We have been living with the latest edition of the ITIL framework, ITIL ® 4, for over a year now . The updated collection of best practices was officially released by AXELOS in February 2019, after nearly 8 years. Some say the updated collection of practices is due to industry expectations and the time interval between major version changes, while others say it is a “response” to the VeriSM™ service management approach launched in January 2018.
However, opinions are significantly divided regarding the content of ITIL ® 4. Those old "bikers" who have successfully reached the ITILv3 Expert level - and also have serious experience and a name in the profession - do not necessarily view what is described with a warm welcome and a positive attitude.
As surprising as it may be, this is precisely why ITIL ® 4 was born, with the mission of presenting a collection of service management solutions that are future-oriented, eliminate deficiencies in organizational culture and collaboration, and come from specifically practical areas.
Of course, it can also be said that if someone views the new edition from a purely IT services and infrastructure management perspective, they will most likely experience the officially released ITIL ® 4 Foundation material as a disappointment, which presents the previously known basic principles and best practices to interested readers in a fairly general form, in the form of a kind of "ITIL reloaded".
The question may legitimately arise whether ITILv3 (2011) will remain on its throne, and should we consider ITIL ® 4, to use an IT analogy, as “Windows Vista”?
The answer to this is not so simple. In order to do justice or to make it clear why what happened happened, we need to be aware of a number of realistic factors that actually motivated the release of the new version, as well as the source of the opinions that are not exactly the most positive about the product.
ITILv3 2011 – the wise old man
ITILv3 2011 is a completely unique and internationally recognized service management framework, which is recognized by more and more IT professionals as a proven collection of practices every year. If someone delve into the more popular, official publications of the third edition (ITIL Lifecycle – 5 volumes in approximately 1400 pages), the clarified, clearly developed system approach and service lifecycle model that every system administrator or IT manager has ever secretly desired becomes visible to them. Of course, it is essential for the IT professional to understand and feel the importance of what is described, since the majority of continuous incidents and service outages, as well as user and business conflicts, are fueled by a series of unsystematic, unplanned, or reactive ad-hoc solutions.
ITILv3, in the hands of experienced experts and with supportive leadership, can be a huge advantage for organizations, as everything from strategic planning to risk management, from proactive operation to continuous service development is almost 100% figured out. Not to mention that even after several years of ITSM practice, obtaining an expert qualification (see ITILv3 Expert/Master) is still almost as difficult as obtaining a more serious higher education certificate. Perhaps this is why the chests of those experts who already hold this title are filled with pride, but at the same time why they express negative opinions when they read the material of the ITIL ® 4 Foundation, which was published barely a year ago.
ITIL ® 4 – the young padawan
The published volume of ITIL ® 4 Foundation is arguably an easy read compared to the publication published for a similar qualification level of ITILv3. AXELOS's goal in 2019 was apparently to transform ITIL best practices not just into a theoretical collection full of three- or four-letter abbreviations and complicated technical terms that are incomprehensible to the average person, but into a practical guide that is understandable to everyone, more human and can be used in real life.
This effort has of course brought about significant ease not only in the content, but also in the exams required for certification (ITIL ® 4 Foundation or ITIL ® 4 Managing Professional Transition). Even the theoretical materials available at the expert level are very easy to digest, not to mention the structure of the exams (e.g. multiple-choice questions instead of case studies).
Of course, everything has a price, as a consultant who has obtained an ITILv3 expert certification may feel that with this simplification, his invested work has also lost its value, which is obviously not true. This is simply professional "love-sickness".
Substantive reasons for recognition and version change
Just think about how many unsuccessful IT projects or ITSM initiatives have failed over the years because company management, IT professionals, employees, and other contributors were unable to speak the same language?
While company leaders, managers and sector leaders, i.e. the respected “business side” in the ITILv3 era, were unable to approach and take even one step towards understanding IT operations – fearing without reason their own “embarrassment”. The same distancing was true for IT integrators and consultants with professional knowledge, who, in some cases, lacking basic business knowledge, intoxicated by theoretical knowledge, were able to throw in the towel with their heads held high and leave the client alone with a half-finished, unviable solution.
This is precisely why ITIL ® 4 was born, to provide the addition and renewal to ITILv3, released in 2011, that can achieve real, meaningful collaboration between people working inside and outside the organization. To all this, it adds guiding principles that can be applied by anyone, a system model serving value creation, and practices related to other methodologies (Agile, DevOps, Lean).
So, in addition to the fact that ITIL ® 4 has created a framework that is accessible and usable for everyone, there is also a need for an inclusive, exploratory and mutually encouraging "cultural change" that facilitates the actual transition to the digital era, leaving behind corporate silos, problems arising from a lack of information, and the continued adherence to unviable traditions.
Verdict
As a result of the pros and cons and experiences, it can be rightly stated that one framework (ITILv3) cannot exist meaningfully without the other approach (ITIL ® 4), as the expertise and IT efforts are in vain if the methodology and practice of implementation are not known. We should all view both ITIL editions as a collection of best practices that facilitate the creation of value in our organizations.
Only in this way can ITILv3, the professional "holy scripture" symbolizing the IT cornerstone of companies, and ITIL ® 4, the direction of new working methods and a culture that promotes collaboration that will define our future, coexist in peace .