Proving the Business Case for ITIL:The Experiences of EMEA IT Directors in Implementing ITIL — Drivers and Barriers to Success

BesT PraCTICes WHITe PaPer

Table of Contents

Foreward.........................................................................................................................................1

ExecutiveSummary......................................................................................................................2

ExploringITILAdoptioninEurope:ScopeofITDecision-makerResearch.............................3

EuropeanExperiencesofITBestPractice:KeyResearchFindingsandAnalysis....................3

. >.Overview......................................................................................................................................3

. >.ITIL.underway.in.Europe...............................................................................................................3

. >.Benefits.of.ITIL.deployment.........................................................................................................3

. >.Addressing.actual.barriers.to.ITIL.deployment.............................................................................4

. >.Requirements.to.eliminate.barriers.to.ITIL.adoption....................................................................5

AnalysisofITILAdoptionandExperience..................................................................................6

. >.Existing.best-practice.culture.drives.adoption..............................................................................6

. >.Businesses.that.do.adopt.ITIL,.deploy.extensively......................................................................6

. >.Organisational.attitude.to.IT.is.linked.to.likelihood.of.ITIL.deployment........................................6

. >.ITIL.meets.business.expectations................................................................................................6

. >.ITIL.improves.productivity............................................................................................................6

. >.IT.best.practice.(ITIL).isn’t.understood.outside.of.IT....................................................................7

DeployITILtoAchieveBSM.........................................................................................................7

. >.Forrester’s.Business.Service.Management.adoption.curve.........................................................7

. >.Enabling.the.BSM.journey............................................................................................................8

. >.ITIL.and.BSM................................................................................................................................8

. >.BSM.Routes.to.Value....................................................................................................................8

Conclusions....................................................................................................................................9

. >.Ability.to.deliver.cost-savings.dependent.on.extent.of.ITIL.deployment.....................................9

. >.ITIL.accelerates.BSM...................................................................................................................9

. >.First-hand.experience.of.ITIL.is.positive.....................................................................................10

. >.ITIL.deployment.is.no.longer.as.resource.intensive...................................................................10

. >.Raise.awareness.outside.of.the.boardroom.to.secure.ITIL.commitment..................................10

. >.Organisational.culture.is.a.major.consideration.in.approach.to.ITIL.adoption............................10

Recommendations....................................................................................................................... 11

. >.Seven.steps.for.securing.commitment.to.ITIL........................................................................... 11

Appendix......................................................................................................................................14

. >.ITIL.benefits................................................................................................................................14

. >.The.future.of.ITIL:.An.introduction.to.v3.....................................................................................15

. >.Lifecycle.service.management...................................................................................................15

PAG E > �

Foreword

Malcolm Fry, ITIL Masters Certificate holder, original contributor to the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL®), and

independent expert commentator, introduces this research-based white paper on behalf of BMC Software.

The.benefits.of.ITIL.are.very.often.obvious.to.those.who.have.received.ITIL.education,.read.

ITIL.books,.or.attended.ITIL-focused.conferences..However,.outside.of.this.direct.experience,.

understanding.is.typically.limited.—.and.convincing.others.how.ITIL.can.positively.impact.the.

organisation.can.be.a.challenge..

The.ten.stated.benefits.of.ITIL.range.from.improved.IT.service.continuity.to.greater.business.flexibility,.

and.all.ten.translate.easily.into.understandable.business.performance.and.productivity.metrics..The.route.

to.achieving.these.benefits,.however,.should.not.be.underplayed..It.is.important.for.key.organisational.

stakeholders.to.understand.that.ITIL.processes.are.not.a.quick.fix,.and.that.ITIL.alone.cannot.turn.a.poor.

IT.infrastructure.into.a.great.one.overnight..ITIL.requires.a.high.level.of.commitment,.and.taking.the.time.

to.ensure.that.understanding.and.commitment.exists.throughout.the.organisation.is.a.key.success.factor.

both.for.implementation.and.realisation.of.the.benefits.ITIL.can.deliver.over.time..

In.the.wider.business.context,.ITIL.equates.to.optimal.structuring.of.the.IT.organisation.to.best.serve.

business.needs..It.is.an.essential.building.block.towards.a.broader.vision,.where.IT.adds.value.by.aligning.

dynamically.with.changing.business.objectives.in.a.responsive.and.agile.manner..Independent.Research.

analysts.at.Forrester.charts.implementation.of.basic.ITIL.as.the.second.in.a.five-stage.journey.towards.

actualisation.of.the.ultimate.IT.goal.of.achieving.Business.Service.Management.(BSM).1.It.is.essential.to.

regard.the.adoption.of.full.ITIL.as.another.vital.step.on.a.longer.journey,.as.opposed.to.a.destination.in.itself.

The.reality.of.deploying.ITIL.within.any.organisation.is.unique.in.each.case.and.framed.in.terms.of.

contextual.parameters..The.cultural.values.of.the.business.(for.example,.whether.IT.is.viewed.as.a.cost.

or.profit.centre,.or.whether.the.organisation.is.a.widespread.adopter.of.best-practice.standards.across.

core.business.functions).have.direct.bearing.on.the.degree.of.support.for.ITIL..Securing.the.support.of.

senior.decision-makers.(both.departmental.and.at.the.boardroom.level).for.an.IT.improvement.project.

must.be.approached.in.the.context.of.individual.expectations,.understanding,.and.demands.from.IT...

This.paper.discusses.a.number.of.pointers.for.improving.the.likelihood.of.commitment.to.ITIL.from.

across.the.business..Creating.the.best.possible.business.case.for.ITIL.is,.of.course,.fundamental.to.

successful.adoption;.however,.it.is.imperative.that.ROI.is.not.the.only.metric.on.which.the.decision..

is.based.—.the.wider.business.benefits.achieved.through.BSM.further.down.the.maturity.curve.must.

also.be.given.careful.consideration.

For.any.IT.professional,.implementing.a.best-practice.methodology.brings.its.own.challenges,.and.

determination.will.be.needed.to.succeed..The.outcomes,.however,.as.backed.up.by.experienced.

adopters.of.ITIL,.are.overwhelmingly.positive..The.message.is.clear;.establishing.a.best-practice.

approach.to.IT.delivers.tangible.business.benefits.and.establishes.a.robust.platform.to.facilitate.

strategic.goals.effectively..

PAG E > �

executive summary

Enterprise.businesses.across.Europe.are.embracing.the.need.to.align.IT.with.business.objectives.

in.order.to.achieve.greater.agility.and.performance..Many.see.the.deployment.of.best-practice.

frameworks.to.control.IT.infrastructure.as.a.critical.task.towards.achieving.this.goal..

This.white.paper,.based.on.independent.research.findings,.presents.the.opinions.of.IT.decision-makers.

within.European.enterprise.businesses.with.regard.to.adoption.of.best.practice..It.explores:

>. Drivers.and.barriers.to.implementing.independent.industry.standards,.specifically.ITIL

>. Benefits.realised.by.businesses.already.working.within.a.best-practice.IT.environment

>. Barriers.to.deployment.experienced.by.those.who.are.not.operating.within.best-practice.guidelines

Typically,.individuals.with.no.direct.experience.of.ITIL.view.cost.and.limited.boardroom.backing.as.the.

barriers.to.effective.best-practice.implementation..This.paper.demonstrates.that.these.perceived.barriers.

are.not.evidenced.by.businesses.already.underway.with.ITIL.and.discusses.why.these.supposed.obstacles.

should.not.stand.in.the.way.of.deployment..

