IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL®)
CFN People have solid practical experience in implementing all of the ITIL® framework and the ITIL® processes, and CFN People is heavily involved in research and development of the ITIL framework.ITIL® (formerly known as the Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a best-practice for IT Service Management, which is used by many thousands of organizations around the world. A whole ITIL philosophy has grown up around the guidance contained within the ITIL books and the supporting qualification scheme.
ITIL emerged from 1986, when the British government determined that spending on IT in government was too high and that a set of good practices for IT Service Management were needed.
The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) was therefore tasked with developing a framework for efficient and financially responsible use of IT resources within the British government and the private sector.
The first version of ITIL was launched in 1989 and consisted of more than 40 books and was originally called Government Information Technology Infrastruc-ture Management Method (GITIMM).
Even though the books were written by a UK government agency and initially were targeted at government environments, the breakthrough came in the early 1990's when a number of Dutch companies adopted and adapted the ITIL pro-cesses with great success.
CCTA later realized that the original books mostly supported the functions of very centralized environments. In 1999 the CCTA and the independent forum for IT Service Management professionals, the IT Service Management Forum (itSMF), started working on the second version of ITIL. Using the knowledge of many IT Service Managers and consultants, the second version focused more on the processes of a distributed environment.
The library changed from the individual sets with multiple books, to a set of ten books of which Service Support and Service Delivery soon became the most well known.
In year 2000, The CCTA merged into the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and the ITIL logo and name have since been trademarked by the OGC.
From the UK and Netherlands, ITIL became, by far, the most widely used IT Service Management good practice approach in the world.
In 2005 the itSMF and OGC started working on the third version of ITIL. ITIL Version 3 was launched in 2007 as a service lifecycle-based practice incorporat-ing five lifecycle titles forming the core of the ITIL framework.
Service lifecycle
The structure of the core guidance takes form in a service lifecycle. The service lifecycle is described in a set of five core publications. Service Design, Service Transition and Service Operation are progressive stages of the lifecycle and represent change and transformation. Service Strategy represents objectives and direction. Continual Service Improvement represents learning and improvement.Service Strategy
The Service Strategy volume provides guidance on how to design, develop and implement Service Management not only as an organizational capability but as a strategic asset.Topics covered in the Service Strategy book include the development of markets, internal and external service provision, service assets, service portfolio and implementation of strategy through the entire service lifecycle. Financial management, service portfolio management, organizational development and strategic risks are other major topics.
Service Design
The Service Design volume provides guidance for the design and development of services and Service Management processes. It guides organizations on how to develop design capabilities for Service Management. It covers design principles and methods for converting strategic objectives into portfolios of services and service assets.The major Service Design activities include:
- Collect requirements
- Analyze requirements, document and agree
- Design service solution
- Evaluate alternative solutions
- Acquire the preferred solution
Service Transition
The Service Transition volume provides guidance for the development and improvement of capabilities for transitioning new and changed services into live service operation.The Service Transition book provides guidance on how the requirements of Service Strategy encoded in Service Design are effectively realized in Service Operation while controlling the risks of failure and disruption. The publication combines practices in release management, program management and risk management and places them in the practical context of Service Management.
Typically activities involved are:
- Planning
- Build and test
- Service testing and pilots
- Perform transfer, deployment and retirement
- Review and close
Service Operation
The Service Operation volume embodies practices in the management of the day-to-day operation of services. Service Operation can be viewed as the ‘factory’ of IT.The purpose of the Service Operation phase is to coordinate and carry out the activities and processes required to deliver and manage services at agreed levels to business users and customers. The book includes guidance on achieving effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery and support of services to ensure value for the customer and the service provider.
Continual Service Improvement
The Continual Service Improvement volume provides guidance in creating and maintaining value for customers through better design, introduction, and operation of services. It combines principles, practices, and methods from quality management, change management, and capability improvement. Organizations learn to realize incremental and large-scale improvements in service quality, operational efficiency, and business continuity.Guidance is provided for linking improvement efforts and outcomes with service strategy, design, and transition. A closed-loop feedback system, based on William Edward Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, is established as a vehicle for improvement.
Read more here.