Background on the Refresh
The UK Office of Government Commerce (OGC), which owns ITIL, launched the refresh project back in November of 2004, with the objective to improve the usefulness and applicability of ITIL. At the beginning of 2005 they undertook an extensive worldwide public consultation to gather opinions of ITIL users, vendors, and educators. That effort informed the scope of the refreshed version of ITIL. Currently the ITIL Refresh project is in the development phase. The publication of the "core volumes" is planned for February 2007.ITIL v3 Content
ITIL v3 will consist of sets of publications representing core best practice guidance, plus complementary guidance, and value-added products. The basic core of the current ITIL best practices and processes will remain fairly consistent and generic, and the complementary guidance will be "more volatile" and will be revised and updated more frequently to respond to changes in the marketplace. Below is a graphic of the new structure from ITIL, The Next Generation a slideshow presentation by Sharon Taylor, the Chief Architect for the ITIL Refresh.
In June 2006 the OGC published the scope on the core publications, plus the web-based value-added products; and they have said that a report on the scope of the remaining elements will be published in "summer 2006."
The Core
The core structure is taking a Service Management lifecycle focus in the Refresh, rather than the present list of ITIL processes (i.e., Service Delivery and Service Support), and this is graphically displayed below:
The core consists of five volumes that together comprise the ITSM best practice for ITIL:
| Service Strategies | A business and IT alignment-focused view of ITIL that encompasses the vision and value of service management practice. |
| Service Design | Provides guidance on the production and maintenance of IT processes, policies, architectures and documents for the design of appropriate and innovative IT infrastructure services, solutions and processes. |
| Service Introduction/Transition | Provides guidance and process activities for the transition of services into the business environment. |
| Service Operations | Focuses on managing services on a day-to-day basis. |
| Continual Service Improvement | Focuses on the process elements involved in identifying and introducing service management improvements, and service retirement. |
Each publication in the core will have:
- A consistent structure, navigation and cross-references
- Topic guidance on delivery models, and the supporting organizational structures to achieve various delivery models
- Discussion of cultural adoption techniques
- Best practices and guidance for using ITIL in multi-sourced environments
- Governance issues
- Key Performance Metrics (KPMs) with examples of their application and interpretation
Complementary Guidance
These comprise products that support the core volumes, and that can be revised more frequently.
Complimentary products include:
- Integrated process maps
- Glossary of standard terms and definitions
- High-level ITIL introduction
- Pocket guidance
- Case studies
- ITIL templates (e.g., Service Level Management)
- Certification-based study aids
- Formal mapping of ITIL best practice to other standards, such as eTOM, CobIT, CMMI, Six Sigma, etc.
What the Industry Is Saying
So, that's what is happening with ITIL v3, but what is the industry saying? We spoke to a number of ITSM insiders, including ranking members of the IT Service Management Forum (itSMF) and executives at some of the top ITIL training companies - after all, they especially need to be "poised and ready" when the refresh arrives. What we found were opinions all over the map about ITIL v3. Some people are very excited about the refresh, saying that it will be a major step forward and that "things are going well." But most are concerned about whether the project can be completed successfully. Many have heard that there are major problems with the project, mostly centered around the politics in producing "content by committee." There are also concerns about it being "pulled together properly," therefore many people are skeptical about the quality we'll see in the final products; and when we'd actually see those final products - there are rumors that pieces will be delayed. And that's one of the biggest complaints being heard - that trying to get accurate information is extremely difficult, which makes strategic planning almost impossible.What Have You Heard?
We invite you - the ITIL community - to tell us what you've heard about ITIL v3, and what it will mean for you, your company, and the ITSM community. Just login to participate in the discussion.More Information About ITIL v3
- ITIL Refresh: Scope and development plan (June 2006)
- The New ITIL, slideshow presentation by Sharon Taylor, the Chief Architect for ITIL refresh (version 3)