The.white.paper.explains.the.role.of.ITIL.within.present-day.organisations.and.its.contribution.to.

achieving.broader.strategic.IT.objectives.through.BSM..The.paper.also.offers.recommendations.for.

embarking.on.IT.best-practice.deployment,.securing.stakeholder.buy-in,.and.prioritising.projects.to.initiate.

ITIL.implementation..The.European.research.also.highlights.interesting.variations.in.ITIL.adoption.patterns.

influenced.directly.by.organisational.attitudes.toward.IT.and.cultural.support.for.best-practice.initiatives.

The.research.findings.presented.within.the.white.paper.are.taken.from.the.responses.of.198.senior.IT.

decision-makers.within.enterprise.businesses.in.six.European.countries.(UK,.France,.Germany,.Italy,.

Spain,.and.Portugal)..The.research.was.completed.in.August.2006,.and.findings.were.analysed.by.

independent.research.company.Market.Clarity.on.behalf.of.BMC.

PAG E > �

exploring ITIL adoption in europe: scope of IT Decision-maker research The.premise.of.the.international.research.commissioned.by.

BMC.was.to.benchmark.the.current.landscape.of.ITIL.and.IT.

best-practice.adoption.within.European.enterprise.businesses,.

and.to.better.understand.the.contextual.issues.and.influencing.

factors.surrounding.adoption.or.rejection.of.best.practice..

The.research.hypothesis.originated.from.the.belief.that.

businesses.were.avoiding.engaging.with.best-practice.

frameworks.due.to.a.number.of.factors,.including:

>...Inability.to.justify.ROI.for.ITIL.implementation

>.Lack.of.buy-in.within.the.organisation.for.IT.best.practice

>.Perceived.complexity.and.incompatibility.of.ITIL.within.

current.IT.environment

>.Limited.understanding.of.ITIL.and.how.to.apply.it.to..

the.IT.organisation

>.Uncertainty.over.“where.to.begin”.on.ITIL.deployment

>.Mismatch.of.cultural.“fit”.over.adopting.best-.

practice.standards.

Ken.Turbitt,.global.best.practices.director.at.BMC,.comments,.

“Maximising.the.productivity.and.agility.of.the.IT.organisation.

is.a.goal.to.which.the.majority.of.enterprise.businesses.

aspire..Creating.a.service-based.IT.environment.is.widely.

held.as.the.de.facto.approach.for.enabling.technology.to.fully.

support.business.objectives..The.CIO’s.challenge.is.to.unravel.

which.projects.to.prioritise.in.order.to.achieve.a.measurable.

improvement.in.the.shortest.possible.timeframe.

“Implementing.a.best-practice.framework.is.considered.

fundamental.to.introducing.control.and.scalability.for.complex.

IT.environments..Yet,.best-practice.deployment.and.awareness.

falls.into.two.distinct.groups.—.those.who.are.yet.to.deploy.

ITIL.in.any.meaningful.way.and.those.who.are.a.long.way.into.

the.journey..The.former.cite.lack.of.resource.and.lacklustre.

support.as.the.major.obstacles,.whereas.the.latter.view.ITIL.

as.an.essential.stepping-stone.toward.achieving.strategic.

objectives.for.the.business.through.IT.

“This.industry.study.unpicks.personal.experiences.of.ITIL.

deployment.and.the.drivers.behind.this,.as.well.as.the.

barriers.faced.by.other.organisations.and.recommendations.

as.to.how.to.overcome.them.”

european experiences of IT Best Practice: Key research Findings and analysis Overview

The.research.findings.present.a.surprisingly.advanced.

landscape.of.ITIL.adoption.within.European.enterprise.

businesses..The.opinions.of.IT.decision-makers.provide.an.

insightful.picture.of.perceived.and.actual.barriers.to.ITIL.

deployment,.as.well.as.the.actual.benefits.realised.as.a.

result.of.introducing.best.practice.in.IT.

ITILunderwayinEurope

Of.those.IT.decision-makers.sampled,.70.percent.are.

aware.of.ITIL.methodology..Of.this.group,.56.percent.have.

personally.implemented.some.element.of.ITIL.within.their.

business..Where.ITIL.is.known.and.understood,.there.is.

also.a.high.degree.of.deployment.

At.present,.ITIL.is.most.commonly.implemented.within.IT.

and.financial.sector.businesses,.although.on.the.whole,.

there.is.no.significant.behavioural.difference.identified.by.

vertical.sector.

As.expected,.larger.organisations.with.upwards.of.250.

employees.are.considerably.more.likely.to.adopt.ITIL;..

below.this.number.of.employees,.ITIL.is.largely.unadopted..

BenefitsofITILdeployment

When.questioned.as.to.their.experience.of.working.within.

an.ITIL-based.IT.organisation,.the.response.of.IT.decision-

makers.was.overwhelmingly.positive..Responses.show.that.

77.percent.of.those.with.direct.experience.of.ITIL.believed.

the.implementation.had.met.their.expectations.(in.terms.of.

benefits.returned),.and.62.percent.would.recommend.ITIL.

to.their.peers.

The.key.benefits.of.implementing.ITIL.were.cited.as:

>.Improving.IT.and.business.alignment.(54.percent)

>.Improved.productivity.(51.percent)

>.Ensuring.best.practice.(43.percent)

PAG E > �

AddressingactualbarrierstoITILdeployment

The.overall.research.sample.indicates.that.70.percent.of.

respondents.are.aware.of.ITIL.methodology.and.over.half.

are.currently.engaged.in.an.ITIL.environment.

Implementing.best-practice.methodology.does.not.come.

without.its.challenges;..however,.as.this.high.rate.of.

adoption.within.Europe’s.enterprise.businesses.attests,.it.is.

possible.to.overcome.barriers.to.deployment..The.research.

hypothesis.began.with.a.premise.that.ITIL.adoption.was.not.

commonplace.due.to.lack.of.understanding.and.awareness.

within.IT..The.research.findings.do.confirm.that.the.lack.

of.widespread.understanding.of.ITIL.outside.of.the.IT.

department.is.a.major.barrier.to.implementation..In.addition,.

although.proving.ROI.is.not.experienced.as.a.common.barrier.

to.deployment.amongst.current.ITIL.implementers,.securing.

commitment.for.investment.in.resources.is.stated.as.the.

most.significant.challenge.by.over.half.of.all.adopters..

The.70.percent.of.ITIL.experienced.respondents.reported.

the.following.obstacles.to.implementation.of.ITIL.standards.

within.their.own.organisations:

>.Requirement.for.time.and.resource.(55.percent)

>.Limited.understanding.of.IT.best.practice.outside.of..

the.IT.organisation.(30.percent)

>.Inability.to.justify.return.on.investment.(ROI).(13.percent)

Interestingly,.only.6.percent.of.this.group.were.identified.

as.“idlers”.–.individuals.who.possess.a.full.awareness.and.

understanding.of.best.practice.and.perceive.no.barriers.to.

implementation,.but.who.have.taken.no.action.on.deployment.

Also,.just.7.percent.of.ITIL-aware.respondents.associated.

implementation.of.best.practice.with.reducing.the.

headcount.of.IT.department.personnel.

