Viable system of governance for service provisioning engagements

• US 10,387,975 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rai, Veerendra Kumar, Mehta, Sanjit
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Iftekhar A
• Application Number:
  US14/282,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 703 13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

Systems and methods for governing execution of a service provisioning engagement are described. In one implementation, the described methods are implemented in the systems, where the method includes determining a customized schema based on a viable systems model, where the customized schema is defined using a plurality of dimensions and a plurality of sub-dimensions, where the plurality of dimensions and the plurality of sub-dimensions is defined using a plurality of parameters. The method also includes determining a system dynamics model which defines relationship between the plurality of parameters of the customized schema. The method further includes setting targets for at least one parameter from amongst the plurality of parameters of the customized schema and simulating the at least one parameter interactively based on the system dynamics model.

Claims

1. A method for governing execution of a service provisioning engagement, the method being implemented by a governance system on a server having a processor, wherein the method comprises:

determining, by the processor, a customized schema based on a viable system model, wherein the customized schema is defined using a hierarchy of a plurality of dimensions and a plurality of sub-dimensions of each dimension, and wherein the plurality of dimensions and the plurality of sub-dimensions are determined based on a plurality of parameters, wherein the customized schema represents a governance structure of the service provisioning engagement, wherein the governance structure governs the execution of the service provisioning engagement throughout the life cycle of the service provisioning engagement and the governance structure evolves as the service provisional engagement evolves from one service provisioning model to another service provisioning model, wherein the governance structure is dynamically updated to capture aspects of the service provisioning engagement based on the evolved service provisioning model;

associating, by the processor, a system dynamics model with the customized schema, wherein the system dynamics model includes rules corresponding to dynamics of the plurality of parameters and interdependencies of the plurality of parameters and identifies relationships between the plurality of parameters of the customized schema, wherein the system dynamics model is dynamically updated upon ascertaining change in the service provisioning engagement, wherein the dynamics of the plurality of parameters refers to behavior of a parameter in an environment, impact of a parameter on other parameters in the environment, and influence of other parameters on a particular parameter;

setting, by the processor, a benchmark value for at least one parameter from amongst the plurality of parameters, wherein the benchmark value indicates a desirable outcome of the at least one parameter;

simulating, by the processor, the at least one parameter interactively, proactively, and dynamically based on the system dynamics model to generate a simulated value for the at least one parameter;

comparing, by the processor, the simulated value with the benchmark value for the at least one parameter for governance of execution of the service provisioning engagement; and

performing, by the processor, a causal analysis on the at least one parameter to ascertain cause for the deviation of the at least one parameter from the benchmark value, wherein the causal analysis results in identifying one or more control variables to alter the simulated value, wherein the deviation is analyzed for strategic change with respect to altering the benchmark value, wherein the simulation is re-run for a predefined time to analyze the impact of altering the one or more control variables or the effect of the altering of the benchmark value for the at least one parameter, wherein the simulation facilitates identifying areas of concerns, revising expectations of an engagement and taking corrective action when the simulated values are deviated from the benchmark values.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimensions include at least one of a service delivery, co-ordination and communication, monitor and control, planning and intelligence, and strategic policies.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises defining objectives as a combination of the plurality of parameters.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the method further comprises determining deviation between the benchmark value and the simulated value for the at least one parameter to measure adherence to the objectives.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the causal analysis is utilized to alter outcome of the at least one parameter.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises monitoring the simulated values of the at least one parameter through a balanced score card approach, wherein the balanced score card approach includes the at least one parameter in at least one perspective.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one perspective includes at least one of a customer, financials, internal process, and learning and growth process.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises defining objectives, the one or more control variables, critical success factors (CSFs), wherein the CSFs affect the execution of the engagement, wherein the one or more control variables are identified based on a similarity of the objectives, or dimension of the customized schema.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service provisioning engagement uses managed services as the service provisioning model and the managed services involve knowledge management as the dimension that is defined in the customized schema based on the viable system model and the system dynamics model includes rules for parameters related to the knowledge management, wherein the service provisioning engagement is modeled based on the managed services.

