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ITIL Processes and Practices

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ITIL Prozesse (Processes)

What is ITIL?

The term ITIL® is a registered trademark of PeopleCert and stands for “Information Technology Infrastructure Library” and is a collection of best practices for IT service management. ITIL provides a framework for the planning, provision, and support of IT services in companies. It thus provides comprehensive and practical guidance for the effective management of IT infrastructures and services.

ITIL aims to optimize the IT services value chain and meet business requirements. This includes improving the quality of services, increasing the efficiency of IT processes, improving customer satisfaction, and controlling costs.

For many IT service processes, ITIL provides practical recommendations and thus helps to optimize IT services. As a result, business requirements for IT Service Management can be better met and IT service processes can be operated more efficiently.

ITIL has become a globally recognized standard in IT Service Management (ITSM) and is used by many organizations around the world.

Benefits of ITIL

Improved quality of service

ITIL provides best practices and processes to improve the quality of IT services. Through policies, effective incident and problem management, and comprehensive monitoring and control, organizations can achieve a higher quality of service.

Efficient process flows

ITIL defines standardized processes and workflows that enable efficient IT service delivery. This enables companies to reduce costs, increase productivity, and reduce bottlenecks in the processes.

Better risk management

ITIL places great emphasis on risk management by helping companies identify potential risks early on and take appropriate action. This helps minimize outages, security breaches, and other risks.

Higher customer satisfaction

ITIL places a strong focus on the customer. By better understanding customer requirements and expectations, companies can target their IT services to meet customer needs. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and thus customer loyalty.

Continuous improvement

ITIL promotes a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging constant review and optimization of processes, services, and performance. This enables a more agile and adaptable IT organization to meet changing business needs.

ITIL 4 - The current ITIL Version

ITIL 4 represents the current version of ITIL, it places a stronger focus on understanding services and value creation for customers. With its new models and content, ITIL 4 offers companies comprehensive practices (ITIL Practices) to further improve the quality, efficiency, and customer value of their IT services without imposing rigid processes on service providers.

ITIL 4 is based on the previous version of ITIL V3. With its framework for best practices in IT service management (ITSM), ITIL 4 provides enhancements and adaptations to basic IT service models and is in line with the requirements of ISO 20000.

ITIL 4 vs. ITIL v3 – The differences

With its new models and content, ITIL 4 offers companies comprehensive practices to further improve the quality, efficiency, and customer value of their IT services without imposing rigid processes on companies.

The reorientation of ITIL 4, away from the purely process-oriented approach, represents an elementary change from previous ITIL versions towards more flexibility and freedom.

ITIL 4 also emphasizes the integration of agile and flexible practices and enables closer collaboration with other frameworks such as DevOps. ITIL 4 promotes faster delivery of IT services, intending to develop a more efficient and customized service management strategy for organizations.

Four Dimensions Model:

The four dimensions of value creation are defined in ITIL 4 and are an elementary part of all service measures and considerations relevant to products and services.

  • Organizations & People
  • Information & Technology
  • Value Streams & Processes
  • Partners & Suppliers

The Four Dimensions Model is used in all ITIL measures and is also incorporated into the Service Value System.

The Service Value System (SVS)

The SVS describes the framework that integrates all activities and components of service management. It includes the following elements:

  • Guiding Principles: Guiding principles are designed to enable an organization to respond to any change. The change can be different goals, strategies, or even products. The following 7 Guiding Principles have been defined:
  1. Focus on value.
  2. Start where you are.
  3. Progress iteratively with feedback.
  4. Collaboration and promote visibility.
  5. Think and work holistically.
  6. Keep it simple and practical.
  7. Optimize and automate.
  • Governance: Management of IT services, including policies, responsibilities, and decision-making structures.
  • Service Value Chain: Measures that cover the complete lifecycle of an IT service, from planning and creation to delivery and continuous improvement.
  • ITIL Management Practices: Methods and approaches applied in different stages of the service lifecycle. For example: Request Management, Incident Management, Change Management, Service Level Management, etc.
  • Continual Improvement: Continuous optimization of processes, services, and ways of working to meet changing user requirements and expectations.
ITIL Service Value System SVS

The ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle:

The ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle consists of five stages: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition (Transition), Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement. Each stage has its specific processes and objectives to ensure an effective and efficient IT service.

ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle

ITIL 4 Practices vs. ITIL V3 Processes

Despite the lack of fixed specifications for ITIL 4 processes, the framework emphasizes that processes are defined for an organization and tailored to its specific requirements. ITIL 4 thus does not dispense with processes but describes them in a more fundamental form in its ITIL 4 practices.

ITIL 4 therefore provides the template for creating individual IT service management processes that can be optimally adapted to the requirements of the organization.

The relevance of the five ITIL stages and 26 processes of ITIL V3 continue to exist with ITIL 4, but in ITIL 4 they have the character of a guideline and do not represent a rigid specification.

ITIL 4 Practices

ITIL 4 describes the 34 ITIL practices as “a set of organizational resources designed for performing work or accomplishing an objective” tasks or the achievement of specific goals”. The practices are intended to serve companies as a basis for creating their service management processes adapted to their needs. Each practice defines the task and the goal of the respective practice for an organization.

Architecture Management

Design and maintain IT architectures to ensure structure, integration, and consistency of IT services. Plan, design, and monitor IT infrastructure to support business objectives and maximize the value of IT services.

Continual Improvement

Continuous improvement of processes, services, and ways of working. Through feedback, analysis, and implementation, the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of IT services are to be continuously optimized and adapted to changing requirements.

Information Security Management

Planning, implementing, and monitoring security measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information in an organization.

Knowledge Management

Effective management and use of knowledge and information in an organization. Knowledge management aims to collect, organize, share, and provide relevant data, information, and experience to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of IT services and to support decision-making.

Measurement and Reporting

Define and perform measurements to collect data about IT services. This enables better evaluation of performance, identification of improvements, and generation of meaningful reports to make informed decisions and improve service quality.

Organizational Change Management

Managing and supporting the planning, implementation, and control of changes in an organization. The aim is to minimize the impact on employees, processes, and technologies through change management. This enables a smooth introduction of changes and improves acceptance and effectiveness in the organization.

Portfolio Management

Strategic planning and management of an organization's IT service portfolio. This involves identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing IT services to ensure that they meet business requirements and objectives. The aim is to ensure optimal use of resources and maximize value creation for the company.

Project Management

Effective planning, organization, and monitoring of projects. The aim is to ensure the successful implementation of projects by optimally managing resources, schedules, and risks. Through a structured approach, project goals are to be achieved, quality is to be ensured and efficient cooperation between all parties involved is to be ensured.

Relationship Management

Optimal management and maintenance of relationships with customers and other stakeholders. Through collaboration and communication with customers, the aim is to understand and meet their needs and expectations. The aim is to foster trust, customer satisfaction, and long-term partnerships.

Risk Management

Proactive identification, assessment, and treatment of risks. The task of risk management is to identify potential threats and opportunities and to take appropriate measures to avoid or reduce negative effects. Systematic risk assessment and management improves the resilience of IT services and business continuity.

Service Financial Management

Support the planning, control, and monitoring of financial aspects of IT services. The task is to manage the costs, budgets, and investments associated with IT services and to ensure the profitability of the services. Sound financial planning should create transparent cost structures and ensure the financial sustainability of IT services.

Strategy Management

Planning, developing, and implementing effective strategies for IT services. Clear alignment with business goals should be ensured, opportunities identified, and risks assessed. The aim is to ensure maximum value creation of IT services for the long-term success of the company.

Supplier Management

Managing relationships with suppliers and service providers. The task is to establish effective collaboration, contract management, and performance evaluation, thus continuously improving the quality of the products and services provided. The aim is to ensure the smooth provision of IT services.

Workforce Talent Management

Effective management and development of the employee team. The task is to attract qualified employees, promote their skills, motivate them, and thus optimally fill the required roles. Targeted talent management strengthens the knowledge and expertise of the team to deliver world-class IT services and support the success of the organization.

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Availability Management

Ensuring the continuous availability of IT services. Downtimes are to be minimized and service availability is to be ensured by business requirements. Proactive measures such as monitoring, planning, and recovery ensure the stability and reliability of IT services.

Business Analysis

Analyze business processes and requirements to identify solutions to achieve business goals. By accurately capturing requirements, IT services are adapted to the needs of the business to create value for all stakeholders.

Capacity and Performance Management

Plan and monitor IT infrastructure capacity and performance to ensure optimal service delivery. Forecasting and optimization maximize resource performance and avoid bottlenecks to meet business needs.

