Thursday, June 28, 2007

Comprehensive ITIL Education and Certification update

There is a lot of talk and speculation regarding ITIL education and certification in the marketplace.

So I thought that perhaps I should throw in my views and opinions which are based on:

1. Face-to-face discussions with the APM Group
2. Attendance at the official launch of ITIL v3 (London 5th June 2007)
3. A whole host of e-mails and phone calls

I am making the information public as we have all been given a taste of what the new structure may look like. This paper gives you the first real evidence of an education track for IT Service Management.

So, have a read, but BEWARE.. everything comes with a health warning. Some elements may change, but I would suggest that the primary skeleton will remain.

Download this free ITIL paper on Education and certification.

Make comments, ask questions, I'll respond and answer all.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Continuity Standards - the wheels keep turning.

The British Standards Institute have announced that they are to develop a standard on ICT Continuity, hot on the heels of their Business Continuity Standard (BS 25999:2006).

The ICT Continuity (tipped to named BS 25777) will no doubt be a rehash to the Business Continuity standard - with a simple search and replace to convert 25999 to an ICT centric document.

Reading through 25999 it is easy to see how this could happen, as the document is generic enough (like all good standards) and already makes reference to ISO 20000 and other standards (BS 17799, ISO 27001) well known to IT professionals.

The release of ITIL v3 must have the "standards makers" rubbing their hands together...

Standard for the Management of a Service Portfolio
Standard for the Release and Deployment of Services
Standard for Management of Knowledge
etc. etc.. :-)

Where will the development of what I call "derivative standards" end. Do we need to have standards for every element, activity, process and entity that are documented in other standards?

Where will the line be drawn between allowing common sense interpreation of existing standards and the seemingly unstoppable quest to "standardize" everything?

Is there a crying need from the general public to create a standard for Continuity or did it "seem like a good idea" and with the added potential of raising funds through the sale of a standard?

Having the name should not entitle an entity (BSI, ISO, etc.) to simply create new standards without due care and attention for the potential confusion in can cause in the marketplace. With an emergecy standard for ICT Continuity emerging that references ISO 20000, what do people do with regard to their interpretation of the Availability and Continuity element in ISO 20000?

I am sure my comment will be waved away as "the specific standard will give more detail than there is in ISO 20000" (BS 15000) - that's an easy dismissive to make.. but it does nothing for the folks that have embarked upon an ISO 20000 journey...

I am sure those people will not be looking forward to the development of standards in Business Development Relationship Management! and Budgeting and Accounting Management!

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Sunday, June 24, 2007

Pillaging Hordes

I am glad to see that my comments are making for useful conversation at other prominent blog sites. I am humbled.

However, comments that such as "...pillaging vendor hordes..." tend to get me a bit irate.

The comment is very rich coming from a site that is built to attract visitors interested in ITIL, where I can click on all manner of adverts and purchase merchandise and publications (does this make a web site into a pillaging vendor?).

Come on - let's drop the sour grapes about the commercial aspects of what is taking place. It's business - if the marketplace doesn't want the services offered by ALL sites offered by those working in the industry then it is they who will decide.

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Best Practice Change Control System

The Best Practice Management website offers a KNOWLEDGE CENTRE.

One of the intersesting sub menus there is the CHANGE CONTROL SYSTEM.
This is a central collection point for errors, issues and challenges for all 5 core volumes of ITIL version 3 and other OGC titles.

Once you have registered you can raise issues or change requests against these OGC titles. Issues or changes could include Grammar, Printing Errors, Spelling, Observations and Requests for Change.

IT professionals need to be aware of the official path for registering issues, complaints, errors about OGC's work.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007

What ever happened to....

It was late 2006 that Exin and ISEB tied the knot in a (what could only be considered as a commercial) agreement; that was an effectual thumbing of the nose at the APM Group.

It was early 2007 that both Exin and ISEB signed up as Examination Institutes under the APM Group. It is now mid 2007 and the waters are still muddy over the new certification scheme and who will play what part.

What is interesting is the apparent lack of knowledge (still) amongst the vendor community about the Examination Institutes.

I read the blog at Court Square in the Round. Refer to the first paragraph, the first two key words "Last week..." and then jump to the last paragraph "There are two certification tests... ISEB and EXIN". It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that it was an HP program, but shame on the instructor not providing participants with the complete story.

There are THREE certification test... Exin, ISEB and APMG. Perhaps it was a minor oversight, perhaps it was a deliberate attempt to not educate the market place; but as a major player in the industry you would hope that HP are able to present the facts as they are.

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Monday, June 18, 2007

It's acronym heaven !

ITIL folk around the world must be very impressed with the entire new range of acronyms that the ITIL v3 authors have introduced.

The DSL is out, but the DML (definitive media library) is in... the UC has been banished to glossary status, but around the Service Catalog there is a whole new species of TLAs.

LOS (Lines of Service), SLP (Service Level Package), CSP (Core Service Package) and UP (User profiles) are all introduced in Service Strategy.

