ITIL Methodology – Best Practice in Aligning IT and Business Objectives

ITIL methodology (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) provides for a detailed list of processes that enables companies to manage its information technology. It brings together best practices strategies to help IT maintain a level of service to the business. The procedures defined in this methodology cover all areas of your IT infrastructure and apply equally to any technology that you are using.

The ITIL methodology originated in the 1980s by the United Kingdom's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as the success of the business became increasingly dependent on IT. The business driver was to provide an organised and measurable way of managing IT that was repeatable and systematic. ITIL is now the standard mode of operation in public and private businesses worldwide. A series of guidelines provide the framework for the provision of IT services.

It is not just large organisations that can implement ITIL. Because it is independent of vendors and platforms, the ITIL methodology can make significant quality changes to any organisation. As IT is being driven to meet the business process needs, the business is demanding greater assurance of the quality of service. To achieve this many IT divisions are moving to provide end-to-end service management. The ITIL methodology, being an "open" framework addresses all these needs.

The primary benefit of implementing ITIL best practice is that the quality of the service is better matching the business requirements and expectations. Furthermore, ITIL sets a baseline for measurement and through continuous improvement lifts the quality benchmark. In turn this creates a competitive advantage for any organisation that implements ITIL. Customers then see the quality of service increasing and so their demand and confidence in IT services increases. IT itself has a more intense focus on what it needs to do to differentiate the business competitively and strives to produce a higher quality product or service – thereby contributing directly to the growth of the business.

The guidelines cover:

• Service Delivery
• Service Support
• Service Management Implementation Planning
• Security Management
• Infrastructure Management
• Working With Business
• Application Development Management

ITIL Methodology - Service Delivery:

The delivery of IT services requires a detailed level of planning and the guidelines are designed to assist in the long term improvement of the services that you deliver. This will include the management of services to clients, disaster recovery and business continuity, defined availability levels for services and products that includes ensuring that IT has enough capacity to handle growth and peaks in requirements.

ITIL Methodology – Support:

The daily service requirements are the most visible in the delivery of IT services. Having an efficient ITIL service desk enables you to manage and quickly respond to problems and incidents using service desk software. One of the important changes in ITIL has been the processes that enable a holistic approach to addressing customer issues. Viewing ITIL as a framework has enabled an integrated approach rather than a silo approach. A silo approach that relies on functions focuses on individual technical activities. An integrated approach (ITIL best practice) that relies on good processes focuses on the outcome and the experience of the end user. Change and release management too are now well structured with comprehensive guidelines. 

ITIL Methodology – Implementation Planning:

Examines the issues and tasks involved in planning, implementing, and improving service management processes within an organization; also addresses the issues associated with addressing cultural and organizational change, the development of a vision and strategy, and the most appropriate method of approach. 

ITIL Methodology – Managing Security:

With the increasing dependence on electronic information the value of important company and individual data is increasing. All security measures must be taken to safeguard the risk of unauthorized access to information. Managing security levels therefore includes risk assessment across all levels of IT and processes put in place to manage risk as well as deal with any security incidents.

ITIL Methodology – Managing Infrastructure:

IT extends well beyond the data centre today and its exposure covers both centralised and decentralized IT and the processes that make communications easier. ITIL therefore sets the guidelines for all management of IT infrastructure including management of networks, management of   data centre as well as local operations. All operational processes are considered from purchasing of equipment and services, installation, testing and deployment into a production environment.

ITIL Methodology - Business and IT Relationship:

An advanced, well managed operation that has ITIL best practice has a clear understanding with the business how each contribute to the company's goals and objectives. Aligning business and IT is paramount, with both areas having a clear focus on the result that is required to move the company forward. ITIL provides the processes to assist IT in determining how its work processes and efforts affect the business objectives. 

ITIL Methodology – Managing Applications:

Application development can be a resource hungry and so an expensive process if not managed effectively throughout the life of the application. The ultimate goal is that the business has a return on its investment and meets the goals of any new application. IT has to manage the application as cost effectively as possible from design, development, its operation until the application ceases to provide value to the business. Tight management is vital and ITIL provides the guidelines by which best practice can be gained in application development. 

Implementing ITIL methodology is a well respected best practice of managing IT services using service management software. It sets the framework by which IT aligns with the business in meeting company objectives. The results of ITIL are widespread, but it is clear that some these results are that IT can reduce the cost of resolving incidents, can automate many of the processes to speed up incident resolution, therefore reducing the time to service the business. Similarly with better risk management processes, there is a distinct improvement in IT managing the total IT assets of the company.