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Reducecosts

ImproveIT / Business

Alignment

Improveproductivity

Ensure bestpractice

None ofthe above

Blank / other

% of

awar

e sam

ple

Which of the following do you understand to be the key benefit of ITIL?

30

5451

43

5 4

Figure1:.Key.Benefits.of.ITIL.Implementation

PAG E > �

RequirementsforeliminatingthebarrierstoITILadoption

Within.the.group.of.respondents.who.haven’t.deployed.an.

ITIL.best-practice.framework.within.their.organisation,.the.

following.changes.were.identified.as.necessary.steps.to.

eliminate.existing.barriers.to.deployment..The.responses.

indicate.that.increasing.awareness.of.ITIL.benefits,.rather.

than.securing.budget,.would.have.greater.impact.on.

securing.commitment.to.implement.ITIL.processes:

>.Increased.awareness.of.ITIL.beyond.the.IT..

organisation.(52.percent)

>.Increased.IT.budget.(11.percent)

>.Board.level.buy-in.(7.percent)

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Requirestime and

resources

Limitedunderstanding

Hard tojustify ROI

Lack ofbuy-in

Seen asstaff

reducing

No barriers Blank /other

% of

awar

e sam

ple

What do you see as the key barriers to implementing ITIL within an organisation?

55

30

13

6 7 610

Figure2:.Key.Barriers.to.ITIL.Implementation

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Board level

buy-in

% of

awar

e sam

ple,

not y

et im

pleme

nted

ITIL

What would need to change for you to deploy ITIL at your organisation?

IncreasedIT / training

budgets

Increasedawareness

of ITIL

It wouldnever

happen

Blank

711

52

4

33

Figure3:.Change.required.for.ITIL.deployment

PAG E > �

analysis of ITIL adoption and experienceExistingbest-practiceculturedrivesadoption

There.is.clearly.a.two-tiered.level.of.awareness.and.

understanding.amongst.IT.decision-makers.across.Europe.

with.regard.to.best-practice.frameworks.of.any.kind..The.

study.implies.wider.organisational.culture.is.a.significant.

influencing.factor.with.regard.to.deployment.and.buy-in..

for.best-practice.methodologies.for.IT..

Where.best-practice.frameworks.are.already.in.place.

within.any.area.of.the.business,.ITIL.adoption.is.also.

prevalent..Within.the.33.percent.of.organisations.that.have.

implemented.other.standards-based.frameworks,.such.

as.COBIT.(Control.Objectives.for.Information.and.related.

Technology),.Six.Sigma™,.and.Balanced.Scorecard,.for.

example,.86.percent.have.also.implemented.ITIL..Where.

no.other.best-practice.standard.is.already.in.place,.ITIL.

adoption.falls.to.43.percent.of.enterprise.businesses.

BusinessesthatdoadoptITIL,deployextensively

In.68.percent.of.European.businesses.where.ITIL.is.

deployed.in.some.way,.it.is.used.regularly.across.projects..

or.as.a.continuous.programme..

This.majority.trend.points.to.the.immediate.benefits.that.

ITIL.delivers.to.the.IT.organisation,.as.well.as.the.longer.

term.advantages.for.the.business..By.realising.service.

management.benefits.through.introduction.of.best-practice.

methodology,.replicating.this.success.by.deploying.ITIL.

across.other.core.IT.functions.or.projects,.for.example,.

becomes.a.logical.extension..

OrganisationalattitudetoITislinkedtolikelihoodofITILdeployment

The.most.extensive.ITIL.deployments.within.enterprise.

businesses.are.driven.by.the.desire.of.IT.decision-makers..

to.improve.the.service.of.IT.within.the.organisation.and..

to.adopt.industry.standards..Of.the.total.respondents,..

83.percent.reported.that.where.ITIL.was.adopted.as.the.

de.facto.standard.for.IT,.it.is.also.deployed.as.a.continuous.

programme.or.regularly.across.IT.projects..

However,.if.pressure.to.adopt.ITIL.comes.from.outside.

of.the.IT.department.(for.example,.as.a.directive.from.

the.board.or.when.recommended.by.a.supplier),.the.

implementation.level.of.ITIL.is.reduced.to.pilot.schemes..

or.across.small.projects.rather.than.extensively.within..

the.IT.organisation....

Underlying.these.trends.are.softer.issues.reflecting.the.fabric.

of.the.organisational.culture..The.attitude.towards.IT.from.

senior.decision-makers.in.the.business.has.a.significant.bearing.

on.the.extent.to.which.ITIL.is.deployed..For.example,.where.IT.

is.viewed.as.a.cost.to.the.business,.mandating.the.introduction.

of.ITIL.in.order.to.establish.best-practice.processes.is.likely.to.

be.perceived.as.a.route.to.improving.productivity.and.reducing.

operational.cost.by.boardroom.executives..Where.IT.is.viewed.

as.a.profit.driver,.however,.ITIL.implementation.is.typically.

perceived.as.an.opportunity.to.deliver.further.benefit.to.the.

business.in.terms.of.flexibility,.agility,.and.service.delivery,.and.

the.extent.of.its.deployment.is.more.widespread...

ITILmeetsbusinessexpectations

Individuals.within.ITIL-compliant.environments.are.positive.

about.the.experience.and.the.benefits.it.delivers.for.the.

business..This.is.evident.in.the.fact.that.a.staggering.98.

percent.of.respondents.who.had.directly.deployed.ITIL.

reported.that.it.had.met.or.exceeded.their.expectations.

—.and.94.percent.would.also.recommend.the.deployment.

of.ITIL.to.other.businesses.

ITILimprovesproductivity

A.commonly.held.belief.associated.with.adopting.any.best-

practice.methodology.is.delivery.of.improved.productivity.

and.thereby.a.reduction.of.operational.or.process.costs..

More.than.half.of.respondents.(51.percent).cited.improved.

productivity.as.a.benefit.they.had.experienced.as.a.result.of.

ITIL.implementation;.however,.the.study.indicates.that.only.

30.percent.of.ITIL.implementers.agreed.that.reduced.cost.

was.an.outcome.of.their.deployment..

Ken.Turbitt.comments:.“This.disparity.between.the.actual.

realisation.of.productivity.improvement.without.a.reduction.

in.operational.costs.is.an.interesting.paradox.that.is..

perhaps.reflective.of.the.difficulty.in.measuring.the.ROI..

that.ITIL.delivers..

“Without.benchmarking.the.performance.and.cost.structure.

of.the.IT.organisation.before.an.ITIL.project.begins,.it.can.

be.very.difficult.to.accurately.assess.improvements.in.

performance.and.the.associated.cost-savings..In.addition,.

the.primary.benefits.delivered.by.ITIL,.such.as.improved.

performance.of.the.IT.service.organisation,.often.don’t.

translate.easily.into.financial.metrics..

“With.this.in.mind,.when.preparing.the.business.case.for.ITIL.

deployment,.it’s.important.to.stress.that.ROI.or.TCO.projections.

should.only.be.based.on.measurable.deliverables,.as.well.as.

on.ensuring.that.the.longer.term.vision.and.business.benefits.

reliased.through.BSM.don’t.get.lost.in.the.numbers.”

