ITIL vs PMP Certification: Which One is Right for You?

In today's competitive job market, certifications can be a crucial factor in advancing your career and standing out from the crowd. Among the most recognized and sought-after certifications are ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and PMP (Project Management Professional). Both have distinct advantages and cater to different aspects of professional growth. In this comprehensive article, we will explore the intricacies of ITIL and PMP certifications, their benefits, and how to determine which one is right for you.

Understanding ITIL Certification

ITIL is a set of practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of the business. The ITIL framework is divided into five core publications, each covering a different aspect of ITSM:

1. Service Strategy
2. Service Design
3. Service Transition
4. Service Operation
5. Continual Service Improvement

Benefits of ITIL Certification

1. Enhanced Service Delivery: ITIL-certified professionals are equipped with the knowledge to improve the quality of IT services, ensuring they meet customer and business expectations.
2. Cost Efficiency: Implementing ITIL practices helps in reducing costs by optimizing the use of resources and improving service delivery efficiency.
3. Career Advancement: ITIL certification is globally recognized, making certified professionals more attractive to potential employers.
4. Improved Customer Satisfaction: By aligning IT services with business needs, customer satisfaction is significantly enhanced.

Who Should Consider ITIL Certification?

ITIL certification is ideal for professionals involved in IT service management, including:

• IT Managers
• IT Support Staff
• IT Consultants
• Business Managers
• IT Project Managers

Understanding PMP Certification

PMP certification, offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), is one of the most prestigious project management certifications available. It demonstrates a professional's ability to manage projects efficiently and effectively. The PMP certification covers five key project management processes:

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Controlling
5. Closing

Benefits of PMP Certification

1. Global Recognition: PMP certification is recognized worldwide, enhancing your credibility and marketability as a project management professional.
2. Higher Salary Potential: PMP-certified professionals often command higher salaries compared to their non-certified peers.
3. Skill Enhancement: The rigorous process of obtaining PMP certification ensures that you gain in-depth knowledge and skills in project management.
4. Networking Opportunities: Being part of the PMI community provides access to a global network of professionals, resources, and continuing education opportunities.

Who Should Consider PMP Certification?

PMP certification is suitable for professionals involved in project management, such as:

• Project Managers
• Project Coordinators
• Project Analysts
• Project Leaders
• Program Managers

ITIL vs PMP: Key Differences

While both ITIL and PMP certifications are valuable, they serve different purposes and are tailored for different career paths. Here are the key differences:

Focus and Scope

• ITIL: Primarily focuses on IT service management and the alignment of IT services with business needs. It is more process-oriented and deals with the operational aspects of IT service delivery.
• PMP: Concentrates on project management across various industries. It is more project-oriented and covers the entire lifecycle of project management, from initiation to closing.

Industry Application

• ITIL: Best suited for IT professionals and those working in IT service management roles. It is widely used in IT departments within various industries.
• PMP: Applicable to a wide range of industries, including construction, healthcare, finance, and IT. It is ideal for professionals managing projects of any kind.

Certification Process

• ITIL: The certification process involves multiple levels, starting with the Foundation level and progressing through Practitioner, Intermediate, Expert, and Master levels.
• PMP: Requires a combination of project management experience and education. Candidates must pass a rigorous exam to achieve certification.

How to Choose Between ITIL and PMP Certification

Choosing between ITIL and PMP certification depends on your career goals, industry, and professional background. Here are some considerations to help you decide:

Career Goals

• If your goal is to specialize in IT service management and improve IT processes within an organization, ITIL certification is the right choice.
• If you aim to manage projects and lead project teams across various industries, PMP certification is more suitable.

Industry

• IT Professionals: If you work in an IT department or manage IT services, ITIL certification will be more beneficial.
• Project Managers: If you manage projects in any industry, PMP certification will enhance your skills and career prospects.

Professional Background

• ITIL: Ideal for those with an IT background or those involved in IT service management.
• PMP: Suitable for individuals with experience in project management, regardless of the industry.

Conclusion

Both ITIL and PMP certifications offer substantial benefits and can significantly impact your career trajectory. By understanding the differences and aligning them with your career goals, you can make an informed decision on which certification is right for you. Whether you choose ITIL or PMP, both certifications will enhance your professional credentials and open up new opportunities for growth and advancement.

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Co-Creating Value in Organisations with ITIL 4

Co-Creating Value in Organisations with ITIL 4 is written using the lessons I’ve learned by misapplying ITIL in the past. This was nobody’s fault but my own.

One example I go back to is 15 years ago when I worked as an ITIL Change Manager; I made life too hard for those seeking to make changes to the customer’s IT estate by using ITIL as a method of governance instead of enablement. My focus was purely on the risk of change in singularity instead of reflecting on the bigger picture. All I was doing was creating a form of value that my process would benefit from regarding its measurement of failed change.

I want to advise other IT service management (ITSM) professionals so that they can avoid the same fate with ITIL and value.

Why is co-creating value relevant?

The digital tools we work with, how we use them, and where we use them have evolved since my days as a Change Manager. Thankfully, ITIL 4’s value-based outcome-focused approach provides us with skills that are genuinely transferrable across time, technologies, locations, and organizations.

These skills can be applied to co-create value in an era where change increasingly comes quickly, lacking predictability and clarity with volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) situations shifting our operations.

The co-creation of value between customers, teams, and organizations comes from building relationships, treating suppliers like partners, and empowering your teams and, in fact, anybody an organization has to deal with. It comes from enabling your organization through co-created values that you implement into your digital service lifecycle, from service strategy to service design, service operations, and measurement and improvement.

All too often, we find it easier to act as I did; we create value in isolation by looking at our digital services from the inside out. When we use this perspective, we improve service elements and effectively improve a link in the chain, but we need to address the value chain in its entirety. This is because we are not co-creating value.

Over the last eight years, while working in the education, finance, and retail sectors, I’ve found that switching your approach to an ‘outside-in’ approach is successful. This is where you view your business strategy in line with your digital products and services from the customer perspective, helping you focus on how you, your teams, and your partners deliver digital services and value to your customers.

When working with my clients, I’ve taken this approach by mapping the customer journey from their perspective, and it’s often fascinating to see how this way of identifying value changes how we think about the digital services we deliver. I often ask a simple question “Would you use this service” after reviewing the customer’s journey?

ITIL 4 defines a service as “A means of enabling value co-creation by facilitating outcomes that customers want to achieve, without the customer having to manage specific costs and risks.”  

Value can mean different things to different people or scenarios; you may place value on financial gain, savings, innovation, and experience, or the value is set on protecting your commercial or regulatory standing. Digital products and services often need to deliver value in all these areas. This makes the co-creation of value essential to ensure you get all the oh-so-critical details.

Why ITIL is not just for IT

ITIL 4 is for more than just those working in IT. The guiding principles in ITIL 4 should be integrated with the organizational business strategy to optimize their digital services and create value for customers and colleagues. Organizations should define a vision and agree on how individuals and teams can contribute.

In these cases, it pays to start by understanding both your current state and your desired state; once you know where you are, you can co-create an understanding of where you want to be. This can be achieved by building a charter that describes how elements of the whole organization (not just IT) collaborate to define and enable value co-creation in line with your business strategy.

An example could be an organization which needs to evolve in line with changes seen in its ecosystem; this could be through a mixture of legislation and related consumer demand. This organization now faces a situation which means the enterprise must evolve and innovate how it delivers its existing digital services to current customers and develops potential digital services to meet a growing/shift in demand.