Change Enablement

Implementing effective change in the IT organization. Through planning, communication, and training, the acceptance and cooperation of employees are promoted to ensure a smooth implementation.

Incident Management

Effective and rapid resolution of disruptions and incidents in IT services. Through a structured approach and clear escalation processes, incident management aims to minimize impact and restore smooth operations to minimize business impact.

IT Asset Management

Management and control of an organization's IT assets. The task is to track and optimize the IT assets with IT Asset Management over the entire lifecycle. The goal is to reduce costs, ensure compliance, and maximize the value of the assets for the company. This also includes the legal and contractual requirements relating to IT assets.

Monitoring and Event Management

Continuous monitoring of the IT infrastructure and identification of events. It enables a rapid response to disruptions by analyzing and prioritizing events and taking defined actions to ensure the smooth operation of IT services.

Problem Management

Identify, analyze, and resolve underlying causes of IT disruptions. The goal of problem management is to reduce the number and impact of problems to provide a stable IT infrastructure and improve customer satisfaction.

Release Management

Planning, coordinating, and controlling the release of software and IT services. The task is to ensure the smooth deployment of new or changed components to minimize impact on operations and maximize benefits for the organization.

Service Catalog Management

Provision and maintenance of the service catalog, which provides a comprehensive overview of all available IT services. The task is to support the communication of service offerings, service levels, and costs. The goal is to ensure transparency, customer orientation, and effective service delivery.

Service Configuration Management

Configuration, management, and control of IT services and their components. The task is to provide accurate information about the configurations, control changes efficiently, minimize risks, and ensure the stable operation of IT services.

Service Continuity Management

Ensure continuous availability of IT services in the event of disruptions or outages. The task is to develop plans to maintain business operations and minimize the impact of interruptions. The goal is to ensure high service availability and resilience.

Service Design

Development and design of IT services in accordance with the requirements of the company and the needs of the customers. Aspects such as service architecture, processes, technology, and delivery models are taken into account. The aim is to develop effective and customer-oriented services that maximize added value for the company.

Service Desk

Central point of contact for user support and communication between customers and IT. It provides a single point of contact for service inquiries, incident reports, and service requests. The service desk ensures effective and efficient processing and makes a significant contribution to customer satisfaction.

Service Level Management

Definition, creation, and monitoring of service level agreements (SLA) between the IT service provider and the customers. The task of Service Level Management (SLM) is to ensure that the agreed service targets and customer expectations are met. Service quality is continuously improved through regular reporting and monitoring.

Service Request Management

Efficient processing of service requests from customers. The task is to quickly record requests, prioritize them, and process them to ensure a quick and satisfactory solution for the service recipient. The goal is to increase customer satisfaction and service area efficiency.

Service Validation and Testing

Review and validate new or modified IT services to ensure they meet requirements and expectations. The scope includes various testing activities such as functional testing, performance testing, and user testing to ensure the quality and performance of the services. The goal is to minimize risks and ensure a smooth rollout of the services.

Deployment Management

Coordinate and control the deployment of new or changed hardware, software, or IT services in the live environment. The task is to ensure a planned and controlled rollout to minimize impact on operations. The goal is to ensure smooth integration into the IT infrastructure and rapid value creation for the organization.

Infrastructure and Platform Management

Operation and monitoring of the IT infrastructure and platforms required for the provision of IT services. Tasks include areas such as configuration management, capacity planning, patch and release management to ensure a stable and efficient IT environment. This is to ensure optimal service delivery and effective use of resources.

Software Development and Management

Planning, development, and deployment of software solutions. This includes the design, programming, and testing of software to deliver high-quality and reliable applications. Through effective project management and continuous improvement, software development and maintenance are optimized. This is to ensure the functionality, reliability, maintenance, conformance, and auditability of the software.

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Example of ITIL 4 Practice

As mentioned earlier, while each ITIL 4 practice does not include defined processes, it does include basic elements to enable organizations to design the process:

  • The Goal
  • Best practices & concepts
  • Actions
  • Technical Terms
  • Roles & Responsibilities
  • Responsibilities
  • Specific information

Our example of the Service Request Management practice is intended to illustrate the principle of ITIL 4 practices.

Efficient processing of service requests from users or customers. From service request to fulfillment and final evaluation, the entire lifecycle should be mapped.

Service request management aims to provide users with a smooth process for submitting requests and to ensure that these requests are handled appropriately by IT staff. This includes defining clear and understandable requirements, classifying and prioritizing requests, and tracking progress and fulfillment.

