Which ITIL Version is Right for Me? – Part One

I’m often asked by companies just starting to roll-out formal Service Management processes which ITIL version they should use. The answer I give them depends on a number of factors:

1. Have they got any formal processes in place already? If they have there is a good chance that these have been based on a version of ITIL, even if they don’t know it. Chances are that these processes have been in place for some time and have therefore been based on ITIL v2. In this scenario I would advise them to continue with the version they are already familiar with, at least until all the existing processes have been audited. If the majority of existing processes are deemed fit for purpose following an audit stay on your existing version of ITIL. If most of the existing processes are being discarded you might as well start from scratch on v3.

2. Do you have any staff with ITIL qualifications? If you have staff with v2 qualifications you probably want to implement v2 first. If, however, you’ve got someone with the v3 Master or Expert qualifications you might want to go straight to v3.

3. Are you going to need outside help? The number of v3 qualified consultants is rising quickly but there are still many more people with v2 knowledge than with v3. Also, most of the pitfalls of a v2 implementation have been discovered (sometimes painfully) whereas v3 is still largely unknown in the live environment. One further consideration is cost of outside help. Because of the shortage of qualified v3 consultants their advice is likely to cost you more money in the short to medium term. You may, of course, make long term savings by missing out v2 entirely but many businesses don’t plan this far ahead.

4. The final consideration is the nature of your IT Department and its attitude to new technology. Are you normally early adopters or do you like to wait for a solution to be fully tested and bug-fixed by others before you commit to it. If you are one of the few companies to have already implemented Vista throughout the business you are likely to want to jump straight into the relatively untamed wilderness of v3. If you prefer to play it safe you will be much happier with tried and tested v2.

Fundamentals of IT Service Management – Know Your Business – Part Two

I’ve put together some basic tips for getting to know your business. In some ways it is easier to go into a new role and implement ITIL as you won’t have any pre-conceived ideas about the business units you don’t work in or have regular contact with. If you have worked in the business for some time you may have plenty of knowledge but you need to try to put this to one side and view the business as an outsider. This isn’t easy and is probably one of the main reasons (apart from lack of manpower) why businesses bring in an external consultant to help implement ITIL.

Getting to know your business is part audit, part awareness campaign. It needs to be planned carefully as it is very easy to spend more time than is really necessary. You need to be thorough but set yourself a series of realistic deadlines and stick to them where possible. A small amount of slippage now in order to gain a full picture may save time later in the project but don’t overdo it as it is very difficult to catch up during implementation.

Once you have completed your project plan you will need to begin to identify the key staff in each business unit. When doing this it is important to get a good cross-section across all staff levels. Talking to the key stakeholders in each business unit is obviously important as they will be able to give you an overview of the business unit activities. However, in order to understand how the business unit really operates, you will also need to interview those at lower levels. This is key to the success of your project and is often missed by the consultants.

To carry out your audit you will need to devise a questionnaire or at least a series of relevant questions to identify the key business requirements of each unit and the services provided to each unit by IT. Don’t fall into the trap of e-mailing the questionnaire to each recipient and expecting them to complete it to your satisfaction but make sure that you work with them, either individually or in groups. By working together on the questionnaire you will significantly improve the quality of data collected.

Finally, when talking to the key stakeholders in the business, don’t just talk to them alone, get them together in the same room or on a tele/web conference. They should meet regularly but it might just be the first time they have all been together in the same meeting. Getting them to communicate can only benefit the business as a whole. Don’t let them forget it was you who suggested it!

Say Hello to Your ITIL Implementation Team… Or is it just you?

The most obvious point about assembling your ITIL Implementation Team is that the size of the team will depend largely upon the size of your business. Large corporations are likely to need large implementation teams but, if you work for a small or medium sized business, you may find that you are expected to deliver the project alone. Don’t worry about this, you may have more people helping than you realise.

With ITIL-based Service Management the one rule that needs to be reiterated more than any other is that of “Communication, Communication, Communication” and, luckily for you, this communication travels in both directions. This means that you actually have a very large team at your disposal because just about everyone you talk to in the business will have a useful contribution.

It might be the Managing Director explaining exactly which elements of the business are of the most strategic importance, allowing you to give them priority when defining SLAs. On the other hand it might be the new graduate appointee complaining that he couldn’t use his PC on day one because he hadn’t been provided with a username, giving a heavy hint that the new starters process (if such a thing exists) isn’t working. Whatever the scenario you will quickly see how much value can be gained from talking to your colleagues in all areas of the business.

So you’re not on you own at all are you?