ITIL V3: A Set of Best Practices for Managing Your IT Services
Looking for ways to enhance customer service and cut waiting times for responses, ITIL V3 has emerged as a vital methodology for businesses looking to revamp their service processes. Boasting great success overseas and two revisions later, the ITIL framework, or Information Technology Infrastructure Library, now has U.S. companies eyeing the methodology and learning what it can do for them. In a nutshell, the framework helps regulate and monitor services that are provided to customers in addition to devising new ways to meet customers' needs. ITIL V3 is not a standard, but it is supported by a standard (ISO 20000) and a certification scheme from the International Standards Organization (ISO).
While in use for over two decades in Europe, however, the ITIL framework has only recently become popular in the U.S. Proponents of the framework believe that the methodology can bring much needed maturity to all information technology companies and businesses by meeting needs that may be going unrealized. In order to understand the necessity and comprehensive aspects of a business' service cycle that the ITIL framework covers, the background of the framework, as well as the usefulness of each of the ITIL V3 components, must be examined.
Background on the ITIL Framework
Developed in the 1980s by the United Kingdom's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) after realizing a lack of a methodical approach to the IT infrastructure, ITIL has since permeated Europe's business and service sector. The CCTA, now called the OGC (Office of Government Commerce), continues to work with ITIL by continuously enhancing it as well as creating new programs.
Recently, however, global companies have begun importing the useful framework into their businesses in the U.S. and have been pleased with the results and feedback. The ITIL framework, generally referred to as a set of best practices for managing information technology services, ensures that companies have a system for meeting or anticipating a customer's needs. The most recent revision of the methodology, ITIL V3, was released in June 2007 and has steadily grown in popularity with U.S. companies.
The Usefulness of the ITIL Cycle
The ITIL V3 cycle, fed by Business Value, consists of Service Strategy, which spurs Service Operation, Service Design, and Service Transition. Encompassing the cycle is the Continual Service Improvement element. Many U.S. businesses working with the ITIL framework now understand the usefulness of the framework and how it can help manage business solutions and keep track of customer service.
Service Strategy, sometimes referred to as the hub of ITIL V3, is used to establish a plan for providing customer service. From this point, three sets of processes work to turn these plans into action. Service Design develops and creates services to bolster the plan, and includes purchasing appropriate software or systems and tailoring them to the company's specific needs. When this new system of software is ready to use, Service Transition ensures that it is implemented correctly by performing control checks or tests. Service Operation processes requests from a company's customer base and addresses failures in the system. The largest part of ITIL is Continual Service Improvement, which is the process that constantly monitors and regulates services in addition to making improvements if needed.
ITIL Certification
Many IT companies are now sending eager learners to study the ITIL framework so that the methodology can be incorporated into their systems. Effective management of a customer base is something both small and large companies are always searching for, and many will find it useful to train a select staff in the specifics of ITIL V3. Students of the ITIL framework now receive a certification based on their level of learning and knowledge.
The most basic certification, Foundation, demonstrates that an individual has a fundamental understanding of the principles and terminology of the methodology. Foundation must be achieved before higher certifications can be acquired. Practitioner certification comes in different levels depending upon the ITIL V3 processes that an individual uses. This level denotes a high level of knowledge in one part of ITIL. Expert (formerly called Manager) indicates the highest level of certification achievable and demonstrates a concentrated and comprehensive discernment of the framework.
The Best Way to Manage Your IT Services
The ITIL framework offers businesses one of the fastest turnaround times for responses. The methodology after all was designed with customer service in mind. ITIL V3 is a smart system for businesses because it separates issues, examining each process closely, leaving results that are measured and setting improvement targets to guide the way. Due to the nature of the ITIL framework, it is not meant only for large, global corporations, but smaller businesses that might be using older systems.
The latest revision of the software, ITIL V3, and its predecessors are commonly referred to as a set of best practices for managing information technology services. If you need an efficient way to manage your customer service base and cut response time in half, perhaps the ITIL framework can impact your company much as it's done for many other U.S. businesses in recent years – by revolutionizing the way that companies interact with customers on a more personal level.
About the Author
Alan S. Koch is a certified Project Management Professional and Scrum Master as well as a published author. At WestLake Training and Development, he consults, trains, speaks, and writes on effective IT Service Management in addition to instruction on traditional and agile Project Management methods. With a strong focus on learning through hands-on exercises, WestLake is dedicated to delivering instructor-led information technology training courses. To learn more about information technology training, please visit www.westlaketraining.com.