Operational Level Agreement Definition

An operational level agreement (OLA) is a contractually agreed upon agreement that defines the roles and responsibilities of different teams within an organization. It is a part of service level management (SLM) that outlines the specific operational details required to achieve a service level agreement (SLA).

The purpose of an OLA is to provide clear guidelines to teams within an organization to ensure effective and efficient service delivery. It specifies the performance metrics, maintenance, support, and reporting procedures that are necessary to maintain the agreed-upon service levels.

OLAs are commonly used in information technology (IT) environments where multiple teams are involved in the delivery of services. For instance, if your company has support teams, development teams, and operations teams working together, an OLA would outline the roles and responsibilities of each team in detail.

An OLA is typically developed to support an SLA, which details the overall service level expectations for the client. The OLA provides more granular details about the operational procedures needed to meet the SLA requirements. An OLA should be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure it is still applicable to current service delivery and that the services provided are meeting or exceeding the agreed-upon performance metrics.

In conclusion, an OLA is an essential element of service level management in any organization. It helps to define the roles and responsibilities of different teams within the organization, detailing the specific operational procedures required to achieve service level agreements. This agreement ensures that all parties involved in service delivery, both internal and external, understand their roles and responsibilities, leading to improved service delivery and overall customer satisfaction.