2. Provide ITSM Instructions

Mapping the direction for ITSM means mapping a direction to help you truly get the most value from your portfolio, Alley said. That includes managing IT operations and efficiencies from current technology management functions, such as finance, that drive value and business enablement beyond IT efficiency toward requirements and objectives. The bottom line, Alley said, is taking the conversation one step further than operational efficiency to a deeper conversation around building true business value around IT.

"The ITSM instructions, it's really about proliferating the strategy that you're building upon through the whole organization. I see a lot of customers that stop in the IT efficiency part of IT. They gain something from that, but they never get the true value of the service management strategy," Alley said.