Numara Software, an ITIL based solutions company has released a new white paper on ITIL. The “ITIL Without Handcuffs” guide offers readers a practical and concise summary on ITIL, with examples of how organizations are adopting best practices.
In today’s competitive environment, companies want processes that enable them to take control of their IT infrastructure in a pragmatic way. They want technology, policies and procedures that empower them, rather than be handcuffed to rigid systems which take years to implement or change.
The Relevance and Irrelevance of ITIL
Key Points For The Reader
- ITIL is a collection of best practices that address IT service management and business-focused discipline
- ITIL is more applicable to larger companies, though small companies can benefit
- ITIL brings IT into closer alignment with the business
- ITIL awareness and adoption is low within the mainstream market
- ITIL is a long-term commitment, not a short-term fix
Checks and Balances
Key Points For The Reader
- ITIL has become the de facto standard for IT Service Management
- ITIL is more likely to apply to larger companies of over 10,000 employees
- ITIL can help the CIO enhance his personal standing with ‘the business’
- ITIL is less applicable to small and medium sized organizations and they should ‘cherry pick’ best practice elements
- Organizations adopting ITIL should know when ‘enough is enough’.
Fit For Purpose
Key Points For The Reader
- Applying ITIL consistently can achieve a 20-40 percent reduction in the effort required for ongoing IT management
- Necessary drivers for a successful ITIL implementation include commitment from senior management and the willingness of IT staff to adapt to change.
- The upfront investment such as time, costs and resources are key considerations before embarking on an ITIL journey.
Moving On Up
Key Points For The Reader
- Every organization can benefit from elements of ITIL, but you don’t need to adopt the whole process
There are serious cost implications – ask yourself how many people you need in the organization to run ITIL and whether you can sustain this level of resourcing on an ongoing basis? - Implementing a process won’t necessarily fix the problem – you will also need to change the culture
- Engage, engage and engage – communication and training are key to ITIL success.
Key Findings
- Among the random sample of UK organizations there are very low levels of awareness and adoption of ITIL – other standards might be followed, many of which are industry-specific.
- A key way that IT professionals learn about ITIL is through offers of training from training companies or the Internet.
- 10 percent have or are in the process of adopting ITIL. However adoption does not necessarily mean ITIL is used or followed.
- Conversely, some IT professionals are trained in ITIL, but their organizations have not adopted the standard.
- Nevertheless, ITIL and other standards are mostly seen in a positive light, and something that customers value and respect.
- Negative attitudes center on standards being too much hassle, too costly or just not important enough to spend time on.
- Many comment on insufficient resources to implement such IT support standards.
- A minority think their company is too cutting edge to follow any Government standards.
- Highly regulated organizations are more likely to be adopting IT Support best practices.
- ITIL is nowhere near as well known and accepted as many IT vendors, analyst firms and consulting houses would have us believe.
- Highly regulated organizations are more likely to be adopting IT Support best practices.
There is also a nice section of Do’s and Don’ts on ITIL implementation. It covers the organization, process and technology. To download the white paper visit the Numara web site and click on Resources tab, then select White Papers.