IT alone cannot solve this; it’s an organizational challenge. As with real life, not all people are ITIL practitioners – in fact, in most cases, we must bring opposing methodologies and views together.

This can be achieved through the creation of Value Focussed Communities of Practice. These communities are formed of people from across the organizational ecosystem focusing on co-creating meaningful value that can benefit the organization, its people, and its customers.

We do this to empower people to deliver and co-create value through their ITIL experience and through constructive challenges provided by non-ITIL practitioners from across the organization and its customers: people who can influence or impact any improvement in any number of ways.

By Co-Creating Value in Organisations using ITIL 4, the communities I have worked with have managed to co-create value that has:

◉ Identified Impactors and Influencers with whom to co-create value

◉ Identified Digital Service Fragility, identifying incidents before they occur

◉ Improved Service Availability and response through proactive analysis

◉ Shifted value left into the Digital Service Strategy & Design phase, increasing development velocity while reducing risk

◉ Improved organizational collaboration and communication

◉ Turned failing vendor agreements into thriving commercial partnerships

◉ Altered the image of supposed failing teams through improved relationships and management information.

Ultimately, value co-creation vastly reduces the gap between those designing and operating digital services and their organizational customers. 

New Publication: Co-Creating Value in Organisations with ITIL 4

I decided to write Co-Creating Value in Organisations with ITIL 4 to share my journey adopting ITIL from ITIL v2 to today’s ITIL 4. This is important because I wanted to explain how ITIL can deliver real value to organizations, not just their IT departments.

My aim is to guide readers by combining ITIL 4’s guiding principles with real-world personal stories and graphics that bring the concepts to life. I highlight the techniques I have been using to successfully deliver real value to organizations and their teams. I show through my personal stories that the key to succeeding in co-creating value is bringing people together to reflect upon organizational challenges at a holistic level – almost the opposite of my time as a Problem Manager and the need for my “learning, unlearning, and relearning.”

This title is a guide for consultants, managers, and executives to add to their toolbox to handle the moments that define them as professionals. It addresses those who have studied ITIL 4 and are struggling to implement it and those who are wondering how ITIL  4 can help their organization achieve its vision. Ultimately, my goal is to provide practical solutions for anyone looking to create value in their digital services delivery. 

The key topics include:

◉ How to achieve value with suppliers and customers

◉ Delivering value through knowledge       

◉ The value of peeking under the covers

◉ Using one language on a global scale

◉ Continual improvement.

Source: itsm.tools

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What is ITIL: Essential Guide to ITIL V4 Processes and Framework

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a set of best practices for managing IT services. It provides guidance and frameworks for IT service management (ITSM) with a focus on aligning IT services with business needs. ITIL V4 is the latest version of ITIL, which was released in 2019, and it incorporates modern approaches to IT service management. In this guide, we will explore the essential concepts and processes of ITIL V4.

What is ITIL V4?

ITIL V4 is the latest version of ITIL, which provides a holistic approach to IT service management. It focuses on the integration of IT services with business needs and includes four dimensions of service management: organizations and people, information and technology, partners and suppliers, and value streams and processes. ITIL V4 provides guidance for organizations to develop and maintain effective IT services, ensuring they meet business requirements.

ITIL V4 Processes

ITIL V4 includes 34 practices that are grouped into four dimensions of service management. These practices are designed to be integrated into an organization's IT service management framework to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of IT services.

Service Value System

The Service Value System (SVS) is the core of ITIL V4. It provides a holistic approach to service management and includes five components:

◉ Service Value Chain

◉ Guiding Principles

◉ Governance

◉ Continual Improvement

◉ Practices

Service Value Chain

The Service Value Chain (SVC) is a series of interconnected activities that help organizations to create value for their customers. The SVC includes six activities:

◉ Plan

◉ Improve

◉ Engage

◉ Design and transition

◉ Obtain and build

◉ Deliver and support

Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles are a set of recommendations that organizations can use to guide their decision-making processes. These principles are designed to help organizations to focus on value, start where they are, progress iteratively with feedback, collaborate and promote visibility, think and work holistically, keep it simple and practical, and optimize and automate.

Governance

Governance is the framework of policies, procedures, and decision-making processes that an organization uses to manage its IT services. It includes the establishment of a governing body, the creation of policies and procedures, and the monitoring and control of IT services.

Continual Improvement

Continual Improvement is a process that organizations use to improve their IT services continuously. It includes four stages:

◉ What is the vision?

◉ Where are we now?

◉ Where do we want to be?

◉ How do we get there?

Practices

ITIL V4 includes 34 practices that are grouped into three categories: general management practices, service management practices, and technical management practices. These practices are designed to be integrated into an organization's IT service management framework to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of IT services.

ITIL V4 Framework

The ITIL V4 framework is a set of best practices that are designed to help organizations manage their IT services effectively. The framework includes the following components:

◉ Service Value System

◉ Four dimensions of service management

◉ Service Value Chain

◉ Guiding Principles

◉ Governance

◉ Continual Improvement

◉ Practices

Benefits of ITIL V4

ITIL V4 provides numerous benefits to organizations, including:

◉ Improved alignment between IT services and business needs

◉ Increased efficiency and effectiveness of IT services

◉ Enhanced customer satisfaction

◉ Improved decision-making processes

◉ Increased collaboration and communication within the organization

◉ Improved risk management

Conclusion

ITIL V4 is a set of best practices for managing IT services that provides guidance and frameworks for ITSM. It focuses on aligning IT services with business needs and includes a holistic approach to service management. The framework includes 34 practices that are grouped into four dimensions of service management: organizations and people, information and technology, partners and suppliers, and value streams and processes.

Implementing ITIL V4 can bring significant benefits to organizations, including improved alignment between IT services and business needs, increased efficiency and effectiveness of IT services, enhanced customer satisfaction, improved decision-making processes, increased collaboration and communication within the organization, and improved risk management.

In summary, ITIL V4 is an essential guide for organizations that want to effectively manage their IT services. By implementing the ITIL V4 framework and practices, organizations can ensure the efficient and effective delivery of IT services that meet business requirements. With its focus on aligning IT services with business needs, ITIL V4 is an indispensable tool for organizations looking to improve their IT service management practices.

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How to Crack ITIL 4 Foundation Certification Exam 2022?

You want to prepare for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam and pass it the first time you take it. Understanding ITIL 4 Exam Concepts is important, but you must know the ITIL 4 Exam pattern to feel completely sure. So, this blog entails some amazing tips and tricks that can help you pass the ITIL 4 foundation exam.

What is ITIL 4 Foundation Certification?

The ITIL 4 Foundation certification introduces an overview of the ITIL framework. It allows candidates to view ITSM as an end-to-end operating model for developing, delivering, and improving technology-enabled products and services. Candidates who need a fundamental understanding of the ITIL framework, want to use ITIL to improve ITSM, or whose organization has adopted ITIL can benefit from the certification. The ITIL 4 Foundation course introduces participants to the ITIL framework, with a particular emphasis on the following topics:

◉ Key concepts and guiding principles of the ITIL 4 framework

◉ Understand the Service Value system and the four dimensions of Service Management

◉ Knowledge of the link between ITIL 4 and other practices such as Agile, DevOps, and Lean

◉ ITIL management practices and more

Who Should Get ITIL 4 Foundation Certification?

ITIL 4 Foundation is appropriate for individuals who need a fundamental understanding of the ITIL framework and how it can be utilized to enhance the quality of IT service management within a firm. The certification also relates to IT professionals who work in an ITIL-adopted organization and must be aware of and contribute to the entire service improvement program.

