Where can I find information on version 3?

I would like to thank Damra for her comment were she asked (in Swedish) where she could find more information on ITIL version 3 and how she could keep updated. I'll try to answer those question and thus also adding to the information on this blog about ITIL version 3.

The OGC has an entire site packed with information at http://best-management-practice.com/ and a lot on ITIL version 3. There are also (as always) lots of (to many to list..) official and non official sources, websites, blogs and newsletters and (unfortunately) you have to pretty much read it all to get a good view of the ITIL Refresh. Perhaps the most "efficient" way to keep yourself informed is to subscribe to the official newsletter of the Refresh at http://www.best-management-practice.com/ITILRefreshRegister.

Having read a lot of the material mentioned I will try to meet your wish Damra and give an insight in version 3 on this blog. A remark is needed though: The format of this blog, with short and not so dense posts, is not unintentional. I have very little time to write and even if I had the time I prefer this more "light" format. To summarize: I will try to keep you briefly informed of version 3, but if you want to be really informed you'll have to read dozens of sources like every other passionate ITIL fan do...

Best regards, David :-)

Service Life-cycle perspective - the most significant change in ITIL version 3

Hi again,

What is the most significant change in ITIL version 3?

Copyright OGC/TSO

Undoubtedly the single greatest change to ITIL in the new version is the life-cycle perspective. ITIL has evolved from a function-based library containing more than 40 books in version 1, via a process-oriented library with some indications of the necessity of the life-cycle perspective (read Application Management) in version 2 to a complete life-cycle oriented view of services in version 3.

Another result of the ITIL Refresh is that a far better integration between the different books is coming into place. I think that this is very important for ITIL to remain a tool of choice for all the professionals out there that have read the existing books over and over again and found some inconsistencies between them and already see ITIL as an integrated library.

Regards, David :-)

More on version 3 to come...

I have promised more on ITIL version 3 and although I know I'm not an authority on the subject I'd like to share my findings. Most of the material I will present originates from official newsletters, itSMF conferenses I've attended and different blogs and websites.

So, do not expect a lot of unique information on version 3 but feel confident that it is accurate and that it is a good compilation.

Regards, David :-)

Spring, and therefore soon summer, is here!

For some people this up north on the globe the winter is a favorite. To me there are only spring and summer. I love the Swedish summer nights and you can see an example on the picture to the right.

Another thing I really like is what I ave seen this far of the ITIL version 3. More on that subject this coming week. On Tuesday the 20th I will talk at a breakfast meeting about the coming version. After that presentation I will post some of the presented material and of course some comments.

Finally I would like to thank my oldest brother for stopping by my blog to leave a comment. That comment is historical being the first comment ever to one of my blogs :-) My brother BA has been encouraging me to write for years so I guess I'm being the first to know about and to comment my blog is great. Thanks BA! I'll keep an eye on your blog too.

Regards, David :-)

Where's the time to blog gone?

On the other hand, everyone has got his 24 hours, right? Thinking of what persons like Mother Theresa or Florence Nightingale accomplished on their time makes me exit this subject immediately...

I think I just go out and continue this philosophy session in the beautiful spring sunshine. And to really combine theory and practise I'll wash my old car for the first time this year.

Bye for a while, David :-)

A conference is always inspiring!

I just came back from the annual itSMF conference here in Sweden. Two days packed with info about the upcoming version 3 of ITIL direct from the authors and socializing with lots of friends from the community. Very nice! It was really inspiring!

The changes made to ITIL in version 3 feel like long awaited upgrades and the authors had no problem convincing the audience (us) that the life-cycle perspective is great and that it adds a lot to the processes.

Copyright OGC/TSO

After having heard several presentations about version 3 I feel the greatest improvement lies in the new Service Strategy book (you can see the cover on the picture above). The need for us ITSM people to not only have a strategy for our process implementations, but for our services, is emphasized in that new book. At the conference one of the authors of the book, Majid Iqbal from Carnegie Mellon University held an acclaimed lecture on different ideas, models and tools to use to secure better alignment between your services and the business goals. He also talked about the need for ROI calculations on services and promised a lot of material on that subject in the new book. I think that this area and this type of questions will be very important to adress as a consultant working with IT service management. The customers expect ROI calculations more and more often and we're asked to motivate with economical terms our different decisions regarding the services.

The conclusion is that IT Service Management is taking some steps towards IT Governance and IT Management. I personally think that this is both exciting and in the long run needed in an increasingly automated world of IT operations where the production part is offshored.

I will get back with thoughts on the rest of the 5 core books in the coming weeks. The official release date is 30th of May and the books will go public on June 2nd in London.

Regards, David :)

There's no return...

...the stone is set in motion. My blog is now a reality and I've added some links and information. It's all somehow incognito still, but I plan to launch my communications plan soon... ;-)

//David :-)

Davids blog is launched!

The first post is always historical:-) What should I write in such a special post? Perhaps a short presentation of the purpose of this blog and of who I am?

The reason I created this blog can be summarized like this:

If you don't blog nowadays it could be questioned if you really exist!
- This is frightening for a somehow shy conservative person like myself, but not far from the truth.

Where should I create a meeting place for friends, colleagues and others to say Hi, connect and share opinions and experiences?
- I have a scattered family, lots of friends I don't have time to meet in person and several matters I love to discuss with almost anyone who bothers to.

I've been trying to focus and steer my professional career (I've been an IT-consultant for 10 year) towards a more narrow but yet very interesting field of expertise.
- IT Service Management and ITIL. To blog is to sort of "come out of the closet" regarding my focus on this areas (ITSM and ITIL). At the same time it will be a way of showing dedication to my own decision to develop in these skills.

I haven't read the ABC of blogging but I think this is becoming a quite long post, don't you think?

Regards, David :-)