Don't Skip the Instructions: Why Strategy Goes Before Configuration in ServiceNow

I’ll be honest: I’m famous for trying to put things together without reading the instructions. Furniture, appliances, board games — if it comes with a manual, I’ll probably ignore it until I realize I’ve installed something backwards and have to start over.

Unfortunately, a lot of organizations treat their ServiceNow implementation the same way.

They buy a powerful platform and rush straight to hands-on-keyboard configuration… and then wonder why it’s not delivering the value they expected.

Here’s the thing:

You can’t realize value until you define what value means.

If you don’t take the time to align the platform to your organization’s goals, all you’ve done is purchase a very expensive set of tools. Tools don’t transform businesses — strategy does.

Define Strategy First, Always

Before we build anything in ServiceNow, we need to answer questions like:

• What outcomes are we trying to achieve?
• What’s broken today — and how will we know it’s fixed?
• Who owns what processes, and who’s accountable for results?
• How will success be measured — by whom, and how often?
• What does “value” from this platform actually look like to us?
• Where do we want to be in 6–12 months — and what would get in our way?
• What other initiatives, platforms, or teams does this effort need to align with?

If those answers aren’t clear, then any configuration we do is just guesswork. It might look slick, but it won’t move the needle.

The Work Up Front Pays Off Daily

When you do define strategy and align the platform to it, something magical happens:
The platform starts making sense to the business.

• Leaders stop asking, “Why did we spend money on this?”
• Metrics start showing up that actually mean something.
• Teams feel like the tool fits them — because it does.

ServiceNow Isn’t the Solution — You Are

ServiceNow is a platform, not a silver bullet. The real magic comes from the conversations, decisions, and strategic clarity that happen before a single field is configured.

So yeah — read the instructions.

Better yet, write them yourself before you ever open the box.