The Service Desk Institute (SDI) has been connecting service professionals across the world since 1988 and is the leading global community for everyone working in the service and support industry. Our mission is to inspire service desks and support teams to be brilliant.

With a passion for providing industry best practice and sharing knowledge, SDI is dedicated to guiding, inspiring, and connecting ITSM, service desk and support communities. A respected, trusted and independent advisor to the industry, SDI has inspired thousands of organisations and professionals around the world to embark on journeys of service improvement and to be the best they can possibly be. For more information, visit www.servicedeskinsitute.com

Everybody is talking about AI, but what role does it play in ESM? Can you trust chatbots to manage your tickets? Can you safely build and train AI to help you secure your data? In this webinar will be answering these questions by showcasing use cases of Ebbot AI in TOPdesk environment . Join us to find out:
1. How AI powered ticket automation can free time for your team to focus on tasks that matter
2. How Chatbots can be built and trained to help secure your data and put safeguards in place
3. How AI can integrate into every communication channel used across your organisation and adopt to evolving business needs

No-Touch Ticketing - Future or Reality?

Join us for The Service Management Advantage: Elevate Your IT Team’s Impact- Optimise ITSM to Deliver Outstanding Service & Business Value. A webinar in partnership with Freshworks, drawing on insights from the recent Harvard Business Review report, "The Service Management Advantage."

With only 22% of organisations rating their IT service management (ITSM) as highly effective, many struggle with internal silos, resource constraints, and outdated practices. This session will provide practical guidance on auditing ITSM, benchmarking performance across the organisation, and building an action plan for improvement. 

Key takeaways include:
o How to assess and optimise ITSM for efficiency and service quality
o Breaking down silos to foster collaboration and IT success
o Leveraging AI and modern ITSM strategies to improve agility and user satisfaction
o Aligning ITSM with business goals to maximise impact

Join us to explore how modernising ITSM can enhance service delivery, boost innovation, and drive organisational success.

The Service Management Advantage: Elevate Your IT Team’s Impact

A company’s employees are its greatest asset” (R.Branson), and so we need to look after them… What about applying some of the Service Management principles and Service Desk approaches we use to protect our critical IT services to protect our most critical personal asset – our wellbeing? In this session we’ll explore: 

 • Problem management – so often we try to figure things out and think our way out of problems. Have you ever noticed that when you resign yourself to a situation or stop thinking about something, an answer tends to come out of nowhere? 

 • Risk management – our internal risk management system tends to resort to worry when things get a bit risky, but does it actually help? We’ll explore what a more effective strategy could be, and how our thoughts aren’t always helpful. 

 • Resilience – we always try to build resilience into our IT systems and support, but the good news is that it’s already built into human beings. Our systems work better when we’re using them in the way they’re designed to be used, so it’s not surprising that we work better when we understand how to use our minds and thoughts in the way we’re designed.

Service Management with our Mind as the Service

Tired of the same old service desk grind? In this session I'll be sharing a radical new approach that will revolutionise how you support your users. Get ready to break the mould! Discover a fresh perspective on IT support that will transform your team, create happier users and boost your organisation's success.

Living The Dream: The Incident Free Service Desk

Join Sophie as she walks through the practical application of introducing new & maturing existing ITIL-based processes & practices. The session will include real world examples, featuring what has gone well, things to avoid with tips & advice on how to support your organisation and clients to utilise service management frameworks to support the delivery of service excellence, creating value for the business.

Key takeaways:

An understanding of how to adopt & adapt service management frameworks to achieve value

Real world examples of when it has gone well, as well as some pitfalls & challenges

Pragmatic steps and actions that can be used to continue your service management journey

Do You Want Fries With That? Practical application of ITIL-based processes & practices in the real world.

Watch this fireside chat hosted by Matt Beran, Prashant shares his vision for how Gen AI and automation can change the service desk vision. Imagine if every service desk analyst had a co-pilot? What would your service desk look like then?

Generative AI - The Service Desk Game Changer!

Discover how to elevate service desk operations by integrating Knowledge Management and ITIL best practices. This presentation equips managers with strategies to streamline incident, problem, and change management while improving first-contact resolution and reducing resolution times. Learn to align knowledge processes with ITIL frameworks, foster continuous improvement, and boost team efficiency. Packed with actionable insights, this session empowers service desk managers to drive excellence, enhance customer satisfaction, and deliver measurable results.

