On LinkedIn I found this post of Mohamed about his V2 Service Manager Exam Study Plan. He sums up the steps he will take untill his exam in April next year, and he is asking for input.

What do you think? Are the steps enough to do his exam? What steps do fail?

For those who don’t have a LinkedIn account, here are the steps:

V2 Service Manager Exam – Study Plan
I want to review my study plan:

Stage.1:
understanding the whole process by reading the same chapter from each book then highlight my notes

Reading the OGC books:

• Planning & Implement service MGMT.
• Blue & Red

Course Material:

• HP Course Book

Stage.2:
Attending HP virtual Course (Rail) *** Please send me the link to purchase because I tried to go for the website and links are broken for virtual training.

Stage.3:
Recap all my highlights and build my own notes including integration scenario between each process and the other processes.

Stage.4:
Study my notes and write my flash cards.

For each stage I will do the two use case(especially CMJ) and try my self.

Stage.5:
Solve the 2 use cases from Exin as a simulation for the exam.

Please let me know your opinion in that.

I decide to sit for the exam by April.

Thanks in Advance!
Mohamed

Source: LinkedIn.com

Vandaag heb ik het boek “Handboek ITIL implementeren, de menselijke methode” toegevoegd aan de bibliotheek van The ITIL Weblog. De reden dat ik dit boek heb toegevoegd aan de bibliotheek is toegankelijke schrijfwijze in dit boek. Ook geeft het boek op een heldere wijze weer hoe een ITIL implementatie doorgevoerd kan worden in organisaties.

Het boek is uniek, alleen al door de wijze waarop het tot stand is gekomen. Een veelvoud van auteurs heeft zich over het boek gebogen.

Kijk rustig op de website van Bol.com in het inkijk exemplaar en zie hoe de klanten het boek beoordelen. Ik ben nieuwsgierig wat je van het boek vindt. Laar gerust een reactie achter op deze site.

Handboek ITIL implementeren
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Reacties over dit boek:

Zeer interessant en bruikbaar boek over veranderingen in een grote organisatie. Zéér makkelijk leesbaar en toepasbaar. Herkenbare en complexe problematiek teruggebracht tot de kern, en handvatten biedend voor een mogelijke oplossingsrichting. Een aanrader voor een ieder die worstelt met het doorvoeren van wijzigingen, te maken heeft met collega’s die niet “mee” kunnen of willen veranderen, management dat zich niet verbonden voelt met dergelijke trajecten… Theorie wordt op een prettige manier afgewisseld met Praktijkjournaals en persoonlijke anekdotes en visies op gebeurtenissen, waardoor je je als lezer verbonden voelt met het team, de methodiek en het resultaat.

Eindelijk een praktijkboek! Leest heel makkelijk en eindelijk een boek dat niet alleen een goede methode beschrijft maar ook de praktijkervaringen die daar bij horen! Een echte aanrader. Ik ga er zeker mee aan de slag in ons bedrijf.

ITIL gaat dus over mensen!De schrijvers van dit boek laten zien waar wij hier al jaren tegen aan lopen: Je moet gewoon luisteren naar de mensen op de vloer en zorgen dat zij betrokken zijn en blijven.

Beschrijving van het boek:

ITIL is de marktstandaard voor de inrichting van een ICT-Servicemanagement organisatie. Het is een set van modellen, concepten en processen die samen een krachtig referentiekader bieden voor het inrichten en verbeteren van ICT-processen in elke organisatie. Ondanks deze brede toepasbaarheid kent ITIL één groot probleem; het bevat zelf geen implementatiemethode. Veel ITIL-implementaties lopen dan ook vast in langdurige en kostbare projecten, waarin managers en medewerkers de greep op de doelen en resultaten kwijtraken.

Dit is het eerste handboek dat zich volledig richt op het implementeren van ITIL. De implementatie is gebaseerd op de I-CUBED-methode. Met I-CUBED worden stapsgewijs krachtige principes uit het vakgebied van verandermanagement toegepast bij het implementeren van ITIL. Hierdoor worden ITIL-procesmodellen daadwerkelijk tot uitvoering gebracht tot op het diepste organisatorische niveau; in de operationele teams. De I-CUBED-methode bestaat uit een drietal fases.

Allereerst wordt de meest effectieve implementatiestrategie gebouwd, gebaseerd op inzicht in een aantal fundamentele ITIL implementatiedilemma’s. Vervolgens wordt de inrichting van de aanpak bepaald die de uitvoering van de implementatie mogelijk maakt. Ten slotte wordt in acht stappen de uitvoering van de implementatie beschreven.

