Overview
ISO/IEC 20000-10:2018 - Information technology - Service management - Part 10: Concepts and vocabulary - is the authoritative terminology and concept guidance for the ISO/IEC 20000 series. It describes core concepts used across all parts of ISO/IEC 20000, explains how the parts support ISO/IEC 20000‑1:2018 (service management system requirements), and clarifies relationships with other international standards and technical reports. The publication is intended to ensure consistent interpretation of terms and promote cohesion when implementing or auditing a service management system (SMS).
Key topics and requirements
Although this part is primarily conceptual and definitional rather than prescriptive, it covers essential technical topics that influence implementation and assessment of service management:
- Authoritative terminology for ISO/IEC 20000 (all parts), including terms from management system high‑level structure (Annex SL) and service‑specific vocabulary.
- Definition and purpose of a Service Management System (SMS): what an SMS is, the integrated approach and the role of continual improvement.
- Clarification of relationships between ISO/IEC 20000‑1 and other parts of the series (guidance, scope, certification requirements, exemplar implementation plans).
- Common concepts such as service catalogue, service level target, asset, service availability, user, value, governing body, internal/external supplier.
- Benefits and misperceptions: expected advantages of an SMS and typical misunderstandings about ISO/IEC 20000 compliance and certification.
- Guidance on interfaces and integration with other management systems (quality, security, business continuity, IT asset management).
Practical applications and who should use this standard
ISO/IEC 20000-10 is practical for organizations and professionals who need a consistent vocabulary and conceptual framework for IT service management:
- Service providers designing, delivering or improving services using ISO/IEC 20000‑1.
- Organizations planning scope, integration and applicability of ISO/IEC 20000 parts.
- Practitioners, consultants and ITSM teams implementing processes, service catalogues and service level targets.
- Auditors and certification bodies assessing conformity with ISO/IEC 20000‑1 and interpreting terms during audits.
- Decision makers seeking to integrate ISO/IEC 20000 with other management systems (e.g., ISMS, QMS, BCMS).
Benefits include clearer communication, more effective alignment with related standards, and improved consistency in audits and implementations.
Related standards (examples)
ISO/IEC 20000-10 identifies and explains interfaces with several standards frequently used together with ISO/IEC 20000:
Using ISO/IEC 20000-10 helps organizations achieve consistent, integrated IT service management and supports effective implementation, auditing, and continual improvement of service delivery.
