1    Introduction

This pocket guide provides the reader with an overview of the basic concepts of ITIL version 3 (ITIL V3). Part 1 describes the Service Lifecycle as documented in ITIL V3 and part 2 describes the associated processes and functions.

Readers can use the publication Foundations of ITIL V3 or the ITIL core volumes (Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement) for more detailed understanding and guidance.

1.1    What is ITIL?

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library™ (ITIL) offers a systematic approach to the delivery of quality IT services. ITIL was developed in the 1980s and 1990s by CCTA (Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, now the Office of Government Commerce, OGC), under contract to the UK Government. Since then, ITIL has provided not only a best practice based framework, but also an approach and philosophy shared by the people who work with it in practice. ITIL has now been updated twice, the first time in 2000-2002 (V2), and the second time in 2007 (V3).

Several organizations are involved in the maintenance of the best practice documentation in ITIL:

•   OGC (Office of Government Commerce) - Owner of ITIL, promoter of best practices in numerous areas including IT Service Management.

•   itSMF (IT Service Management Forum) - A global, independent, internationally recognized not-for-profit organization dedicated to support the development of IT Service Management, e.g. through publications in the ITSM Library series. It consists of a growing number of national chapters (40+), with itSMF International as the controlling body.

•   APM Group - In 2006, OGC contracted the management of ITIL rights, the certification of ITIL exams and accreditation of training organizations to the APM Group (APMG), a commercial organization. APMG defines the certification and accreditation schemes for the ITIL exams, and publishes the associated certification system.

•   Examination institutes - To support the world-wide delivery of the ITIL exams, APMG has accredited a number of exam bodies: CSME, DANSK IT, DF Certifiering AB, EXIN, ISEB, Loyalist Certification Services and TÜV SÜD Akademie. See www.itil-officialsite.com for recent information.

1.2    ITIL exams

In 2007 the APM Group launched a new qualification scheme for ITIL, based on ITIL V3. ITIL V2 will be maintained for a transition period.

ITIL V2 has qualifications on three levels:

•   Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management

•   Practitioner’s Certificate in IT Service Management

•   Manager’s Certificate in IT Service Management

The ITIL V2 exams proved to be a great success. Up to 2000, some 60,000 certificates had been issued, in the following years the numbers rocketed, and by 2006 had broken the 500,000 mark.

For ITIL V3 a new system of qualifications has been set up. There are four qualification levels:

•   Foundation Level

•   Intermediate Level (Lifecycle Stream & Capability Stream)

•   ITIL Expert

•   ITIL Master

For more information about the ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme, see http://www.itil-officialsite.com/qualifications.

1.3    Structure of this pocket guide

The body of this pocket guide is set up in two Parts: Part 1 deals with the ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle, Part 2 deals with the individual functions and processes that are described in ITIL V3.

Part 1 introduces the Service Lifecycle, in the context of IT Service Management principles. In Chapters 3 to 7, each of the phases in the Service Lifecycle is discussed in detail, following a standardized structure: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement.

Part 2 introduces the functions and processes that are referred to in each of the lifecycle phases. This chapter provides general information on principles of processes, teams, roles, functions, positions, tools, and other elements of interest. It also shows how the 27 processes and functions are clustered in the 5 ITIL core books.

In Chapters 9 to 13, the processes and functions are described in more detail. For each process and function, the following information is provided:

•   Introduction

•   Basic concepts

•   Activities

•   Inputs/Outputs

1.4    How to use this pocket guide

Readers who are primarily interested in getting a quick understanding of the Service Lifecycle can focus on Part 1 of the pocket guide, and pick whatever they need on functions and processes from Part 2. Readers who are primarily interested in the functions and processes described in ITIL can focus on Part 2. This way, the pocket guide provides support to a variety of approaches to IT Service Management based on ITIL.

PART 1

THE ITIL SERVICE

LIFECYCLE

2    Introduction to the Service Lifecycle

2.1    Definition of Service Management

ITIL is presented as "good practice". Good practice is an approach or method that has been proven in practice. Good practices can be a solid backing for organizations that want to improve their IT services.

The ITIL Service Lifecycle is based on ITIL’s core concept of service management and the related concepts service and value. These core terms in service management are explained as follows:

•   Service management - A set of specialized organizational capabilities for providing value to customers in the form of services.

•   Service - A means of delivering value to customers by facilitating outcomes the customers want to achieve without the ownership of specific costs or risks. Outcomes are possible from the performance of tasks and they are limited by a number of constraints. Services enhance performance and reduce the pressure of constraints. This increases the chances of the desired outcomes being realized.

•   Value - Value is the core of the service concept. From the customer’s perspective, value consists of two core components: utility and warranty. Utility is what the customer receives, and warranty is how it is provided. The concepts utility and warranty are described in the Section Service Strategy.

2.2    Overview of the Service Lifecycle

ITIL V3 approaches service management from the lifecycle aspect of a service. The Service Lifecycle is an organizational model that provides insight into:

•   The way service management is structured.

•   The way the various lifecycle components are linked to each other.

•   The impact that changes in one component will have on other components and on the entire lifecycle system.

Thus, ITIL V3 focuses on the Service Lifecycle, and the way service management components are linked. Processes and functions are also discussed in the lifecycle phases.

The Service Lifecycle consists of five phases. Each volume of the new core ITIL volumes describes one of these phases. The related processes are described in detail in the phase where they have the strongest association.

The five phases (domains of the core books) are:

1.    Service Strategy

2.    Service Design

3.    Service Transition

4.    Service Operation

5.    Continual Service Improvement

Figure 2.1   The Service Lifecycle (Based on OGC ITIL V3 material)

Service Strategy is the axis of the Service Lifecycle (Figure 2.1) that drives all other phases; it is the phase of policymaking and setting objectives. The Service Design, Service Transition and Service Operation phases are guided by this strategy, their continual theme is adjustment and change. The Continual Service Improvement phase stands for learning and improving, and embraces all other lifecycle phases. This phase initiates improvement programs and projects, and prioritizes them based on the strategic objectives of the organization.

3    Lifecycle Phase: Service Strategy

3.1    Introduction

In this section, the axis (principal line of development, movement, direction, reference point) of the lifecycle is introduced. As the axis of the lifecycle, Service Strategy delivers guidance with designing, developing and implementing service management as a strategic asset. Service Strategy is critical in the context of all processes along the ITIL Service Lifecycle.

The mission of the Service Strategy phase is to develop the capacity to achieve and maintain a strategic advantage.

The development and application of Service Strategy requires constant revision, just as in all other components of the cycle.

3.2    Basic concepts

To formulate the strategy, Mintzberg’s four Ps are a good starting point (Mintzberg, 1994):

•   Perspective - Have a clear vision and focus.

•   Position - Take a clearly defined stance.

•   Plan - Form a precise notion of how the organization should develop itself.

•   Pattern - Maintain consistency in decisions and actions.

Value creation is a combination of the effects of utility and warranty. Both are necessary for the creation