ITIL implementation checklist

Home source: http://www.cce.umn.edu/pdfs/CPE/ITIL/Preflight_checklist.pdf

The following information is a checklist which comes from the University of Minnesota. The checklist used for the preparing of ITIL induction. Checklist includes eleven items which provided for somebody who consider before the ITIL implementation. The checklist’s content as following:

Organizational Support
The following organizational entities are aware of ITIL and are supportive of its goals:

1. CEO / President
2. CIO / CTO / VP of IT Operations
3. CFO / VP of Finance
4. IT Managers
5. Business unit Managers
6. Board of Directors
7. Union representatives

Baseline Assessment

1. A baseline assessment has been administered to measure the organization’s current compliance with ITIL processes, with a gap analysis that indicates areas of deficiency.
2. The organization has administered a survey of the IT department’s internal customers and users to determine a current level of satisfaction with the services it provides.

Scope of Implementation

1. The organization has determined which of the 11 ITIL processes / functions it plans to implement, in which sequence, and has created a timeframe for doing so.
2. A specific implementation maturity level has been agreed upon for each of the processes that are to be adopted. Stages of implementation include:

• Initial: The process is recognized but there is little or no process management activity.
• Repeatable: The process is recognized and is allocated little importance, resource or focus within the operation.
• Defined: The process is recognized and is documented but there is no formal agreement, acceptance nor recognition of its role within the IT operation as a whole.
• Managed: The process is fully recognized and accepted throughout IT, it is service focused with objectives and targets that are based on business objectives and goals.
• Optimized: The process is fully recognized and has strategic objectives and goals aligned with overall strategic business and IT goals.

Training Strategy

• A budget for training and certifying the staff has been created and approved.
• The staff that is to receive ITIL Foundation training has been identified.
• The staff that is to receive ITIL Practitioner training has been identified.
• The staff that is to receive ITIL Manager training has been identified.
• A training vendor has been selected.
• A training schedule has been created.
• An organizational change management strategy has been implemented.

Certification Strategy

• The number of staff to be Foundation certified has been established.
• Provisions have been made for purchasing and administering the Foundation exam.
• Provisions have been made for purchasing and administering the Practitioner exams.
• Provisions have been made for purchasing and administering the Manager exam.
• A policy has been established to accommodate participants who fail the exam.

Staffing

• Process owners have been identified for each ITIL process to be implemented.
• Key staff members have been empowered to carry out the implementation process.
• A CTO, VP of IT operation or other staff person has been selected to be responsible for overall implementation of IT Service Management.

Communication

• An ITIL implementation vision has been created, endorsed by upper management, and communicated to all stakeholders.
• A series of information sessions have been scheduled to apprise staff of the purpose and benefits of implementing ITIL.
• The Service Desk has established a procedure to provide regular updates to all internal customers regarding usage, trends and customer satisfaction ratings, either via email or the Intranet.

ITIL Resources

• Sufficient copies of the ITIL Service Support and Service Delivery books have been acquiredand are available in the organization’s resource center.
• An on-line version of these books, including a multi-user license, has been acquired and isaccessible to employees via the organization’s Intranet or other file server.
• An organization membership to the local itSMF (IT Service Management Forum) has been established.
• Mentoring and consulting by a peer organization has been arranged.

Reporting and Record Keeping

• The IT department is prepared to publish a catalog of the services they provide internal customers, with prices based on differing levels of service.
• A CMDB (Configuration Management Database) exists, is regularly maintained, representsan accurate inventory, and captures the data necessary to be an effective tool for those ITIL processes that depend on it.
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs) have been created between the IT department and its internal customers and users, and are published in clear, non-technical language.
• Underpinning contracts between the IT department and external vendors are in place, written so as to be clearly understood, and renewed on an annual basis.
• Business continuity and disaster recovery plans have been created by the organization (not a vendor) that are current, simple, and detail the steps necessary to recover from unforeseen or difficult circumstances.
• A liaison has been established between the business units and the IT department to assure compliance with regulatory requirements such as Sarbanes-Oxley.

