Thank you for joining us for our sixth and final installment of our “ITIL for Newbies…(Like Me) – An ITIL Overview” series. Last but not least, we will wrap up with the Continual Service Improvement Stage…my favorite for being short, sweet, and arguably one of the most important stages of the ITIL lifecycle.
CONTINUAL SERVICE IMPROVEMENT – ITIL V3 GLOSSARY DEFINITION:
Continual Service Improvement is responsible for managing improvements to IT Service Management Processes and IT Services. The Performance of the IT Service Provider is continually measured and improvements are made to Processes, IT Services and IT Infrastructure in order to increase Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Cost Effectiveness.
NEWBIE TRANSLATION:
OK you’re right, the ITIL Glossary may have stated that one clearly enough. This stage is all about measuring success against the original goals and then taking steps to do it even better, while reducing costs and risks to the Service Provider. Nothing is safe from scrutiny in this stage, not the teams, processes, or the hardware. Although we’ve covered this stage last, in reality this is an ongoing stage….hence the CONTINUAL part. Also, it should be noted that this stage does NOT consist of a series of processes, but rather assessment and improvement models. Below are the three main models used during this stage of the lifecycle. For the ITIL Foundations exam, you will need to memorize the steps of each model.
MODELS:
#1 CONTINUAL SERVICE IMPROVEMENT MODEL – is a series of questions that are meant to guide one in the development of an improvement program, as well as giving one an opportunity to learn from past successes and failures.
#2 DEMING CYCLE – is a 4-step model based on the philosophies of W. Edwards Deming, that focuses on higher quality and productivity. It is a cycle that is meant to be done repeatedly, each time getting nearer to the goal.
#3 7-STEP IMPROVEMENT PROCESS – is a model that focuses on gathering, measuring, and analyzing data as a means to improving service performance.
Congrats! You’ve completed the “ITIL for Newbies…(Like Me) – An ITIL Overview” series. Do you feel…Invigorated? Inspired? At the least, I hope you’ve both enjoyed this series and found it helpful. Now take the time for a little studying and show that ITIL exam who is boss! Your company and its customers will thank you for it.
REMINDER:
These are some additional study aides that I found helpful:
CBT Nuggets – ($99/month) Website providing video tutorials and practice exams for ITIL and an extensive list of other IT related certifications
ThoughtRock – ($175/6 month subscription) Website providing video tutorials, practice exams, & includes your actual, proctored exam in the package
Taruu Study Guide – (Free) A very helpful study guide that breaks down the concepts, defines vocabulary, and includes diagrams. As I watched the video tutorials, I took notes here and then studied this guide repeatedly.
Also check out…
ITIL for Newbies…. (Like Me) – Part 1: An Introduction to ITIL
ITIL for Newbies…. (Like Me) – Part 2: Service Strategy
ITIL for Newbies…. (Like Me) – Part 3: Service Design
ITIL for Newbies…. (Like Me) – Part 4: Service Transition
ITIL for Newbies…. (Like Me) – Part 5: Service Operation
ITIL for Newbies…. (Like Me) – Part 6: Continual Service Improvement
