ITIL 4 is here

This year will see the launch of a new version of ITIL®.

ITIL 4 is the first new version of ITIL since 2007 and is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2019 with the introduction of the ITIL 4 Foundation certification.

So, what is the difference between the two versions and how does the new version affect your ITIL journey?

"The key difference with ITIL 4 is that it incorporates best practices from Lean, Agile and DevOps," says Auldhouse ITSM Consultant and Trainer, Roger Shaw.

“ITIL 4 will combine the best features and aspects of these bodies of knowledge and introduce one big body of knowledge. It offers a more evolved view of a service value system (SVS) and provides a holistic end-to-end picture of what it really means to contribute to business value.”

"The updated version will reflect the fast-paced and complex environment we live in," adds Roger. “It will recognise new ways of working and emerging practices, all of which are essential not only for ITSM professionals, but also for a wider range of professionals working in the digital transformation world.”

"Where ITIL 4 incorporates practices of value streams and value maps into the overall framework," says Roger. “These practices help organisations understand how work flows through the organisation, allowing them to map out what steps are needed to improve this flow so there is less stoppage. Understanding value streams and creating value maps allow organisations to streamline their processes so they run as smoothly as possible. This creates value by improving customer satisfaction and enabling organisations to move onto new tasks quicker.”

ITIL 4 Certification Scheme
A new ITIL 4 certification scheme has also been announced, which is outlined in the diagram below:

One of the main differences of the new ITIL 4 certification scheme is that it is formed by two different designations – ITIL Managing Professional (ITIL MP) and ITIL Strategic Leader (ITIL SL). These are intended to offer greater depth of content in key areas of service management and IT strategy to support people’s learning journey and career progression.

Auldhouse ITIL 4 Foundation Course and Exam
Auldhouse will offer ITIL 4 Foundation courses and exams from March 2019, but is still running classes based on the version 3 in the meantime.

The ITIL 4 Foundation course is designed as an introduction to the newest version and enables students to understand a new way to look at IT Service Management through a Service Value System (SVS).