PAG E > �

ITbestpractice(ITIL)isn’tunderstoodoutsideofIT

The.survey.revealed.an.increasing.appreciation.of.the.

business.benefits.associated.with.adopting.ITIL.amongst.

those.with.some.existing.awareness,.but.a.considerable.

challenge.in.communicating.those.benefits.outside.of..

the.IT.department.

Lack.of.awareness.and.understanding.of.ITIL.or.any.

best-practice.standard.for.IT.outside.of.the.immediate.IT.

organisation.is.stated.by.30.percent.of.businesses.as.the.

major.barrier.to.adoption..Support.and.commitment.to.ITIL.

is.needed.from.across.the.organisation.in.order.to.reap.

the.benefits..However,.when.questioned.about.the.factors.

that.would.need.to.change.within.the.business.to.secure.

agreement.for.ITIL.deployment,.52.percent.of.respondents.

indicated.increased.awareness.was.the.top.issue.if.they.

were.ever.to.implement.ITIL.extensively.

Turbitt.comments:.“Commitment.from.key.individuals.

within.the.organisation.is.a.critical.element.of.a.successful.

ITIL.implementation..In.business.functions.where.improved.

IT.service.delivery.can.result.in.tangible.performance.

improvement,.the.rationale.for.ITIL.is.far.simpler.to.

understand..At.the.interface.of.IT.with.core.business.units,.

the.argument.for.ITIL.is.more.persuasive.than.at.the.board.

level,.where.it.can.be.difficult.to.prove.financial.metrics.

“The.argument.for.ITIL.is.still.relevant.at.the.board.level,.

however,.because.the.board.makes.decisions.based.

on.compliance.to.standards.and.legal.requirements,.as.

well.as.on.commerciality.and.profitability.—.all.of.which.

impact.internal.IT.and.business.service.improvement..

By.embarking.on.ITIL.and.building.a.BSM.approach,.the.

business.will.ultimately.see.value;.nonetheless,.support.is.

far.more.likely.to.come.from.functional.business.leaders.

than.executive.decision-makers.at.the.outset,.unless.an.

effective.strategy.to.align.and.improve.business.processes.

is.made..This.is.a.crucial.distinction.to.understand.when.

working.towards.agreement.for.an.ITIL.or.IT.best-practice.

project,.and.is.one.reason.why.ITIL.v3.is.creating.a.new.

Service.Strategies.book.within.the.Service.Lifecycle.”

Deploy ITIL to achieve BsM Historically,.IT.best.practice.has.been.viewed.as.a.“nice.to.

have”.rather.than.a.“must.have”.for.companies.looking.to.

successfully.align.IT.services.with.business.requirements..

This.research.shows.ITIL.has.evolved.from.a.stand-alone,.

best-practice.methodology.to.a.catalyst.for.delivering.

strategic.business.objectives.through.BSM..

When.asked.to.define.their.understanding.of.ITIL,.

80.percent.of.respondents.gave.a.process-orientated.

description,.framing.their.answer.in.terms.of.IT.and.

business.alignment,.productivity,.and.best.practice,.rather.

than.as.a.way.to.reduce.cost..This.is.a.clear.indication.of.

a.change.in.the.perception.around.IT.best.practice,.the.

benefits.it.delivers,.and.more.importantly,.its.role.within.the.

“bigger.picture”.of.enterprise.IT.

Forrester’sBusinessServiceManagementadoptioncurve

By.hitting.all.the.stepping.stones.toward.BSM,.Forrester.

estimates.that.companies.can.save.as.much.as.a.third.

of.their.IT.operations.budget.2.As.76.percent.of.the.IT.

budget.goes.to.operations,.firms.that.implement.BSM.can.

potentially.save.25.percent.of.their.overall.IT.budget.”.

The.research.demonstrates.that.many.enterprises.across.

Europe.are.on.the.second.stage.(ITIL.deployment).of.

the.five-step.path.towards.BSM..The.five.key.stages.of.

Forrester’s.BSM.Maturity.S-Curve.of.adoption.are.outlined.

as.follows:

>.ITAssetManagement:.Necessary.to.gain.a.basic.

understanding.of.the.infrastructure.and.the.relationships.

to.contracts,.supplies,.and.costs

>.TheITInfrastructureLibrary(ITIL):.Establishes.rigorous.

processes.for.internal.IT.service.delivery.processes

>.ServiceLevelManagement(SLM):.Ensures.alignment.

with.the.large.goals.in.a.measurable.way.related.to.the.

big.demands

>.TheConfigurationManagementDatabase(CMDB):.

Stores.information.on.configuration.items,.applications,.

and.services.within.the.enterprise,.as.well.as.the.dynamic.

relationships.among.them

>.BusinessServiceManagement:.Business.

process.mapping.is.essential.for.fully-fledged.BSM.

implementation.because.it.defines,.in.business.terms,..

the.key.quality.metrics.needed.to.measure.the.

performance.of.a.BSM.approach

PAG E > �

EnablingtheBSMjourney

ITIL.drives.business.value.by.helping.IT.organisations.share.

common.terminology.and.integrated.IT.service.management.

processes.across.the.IT.organisation..However,.deployment.

is.a.journey.rather.than.a.project,.requiring.long-term.

commitment.to.realise.its.true.business.benefits..

BMC.has.developed.a.set.of.unique.solutions.designed.to.make.

ITIL.easier.to.digest,.facilitating.deployment.through.automated.

processes.built.into.discovery.tools,.as.well.as.a.complete.set.

of.predefined.workflows.that.enable.organisations.to.deploy..

the.process.without.having.to.define.it..

BMC.has.mapped.out.the.journey.towards.achieving.

BSM,.and.ITIL.is.a.step.along.this.path..Through.a.set.

of.workflows.developed.by.BMC,.enterprise.businesses.

reduce.process.deployment.time,.accelerate.their.maturity.

along.the.BSM.curve,.and.in.turn,.deliver.the.benefits.of.

ITIL.and.BSM.more.quickly.to.the.business.

ITILandBSM

BMC.provides.software.solutions.that.integrate.and.

automate.best.practices.outlined.in.the.following..

ITIL.volumes:

>.ServiceSupportSolutions..Address.the.service.

desk.function,.plus.incident.management,.problem.

management,.change.management,.release.management,.

and.configuration.management

>.ServiceDeliverySolutions..Include.best.practices.

that.address.service.level.management,.availability.

management,.capacity.management,.continuity.

management,.and.financial.management

>.TheBusinessPerspectiveSolutions.Focus.on.

maintaining.alignment.of.IS.services.with.business.

requirements.and.maintaining.alignment.of.various.

internal.groups.with.each.other

>.ICTInfrastructureManagementSolutions..Include.

network.service.management,.operations.management,.

management.of.local.processors,.computer.installations.

and.acceptance,.and.systems.management

BSMRoutestoValue

BMC.offers.BSM.Routes.to.Value™,.a.flexible,.milestone-based.

approach.to.help.businesses.understand,.meet,.and.even.

anticipate.their.specific.needs..In.developing.these.solutions,.

BMC.has.grouped.ITIL.disciplines.into.clear,.incremental.

paths.for.implementing.related.functions.together..

BSM.Routes.to.Value.integrate.and.automate.ITIL.best.

practices,.and.are.designed.to.leverage.the.BMC®.Atrium™.

CMDB.to.increase.sharing.and.accuracy.of.information.

across.the.IT.organisation.

