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ServiceNow London Release: New Features and What to Look Out For

Written by Charan Sai Dasagrandhi | Aug 13, 2024 3:39:00 PM

With each ServiceNow release offering some major breakthroughs in service industry operations and delivery efficiencies, much has been speculated on upcoming ServiceNow London version (scheduled to release in 3rd quarter-2018). To clear the assumptions on the capabilities of ServiceNow London, here we list out the new features ServiceNow London is to offer.

1. Fully Agile Process With Unified Backlog

In ServiceNow’s previous versions, all tasks and records were dispersed at different locations. Every update required the user to spend extra time traversing through different locations to check issues, incident tasks and so on. This was a waste of time for the users.

ServiceNow's latest version, London solves this with Unified Backlog applications. Unified backlogs provide a collective area to view all stories. This avoids crossing through various catalog items within the portal. Users can prioritize and assign different tasks to respective people while staying in one location. This saves the time wasted in translating records into stories.

Users are free to setup Triage board based on specific criteria (like, change requests, problems reported and so on) and records are dynamically updated in the triage boards.

2. Continual Improvement Management (CIM)

The Continual Improvement Management application is used to identify and address the gaps in the task progress. This application ensures transparency to track the overall process flow. The single improve register feature lets the user track, locate, prioritize, fix issues and trace improvement initiatives. This process assists with locating issues that are halting tasks progress.  ITSM and SPM (formerly ITBM) records can be easily associated to CIM with a click.

The CIM dashboard enables business leaders to gain a broader understanding of trend analytics and improvement metrics, thereby quickening overall business decision process.

3. Interaction Management

Interaction Management framework enables the users to raise, assign and track requests through multiple means like mobile app, chatbots, voice assistants, chat messengers and portals.

4. ITSM Virtual Agent

ITSM Virtual agent application provides the user with a ready-to-use pre-ordered set of chatbot conversations related to various IT tasks, such as:

  • Order an Item
  • Check IT Ticket Status
  • System Status
  • Change Request
  • Process Approval
  • Password Reset
  • Assigned Equipment
  • Knowledge Base
  • Create or open IT Ticket
  • Update Assigned Tasks

5. Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

To integrate Lean and Agile approach in organizational processes, the ServiceNow London release comes equipped with the “Essential SAFe” application- the scaled agile framework. This framework enables organizations to streamline various business functions and provide  broader perspective to the overall business activities. This activity enables organizations with better governance capabilities.

Users of both levels can access scaled agile framework through SAFe Board. Based on the scale of usage, the Essential SAFe framework is executed on two levels:

  • Agile Release Train (ART): Used by Product managers
  • Team Level: Used by Team members.

6. Task Communications Management (TCM)

The Task Communication Management application framework reorganizes the entire communication by defining appropriate processes to handle an event. For a given task, TCM provides easy means to build the entire communication tactics, channels, prototypes, messages, and receivers. By usage of pre-defined responses and communication strategies, TCM avoids time being wasted on notifying the groups or individual users that the incident is resolved.  Key segments of the TCM process include:

  • Communication Plan
  • Communication Task
  • Communication Contact
  • Communication Channel

7. Test Management 2.0

As the name suggests, the Test Management application is aimed to reduce the pain of testing processes and increase the testing process efficiency. This application comes in two versions: Test Management (for those already using test management of previous releases) and Test Management 2.0 (for new users).  

Test management 2.0 version is much advanced than the test management version. Apart from user acceptance testing, test management doesn’t include any striking features like restructuring test plans.

Test management 2.0 comes with an Agile Development 2.0 application by default. This provides the ease to restructure test plans as required, whereas the test management version won't. This application gives feasibility to build dedicated test plans for better test management. Following are features of test management 2.0 includes:

  • Test version
  • Test plan creation
  • Test runs
  • Agile Development capabilities

8. Virtual Agent

This is a conversational chatbot framework. This virtual agent provides a tailor-made bot agent that is specific to it's requirements. It provides freedom for users to switch to a 24/7 live agent to obtain any information at any given time. The users can converse with the virtual agent in a natural language to get their tasks done. This enables the organization to generate intuitive experience for users. This application offers the following features:

  • Virtual Agent conversational interface
  • Virtual Agent Designer
  • Live Agent support

(Explore how a ServiceNow enterprise chatbot can deliver value to your business)

9. Walk-up Experience

The employee productivity losses in US are estimated to be $576 billion annual"

- IBI group.

In digital workplace environments, the workforce often keeps moving to different demographics to work. To enable IT service teams to better serve the workforce in such cases, a walk-up experience application is being launched in the London release.  This facilitates the IT teams to offer intuitive experience to the workforce by submitting requests or getting access to any service related information without involving any complex procedures. Here is the list of features this application offers:

  • Domain separation
  • Requester experience
  • Customization and configuration
  • Fulfiller experience
  • Stockroom and inventory management
  • Dashboard and reporting

Wanting a deeper understanding of ServiceNow's London release? (or) Having any doubts about the migration process?  Get in touch with our ServiceNow experts for a free consultation.