IT project managers get themselves certified in ITIL where they learn the principles of ITIL in theory and think they are ready to implement those processes and principles in their organizations. However, ITIL implementation is a whole new ball game.
There are certain things IT project managers need to know and understand before they endeavor the implementation of ITIL.
8 Things IT Managers Need to Know Before Implementing ITIL
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Long Term Project:
ITIL implementation is not a short-term exercise that can be completed in a couple of weeks. For it to be successful in your organization, a well-planned, project management approach needs to be taken. Certain key factors need to be considered.
- Create and agree on a long-term vision and strategy
- Assign a project manager and a project team
- Get an executive sponsor who believes in the project
- Create a project plan and nominate process owners and other key roles
- A strong communication plan is needed
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Communication:
ITIL brings about change and change means uncertainty. Therefore, it is absolutely essential for everyone in the organization to be aware of the implementation process or there will be resistance from your own organization. A solid communication plan needs to be created before the project kicks off. What forms of communication need to be distributed, who gets access to what kind of information, and different types of progress reports and their frequency need to be determined. Senior management needs to play a significant role when it comes to communicating the implementation and resultant benefits of implementing ITIL.
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Top-down Commitment:
If the IT staff does not know that the top management has consented to the whole idea, then they never are going to contribute to the project. It needs to be made publicly known that the top management is backing the project completely. Send out a newsletter or organize a launch function with the top management, especially the executive sponsor taking part in it, if needed. Develop a guiding coalition team along with the top management and ensure that there is an urgency to bring about the new change.
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Resources:
It takes years to set up an IT service desk and all its 10 support processes. There are new processes to be set up, new documentation to be created, and people to be recruited and trained. All this takes time and money. You will need sufficient time to plan the project and internally sell the benefits of ITIL. A great deal of management time and participation is required to bring a single process about to a certain level of maturity. You need to educate people, train them, upgrade systems and tools, and bring in IT staff to develop and implement processes.
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Organization Culture Change:
Introducing new change is easy, ensuring the change sticks is the difficult part and for this to happen, the culture in the organization needs to complement this change. The behaviors and belief systems of the employees and the leadership and management style of the management should all be aligned to create a service-based environment.
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Resistance:
Be 100% sure that there will be resistance from the employees of the organization. People, especially those who have been working for several years and especially those who have tasted success in their own methods have grown increasingly comfortable with the way they work. Therefore, they will be more than hesitant to adopt a new way of doing things. You need to give them a reason and an incentive to accept this change and implement it. Resistance can be managed when you have a solid plan in place. If forecasted threats are identified and a remediation plan is developed and communicated, it becomes easier to manage resistance.
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Knowledge and Training:
The entire team in the organization who is involved in the implementation and execution of ITIL needs to speak the same language. And for this, they need to be educated and trained on the processes and benefits of ITIL. There are training courses available in the market provided by various training organizations. The training should go just beyond ITIL processes and educate people about organizational change, quality, process maturity, and continuous improvement.
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Team Involvement:
A project manager alone can never successfully implement ITIL and realize the benefits. Commitment and contribution are needed from everyone in the organization right from the employees to the top management. You need to listen to the employees and give them an opportunity to contribute. This creates a sense of ownership in the employees and in turn, enhances motivation.
Extensive planning and top management commitment and participation are needed to bring about the implementation and realize benefits. You need to remember that it is a framework that guides you to improved levels of service quality. Therefore, you can customize the processes in such a way that they are in alignment with the overall strategy and objectives of your organization.
Read Also:
1. Importance of IT Communications in ITIL Implementation
2. 10 Common ITIL Implementation Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
3. ITIL Implementation Roadmap: 6 Tips to Adopt ITIL Effectively
4. Implementing ITIL Framework with Other Process Methodologies
