Published: April 25, 2008

Position of the Team SMF within the MOF IT Service Lifecycle

The MOF IT service lifecycle encompasses all of the activities and processes involved in managing an IT service: its conception, development, operation, maintenance, and—ultimately—its retirement. Microsoft® Operations Framework (MOF) organizes these activities and processes into Service Management Functions (SMFs), which are grouped together in lifecycle phases. Each SMF is anchored within a lifecycle phase and contains a unique set of goals and outcomes supporting the objectives of that phase. The SMFs can be used as stand-alone sets of processes, but it is when SMFs are used together that they are most effective in ensuring service delivery at the desired quality and risk levels.

The Team SMF belongs to the Manage Layer of the MOF IT service lifecycle. The following figure shows the place of the Team SMF within the Manage Layer, as well as the location of the Manage Layer within the IT service lifecycle.

Figure 1. Position of the Team SMF within the IT service lifecycle

Before you use this SMF, you may want to read the following MOF 4.0 guidance to learn more about the MOF IT service lifecycle and the Manage Layer:

• MOF Overview
• Manage Layer Overview

Why Use the Team SMF?

This SMF will be useful for anyone who is responsible for ensuring that someone is ultimately accountable for the work required to effectively deliver IT services.

It addresses how:

• Understand the key principles for effectively organizing IT.
• Understand accountabilities and role types.
• Identify organizational changes needed.
• Align responsibilities.
• Assign roles.