SLAs and OLAs remain, but now we can throw in some Service Acceptance Criteria (SAC), Service Design Package (SDP) and ISM (Information Security Management).

The KEDB (Known Error database) was there before, but not as an abbreviation and there is just a smorgasbord of SKMS (Service Knowledge Management System) and CMS (Configuration Management System). Resource capacity management is lost forever and in its place we find a slimline CCM (Component Capacity Management).

Thankfully get to keep our beloved MTBSI, MTTR and MTBF -but joining the MT family is MTRS (Mean Time to Restore Service).

My understanding of all of these new terms and concepts is a WIP, but the ROI I get will be PFS - I need a PSO !!

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Sunday, June 17, 2007

ATOs and EIs

As the official accreditor the APM Group must have a big say in who gets to be appointed as an Examination Institute (EI).

It is an interesting fact that the APM Group has two distinctive roles..

1. As the "official accreditor" - where it gets to lay down rules and guidelines for EIs and manage the examination question bank

and

2. as an Examination Institute - where it works with Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs).

I'm not a gambling man, but I can't see the APMG breaking it's own rules; whereas other EIs may not be so quick to tow the line.

Could this be a good enough reason to back training organizations that have aligned themselves with the APM Group?

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Colin Rudd

I've been wanting to put up a note about Colin Rudd, without it seeming as if there is an ulterior motive.

There isn't...

Those lucky enough to have met and worked with Colin will appreciate that fact that this is a guy who "knows his stuff". Colin has got a pedigree as long as your arm, he's seen it all and deserves the respect that he gets in the industry.

I've met Colin on a few occasions and the guy is a gentleman.

Sharon Taylor in the forward of the ITIL v3 Service Design book said..

Service Design broadens our horizons and helps us to see a larger, more cohesive view of IT Service Management.

Fittingly, Colin as one of the principal authors of this book couldn't have been better placed to contribute to this vision for the new look at Service Design.

Colin has been involved in the industry for over 35 years - I don't know when he'll take a break from it all; but it will be a well earned rest. His son - Steve Rudd (also acknowledged in the Service Design text as a major contributor) is working with Colin. I couldn't think of a better mentor and tutor and Steve I'm sure will be a name to watch out for in the coming years.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

The APM Group web site lists the details regarding the new ITIL version 3 certification program. The article explains the option for existing ITIL Managers to take a bridging course and be awarded the Diploma in Service Management.

BUT... the scheme requires 22 points of credit to be awarded the Diploma and with the ITIL v2 Managers certificate worth 15, the ITIL v2 Foundation worth 1.5 and the bridging course worth 5 points... there is 0.5 points missing.

To me it's obvious the ITIL v2 to v3 Foundation upgrade course which is worth 0.5 points is mandatory AND it should be mandatory.

Otherwise we will have a bunch of Diploma qualified Service Managers running around that don't even understand the basic processes, key principles and general concepts of ITIL v3.

Now, we just need the APM Group to make the bold step of proclaiming the Foundation upgrade is mandatory and order will be restored.

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Monday, June 11, 2007

Utility, Warranty, Confusion, Mayhem

The new ITIL v3 Service Strategy book discusses a couple of interesting new concepts. The "utility" (fit for purpose) and "warranty" (fit for use) when looking at the "value creation" of a service.

To me, when I look at these terms and the surrounding text it seems to be a re-work of the Effectiveness (do the right thing - utility) and Efficiency (do things well - warranty) concepts that we’ve been familiar with under ITIL v2.

I wonder if anyone else is seeing basic concepts that we've grown used over the years reworked into something that is certainly different and potentially more confusing?

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Thursday, June 7, 2007

George Spalding – the new ITIL Philosopher

During one of the lighter moments of the ITIL v3 Launch in London recently, one question to the author panel was “what are one or two sentences that I can tell my boss are the benefits of ITIL v3”. As expected the majority of authors used words like “integration, alignment, value, etc. etc.”.

However, George Spalding’s answer was a classic; “You can use ITIL v3 to guide you through ITIL without consultants”.

Amidst much laughter, I felt myself wondering if he knows something the rest of us don’t !! Of course Georges answer is fine as he is employed by one of the largest IT Service Management training companies in the world – Pink Elephant. And of course, guess what Pink DON’T DO much of – you guessed it “consulting”.

I wonder if George will have an equally clever answer when he is asked about the “official” ITIL Study Guides that the OGC plan to publish for every ITIL v3 exam. Will George still think that move (which is likely to hit education vendors the hardest) is equally amusing.

We don’t know the answer to the question – but if the global vendor community had to appoint a single representative voice – then I think they could do worse than George Spalding. The man is buoyant and energetic and he calls it as he sees it.

However, it is likely that whoever is involved with the development of the official study guides would not be a great supporter of such a Vendor OrganIzation Community(E) - or as I shall formally announce it the "VOICE".

