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Everything You Need to Know About ITIL 4 Practices

The ITIL 4 was released on the 18th of February, 2019. If you have no idea what ITIL is, you are in the right place. ITIL is globally known to be one of the most excellent practice frameworks dealing with and handling IT services.

In this article, we will discuss everything about ITIL to make you more aware about this popular practice framework.

Let’s get started…

ITIL Previous Versions

The latest version of ITIL is named as ITIL 4. All three previous releases were just called ITIL by the publishers though colloquially, they were called ITIL V1, ITIL V2, and so on.

ITIL (first version)

This first version had several books, of which each described a separate process. The initial few were introduces around the 1980s, and the rest were launched out gradually within the decade.

ITIL (second version)

The 2nd version was released in 2000 and 2001. The publications covered ten core processes and the service desk, application management, security, infrastructure, etc.

The ITIL 2007 Edition

This version was released in the year 2007 and hence named the ITIL 2007 edition by the publishing correspondents. It was also popularly known as ITIL V3. This edition was the first version that commenced the initiative that the service lifecycle process can have 5 different phases. These diverse phases comprised of service strategy, design, transition, operation, and recurrent service upgrading.

It also consolidates areas such as infrastructure management and application management. This version also now covered the whole lifecycle, which included 26 processes instead of the ten core processes that the ITIL second version talked about with details.

The ITIL 2011 Edition

The 2011 edition only included minor changes. The content was rewritten to make it straightforward and easier to read. The only significant difference was that the BRM (Business Relationship Management) process was introduced.

ITIL Practitioner

This version was released in 2016, and it introduced the ITIL Guiding Principles. Like the name suggests, the ITIL conducting standards lend a hand to different organization set-ups to comprehend and take up ITIL inspirations to fit their conditions.

ITIL Practitioner threw a lot of light on concepts such as value, outcomes, risks, and costs to service management, etc. Some other essential competencies that this version urged organizations to focus on are –

  • Organizational and change management
  • Continual improvement
  • Metrics and Measurement

ITIL 4: Everything You Should Know

ITIL 4 Foundation (publication and exams) has been rolled out in sections since Feb 2019. Read on to find out what this version focuses on different facets.

The Values, Outcomes, Risks, and Costs

ITIL 4 talks about the importance of value creation rather than only delivering services. It identifies services as a way of allowing value co-creation. This process is done by building and supporting outcomes that clients aim to accomplish without them having to work out on risks or costs.

For understanding ITIL, it is highly imperative to know how the relative terms have been defined and used, along with how they are vital for delivering IT services.

  • Value – The perceived usefulness of something. The value of services can be measured based on how customers see and understand them.
  • Outcomes – A service outcome is a result enabled by the outputs of a service.
  • Co-creation of value – As service providers in ITSM, you don’t create value for your customers; instead, you create value for each other. The value may be monetary or the development of new relationships, capabilities, etc.
  • Handling risks as well as costs – Most services get rid of both risks as well as costs at a certain level for the client-base. One of the instances is that the client may not require the services of some of the employees since the service provider has the needed competence. All services, however, compel risks as well as costs on the client. The prices include charges paid to the service provider by the customer, staff training, network connection, etc.

Service Management and Its Four Dimensions

ITIL 4 describes four dimensions of service management, which include organizations and people, information and technology, partners and suppliers, and value streams and processes.

The organization includes culture, systems of authority, roles, skills, etc. Information and technology include servers, databases, networks, ITSM tools, configuration information, etc.

Partners and suppliers are all those with whom you have a business relationship. Value streams and processes consider all workflows, activities, controls, and procedures, etc.

The ITIL Service Value System

This value system is the fourth important thing about ITIL 4. Opportunity, demand, and value are three key components of the ITIL Service Value System. The required service value chain tasks are as mentioned below.

  • Plan
  • Improve
  • Engage
  • Design
  • Transition
  • Obtain/build
  • Deliver and support

The ITIL 4 not just describes these activities but provides guiding principles for each of them.

ITIL Guiding Principles

  1. Center on the required value
  2. Switch on from where you are and not from scratch
  3. Advance repeatedly with continuous feedbacks
  4. Team up and uphold transparency
  5. Sense and execute tasks holistically
  6. Keep it practical and simple
  7. Optimize and automate

The 34 Practices

ITIL 4 describes 34 practices that support the value chain. They are as follows.

General Management Practices

  • Architecture management
  • Strategy management
  • Portfolio management
  • Continual improvement
  • Relationship management
  • Risk management
  • Information security management
  • Knowledge management
  • Service financial management
  • Supplier management
  • Workforce and talent management
  • Project management
  • Measurement and reporting
  • Organizational change management

Service Management Practices

  • Business analysis
  • Capacity and performance management
  • Change control
  • Monitoring and event management
  • Incident management
  • Availability management
  • Problem management
  • Release management
  • Service level management
  • Service catalog management
  • Service request management
  • Service design
  • IT asset management

Technology Management Practices

  • Infrastructure and platform management
  • Deployment management
  • Software development and management

Governance

Lastly, the ITIL 4 throws light on governance, which is a significant part of the SVC or Service Value System. Governance is about direction, controls, and management activities that can help the organization reach its goals.

Key Takeaways

ITIL 4 not only builds on the values of the previous versions, but it even takes into consideration everything that service providers and seekers require to co-create value. If these approaches are adopted while integrating ITSM into business operations, you will find that you can work with customers more effectively!

Motadata’s IT Service Management Platform radically trims down the incoming tickets, assists in building a central knowledge-base, and simplifies the overall intricacy of handling numerous assets. Further, it facilitates the involved technicians to resolve and implement patches on remote-bases, conforms to audit requests, and enhances the work-based performances of the IT Service Desk.