Measurement and Assessment

• The Service Desk maintains records of all calls and their resolution, and publishes these regularly.
• A set of metrics, based on a recognized business measurement philosophy such as the Balanced Scorecard©, is in place to capture and analyze IT service management processes and their interrelationships.

Assuring On-Going Success

• An organizational change management class has been scheduled to provide the necessary training to key staff.
• An IT process improvement team has been established to monitor progress of ITIL implementation.
• ITIL terminology has been incorporated into the staff’s annual performance plan, with incentives for employees who suggest improvements in the IT service management.

In my opinion, the checklist is a very good material which provides a direction for the adopter to evaluate the organization current state is ready or not to induct ITIL framework to the organization. The eleven items in the checklist should help the enterprise avoid the mistake or missing the consideration whether components which they forget. I can not find this checklist which variable at other consultant company web site. May be that is a secret weapon for the consultant company as well.

ITIL: 10 deployment mistakes

Home Source: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid182_gci1304412,00.html

In Guglielmo article, he addressed the following 10 biggest mistakes that could IT organizations make during the first year of an ITIL implementation. If enterprise make whether mistake, that will affect the successful on ITIL implementation. The content of the 10 mistake as next:

Mistake No. 1: There is no vision. No one is sure of what is happening with ITIL and there are no clear answers.
Mistake No. 2: Top-down commitment isn't necessary. The project can be infiltrated via middle management.
Mistake No. 3: We don't need a business case. We know why ITIL is important and why we're doing it.
Mistake No. 4: We don't need an initial baseline. Let's just get started.
Mistake No. 5: ITIL is not a strategic project, so we can use existing resources to implement it.
Mistake No. 6: We don't need a communications strategy. A few emails and a kickoff meeting will suffice.
Mistake No. 7: We don't need an overall process strategy. Different process teams can do their own thing and we'll worry about process integration later. Let's just get it done.
Mistake No. 8: We'll start with a new tool and build processes around that later.
Mistake No. 9: Unmanaged scope creep. Manage growth as you go along.
Mistake No. 10: We don't expect much resistance to ITIL. We'll just tell them what to do.

As Guglielmo said, “organizations often make mistakes within the first year of an ITIL implementation, and that's normal.” If enterprise understands their direction is wrong early, and brings the project back on track. That may not too bad. If they don’t know, just waste time and money.

In my view, enterprise made those mistakes because of poor analyzes on the business needs, weak project management and communications. Also enterprise doesn’t really concentrate on the ITIL induction. Those mistakes could take the business down. Because something been changed that situation can not be reverse again. So, enterprise can avoid those mistakes happened in the organization, therefore they has to take the IT services assessment first, and then make a decision on which part allow the enterprise start the changing first then following. Do the ITIL induction step by step. The benefits can see easily.

NYLI: IT environment more maturity, the value which more considerable.

Home Source:
http://app.digitimes.com.tw/print.aspx?zNotesDocId=0000077689_B8Q6997A3572UR8LPEQOI

The following information which comes from the reporter Geng Huiru's reported.

Several year ago, the goal of system induction is for increases the work performance and helps the company reduces the operation cost. But IT already became an essential and auxiliary item indirect on the operation activity today, any new system induction, changing, that already could not ponder only for increase business operation effective. Because of the stakeholder, “profits” and “efficiency” is their most important goal. IT manager understands that is most important which besides reduce the cost and how to create the competition for the company based on the system.

Now IT department must pay attention not only on system induction, they should know how to penetrate the intelligent method, integrate and make it properly between the systems.

At present New York Life Insurance information service department altogether has 40 people, 30 people are responsible for the system development; Other 10 people are responsible to maintain the foundation construction, including: The database, the networking, equipment maintenance service, server room operation and such. Many people thought that only inducts the application system can increases the competition. In term of Qingtong’s opinion, both groups are important on the application system and foundation construction maintenance work, although 2 group’s manpower is disparate. Therefore, New York Life Insurance planning inducts ITIL’s Help Desk and the related flow in 2008.