Naast de beschrijving van de methode laat dit handboek ook de kracht en effectiviteit van de methode zien in de praktijk. Daarvoor is een uitgebreide beschrijving opgenomen waarin dit handboek is toegepast in het hart van een toonaangevende ICT-dienstverlener: Getronics PinkRoccade. Aan elk hoofdstuk is een levendig praktijkjournaal toegevoegd, waarin de hoofdrolspelers zelf aan het woord komen. Dit geeft niet alleen een heldere vertaling van de methode naar de praktijk, maar vooral ook een beeld van het effect dat een implementatieproces op de mensen in de organisatie heeft. Zij zijn het immers die het veranderproces moeten vormgeven, uitvoeren, én tegelijkertijd de veranderingen moeten ondergaan. Dit maakt dit handboek tot een onmisbaar hulpmiddel voor iedereen die betrokken is bij ICT-Servicemanagement, of de implementatie en resultaten van ITIL in de eigen organisatie.

Het Handboek ITIL implementeren is geschreven door een schrijverscollectief waarin deskundigen met een ruime ervaring op het gebied van organisatieverandering, ITIL en ICT-Servicemanagement intensief hebben samengewerkt.

• René Verweijmeren (MCM) is zelfstandig organisatieadviseur gespecialiseerd in organisatieverandering.
• Marc Hendriks (Dr.) is als GZ-psycholoog werkzaam in de gezondheidszorg en is daarnaast universitair docent neuro- en revalidatiepsychologie aan de Radboud Universiteit van Nijmegen.
• Jeroen Jacobs (Ba. ICT) (ITIL v3 expert degree) is procesmanager en service management consultant bij Getronics.
• Luc Timmers, voormalig directeur en is momenteel zelfstandige. Luc vervult regelmatig intrim directie functies.
• Mathijs Valk is proces manager bij Getronics.
• Hans van Eldijk manager van een proces afdeling bij Getronics.
• Caspar Looijaard (Drs.) is zelfstandig organisatieadviseur en interim manager in met name de financiële sector.

Handboek ITIL implementeren
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Looking around on social networks and using my own experience I have composed a Top 10 for those that want to select or implement a IT Service Management Tool. For some organisations it can be usefull to be aware that improving the efficiency of an IT organisation is not just being done by selecting a tool.

IT Service Management is mostly based upon processes that help you to deliver your products or services as a IT department. A characteristic of processes is that they consist of a collection of related and structured activities. Another one is that they produce a predefined output (based upon a predefined input….?).

Looking at the simple description above it seems quiet simple to lower cost and work more efficient: automate most of the activities and focus on your products and services. Why do many organisations purchase a Service Management Tool/Suite and why are they faced with less efficiency and more costs than expected? Let’s see the Top 10 of lessons Learned of implementing IS Service Management Tools.

1. Implementing a Service Management Tool is more then buying a software tool ‘of the shelf’ and installing it on a server. Before buying a ‘recommended’ tool from a supplier you have to be aware of the following:
   • what processes/activities do I want to automate/make more efficient, and WHY do I want to do this?
   • looking at the processes/activities, which other information system/tool is involved with these processes? Do you want to integrate them in the new solution or does the new tool have to have some kind of (automated/manual) interface?
   • what processes do I want to stay manual, because only a person can do it the best?
   • how much money/effort is involved with the problem area’s how much efficiency do you expect to gain with introducing a new tool?
   • what other criteria do you have for a new tool?
      
2. Implementing a Service Management Tool requires a full understanding of how your organisation operates. Before starting an implementation or even a selection project get together the people that know, understand and have documented the process and activities that are required in your organisation. Together you can detail the inputs, activities and outputs needed for achieving business objectives and outcomes. This makes the business case for your selection and implementation project!
    
3. Don’t think that IT Service Management according to ITIL is an ‘out of the box’ solution for your business problems. Before doing ITIL you have to understand and think ITIL. ITIL is not an “implementation” that you can do once and then it works. ITIL is a complete change in the organisations culture and thinking. It is a commitment to the Continual Service Improvement of your products and services. Having the books only means that you have taken the first step.
    
4. Don’t make ITIL a thing of only the process managers. ITIL requires participation of everyone in your organization. If your organisation is strongly divided and the different teams do not seem to cooperate (and they have no intention to do so) then you first need to pay attention to that. No tool will solve internal conflicts if the conflicts are not recognized and the tool is an agreed way to solve the recognized problem. Implementing ITIL requires a strong vision and ambition on management level.
    
5. Keep the focus on getting the involved processes right. Any implementation of a tool should contribute to the desired process model, in order to deliver your products and services.
    
6. If the implementation of a IT Service Management Tool/Suite goes wrong then don’t blame it on the Toolset. Implementing an IT Service Management Tool requires in depth definitions of important ITSM toolset. If you have no clue of, for example, how you want to have your Service Knowledge Management System, or, as part of it, what you want to register in your Configuration Management System, then it is difficult to make a right implementation. Not because the tools doesn’t support it, but because you have no clue what you expected in the first way. So make first a business analysis and define the services, products and processes you want to improve. THEN select a tool and implement it.
    
