ITIL evolution: from processes to practices

What is needed for business success? 

A common and valued trait among successful firms is the alignment of customer demands with technology services. The extent of adjustment of the goals concluded enhanced efficiency and increased productivity, which reaches more value for the customer and ultimately for the organization. 

Globally, organizations of all sizes have adopted ITIL framework to align business goals with technology services. Not only are large organizations benefiting from this framework, but small and medium-sized organizations are taking advantage of this optimized framework too. IT services correctly adjusted according to the business needs can be a basis for competitive advantage sustained over a long period.   

What is ITIL? 

ITIL is an abbreviation of Information Technology Infrastructure Library, which makes the term self-explanatory to some extent. The set of best practices of IT formulated to guide businesses to align IT services with business goals derived from customer needs. It is a well-known library, including guidelines for assets and resources related to IT, with the orientation of fulfilling customer needs and wants. 

Who started it?  

British Government started ITIL to standardize IT performance during the 1980s. It was developed by the Government's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA). Right from the start, it was adopted by government and non- government organizations. Since then, many versions have been released to enhance efficiency and improve performance.

Which version of ITIL is the latest? 

Numerous versions were released with the increasing popularity of the standards. ITIL V2 ITIL V3, ITIL V3 Foundation level 2011, and the most recent version ITIL 4, which was released in February 2019. AXELOS published the latest version. ITIL 4 covers the newest infrastructure specifications in service management and technologies. As businesses are growing and evolving into digital firms, a flexible basis is needed to incorporate technology throughout the organization. ITIL 4 has this feature, which is in high demand across vertical industries. 

Objectives of ITIL 

• Fulfilling customer's needs  
• Providing value through services 
• Achieving business goal 

It offers alignment of business vision and strategies with ITSM. As businesses are going through major digital transformation, they need guidelines to formulate the right mix of technology, people, and processes. ITIL acts as a driving force with defined processes to manage IT services. Companies adopt ITIL to manage costs effectively, to ensure the business benefits with the aid of the right technology and operations. It is a business ally to optimize the resources and improve current processes continuously.  

Not only are these objectives in focus in this framework, but guidelines and standards for measurement of success with the help of KPIs are also included. These processes and practices are performed, keeping customer satisfaction in focus.  

ITIL 4 processes are simple and practical 

Processes defined by ITIL V3 were based on the service lifecycle, whereas ITIL 4 defines practices, principles, and concepts. In the latest version operating models are more flexible since inputs, outputs, and critical activities that are fundamental are included in it; the previous process-oriented approach is not incorporated in ITIL V4. Organizations can have guidance regarding the detailed processes from the processes specified in ITIL V3. As stated by AXELOS, ITIL 4 does not make the previous versions invalid. 

ITIL V3 processes include Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement, which are based on stages of the service lifecycle.  

Your organization should have certified professionals with ITIL certification training to implement the guidelines with the right mix of technology and services. 

Types of practices: 

The practices in ITIL V4 have been derived from three main domains.    

General Management Practices are fourteen in number. These practices have been adopted from general business management areas and are applied in service management. The methods relevant to the area are mentioned below: 

• Architecture management 
• Information security management 
• Continual improvement 

• Project management 
• Knowledge management 
• Measurement and reporting 
• Risk management 
• Organizational change management 

• Service financial management 
• Portfolio management 
• Supplier management 
• Workforce and talent management 
• Relationship management  
• Strategy management 

Service Management Practices are relevant to ITSM industries and service management. List of 17 practices is mentioned below.  

• Availability management 

• Capacity and performance management 
• Business analysis 
• Change enablement 
• Incident management 
• Monitoring and event management 

• IT asset management 
• Problem management 
• Release management 
• Service level management 
• Service catalog management 

• Service continuity management 
• Service design 
• Service configuration management 
• Service desk 
• Service validation and testing 
• Service request management 

Technical Management Practices are developed with the purpose of service management. These practices have been adopted from the technology management domain with a focus on IT services. The three practices are mentioned below: 

• Deployment management 
• Software development and management 
• Infrastructure and platform management 

Career path in ITIL  

ITIL certified professionals are among the highest-paid IT professionals, stats have shown. According to indeed, the average salary for certified ITIL experts ranges from $52,672 per year for Service Transition Manager to $97,340 per year for Incident Manager. Axelos (an organization that owns ITIL) have set the standards for training and examination. Certifications can be granted at Foundation, Practitioner, Intermediate, Expert, and Master levels.ITIL pins are awarded when individuals pass exams. Gaining ITIL certification training not only boosts career, but it helps in understanding the logical phases and IT service management practices and processes. 

Summary: 

• The transition of organizations to digital firms is making it difficult to adapt their services and technology according to the needs and demands of customers.  
• ITIL is a library of standards and best practices developed by the British Government in the 1980s. 

• With growing popularity, various versions of ITIL have been released, ITIL 4 is the latest version released in 2019. 
• Objectives of ITIL include fulfilling customer's needs, providing value through services and achieving business goals.  
• It provides guidelines in the domains of General Management, Service Management, and Technical Management. 
• IT experts certified in ITIL can have a promising career path with a salary as high as $ 97, 340 per year.  
• Organizations in the field of IT services should make their workforce technology ready for the sake of agility in this fast-paced business environment.