Field notes · 3 March 2026
Working With Service Registers Before the First Workshop
What to gather from the service register so discovery workshops stay concrete instead of theoretical.
A service register is often the most honest map of what an administrative team actually delivers. It lists named services, owners, and reporting lines.
Before a discovery workshop, ask for the current register, the last three monthly packs, and the calendar of leadership reviews. Those three items reveal where the board must fit.
Watch for services that exist on paper but have no owner in the room. They will not survive on a living dashboard.
Also note services that appear in every verbal update but nowhere in the register. Those usually need a home before indicators can be trusted.
Arrive at the workshop with a draft shortlist, not a blank sheet. Teams respond faster when they can strike items rather than invent them cold.