A timeline visualisation from ServiceNow's latest release.
Platform-as-a-Service provider ServiceNow is taking advantage of rise of citizen app development and the service-oriented CIO.
ServiceNow managing director A/NZ, David Oakley, told ARN a big focus for the release was enabling citizen app development as well as visualisation to enhance executive decision making.
"We think empowering line of business users to create application on our platform is the end-game," he said.
"There will always be a place for full-blown system engineers, but line of business users want apps as soon as possible, and they want the power to do it themselves."
The new release offers an enhanced custom application creation experience, new service automation products and executive decision-making visualisation tools.
According to a company statement, the service model defined by IT is increasingly in demand.
It gives IT the ability to use its successful roots to transform service across HR, facilities and legal domains.
"IT is at the epicenter of this transformation and is ideally situated to provide the framework for the management of enterprise services," the statement said.
"A service-oriented framework defines the service taxonomy, creates a consumerised service experience, orchestrates service workflows, automatically remediates issues when they arise and measures performance and availability of services."
The release gives IT the ability to create a new service experience for business users and improve the framework on which IT can deliver those services across the enterprise.
For example, business users can use Service Creator to independently create and deliver services that automate mundane tactical activities typically managed in spreadsheets and email.
For larger projects, IT can use ServiceNow Demand Management to easily assess the demand from each business function and then use the new CIO Roadmap to drive conversations with business stakeholders about IT investment decisions.
Services can be automated with applications that are purpose-built to solve specific business challenges.
These apps can be custom created by users or are offered as complete and customisable applications built by ServiceNow, such as ServiceNow Facilities Service Automation.
Lennox International, senior manager service delivery, Carolyn Hollingsworth, said enabling our line-of-business users to build solutions themselves created leverage for the IT department which sometimes could not keep up with the demand for new applications,”
“Service Creator is, in effect, a ‘do-it-yourself’ business automation service managed by IT.”
ServiceNow vice president marketing, Shane Jackson, said organisations that relied on email and spreadsheets to run their business were waging a losing battle for efficiency
“With ServiceNow, IT can work side-by-side with business users – or even enable them to develop applications on their own – to automate all kinds of service-oriented tasks in literally any business function.”
