ITIL is widely referenced in the world of IT (Information Technology) as it adds value to organizations of all sizes. For the organizations that are widely dependent on IT, providing support to their core processes, ITIL offers best practices. Along with it, ITIL provides a framework that helps in guiding the IT organization and supporting the business through the provision of IT services. The main motive of ITIL Service Management (ITSM) is to achieve strategic alignment between the needs of the organization and the services or activities offered by the IT organization. For more information visit ITIL Certification in Chennai where you will get all information about ITIL Service Management.
What is ITIL Service Management?
ITIL refers to Information Technology Infrastructure Library and serves as an international standard for ITIL Service Management. ITSM developed out to establish outstanding practices as well as rules for IT service management. It helps in managing fundamental criteria for the IT sector in large organizations, which were dependent on the IT infrastructure for their entire functioning.
ITIL Service Management refers to the implementation and management of standard quality IT services. Its main motive is to meet the needs and requirements of the business. IT service management is performed by the providers of IT service with appropriate processes, team members, and information technology. Service management is a set of specialized capabilities of any organization that provides value to customers in the form of top services.
ITIL service lifecycle
Generally, ITIL consists of 26 processes because it is a process-oriented system. Every process fits into one of the vital stages of the IT service lifecycle. The conceptualization of best ITIL practices for ITSM consists of a model that divides it into five distinct phases. Every step corresponds to the set of policies, practices, and roles that support overall IT objectives.
- ITIL Service Strategy
A service strategy is a primary step in the ITIL lifecycle provided by the IT organization. The sector works to acknowledge the IT needs as well as the strategic objectives of the organization. The motive of the IT organization is to understand the responsibilities of the industry to which it belongs, along with the needs of customers. When the demands of the customer and organizational objectives get aligned with the activities of the organization, then it becomes easier to act as an enabling force. The organization can efficiently deliver as well as demonstrate its value. The processes that form the service strategy stage of ITSM lifecycle include:
- Strategy management
- Financial management
- Service portfolio management
- Demand management
The financial management aims to ensure that the organization offers IT services at realistic prices. It does not mean the lowest price, but the organization should opt for the best-fit solutions that meet standardized quality. It helps in demonstrating a meaningful ROI for the organization. However, service management refers to the process that helps in defining service offerings. It helps in ensuring that the organization meets the requirements of customers. The services provided by the IT organization plus retired services help in achieving the business goals effectively.
- ITIL Service Design
One of the critical factors of ITIL is that service design should focus on all the technological as well as the design of the IT service. Along with it, the service design focus on essential elements associated with service delivery. By including processes that assess how the planned service can get implemented, service design help in achieving better organizational environments and technical requirements. Some of the methods that come under service design include:
- Service catalog management
- Design coordination
- Security management
- Service-level management
- Supplier management
- Capacity management
- Availability management
- IT service continuity management
Service catalog management is one of the essential responsibilities of the service design team. Generally, a service catalog is presented to customers as an online portal where the customers can find informative services. Along with it, the customers can make service requests directly to the agents or staff of IT through the management of the service catalog. The service catalog consists of vital information like steps required to obtain the service, what service is available, information about self-service options, contact points for service, and deliverables for each service type offered.
- ITIL Service Transition
The role of the processes involved in ITIL service transition is to bridge the gap effectively between service designing and service operation. It refers to the implementation stage where the service offerings get transitioned from the designing stage to actual implementation. The processes involved in service transition helps to ensure the new IT services delivered on strategic objectives. Moreover, the services can be correctly maintained as well as operated cost-effectively. The processes involved in service stage of ITSM:
- Transition planning as well as support
- Change management
- Release and deployment management
- Service asset and configuration management
- Service validation and testing
- Knowledge management
- Change evaluation
- ITIL service operation
Service operation contains the processes of ITIL help the IT organization to deliver effective services. It refers to one of the crucial parts of the IT service management lifecycle. It represents the delivery of value to all the customers. However, without efficient service operation, none of the IT Service Management’s stages retain their significance. Moreover, service operation is not only characterized by its processes but also by its functional elements that aim to deliver value to the customers. Some vital methods include in IT service operation:
- Event management
- Access management
- Event management
- Request fulfillment
- Incident management
- Problem management
- ITIL Continual Service Improvement
It is the final stage of the ITIL service management lifecycle. The owners of the process help in improving the efficiency of IT service delivery at the organization. It requires data collection along with the analytical methods to enhance the performance of IT services. The performance gets measured effectively so that the managers can determine whether improvements can happen in actual life or not. Some of the process designed as improved service management methodologies refers:
- Identify the strategy for improvement
- Gather the data
- Define what you measure
- Implement improvement
- Process data
- Analyze data as well as information
- Present or use the information
Moreover, it depends highly on other processes like knowledge management. Any professional having a specialized knowledge management role can implement a system to collect data and use it to inform and inspire organizational change. The recommendations of ITIL have guided the leading international standard for IT service management. It helps in achieving the operations and development of IT organizations across the globe.
Conclusion
In today’s time, ITIL provides efficient guidance and valuable strategies for essential processes like service catalog management, request fulfillment, and many more. Along with it, many ITSM professionals believe in getting certified with ITIL. It has become the universal language of IT professionals.
