How can you ensure that your service desk risk management plan is up-to-date?

1 Assess your current situation

The first step is to evaluate your current service desk environment and performance. You need to identify the sources and types of risks that may affect your service desk, such as technical, operational, human, financial, legal, or environmental. You also need to measure the impact and likelihood of each risk, using a risk matrix or a scoring system. This will help you prioritize the most critical and urgent risks that need your attention.

2 Update your risk register

A risk register is a tool that records and tracks the status and progress of each risk. It should include information such as risk description, category, owner, impact, likelihood, rating, mitigation strategy, action plan, and review date. You need to update your risk register regularly, especially when there are changes in your service desk environment, such as new projects, technologies, processes, or regulations. You also need to monitor the effectiveness of your mitigation actions and adjust them as needed.

3 Communicate and consult

A service desk risk management plan is not only a document, but also a shared responsibility and a collaborative effort. You need to communicate and consult with your stakeholders, such as service desk staff, managers, customers, suppliers, and auditors. You need to inform them about the risks and their roles and responsibilities in managing them. You also need to seek their feedback and input on your risk assessment and mitigation strategies. This will help you improve your risk awareness and alignment across your organization.

4 Review and revise

A service desk risk management plan is not a static document, but a dynamic and evolving one. You need to review and revise your plan periodically, at least once a year or more frequently if there are significant changes or incidents. You need to check if your plan is still relevant, accurate, and effective. You also need to identify any new or emerging risks that may affect your service desk. You need to update your plan accordingly and communicate the changes to your stakeholders.

5 Learn and improve

A service desk risk management plan is not only a preventive measure, but also a learning opportunity. You need to learn from your experience and feedback, and use them to improve your risk management process and practices. You need to analyze the root causes and consequences of any risk events or incidents that occurred, and identify the lessons learned and best practices. You also need to evaluate the performance and outcomes of your risk management plan, and measure the benefits and costs. You need to use this information to enhance your plan and your service desk quality.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?