Enhancing Service Desk Excellence: Leveraging Knowledge Management and ITIL Best Practices

“Shift Left” is a buzz term that’s been used across the industry for some time now. However, it can often be challenging to turn it from a buzz term to a reality. Phil will share different tips and tricks that he’s seen work well in the past, including a recent example where the implementation of a new operating model at Bidvest Noonan meant “Shift Left” was a necessity and not just an aspiration.

Making “Shift Left” A Reality

Watch now to explore XLA 3.0, the next evolution in experience management that goes beyond just IT services! As we transition into the post-pandemic work environment, discover how XLA 3.0 integrates employee well-being, real-time responsiveness, and hyper-personalization to deliver a seamless experience across every touchpoint—whether employees are hybrid, remote, or office-based.

Key Highlights:

- Meeting Room Experience: Streamlined tech for flawless virtual and in-person meetings
- Mental & Emotional Well-being: Addressing stress, morale, and personal development
- Onboarding Experience: Smooth, efficient setup to boost new hire productivity
- Hyper-Personalization: Customized IT services tailored to individual needs
- Engineer Visits: Optimizing response times, first-visit fixes, and feedback-driven improvements
- Adoption & Engagement: Leverage AI-powered analytics and personalized in-app guidance to maximize application adoption, enhance workflows, and reduce errors

Watch this session to transform how your organization manages and enhances employee experience across all environments!

XLA 3.0: The Future of Employee Experience Management

When your Service Desk feels like a black hole for energy and innovation, it’s tempting to blame the framework. But what if ITIL isn’t the problem - it’s how we’re using or misusing it?

Let’s get real about the frustrations leaving us jaded and explore how a human-first approach to ITIL turns disillusionment into capability. Through the lens of Industry 5.0, we’ll explore how ITIL’s guiding principles amplify human creativity, unlock innovation, and create a human-centric service management culture.

This isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—it’s about designing a future where human-tech collaboration delivers meaningful experiences. That’s CX + EX = CEXy. Let’s turn burnout into breakthroughs, rediscover the ‘human’ in ITIL, and leave ready to rethink, laugh, and take action!

ITIL Rewired: Turning Frustration into Innovation

Shaun shares their real-life experience management journey, emphasizing the "humanization of IT." Initially focusing on a managed service provider (MSP), he then expands his insights to internal service providers and the broader cultural impact. If you have experienced an outsourcing project that has affected IT's reputation, let's explore how IT Experience Management (ITXM) can be transformative. While it involves significant cultural and behavioural changes, ITXM fosters greater team collaboration and motivation towards a unified goal, continually enhancing the IT experience for end users and the businesses IT supports.

XLAs In Action: The GEA Group Experience Management journey

AI is transforming the way organisations operate, but too often, its adoption is seen as solely the responsibility of IT. In this session, we’ll explore how IT leaders can champion a culture of AI innovation across the entire organisation – leading by example, and channelling creativity to empower teams, encourage creative use-cases, and embed AI where it adds real value.

Using insights from Rethink Mental Illness, we’ll share how AI is emerging as an critical tool for both behind the scenes to enhance operations and efficient business operations, and on the frontline to deliver quality, impactful services to those who need them without losing the human touch. Through an interactive discussion, we’ll examine practical use cases, break down common misconceptions, and challenge attendees to think beyond traditional IT-driven AI implementation.

Watch now to discover how IT can lead the way - not as gatekeepers, but as enablers of AI adoption that benefits the whole organisation.

AI behind-the-scenes and on the frontline: Innovation is Everyone’s Business

This talk will explore the emerging role of the Chief Service Officer (CSO) and why service leadership in the era of AI & Automation is now a strategic imperative for organisations. It will provide a roadmap for service professionals looking to elevate their impact, aligning customer service with AI-enabled business growth, productivity, and competitive advantage. Watch now and you will leave with a clear understanding of how to position themselves as future CSOs, ready to influence at the highest levels.

Becoming the Chief Service Officer That AI Needs

Key differences exist between ITIL v3 and ITIL4. The latest framework modernizes IT Service Management by embracing methodologies like Agile, Lean, and DevOps. In so doing, it shifts from a process-driven model to one focused on value creation and customer experience through the introduction of the Service Value System and customer feedback practices.

