Q&A with a NowDiva: Discovery, Visibility, and Owning Your Tech Space
Selva, thank you so much for sharing your story with the WomenNow community! I first met Selva at Knowledge 2025, where I had the chance to attend her session, “Hidden Tricks: You'll Never Need to Create a ServiceNow Case for These Issues!”, and wow, she was phenomenal. Not only did she walk us through clever ways to identify your instance’s node and switch between them with ease, but she tied it all back to Interstellar (yes, the movie!), which made the technical content both memorable and fun. Her ability to break down complex topics so clearly left a lasting impression on me. I knew right then that her story needed to be part of this blog, to inspire other women navigating their own paths in tech.
Let’s Start with Your Journey
1. How did you first stumble into the world of ServiceNow—and what kept you hooked?
I used to believe that coding wasn't my cup of tea, but the ServiceNow platform made it accessible. The way it simplifies automation and development made it possible for me to thrive.
My journey into ServiceNow was a restart, and it began in 2015 while I was at CGI in India. Before that, I had a great 5.5-year career as a System Administrator at IBM. In 2017, I made the decision to move to the US on a dependent visa after getting married, which led to a six-year career break to focus on my family. I have no regrets about that time; I was blessed with two beautiful children and cherished my motherhood.
Returning to the tech world in 2023 after such a long gap was incredibly challenging. I honestly had to start from scratch, relearning the basics. I enrolled in training with ServiceNow MVP Ravi Gaurav, who helped me begin my journey again. I struggled, worked incredibly hard, and faced rejections from companies because of my career gap. It was upsetting, but it never broke my spirit; instead, it fueled my determination. I kept my faith high, and eventually, it paid off with two job offers! I chose UMass Memorial Health, where I now work as a ServiceNow Developer, primarily focusing on ITOM, Certificate Management, and ITSM.
What keeps me hooked? I used to believe that coding wasn't my cup of tea, but the ServiceNow platform made it accessible. The way it simplifies automation and development made it possible for me to thrive. It keeps me hungry to learn more every single day. I believe that if I can do it, anyone out there like me can too. All it takes is dedication, hard work, and a never-give-up attitude.
2. Discovery is a beast of a module (in the best way). What drew you to it?
It was a happy accident! The position I was hired for at UMass was for ITOM, and even though I didn't have direct experience with it, my background as a System Administrator at IBM definitely helped. In the IT Operations world, I had worked with the physical devices Discovery finds.
When I first started, I’ll admit, the CMDB and ITOM looked like a scary monster, and I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it. But the moment I started to understand the core concepts, I absolutely fell in love with it. Now, Discovery is my best friend! It’s like being a detective, piecing together a puzzle. It taught me that nothing is too difficult if you are willing to learn and, more importantly, if you find a way to love what you're learning. That love makes everything simpler.
3. Was there a specific moment when you realized, “Okay, I’m actually really good at this”?
Yes, there was a very clear moment. I took over the role from a contractor, and as I started implementing what I had learned, everything just clicked. I realized that IT Operations was my bread and butter, my work love. My past experience gave me the foundation, but applying it in ServiceNow gave me the confidence. I felt like there was no stopping me, and I’m still excited to keep climbing the Discovery and ITOM ladder and continue learning.
Diving into Discovery
4. For the folks who hear "Discovery" and immediately think of outer space—how do you explain what it actually does in ServiceNow?
I love that analogy! It’s actually very close. Think of ServiceNow Discovery as a fleet of powerful telescopes and satellites for your IT universe. But instead of finding new planets, it automatically finds, identifies, and maps every single router, switch, server, and piece of software on your network. It pulls all that information into the CMDB to create a single, reliable map—a source of truth that replaces messy spreadsheets and guesswork. It tells you not just what you have, but how it's all connected.
5. What are some rookie mistakes people make when setting up Discovery—and how can they avoid them?
I see a few common pitfalls:
Jumping In Without a Plan: The biggest mistake is not knowing what you want to discover first. Don't try to scan everything at once. Avoid it by: Starting with a clear scope. Pick one device type (like Cisco switches or Windows Servers), get that working perfectly, and then expand from there.
Credential and Permission Issues: The vast majority of discovery failures are due to incorrect credentials or insufficient permissions. Avoid it by: Working closely with your network and server teams before you start. Ensure your MID Server has firewall clearance and that your credentials have the right level of access.
Ignoring Established Best Practices. Many people skip the fundamentals of setting up Discovery Schedules, MID Server configuration, and credential management. This can quickly lead to poor performance and significant security risks.
How to avoid it: Dive into the official ServiceNow documentation—it’s your source of truth. Implementing simple but crucial best practices, like using read-only credentials where possible and creating dedicated service accounts, is fundamental to a secure and efficient discovery process.
6. If someone is just getting started with Discovery, what are the top 3 things they should learn or get right from the beginning?
CMDB Fundamentals: Before you discover anything, understand the "why." Learn what the CMDB is, how it’s structured (classes, relationships), and why having clean data is so important.
Basic Networking & System Administration: You don’t need to be an expert, but knowing the basics of IP ranges, subnets, and protocols like SNMP and SSH will make troubleshooting a thousand times easier.
