The end of SLAs: why experience is the new measure of IT success

In ten years, the distinction between Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) will feel like a significant fifty-year gap. While SLAs have been around since the 1980s, XLAs are only now gaining traction. The upcoming ISO 20000-18 standard will further push the adoption of XLAs.

To comply with this new standard, organizations must now manage the digital experiences of both customers and users, incorporating Experience Management (XM) into their existing governance, management, and implementation processes. Demonstrating good digital experiences is no longer just a nice-to-have, but a critical factor in winning new contracts.

Though the concept of XLAs has been around, most organizations lack the knowledge to practically implement these changes. So, why bother with XLAs? The answer lies in the fact that SLAs and user experience are not the same. Even if a cloud application is technically available, if the user experience is poor, it won't be used. SLAs still matter, but they are no longer sufficient. Understanding whether a system is functioning is crucial, but knowing if the application is unresponsive for the user is equally important.

Measuring 'experience' can be challenging, as it's a broad term and difficult to measure if not defined. There are hundreds of metrics for experience measurement, generally falling into three categories: Technical Data (T-Data), Operational Data (O-Data), and Sentiment Data (X-Data). For ISO compliance, organizations need data from all three categories.

Technical Data, obtained from platforms like Nexthink DEX, provides complete visibility across every endpoint and interaction. This data helps in faster diagnostics and identifying root causes of issues, enabling preemptive and preventative IT.

However, a common mistake when implementing Digital Employee Experience (DEX) platforms is focusing on the platform's capabilities rather than understanding the immediate concerns and frustrations of individual business units. IT leaders should ask other business units about their top priorities, areas of friction, and what success looks like for them. By focusing on these aspects, IT can help eliminate root causes of digital friction, rather than solely focusing on technical capabilities.

XLAs represent both an opportunity and a challenge. Initially, many businesses view new regulations as a burden, but ISO 20000-18 and the growing role of XLAs also offer an opportunity to accelerate the shift from infrastructure to experience. This change requires a significant realignment across traditional roles, responsibilities, and metrics. Businesses that see the new standard as an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage will have a significant head start on those still relying on outdated IT models.