ITIL(r) is a tool that project managers can use to improve their project performance, as IT and cybersecurity become more involved in contracts. Project managers are constantly looking for new ways to manage their projects in today’s environment of tight budgets and delayed projects. It is not enough to have a solid technical foundation when working with IT departments. Project managers must not only focus on technology but also people and processes. ITIL is the most accepted approach to IT service management. It is applicable to all Project Managers who work with IT services. This is a brief introduction to ITIL and its importance in improving project performance.
What is ITIL(r).
ITIL(r) (IT InfrastructureLibrary) is a set of detailed practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of the organization IT supports. ITIL is an internationally recognized best practice that allows IT to support organizational strategies by working in partnership with the business. There are three main areas of focus.
Co-creating value with clients.Continual improvement – quality/costsExpanding services to support strategiesITIL describes processes, procedures, tasks, and checklists which are not organization-specific nor technology-specific, but can be applied by an organization for establishing integration with the organization’s strategy, delivering value, and maintaining a minimum level of competency. It helps an organization establish a baseline to plan, implement, measure.
AXELOS manages ITIL. It is part of theirBest Practice Solutionsportfolio. These solutions are designed to help organizations improve their key business capabilities, including IT Service Management, project management, security, and programs.
ITIL Terms
ITIL can be confusing for some due to the many terms involved. Even highly trained employees can be confused by acronyms and abbreviations. These are the five most commonly used ITIL terms.
1. Service Management – A collection of specialized organizational capabilities that provide value to customers through the provision of services.
2. Change Management – This is the process that controls the lifecycle of all change, allowing for beneficial changes with minimal disruption to IT services.
3. Asset Management – An activity or process that tracks and reports the ownership and value of assets throughout their lifecycle. Also see: service asset and configuration management, fixed asset management, software asset management.
4. Configuration Management – This is the process that ensures that assets necessary to deliver services are properly controlled and that reliable and accurate information about those assets is readily available when and where needed. This information includes details about how assets were configured and the relationships among assets.
5. Incident Management – The process of managing all incidents throughout their lifecycle. Incident management ensures normal service operation is restored quickly and minimizes business impact.
Why is ITIL relevant for project managers?
ITIL(r), the most popular framework for IT Service Management (ITSM), is widely used. Many project managers deliver IT components for our projects. The service that we provide will often determine the value of the products that we create. This is why Project Managers must be aware of these factors when designing products, delivering, and handing over products.
You may be delivering IT-related projects, regardless of whether you are an IT Project Manager. These could be hardware, infrastructure, software or service processes that are part of your projects. This means that you will need to have a basic understanding ITSM.
What is IT Service Management?
IT Service Management (ITSM), is a group of activities, policies, and processes that an organization uses to plan, deliver and control information technology. ITSM is focused on customer needs, whether internal or external. It also adopts change management and continuous process improvements.
Why is ITSM important for my project?
ITSM can be used to help projects establish processes through documented delivery and documentation. ITSM helps to streamline support and activities, which results in lower costs and greater continuity. Implementing ITSM opens up IT insights that can be used to help project stakeholders take action. These benefits include:
Process implementation based upon best practicesIncreased visibility and understanding IT support and servicesallows IT better understand and support the organization’s needsIncreased support for regulatory compliance and challengesReduce the impact of incidents or downtimeGET PMP(r), CISSP CPEs and CISSP PDUs with ITIL Training
ITIL training counts towards PMP and CISSP PDUs. The total number PMP(r), or the duration of the course, is the number of PDUs. To ensure that PMI will accept your PDU claim quickly, you should search for a course offered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner (registered education provider), such as New Horizons Government Training Solutions.
If you attend a course offered by a PMI Authorized Trainer Partner, you can claim Category A PDU. Otherwise, you can only claim category B PDU. (In this category PMI would need more information than the certificate to assess your PDU claim. To get started, take a look at the ITIL4 Foundation course.
ISC(2) grants Group B credits to ITIL training. Credits can be earned for completing general professional development activities that enhance your overall profession.