I always complain to myself on how I just don’t ever seem to getting around to making a task or “to do” list.  The problem isn’t that I have nothing to do, it’s more like I have a lot to do and they’re all in different directions (common mistake with living in both Problem and Incident Management).  On this particular morning I was getting quite heavily down on myself and a nice memory came to mind about something my manager said a few days ago.  We were talking about a particular project manager in our department and my supervisor made a comment that went along the lines of “he just wants to check one more thing off his task list.”  At first I was feeling pretty damn crummy for not keeping a better task list so I can actually check things off, but this morning I realized task lists really don’t fit into my ITIL world.  In fact, I don’t know if they necessarily fit into ITIL or ITSM at all.  Please understand I’m not saying you shouldn’t be organized and start the day each morning with a set goals for the day (or in my case temporary goals since they always change), but I am saying that IT Service Management and Service Improvements are not items to be marked off of a list.  In fact, a continual theme I hear is the need for always going back to make improvements.  Hmmm….continual and service improvements; this is starting to sound familiar.  I think the Project Management world is great – it’s really an efficient and organized way of getting things accomplished, especially with big initiatives.  But IT Service Management doesn’t run from a task list.  I can lay out a set of items to complete that should increase customer satisfaction or decrease first call resolution, but if the metrics and KPI’s aren’t changing the way that they should, then it’s back to the drawing board.  In fact, even if they do change and reach projected levels I still have to go back to the drawing board because now I want those levels to be maintained.  So why don’t I keep a task list?  It’s not because I’m disorganized or I’m on Facebook all day (thank you Zuckerburg for such an addictive drug), it’s because I want to maintain the flexibility in my job for change in order to meet my ultimate goals, which (hopefully) are the same as the business.  So if you’re a Project Manager and are reading this (thank you by the way since not many people come here), I hope you don’t get offended that I don’t like task lists; they’re just not for me.

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Started working in IT in 1999 as a support desk analyst as a way to help pay for food during college. Studied Electrical Engineering for two years before realizing biochemistry was more fun than differential equations, and so ultimately graduated with a Biology degree in 2006. Having (reluctantly) failed at getting accepted into dental school, embraced working in IT and has gone broke becoming an ITIL Expert. Likes to jog, sing camp songs, quote Mel Brooks movie lines and make dumb jokes and loves working for an Israeli tech company where December 25th is a regular work day.