Which Service Operation function is responsible for the management of applications?

The function responsible for the management of applications is Application Management. This function plays a critical role in ensuring that applications are designed, built, and maintained to meet the needs of the business and its users. Application Management focuses on managing the application lifecycle, which includes activities such as application development, maintenance, support, and optimization.

One of its primary responsibilities is to ensure that applications are available, performant, and aligned with the overall IT service management strategy. This includes oversight of the application’s performance and ensuring it integrates well with other services and components in the IT environment.

In contrast, other functions like Technical Management primarily focus on the technology and infrastructure that support services. The Service Desk is the point of contact for users and is essential for handling incidents and service requests, but it does not directly manage applications. IT Operations Management oversees the day-to-day running of IT services and infrastructure, but it does not specialize in the management of applications specifically.

Thus, Application Management is uniquely positioned to ensure that applications are effectively managed throughout their lifecycle, which is why this function is the correct answer.