The holidays are here, and for many organisations, that means one thing: the Christmas Change Freeze. This annual pause on major system changes ensures stability during a busy time, allowing your team to relax without worrying about unexpected disruptions. But just because changes are on hold doesn’t mean your ServiceNow platform has to sit idle. In fact, this quiet period is a golden opportunity to focus on low-risk, high-impact activities that can set you up for a successful new year. Here’s how to make it count:
1. Run Performance and System Health Checks
With fewer changes happening, now is the perfect time to give your system a wellness check. Use this opportunity to:
- Analyse Performance: Review metrics like response times, transaction volumes, and error rates to uncover areas for improvement.
- Optimise Resources: Spot underused or overburdened assets and fine-tune system performance.
- Dive Into Logs: Identify patterns or recurring issues to address in the next change window.
These proactive steps can reveal inefficiencies and help you hit the ground running in January.
2. Conduct a Health Check Report
ServiceNow’s built-in tools make it easy to assess your system’s overall health. Take advantage of the pause to:
- Clean Up Your Data: Eliminate duplicates and outdated records and ensure consistency.
- Review Customisations: Check if workflows, integrations, and other configurations follow best practices.
- Identify Technical Debt: Spot over-customisation or other inefficiencies that may be holding you back.
A detailed health check report will provide clear insights and a roadmap for future enhancements.
3. Strategise with Key Stakeholders
With day-to-day demands slowing down, now’s the time to bring your team together and focus on the bigger picture:
- Revisit Long-Term Goals: Ensure your ServiceNow strategy aligns with business objectives.
- Tackle the Backlog: Prioritise requests, upgrades, and features for post-freeze action.
- Draft a Roadmap: Plan your next steps for enhancements and updates.
These discussions align your team and stakeholders, setting everyone up for a productive year ahead.
4. Prioritise Training and Knowledge Sharing
Use this downtime to boost your team’s skills and knowledge:
- Offer Training: Host sessions on underused ServiceNow features or upcoming updates.
- Update Documentation: Refresh workflows, integrations, and system configurations.
- Expand Self-Service Tools: Improve your knowledge base and service catalogs to reduce IT reliance.
Investing in your team’s growth now will pay dividends in efficiency and confidence later.
5. Test in Sandbox Environments
Even with production frozen, your sandbox environments remain open for innovation. Take this time to:
- Explore New Features: Try out the latest ServiceNow updates or modules.
- Experiment with automation: Refine workflows and test new ideas safely.
- Validate Integrations: Test connections with third-party tools to avoid surprises later.
Sandbox testing allows you to make meaningful progress without impacting your live systems.
6. Strengthen Governance and Security
The freeze is an ideal time to shore up your governance and compliance frameworks:
- Audit Access Controls: Verify user permissions and roles are set up correctly.
- Ensure Compliance: Confirm your platform meets all regulatory and internal requirements.
- Review Security Measures: Patch vulnerabilities and update incident response plans.
These steps reduce risk and ensure your platform remains secure and efficient.
Wrap-Up
A Christmas Change Freeze doesn’t mean hitting pause on progress. By focusing on system health, strategic planning, and foundational improvements, you can turn this downtime into a major win for your ServiceNow platform. When the freeze lifts, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running—optimised, aligned, and ready for success.
So, this holiday season, let your ServiceNow platform shine a little brighter. Here’s to a restful holiday and a productive year ahead!
Happy holidays and happy optimising!
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