5 Lessons Achieving DORA Compliance with ServiceNow: A ServiceNow Architects Experience

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is set to take effect on January 17, 2025, and organisations across the financial sector are preparing to meet its stringent requirements. The goal of DORA is to strengthen the operational resilience of financial institutions by ensuring they can withstand, respond to, and recover from IT disruptions while maintaining critical business services.

I’ve been working on leveraging the ServiceNow platform to assist organisations in achieving compliance with DORA. In this article, I’ll share insights into how ServiceNow can support this journey, highlight key deliverables of DORA, and discuss considerations for a successful implementation.

Understanding DORA’s Objectives

The primary objective of DORA is to ensure that financial institutions can manage operational risks effectively. This requires organisations to:

• Identify critical services and functions.

• Map dependencies between key assets.

• Build resilience against IT disruptions.

• Ensure effective incident management and communication.

Achieving DORA compliance requires a cohesive approach, integrating multiple applications on the ServiceNow platform. Below, I outline how specific ServiceNow modules can help address DORA’s key requirements.

Key Deliverables and ServiceNow Solutions

1. Identifying Key Assets with Discovery

The first step toward DORA compliance is identifying the critical assets that support key business services and functions. ServiceNow’s Discovery application automates the identification and mapping of IT assets, providing visibility into your IT infrastructure. By cataloguing hardware, software, and other dependencies, organisations can establish a strong foundation for compliance.

2. Mapping Dependencies with Service Mapping

Once assets are identified, it’s essential to map dependencies between these components to understand how disruptions might cascade through the organisation. Service Mapping in ServiceNow allows organisations to visualise relationships and interdependencies across applications and infrastructure, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of their IT ecosystem.

3. Building a Common Taxonomy with the Common Service Data Model (CSDM)

DORA compliance requires consistent terminology and alignment across business units, which can be challenging in siloed organisations. The Common Service Data Model (CSDM) provides a framework to standardise definitions of critical services and functions, enabling effective communication and collaboration across teams.

A unified taxonomy ensures that:

• Outages are categorised and addressed effectively.

• Risk assessments are aligned across the organisation.

• Different business units can work together seamlessly.

4. Managing Major Incidents with Incident Management

Incident management is at the heart of DORA compliance. The act emphasises preventing and restoring disrupted services swiftly and efficiently. ServiceNow’s Incident Management module empowers IT leaders to:

• Track and respond to incidents in real time.

• Monitor metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the impact of outages.

• Report on major incidents and their resolutions with precision.

This proactive approach ensures that organisations can recover quickly and maintain compliance.

5. Communicating with Stakeholders Using Service Offerings

Consumers are the key stakeholders in any financial institution’s services. Keeping them informed during disruptions is vital for maintaining trust and meeting DORA requirements. With the Service Offerings feature in the CSDM, organisations can identify subscribers of critical services and notify them promptly during major outages. This transparency not only aids compliance but also strengthens customer relationships.

Addressing Organisational Challenges

Achieving DORA compliance isn’t just about implementing technology; it also involves overcoming organisational hurdles:

• Breaking Down Silos: Many organisations operate in silos, with different departments using varying terminologies and risk matrices. ServiceNow’s integrated platform fosters collaboration, enabling teams to work together using a shared language.

• Aligning Risk Management Practices: Consistent definitions of critical services and risk metrics are crucial. The CSDM provides the structure needed to align risk assessments across business units.

• Effective Communication: Clear communication across teams and with external stakeholders ensures smooth implementation and ongoing compliance.

Why ServiceNow for DORA Compliance?

ServiceNow is uniquely positioned to help organisations meet DORA requirements. Its modular approach allows businesses to address specific compliance needs while benefiting from an integrated platform that unifies IT operations, risk management, and customer service. By leveraging ServiceNow’s capabilities, financial institutions can:

• Gain real-time visibility into their IT ecosystem.

• Proactively manage risks and incidents.

• Foster collaboration and standardisation across teams.

Conclusion

Compliance with the Digital Operational Resilience Act is a significant undertaking, but with the right tools and strategies, it can also be an opportunity to strengthen your organisation’s operational resilience. ServiceNow provides a comprehensive suite of applications that enable financial institutions to meet DORA’s requirements efficiently and effectively.

By focusing on identifying critical assets, mapping dependencies, building a common taxonomy, managing incidents, and keeping stakeholders informed, organisations can ensure they’re ready for DORA’s implementation. With a robust platform like ServiceNow, achieving compliance isn’t just possible — it’s achievable.