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Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Degrees and Doctorates

In a huge shake up for the industry, the APM Group have given the first hints of what is to come with regard to their ITIL certification program. In what can only be described as a bold move the APM Groups appointed Examination panel – chaired by the Chief of all things ITIL – Sharon Taylor – have unveiled their points based ITIL Certification scheme that culminates in the Advanced Service Management Diploma. Below the Advanced Diploma is a “Diploma in Service Management”.

The Advanced Diploma may well be out of the reach of mere mortals; it looks as if holding the Advanced certificate will mean that you either wrote ITIL or you are good enough to be asked to write ITIL or you’ve been a key player for many (many) years. The Advanced Diploma sounds as if it could be a “by invitation only” – perhaps a secret handshake as well.

It is the Diploma in Service Management for most of us. Your existing v2 Qualifications can be used as credits towards the (current thinking) 22 points required to be awarded the Diploma. The Diploma is earned by accumulating enough points.

1.5 points for your existing v2 Foundation, 15 points for your v2 Managers certificate, 3.75 points for an existing Clustered Practitioner and 1 point for a single Practitioner. There will be 0.5 points for passing the v2 to v3 Foundation upgrade exam.

The new v3 Foundation will be worth 2 points and there will be 3 points per exam, per book in the Core of ITIL. The examination panel is pushing the clustered approach for practitioners – with a to be created set of service capability programs.

There will be a “capping” course and Exam in the Service Lifecycle (worth 5 points) that all of us will have to do if we want to get the Diploma (so for those of you with Foundation, Managers and a few clustered practitioners behind you – you will still need to do the 5 day Service lifecycle course).

So, it is big change ahead for Education. We should remember that the new program outlined is under the control of the APM Group. As the “official” accreditor for the OGC they will manage the program once it is endorsed by the Examination Panel (the panel includes Exin, ISEB, APMG, Sharon Taylor and other notables that have been invited). Once approved then the program becomes law for ITIL v3 and it will be interesting to see how Exin and ISEB actually present to the marketplace.

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ITIL v3 Launch - an emmotional event.

The suits were out for the official ITIL v3 launch in London. The 5th June 2007 marked the start of a global tour for the intrepid and brave authors of the “new and improved” material. As always Sharon Taylor led from the front – and in a rare show of emotion there was even a small hint of a tear when the larger than life George Spalding gave an impromptu , but heart felt acknowledgement of the work that Sharon has put in over the last several years.

I don’t think there would be anyone that would argue that the effort required to get v3 off the ground is enormous. Whether v3 will fly or not remains to be seen. However, the signs are positive – especially as there will be a live, on-going feedback mechanism that everyone can contribute to.

The involvement of the ITSM community for v3 does not appear to be lip service. There are genuine efforts to retain the high degree of user contribution that has characterized this latest version of the popular framework.

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Friday, June 1, 2007

Good practice, best practice - which is better ?

I overheard a recent conversation about the ITIL v3 definition of Good Practice and Best Practice.

There were comments like.. "organizations once they've attained Best Practice will move to Good Practice". I was confused... surely "Best" is better than "Good".

Then I did some reading.


Sharon Taylor in the forward of the Service Strategy book uses the term "Emergent".
She summarizes that ITIL provides "good practice structures with room for self-optimization."

and later in the same book (Service Strategy) best practices are defined as "patterns in action"... that reflect "superior outcomes".

Combine these elements and we it is plain to see that early adopter organizations that use a framework like ITIL (provided they get it right) are the "best practice" leaders... over time, others in the industry catch up, so that the best practice of a few becomes the good practice of many.

Now the challenge is for the few to set new superior limits and establish themselves as best practice leaders in their industry - while their competition stays at the expected good practice baseline.

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ITIL Certification future

The future for ITIL Certification rests in the hands of the APM Group - who are the "official" ITIL Accreditation body (as appointed by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in 2006.

The release of ITIL v3 has prompted a total overhaul of the certification scheme and this task rests with the APMG appointed Examination Panel.

Word on the street is that the concept of the Foundation exam will remain in v3 - except the examinable syllabus will be a selected sub-set of the v3 material (to cover all the material at a Foundation level would take too long).

The concept of the Practitioner program also looks set to remain through a well designed "Service Capability" series of exams that will be based around specialist topics and material.

The glorious Managers program, it is said, will be reborn as the "Service Management" series and here it would make sense to have 5 courses, 5 exams - one for each of the core books (but shorter courses - maybe 2 to 3 days each).

I've also heard that there may also be a "capping" course and exam that covers the all important concept of the service lifecycle.

Now, if this wasn't interesting enough. All of the courses (including current ITIL v2 certificates and ITIL v2 to v3 upgrade exams) would be assigned a number of points. Earn enough points in a given time period and you would qualify for a "junior degree" (or Diploma) in IT Service Management.

.....AND then there is also talk about an Advanced Diploma - which - rather than being examinable is earned by reputation, contributation to the industry and consideration from peers.

Now, this is early news - don't bank it, but it could be the first concrete evidence we've seen about the future certification program. And early indications are that it looks like a solid program that APMG have defined.

The important point is like it or not.. if the APM Group decree it, then Exin and ISEB will HAVE to follow suit for their ITIL certification programs.

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