In many person of cognitions, ITIL Induction is a huge project, generally only big size enterprise will have, because SLA has the very high level requirement, therefore inducts ITIL into the business processes. For New York Life Insurance such ordinary scale of company why care on the SLA? This is because I believed that IT needs to create the automated support system.

Now our regional of business unit's equipment requests for repairing, is apply the demand by the telephone call. Take care this business by 4 personnel working on IT unit, these 4 colleagues must support the front end approximately 300~400 users, the work load are very heavy. It is very difficult to subscribe their KPI on measuring their performance. Therefore Qingtong thought that is necessary on building a regulation and systematization maintenance flow and appraises the suitable responding. Also lets them know what must achieve according to the regulation. On the other hand, the automated working flow may let the user confide on IT department. As a result of New York Life Insurance has about 200 exterior points in Taiwan each region. Many exterior point only have 1~2 colleagues, if the company can create the unification and automation on equipment repairing working flow, these exterior point colleagues can under the standardized work flow to fixing the problem quickly, even without the IT the person assistance.

In this case, what I am understand that is very hard on IT service quantity measuring, inducts ITIL to let the achievements can be appraised. There is no doubt on the important of IT services, but in current stage profit is the key. Those ideas are happened in most high level management. I am not worried about that, because it is natured in the real world.

Mr. LDAP: The data centre management automation is the first step on ITIL successful

Home Source: http://www.ithome.com.tw/itadm/article.php?c=44140

One of LDAP initiators, Opsware’s CTO Timothy A. Howes believed that data centre management automated in the future, which will be the important component for all enterprise’s application.

He pointed out that similar ITIL framework establishment, if it does not have the automated management tool support, the enterprise will be very difficult to succeed. Along the enterprise's equipment more and more, the automated management's procedure is more important.

He believes that the data centre automated management is the most important factor. Generally the reason on enterprise defeat ITIL's induction, because of the user does not follow the standard which the enterprise formulates. The enterprise writes down a thick standard, gives the user it, but very difficult to request the user to follow this standard completely. But the data centre automation management's tool, it can actually achieve the function on user management to follow these standards truly. Therefore I thought that the enterprise needs to make the first step on ITIL, besides understood what application need to be manage, how many entities and visual equipment needs to manage, a very important point is the data centre automation management the tool must be used on the management, then can let person's factor fall lowly.

Along the enterprise’s entity and visual equipment more and more, we believed that if the enterprise does not understand the application that between the integrity connection of foundation construction and relational scheme, it is very hard to manage the data centre. We need to understand which equipment being used in the data centre? And defines the relations clearly, and then we can see the whole picture of the entire enterprise IT the construction. Only the automated management tool can achieve on this scenario. Only that way can provide the high efficiency of the environment for enterprise manage their data centre.

In the 90s, the enterprise spends in data centre management cost possible only half in present, but now is different, the enterprise spends in data centre equipment's management already increased largely. This representative the automated management's software is able to reduce the cost on enterprise’s data centre management.

Most enterprise data center's visibility is very low now, manages network's IT personnel possibly only to know that the network equipment's condition, server's IT the personnel possibly only know server's condition, that mean is nobody can see the comprehensive operation condition, when enterprise's application crash, each personnel attempt to solve the problem base on the condition which they know, this usually is invalid. But the automated management's tool can provide higher visibility and ability to support the enterprise finding the problem quickly, and then solving the problem.

The automated management on data center provides the same information to the IT department and support the different team worker can see the complete picture which related with the program and the hardware equipment. Therefore inducts the automated management procedure is very important; it can support the personnel to discover certain application program potency is lower. But the most enterprises do not like changing the pattern on their existing work flow, therefore inducts the automated management data center tool should be comes gradually, regarding the demand, enterprise can starts from server's management first, then works as in the future when network equipment more and more, then start from the network equipment's automated management. For this way, the enterprise possibly does not to change, but inducts part of the automated management, actually paved the way for the enterprise future change, the impact can also be small.