The Discovery Fundamentals Course: ServiceNow's course on Now Learning is fantastic and, best of all, it's free! It's the perfect place to build a solid foundation. Make use of it!
7. What’s the weirdest or most interesting device or CI you’ve discovered during a scan?
That's a great question! While I've seen my share of unique devices, my most satisfying moment actually came from enhancing what Discovery could do for a device we already knew well—our Linux servers.
I extended the standard Linux Server pattern by writing a custom step to fetch the last patch date. Seeing that pattern successfully run and automatically populate a crucial piece of compliance data directly onto the Linux Server CI record was a huge win. It was a great learning experience, and it really showed me that extending Discovery patterns is easier than you think and is a powerful way to add immediate value to the platform.
The NowDivas Era
8. You launched NowDivas—and it’s awesome! What inspired the series?
Thank you! I always wanted to create content and have my own YouTube channel, but my camera shyness and anxiety held me back. Fortunately, I met my fellow Diva, Kristen Dettman, ServiceNow MVP 2025, and we talked about creating a channel together. Kristen came up with the brilliant name "NowDivas," and it just started from there! I couldn't have done this alone. All it took was a ping on LinkedIn and a phone call. I must say, Kristen is so kind and supportive, and I feel blessed that our paths crossed. I simply adore her and her contributions to the ServiceNow community.
Link to their channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNowDivas
9. How has it been juggling technical content creation with your day-to-day work? Any secrets to staying consistent?
It’s definitely a juggle! I dedicate my weekends to content creation. I plan the topic a week ahead, write out the content, prepare my ServiceNow instance, and test everything before I even hit record. This often means late nights editing the video, but it's fueled by passion. My secret is my simple goal: I hope my content is helpful to at least one person in the world. If it achieves that, it’s the biggest success for me.
10. What do you hope people take away from NowDivas episodes—especially other women in tech?
I hope they see that any woman, with dedication and support from other women, can achieve anything. We prove every day that we are master multi-taskers—handling work, home, kids, and our passions. Women are a powerful force, and when we support each other, we can absolutely rule the IT world together. One Diva should always help and support another.
Women, Visibility & Voice in Tech
11. What’s something you wish more people understood about being a woman in a highly technical role?
I wish people wouldn't doubt our capabilities, especially for women who are mothers. Don't assume that our family commitments diminish our technical passion or ability. Don't stop us from dreaming or pursuing our goals. Instead, support us and boost our confidence. We can, and we will, deliver.
12. Have you ever had to advocate for yourself in a room full of doubters? How did you handle it?
Yes, I have certainly been in those rooms. My approach is simple: I let their doubt remain their doubt. I don't focus on changing their minds with words; I focus on proving them wrong with my work.
My continuous improvement and the consistent performance of my projects are my real advocates. When you deliver solid results time and time again, the doubts naturally fade away. I believe in letting my expertise and the success of my work speak for itself. It’s the most powerful statement you can make.
13. What advice would you give to other women eyeing more technical or platform-heavy roles like Discovery?
Go for it! Don't be intimidated by the "beast." Start with the fundamentals, stay curious, and never be afraid to say, "I don't know, but I will find out." Build a network of other women in tech—like our WomenNow group!—and find mentors who will support you. Your unique perspective is needed in these technical roles.
Tools of the Trade
14. What’s one Discovery-related tool, feature, or trick that you think is totally underrated?
The Discovery Workspace! Many people still live in the old Discovery Status and ECC Queue lists, but the Workspace provides a much more intuitive and visual way to see what's happening, troubleshoot errors, and understand the health of your discovery process at a glance.
15. How do you keep your technical skills sharp—any go-to blogs, courses, or nerdy rituals?
I love reading! I spend a lot of time reading technical books and, of course, exploring everything on the ServiceNow University portal. I also follow the official ServiceNow blogs and community forums to see what real-world problems people are solving. My nerdy ritual is building these labs at home—there's no better way to learn than by doing.
16. ServiceNow is always evolving—what recent enhancement or roadmap item has you genuinely excited?
I'm genuinely excited about the advancements in AI-powered Service Mapping and Discovery. The potential for ServiceNow to use machine learning to predict relationships and identify services with even less manual intervention is a game-changer. It’s moving us closer to a truly self-maintaining and intelligent CMDB.
Quick Hits for Fun
17. Flow Designer or Scripted REST APIs—what’s your happy place?
Flow Designer! I love how it empowers everyone to build powerful automations with a clear, visual interface.
18. If you could create your dream custom module, what would it do?
I am a spiritual person, so my dream module would be a "Direct Communication Module with the Creator" module to communicate with the Creator—God, the Father and Son. It would be the ultimate source of truth!
19. Favorite non-tech way to recharge after a long day of CI classes and MID Server madness?
Lots of deep breathing, taking a walk in nature, and, most importantly, just being present with my family. They are my ultimate recharge station.
20. And finally—describe your ServiceNow life in 3 emojis. Go!
❤️📚🗺
(Love, Learn, and Explore/Map)
Connect with Selva on LinkedIn
Would you like your story featured in our ServiceNow Stories: Women Behind the Workflows Series? Reach out to Isela Phelps via LinkedIn.