Source: Forrester Research, Inc.

Mat

urity

of I

T se

rvic

e de

liver

y

Time

IT asset management

Implementing basicITIL services

SLM

Auto-discovery and apps mapping

Implementing the CMDB

Implementing all ITIL services

Implementing businessprocess mapping

Implementing BSM

Chaotic Reactive Stable Proactive Predictive

Integrated ITmanagement

Figure4:.Forrester.BSM.Maturity.S-Curve

PAG E > �

Conclusions Abilitytodelivercost-savingsdependentonextentofITILdeployment

Almost.a.third.of.enterprise.businesses.adopting.ITIL.

experienced.operational.cost-savings,.and.half.reported.

increased.productivity..

The.scale.of.cost-savings.achieved.following.ITIL.adoption.

relates.directly.to.the.extent.to.which.ITIL.is.utilised.across.

the.organisation,.and.thereby.to.the.drivers.behind.its.

implementation.in.the.first.place..

Where.the.motivation.for.introducing.ITIL.is.cost-savings.

in.IT.process,.and.where.ROI.is.expected.as.the.outcome,.

a.typical.ITIL.implementation.is.limited.to.low-level.

projects..In.practice,.this.approach.delivers.the.opposite.

result.—.high.resource.investment.on.small.ITIL.project.

implementation.and.low.returns.through.cost-savings..By.

ring-fencing.an.ITIL.deployment.in.order.to.manage.initial.

investment.costs,.the.ability.of.ITIL.process.to.deliver.ROI.

is.severely.restricted..

Implementing.ITIL.extensively.across.the.business,.

however,.is.more.likely.to.deliver.a.tangible.ROI.through.

operational.cost-savings..In.addition,.the.drivers.behind.

extensive.implementations.of.ITIL.are.often.more.strategic,.

for.example,.enabling.IT.to.align.more.closely.with.business.

objectives.through.pervasive.best-practice.standards..

The.expected.deliverables,.as.a.result,.are.beyond.cost.

reduction.and.more.in.line.with.establishing.an.effective.

platform.for.the.way.that.IT.serves.the.business..Cost-

savings.are.realised.as.a.consequence.of.broader.vision.

for.IT,.and.on.the.path.towards.BSM,.the.business.benefits.

extend.well.beyond.financial.returns.

ITILacceleratesBSM

The.true.business.benefits.from.investing.in.ITIL.are.achieved.

in.establishing.the.foundation.for.service.management,.

creating.the.structure.within.which.IT.services.can.be.

mapped.to.business.processes.and.where.IT.can.truly.

become.aligned.with.business.objectives.under.BSM.

Service ImpactManagement

CMDB

Quality ofService Transactions

Quality ofExperience

Service LevelManagement

ServiceDesk

IdentityManagement

IT

Business User

ChangeManagement

Provisioning

Batch and Online ApplicationsPerformance and Availability

CapacityManagement

Discovery

AssetManagement

SoftwareConfiguration

EventManagement

DesktopDatabase

Middleware

Storage Mobile

NetworkMainframe and DistributedServers

SD - Service DeliverySS - Service SupportSM - Service ManagementSAM - Software Asset ManagementBP - Business ProcessesAM - Application Management

SS - Help Desk, Incident, Problem

SS/SD - CMDBSS - Configuration Management

BP - Business Perspective

SD - Service Level Management

SS - Change Management

SS - Release Management

SD - Availability ManagementICT - ICT Infrastructure ManagementAM - Application Management

SD - Capacity ManagementSD - Continuity Management

SAM - Software Asset Management

SAM - Software Asset Management

SD - Financial ManagementSAM - Software Asset Management

SM - Security Management

Business Service Management

Figure5:.BSM.aligns.with.ITIL

PAG E > �0

ITIL.is.a.stepping-stone.on.the.roadmap.to.BSM;.it.should.be.

considered.a.long-term.investment.and.a.major.contributor.

towards.delivering.these.benefits.to.the.business:

>.Improved.business.agility.through.IT

>.Reduced.time.to.market

>.Increased.IT.efficiency.and.effectiveness

>.Real-time.alignment.of.IT.with.business.needs.and.objectives

>.The.ability.to.manage.critical.business.functions..

with.knowledge

Investing.in.ITIL.will.deliver.ROI.further.down.the.line.by.

accelerating.the.cycle.for.achieving.BSM..

First-handexperienceofITILispositive

Where.ITIL.is.prevalent,.the.main.drivers.are.the.pursuit.

of.BSM.and.aligning.IT.more.effectively.with.business.

requirements...

The.majority.of.IT.decision-makers.already.working.within.

an.ITIL-based.environment.believe.ITIL.has.delivered.against.

their.expectations..ITIL.adoption.is.a.significant.indicator.of.

service-based.IT.maturity,.and.IT.decision-makers.are.satisfied.

its.deployment.enables.them.to.move.closer.to.BSM.

ITILdeploymentisnolongerasresourceintensive

ITIL.is.a.significant.component.of.the.journey.towards.BSM..

The.third.iteration.of.ITIL,.expected.in.the.Spring.of.2007,.

facilitates.mapping.of.IT.services.to.business.services,.and.

alongside.improved.automation.within.ITIL.and.workflow.

management.tools,.will.make.the.deployment.of.ITIL.faster.

and.less.resource.intensive,.particularly.for.green.field.

businesses.facilitating.a.service.lifecycle.approach.

RaiseawarenessoutsideoftheboardroomtosecureITILcommitment

Attempting.to.promote.ITIL.to.the.board.will.meet.with.

resistance.—.on.a.stand-alone.basis.ITIL.is.not.relevant.

around.the.boardroom.table..

BSM,.however,.is.relevant,.and.positioning.ITIL.as.a.key.

element.of.managing.the.performance.and.stability.of.

business.processes.will.engage.executives.on.a.level.that.

helps.to.solve.their.business.challenges..Presenting.the.

opportunity.to.place.business.leaders.back.in.touch.with.

—.and.in.control.of.—.the.IT.function.of.the.enterprise.will.

see.an.instant.positive.response.

The.experience.of.ITIL.adopters.within.enterprise.

businesses.shows.that.boardroom.buy-in.is.not.necessarily.

a.barrier.to.deployment..In.many.cases,.securing.

commitment.for.ITIL.from.key.stakeholders.at.the.

operational.level.across.all.business.departments.carries..

far.greater.likelihood.of.success..

Raising.awareness.of.the.benefits.of.ITIL.in.terms.

of.improved.IT.service.performance.and.improved.

responsiveness.relates.directly.to.the.needs.and.

expectations.from.IT.at.the.operational.level..Securing.

the.commitment.of.departmental.leaders.to.deploy.ITIL.

will.generate.sufficient.agreement.either.to.initiate.the.

programme.or.to.approach.higher.level.decision-makers.with.

a.compelling.argument.

OrganisationalcultureisamajorconsiderationinapproachtoITILadoption

The.cultural.values.of.the.business.with.regard.to.utilisation.

of.industry.standards.and.best-practice.frameworks.across.

core.business.functions.has.considerable.influence.on.the.

success.of.both.agreement.to.adopt.ITIL.within.IT.and.the.

success.of.its.implementation..

