: Stop Confusing Users with Technical Jargon — Design for What They Want, Not How IT Works
The Service Catalog Design Trap
One of the most common challenges with Service Catalog adoption is that catalog items are often designed around internal team structures instead of user outcomes. Over time, this leads to confusion, misrouted requests, and a return to email or free-text tickets .
Where things usually go wrong:
- Separate items for each support team or technology
- Technical language that makes sense to IT, but not to users
- Too many mandatory fields up front "just in case"
- Routing logic embedded in user choices rather than automation
As a result, users struggle to select the "right" option, and fulfillment teams spend time correcting submissions instead of delivering value .
A More Effective Design Mindset
Start with what the user wants to achieve, not how IT fulfills it.
|
Instead of This (Internal-Focused) |
Design This (Outcome-Focused) |
|
"Active Directory Group Request" |
"Request access to a system" |
|
"Application Incident – Tier 2" |
"Report an issue with an application" |
|
Separate laptop, desktop, and peripheral items |
"Request new equipment" |
The internal complexity should live behind the scenes, handled by workflows, flows, and assignment rules .
Key Design Principles
One Request, One Outcome
Users should not need to understand internal ownership or team structures. Each catalog item should represent a single, clear outcome the user wants to achieve.
Progressive Disclosure
Ask for only what's needed at submission; gather the rest later if required . Users confronted with 15 mandatory fields abandon the request or guess, leading to misrouted tickets.
Automated Routing
Use category, service, CI, or logic to route — not user guesswork. Don't make users choose which team should handle their request .
Consistent Language
Use business terms users recognize, not platform or team names. "Order a laptop" is clearer than "Hardware Asset Request - North America Region."
Benefits of Outcome-Based Design
|
Benefit |
Impact |
|
Higher portal adoption |
Users find what they need quickly |
|
Fewer misrouted requests |
Automation handles routing correctly |
|
Faster fulfillment times |
Requests arrive at the right team with complete information |
|
Cleaner reporting |
Consistent categorization enables accurate analysis |
|
Easier maintenance |
Change automation, not dozens of catalog items |
Real-World Impact
As one ServiceNow community expert noted: "A good catalog hides complexity instead of exposing it. When catalog items are designed around outcomes, users succeed faster and IT spends less time correcting mistakes" .
Action Items for Your Organization
- Review your catalog items — do they use technical jargon?
- Test with real users — where do they get confused?
- Replace "team-based" items with "outcome-based" items
- Move routing logic from users to automation
- Apply progressive disclosure to reduce form abandonment
