A framework for service modernization

It is important to understand two concepts before moving into the service modernization framework:

Service Delivery Platform: A service delivery platform is anything used to deliver a service or group of services. Service delivery platforms are not limited to digital platforms. A service delivery platform can be digital, as in the case of an application or portal like MS Office 365, or it can be physical, as in the case of a car maintenance or health care facility.

Service Delivery Debt: Service delivery debt is analogous to technical debt, it is the prospective cost of future refactoring or rework required to improve the quality of the service(s) being delivered. Debt is incurred when services are either built to be delivered in the most expedient way possible or are allowed to evolve organically as opposed to being deliberately and intentionally designed.

The Service Modernization Framework

Most organizations are delivering at least some services via legacy platforms that are complex and brittle. Organizations are unable to modernize the services they are delivering due to the people, process, and technology interdependencies and service delivery debt. Organizations typically attempt some form of lift and shift to move the existing services on to a new service delivery platform. As a result they continue to deliver the same flawed, outdated services and are unable to leverage the benefits of the new service delivery platform.

The Service Modernization Framework consists of five components:

• Service Abstraction

• User Research

• Service Orchestraction

• Service Standardization

• Service Delivery

Service Abstraction

The first step in service modernization is to separate the services into discrete components, separated from the service delivery platform and from other services being delivered on the platform. The service abstraction exercise should result in an inventory of services that could be delivered as standalone services.

Get away from platform or data centric biases by removing the platform from consideration

User Research

Next, the team must build a deep understanding of the needs and experiences of those involved in the

• Production

• Delivery

• Consumption

• Maintenance

of the services. 

Thorough research is required to understand how the services fit into the lives of the service participants. Jobs-to-be-done and Needs/value analysis are useful tool for understanding how the services fit into the lives of the participants.

Service Orchestration

The next step in the process is service orchestration. In this step the services are organized in a logical manner to deliver value to the participants based on their jobs to be done. Services are prioritized based on the value delivered. Services that do not deliver value are removed and services that deliver aligned value can be grouped. Service orchestration requires a systems view of the service experience that includes a front office, back office, and consumer perspective. People, processes, and any required technology should be intentionally designed to create the desired experience through the services being delivered.

Service Standardization

Service standardization is the process of ensure a consistency across all aspects of the service production, delivery, consumption, and maintenance experience. Hand-offs between groups in the organization should be seamless and invisible to the consumer of the services. Application UX should be standardized using a design system. For example, a user buying a new car should have consistent experiences when they take a new vehicle in for maintenance as they did when they purchased a new car.

Service Delivery

The final step in the service modernization framework is re-platforming the services with a focus on flexibility and agility. The services should be loosely coupled so changes to how a service or group of services are delivered can be made without required all services to be changed. If service abstraction and orchestration have been done properly, the new service architecture will support rolling out the new services over time.