What is ITIL?

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a set of specialized organizational capabilities to enable customer value in the form of services. It lays down the foundation for international standard practices that organizations and businesses can adopt, in part or in full, to deliver service value to their customers.

ITIL has been undergoing improvements over the years, with the first publication in the 90s focusing on standardizing IT practices. This was to create standards for IT systems that would make service delivery more efficient. The latest ITIL 4 version is more value-oriented.

ITIL addresses various aspects of IT service management including risk management, service management cost, customer relations, service strategy and more.

 

ITIL 4 benefits

ITIL supports organizations and individuals to gain optimal value from IT and digital services.
It equips a service provider with a clear capability model, aligning them to the business strategy and customer needs.

Change is a constant state and organizations are struggling to navigate it. ITIL 4 is the best practice that supports organizations in navigating this ongoing change. ITIL 4 supports faster quality and value-driven delivery for people and organizations.

The main benefits of the method are:

  • ITIL 4 helps businesses navigate the new technological era; The Fourth Industrial Revolution is marked by emerging technology in fields including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, autonomous vehicles and much more.
  • ITIL 4 provides a practical and flexible basis to support organizations on their journey into the new world of digital transformation; ITIL helps organizations to align their human, digital and physical resources to compete within the modern complex landscape.
  • The context of ITIL 4 has an emphasis on the business and technology world and with the future that includes Agile, DevOps and digital transformation.
  • ITIL 4 promotes a holistic view of delivering products and services and is to software developers and gives the insight to service management practitioners and businesses.
  • ITIL 4 emphasizes the importance of collaboration, transparency, automating where possible and working holistically.

 

ITIL 4 components

The key components of the ITIL 4 framework are the ITIL 4 service value system (SVS) and the four dimensions model.

ITIL service value system (SVS)
The ITIL SVS represents how the various components and activities of the organization work together to facilitate value creation through IT-enabled services. These can be combined in a flexible way, which requires integration and coordination to keep the organization consistent.

The ITIL SVS facilitates this integration and coordination and provides a strong, unified, value-focused direction for the organization.

The core components of the ITIL SVS are:

  • ITIL service value chain
  • ITIL practices
  • ITIL guiding principles
  • governance
  • continual improvement.

The ITIL service value chain provides an operating model for the creation, delivery, and continual improvement of services. It is a flexible model that defines six key activities that can be combined in many ways, forming multiple value streams.

It is flexible enough to be adapted to multiple approaches, including DevOps and centralized IT. The adaptability of the SVS enables organizations to react to changing demands from their stakeholders in the most effective and efficient ways.

The flexibility of the service value chain is further enhanced by the ITIL practices. Each ITIL practice supports multiple service value chain activities, providing a comprehensive and versatile toolset for ITSM practitioners.

 

ITIL4: the four dimensions model

To ensure a holistic approach to service management, ITIL 4 outlines four dimensions of service management, from which each component of the SVS should be considered.

The four dimensions are:

  • organizations and people
  • information and technology
  • partners and suppliers
  • value streams and processes.

By giving each of the four dimensions an appropriate amount of focus, an organization ensures its SVS remains balanced and effective.

 

ITIL 4 Framework 

The delegates need the ITIL 4 Foundation qualification to have access to further modules. After the ITIL v4 Foundation certification, there are two streams and a final level available:

  • ITIL Managing Professional (ITIL MP) consisting of three modules in ITIL Specialist and one in ITIL Strategist. It is aimed at IT professionals who work in cross-company technology and digital teams.
    The ITIL MP Stream provides practical and technical knowledge for running successful IT projects, teams and workflows.
  • ITIL Strategic Leader (ITIL SL) consisting of ITIL Strategist and ITIL Leader.
    It recognizes the value of ITIL for all digitally enabled services. By becoming an ITIL Strategic Leader you will have a clear understanding of how IT influences and manages business strategy.
  • ITIL Master
    To achieve the ITIL 4 Master certification, professionals must be able to explain and justify their ability to apply the principles, methods and techniques from ITIL in the workplace.
    Also, candidates must have both the ITIL 4 Managing Professional (ITIL MP) and ITIL 4 Strategic Leader (ITIL SL) designations. The ITIL 4 Master level is due for release in 2020.

 

itil4-foundation-it-service-management

 

ITIL 4 certification training 

In order to obtain your ITIL Certification, you need to follow a training with an AXELOS’ Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs). QRP International is an official ATO for ITIL 4, accredited by Peoplecert on behalf of Axelos. We’re authorised to deliver ITIL Foundation and other ITIL courses.

Would you like support to figure out the best solution for you and your team?
We would be happy to provide more info on the different IT Service Management methods available – contact us!

Source: Axelos

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