The USM method is supported with the following trainings. All trainings are available in Dutch and in English, mostly also online. A free introduction training is provided in a short workshop of 2 hours, delivered in Dutch and in English, on a regular base.

If you want to quickly comply with the common practices from popular frameworks (think of ITIL, COBIT, or BiSL) or from standards (think of ISO27001, ISO20000), you can make a lightning start with the USM method.

To the USM Training Calendar »

The USM method is easy to learn. All you need is a solid dose of logical thinking, and the willingness to think out-of-the-box, as USM is very different from the old thinking of framework-based approaches with best practices as the basic guidance. Reading the printed USM book or the online “USM book” in advance enhances the effect of the training.

After a USM training you never see service management through the same eyes again.

The USM Education Scheme. Click for a larger image.

Training for user organizations

  • With the two-day onsite USM Foundation training, you can thoroughly study the USM method. In an online setting, the training is spread over three days. With this basic training, you learn how to set up the routines of your organization in a simple way with no more than 5 processes and 8 workflows. This is the training to get everyone on the same page. If you successfully pass the USM Foundation exam (with a score of at least 26 out of 40), you can be included in the USM Register.
    USM Foundation is suitable for any service organization, in IT, Human Resources, Finance, Building Management, or any other Facility Management discipline, but also for primary business domains such as government (municipalities, agencies), hospitals, housing corporations, or any other industry. In this way, USM Foundation is the perfect training for an Enterprise Service Management approach, or for a Shared Service Center.
  • USM Applied tracks (Masterclasses) -Those who have taken the USM Foundation training may feel the need for more training, for topics that need to be improved in practice. For that purpose, there is a growing choice of 'applied tracks': short Masterclasses of half a day or a full day. On the basis of USM you can deepen your knowledge and skills in specific subjects. In the section Applied Tracks you will find for example:
    • Masterclass Revise your Service Agreement - Service agreements (SAs) still lead to constant 'hassle' between customers and providers. The cause is often the dated structure of that SA and the lack of alignment between the customer's perception and the provider's thinking. That can easily be repaired in a Masterclass SA revision of one half day. If necessary, that Masterclass can be extended by reworking an SA of the organization in question into a structured SA according to the USM architecture.

More info on the USM Foundation training »


More info on the USM Masterclass SA Revision »

Training for professionals

The USM Professional track (formerly USM Boostcamp) is only for USM professionals who want to set up their services with USM. The USM Professional track is composed of 4 steps: the Foundation training, a pre-course assignment, a 2-day professional training, and a final assessment. USM professionals need to score at least 30 out of 40 at their exam.

More info on the USM Professional training »

Training for students

The SURVUZ Foundation facilitates public education institutions in upgrading their curriculum to modern service management insights. SURVUZ does this for universities, business schools, universities of applied science, as well as for vocational education levels, and for both IT and other facility programs. The knowledge level of graduating students is considerably more in line with the needs of employers if students have a sound understanding of how they can use their acquired skills effectively in the service management system of their employers. For more details, check the page USM in Public Education.

Quality assurance

The USM Scheme is managed by the Quality Control Committee for the USM Scheme (QCC-US). USM trainings are only provided by accredited training organizations (ATOs). Accreditation is managed by APMG. USM ATOs work exclusively with certified USM trainers, who in turn use the approved USM training material that is made available to the ATOs. The SURVUZ Foundation and APMG together manage the certification of USM trainers. In this way, the SURVUZ Foundation guarantees the quality of the USM trainings.

Resources

Accredited USM Education partners and Public Education Institutes use many standard instruments that accompany USM training products, including exercises, game boards (onsite and online), assignments, quizzes, etc. In USM training and in the application of USM in your practice, you can use resources that are made available by USM Product partners:

  • The hard copy USM game board is indispensable in on-site training to practice the recognizing of USM workflows.
  • With the USM MicroGames of Mproof you can practice with the USM material in a playful way and test to what extent you have already mastered it.
  • The card game with the worst practices from Paul Wilkinson's cartoons can be used in the training sessions.
  • The Text Preparation Form is a free downloadable tool for those who want to carry out communication in a USM practice in the same methodically structured way that USM applies for service delivery.

A recent comment from one of the attendees at the USM Professional training: "There is a plenty of room in the world for Service Management professionals, there is no room for mediocre Service Management professionals at USM."