Examining ITIL 2011, through its Wikipedia entry
Who doesn’t love wikipedia with its plentiful bounty of knowledge? However, despite its encyclopedic-like design and glossary-esque format, there are often things that may still be missing from various entries; this is especially true when it comes to ITIL. For example, there’s no mention of how ITIL is positively impacting businesses and IT industries worldwide, or how individuals can benefit / profit from achieving personal certification.
Obviously, it’s also not Wikipedia’s duty to inform businesses or consumers about these kinds of developments, they are basically positioned to provide information on subjects once “the dust has settled”, so to speak. However, as a current or prospective IT professional, you can’t afford to wait around for anyone to tell you what to invest your time and money in. For instance, as you are reading this, some of your colleagues in the professional IT community are completing their ITIL certification program(s), placing themselves directly in line to receive your future salary increases / promotions.
But enough about potentialities, right now, let’s examine what wikipedia has to say about the latest ITIL release, 2011.
From the wikipedia site:
Changes and characteristics of the 2011 edition of ITIL
A summary of changes has been published by HM Government [3]. In line with the 2007 edition, the 2011 edition consists of 5 core publications – Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement. ITIL 2011 is a major update to the ITIL framework that addresses errors and inconsistencies.
There are 26 processes listed in ITIL 2011 edition and described below that shows which core publication provides the main content for each process.
Five volumes comprise the ITIL v3, published in May 2007 (2007 edition) and updated in July 2011 (2011 edition) for consistency:
- ITIL Service Strategy[4]
- ITIL Service Design[5]
- ITIL Service Transition[6]
- ITIL Service Operation[7]
- ITIL Continual Service Improvement[8]
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While the details of this Wiki entry about ITIL 2011 are certainly factual (and informative), an even greater amount of attention could have been paid to how much “updating” took place.
The previous edition / build of ITIL (V3), was found to have a number of inconsistencies with regards to terminology/terminologies used across various volumes. You simply can’t have coherency if certain terms take on different meanings in adjoining sections of text. Additionally, it could be argued that people’s ITIL training, as well as understanding of the material, is placed in serious jeopardy when there is disagreement concerning terminology (which is, ironically enough, why we have sites like Wikipedia in the first place). The significance of having these inconsistency issues cleared up (now) cannot be understated; can you imagine if they had been left unabated for the next several releases?
With the release of ITIL 2011, IT careerists finally have a version of the ITIL which is not only comprehensive and complete, but also concise, clear and complimentary. For example, ITIL 2011 features a superior system of navigation / organization when compared with previous releases. Likewise, great effort has been made toward the development of a more accurate and useful glossary; the release of the 2011 edition glossary represents a marked improvement.
If you are an IT professional that is realistic about what’s happening in your field, and serious about making sure that you’re ready for future challenges, you need to get your ITIL certification. If you think that your schedule is too full, or perhaps you’re just too busy to handle any other responsibilities / commitments. If this sounds familiar, why not consider the e-learning option?
What is ITIL e-learning, you ask? When you enroll in an e-learning course for ITIL, your materials are “delivered” digitally, meaning, you can place your texts (usually PDF files) right on your desktop / UI. Along with your texts however, you are also given access to various online / interactive components that will essentially “teach” the course materials. It’s important to note that these “interactive online lessons”, if you will, are generally designed by very experienced and knowledgeable individuals, and are worth your time and money. If a course is designed well, your ability to comprehend and absorb the material is increased exponentially; most ITIL e-learning programs feature brilliant course design. In addition to textbooks and interactive elements, a good quality e-learning certification program should also include some kind of testing voucher/discount as part of a bundled offer (theartofservice.com is known for promoting quality bundled certification packages, which also happen to be very affordable)
The importance of ITIL certification is growing, not just within the IT community, but in the world of business as well. Employers are beginning to see the inherent value that ITIL brings to their IT operations, and they want it. Those with certification in ITIL, who are seeking employment, are in a perfectly poised position to take advantage of ITIL’s growing popularity among businesses.
To find your perfect ITIL 2011 certification package, click here.