The ITIL 4 Foundation certification is intended for anyone working in IT who wants to learn about IT Service Management and how to deliver business value. Anyone who wants to improve their ITIL v3 certification and knowledge.

Job roles that can benefit from ITIL 4 Foundation course include, but are not limited to:

◉ IT Professionals

◉ ITSM Managers

◉ Individuals working in the areas of IT (Digital, Product, Development)

◉ Service Managers

◉ Database Administrators

◉ Software Professionals

◉ Service Process Owners

◉ Individuals starting their journey in

◉ Service Management

◉ Existing ITIL qualification holders

What is ITIL 4 Foundation Exam?

ITIL 4 was released by AXELOS in early 2019. It is the most recent version of ITIL’s evolution, the standard set of practices designed to assist organizations in their digital transformation. ITIL 4 is a complete IT services model for delivering and operating technologically enabled products and services. As a result, IT operations teams can play a larger role in overall business strategy by adhering to ITIL concepts.

The ITIL exam is a foundational certification that assesses your general understanding of ITIL concepts. It discusses the key elements, concepts, and terminology used in the ITIL service lifecycle, such as the connections between lifecycle stages, the processes used, and their contribution to service management practices. Following is the exam format of the ITIL 4 Foundation exam:

◉ Type: Multiple Choice Questions – 40 questions

◉ Duration: 60 Minutes (1 hour)

◉ Result: 26 out of 40 (65% pass mark)

◉ Open book: No

◉ Language: English

How Difficult is the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam?

Statistics show that nearly 80% of people pass the exam every time. The exam isn’t difficult, but it does necessitate thorough preparation. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan ahead of time. If the test isn’t difficult, it’s not easy. Therefore, to pass, you must have the necessary resources.

Official and online resources can be used to prepare for and practice exam content. So, use the right resources and prepare thoroughly to ace the exam. In addition, you can enroll in the Invensis Learning ITIL 4 Foundation certification, which will help you advance your career.

Tips on How to Crack the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam

There are numerous resources available for preparing for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam. However, because this ITIL 4 Foundation certification is quite difficult, you must exercise caution when selecting resources. Make certain that the resources you’ve chosen are appropriate for your level of understanding. Following are some of the tips to assist you in clearing the ITIL 4 Foundation exam:

Work Efficiently

Begin by becoming acquainted with the ITIL 4 Foundation certification examination framework. Then, prepare for the exam using official sample papers and practice questions. Finally, keep track of the time allotted for ITIL 4 Foundation practice exams, so you don’t miss the deadline. Moreover, a major cause of exam failure is a lack of time and the provision of a preliminary exam. As a result, it is necessary to practice as much as possible.

Discover the Modules of Capability and Lifecycle

Although intermediate ITIL certifications necessitate a deeper understanding of each lifecycle and capability module, your foundational knowledge should be solid. With ITIL 4 Foundation Training, you can learn the fundamentals and comprehend each stage of the ITIL lifecycle and capability modules. In addition, you should be familiar with abbreviations and jargon at all times.

Thoroughly Read and Comprehend the ITIL 4 Foundation Books

The Office of Government Commerce has the book for sale. The five ITIL 4 Foundation modules are set up like a lifecycle, with each module covering a step in the process. So, buying the whole suite is cheaper than buying each module separately. Moreover, there is a PDF version of the ITIL book. It’s best to give yourself enough time to study the material thoroughly. Only then will you be capable of understanding the question and giving the right answer.

Keep the Keywords in Mind

If you want to pass the test, you must correct the keywords. ITIL keywords include service strategy, design, transition, and implementation, linked to other ITIL model keywords.

Study Only ITIL

Many people respond based on current or previous organizational practices, which can backfire during the examination. When studying for the ITIL 4 Foundation level exam, concentrate on ITIL processes and best practices rather than your previous experiences. Above all, the ITIL 4 Foundation exam assesses your understanding of ITIL processes, functions, and concepts.

Take Mock Exams

Attend practice tests and prepare to score more than 26 out of 40. This will boost your confidence before taking the final ITIL exam. Start with the easy questions when you arrive for the exam on the scheduled date. Then, mark your answers following the instructions.

Additional Hints to Ace the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam

Following are some helpful hints to help you make the most of the class and ace the exam:

1. Investigate all of your options to find what you’re looking for. Begin by becoming acquainted with the subject matter. It will assist you in getting up and running as soon as the course begins.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the training—there will be plenty to think about. If you’re still unsure, please ask again. Moreover, it is critical to understand the concepts to avoid being stumped by exam questions.

3. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t understand a concept right away. Students may begin to learn the subject as the course progresses. In other cases, the material is not completely covered until the end.

4. Take copious notes, especially on ideas that challenge you. It will aid you in clarifying your understanding and highlighting concepts you may have overlooked previously.

5. Make use of real-world examples. Don’t be afraid to inquire about the applicability of ITIL 4 to your workplace. Your instructor will use real-world examples, and sharing your experiences will encourage and benefit you. When taking the exam, remember to answer questions from an ITIL perspective.

6. You will have the chance to take a practice exam. Don’t worry too much about the details; try to answer each question correctly. In addition, review the incorrect questions with the group to better understand what went wrong. The ITIL 4 app may assist you in preparing for the certification exam.

7. Don’t give up if you’re having trouble answering the questions. Before the exam, you can go over the things that are giving you the most trouble. However, avoid changing your answers throughout the exam because your gut instinct is usually correct. Only revise a response if you are certain you were incorrect.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Significance and Key Benefits of ITIL 4 for Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation has been a hot topic in recent years as data is found to be the greatest asset in the current era. Digital devices and data help in developing Information Technology to the next extent. It is expected that digital transformation will reach around 1.8 trillion USD in the year 2022. Also, in 2025, the projection will reach 2.8 trillion USD. Information Technology and its market are arising huge after the industrial revolution. Moreover, some technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning helps in robust development in the sector. The IT products and services used in every industry are increasing, so effectively managing them is essential. For this purpose, Information Technology Service Management has been developed. As the update and advancement to ITSM, ITIL 4 has emerged in recent years.

If you seek a career-changing opportunity in IT Service Management, ITIL 4 Foundation certification is a way to go! Because, it is an entry-level service management certification course that helps explore the end-to-end IT service model for creating, delivering, and continually improving services that align with the enterprise’s strategy.

What is ITIL 4?

The term ITIL stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. It is the most recognized framework for ITSM, where the available information systems are managed effectively. Businesses can keep track of their IT needs with the help of ITIL. Most organizations are using ITIL as vital support for IT products and services. ITIL 4 is the fourth version of ITIL, launched at the beginning of 2019. It is an updated framework considering modern technologies and the new era of digital computing. Moreover, several benefits are attained by implementing the ITIL 4 framework for business organizations. The benefits will mainly be from managing the IT devices and the services provided to the customers. Above all, business growth and revenue generation are the primary focus of this ITIL 4 implementation.

Significance of ITIL 4

ITIL 4 became a standard for IT Service Management in managing IT devices. It helps people working in different industries improve their service quality and work economically. For adapting the IT services in an organization by identifying, planning, and then delivering the requirements, ITIL 4 will be the standard framework. The primary focus of the ITIL 4 processes is to improve the capabilities of the IT devices and services provided. Besides that, it also provides opportunities to solve the issues in the business.

