4IR has given rise to a new set of consumer expectations and a corresponding new set of rules for businesses wanting to engage with those consumers. We demand so much more now from our digital experiences: more convenience, more efficiency, more flexibility. Customer experience has been foregrounded like never before. As a result, businesses need to move fast and constantly innovate if they want to compete.
This need for greater business agility is fundamentally at odds with ITIL v3’s rigid, process-driven methodology. It’s no wonder that progressive IT departments have found it difficult to reconcile the adoption of cross-team collaboration, iterative design and agile development practices with ITIL v3’s sequential Waterfall model and conventional ‘test-at-the-end’ approach.
Fortunately for us, AXELOS has been paying close attention. ITIL 4 is steered by a 2000-strong community of practitioners from across the IT industry, who have adapted its classic framework to make it fit-for-purpose and 4IR-ready. Here’s my take on the key changes and how they’re set to transform the way we all work.
Three ways ITIL 4 will transform the way you work – for the better
1. IT NOW PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS.
One of the most common complaints about ITIL v3 was its lack of compatibility with other, more modern frameworks and its tendency to segregate IT from the rest of the business. ITIL 4 addresses this criticism head-on by providing recommendations around how ITIL can be applied in conjunction with DevOps, Agile and Lean methodologies to create a more well-rounded and contemporary ITSM tool. By embracing an iterative approach and
prioritising resilience over stability, AXELOS has made ITIL relevant again and removed the friction that existed previously.
What this means for ITSM practitioners is that we get the best of both worlds. ITIL 4 is infinitely more versatile, retaining much of what made the previous version valuable while also enabling you to work faster, work smarter, and benefit from the collaborative, human-centric approach that comes with DevOps-style thinking.
2. THERE’S A BIGGER EMPHASIS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND FEEDBACK.
We live in a world where customer experience can make or break a business and brand reputation takes years to build but can be toppled in an instant. ITIL 4 recognises this and provides direction on how to provide a better experience for customers through continual service improvement, listening to your users and being swift to act on any issues.
What this means in the long term is happier customers, positive brand perceptions and ultimately, a healthier business bottom-line. This, of course, means greater recognition for the individuals who are driving this added value and, ultimately, more investment in the company’s IT talent and systems.
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