7. Changing your organisation and implementing ITIL in a organisation requires more skills than just ITIL knowledge. Since it is a cultural change that touches every group and individual in your organisation you need a strong vision, lots of communication and strong leadership. Find or create the right Business Change Managers and divide the project in multiple projects in order to contain problems.
   Start with quick wins where you can show the benefits of the introduction (or improvement) of the New Way of Working (or something like that). Make people aware that the real improvement is, for example, collaboration and communication.
   The real change then might come out of your people, the organisation, as they start to believe that they can meet your objectives and see the benefits for them.
    
8. Implementing ITIL is not a project. Making the organisation ITIL aware is a project. By saying this I want to stress that ITIL is not a one thing issue. Implementing ITIL means that you introduce a way of working that always will have focus on Service Improvement and adopting processes to the environment. Implementing ITIL is never finished as you will always adopt your processes to new situations, the big benefit is that you do it on a controlled way, and not on a ad-hoc basis.
    
9. Don’t believe vendors that promise you an ‘out of the box’ solution. Most of the times vendors over promise the benefit their tools will have to your business. They simple forget to stress the limitations or the adoptions that have to be made to the tool or your organisation. If someone offers you a solution that sounds too good to be true……it probably is too good to be true.
    
10. Don’t align your business process with your service management tool. Your business is leading and is your vision on how to be of use for your clients. A service management tool just has to fit in your organisation and provide the information that is needed to manage and control your business. Don’t forget to put the business alignment in your specs too!

As part of it’s latest Skills/Knowledge Improvement Programme (SKIP) for its members,  7C Alliance (“7C”) is running an ITIL Study project that is independently researching the UK market to work out the best options for its members to get ITIL V3 Service Foundation certification using training that is fully accredited and accepted in the market, is conveniently timed to fit in with their contract work as well as priced fairly based on members being able to leverage their own and collective experience through a mix of group study, self-study and classroom training. 7C Alliance members are all independent IT professionals who work on contract in the United Kingdom, Europe or the Middle East.

As part of its research, 7C Alliance is seeking interest from new and existing members in receiving such training as well as discussing needs and market for it. Given the economic climate, 7C is also happy for this training to be available to any time poor, ITSM professionals who have limited free cash and no access to funding or sponsorship for training from an employer or professional institution.

To openly and freely discuss and compare yours with others’ need for this training as well as what is involved with it and who provides the training or who provides work based on it, then join the 7C Alliance Discussion Group on LinkedIn. Otherwise, to register interest in receiving this training and become an Associate Member of 7C Alliance, then visit the 7C Alliance Web-site.

The ITIL Weblog is proud to announce the cooperation with the 7C Alliance. 7C Alliance and the ITIL Weblog will present very interesting articles under the category: The Cutting Edge of ITIL. Sign up with the 7C Alliance if you are a contractor and looking for a cost efficient way to become an ITIL professional.

The ITIL Weblog has added a free Change Management training module from Beewiser.com.

Vlado Randa has been very productive and has provided us another training module. This time he’ll tell us about the change management process. If you like these training modules then please leave a message for Vlado, perhaps he’ll contribute some more to the ITIL Weblog. Check out this free online change management training module.

Change Management

Do you also want to share content to the ITIL Weblog? Send a message to René or Arindam and we’ll see to it that your content gets published!

The ITIL Weblog has added a free ITIL online training module from Beewiser.com.

The training module is contributed by Vlado Randa. He told us that the ITIL Weblog looks good, and he likes the free content for all the students. As a fact Vlado wanted to contribute by sending us his free ITIL introduction module. Check out this free online ITIL introduction.

ITIL – Introduction

ITIL Version 3 is all about IT Service Management. ITIL V3 contains the following core publications:

• Service Strategy
  Service Strategy is about the identification of market opportunities for which services could be developed. This is done in order to meet a requirement on the part of customers. Output of the Service Strategy is a strategy for the design, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the service as an organizational capability and a strategic asset. Key areas of the Service Strategy volume are:
  • Service Portfolio Management;
  • Financial Management.
• Service Design
  Service Design is about the activities that take place in order to develop the service strategy into a design document. This design document addresses all aspects of the proposed service, as well as the processes intended to support it. Key areas of the Service Design are:
  • Availability Management;
  • Capacity Management;
  • Continuity Management;
  • Security Management.
• Service Transition
  Service Transition is about implementing the output of the service design activities and the creation of a production service or modification of an existing service. There is an area of overlap between Service Transition and Service Operation. Key areas of this volume are:
  • Change Management;
  • Release Management;
  • Configuration Management;
  • Service Knowledge Management.
• Service Operation
  Service Operation is about the activities required to operate the services and maintain their functionality as defined in the Service Level Agreements with the customers. Key areas of this volume are:
  • Incident Management;
  • Problem Management;
  • Request Fulfilment.