In.organisations.that.do.operate.within.standards,.or.

where.regulatory.compliance.has.introduced.the.need.

for.more.stringent.process.control,.ITIL.fits.very.well.

with.this.approach,.and.the.benefits.from.deploying.best-

practice.methodology,.per.se,.as.well.as.the.challenges.and.

requirements.along.the.way,.are.already.understood.

Even.within.an.organisation.culture.of.best-practice.

standards,.it.is.important.to.note.that.the.motivation.to.

adopt.ITIL.must.come.from.within.the.IT.department.to.reap.

the.true.benefits.it.promises..Where.ITIL.is.imposed.on.the.

IT.organisation,.it.often.fails.to.live.up.to.the.operational.and.

business.benefits.expected..

In.businesses.where.best.practice.is.not.prevalent,.the.

positioning.of.ITIL.will.need.to.be.positioned.in.line.with.cultural.

values.that.do.have.resonance,.such.as.business.growth,.

improved.agility,.and.operational.productivity.improvement..

Understanding.the.cultural.context.of.the.organisation.

is.critical.to.securing.commitment.for.and.delivering.a.

successful.deployment.of.ITIL.

PAG E > ��

recommendations SevenstepsforsecuringcommitmenttoITIL

Malcolm.Fry,.ITIL.Masters.Certificate.holder,.original.

contributor.to.ITIL,.and.independent.expert.commentator,.

presents.seven.points.of.advice.to.help.increase.

understanding.and.awareness.of.ITIL.across.the.business,.

and.thereby.secure.commitment.for.deploying.ITIL.

By.following.the.steps.outlined.below,.it.will.be.possible.

to.identify.the.role.of.the.relevant.influencers.within.the.

IT.organisation.and.to.understand.their.expectations..

Building.a.case.for.ITIL.that.meets.expectations.across.

the.organisation.will.ultimately.result.in.commitment.for.

adopting.best.practices.

IdentifytherightorganisationalleveltopitchITIL

All.enterprise.organisations.and.many.departments.work.on.

three.levels..The.important.elements.to.understand.are.the.

levels.of.responsibility.within.an.organisation:

>.Strategic:.the.level.at.which.decisions.are.made,.policies.are.

established,.rules.are.created,.and.financial.levels.are.set

>.Tactical:the.level.at.which.decisions.are.implemented,.

policies.become.reality,.rules.are.implemented,.and.

financial.levels.are.confirmed

>.Operational:.the.grassroots.level.at.which.the.decisions.

that.have.been.implemented.become.active,.within..

the.policies,.following.the.rules,.and.meeting.the..

financial.restrictions

These.three.levels.apply.not.only.to.the.organisation.as.a.

whole.but.also.to.levels.of.responsibility.within.divisions.

and.departments..It.is.essential.to.identify.the.correct.level.

at.which.to.pitch.ITIL.from.the.outset..For.example,.if.IT.

operates.in.the.background.of.an.organisation,.then.it.is.

highly.unlikely.that.the.corporate.strategy.level.will.have.

any.interest.in.ITIL..In.this.case,.the.corporate.strategy.level.

would.probably.have.the.view.that.IT.should.look.after.its.

own.shop..On.the.other.hand,.if.the.organisation.sees.IT.as.

a.business.advantage,.the.corporate.strategy.level.would.

almost.certainly.be.interested.in.ITIL.and.its.deliverables.

Identify.the.level.where.ITIL.will.have.greatest.currency.

and.focus.development.of.the.argument.and.supporting.

materials.in.context.of.this.environment.

Understandorganisationalculture

The.working.environment.within.any.organisation.is.uniquely.

influenced.by.a.range.of.factors.that.combine.to.create.

each.organisation’s.distinctive.DNA..The.personal.style.of.

employees,.the.acceptable.norms.and.behaviours,.the.degree.

of.formality,.the.importance.of.quality,.current.business.

objectives,.business.drivers,.and.desirable.business.practices.

are.just.some.of.the.elements.forming.the.contextual.

background.that.must.be.considered.when.planning.the.best.

way.to.position.the.need.for.ITIL.within.the.business..

The.existence.of.best-practice.or.standards-based.processes.

within.the.business.is.one.of.the.key.elements.for.

predetermining.the.organisation’s.cultural.tendency.towards.

operating.under.an.independently.approved.framework.for.

excellence,.or.on.the.other.hand,.its.aversion.to.standards.

or.process.discipline..

The.increasing.need.for.corporate.governance.and.regulatory.

compliance.has,.in.many.enterprise.companies,.increased.the.

prevalence.of.standards-based.operations,.particularly.within.

finance..Positioning.IT.best.practice.as.a.logical.extension.

of.this.initiative,.one.which.can.underpin.the.foundations.of.

the.financial.technology.operation,.will.be.received.positively..

Conversely,.in.cost-leadership.organisations,.the.value-add.

delivered.(both.internally.and.externally).by.best.practice.can.

only.be.justified.in.terms.of.profitability..

Remember.that.the.process.structure.within.an.organisation.

evolved.in.line.with.business.culture..Neither.of.these.

illustrations.is.“wrong”..Therefore,.it.is.important.to.

understand.the.metrics.that.are.considered.valuable.within.

the.business.and.the.context.and.opinion.of.standards-

based.operations.in.order.to.highlight.the.benefits.and.

rationale.for.ITIL.in.the.most.relevant.way..

AssessthestatusofITwithinthebusiness

It.is.critical.to.understand.the.perception.of.the.IT.function.

from.a.senior.decision-maker’s.viewpoint..In.general,.IT.is.

viewed.either.as.a.service.provider.(cost.centre).or.as.a.

strategic.enabler.of.the.business.(investment)..The.status.

of.IT.on.this.continuum.presents.an.insightful.picture.of.

the.likely.resistance.or.enthusiasm.for.investing.time.and.

resources.into.ITIL.deployment.

PAG E > � �

Five.consistent.parameters.enable.one.to.gain.an.

understanding.of.the.organisation’s.view.of.the.status.of.IT:

>.Financing:.indicates.how.an.organisation.regards.its.

investment.in.IT..If.the.business.views.IT.as.a.cost.centre.

rather.than.a.profit.driver,.it.is.likely.that.the.organisation.

will.seek.to.minimise.IT.costs.rather.than.invest.in.IT.to.

develop.business.practices

>.Management:.shows.how.an.organisation.views.

the.ownership.of.resources..The.question.is.whether.

management.should.be.centralised.within.IT.or.distributed.

to.various.locations,.as.is.typical.in.large,.multinational.

enterprises..When.IT.management.is.decentralised,.it.can.

be.difficult.to.gain.ITIL.commitment

>.Ownership:.indicates.whether.an.organisation.believes.

IT.resources.should.be.outsourced.or.remain.within.the.

business..Those.that.have.decided.to.retain.in-house.IT.

capacity.will.be.interested.in.ITIL.at.all.levels,.whereas.

those.operating.an.outsourced.model.will.be.less.

interested.in.process.and.more.interested.in.service.

delivery.and.cost.management

>.Innovation:reflects.an.organisation’s.desire.to.use.

leading-edge.technology.or.to.stay.with.tried.and.trusted.

technologies..For.this.parameter.ITIL.applies.across.the.

entire.spectrum

>.Relationship:.is.concerned.with.the.level.of.formality.

between.IT.and.its.customer.base..The.more.formal.

the.relationship.the.more.likely.that.the.organisation’s.

strategic.level.will.be.interested.in.ITIL..In.many.cases,.

the.organisation’s.desire.to.transition.from.informal.to.

formal.which.drives.the.deployment.of.ITIL

The.following.diagram.is.a.simple.tool.to.plot.the.status.of.

each.parameter.based.on.organisation-specific.information.

