ITIL certification offers a strong structure for identifying, planning, delivering, and supporting IT services. This structure can be easily altered and modified as per the changing business and organizational environment.
Today, ITIL provides the best and the most updated practices in Information Technology Service Management. With the help of ITIL, that is, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, organizations build up reliable and stable IT services. ITIL helps organizations build effective business strategies while defining their customer’s needs and purposes.
This framework is considered the Service Management Bible that provides a holistic approach towards the IT Service Lifecycle.
Why the Lifecycle Approach to IT Service Management?
IT Service Lifecycle is a method of establishing IT Service Management. It highlights the prominence of synchronization and disciplines numerous processes, functions and methods.
Even in the age of ITIL 4, ITIL v3 Service Lifecycle is relevant. It guides ITIL professionals and aspirants through the core concepts of ITIL. Moreover, it gives a full-view picture of what ITIL really is. It is fascinating to see the way ITIL has evolved over all these years!
This Service Lifecycle is divided into five sections:
1. Service Strategy (SS)
2. Service Design (SD)
3. Service Transition (ST)
4. Service Operation (SO)
5. Continual Service Improvement (CSI)
1. Service Strategy (SS)
The aim of the strategy lifecycle stage is to draw a strategy to meet requirements and business objectives based on customer needs before initiating the process. At this stage, a value creation begins in order to improve alignment between the service provider’s capabilities and business outcome.
2. Service Design (SD)
This stage focuses on the integration of IT resources with IT practices, processes & policies. It further helps in designing appropriate and innovative services highlighted by IT to meet current and future business requirements. It works as a foundation stone in laying out the principles and methods for transforming strategy objectives into an environment of service assets. This documentation allows an organization to develop the capabilities of service management.
3. Service Transition (ST)
After the strategy and design stage, comes the transition stage which focuses on managing and implementing changes in the IT infrastructure of the organization. This stage also focuses on managing the up-gradation of existing services. Here, the most important task is to control and deliver support during the transition period.
The Service Transition (ST) stage concentrates specifically on change management, release and deployment management, service asset and configuration management and change evaluation and knowledge management.
4. Service Operation (SO)
The purpose of this stage is to ensure constant welfare of the newly established infrastructure. The IT team provides day to day services to the customer in order to maintain smooth functioning of the services.
This stage focuses on – controlling the demand, optimizing the capacity utilization, scheduling of operations, resolving issues and managing incidents.
5. Continual Service Improvement (CSI)
The main aim is to continuously update and align the IT infrastructure services with the changing business requirements. SI principles, methods and processes help in integrating the input efforts with the outcome. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach assists in closing the loop feedback system by prioritizing the improvements required.
This stage takes care of – service measurement, change management, quality management, capability improvement, etc.
ITIL v3 Service Lifecycle gives a convenient approach to streamlining tedious-looking IT Service Processes. So, better to study this Lifecycle closely before you officially start your ITIL journey!
ITIL® certification is one of the most renowned and reputed frameworks across the globe. A certification in ITIL® definitely adds up to the value of your profile making you a global professional. So don’t wait no more. Get your ITIL 4 Foundation Certification NOW!