  A new process added to this area is Event Management, which is concerned with normal and exception condition events. Events have been defined into three categories:

  • Informational events — which are logged;
  • Warning events — also called alerts, where an event exceeds a specified threshold;
  • Critical events — which typically will lead to the generation of Incidents
• Continual Service Improvement
  Continual Service Improvement is about the ability to deliver continual improvement to the quality of the services that the IT organization delivers to the business. Key areas of this volume are:
  • Service Reporting;
  • Service Measurement;
  • Service Level Management.

Related articles:

• Review ITIL

  http://itsmconcepts.cyeblog.com/

  Configuration management – Configuration management helps to define the core infrastructure. The high level activities are Risk Analysis, Contingency Plan Management, Contingency Plan Testing, and Risk Management. Review ITIL Commonly the business continuity life cycle is as a … Butterworth-Heinemann (Computer Weekly Professional Series) also has developed a notable set of publications covering IT Service Management, with particular attention to IT portfolio topics. …

• To get the whole ITIL picture, you or your company should invest…
  http://www.itgovernance.co.uk/
  As the five core titles reflect the lifecycle of services- their appeal encompasses the entire spectrum of people involved at any stage of the framework. So, without being the prime audience, everyone involved will benefit from access to … The ITIL Lifecycle Publication Suite contains ITIL’s most recent version, Version 3 (V3), and represents an important evolutionary step in its life. The refresh has transformed the guidance from providing a great service to being the …
• ITIL VERSION 3 REFRESH

  http://www.itsmsolutions.com/DITY/

  ITIL v3 has a new “hub-and-spoke” design with a descriptive core framework as the hub, and prescriptive solutions as spokes. Perhaps most useful are new implementation templates based on industry, firm size and business model. … Complementary publications address application of the generic core guidance in particular market or technological contexts. The Complimentary components will change as required, perhaps annually, quarterly, even monthly for some. …

• Free Online Sample ITIL v3 Foundation Exam | ITIL Weblog for …
  http://itil.healthcheck-online.com/
  1, 2, 3 and 4. The ITIL CORE publications are structured around the Service Lifecycle. Which of the following statements about the ITIL COMPLEMENTARY guidance is CORRECT? It is also structured around the Service Lifecycle …
• ITIL v3 – The Top 3 Myths From 2008 – To ITIL® V3 and Beyond …

  http://www.ca.com/us/blogs/default.aspx?pgtype=com&id=141428

  The current development is of more complementary publications that will give a greater degree of prescription to you as a practitioner to implement a specific process or set of processes faster and with more detail. … To get started with ITIL, many IT practitioners will start with existing process areas that they already have and want to improve. Most commonly, these will be the key process areas at the core of almost any IT operation: change and configuration …

Prepare yourself for the ITIL foundation exam. This test contains sample Questions with Answers for the ITIL Foundation Exam (v2).

The ITIL Foundation Exam consist of 40 multiple choice question with one correct answer. A candidate is expected to score 26 correct question out of 40 (65%) multiple choice question to complete the certification. The duration of the exam is one hour (60 min).

Here at the ITIL Weblog you can take your time. At the end of the test you’ll see your score and the questions and answered, together with a short explanation. Good luck with this Free Online Practise Exam. Read the rest of this entry »

The ITIL Weblog is proud to present you the Powerpoint and PDF presentation about Change Management process. As you can see: we’re trying our best to provide these IT Service Management presentations as quick as possible. Enjoy this introduction to Change Management.

Introduction to Change Management

A robust Change Management process ensures that the Change Manager is in full control of the changes to the IT infrastructure. Change Management is NOT about performing changes risk free. It is about performing changes with a minimal risk OR consciously taken risk.

It is therefore important to involve the clients or client representatives in the change management process.

All projects start through Change Management as all projects wish to change something to the IT Infrastructure: they either modify the current infrastructure or add/remove a component.

Change Management is more than just Change Control. The Change Management process starts with the RFC being raised and keeps control from the assessment and acceptance of the RFC through to the Post Implementation Review.

All other processes issue RFC’s to Change Management for necessary upgrades to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Change Management needs information from all other processes in order to perform the risk assessment regarding requested changes.

The free download section

• Introduction to Change Management(.PDF format created by OpenOffice)

The Buy-us-a-beer download section

• For access to the Buy-us-a-beer download section you need to log in or register!

  Log in
  (.PPT format created by OpenOffice)

Check out this funny video about ‘the art of service’ and change management.