Thursday, July 26, 2007

The Service V Model or the Left to Right Swim Lane model.. or.. ?

There has been great internal debate regarding the direction of flow for the Service V model.

Some say it follows the actual V path, down and up... others say it's chronigically correct to go from left to right, back to left...

Let me explain - the Service V model is a concept defined in the Service Transition volume of the new ITIL v3. The model is (meant to be) a clear and logical model of the steps to take in order to deliver a Service Package.

A Service Package is a concept of what can be delivered to a customer for them to use (we may otherwise refer to it as a 'service' or application).

Now the confusion lies in the steps that have to be followed on the V model. My opinion is that it is down the left hand side and back up the right hand side. The confusion comes from the number on the picture. 1a on the left, 1b on the right, 2a on the left, 2b on the right... there is absoultely no text to explain the direction of travel and perhaps the authors assumed that everyone would automatically know.

However, by adding connecting arrows and the numbering system used all it has done has caused confusion and (sometimes heated) debate.

My complaint is not with the Service V model, as a concept I think it is valid. My issue is that all of these books contain confusing diagrams that are not properly explained. A book is meant to leave you educated, aware and entertained... I'm afraid that too many pages in the new core of ITIL v3 leave me confused, confused and confused.

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