Info-Tech Research Group is calling on CIOs and IT leaders to rethink traditional service catalogs as organizations accelerate automation, AI adoption, and data-driven operations. According to the firm, many existing service catalogs remain static inventories of IT offerings, limiting their ability to support modern IT service management, operational visibility, and strategic decision-making.
To address these challenges, Info-Tech has released its new blueprint, “Design a Service Catalog that Drives Insight and Innovation,” which positions the service catalog as a strategic management tool capable of enabling automation, improving customer experience, and generating actionable operational insights.
As enterprises increasingly invest in automation and AI initiatives, CIOs are under pressure to ensure foundational IT systems can support scalable digital operations. According to Info-Tech Research Group, many organizations continue to rely on outdated service catalogs that lack integration with IT service management (ITSM) processes and operational analytics.
The firm states that traditional service catalogs often fail to provide clear service visibility, meaningful metrics, or customer-friendly experiences, limiting their value in modern enterprise environments.
"A well-designed catalog does more than list services. It helps IT orchestrate services, enables automation, and generates the actionable insights leaders need to improve outcomes," says Diana MacPherson, research director at Info-Tech Research Group.
"When it is integrated with ITSM processes and organizational functions, the service catalog becomes a practical foundation for better decision-making and a clearer demonstration of IT's value."
Info-Tech’s blueprint outlines several recurring issues organizations encounter with legacy service catalog structures. One of the primary concerns is IT-centric design and language, which can make services difficult for employees and stakeholders to navigate.
The research also highlights limited integration between service catalogs and ITSM workflows, reducing visibility into service quality, performance, and operational costs. Additionally, inconsistent governance and ownership frequently result in outdated entries and reduced adoption across organizations.
Another major issue identified in the report is the underutilization of service data, preventing IT leaders from identifying optimization opportunities, service trends, and operational risks.
To help organizations modernize their approach, Info-Tech developed a four-phase methodology focused on improving service delivery, operational insights, governance, and long-term optimization.
The first phase focuses on defining the catalog’s purpose and aligning it with organizational priorities. CIOs, service owners, and business stakeholders work together to establish service structures, governance expectations, and strategic outcomes.
The second phase emphasizes customer-focused service design and operational insight generation. Organizations evaluate service quality, support readiness, and opportunities for service optimization while improving usability for internal stakeholders.
In the third phase, organizations integrate portfolio-level data such as demand trends, satisfaction metrics, service costs, automation potential, and service health indicators. According to Info-Tech, this enables better investment planning and service rationalization decisions.
The final phase focuses on governance structures, success metrics, and continuous improvement processes designed to keep service catalogs accurate and aligned with evolving business objectives.
Info-Tech stated that modern service catalogs can play a central role in helping organizations prepare for AI-driven operations and automated service management. By integrating service catalogs with enterprise workflows, operational analytics, and automation tools, organizations can improve service transparency and decision-making while creating a stronger foundation for future AI initiatives.
The blueprint also includes supporting resources such as the Service Catalog Design Tool, Service Catalog Strategy Document, and Service Catalog Roadmap Tool to help IT teams implement the framework effectively.
As organizations continue modernizing IT operations, Info-Tech positions insight-driven service catalogs as a key capability for improving service delivery, operational visibility, and AI readiness across enterprise environments.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is the "get things done" partner for over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing leaders worldwide. The fastest growing research and advisory firm, Info-Tech enables leaders to make well-informed decisions and transform their organizations through AI, strategic foresight, step-by-step methodologies, practical tools, industry-leading advisory, and training programs. For nearly 30 years, tens of thousands of private and public organizations have trusted Info-Tech to lead their most important initiatives through periods of change and deliver outcomes that truly matter.
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