IPC standard

[Virtual Presenter] This comprehensive guide outlines the IPC Way for corporate use, providing essential information on how our services operate and the roles involved..

[Audio] The document control system tracks and records all changes made to the Service Management Handbook. The version history displays the date and description of each update. The document sign-off process involves the CEO, CFO/CCO, COO, and CIO, who review and approve the handbook prior to publication. Access related documents via the provided links..

[Audio] The service life cycle consists of four distinct stages: design, deployment, run, and retire. The design stage involves specifying the service, defining its requirements, and creating a plan for its implementation. This stage sets the foundation for the entire service life cycle. The deployment stage includes setting up the infrastructure, installing software, and configuring the service. Once the service is deployed, it enters the run stage, where ongoing maintenance and monitoring take place. This includes performance measurement and incident response. Finally, when the service reaches the end of its useful life, it enters the retire stage, where it is decommissioned and any remaining assets are removed..

[Audio] IPC is a cooperative that exists to meet the needs of its members primarily and its non-members, who are mostly postal operators. By providing services mainly to members and, if it's for their benefit, also to non-members, both called participants of a service, IPC meets those needs. High-level service quality is important because well-performed service contributes to the success of IPC and its members. Services need to be provided in a professional manner and adjusted over time to always meet the members' requirements and remain secure as much as it is economically reasonable. Service participants should remain involved in the service responsibility. The participation and usage of a service should strive for and achieve target level..

[Audio] An IPC service is a means of generating value to the members by facilitating outcomes members want to achieve, while sharing ownership of the related price and risks. A service may accompany a tangible product or it may have no tangible component. Either way, a service meets a definable service participant need - which means that if the output of a service and its value can be defined, and so can its inputs. In most cases, input and output can be measured to verify delivery. An IPC service combines the input, resources and procedure as well as output in a way that can be delivered repetitively in the same manner and along the same standards. Delivering a service consumes resources, therefore all standing IPC services have a price. The price is a function of the estimated costs for the year to come, resulting from the service definition and standard, and will change if either definition and/or standard changes..

[Audio] IPC develops services for its members, whether it is for all or a specific group, sometimes even including non-members. These services go through a well-defined lifecycle, which involves design, deployment, operation, and retirement. The focus and tasks may vary, particularly when comparing IT services to non-IT services. However, since IPC offers both types of services, they are often integrated. This lifecycle guarantees the efficient execution of services from start to end..

[Audio] Slide 7 of the IPC Service Management Handbook V13 outlines the scope of the service, which is defined in terms of the participants' needs and the value it will bring. This involves identifying necessary resources and processes, establishing service ownership, accountability, and roles and responsibilities through a Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed Matrix. The output of the service is defined in Operational Level Agreements, except for certain one-off services which may rely on multiple standard processes. Key Performance Indicators are used to measure the service's effectiveness, including factors like quality, availability, and participant satisfaction. These KPIs are specified within the service's scope. The estimated cost is also outlined, specifying what is included and what is not, in terms of contribution and rebilling. Non-members will have a markup on the estimated cost due to additional taxes that IPC must pay. It is important to note what is not included in the service and its boundaries to manage expectations and avoid misunderstandings. The validity period of the service is clearly stated from its start date or when it will be provided until further notice. The service is periodically reviewed with the participant(s) by the designated IPC Service Manager. As IPC values cooperation, the scope is defined in close consultation with the potential participants, but non-IPC members are typically not included. A training video has been provided to understand the scope of the IPC Way for corporate use, and a publication on December 5, 2024, containing 16 pages of valuable information will be released..

[Audio] To successfully deploy a service, several key activities need to be completed. This includes developing a step-by-step plan for implementing the service, which includes establishing timelines, allocating resources, and creating contingency plans. The necessary infrastructure, systems, and tools are then put in place to support the service. Testing and validation are conducted to ensure the service operates as intended, and any issues are identified and resolved before full-scale deployment. Training is provided to IPC staff and non-IPC users to ensure they can effectively use and support the service. The service is officially launched, making it available to the intended audience. An Operation Level Agreement (OLA) is also signed with participants, outlining the agreed-upon outputs and key performance indicators for measuring service delivery performance..

[Audio] We will now discuss the Data Protection Oversight Committee, also known as DPOC, in the IPC Service Management Handbook V13, specifically on slide number 9. The committee's responsibilities are outlined in the Terms of Reference, which is not a commercial contract, but rather a document that outlines agreed outputs, targets, and operating methods and procedures. These documents should be referred to as an "Operating Guide", "Handbook", "Annual Operating Plan", or "Terms of Reference" to avoid potential legal complexities. In an IPC context, it is important to have an agreement on how the cost of the defined service will be charged to participants. This can be based on the member's shareholdings or traffic volumes, or a combination of both. It is recommended to charge based on a cost driver and forecast overall usage if there is a difference in service usage among participants to ensure that revenue covers costs. For uncertain service usage at the start, a split key based on member shares may be more appropriate. These documents should be thoroughly discussed, aligned, and approved by the service user group, with the outcome documented in the meeting minutes. In cases where there is no user group, consulting with a representative sample of users will suffice. The same approach is taken with larger non-members, but for smaller non-members, there may not be documentation for the service provided. However, due to the demands of Data Protection and EU legislation, this may begin to change in the future. Non-members may be required to enter commercial contracts..

