ITSM stands for IT service management. People often use this and the term Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) interchangeably. They have many important parallels, but it is still important to differentiate between the two. This article explains how the terms relate to each other – and how they are best used.
What is ITIL?
ITIL®️ is a set of best practices to approach IT service management. The framework provides a series of processes designed to enable effective ITSM.
Key objectives are to successfully manage IT services and improve IT support and service level management. With the help of the framework, companies can better plan and implement their services. This ensures high quality and controls service management costs.
In addition to ITIL, there are other, less popular frameworks. COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) or CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) also offer guidelines for ITSM.
(Note: ITIL®️ is a registered trademark of Axelos Limited who provides the latest version of ITIL and ITIL certification.)
What is ITSM?
ITSM helps IT teams deliver IT services effectively and with high satisfaction. It’s not only about running the IT infrastructure smoothly, but it is also about optimizing business value creation.
In addition to the IT infrastructure, the focus is on service. ITSM aims to meet the needs of users and customers in the best possible way by using defined measures and processes. It is important to solve service problems, continuously improve IT services and adapt them to new requirements.
ITSM aligns IT services with the company’s requirements and objectives. Companies can use it to identify potential risks to service provision.
The most important ITSM processes are:
● Incident Management (processing faults and incidents)
● Problem Management (identifying the causes of recurring faults)
● Change Management (implementing changes)
● Service Request Management (processing user requests)
The differences between ITIL and ITSM
Despite frequent confusion between ITSM and ITIL, they do differ significantly from each other in some respects.
ITSM deals with all the processes and activities involved in providing IT services. It refers to the management of all activities related to IT services. Overall, ITSM has a much broader focus.
ITIL is a framework. It aims that makes these services better and more efficient. It’s important as a quality standard with its best practices.
In short: ITSM is the what and ITIL is the how of ITSM. While ITSM describes what is actually done, ITIL explains how this should ideally be done.
ITIL is also more customer-centric, while ITSM focuses more on the service provider. This is because ITIL aims to improve service quality. ITSM, on the other hand, aligns IT services with the company’s own requirements and objectives.
Conclusion: ITSM is a broad approach to managing IT services, including topics like itsm tools, people and processes. ITIL provides specific guidance and recommendations to implement ITSM effectively.
The similarities
ITSM and ITIL both support a structured approach to IT delivery, but they should not be confused. Despite this, people closely intertwine the terms, because the combination offers the best output. ITIL describes the path to success in ITSM.
ITSM and ITIL have the following in common:
● Goals: Both improve IT services and increase customer satisfaction.
● Processes: Both rely on clearly defined processes such as incident and problem management.
● Service orientation: Both are about services and not about areas such as the technical infrastructure.
● Continuous improvement: Continual service improvement is an important principle for both ITSM and ITIL.
● Measurability: Both use key performance indicators and service quality benchmarks to quantify the services provided.
ITSM and ITIL are also similar in these respects:
● Both enable good IT services. However, ITSM focuses a little more on the company. ITIL focuses a little more on the customer. Nevertheless, both see IT as services offered to the customer.
● They work together. ITIL clearly supports ITSM. Effective ITSM in practice relies heavily on ITIL as the de facto standard.
● The processes are more or less the same, but TSM focuses more on objectives. ITIL focuses more on the necessary procedures.
Consideration: ITSM vs. ITIL
ITSM and ITIL work together. Although there are several other frameworks for ITSM, most users closely link ITIL to ITSM.
For example, when companies implement ITSM, ITIL provides important guidance. Over time, companies adopt their own unique processes and procedures by using ITIL.
Leaders can now ask a new question. On which of these two pillars should companies focus?
The outcome depends heavily on whether the team focuses more on what is needed or how it should be done. ITSM guides the “what.” ITIL guides the “how.”
It is crucial for organizations to choose the approach that best suits their needs, requirements and goals.
Reasons to focus on ITIL
Many professionals regard ITIL as the most important framework and the standard for information technology service management. Although the best practices described are not obligations, they carry great weight as recommendations when developing a service strategy.
Among other things, these reasons and advantages can be a good reason to deal with ITIL rather than ITSM:
- When companies are beginning with ITSM, ITIL supports them in doing so. If you follow best practices, you will have an excellent structure for your own IT services.
- ITIL places great emphasis on improving the quality of IT services. This automatically leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are important building blocks for a company’s profitability.
- There is a strong focus on continuous improvement in ITIL. This supports the business in being agile, adaptable and able to adapt to future developments.
- ITIL contains standardized processes and workflows that companies can use again and again. This saves them time and money while making them more productive overall.
- Those who rely on ITIL are not starting from scratch. This happens because the framework retains what is working well. It only makes changes where necessary.
Reasons to focus on ITSM itself
ITSM is a lived practice that is specifically tailored to the respective company. ITIL is more theoretical. It does not generate any added value on its own.
Despite the importance of ITIL, the bottom line is how ITSM works so that practical improvements can be implemented directly.
The following reasons and advantages speak in favor of a stronger ITSM focus than ITIL:
1. ITSM is a more flexible approach than ITIL. It adapts easily to the requirements of very different organizations.
2. Even though ITIL is a de facto standard, there are many other ITSM frameworks. Focusing on ITSM promises cross-method work. Teams can combine the best of different frameworks with one another.
3. It’s the business that counts. ITSM focuses on the business. Functional ITSM dovetails IT services with business objectives.
4. Optimizing a few processes in a targeted manner is more effective than trying to do everything at once. ITSM lets teams focus on core processes and their practical application.
5. Smaller teams, in particular, will find ITSM a more manageable approach with more practical relevance. It allows them to organize their day-to-day work flexibly and according to their own capabilities.
Conclusion of the trade-off between ITSM and ITIL
Ideally, ITSM and ITIL work together as a powerful combination. Anyone who operates ITSM should pay attention to the ITIL set of guidelines. And ITIL presupposes a clear discussion of ITSM.
The only question is where companies should focus their efforts. This must be individualized according to objectives and any current areas for improvement. As a best practice guideline, ITIL offers excellent orientation. ITSM is more flexible and places greater emphasis on business aspects.
Summary
ITSM and ITIL are equally important for managing IT services in organizations effectively and efficiently. For users, it is crucial to know the differences in order to make dedicated use of both concepts. ITSM describes the goal and puts it into practice. ITIL provides the methodology to do so effectively.
Both terms improve IT services and increase customer satisfaction. Both also use clearly defined processes.
Businesses must ask themselves how they can best combine ITSM and ITIL. If each company pursues its own approach here, it is always necessary to weigh the options individually. Ultimately, however, the measures always serve one goal – providing good ITSM.
Find out how OTRS ITSM software can support implementation of your efforts in this area.