  • Incoming service requests should be prioritized and assigned to service staff accordingly.
  • Existing knowledge should be made available in knowledge management in order, for example, to be able to process recurring requests consistently and quickly.
  • A service catalog should be created for all available services.
  • Roles and rights management should ensure that services are only displayed to users who are authorized to request the specific service.
  • Other ITSM processes, such as IT asset management, should be integrated into the process. Integration allows services associated with assets to be managed and tickets to be linked to assets.
  • Dashboards and reports should help IT service teams manage the lifecycle of service requests, identify trends, and respond to them.
  1. Service request via the self-service portal, chat, or e-mail.
  2. Creation of a ticket with categorization and assignment to a service employee or, if necessary, upstream approval by a responsible person.
  3. Fulfillment of the service request by a service employee or technician
  4. Reply to the user and close the ticket
  5. Sending a survey to the user on satisfaction with the service provided
  1. Customers (e.g., a customer with a valid SLA)
  2. Service user (an authorized user of the services)
  3. Service Desk (Central point for accepting the service request if it cannot be automatically assigned to an agent.)
  4. Process Owner (Process owner)
    In some cases, this role is further broken down into the Continual Service Improvement (CSI) Manager and the Process Architect and Process Manager.
  5. Service Request Owner
  6. Service Request Processor (Agent)
  7. Service Expert/Specialist (Technical Specialist in 2nd or 3rd Level Support)
  1. Ticket ID/service request number: A unique identifier assigned to the service request to uniquely identify and track it.
  2. User contact information: The user's name, contact address, phone number, or email address.
  3. Service request description: a clear and detailed description of the request or problem that explains the purpose of the service request. Such as devices or software affected.
  4. Congestion and urgency: status and urgency of the service request to ensure that it is prioritized and processed accordingly.
  5. Service details: information about the affected IT service, such as service name, version number, location, or other relevant details.
  6. Service request requirements: information about the desired results or services that the user expects from the service request.
  7. Service level agreements (SLAs): Information about SLAs or agreements.
  8. Additional information: Additional information necessary to process the service request, such as screenshots, files, or documents.

ITIL Tools and IT Service Frameworks

The ITSM tool from OTRS — 17 certified ITIL practices

ITIL tools contain pre-defined processes, tools, and best practices tailored to the vendor’s specific products or services.

With OTRS, organizations get an IT Service Management solution that provides various modules for ITSM. The ITSM Solution includes 17 certified ITIL4 practices such as Monitoring & Event Management, Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management, Configuration Management, and many more practices that can be customized to meet your specific needs. The ITSM Solution enables efficient management of service requests, tickets, and workflows and offers extensive reporting functions.

Make your IT Service Management efficient!

ITSM Solution
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Other IT Service Frameworks

In addition to ITIL4, there are other frameworks designed to help organizations deploy IT services efficiently and effectively.

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) is a framework for IT service management. It provides best practices for controlling, monitoring, and improving IT processes. COBIT helps organizations improve their IT governance and compliance and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their IT services.

eTOM (enhanced Telecom Operations Map) is a framework for IT service management used specifically in the telecommunications industry. It provides a standardized structure and process map to define the business processes and functions in a telecommunications company. eTOM helps improve the efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction of IT services through clear process flows and uniform standards.

FitSM (Framework for Integrated IT Service Management) is a lightweight framework and provides a pragmatic and flexible method for planning, implementing, and improving IT service processes in IT Service Management. FitSM focuses on the integration of best practices and standards, such as ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000, and provides a clear guide to effective IT service delivery. It is suitable for both small and large organizations and enables efficient and cost-effective implementation of IT service management.

ISO/IEC 20000 Is an international standard for IT service management that specifies requirements for an effective service management system.

FAQ

An ITIL process includes measures defined within the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework to achieve specific goals in IT service management. ITIL processes help to manage IT services efficiently, improve the quality of services, and increase customer satisfaction.

There are 26 ITIL processes categorized into five phases of the ITIL Service Lifecycle: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement.

ITIL practices are methods or techniques used in IT service management to increase service quality and value in the organization. They provide best practices and recommended actions for implementing ITIL processes and help deliver effective and efficient IT services.

ITIL 4 is the latest version of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework. It offers a holistic approach to IT service management and focuses on creating value for customers through practical IT services.