Unfortunately, I hear this question from organizations later in their ServiceNow journey instead of earlier. It's understandable in some ways. The excitement around the ServiceNow platform’s capabilities can absolutely overshadow the need for a solid governance structure and a Center of Excellence and Innovation (CoEI). However, without these, the surge in demand post-implementation and the slow decision making and follow on action around the new demands can lead to a growing backlog and misaligned priorities, causing frustration among stakeholders. Taking the time to plan and prepare in these two areas early on, will increase your chances for long-term success on the platform by giving your organization a solid foundation for consistent delivery of the right business value at the right time. (Who doesn't want to be known for that?)

Recommendation:

1. Early Planning: Start considering governance and operating models right from the initiation of your implementation project.
2. Leverage Guidance: Utilize the guidance from ServiceNow and partners like Crossfuze to develop a governance structure and operating model tailored to your organization.
3. Iterative Approach: Quickly iterate on these models to ensure they are effective and adaptable.
4. Scope and Prioritization: Use the governance model during the implementation to make informed decisions on scope and prioritization.
5. Demand Management: Have a demand management process ready for go-live to handle new requests efficiently.
6. Team Preparation: Ensure your ServiceNow team is well-prepared and adequately staffed to manage the workload from day one.

By integrating these steps into your implementation strategy, you can better manage demand, align work with strategic priorities, and maximize the value derived from the ServiceNow platform.

If after reading this article you feel you are already behind, there is no time like the present to start getting back on track!