The focus is on the business; IT is just a service provider

Analysis of an organisation that views IT as a service provider

Decision on the five basic parameters in relation to IT:

A - Financing

B - Management

C - Ownership

D - Innovation

E - Relationship

IT as a cost

centralised IT

retain IT in-house

use proven technology

formal

IT as an investment

decentralised IT

outsource IT

deploy new technology

informal

IT is a success enabler for the business

Analysis of an organisation that views IT as a business enabler

Decision on the five basic parameters in relation to IT:

A - Financing

B - Management

C - Ownership

D - Innovation

E - Relationship

IT as a cost

centralised IT

retain IT in-house

use proven technology

formal

IT as an investment

decentralised IT

outsource IT

deploy new technology

informal

Figure6:.Five.parameters.for.selling.ITIL

PAG E > � �

ResearchexpectationsofITfromkeyinfluencers

Securing.buy-in.and.commitment.for.ITIL.from.key.

individuals.is.critical..Identify.key.stakeholders.within.each.

of.the.strategic,.tactical,.and.operational.levels.and.schedule.

a.meeting.with.each.of.them..Prepare.an.ITIL.overview.

presentation.that.explains.the.scope.and.merits.of.ITIL.in.

the.context.of.their.working.environment.

The.object.of.the.meeting.is.to.expand.understanding.of.

individual.expectations.from.specific.IT.processes.and.to.

sow.the.seeds.of.ITIL.for.harvesting.later..

Following.initial.discussions.with.key.stakeholders,.prepare.

a.complete.list.of.organisation-specific.expectations.mapped.

onto.ITIL.processes..This.document.forms.the.blueprint.for.

the.ITIL.argument.and.the.starting.point.for.prioritisation.of.

processes.within.the.ITIL.deployment.programme.

ScopethescaleoftheITILimplementationproject

Understanding.the.current.maturity.of.the.IT.organisation.

through.its.service.management.effectiveness.should.be.

the.first.task.in.preparing.a.realistic.ITIL.deployment.plan..

for.agreement.

The.Capability.Maturity.Model.(CMM),.advocated.under.

COBIT.methodology,..is.a.useful.tool.to.assess.maturity.of.

the.IT.infrastructure.and.processes.on.a.scale.between.zero.

(where.IT.processes.don’t.really.exist).through.to.five.(where.

IT.processes.are.fully.integrated.with.business.processes)..

Benchmarking.the.current.IT.capability.and.undertaking.gap.

analysis.to.calculate.the.resources.that.will.be.required.to.

move.from.the.current.situation.to.the.desired.maturity.level.

for.IT.service.management.makes.it.possible.to.then.identify.

and.prioritise.the.key.activities.that.will.be.necessary.to.

successfully.deploy.ITIL..Gap.analysis.also.helps.to.eliminate.

any.ITIL.service.management.processes.and.functions.that.

are.not.relevant.for.the.organisation.

With.a.clear.understanding.of.the.essential.IT.activities.

alongside.the.individual.and.organisational.expectations.from.

ITIL.deployment,.it.is.vital.to.communicate.back.a.realistic.set.

of.timings.and.deliverables.to.ensure.expectations.are.set.in.

an.achievable.timeframe..

Consider.potential.barriers.to.deployment,.such.as.

organisational.commitment,.cultural.alignment,.and.individual.

support,.and.factor.in.any.preliminary.initiatives.required.to.

prepare.the.path.towards.ITIL,.such.as.training.or.an.audit.

of.current.IT.processes..Ensure.these.activities.are.separate.

from.the.ITIL.implementation.programme.to.ensure.delivery.

is.not.compromised.by.external.factors.

Be.sure.to.differentiate.which.expectations.are.quantified.

as.deliverables.that.will.be.realised.through.the.successful.

introduction.of.ITIL.overall..Calculating.the.specific.

deliverables.builds.a.robust.business.case.for.ITIL..

Assessing.the.likely.timescale.of.the.ITIL.deployment.is.

often.perceived.as.a.challenge.for.IT.decision-makers..ITIL.is.

an.ongoing.development.of.processes.and.practices.within.

IT,.and,.as.such,.stating.a.timeframe.for.completion.is.not.

only.extremely.difficult,.but.also.missing.the.point..Preparing.

a.deployment.path.with.a.timeline.of.tangible.deliverables.

is.possible,.however..All.deliverables.should.be.mapped.to.

predefined.expectations,.key.IT.activities,.and.organisational.

priorities,.in.context.of.the.requirements.of.key.influencers..

It.is.hugely.important.at.this.stage.to.set.deliverables.that.

will.return.tangible.evidence.of.IT.service.and.process.

improvement.along.the.ITIL.journey.

Createaframeworkforongoingperformance

measurementthroughITIL

To.enable.actual.or.projected.performance.improvements.to.

be.attributed.to.ITIL.deployment,.it.is.essential.to.measure.

current.performance.and.establish.a.consistent.method.of.

extracting.measurable.data.over.time.

0 Non-Existent There is absolutely no evidence of any activities supporting this process

1 Initial/ad hoc There are ad hoc activities present, but we are not aware of how they relate to eachother within a single process

2 Repeatable and intuitive We are aware of the process but some activities are still incomplete or inconsistent; there is no overall measuring or control

3 Defined process The process is well understood and implemented as a single process but is not integrated with other processes

4 Managed and measurable The process is now managed by incorporating; financial management, forward scheduling, trends analysis, business relationships and is integrated with other IT systems and service processes

5 Optimised The process is fully integrated with business processes to provide a platform for the Strategic Executives to make reliable business decisions using the power of their technology resources

Figure7:.Capability.maturity.model

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Where.IT.performance.metrics.are.not.already.in.place,.

record.basic.measurements.against.business.key.

performance.indicators.(KPIs),.such.as.changes.completed,.

incidents.resolved,.calls.escalated,.or.SLAs.achieved,.

and.complete.one.or.two.months.of.measurement.to.

establish.a.baseline.of.performance.levels.from.which.future.

comparisons.can.be.made.

Quality.is.the.other.component.of.performance.that.must.

also.be.measured.to.support.evidence.of.ITIL’s.benefit.to.

the.business..Process.metrics,.such.as.how.many.calls.

were.escalated,.are.relatively.easy.to.acquire...Keep.in.mind,.

however,.that.sometimes.metrics.do.not.tell.the.complete.

story...In.this.case,.the.metric.above,.when.taken.in.isolation,.

cannot.show.the.percentage.of.calls.that.were.accurately.

escalated.to.the.correct.person..The.quality.of.the.call.

escalation.in.this.case,.rather.than.the.number.of.escalated.

calls,.according.to.process.has.greater.bearing.on.the.actual.

business.benefit.delivered.

In.creating.ongoing.performance.measurability,.bear.in.

mind.the.higher.level.key.success.factors.driving.ITIL.

implementation.(namely.enabling.IT.to.better.support.the.

business),.as.well.as.the.expected..performance.levels.each.

departmental.stakeholder.has.expressed..Returning.improved.

