The Case for Simplicity: Why Over-Engineered ITSM Platforms Hold Teams Back

In IT, there’s a long-standing belief that bigger equals better. The more features a platform has, the more powerful it must be. But when it comes to IT service management (ITSM), complexity can actually become a barrier.

Many organisations invest in enterprise-level ITSM platforms with sprawling capabilities, only to discover that the very thing they thought would make them more efficient actually slows them down.

Here’s why simplicity, not complexity, is often the smarter choice for IT service desks.

1. Slow, Complex Implementations

Many large enterprise-scale ITSM platforms often take months, sometimes even a year, to implement. This is because the systems are designed with a high degree of configurability and require consultants to tailor every detail.

While this flexibility sounds appealing, the reality is frustrating: lengthy projects, spiralling costs, and delayed benefits. By contrast, platforms with pre-configured templates and simpler setup options can be deployed in weeks, delivering value to the business much faster.

2. Steep Learning Curves

If your agents spend more time figuring out how to log a ticket than actually resolving one, your ITSM platform is working against you. Over-engineered systems often require extensive training, certification, and ongoing support just to get new users up to speed.

This slows down onboarding, reduces productivity, and risks poor adoption. A tool should support your team - not become another job to learn.

3. Dependency on Consultants

One of the biggest drawbacks of complex ITSM platforms is the reliance on outside help. When every workflow adjustment, dashboard change, or integration requires consultancy hours, your team loses agility.

This not only drives up costs but also creates bottlenecks. Instead of adapting quickly to business needs, you’re stuck waiting (and paying) for external expertise.

4. Paying for Features You Don’t Need

Many enterprise vendors showcase their platforms with a long list of advanced features. But the reality is that most mid-sized organisations don’t need half of what’s on offer.

The danger here is twofold:

• You end up paying for functionality you’ll never use.
• The sheer volume of features clutters the system, making it harder for agents to focus on the essentials.

Simplicity means focusing on the features that matter most and doing them exceptionally well.

5. Poor User Experience

Ultimately, ITSM is about people - both the agents delivering support and the employees requesting it. If the platform feels clunky, unintuitive, or slow, adoption will drop. Agents will become frustrated, and end users will lose confidence in the service desk.

A clean, intuitive interface with role-specific dashboards isn’t just a “nice to have” - it directly impacts productivity, service quality, and business outcomes.

Why Simplicity Wins

Simplicity in ITSM doesn’t mean less capability - it means removing unnecessary complexity. The benefits are clear:

• Faster time to value: Deploy in weeks, not months.
• Easier onboarding: Train staff quickly with intuitive interfaces.
• Lower reliance on consultants: Empower admins to manage the system.
• Streamlined processes: Focus on what your team actually needs.
• Higher adoption rates: Happier agents, better service for end users.

A Different Approach

At Sunrise, we’ve built our ITSM platform to be powerful without being over-engineered. Customers can get up and running quickly, configure workflows themselves, and rely on an intuitive interface that makes adoption easy.

We believe ITSM should enable your team, not hold it back. That’s why we’ve focused on delivering simplicity without sacrificing flexibility —giving you the best of both worlds.

Find out more about our ITSM solution here.