ITIL Blog - Featuring ITIL Training and Online ITIL Resources

ITIL Service Support and Service Delivery Processes - Free Chart

Mindscope are offering you the opportunity to download a free ITIL Service Support and Service Delivery Process Wall Chart.

I've just downloaded a copy for review to find out if it's any good.

...and indeed it is!

There's a lack of such material available on the market and I hope it's something that the forthcoming ITIL refresh project team address once the new core texts are published.

Here's what you get:-

• Double sided full color chart (if printed in A3 or larger)
• Front shows Service Support and Service Delivery Processes mapped against each other with key to abbrieviations
• Reverse side shows document/process matrix mapped against all Service Support and Service Delivery processes

Who will find it useful?

• ITIL Foundation Exam students - for revision purposes
• ITIL Managers / Masters Exam students - for revision purposes
• ITIL process designers / architects - for reference and validation
• ITIL Process Owners for validation of existing documentation
• ISO20000 Auditors - for reference
• Service Level Managers - to graphically show what goes on 'behind the scenes'

The bottom line: -

A very useful, well constructed and highly accurate chart that will act as a reference and validation point for many ITIL design and operational documents.

Download it from Mindscope here (1 minute registration required - well worth it!)

ITIL Version 3 - Author Profiles

NEW!  Recently Updated - Now contains all 10 Author Profiles.

The OGC (owners of ITIL) recently announced the successful winning authors of the next version of core texts - the so called Version 3 books.

But who exactly are these authors and will the next set of core books be 'safe' in their hands? Can we expect credible and authoratative books?

The answer - YES!

The OGC have contracted ten of the most experienced and knowledgeable Service experts in the world to create these books.

This post contains a link to a slide deck that highlights each authors background.

It's clear that each is indeed a successful and experienced expert in IT Service Management with many authors already having several core ITIL titles under their belts.

The mix of authors is interesting.

Each of the five core texts will be written by 'pairs' of authors to ensure that the writing process generates the correct blend of experience and (presumably) to encourage each author to maintain production and review deadlines so the books can be published later in 2006.

Balancing the creation of a complex and detailed set of texts along with the demands of a busy day job can be quite a juggling act - but the partnership approach, along with the authors excellent pedigree - looks set to produce another fantastic set of core titles.

In a previous post on this Blog we highlighted Sharon Taylor's recent presentation to the ITIL community and she mentioned that these texts would be evolutionary - not revolutionary - essentially ensuring that the next generation of ITIL core material is built on existing best practice - thereby protecting the investments that organizations worldwide have already made in their ITIL implementations.

Another interesting aspect is the involvement of Vendors particularly HP and Pink Elephant. Their practical experience of ITIL implementations worldwide will help assure the success of the final texts.

Access the ITIL Version Three Author Profiles here...

Download ITIL-Refresh-V3-Author-Profiles-V2.ppt

What Does ITIL V3 Look Like?

A very warm welcome to the IT Service Blog - where we only Blog about ITIL and IT Service Management topics.

Hosted on CIO Search is the best Webcast presentation so far by Sharon Taylor who is leading the programme delivery for the next version of ITIL - Version 3.

Now there's a lot of interest out there in Version three because several new core texts have been announced which will be written (as usual) by top ITIL and IT Service Management experts. Many Service professionals have already obtained ITIL certification and are asking questions about whether they need to re-certify after version three is released.

Sharon provides an excellent overview and covers highly relevant ITIL topics:-

• What ITIL V3 will actually look like?
• What will the new structure actually comprise of?
• What's the thinking and focus behind the new structure?
• What's the low-down on the return on investment for ITIL V3?
• What are some of the most frequently asked questions on V3?

Sharon also takes some questions at the end of the session which reveal some interesting details about re-certification, future publishing media and timelines for ITIL V3's release.

I have watched this presentation and provided the following appraisal for your viewing pleasure. (Please note - these are my own observations, thoughts and views on the presentation.)

If you would like my free complimentary Summary Slide Deck - download it here... Download ITIL-Version-3-Perspectives.ppt

Please note - I am going to 'stick like glue' to announcements and developments on ITIL V3 - since I believe it is THE most important step-change in the history of IT Service Management.

The full original webcast presentation can be reached here it lasts just under one hour and is sponsored by Front Range Solutions (note: The ITIL refresh is not associated with Front Range Solutions).


NEW! Download my ITIL Version Three Mindmap HERE.

Additional Resources:-

1. Free white papers on ITIL and ITIL V3 at IT Service Today.

2. Get 20 Hot ITIL Links - Get 20 ITIL Links Free.

ITIL - The Project Managers Perspective

With the forthcoming V3 of ITIL only about a year away (which promises to feature Service Introduction) I got to thinking about the Project Manager's viewpoint on ITIL.

Afterall, all projects end up in Service Operations. It's the final destination. It's the place where all the benefits are realized - right? (Gulp).

Right now ITIL doesn't really do much for Project Managers, from a traditional viewpoint, in terms of assuring the smooth transfer of projects into Service. Sure, there's release management and change management to help the overall transformation effort - importantly minimizing impacts to production - but what else?!

On my Web travels, I cam across this very interesting Blog, The Project Managers PodCast, innovatively hosted by Cornelius Fichtner.

Despite trying to place his roaming accent (and ending up in South Wales) my heart goes out to him for producing such an excellent end result.

Click through and have a listen. Burn to it CD if you have too. There's also an excellent PDF handout that accompanies the Podcast.

Good news for Service Managers - it looks like we can start adding, "Project Implementation/Transition Success", to the long list of benefits our efforts help realize.

Implementing ITIL - Where to Start?

Thinking about where to start with ITIL?

A Client of mine was pondering the very same question last week.

A quick search on IT Service Today (Implementing ITIL + PDF) provides some useful background material...

http://www.itservicetoday.com/search/cgi-bin/it/white_search.cgi?search=implementing%20itil

...but nothing from one or two articles is gonig to be specific or finite enough to act as a reliable roadmap.

One relatively new US book provides more practical and useful information that acts as the basis of an excellent starting point.

Entitled, "Implementing ITIL: Adapting Your IT Organization to the coming revolution in IT Service Management", by Randy A. Steinberg, is an exciting proposition for all ITIL'ers around the globe.

Packed with 489 pages of content, learned from many ITIL implementation experiences, this book is the one to go for if you are assisting clients with their ITIL implementation and wish to cut down on your start-up time.

Let's face it - who doesn't want to eliminate as much of the boring preparatory work as possible - and get on with the real detailed planning.

I will see what I can do - to get some kind of feedback or possibly an interview with Randy to help us understand the key learning points from this book.

In advance of ITIL V3 material - it looks set to become the definitive guide to implementing ITIL on the market today.

Well Done to Randy for getting this major piece of work completed ahead of the best practice pack!