Enterprise should think about how using the data centre automated management's tool change the existing construction quickly, and change resources' assignment to supply the flow changing, reduces the enterprise in the management maintenance cost.

In my point of view, the data center automated management is support the personnel monitor all the equipments. Solve problem within a short time, and less impact on the business operation. Also reduce the maintenance cost in the long-term perspective.

IAC: With ITIL integrated Six Sigma

Home Source:
http://www.ithome.com.tw/itadm/article.php?c=44586

The following information come from the reporter Whiffen Yang reported.

Inventec Appliances Corp. (IAC), also begin the ITIL v.2 induction in April 2007, and achieves the Six Sigma with ITIL framework, reduces the problem’s process time positively, simultaneously and enhances the senior IT personnel's value.

During the ITIL induction, IAC besides follows ITIL standard conformity and also integrated with Six Sigma methodology. Briefly, with ITIL methodology achieves the Six Sigma requirement.

IAC information department senior Manager DeLong, Cai indicate that Six Sigma and ITIL although emphatically on IT working flow and service quality improvement, but between both, actually also respectively has the different advantage to be possible supplementary, used broadly by manufacturing industry on Six Sigma. Because Six Sigma takes the quality improvement by statistics the quantification way, therefore enterprise has a set of rigorous calculation formula, but actually Six Sigma doesn’t have the practical on quantification target method. However, the ITIL framework has the method on quantification target processing to make up this gap.

DeLong Cai point out that IAC starts appraising on ITIL in January 2007, the Service Desk and Incident Management implementation already completed in April. The reason that inducts ITIL as the Six Sigma’s project, the consideration mainly focuses on the cost aspect and user demand faster responding aspect. In the past, IAC have two problems which existing before the service desk setting up. The end user would like to ask recognizable IT personnel to solve the problem, but if the IT personnel who are busy or out of the office, the end user’s problem is unable to be solved immediately, because of the IT service quality is not ideal.

Looking from the cost expect, the original procedure represent also no performance. Because senior IT personnel take the high salary from company, but actually spends their time in the low value added work. Sometimes possibly only half time in the development, cause busy on the end user’s issue. After ITIL inducting, the end user’s issue can be fixing via a service window. The senior personnel can have the quite much time to concentrate in the difficulty higher development work.

At present IAC’s ITIL induction project still in processing. In term of the planning at current stage, Service Level Agreement (SLA) can be progress in 2008 hopefully. DeLong Cai point out that the ITIL application will expand to the exterior enterprise finally. Lets customer thought out their problem and get the respond immediately and directly according their rights. This linkage also needs to be improved, because IAC is facing both OEM and ODM. They disperses in global various countries, meanwhile the operating in the different time zone also have different operating. Reduce the processing time by using the web technology.

What I understand in this case, even ITIL is the best practice but still have some area that ITIL can fully cover. In case, it should need to combine with other standard to approach in the future. As IAC implement the Six Sigma standard and ITIL within the same project. Because both working as related as closely in the real world.

ITIL: Brings two authentication fashion

Home Source: http://www.ithome.com.tw/itadm/article.php?c=35074

The following information come from the reporter Whiffen Yang reported.

Regarding to individual, the authentication may prove that carries out ITIL the ability; for the enterprise, by the authentication may inspect that conform the operation of ITIL induction is following the international standard.

After ITIL extends gradually to ISO20000, one issue on the ITIL authentication personally, another issue is the enterprise authentication at ISO20000. From personally, there has the related training program can be found on the net. Also have more than 50 enterprises in the whole world to obtain the authentication, such IBM, CA, Microsoft and such. Taiwan's enterprise obtains not many regarding to the ITIL authentication. If the enterprise just improve parts of the operation flow by ITIL methodology, perhaps ITIL induction will be focusing on the most need place, doesn’t matter which part taking ITIL framework, which inducted ITIL. For example, many enterprises only made the event to manage, the Service Desk, this also inducted ITIL. But if enterprise must obtain the international standard authentication ISO20000, they must induct ITIL within each IT service management flow.

