How to prove effectiveness and value in ITIL

Posted by Vaishali Gopi on April 11th, 2018

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library, often referred as ITIL -is a specially developed framework meant for making IT an integral part of business operations- in various sectors. The ITIL guidelines are there to ensure this framework can be moulded with time to cater to shifting needs of different adopters and companies. Since its inception in the 1980s, ITIL has gradually evolved and it has become a major component of IT Service Management. Through its deployment, organizations are able to manage their operations and offer services in streamlined and systematic manner.

The ITIL framework comprises of 5 major publications. These are modified from time to time to cater to shifting requirements of IT technology. These include:

• ITIL Continual Service Improvement- This enables the users analyze and plan for many enhancements to IT related services.

• ITIL Service Strategy- This part deals with the nuances of customer requirements along with business goals.

• ITIL Service Operation- This shows the means to manage IT related services.

• ITIL Service Design- This shows available ways to manage strategies and then turn them into plans for various businesses.

• ITIL Service Transition- It shows the available methods to pioneer services in certain environments.

While the majority of companies resorting to deployment of ITIL framework belong to IT domain, there are other MNCs belonging to other niches that opt for it. Adoption and maintenance of ITIL usually requires assistance and training imparted by the certified experts. The latter can train adopter entities and their employees.

Showing the difference made by ITIL

While ITIL deployment can be effective in enhancing efficiency and productivity in organizations, demonstrating the difference made by it can be somewhat difficult. The interpretation of effectiveness and value will vary from one company to another and so you need to figure out where to start.

Keeping focus on apt things

Before you show effectiveness and value of ITIL, deploying it in proper way is a prerequisite. So, you have to focus on things that are important to the organization. So, the well performing sections should not be altered. You should focus on areas where improvement can be made and then deploy measures to strengthen those areas. Ensure you perform a benchmark before starting and then keep measuring.

Secondly, you should set the right measures. If you think you can’t track measures- just don’t create them. Not everything described in the ITIL framework can be relevant for all organizations at all times. Adopting and adapting can become necessary.

At the early stage, it is imperative to develop some trends prior to making changes. Then it becomes easier for you to measure the improvements timeline wise and show the value as well.

Covering all stakeholders is necessary

To establish the difference brought by usage of ITIL in your organization, it is imperative that the performance is measured at multiple levels in the organization. You should make sure the performance measurement and updates are being communicated properly within the organization.

Below listed are 3 types of measurement you should include:

• Economy: covering the cost of resources as well as inputs

• Efficiency: Showing how well processes are being run

• Effectiveness: Showing how the processes add to the organizational goals

The various teams in the organization, including the HR and IT can deploy ITIL to make models and identify trends. These can be useful for standardizing service while adhering to consistent quality.

As the role of IT is being deemed more of a service these days, demonstrating value is important as customer choices become diversified and wider.

For the senior management, teams should understand entire departments and reports should be made accessible to senior levels. Overall, the way IT services are aiding to deliver key objectives should be highlighted in eth communication. So, this is basically about communicating the way IT is helping in enhancing effectiveness, efficiency and cost effectiveness in organizations.

Ways to manage expectations

As a matter of fact, effectiveness and value of ITIL is relative. As a practitioner, you need to be aware of the reality when developing measures as well as KPIs! You have to think of the customer’s expectations. This has to be established at beginning of the journey so that you can demonstrate the value of ITIL.

You can think of the process like a train. If you analyze closely, expectation of train services actually differs from one nation to another. The expectations regarding train services in countries like Hong Kong and Australia tend to be very different. You need to be aware of level of expectation of customers.

This requires you to be back to service design. You should understand that customer’s needs are being met while you are deploying ITIL in the company.

Why it’s imperative to prove value

It’s essential to clarify how you are doing a better job and what type of difference you’re making. Deploying ITIL at an organization can be somewhat tedious at times for factors not exactly related to the framework. Examples include sudden changes in the organization. Even if a senior management person changes, the team handling the deployment of ITIL should be able to show the progress and difference. The team should be able to demonstrate the changes made and the value added by deployment of ITIL. Otherwise, the management decisions may come as barriers in the way.

Where it all leads to?

Basically, you need to do some pre planning before starting deployment of ITIL in the organization so that you can measure the progress, demonstrate the benefits brought by the deployment and check where things go awry. To prove the effectiveness and value of ITIL deployment, make sure the efforts are always aligned to key objectives. You also need to ensure that your focus is on measuring the meaningful aspects of the framework- as per requirements of the organization. At the end of the day, your reporting should clearly show how the work is adding value and resolving problems in the workflow.