[Audio] IPC services need proper IT systems to function efficiently, but there may be times when IT maintenance is required, which can affect users. To manage this, every IPC service should have a Service Management Plan (SMP) that includes all necessary elements outlined in Appendix 4 of the IPC Service Management Handbook V13. Some parts of the SMP may come from the SBNS, while others will need to be specified. The SMP must be approved by the IPC Directors' meeting and included in the Service Catalogue and Jira by the service owner. Additionally, all SMPs should be updated in January for the current year. A dashboard will be provided to the respective director every two months for performance review, containing important information like usage and performance based on key performance indicators (KPIs) outlined in the SMP. The service manager will also provide monthly usage reports and performance data for specific services, such as INTERCONNECT. It is important to consider associated costs for ongoing maintenance and data security of IPC services. If detailed information is not available, costs should be applied from the creation or change of the service. The PMO team is responsible for preparing a Service Performance Dashboard with input from IPC Service Owners. This concludes slide number 10 of the IPC Service Management Handbook V13. Other important aspects of IPC services will be discussed in the following slides. Refer to the handbook for further details and updates..

[Audio] Change is often necessary to adjust to the dynamics of the needs of our members, as well as the dynamics of the markets. Therefore, it is key to rethink the service offering and to enhance or reinvent the service. This should happen in consultation with the participants. The source of changes to a service will be varied, including IPC itself, user oversight committees, and service and change requests submitted through IT service desks, depending on the magnitude of the change proposed and the nature of the service provided..

[Audio] Services are fully budgeted on a yearly basis by the business owner. The responsibility lies with the service owner at IPC to secure the funding for the respective service in a reliable manner. This information will be provided in the Business Plan input sheets. If the technology becomes outdated and no longer supported by the provider after several years, the service owner, assisted by IT, must explain the situation to the participants and secure funding for the renewal, as IPC typically does not provision for system renewals unless otherwise decided. Similarly, if data security or data privacy risks arise, the service owner must inform the participants and secure funding to mitigate these risks. The service owner and IT representatives at IPC are jointly accountable for accurately costing a service. Services should not unnecessarily complicate the IPC service and infrastructure landscape. Complexity reduction is always the goal of IPC staff. The IT representatives manage the operational and maintenance expenses to the lowest extent possible..

[Audio] Establish a cut-off date beyond which change requests, other than those that can be immediately resolved, will not be accepted. This ensures that the service does not continue to evolve indefinitely, and allows the provider to focus on other activities. Ensure that IPC resources devoted to the service are reassigned, when possible, to other IPC activities. This helps to optimize resource utilization and allocate them to higher-priority tasks. Define the period of running the service with no support, if applicable, allowing the participant(s) a grace period to replace this service with an alternative. This provides a transition period during which the participant(s) can find a suitable replacement. Remaining assets may need to be handed over to a future owner. This step ensures continuity and minimizes disruption to the service..

[Audio] The process provides users with the ability to perform specific functions. This section outlines the inputs and outputs of the service, including the IPC systems and reports utilized to deliver the service. An estimate of the resources required for the process includes the number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employees and contractors needed to execute the service, as well as non-staff costs. Possible Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure service delivery performance are described, along with specifications on how the service performance will be evaluated. Additionally, the cost distribution among participants and the status of the agreement with them are outlined..

[Audio] The Service Management Plan (SMP) is an IPC internal document, created by the service owner, latest when the service has been deployed, for the current year and updated annually at the beginning of the year. It is initially signed off by the responsible director and then by the management. The SMP includes at least the following elements: Date: The date when the SMP is approved by IPC members/Participants/User Group and takes effect. IPC Responsible Manager (Business-as-Usual): Position titles responsible for delivering the service, including revenue, and if different, its development. IPC Responsible Manager (Development, if different): Name of the IPC manager responsible for developing the service if there is a running project. IPC Service Support Person: Key person providing the service for participants. Benefit creation: Summary of key qualitative and quantitative benefits for easy communication with participants and potential participants. Detailed benefits and values generated by the service are reflected in the SBNS. Participant Contact Person(s): Single Point of Contact per Participant for this service. Brief description of service: Couple of sentences describing the service offered. Scope: Documented during service setup (section 3 of the Service Management Handbook). Participants: List of participants, including those who pay for the service and those who receive it for free, noting why the service is not charged. Participant admission: Procedure for admitting participants..

[Audio] Onsite assistance is guaranteed within 72 hours during the business week, which ensures prompt help whenever participants require it. Additionally, maintenance windows will be scheduled on specific dates and cycles to guarantee the stability and security of the service. The Service Desk will support all processes related to the service, including user management, incident response, and service health checks. A list of activities required to deliver the service will be maintained, ensuring consistency with the scope. Usage metrics will be tracked regularly, displaying the definition of usage per participant at least quarterly or monthly. Our capacity planning will consider the expected number of service delivery instances, taking into account peak and trough periods. The processes involved in delivering the service will be mapped, including service requests and change management. Dependencies on other services and suppliers will be identified, outlining how these relationships impact our processes. Training requirements will be established for IPC staff and participant users, with frequencies determined based on the service's maturity level. Resource allocation will be managed accordingly..

[Audio] The participating member responsibilities include being reasonably available to resolve incidents or requests, providing information or data when requested, and granting access to their systems if necessary. Personal data includes any data required for service operation, such as names, addresses, and contact details. This data will be transferred to organizations that have signed the IPC Personal Data Protection Agreement or will be able to click and accept it before accessing the service via an IT application. Dispute escalation occurs when the oversight committee cannot agree. In this case, disputes will be escalated to the IPC management team. A communication plan involves various levels of communication, including regular meetings with the service user group. In the event of service interruption, prompt communication with users will reassure them that we are working to resolve the issue. Operating guides, standards, and agreements between participants document performance targets, such as those found in the INTERCONNECT Operations Framework Agreement. IPC plays a role in documenting these targets, standards, and agreements, and updates occur regularly. Data usage aligns with the Data Governance Board's guidelines on data sharing and processing agreements..