With ITIL, the risks and the disruption of the services in the businesses are easily managed without making it trouble. The cost-effectiveness is provided, and hence, the services are as per the demand from the customer side. The service management provided to the customers will improve with ITIL 4 and develop the business. A positive customer relationship is possible as the services provided to the customers are improved. The customers’ satisfaction is possible as their needs are fulfilled with the services provided. Moreover, the main focus of this is delivering Information Technology services effectively to improve the business value and performance.

Benefits of ITIL 4

ITIL 4 provides numerous benefits compared to the previous benefits as it is updated for new and modern technologies. The benefits possible with ITIL 4 are implementing the ITIL 4 framework in the organization and training the employees to adapt to ITIL 4 for improved business growth. The following benefits are expected after the implementation of ITIL 4.

Improved Customer Service and Quality

With high-quality service, the IT operations will be smooth, and hence the customers will be satisfied. Furthermore, the service provided to the customers in IT devices and products is also improved with ITIL, and hence the customer expectations are satisfied effectively. Therefore, improved quality and service is the greatest achievement of the ITIL 4 framework.

Better Alignment Between IT and Business

Both the business and Information Technology are aligned better with ITIL 4. IT helps solve business problems with advanced techniques; hence, they are integrated into the business environment. Furthermore, the communication and collaboration between the business teams and IT teams are improved with this framework.

Visibility of IT Costs is More

The costs spent on IT products and services are managed efficiently using ITIL 4. The unwanted costs are cut down and hence end up paying for them. In addition, with ITIL 4 in hand, the cost-cutting decisions in the business are easily taken. In conclusion, the complete visibility of every product and service cost helps improve business revenue.

Managing the Risks Effectively

When you are working on a project, several risks will be available. With ITIL 4, the risk management in the IT and business are resolved. With the strong alignment between IT and business, the technical glitches are solved immediately, reducing further consequences. Moreover, high-quality services reduce the risk, and if the risk occurs, the proper risk mitigations are applied.

Adapting Industry Standards

There are several standards applicable for the service management provided in Information Technology. As ITIL 4 is the most popular and widely used framework, all the industry standards are followed. It also helps in improving service standards at a constant rate. Above all, high-quality standards help improve the way the customers are serviced with IT.

Service Disruption is Reduced

The chances of disruption of the IT service or failure are possible in IT organizations. ITIL 4 standards and principles help reduce the failure of the service. For example, change management, problem management, and service management help improve the quality of the service and reduce the possibility of failure of the services in the organization.

Greater Community

Since ITIL 4 is the standard framework for businesses working on IT and is more widely used, the size of the community is huge. The greater the community, the quality of service is improved by resolving the issues faster. Therefore, the issues are shared among the community to obtain possible solutions from the global community members.

Stay in the Competition

When you work on new technology, the customer market will severely compete, as most competitors will compete. However, the customer service provided will improve satisfaction. The retention rate will be higher when you produce positive customer relationships by meeting their expectations. In conclusion, with that, you are ahead of the competition in the market.

Focusing on Agile and DevOps

ITIL is easy to use and integrated with other frameworks like Agile Project Management and DevOps. Moreover, ITIL 4 framework is compatible with the other frameworks, so any project or organization can easily adapt to ITIL 4. Moreover, the integration helps in collaborating with the teams more easily.

Regular Monitoring

Regular monitoring helps in effective service management and delivery provided to customers. In addition, with past performance and live monitoring, better ways for improvement are identified. Therefore, ITIL’s best practices suggest monitoring your progress will help you improve effective service management.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Problem Management Isn’t Just for Incidents

What is a “problem”? If your mindset is influenced by ITIL, the quick response to that will either be “A cause of one or more incidents” (ITIL v3) or “A cause, or potential cause, of one or more incidents” (ITIL 4). But for me, such definitions have always fallen rather short of the mark…and the inherent potential of problem management.

Defining a problem

I maintain that a problem is, by any other name, a problem. Defect, vulnerability, risk, flaw, back door – term it however you like, it represents something that introduces a potential or exploitable weakness that could result in negative effect if not mitigated. Although most might not consider applying problem management outside of a direct link to incident management, I’ve always maintained that the only necessity is the fact that someone has recognized the need to investigate something they suspect is “a bad thing”…and a willingness to identify and mitigate it before it actually causes negative effect.

Having the right problem management mindset

If you really want your organization to get the most value out of problem management, the mindset I’d like you to consider is that problem management should be practiced no matter where or when negative potential can be introduced. Getting people to understand that problem management principles apply for the ‘end-to-end’ of virtually anything will be a challenge in man,y if not most, organizations. But whether you’re part of a workflow, business process, concept-to-product cycle, design workshop, manufacturing operation, or whatever, I submit that everyone at every stage of every activity should have a mindset that includes keeping an eye out for any potential problems, and investigating any they believe have an opportunity of being present. Most organizations don’t do this – which is a large factor in why you end up hearing or reading about them in the news when problems that could (should) have been noticed and mitigated at a far earlier point cause something to go boom.

Problem management and “end-to-end”

When I say end-to-end, I literally mean that. For example: One day at lunch someone draws a quick outline for a new widget on a napkin, and it shows ‘use part 345a here’. They hand the drawing to the engineer they’re having lunch with, who looks at it and says, “If you use part 345a the widget will catastrophically fail when you turn it on. You need to use part 789b instead. Are you gonna eat those fries?”

Read More: ITIL 4 Foundation

What happened? Well, the engineer performed proactive problem management is what happened…and he did it at the “napkin” stage before anything was really anything. By doing so, he assessed and mitigated a potential cause of negative effect that might otherwise not have presented itself until the widget was developed and marketed to a customer who then flipped the “ON” switch and caused an “incident” – long after many opportunities to identify the problem that was introduced at the very birth of the idea.

Note that while my very basic example named an engineer as the “discoverer”, in another scenario they could easily have been a developer…or an accountant, or a nurse, or a mechanic, a line worker, a guy on the shipping dock, or Joe the Janitor. Who they are or what they do shouldn’t matter; all that should matter is whether they notice something that might hold latent potential to cause something negative – and they’re empowered to act on what they notice.

Testing alone is not enough

By this point I’m sure a few of you are proudly declaring, “Well my organization does plenty of testing all the time to discover problems before they cause incidents!” To which I’d reply, “That’s great! You should do that! But…”. The ‘but’ would be that formal testing still misses things – recalls, patches, etc. provide plenty of proof for that. Even providers like Toyota, Microsoft, etc. that are famous for testing methods and capabilities still miss things. Testing alone is never enough; if it was, you wouldn’t hear about recalls for products, or vulnerabilities in software being exploited, or stories of financial losses, or of people being injured or worse when something happened that could have been prevented. By actively encouraging everyone in your business to apply the concepts of problem management throughout all that your business does, keeping an eye out for trouble before it becomes trouble, you greatly increase the value of the practice, and the number of problems that can be discovered and addressed before they ever cause an issue.

Widening the remit for problem management

What I’m proposing here isn’t something anyone should find odd; in fact, I submit it’s odd that all organizations don’t do this, because people do it all the time. It’s a basic instinct to want to avoid trouble (though for most of us it’s quite less honed than it once was). Consider your day for a moment, and you’ll likely recognize you executed problem analysis and mitigation without even realizing it.

While driving somewhere did you notice kids playing ball up ahead, or perhaps see a ball roll into the road, so you slow down or stop? Or even before you got in the car, a flash of color behind it caught your attention, which turned out to be a bicycle? Were you baking, and noticed a bit of shell from the eggs had gotten into the mixing bowl, or just had a feeling you missed an ingredient? Maybe you were working around the house, and realized your child was a bit too quiet, so you quickly checked on them? Even something as simple as proofreading an email before you click ‘send’? These scenarios are just a few everyday examples of how people regularly apply problem management, and if you give it a little thought, I will bet many, many others will come to mind.

