Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), in simple words, is a framework for IT Service Management. It is the most prominent, consistent, and comprehensive documentation of best practices for IT Service Management, according to the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
The ITIL concept emerged in the 1980s when the British government determined that the level of IT service quality provided to them was not sufficient. The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), now called the OGC, was tasked with developing a framework for efficient and financially responsible use of IT resources within the British government and the private sector.
Running a successful business requires a lot of robust approaches, tools, and business processes. Specifically, for IT, the solution that has been developed for ITSM and the essential tools have taken ITSM solutions form.
ITSM has proven to manage and deliver efficient IT services in order to maintain the smooth running of the organization.
The ITIL Framework Comprises 5 Elements
ITIL framework comprises 5 stages in the service lifecycle. Each phase in the service lifecycle comprises a set of processes that are completely aligned with the organizational structure. Organizations adapt to the processes that are apt for the project teams. Here is a list of the ITIL service lifecycle stages:
- Service Strategy (SS)
- Service Design (SD)
- Service Transition (ST)
- Service Operation (SO)
- Continual Service Improvement (CSI)
Over the past three decades, the ITIL framework has evolved in keeping with the advances in technology and the growing dependence of organizations on IT. It is not a prescriptive solution for all your IT problems; rather, it is a framework that gives you guidance on how to build and deliver IT services in an efficient manner.
Starting Off with ITIL Deployment
Implementing ITIL can be very effective for any IT service organization. But knowing that is just the easy part. Going about implementing ITIL is the hard part.
Organizations that are versed in implementing ITIL should ensure that most of the ITIL 4 best practices remain the same in ITIL v3 as well. The following 6 tips will ensure successful ITIL implementation
Here are six tips for successful ITIL implementation:
- Customize if needed (not necessary to implement all ITIL® processes)
- Train the staff in ITIL
- Do not rely on just software, base implementation on processes
- Incentivize change
- Recruit the project team, choose the leader
- Set project scope – initial baseline and targeted parameters
Set Project Scope – Initial Baseline and Targeted Parameters
‘We will implement ITIL because our competitors have implemented’ is not the right way to go about implementing ITIL. Identify pain points in your IT processes and then endeavor to fix them.
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- Set an initial baseline of processes, software, hardware
- Determine target parameters and associated benefits
- Perform an estimated cost-benefit analysis and ensure the project is viable
Recruit the Project Team, Choose the Leader
This is the most critical piece of the jigsaw. However efficient the processes are, it is the people who execute them. Recruit a team that believes in ITIL. A good project team will have an executive sponsor, process owner, process manager, process team members, project manager, and a steering committee. Hire an external consultant if deemed necessary. The executive sponsor needs to be able to sell the implementation to the board and sanction funds. The board will only approve of the cost if they are convinced of the expected benefits. The project manager will lead the team and ensure the project runs smoothly.
Incentivize Change
Change is rarely welcome, due to the uncertainty it causes. Implementing ITIL brings about a change in your organization in terms of processes, roles, and responsibilities. Your workforce needs to be motivated enough to accept this change and participate in it. The top management needs to show a top-down commitment. This will go a long way in convincing the staff. It is the responsibility of the project sponsor and project manager to let them know what is in it for them.
Do not Rely on Just Software, Base Implementation on Processes
There are a number of vendors who offer software with ITIL ingrained in it. However, ITIL is not a prescriptive solution that fits all organizations. Your approach to ITIL might be entirely different from that of the vendor. Hence, it is important to structure your implementation around processes that define the IT service in your organization and not a single software tool.
Train the Staff in ITIL
The IT staff needs to be trained in ITIL principles and processes, which:
- Enables clear definition of processes, roles, and responsibilities
- Enhances the competency and efficiency of the team
- Improves customer satisfaction as a result of successful and cost-effective projects
- Improves ROI of the investment made in IT, though there are no set parameters to accurately quantify these returns
Without being equipped with theoretical knowledge, it will be a difficult task for them to execute the processes. Even after training, they need to be hand-held for a while to help them through the transition phase. A leading global certification training provider offering ITIL certification courses at Foundation, Intermediate, and Expert levels should be approached.
Customize if Needed, Not Necessary to Implement all ITIL Processes
It is important to know that ITIL is not for all organizations. It is a collection of best practices that can be accommodated in different manners. It suggests new processes, roles, and responsibilities which sometime may hinder the growth of your organization if your processes are too rigid to change. Therefore, a key decision needs to be taken on which of the processes to implement and those which need to be left alone. For example, your service desk might be functioning very efficiently in its existing state and form which makes it a futile effort to try and change it with ITIL. You would be best served to leave it alone and identify other pain points in your processes that need to be addressed and implement ITIL only in those processes.
Conclusion
To conclude, implementing ITIL brings a considerable change in how an IT organization functions. While this change will eventually lead to positive results, it is important to keep the people involved motivated during the process. Benefits realization needs to be performed for a certain period of time after completion of the implementation to ensure that the project has delivered on its scope and the target parameters have been achieved. So, these are our tips for successful ITIL implementation.
