At a time when information technology is continuously growing and developing, it is more important than ever for a company to be well positioned and to react flexibly to changes. This particularly applies to IT service management strategies, which need to be designed and adapted efficiently. A reliable method is therefore needed to meet these dynamic requirements. One of the most popular in this context is the topic of this blog article: ITIL.
What is ITIL?
ITIL stands for “Information Technology Infrastructure Library” and is actually like a library that contains a comprehensive collection of best practices for IT service management (ITSM). In this library you’ll find lots of input and guidance on how to effectively manage the lifecycle of your IT services.
ITIL is now the most widely used framework for IT service management, which is mainly based on best practices. ITIL records proven methods for ITSM and divides the life cycle of IT services into different phases. From service strategy to design and transition to operations and continuous improvement, ITIL provides a helpful framework to increase the efficiency and quality of IT services.
With ITIL, the focus is clearly on creating value for customers (regardless of whether they are internal or external customers). The IT service processes are intended to support customers in achieving their goals and to relieve them along the way. However, these processes can vary greatly from company to company. The adaptation of ITIL practices is therefore always a question of the respective context in which a team or company operates.
To return to the comparison with the library: You can browse the ITIL library and borrow the books that you find exciting. There is no need to go through all the books straight away. This added flexibility and openness is a real advantage over other, rigid frameworks such as ISO/IEC 20000 or Six Sigma.
What advantages does ITIL offer?
In addition to flexibility, ITIL can also score points in other areas: ITIL implementation strengthens the IT team and the company as a whole. Specifically, you can use ITIL and the service management practices it contains – such as best practices for risk or knowledge management – to improve IT service quality. You can also use resources more efficiently and reduce costs thanks to service desks, incident management and deployment management, among other things.
The positive effects of ITIL are not just limited to the IT department. At the same time, customer satisfaction increases, your employees become more productive and your company becomes more strategic overall – which ultimately helps to achieve your business goals.
5 tips for getting started with ITIL
Introducing ITIL and aligning yourself with it is not rocket science. You can freely choose from the 34 best practices that the framework contains and thus set up and optimize your IT service management individually. In practice, the following five points have proven to be particularly helpful and useful for getting started:
Develop a strategy: Start with a clear strategy for ITSM implementation. Define clear goals and develop a plan on how to achieve them. The strategy should not only focus on short-term needs, but also take long-term goals into account.
Train your employees: The introduction of ITIL requires – in addition to an understanding of the processes – the competence of your employees. Make sure your teams have the necessary expertise. Training and workshops can help familiarize everyone involved with the concepts of ITIL so that they can contribute effectively to its implementation. In general, it is advisable not to rush into anything! It is better to implement ITIL step by step and start with the essential processes. This allows your employees to gradually adapt to the changes and there are only minimal, if any, disruptions to ongoing operations.
Communicate consistently and effectively: Successful implementation also requires the support of all relevant stakeholders. Transparent communication is crucial for this! Our tip: Communicate the vision and goals of the ITIL implementation to everyone clearly and understandably. Inform your employees about changes and emphasize the added value that ITIL brings to them and the company. An open dialogue helps ensure that the new framework is better accepted and understood.
Ensure continuous improvement: Establish a feedback mechanism to enable continuous improvements. Collect regular feedback from your employees and the teams involved. You can use the insights gained to optimize processes and ensure that the implementation of ITIL meets the actual needs of the company. The framework offers you plenty of scope to continually adapt the processes to the changing, individual requirements of your company.
Choose a suitable tool: The right software can make implementing ITIL much easier. You can use tools like Jira Service Management from Atlassian Use to automate processes, create transparency and increase efficiency. Which tool is most suitable should depend on the specific needs of your company. Jira Service Management (JSM) can digitally map many ITIL practices, such as a ticket-based helpdesk with individual workflows, service level agreements, and a systematic service request management or an extensive automation library. Also, JSM is officially as PinkVERIFY Certified ITIL 4 Toolset certified because the tool meets all the functional requirements for a professional ITSM according to the ITIL framework.
ITIL – meeting digital change with strong IT services
ITIL represents a solid method for optimizing ITSM strategies to meet the ever-growing demands of the digital world. Through careful planning, clear communication and continuous improvement, companies can take full advantage of ITIL and take their IT services to new levels.
Successful implementation requires not only an understanding of the concepts, but also targeted (and decisive) implementation. So it depends on every employee! When aligning with ITIL, companies should take advantage of the flexibility of the framework and design IT processes according to their individual needs. With gradual implementation, the first successes and milestones will be visible after just a short time.
In summary, ITIL is much more than just a framework for efficient IT services and more customer centricity: it can also be the key to the competitiveness and long-term success of your company. Do you want to find out more about ITIL and/or ITSM? Then we would be happy to talk to you! Simply contact us.
Sources: Further information
ITIL – structure and flexibility for ITSM teams
10 Best Practices for IT Service Management (ITSM)
How to IT Service Management (Part 1): Operational Support – the Service Desk Portal
How to IT-Service-Management (Teil 2): Interne IT
Service level management in ITSM teams: Targeted control of the quality of IT services
How to: 10 best practices for successful change management