification
ISO/IEC 20000-2:2005  ITService Management Code of Practice

Today’s organisations are becoming increasingly dependent upon their IT infrastructure and the information that this provides and supplies. These organisations continue to require increasingly advanced facilities that meet the needs of the business. The ever more competitive and cost-focused nature of today’s business environment means that the quality and cost effectiveness of IT services (and their management) is recognised as fundamental to an organisation's success.

IT Service providers can struggle to maintain high levels of service to their customers, particularly with the increasing diversity of technologies available. Often, too much time is spent working reactively with little time spent on planning, training, investigating and working with customers. At the same time these providers are also being asked for improved quality, lower costs and faster customer responses.

An integrated framework for delivering and managing IT services to the customer, can provide control, greater effectiveness and opportunities for improvement within the organisation. ISO/IEC 20000 (formerly BS 15000) represents such a framework.

What is an ITSMS?