While these concepts can transform service delivery, we’ll also discuss some of the limitations. Teams often face specific challenges in fully adopting and implementing these changes, thereby failing to fully realize the potential service management enhancements.

Watch multiple award-winning ITSM and CX thought leader and influencer, Doug Rabold, for exploration of the impact of ITIL4 which is based on his article published in 2024.

Key Takeaways:

1) Differences between ITIL v3 and ITIL4
2) Modernized approach in ITIL4
3) Limitations and challenges of evolving ITSM

Much Ado About …? ITIL v3 vs. ITIL4

Watch Nia for an insightful presentation on overcoming inefficiencies in IT Service Management!

Processes themselves aren’t inherently inconsistent, but challenges arise from their absence or deficiencies in design, documentation, governance, communication, measurement, and adherence. Many organisations struggle to establish well-defined, well-governed, and effectively measured processes—leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies.

Nia will share her experience on how chaos was removed, through adopting best practice process design and governance, resulting in operational excellence and customer success!

From Chaos To Customer Success

Step into the future of IT service delivery with Alex Harding, Head of IT Services at Runshaw College. In this inspiring session, Alex will show you how to revolutionise your service desk by putting people at the heart of your strategy. Through a blend of human-centred design, persona development, and agile methodologies, you’ll gain the tools to deeply understand your customers and create experiences that truly resonate.

This session isn’t just about ideas—it’s about outcomes. Walk away with actionable strategies to:
Redefine your service desk as a trusted partner to your users.
Deliver more personalized, efficient, and impactful interactions.
Boost customer satisfaction and empower your team to thrive in today’s dynamic IT landscape.
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your service desk into a driver of excellence and innovation.

Designing Exceptional IT Service Desk Experiences: A Human-Centered Approach

Traditional leadership approaches assume a “typical” way of working and learning but many team members (not just neurodivergent ones) benefit from more intentional communication, flexibility, and structure.  

Watch this 30 minute workshop aims to provide low cost, high impact neuro-affirming techniques to strengthen service delivery.

SLA: Supportive Leadership for All – A Neuro-Inclusive Approach

For decades, we keep hearing and saying: technology teams should focus on value. We know about value metrics, and value networks. We build value chains and optimise value streams.

We get the idea. And yet, again and again, we find our teams and organizations focused on local improvements, on metrics and targets. We consistently fail to collaborate and promote visibility. We repeat the same well-known mistakes. We chase new shiny solutions, continually ignoring the old good principles.

Why? What can we do to break this vicious circle?

In his presentation, Roman will share the recent findings, insights, and recommendations from the ITIL team that may, if applied properly, help remove the obstacles from the road to value.  Watch this presentation to learn how to make stakeholders happier, and your team’s work more effectively.

The Road to Value Creation

If not CSAT or NPS, then What?

Experience Management as a Service: XLAs Redefining Sourcing

The Magenta Experience. Introducing XLA’s at T-Mobile

From Great Service Delivery To Delivering Great Experiences

People-First Approach to IT Decision Making & XLAs

Imagineer Your XLAs

From Insight to Implementation: Mastering XLAs for Next-Level Service Experience

During the Covid pandemic, many universities saw their student population deeply decrease, including the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).  As this trend continued, UAA knew it had to focus on the Student Experience to attract new students and retain current ones. In 2022, the University re-created their mission and focus around putting Students first; meaning, UAA was to become a student-centered institution. 

Through this effort, the student population has continued to increase over the past several years. Joe Fugere, IT Service Center and Experience Director, will share how IT engaged in the Student Experience movement and the impact they made.

Why XLAs Matter At The University of Alaska

XLA Institute

University of Alaska

Student Experience

IT Engagement

Are you an IT service management professional interested in developing your knowledge and improving your job performance? Join the IT service management community to access the latest updates from industry experts. Learn and share insights related to IT service management (ITSM) including topics such as the service desk, service catalog, problem and incident management, ITIL v4 and more. Engage with industry experts on current best practices and participate in active discussions that address the needs and challenges of the ITSM community.

IT Service Management

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Why XLAs Matter At The University of Alaska

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