In the modern business world, where agility and efficiency are the name of the game, ServiceNow stands as a beacon of innovation. This transformative platform empowers organizations to adapt digital workflows seamlessly. However, in ServiceNow, simply adopting technology is not enough. To truly thrive, you need ServiceNow Development Governance. It's the guardian of quality and compliance, ensuring that your ServiceNow journey is smooth and impeccable.   

For a ServiceNow Developer, understanding the intricacies of Development Governance is paramount. In this blog, we're your navigators through the intricate waters of ServiceNow Development Governance, revealing the compass to your organizational success. 

 

Defining ServiceNow 

ServiceNow is a dynamic tool that empowers organizations to manage and optimize their digital workflows across a wide spectrum of processes. From the intricacies of IT service management to the intricacies of customer service management and extending beyond to areas like human resources, facilities management, and more, ServiceNow offers a holistic approach.   

 

What truly sets ServiceNow apart is its inherent flexibility and scalability. It's akin to a technological Swiss army knife, capable of adapting to industry-specific and organizational needs. Whether automating routine tasks, creating seamless communication channels, or ensuring data security, ServiceNow opens the door to innovation and continuous improvement. 

 

Overview of ServiceNow Development Governance 

ServiceNow Development Governance is the meticulous framework of rules and practices established to govern and steer the development and deployment of applications and solutions on the ServiceNow platform. Think of it as the invaluable rulebook that guides but enforces the alignment of every facet of ServiceNow development with your business objectives, ensuring security and upholding rigorous compliance standards.  

This crucial facet of ServiceNow management ensures that every step of the development journey, from conceptualization to deployment and beyond, is executed seamlessly and harmonizes with your organization's strategic goals.  

It's a carefully adapted symphony that safeguards your digital ecosystem, encompassing the entire range of operations, and ensures that nothing falls out of tune. ServiceNow Development Governance becomes the guardian of your digital landscape, guaranteeing the harmony between innovation, security, and regulatory requirements while enabling you to extract the platform's full potential. 

Read More: LEVERAGE inMorphis + ServiceNow DevOps FOR BEST-IN-CLASS INTEGRATION OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND IT OPERATIONS 

 

Key Components of ServiceNow Development 

In the intricate world of ServiceNow Development, it's crucial to dissect and understand the core components that collectively form the foundation for effective governance:  

 

  • ServiceNow Platform: The ServiceNow platform is at the heart of it. This is the very canvas where all development activities unfold. It includes many elements, such as instances where your digital solutions reside, the data that fuels your operations, and configurations that define how your applications behave. It's the canvas where developers craft their digital masterpieces, and administrators ensure everything runs smoothly.  

 

  • Development Lifecycle: ServiceNow development is a journey that is meticulously structured within a development lifecycle. Comprising various phases like design, build, test, deployment, and monitoring, the development lifecycle is the roadmap that guides how applications are conceived, constructed, rigorously tested, seamlessly deployed, and continuously monitored for performance and improvements. It ensures a systematic approach to application development, fostering efficiency and quality.  

 

  • Roles and Responsibilities: Like any well-orchestrated performance, ServiceNow development requires a cast of characters, each with specific roles and responsibilities. Developers write the code, administrators oversee the environment, and managers provide direction and oversight. Clarifying these roles and responsibilities is essential for effective governance, ensuring everyone knows their part in the production.  

 

  • Change Management: In the ever-evolving digital landscape, change is constant. ServiceNow Change Management processes are designed to evaluate, approve, and oversee changes to the platform and applications. This ensures that changes are not haphazard but carefully considered and aligned with your organization's objectives and compliance requirements. It's the gatekeeper that ensures only the right changes move forward.  

 

  • Documentation and Audit Trails: Keeping meticulous records is the backbone of accountability and compliance in ServiceNow development. Every change, every action, and every decision must be documented to create a transparent and traceable trail of activities. These audit trails serve to track the evolution of your digital ecosystem and provide valuable insights for future improvements and compliance audits. In ServiceNow Development Governance, the past is as important as the future, and thorough documentation is the bridge that connects them.

Read More: 5 Essential Skills to Have a Career as ServiceNow Developer 
 

These key components interweave to create a tapestry of effective ServiceNow Development Governance. Understanding and harmonizing these elements is the key to success in the dynamic landscape of digital transformation. 

 

ServiceNow Development Governance Best Practices


In the intricate landscape of ServiceNow development, adhering to best practices is paramount. These guidelines are the compass that ensures the highest quality and compliance in the development process. Let's dive into these best practices, enriched with illustrative examples: 

1. Define Clear Development Standards 

Establishing clear and consistent development standards is essential for creating readable, maintainable, and collaborative ServiceNow applications. These standards encompass coding conventions, naming conventions, and design principles.  

  

  • Example: When developing custom ServiceNow workflows, define coding standards that mandate meaningful variable and function names and ensure that code is well-documented. For instance, use descriptive variable names like "incidentAssignmentGroup" instead of generic names like "var1."  

  

2. Version Control 

Implementing version control is crucial to track changes, collaborate effectively, and safeguard against unintended issues in your ServiceNow applications. Version control systems like Git offer a history of changes and the ability to roll back to previous states.  

  • Example: Suppose your ServiceNow development team is working on a new change request application. With version control in place, you can track and manage changes made to the application, allowing developers to review and revert to earlier versions if a bug is discovered.  

  

3. Change Approvals 

Structured change management processes ensure that modifications to your ServiceNow applications are thoroughly reviewed and approved. This practice minimizes the risk of unauthorized or poorly planned changes disrupting operations.  

  • Example: Imagine a scenario where your ServiceNow administrator wants to modify the approval workflow for change requests. By implementing a change approval process, this proposed change would undergo review by relevant stakeholders and be approved or rejected based on predefined criteria.  

  

Read here to Explore the Best Career Pathways for ServiceNow Developers.   

 

4. Continuous Testing  

Continuous testing is the ongoing evaluation of ServiceNow applications to detect and address issues early in the development cycle, reducing the likelihood of critical errors impacting end users.  

 

  • Example: In the context of your ServiceNow incident management system, continuous testing might involve regularly checking that incident routing and categorization functions correctly. This practice helps identify and rectify issues before they affect service quality.  

  

5. Training and Education  

ServiceNow's frequent updates and feature enhancements require ongoing training and education for your development team to ensure they are well-equipped to leverage new capabilities.  

  • Example: When ServiceNow introduces a feature such as AI-powered virtual agents for improved customer service, conducting training sessions and workshops for your team ensures they understand how to implement and utilize this feature effectively.  

  

6. Security and Compliance Checks  

Incorporate automated security and compliance checks into your development process to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities and ensure your ServiceNow applications adhere to industry-specific regulations.  

  • Example: Suppose your organization handles sensitive customer data in ServiceNow. Automated security checks can scan the application for vulnerabilities, such as unauthorized data access or potential data leaks, to maintain compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR.

Also read: From Code to Creation: How ServiceNow Developers Drive Change 
 

Conclusion 

For a ServiceNow developer, mastering the art of Development Governance is the key to unlocking the platform's full potential. It's a journey that encompasses clear standards, version control, change approvals, continuous testing, education, and security vigilance. As you navigate this intricate path, remember that inMorphis is your trusted partner for ServiceNow excellence. Our expertise and support ensure that your ServiceNow journey is governed and elevated to new heights. Take the first step towards ServiceNow success – contact inMorphis today, and let's embark on this transformation together.