IT.service.management.performance.is.an.excellent.proof.

point.of.ITIL’s.success,.but.this.must.be.assessed.against.

the.impact.delivered.to.the.business..For.example,.although.

improving.the.accuracy.of.incident.escalation.is.positive,.

reducing.the.frequency.of.incidents.in.the.first.place.is.a.

more.fundamental.and.far-reaching.performance.indicator.

If.ROI.is.a.metric.attached.to.ITIL.implementation,.acquiring.

basic.data.on.current.IT.service.performance.is.still.essential.

alongside.a.current.audit.and.ongoing.measurement.of.

operational.IT.costs..Financial.savings.returned.as.a.result.

of.streamlined.process.and.improved.performance.can.then.

be.extrapolated.to.determine.ROI..Wherever.possible,.ROI.

should.be.calculated.against.specific.ITIL.processes,.such.as.

service.support,.rather.than.as.a.figure.for.the.IT.department.

as.a.whole,.as.productivity.improvements.across.the.board.

are.typically.only.manifested.in.the.longer.term..

ITILisajourney,sostickwithit

Numerous.important.business.benefits.are.realised..

as.a.result.of.implementing.ITIL..Even.after.successful.

deployment.of.best-practice.methodology,.however,.there..

is.still.much.good.work.to.be.done..

Once.ITIL.begins.to.bear.fruit.across.key.IT.processes,.the.

temptation.to.address.every.single.process.arises..At.this.

stage,.it.is.essential.to.objectively.identify.the.next.set.of.

genuine.deliverables.to.avoid.tinkering.unnecessarily.with.

technology.for.no.discernable.business.benefit.

To.ensure.ITIL.continues.to.be.utilised.in.the.most.effective.

manner,.it.is.important.to.re-examine.the.expectations.and.

deliverables.presented.in.the.original.plan.at.regular.intervals..

Showing.evidence.of.continuous.IT.service.performance.

improvement.to.the.business.is.a.valuable.driver.for.

continuation.of.best-practice.adoption.within.the.organisation.

and.for.securing.additional.resource.and.support.for.more.

widespread.implementation..Remain.vigilant.over.delivery.of.

service.improvement.to.truly.realise.ITIL’s.potential.as.the.

catalyst.for.BSM.

The.personal.benefit.to.be.gained.through.an.ITIL.deployment.

should.not.be.underestimated.either..Securing.commitment,.in.

itself,.demonstrates.understanding.of.key.business.functions.

and.their.particular.challenges,.as.well.as.the.ability.to.prepare.

and.support.a.business.argument.and.negotiate.on.deliverables.

and.timing.to.deliver.maximum.benefit.to.the.business..This.

immersion.in.business.process.across.core.functional.areas.

generates.tremendously.valuable.insight.into.the.mechanics.

of.the.business..This.unique.understanding,.backed.up.

by.the.ability.to.effectively.communicate.IT.infrastructure.

requirements,.presents.the.opportunity.for.increased.contact.

with.high-level.decision-makers..In.short,.ITIL.establishes.a.

platform.for.IT.and.the.leaders.within.it.to.genuinely.add.value.

to,.and.demand.involvement.in,.business.strategy.and.planning..

appendixITILbenefits

The.power.of.ITIL.lies.not.only.in.its.well-defined.processes,.

but.also.in.its.philosophy.of.continuous.improvement.and.

delivery.of.benefits.that.matter.most.to.the.IT.organisation.

and.the.business..To.gain.the.full.benefits.of.implementing.

ITIL,.IT.staff.and.IT.management.must.meet.challenges.of.

continuous.improvement..Both.the.ITIL.Service.Delivery.

and.Service.Support.books.include.a.list.of.ten.benefits.

that.should.be.achieved.as.a.result.of.following.ITIL.service.

management.processes..The.ten.stated.benefits.of.ITIL.are.

as.follows:

>.Improved.quality.of.service.—.more.reliable.business.support.

>.IT.service.continuity.procedures.more.focused;.more.

confidence.in.the.ability.to.follow.them.when.required

>.Clearer.view.of.the.current.IT.capability

>.Better.information.on.current.services.(and.possibly.on.

where.changes.would.bring.most.benefits)

>.Greater.flexibility.for.the.business.through.improved.

understanding.of.IT.support

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>.More.motivated.staff;.improved.job.satisfaction.through.

better.understanding.of.capability.and.better.management.

of.expectations

>.Enhanced.customer.satisfaction,.as.service.providers.

know.and.deliver.what.is.expected.of.them

>.Increased.flexibility.and.adaptability.likely.to.exist.within.

the.services

>.System-led.benefits,.such.as.improvements.in.security,.

accuracy,.speed,.and.availability,.as.required.for.the.

required.level.of.service

>.Improved.cycle.time.for.changes.and.greater.success.rate

25

20

15

10

5

0

Business ServicesCharity

Dist / Logis

Education

Finance

Government / P.S. IT

Manufacturing

Media / Publ

Retail

Travel / L

eisureUtilit

iesOther

% of

samp

le

Industry Sector

10

21

8 9 9

5 6

9

19

1 12 2

Figure8:.Industry.sector

ThefutureofITIL:Anintroductiontov3

ITIL.is.an.industry.standard.first.developed.by.the.UK.

Government.Department,.Office.of.Government.Commerce.

(OGC).in.the.early.1980s..

The.ITIL.refresh.project.will.soon.produce.a.third.version.of.

ITIL.(v3).in.the.form.of.a.core.set.of.five.publications.that.

will.be.added.to.the.current.library.of.ITIL.publications.

The.third.iteration.of.ITIL.aims.to.improve.the.focus.on.service.

lifecycle.of.ITIL.in.support.of.businesses.needs..This.consists.

of.service,.strategies,.design,.transition,.and.operation.

The.changes.within.ITIL.v3.are.designed.to.make.ITIL.

easier.to.adopt,.adapt,.improve,.and.use.than.ever.before..

The.goal.of.service.support.and.delivery.will.remain.mainly.

unchanged.by.the.request.of.the.ITSMF.itself.

Lifecycleservicemanagement

Service.management.within.the.IT.organisation.is.the.

bedrock.of.aligning.IT.with.the.business.to.deliver.

responsiveness.and.agility.in.line.with.changing.objectives..

In.order.to.implement.ITIL.and.work.towards.a.BSM.

approach,.it.is.imperative.for.organisations.to.understand.the.

role.of.specific.services.and.to.map.IT.services.effectively.

to.business.processes..Defining,.implementing,.proving,.

and.maintaining.services.are.key.considerations.within.

the.forthcoming.ITIL.framework,.which.will.further.enable.

business.and.IT.services.to.be.mapped,.thereby.speeding.

up.the.deployment.of.BSM.

More.information.is.available.online.at..

http://www.itsmf.com/index.asp.

Endnotes1.. Asset.Management,.ITIL,.And.The.CMDB:.Paving.The.Way.For.BSM.,.Forrester.Research,.Inc.,.October.2005

2. Implementing.BSM,.Forrester.Research,.Inc.,.April.2006

PAG E > � �

BMC.Software,.the.BMC.Software.logos.and.all.other.BMC.Software.product.or.service.names.are.registered.trademarks.or.trademarks.of.BMC.Software,.Inc...All.other.registered.trademarks.or.trademarks.belong.to.their.respective.companies..©2007.BMC.Software,.Inc..All.rights.reserved..

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