So, my advice is don’t fight your instincts. Don’t let the traditional definition you might have been taught a ‘problem’ is constrain you or your business. Don’t think that problem management is only useful in certain areas. Don’t wait for an incident to show you that there’s a problem. We all know problems get introduced in spite of precautions. Be truly proactive, be aware, actively think about where problems could be in anything you are doing and seek to find and eliminate them…before one tries to do the same to you.

Source: itsm.tools

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Difference between DevOpS and ITIL

There are  lots of different opinions about DevOps and ITIL. In IT sector you have to choose one between them. DevOpS and ITIL have there own benefits but there mix approach bering most benefits to the table. DevOpS work really smooth with lean and Agile. DevOpS create it’s own feedback so defects can be corrected while working on new project or components.

1. What is DevOpS?

DevOpS main concept is collaboration, share goals and open communication means it’s complete the gap between development and operation. It’s collaborate between IT team, developer and tester which helps to production faster.

- DevOps implements some following practices:

- Continuous Development

- Continuous Integration

- Continuous Testing

- Continuous Monitoring

- Continuous Delivery

- Continuous Deployment

2. What is ITIL?

ITIL stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. It’s actually used to guide the it team to improve the value of service by focusing on solving business issue and creating business value. One of the important part of ITIL the configuration management database which provide services, users, software, hardware, documents and IT components to the central authority. ITIL has been adopted by thousands of organizations worldwide like Microsoft, NASA and HSBC. ITIL current version which is use in market is ITIL4,its provide a practical and flexible basis to support organizations for a digital transformation.  

Misconceptions about DevOps vs. ITIL :

1. DevOps can replace ITIL : There are essential business functions like service Management, support, operation, governance, costing these process are important and they both given by DevOpS and ITIL , only DevOpS or ITIL can’t provide it.

2. ITIL is always documentation : It’s actually not a true information ITIL is what the team make the choice the rules are made by team , ITIL is have It’s some own guidelines but the decision is always made by the IT team.

3. ITIL is only for large companies : It’s true that ITIL is used by large enterprises but It’s guideline can also benefit small business, small business are only need to know how to handle change management, major incident and knowledge management.

Use cases for DevOps and ITIL :

IT needs both ITIL and DevOpS elements.

DevOpS is a automated development , collaboration and blame-free culture.

It’s better collaboration between IT and business when we use ITIL and DevOpS together and it’s also helps in customer satisfaction due to the improved delivery of services and better management of issues. ITIL provides a tried-and-true starting point, where DevOps can add improvement with blameless examination, automation, other collaboratively approaches which makes every IT process easier.

Difference between DevOpS and ITIL :

DevOps	ITIL
DevOps refers to an effective collaboration between the development team and operations team.	ITIL refers to a set of detailed guidelines for effective and efficient management of organization’s IT services.
Use a methodical approach to minimize the friction between two teams.	Its use a systematic approach to manage the IT service to ensure the growth.
CI and CD is the backbone of modern DevOpS philosophy.	ITIL aims to increase the delivery process.
Continuous integration and continuous delivery are critical to increase.	Services are built, discuss, tested and implemented.
DevOpS focus on concept. It has a dynamic body of knowledge.	DevOpS focus on concept. It has a dynamic body of knowledge. ITIL focus on development. It has a static body of knowledge.

Source: geeksforgeeks.org

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Using ITIL 4 to Manage Risks

In this challenging time, leaders need to ask themselves two key questions: How do we cope with the COVID-19 crisis? And how do we ensure that next time we are ready? In a situation where physical interaction is not possible, and digital means of communication, collaboration, and work have become even more crucial than before, these questions are inevitably related to the ways an organization utilizes its digital capabilities. And when it comes to digital, ITIL is a source of advice. In particular, ITIL 4 risk management guidance.

To help – in terms of content areas – this article points to where to look for good practice for the volatile today and uncertain tomorrow.

How do we cope with the crisis?

As one could expect, the most obvious consideration is continuity management. Service continuity management should have ensured that the organization is ready for any disaster of high probability and impact. If this were the case, the organization would now operate in a “safe mode,” something which has been largely planned and tested. If not specifically for the current situation, then for this type of crisis. Unfortunately, many organizations were not sufficiently prepared and have had to adjust their work to the new circumstances here and now.

Which ITIL practices can help now? And not just ITIL 4 risk management

First of all, all of the following ITIL practices are focused on risks:

◉ Risk management – this provides a common approach to the reassessment of risks and the planning of countermeasures.

◉ Information security management, availability management, and capacity and performance management – applying these consistently ensures that the organization has sufficient understanding of its resources, vulnerabilities, and opportunities.

◉ Architecture management, workforce and talent management, supplier management, and relationship management – these help to maintain an effective position in the business ecosystem and to ensure that the organization is adjusting to the external changes.

Then, due to the extra demand for digital services, the situation is putting extra pressure on incident management, service desk, infrastructure and platform management, and software development and management.

Essentially, every aspect of service management is affected, and every practice should contribute to an organization’s resilience, recovery, and evolution. The crisis will go away, and organizations will have to reconsider their strategies and architectures for the new version of normal. Which brings us to the next question.

How do we ensure that next time we are ready?

Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (collectively known as VUCA in the ITIL 4 risk management guidance) within the business environment will never go away. The days of detailed long-term planning are long gone, and those organizations that were in denial about this are now forced to reconsider their position. Those that embraced VUCA earlier, are better prepared for the current situation.

Organizations now need to become agile and resilient. This means that, on the one hand, they need to be able to move and adapt quickly, flexibly, and decisively to support internal changes. On the other, they need to be able to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and adapt to both incremental changes and sudden disruptions from an external perspective.

Resilient and agile organizations can cope much better with changes, including the large-scale ones: they’re able to adjust their operating models quickly and smoothly. This means they have a much wider range of “normal operations” and the need to activate a continuity plan usually comes much later.

The key ITIL practices enabling organizational agility and resilience are:

◉ Strategy management

◉ Knowledge management

◉ Architecture management

◉ Workforce and talent management

◉ Risk management

◉ Relationship management.

The current pandemic has so far highlighted the importance of digital technology for every organization and household. The effective management of digital services will be crucial in ensuring an organization’s readiness for new changes and risks. ITIL 4 provides practical and up-to-date guidance which can help organizations to become and remain agile, resilient, and sustainable in our constantly changing world. Why not start with the ITIL 4 risk management guidance.

Source: itsm.tools.com

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ITIL 4 and Digital Transformation White Paper

This white paper considers the inseparability of service management and digital transformation. It also examines how ITIL 4 puts services at the heart of the discussion and reflects the need for new ways of working to accommodate broader technological shifts and other management approaches.

Introduction

The term ‘digital transformation’ is widely used by business and technology leaders, but it is worth pausing to reflect on what it really means, how it emerged and why it is important. This paper will use the fictionalized example of a mobile banking app to demonstrate the concepts of digital transformation. The basic concept of digital transformation is that several significant technological events radically changed the way all enterprises work. Some of these created secondary events, which compounded the transformative power of this convergence of events. The list below is not exhaustive, but it serves to illustrate related advances that are relevant under this broad topic1:

• The availability of cheap and abundant computer power (Moore’s Law2)
• The availability of cheap and abundant storage space (Kryder’s Law3)
• Ubiquitous network connectivity (Gilder’s Law4)
• The explosion of internet-connected devices (Metcalfe’s Law5)
• Precise geographic location identification
• Data analytics, machine intelligence and machine-to-machine interactions
• Real-time feedback via social media.

