The rapid growth of information technology's significance for business requires increasing attention to the organization and implementation of IT service delivery. Nowadays, information technology is used not only to address local challenges within an organization but is also involved in developing its business strategy. The importance of these tasks has necessitated the development of a fundamentally new approach to the problem of systematically organizing accumulated information. For these purposes, the ITIL library was created, which describes best practices for providing IT services. Thus, IT professionals gained the opportunity to utilize the best practices in their work, improving the quality of service delivery.
Why is this needed?
With each passing year, information technology (IT) plays an increasingly vital role in business. IT enables organizations to remain competitive, providing tools that help collect, process, store, and analyze vast arrays of information for making informed business decisions. Companies that are better at leveraging information technology demonstrate superior outcomes as they possess a competitive advantage through tools that allow them to maximize benefits from available data. Therefore, IT serves as a means to enhance the overall efficiency of the organization.
For several decades now, the informatization of business has played a growing role in the effective functioning of companies. At various stages of development, numerous attempts have been made to utilize IT in business processes, not all of which proved effective. This has led to the need to accumulate global experience in the use of IT in business management, which was ultimately realized in the form of the ITIL library, containing methodologies for managing and improving business processes related to IT. The ITIL library can be used both by companies providing IT services and by individual departments of companies from other sectors that ensure the IT operations for the entire organization. ITIL guidelines are used in this approach to managing and organizing IT services known as ITSM.
What is ITIL
The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a series of books containing a set of guidelines for managing, debugging, and continually improving business processes related to IT.
The first edition of the library was created by the British government between 1986 and 1989, published starting in 1992, and the latest third version, ITIL V3, was released in 2007. The most recent edition, released in 2011, consists of five volumes. In early 2019, a preview of the fourth version, V4, was released, with the full version anticipated to be published by AXELOS in about a year.
Structure and content of the ITIL library
The third edition was developed using a new approach to structuring its content, known as the 'service life cycle.' Its essence is that each volume of the library focuses on a specific phase of the 'life cycle.' Since there are five phases in this cycle according to ITIL, there are also five books contained within it:
- Service Strategy;
- Service Design;
- Service Transition;
- Service Operation;
- Continual Service Improvement.
The first phase, Service Strategy, helps the business understand who its target audience is, what their needs are, and consequently, what services they require, as well as the necessary equipment for delivering those services and the development of requirements for their implementation. Additionally, within the framework of Service Strategy, there is a continuous adjustment process to ensure that the service price aligns with the value that the client can derive from the service.
Next is the Service Design phase, which ensures that the service fully meets customer expectations.
The Service Transition phase is responsible for the production and successful implementation of the service needed by the client. At this level, testing, quality control, product realization, and other activities take place.
Following this is the Service Operation phase, where the planned production of services occurs, along with support services to address local issues and the accumulation of a database of repetitive problems for the further improvement of service quality.
The final phase is Continuous Service Improvement, responsible for changes and enhancements at all stages of service delivery and the efficiency of all organizational processes.
These five phases form the backbone of the service lifecycle structure, key concepts that can be operated within the context of the ITIL library.
Each phase (and, accordingly, book) covers different aspects of business management. Examples include: Demand Management, Financial Management for IT Services, Supplier Management, and many more.
Principles of Using the ITIL Library
Since ITIL is one of the key elements in applying a business management approach such as ITSM, the main principles of using the library stem from the philosophy of ITSM. The central idea of the ITSM approach is to shift focus from technology to the services provided. The ITSM approach suggests that instead of technologies, the organization should focus on customers and services. Thus, businesses need to concentrate on what opportunities and outcomes technology can deliver to the customer, what value the business can create, and how the business can improve.
Ten key principles from the guide 'ITIL Practitioner Guidance', authored by Kaimar Karu and other developers of the library, are listed below:
- Focus on value;
- Design for practice;
- Start where you are;
- Adopt a holistic approach;
- Move forward iteratively;
- Observe processes directly;
- Be transparent;
- Engage with stakeholders;
- The main principle: simplicity;
- Put these principles into practice.
It can be concluded that these principles, crucial for ITIL, can also be applied in various other approaches and methodologies in business management, product development, etc. (Lean, agile, and others), which only confirms that these principles work. As the ITIL library encompasses many years of experience from numerous organizations, these principles have become foundational for effective business operation.
Since these principles are relatively nonspecific, they possess a quality of flexibility as a tool. One of the main theses when working with ITIL states: "Adopt and adapt".
By "Adopt," we understand the acceptance of the ITIL philosophy by the business, shifting the focus to clients and services. The thesis "Adapt" implies thoughtful application of ITIL best practices and their adaptation to the specific needs of a business.
Thus, commitment to an approach compatible with ITIL principles, using the guidelines of the library, can change and significantly improve various processes within the organization.
So, the conclusions
ITIL employs a new approach to the development and delivery of IT services, viewing the entire lifecycle of IT services. This systematic approach to service management in IT allows businesses to make the most of the opportunities provided by the ITIL library: managing risks, developing products, improving customer relations, optimizing costs, speeding up processes, and increasing the number of services through effective IT environment design.
As business conditions are constantly changing, the ITIL library must also evolve and improve to best meet all the demands imposed by the modern world. A new version of the ITIL library is scheduled for release in early 2019, and the application of its guidelines in practice will show the direction in which businesses and their processes will develop further.
Literature
Cartlidge A., Chakravarthy J., Rudd C., Sowerby J.A. Operational Support and Analysis ITIL Intermediate Capability Handbook. – London, TSO, 2013. — 179 p.
Karu K. ITIL Practitioner Guidance. — London, TSO, 2016. – 434 p.
Source: habr.com
