What Is ITIL and How Is It Used?
Almost every business uses information technology in some manner. Information Technology Infrastructure Library, commonly called ITIL, is a set of practices that have evolved over the years that help businesses to operate more efficiently.
What Is ITIL?
ITIL can be summarized as IT best practices found in a group of documents that serve as a framework for building IT service management solutions. These practices are part of a company’s ITSM (IT service management). Over the years as information technology has progressed, ITIL has changed its format. Originally a series of books, ITIL can be considered now to be a set of standardized practices that organizations perform when dealing with information. The current edition, known as ITIL 4, went into effect in 2019 and provides companies with an operational model that focuses on planning, improvement, engagement, design and transition, obtaining and building, and delivery and support.
Who Needs It?
Virtually every business uses technology, which means that any company looking to improve its business objectives and remain competitive in the marketplace should consider using ITIL. Some of the world’s largest companies and organizations, including IBM, HSBC and NASA. In order to maximize the benefits that a company or organization gets from ITIL practices, certification courses are available online to allow executives involved in IT management to understand its components and processes. The beauty of ITIL is that its practices are scalable and adaptable. IT managers and business owners can select what elements work for them and take on as much or as little as needed.
How Is It Used?
Organizations use ITIL practices to improve customer service at all stages of the process. In other words, these practices help businesses continually improve the services they offer to meet customers’ needs. The components of continual service improvement (CSI) involve design, operation, strategy, and transition, all of which result in continual improvement. Using ITIL practices can help improve business strategic planning, integrate and align IT goals with business goals, reduce operating costs, help measure an organization’s effectiveness and efficiency and improve return on investment (ROI).
Sound ITSM practices are essential to compete in today’s marketplace, therefore it’s wise to have at least one person in an organization obtain ITIL certification. Although ITIL Foundation 3 certifications never expire, those who hold the older certificate should update their certification to Foundation 4 to take advantage of and fully understand the latest practices.
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