The combined effect of these advances enabled representation in a machine-readable and actionable format of every document, image, video, sound, transaction, and measurement (typically referred to as digitization). This, in turn, disrupted entire industries with new business models and value-creating opportunities. ‘The business’ and ‘the technology’ became inseparable (often referred to as digitalization).

The advances described above created the conditions to catalyse the growth of other technology-related ideas, such as agile IT, rapid application development, Internet of Things (IoT) and software defined infrastructure. This fuelled a virtuous cycle, the consequences of which can be summarized as:

• The time and cost needed to prototype, build and run technology-powered services has significantly reduced, lowering the entry barriers for new competitive threats and opportunities.
• The cost for customers to change service providers has significantly reduced, which has lowered the barriers for change, therefore making markets more ‘liquid’ and enabling significant shifts in market share.
• The ability of organizations to reach, understand, influence and adapt to changes in customer behaviour has significantly increased, therefore improving the ability to create ‘mass personalization’ experiences through technology-powered services.
• The popularity of social media and the reduced cost of switching has made enterprises susceptible to real-time customer sentiment. Every type of enterprise is subject to an unprecedented level of threats, expectations and opportunities. Competitive forces are accelerating the innovation which is required to improve the way people work and live, changing the dynamics of local and global economies in the process.

For example:

• GE is providing field technicians with cutting-edge augmented reality glasses, which allow remote experts to see exactly what the technicians see as they repair wind turbines. It also provides the workers with hands-free access to information.6
• The Chinese education firm Liulishuo is changing education by introducing a sophisticated English teacher powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that delivers personalized, adaptive learning to millions of people.6
• Thomson Reuters has developed an algorithm that uses streams of real-time data from Twitter to help journalists classify, source, fact-check, and debunk rumours faster than ever before.6 This is a response to the critical need for accurate information which feeds the 24-hour news cycle.
• Amazon’s Echo device is managing customers’ shopping needs and the daily demands of busy lives. Amazon is now so integrated into day-to-day lives that new apartment complexes are designing dedicated Amazon Lockers for their buildings. People now trust the company with physical access to their homes, letting couriers make deliveries via Amazon Key and its smart-lock system.6
• Siemens offers its MindSphere operating system for IoT manufacturing devices to anyone, and as a result is cementing itself as an integral part of the new IoT universe.6
• Guatemalan shoe store Meat Pack pinched customers from competitors through a mobile app called Hijack. When potential customers entered a rival’s store, they were detected using the app and offered a promotion at Meat Pack. A discount countdown began, starting at 99 percent and ticking down by 1 percent every second until the consumer entered the Meat Pack store. When a discount was redeemed, the person’s Facebook status automatically changed to inform the world.7
• Netflix tracks how customers interact with on-demand film downloads to improve its recommendations engine. It looks at metrics such as when customers pause the movie and what scenes they watch again. Amazon Video cut its celebrity interview section of The Grand Tour after its data showed that most of the international audience skipped this section in Season 1 and 2.7
• Knewton incorporates the ability to track specific data about how students use its software to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of its online class materials. It tracks how long it takes students to complete an assignment and their ultimate score. It also tracks their keystrokes, how long it takes them to answer individual questions, and if they stop in the middle of an assignment or question.7
• Catalina, a global marketing company, is using consumers’ profiles and in-store location, determined by the product QR codes they scan to generate offers as they shop for groceries.7
• Airbnb disrupted an entire industry, moving from initial idea to product in less than eleven months. It hyper-scaled to ten million bookings in less than 56 months.8
• Estonia became the first nation to hold legally binding general elections using the internet. It held a pilot project for the municipal elections in 2005, parliamentary elections in 2007, and parliamentary elections through mobile phones in 2011.9

Services and their ‘digital characteristics’

Imagine you were asked to build a new mobile banking service for Bank X. How would you define and segment the customers and other stakeholders of the service? How would you know what outcomes they were trying to achieve? And how would you define the components of value that really matter?

ITIL® 4 defines service as follows:

A service is a means of enabling value co-creation by facilitating outcomes that customers want to achieve, without the customer having to manage specific costs and risks.

The examples above neatly illustrate the importance of the definition of a service. In each case the relationship between customers (or stakeholders), value and outcomes is clear.

What is not always clear is how these things are managed as distinct services, or the role of the service provider in owning the associated costs and risks. When looking at an existing service, it can be difficult to imagine the mindset of the service provider when they first envisioned the service.

As we start to think about the role of the service provider, it is worth considering some of the key characteristics of technology-powered services that evolved from the virtuous cycle of digital transformation.

• Speed-to-market: These services have a quick transition from initial idea to reality. This requires much closer collaboration between teams from ‘the business’ and ‘tech’. Active involvement from those that really understand the customers, their desired outcomes, and what they value, is critical for success.
• Modular: The services are designed based on modular, loosely-coupled components, often focusing on a ‘minimum viable service’ that can quickly benefit from real-world feedback. This architectural style has the added advantage of allowing incremental changes in small batch-sizes, which both reduces the risk of change and increases change velocity. As with the characteristic above, this also requires close ongoing engagement at the business-technology interface.
• Fail or scale: The service leverages the low barriers of entry that come from a digital environment. Experimentation is cheap, rapid scaling is possible and failure is an option. Failure could mean change, and this sometimes presents a cultural challenge in organizations where the appetite for risk is historically low. 
• Cloud economics: The economics of these services are driven by OpEx and variable costs, rather than CapEx and fixed costs. This change in economic approach can often provide the catalyst for investment, but also presents challenges because the costs of using cloud platforms are consumption-based and may be unpredictable.
• Unknown unknowns: Given the pace of change it is important to recognize from the outset that there are some things we just don’t know. Service owners consciously seek feedback from customers and build adaptive systems that allow the service to incrementally evolve. This can be daunting because it involves consciously seeking feedback and asking customers and other stakeholders what they really think.
• Data-driven insights: This type of service leverages an individual’s data for mass personalization, and the entire data set for hidden insights. Not only does this require careful attention to navigate the challenges of information security, it also means that we need to become familiar with manipulating, processing and drawing insights from huge volumes of data.
• Automate to reduce toil: These services leverage automation wherever possible to allow for rapid change, predictable quality and the elimination of low-value human effort. This means that we need to culturally accept and embrace technology and automation and recognize our value. Often the best time to embed this mindset is at the start of service development activities, when technical debt is at its lowest and enthusiasm is at its highest.
• Improve services, not IT: The success of each service is reliant on empowered service teams that are free to be adaptive within certain boundaries. Traditional, top-down leadership, based on functions and rigidly prescribed processes, reduces change velocity and stifles innovation. Leaders should refocus their efforts on setting appropriate boundaries, developing service teams with a broad range of skills, and removing all unnecessary blockers to adaptive and incremental improvements. Service teams should be trusted and empowered to make the right decisions based on their in-depth knowledge, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to the governance of functions or processes.

Service management: thinking differently

Returning to our example of the creation of a new mobile banking service, we start to think about our responsibilities as a service provider. Certain characteristics of the service lead us toward different ways of funding, architecting, ‘developing’, ‘operating’ and ‘managing’ the service.

