Every great enterprise initiative begins with a twinkle in the eye, and The University of Auckland Service Commitments programme is no exception. Born from a simple question, “How might we ensure staff can easily receive the service they need, with a great experience that is delivered reliably and efficiently?” the programme set out to give life to consistent, customer-centred Service Catalogues and Standards across a complex institution.

But like many newborn ideas, Service Commitments arrived in an ever-changing organisational world not entirely ready for it. Through co-creation, collaborative and iterative methodologies, the programme introduced the new arrival and combined Voice of the Customer inputs with business architecture and other frameworks.

As it reached toddlerhood and continues to progress into adolescence, “learn by doing” continues to help navigate an often chaordic path to ongoing maturity in which service catalogues and measured standards are embedded in high level and day-to-day planning, design, improvement and service conversations. The path to adulthood? One thing is certain: it takes a village to raise a confident, collaborative, consistent, customer‑focused initiative, that continues to grow - from twinkle to thriving community.