9. A governance system for governing a service provisioning engagement, the governance system comprising:

a processor;

a schema customization module coupled to the processor to determine a customized schema based on a viable system model, wherein the customized schema is defined using a hierarchy of a plurality of dimensions and a plurality of sub-dimensions of each dimension, and wherein the plurality of dimensions and the plurality of sub-dimensions is defined using a plurality of parameters, wherein the customized schema represents a governance structure of the service provisioning engagement, wherein the governance structure governs the execution of the service provisioning engagement throughout the life cycle of the service provisioning engagement and the governance structure evolves as the service provisional engagement evolves from one service provisioning model to another service provisioning model, wherein the governance structure is dynamically updated to capture aspects of the service provisioning engagement based on the evolved service provisioning model;

a target setting module coupled to the processor to set a benchmark value for at least one parameter from amongst the plurality of parameters, wherein the benchmark value indicates a desirable outcome of the at least one parameter; and

a simulation module coupled to the processor to;

define a system dynamics model, wherein the system dynamics model defines rules corresponding to dynamics of the plurality of parameters and interdependencies of the plurality of parameters and identify relationships between the plurality of parameters of the customized schema, wherein the system dynamics model is dynamically updated upon ascertaining change in the service provisioning engagement, wherein the dynamics of the plurality of parameters refers to behavior of a parameter in an environment, impact of a parameter on other parameters in the environment, and influence of other parameters on a particular parameter;

simulate the at least one parameter interactively, proactively, and dynamically based on the system dynamics model to generate simulated values for the at least one parameter, wherein the simulating allows governance of the service provisioning engagement based on comparison with the benchmark values; and

perform a causal analysis on the at least one parameter to ascertain cause for the deviation of the at least one parameter from the benchmark value, wherein the causal analysis results in identifying one or more control variables to alter the simulated value, wherein the deviation is analyzed for strategic change with respect to altering the benchmark value, wherein the simulation is re-run for a predefined time to analyze the impact of altering the one or more control variables or the effect of the altering of the benchmark value for the at least one parameter, wherein the simulation facilitates identifying areas of concerns, revising expectations of an engagement and taking corrective action when the simulated values are deviated from the benchmark values.

10. The governance system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the governance system further comprises an analysis module to define objectives as a combination of the plurality of parameters.

11. The governance system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the analysis module further determines a deviation between the benchmark value and the simulated values, and wherein the deviation is a measure of adherence to the objectives.

12. The governance system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the causal analysis is utilized to alter outcome of the at least one parameter.

13. The governance system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the governance system further comprises a report generation module to monitor the simulated values of the at least one parameter through a view, wherein the view includes the at least one parameter in at least one perspective.

16. The governance system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the service provisioning engagement uses managed services as the service provisioning model and the managed services involve knowledge management as the dimension that is defined in the customized schema based on the viable system model and the system dynamics model includes rules for parameters related to the knowledge management, wherein the service provisioning engagement is modeled based on the managed services.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a server to:

determine a customized schema based on a viable system model, wherein the customized schema is defined using a hierarchy of a plurality of dimensions and a plurality of sub-dimensions of each dimension, and wherein the plurality of dimensions and the plurality of sub-dimensions is defined using a plurality of parameters, wherein the customized schema represents a governance structure of the service provisioning engagement, wherein the governance structure governs the execution of the service provisioning engagement throughout the life cycle of the service provisioning engagement and the governance structure evolves as the service provisional engagement evolves from one service provisioning model to another service provisioning model, wherein the governance structure is dynamically updated to capture aspects of the service provisioning engagement based on the evolved service provisioning model;

define a system dynamics model, wherein the system dynamics model defines rules corresponding to dynamics of the plurality of parameters and interdependencies of the plurality of parameters and identify relationships between the plurality of parameters of the customized schema, wherein the system dynamics model is dynamically updated upon ascertaining change in the service provisioning engagement, wherein the dynamics of the plurality of parameters refers to behavior of a parameter in an environment, impact of a parameter on other parameters in the environment, and influence of other parameters on a particular parameter;

set a benchmark value for at least one parameter from amongst the plurality of parameters, wherein the benchmark value indicates a desirable outcome of the at least one parameter;

simulate the at least one parameter interactively, proactively, and dynamically based on the system dynamics model to generate simulated values for the at least one parameter, wherein the simulating allows governance of the service provisioning engagement based on comparison with the benchmark values; and

perform a causal analysis on the at least one parameter to ascertain cause for the deviation of the at least one parameter from the benchmark value, wherein the causal analysis results in identifying one or more control variables to alter the simulated value, wherein the deviation is analyzed for strategic change with respect to altering the benchmark value, wherein the simulation is re-run for a predefined time to analyze the impact of altering the one or more control variables or the effect of the altering of the benchmark value for the at least one parameter, wherein the simulation facilitates identifying areas of concerns, revising expectations of an engagement and taking corrective action when the simulated values are deviated from the benchmark values.