The below examples of ‘thinking differently’ are driven by the context and characteristics of the service in question. A different service with different context and characteristics might require other forms of adaption. For example, a service with brittle architectures, high technical debt and limited need for regular enhancements may struggle to seize the benefits of digitalization. In fact, the service management mantra of adopt and adapt has never been more relevant than in situations where there is an abundance of choices. When developing our mobile banking app for Bank X we will plan for the following:

• Speed-to-market is important, with an acceptance that a ‘minimum viable service’ will be launched quickly to lay the foundations for rapid, incremental enhancements.
• The team will apply design thinking techniques and seek out skills in user experience (UX)/customer experience (CX). This will ensure good understanding of the customers’ expectations and desired service outcomes. A lot of focus will be placed on the bank’s external customers, but the design workshops will also include representatives from other key stakeholder groups to ensure that compliance, security, reporting and other dimensions of the service have been considered.
• A feature roadmap will be defined and prioritized to deliver the sufficient minimum viable service. This will include enrolling in the service, checking account balances and recent transactions, intra-account transfers, payments to others and ATM and branch locations. The features and functionality to deposit cheques using the smartphone’s camera, create and amend standing orders and direct debits, and block or unblock a card will be recorded on the service backlog but deferred to future releases.
• The service will require a loosely-coupled architecture, based on small blocks of code (microservices) and APIs, to allow for these rapid, incremental enhancements.
• A few service architectures will be proposed and assessed against the key dimensions of cost, performance, speed and risk. The team will settle on coding the application in Python and leveraging simple infrastructure-as-a-service capabilities. Furthermore, a rigorous information security assessment will be performed to gain approval for utilizing Public Cloud Provider X.
• As different architectures will be assessed, items may be added to the service backlog. For example, a simple approach to data back-up and archival may be agreed to balance speed and risk, but the team may then decide that there are other approaches to optimize for cost and performance after the minimum viable service has been launched. These approaches would then be reviewed and prioritized along with the roadmap of features and functionality as part of a holistic service backlog to create an appropriate balance between cost, performance, speed and risk.
• While the rest of the IT organization is designed around the traditional boundaries of applications, infrastructure, development, operations and security, the service team will be established as a separate entity with all the necessary skills required to manage the end-to-end service. A service owner will be appointed from IT with responsibility for facilitating the outcomes that stakeholders want to achieve from the service, whilst owning the specific costs and risks associated to it.
• A representative from the bank’s retail business unit will also be appointed to own the ‘voice of the customer’, to secure funding for the evolution of the service and make decisions on behalf of the business. Given the agreed approach of ‘start small, scale-fast’, this business representative will meet regularly with the IT service team to help steer efforts.
• During the initial development of the service, the service team may decide that they would incorporate continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, highly-automated testing and blue-green deployments to maximize change velocity, minimize the risk of changes and reduce the impact of service failures.
• The application developers will quickly produce working code, along with the mechanisms to evolve it at speed and with increased quality. Meanwhile, the platform engineers will spend time understanding the key metrics of success (sometimes referred to as service level objectives) and defining appropriate error budgets to act as a throttle between the desire for change and the desire for stability. Furthermore, platform engineers will leverage centralized cloud platform management capabilities to ensure corporate standards are embedded, platform capabilities can be instantiated through automation, cloud-consumption costs are fully transparent and the ‘toil’ of repeatable, manual activities is automated where possible.
• Eventually, all stakeholder groups will agree the minimum viable service is ready for launch. The marketing campaign will be based on a ‘soft launch’ in a single country and v.1 of the new mobile banking service will be launched as a ‘blue deployment’, with feature flags set to control the initial roll-out.
• Once initial customer feedback is positive, the uptake of the mobile banking service may quickly exceed expectations. The transparency of cloud-consumption costs might show that demand is high and indicate that there are some parentless elastic IP addresses associated with the service that are incurring costs. The elastic IP addresses will be ‘stopped’ to optimize for cost.
• The service team will quickly move to reviewing and prioritizing items on the service improvement backlog and decide when to introduce new features into the next version whilst making operational changes to the underlying platform to improve monitoring.
• The CI/CD pipeline and automated testing established for v.1 will mean that the service team can quickly build and test the next version of the code. And the platform engineers will have new security standards so that the platform capabilities are instantiated through automation. Within a short time, version 2 of the Mobile Banking Service may be launched as a ‘green deployment’, using the same feature flags to control the roll-out.
• If monitoring the data suggests that the service is not performing adequately and highlights a need to roll-back to the ‘blue deployment’, the team will identify how to resolve the issues and quickly have a new version for the ‘green deployment’. Furthermore, the team may identify and introduce new automated testing to ensure repeat situations are caught before launch and new auto-scaling rules so that similar situations don’t impact the customer experience.
• The service team will continually identify, assess and prioritize opportunities to improve, evolving the service based on nearer-term business needs, rather than commitment to a fixed, multi-year plan.

Inseparability of service management and digital transformation

It is important to note that our approach to funding, architecting, developing, operating and managing the fictitious mobile banking service is not meant to be comprehensive. It simply aims to articulate the interrelated nature of many of the ideas often associated with digital transformation and ‘modern’ IT management. Although all organizations should consider how they can benefit from the technological advances associated with digital transformation, they will also need to master different IT management techniques.

Trying to break down the complexity of IT management is not a trivial task and the traditional IT domains of applications, infrastructure, development or operations are counter-productive to creating agile environments that foster innovation. ITIL 4, the latest iteration in the world’s leading service management framework, is unique in that it puts services at the heart of the discussion and reflects the need for new ways of working to accommodate broader technological shifts and other management approaches. This framework recognizes that true value does not reside in IT processes, functions or digital transformation programmes, but in the uniqueness of each service. Rather than promoting a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach, it also provides guidance that can be adopted and adapted to the uniqueness of each service.

References

1 Jim Miller, Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimmiller/2018/08/13/what-is-a-digital-transformation-and-why-should-you-care/) [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Kryder#Kryder’s_law_projection [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

4 https://www.netlingo.com/word/gilders-law.php [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metcalfe%27s_law [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

6 Accenture Technology Vision (2018) https://www.accenture.com/t00010101T000000Z w /gb- en/_acnmedia/Accenture/next-gen-7/tech-vision-2018/pdf/Accenture-TechVision-2018-Tech-Trends-Report. pdf#zoom=50 [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

7 Accenture Technology Vision (2013) https://www.accenture.com/us-en/_acnmedia/Accenture/ Conversion-Assets/Microsites/Documents8/Accenture-Technology-Vision-2013.pdf [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Airbnb [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting_in_Estonia [Accessed 22nd February 2019]

Source: axelos.com

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Developing a Standard Service Model Using the ITIL 4 Guiding Principles

If you’re a large organization, or an IT service provider offering services to large enterprises, then reviewing your standard service model on a regular basis is imperative. Ensuring that it stays aligned with your business and IT strategy. Especially because understanding the outcomes your customers need is difficult in an evolving and changing business world.

What’s a standard service model?

Well, if you provide a wide-ranging and complex set of IT services to your customers, then balancing return on investment (ROI) and value on investment (VOI) for customers is likely to be a challenge. Having a standard service model that delivers a standard set of outputs for your customers across your services could be the answer you’re looking for.

The benefits are economies of scale for your operational areas, a better understanding of your cost base, and every stakeholder in your service relationships knows what you’ll deliver (including, of course, the customer).

Using ITIL 4 to create your standard service model

To assess the status quo within your organization, and any existing service model(s), a great tool to use is the ITIL continual improvement model – which was called continual service improvement (CSI) in earlier versions of ITIL (please see the diagram below).

