Most IT teams don’t struggle because they lack effort. They struggle because they lack a clear, realistic roadmap. Tickets keep coming in, new tools are added, and processes evolve organically rather than by design. Over time, even the best teams can end up with cluttered workflows, inconsistent experiences, and limited visibility into what’s really working. 

That’s exactly what  Your ITSM Maturity Playbook  is designed to change. 

Why an ITSM maturity playbook now? 

IT service management (ITSM) has shifted from “keep the lights on” to “enable the business.” At the same time, expectations around automation, self-service, and AI have grown rapidly. Many IT leaders tell us the same thing: they know they need to mature, but they aren’t sure where to start, what “good” looks like, or how to turn big goals into achievable steps. 

Our ITSM Maturity Model breaks your environment into five practical pillars: Incidents, Assets, Experience, Services, and Changes. For each pillar, there are clear stages of maturity and specific capabilities that move you forward. The new playbook takes that framework and turns it into an interactive program you can actually use. 

What is “Your ITSM Maturity Playbook”? 

Your ITSM Maturity Playbook is a  five-part guided program that helps you: 

• Benchmark where you are today against a clear maturity model 

• Identify the next best step instead of trying to fix everything at once 

• Tie process improvements directly to technology capabilities 

• Track progress with meaningful metrics, not just gut feel 

Each part of the playbook focuses on one pillar at a time, so you’re never trying to overhaul your entire ITSM practice in one go. You can move through all five pillars or focus on the areas that matter most right now. 

Inside the playbook hub 

From the ITSM Playbook hub, you’ll be able to: 

• Access a concise overview of the ITSM Maturity Model and what each stage means in practice 

• Take or revisit the ITSM Maturity Assessment to benchmark your current state 

• Dive into focused resources for each pillar: guides, checklists, and short videos to get you started  

• See how specific SolarWinds Service Desk features support each step on your maturity journey 

The hub is designed as your home base. You can return to it as you progress, share it with stakeholders, and use it to keep everyone aligned on priorities. 

Starting point: Mastering incidents 

We begin where most teams feel the daily pressure: Incident Management. 

The first installment of the playbook focuses on helping you: 

• Move from ad hoc ticket handling to structured, predictable workflows 

• Reduce manual triage through smarter categorization and routing 

• Use automation to cut resolution times and improve SLA performance 

• Lay the groundwork for AI assistance, virtual agents, and better reporting 

Alongside the written guidance, you’ll find practical examples and automation “recipes” you can apply directly in  SolarWinds Service Desk, so the path from idea to implementation is as short as possible. 

How this helps your team 

Whether you’re just centralizing requests or already experimenting with AI-driven workflows, the playbook is meant to meet you where you are. It helps you: 

• Prioritize improvements that deliver visible value to the business 

• Build a case for change using maturity stages, metrics, and benchmarks 

• Turn scattered best practices into a coherent, sustainable roadmap 

Instead of chasing isolated projects, you get a structured way to move from managing to maturing across your entire ITSM practice. 

Get started with the ITSM Playbook hub 

The best way to explore this new program is from the central hub. There, you can: 

• Review the overall maturity framework 

• Take the assessment (or share it with your team) 

• Jump into the first pillar on Incident Management 

• Bookmark the hub as a living resource for the months ahead 

If you’re ready to bring more structure, clarity, and momentum to your ITSM roadmap,  Your ITSM Maturity Playbook hub is the place to start. 

To learn more and join the conversation, check out our webinar series on-demand or register for future webinars on the Playbook topics.