Ray Whittaker

Continual Process Improvement With ITIL v3



Posted: Friday, October 29, 2010

by Ray Whittaker
Key Concept Publishing

Many people would tell you that the IT Infrastructure Library version 3 ( ITIL v3 ) could be the best thing to happen to their corporation. It would be easy to think that ITIL may be the magic pill that will cure most of the management problems and put all initiatives on track. But it is also easy to drop into the snare of thinking it is a set of procedures that one could simply pick off a shelf and apply. A person with that opinion is more likely to be disappointed!

ITIL v3 is a framework into which you may assemble your operations and processes. That is what provides ITIL v3 the ability and adaptability that makes it an important tool for business. The framework is designed to manage the three fundamental essentials of projects and businesses, which are people, processes and tools. The aim needless to say should be to bring these three fundamentals together into one synergistic whole, which concentrates on business requirements.

Each business has its individual unique issues to deal with. Any framework or process must be capable of adapting not just to different companies but also to these continually evolving issues. Understanding this without doubt leads us to the principle of Continual Process Improvement; which is among the most fundamental tenets of ITIL v3.

The idea of starting a continual process improvement program in addition to building processes round the ITIL v3 framework could seem a little off-putting at first glance however it doesn't need to be. Merely take the essentials from the Infrastructure Library that you need and set aside the remainder for another time. The efficiencies gained from implementing even a part of the ITIL v3 framework can release resources for further advancements.

Improvement projects leverage the clarity of the Continual Service Improvement Model, which continuously cycles all through the following questions:

1. What is the vision? (i.e. what improvements will we want to make?)

2. Where are we currently?

3. Where do we wish to be?

4. How do we get to there?

5. Did we get to there?

Irrespective of whether the answer to question 5 is yes' or no', the next step would be to ask Just how do we keep the momentum going?' That should unsurprisingly bring us back to question one since the vision now could have taken a new direction since the question was last asked.

Irrespective of whether the corporation implements a model like this on a big scale or small scale, it could achieve benefits. These benefits come from adjustments to ways of working which could harness small adjustments that, over time, can make vast improvements to morale, client satisfaction and, not forgetting the real business winner, the bottom line.

It's a clich to mention that business cannot stand still. Change is as inevitable as death and taxes. Any business that doesn't handle change well is prone to lose out to competitors. The notion of Continual Process Improvement is intended to offer organizations the means to successfully deal with changes. ITIL v3 gives a clear illustration of Stephen Covey's seventh habit of highly effective people; Sharpening the Saw'.
Ray Whittaker is an Internet marketer, trader and founder of Key Concept Publishing. He can be contacted through is primary websites at:

http://www.keyconceptpublishing.com or http://ray-whittaker.com
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