Source: AXELOS, Continual Improvement ITIL 4 Practice Guide

In addition to employing the continual improvement model as a way of reviewing and assessing the current standard service model position, even if you haven’t got anything in place right now, there’s also the ITIL 4 guiding principles.

These can be extremely beneficial when looking to ensure that the newly created model is fit for purpose.

How the ITIL 4 guiding principles can be used to create one

Guiding Principle	Standard Service Model Application
1. Focus on value	Understand what makes your customer successful, how their business works. The service model should be designed to enable and deliver the outcomes and the value they need.
2. Start where you are	Normally a service provider will have a wide range of established processes, procedures, and documentation. Take the best and use it. There’s no need to start from scratch (unless you feel you have to).
3. Progress iteratively with feedback	The service model is likely to be quite complex, so approach it in an agile way, i.e. in small, bite-sized chunks, and get continual feedback from stakeholders to ensure that it’s fit for purpose. Then release regular iterations which will deliver value sooner.
4. Collaborate and promote visibility	The service model is likely to be quite complex, so approach it in an agile way, i.e. in small, bite-sized chunks, and get continual feedback from stakeholders to ensure that it’s fit for purpose. Then release regular iterations which will deliver value sooner.
5. Think and work holistically	The service model will work across the organization, not just within IT operations. It will also – depending on if you’re an internal or business-to-business (B2B) service provider – impact product development, sales, bid teams, and delivery management. So, consider the end-to-end requirements and design the model accordingly.
6. Keep it simple and practical	Keep the model simple, because stakeholders will understand it better and it will be easier to deploy. Focusing on getting value delivered in the most straightforward way will also help to keep the model up-to-date and relevant.
7. Optimize and automate	Optimize the service model by making things as simplified and efficient as they can be, then look to automate where possible. This will introduce additional efficiencies. However, please don’t automate just for the sake of it – focus on what value the automation will bring.

Getting a standard service model right is not an easy task in a large organization. However, the value it’ll bring is enormous.

Source: itsm.tools.com

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Adopting ITIL 4 Using PRINCE2

Have you considered using PRINCE2 to help with ITIL 4 adoption? With the advent of ITIL 4, more and more organizations around the world are beginning to realize that IT must bring value. It’s a key reason why many companies want to incorporate ITIL 4 into their organization. For example, are any of the following expressions familiar?

◉ “We want to elevate IT to a strategic position in the business, and ensure that it contributes to our vision and objectives.”

◉ “We need to find savings in IT. We need to be operating as efficiently as possible.”

◉ “Our customers are not happy with the products and services we’re providing. How can we get better?”

In my opinion, we can all be better if we adopt ITIL 4 practices into our organizations. And this article looks at how the use of PRINCE2 will help.

The applicability of PRINCE2 to ITIL adoption

In my experience, many companies are reporting that: “Deadlines are delayed, costs are rising, and the motivation of specialists is decreasing. Quality suffers as a result.”

To avoid these issues and to bring your organization up to a new level of IT service delivery and support, I suggest adopting ITIL 4 using the PRINCE2 framework. This was developed under the auspices of the UK government to manage IT projects but has since undergone significant changes to adapt it for other industries.

Why do I think of ITIL 4 adoption as a project? Project management is the management of the change process required to achieve an end target, within certain time and cost parameters. ITIL 4 has no end target. However, we do have end targets when implementing certain ITIL 4 practices and adding value to our services. And this is a project.

This is a classic PRINCE2 process map but, if you’ve undergone any related training, you’ll remember that we tailor the PRINCE2 methodology to our project environment.

An example of using PRINCE2 for ITIL 4 adoption

ITIL 4 adoption can be done either by an internal team or by using external consultancy services. I’ll reflect on how to use PRINCE2 in both scenarios.

Starting up an ITIL 4 adoption project

A project mandate is the trigger for the project. Do we have clear reasons for adopting ITIL 4? What do we want to achieve? Which practices and elements from ITIL 4 do we want to include in this project?

Adopt ITIL, if there is a business justification for it, and only in this case.

Once all the necessary authorities exist for initiating the project, sufficient information is available to define it, and the scope of the project is confirmed, appoint individuals to undertake the work required for project initiation.

The project brief should be developed using the ITIL 4 guiding principles such that time is not wasted initiating a project based on unsound assumptions (scope, timescales, acceptance criteria, and constraints).

Directing an ITIL 4 adoption project with PRINCE2

Management direction and control are provided throughout the project’s life, including to help ensure that the project remains viable. I’d highly recommend including all C-level personnel on the project board. If you’re doing the project with an external consultancy company, a senior manager from the consultancy company should be included as well.

The project manager and the project team are assigned. If it’s your internal project, then the project manager should be an individual from your organization. If you’re using an external consultancy company, then the project manager and team roles should be taken by a principal consultant and consultants from the external company.

The project board should be involved in all project stages.

Initiating an ITIL 4 adoption project with PRINCE2

Consider ITIL 4 a product. Start with an assessment and gap analysis. At this point, the ITIL 4 guiding principles start to apply. This will show “Where are we now?”

Use value stream mapping to identify pain points and improvement opportunities, such as eliminating waste and blockers, start collaborating, etc.

Prepare a continual improvement register (CIR) based on the assessment, gap analysis, and value stream mapping. Control and monitor risks at all stages.

Define the project plan based on the CIR by stages. Adopt ITIL gradually. Ensure that each stage is measurable. Start where it’s most necessary or advantageous.

Controlling a stage

The project manager using PRINCE2 needs to focus on the delivery of the stage’s products. Risks and issues, and business case are kept under control and review. The agreed-upon products for the stage are delivered to the stated quality standards, within cost, agreed-upon effort and time, and ultimately in support of the achievement of the defined value.

Work packages are used to define and control the work to be done and to set tolerances for the project team. Work packages should be small pieces of improvement that are iterative and are going to add more value to day-to-day work.

Managing product delivery

The ITIL 4 guiding principle “progress iteratively with feedback” applies here. Once small pieces of work are implemented, provide a workshop. I’d highly discourage writing a stack of policies or processes first. Act iteratively, and don’t try to “eat the whole elephant.”

Don’t adopt ITIL 4 practices just for the sake of a “tick.” Start with small pieces. Set yourself achievable goals for a limited period. Then, ask yourself the question: “Did we get what we expected?” Analyze the challenges and bottlenecks, and gather feedback from IT staff and end users. Plan for further iterative practice development.

Managing a stage boundary

Assure the project board that all products in the stage plan for the current stage have been completed and approved. Review and, if necessary, update the project initiation document (PID) using PRINCE2 practices.

Provide the information needed for the project board to assess the continuing viability of the project – including the aggregated risk exposure and a record of any information or lessons that may help later stages of the project and/or other projects.

Continual improvement with PRINCE2

You might have expected to see a “closing the project” process here. However, with an ITIL 4 project, it’ll never come to the end. Always improve. Review the performance of the project against its baselines in the CIR. Assess any value that has already been realized, update the forecast of the remaining value, and plan for a review of the unrealized value. Also, ensure that provision has been made to address all open issues and risks with follow-up action recommendations.

Visualizing project element relationships

While the above will read in a very linear way, the reality of your ITIL 4 adoption project will be more like the image shown below.

Also, no matter which ITIL 4 practices you decide to adopt first, in my experience the service catalog should be one of the first project deliverables. This’ll lay the foundation for the development of a service-oriented culture in the organization.

Source: itsm.tools.com

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