Because of the authentication auditing key point which care on the flow meeting standards inspection, therefore, no matter on the height of ITIL validity, so long as the flow coverage fit the standards can through the authentication.

Under such premise, if the enterprise obtains the authentication on the commercial purpose, the achievement possibly will neglect the IT service management validity. If enterprise focuses on improving the IT foundation construction and service management, it will be the true goal on ITIL induction.

The biggest significance of ITIL authenticates, that prove enterprise have the practical ability on ITIL implementation. ITIL authentication mainly may differentiate at 3 levels at presently, including ITIL Foundation, ITIL Practition as well as ITIL Service Management. But the authentication obtains in the process must proceed in an orderly way, the sequence also obtain ITIL Foundation first, according to own demand then enter to the ITIL Practition phase or ITIL Service Management.

For the ITIL Foundation may say that is the most foundation authentication, mainly focus on ITIL concept understanding; ITIL Practition concentrates the flow practice; But the ITIL Service Management besides must understand the ITIL concept fully and must have all flow practical ability.

At present the ITIL authentication is authenticated by both EXIN and ISEB organization mainly. EXIN is located at Holland's making profit unit, and also setup the subsidiary company in the Asian and Pacific area, ISEB is subordinates under a British Computer Association's semi-official unit.

In my view, before we get the benefits on the certification of ITIL, we must pay a lot of money and time on the training. Even though the examination just three level, it will take a long time for that certification. I believe the ROI is quite good but we need to have the budget on taking the professional level certification. Also should patient on the understanding of all material, then reaping later on.

ASE: Inducts ITIL process in an orderly way, do not attempt complete the wholes set immediately.

Home Source: http://www.ithome.com.tw/itadm/article.php?c=43812

The reporter Whiffen Yang reported after the speech by ASE group information Vice-president Mincheng Sheng.

After ITIL becomes international standard ISO 20000 officially, more and more enterprises improve their IT service management with ITIL methodology gradually. This ASE example shares their ITIL induction information with public.

The ASE inducts is also quite complete, a key point must be mentioned is whether Acer or ASE inducts the ITIL processes, both has adopted with the same pattern which proceeds in an orderly way.

ASE group information Vice-president Mincheng Sheng shares ASE’s experience on ITIL induction by itSMF Taiwan branch's invitation. “The enterprise inducts ITIL framework which should better be adopts the processes on proceeding in an orderly way, do not attempt to complete ITIL framework immediately, the reason is setting the scope is too big at the beginning, the cost on investment must be increasing naturally. The disagreement will be prompted on the boss side easily. Therefore enterprise should start from the point which has highest benefit and the smallest impulse.” he said.

By the ASE's experience, we starts from Service Level Management on the entrance of ITIL project induction before more than two years ago, then progresses gradually to the Change Management, as well as Incident Management and Problem Management and such. Mincheng Sheng said that besides both ASE and Acer starts to invest ITIL is also adopts the process on expand the scope with gradual growth way. ASE faces to the configuration management information database (CMDB) and the Change Management slowly extended recently.

Many people thought that inducts ITIL is must spend a lot of money, parts on buying many tools. Then can complete the IT service management truly, but as ASE inducts ITIL not to spend many money. Mincheng Sheng said. Take the example on the establishment on CMDB, ASE implement CMDB with their own method, has not invested too many money on tool purchasing. Because of CMDB is the key mainly, don’t matter the tool itself, just keep going on the flow improvement and the management. In term of the CMDB part, actually there does not have any information service provider to be possible to provide suggestion to the enterprise explicitly, how can the enterprise measure the achievement to be able to have the help to the IT management.

According to the ASE's procedure is caring the most important system. Mincheng Sheng explained that ITIL is talking about the flow management actually. However, in all the practice operation, each flow has the different priority, enterprise should take care their important software and hardware system, for example: ERP, the server or the storage. And also carry on the strict management, which can probably fit IT service requirement about 95%~98%.

In the past, the role of IT just focuses on solving problems. That idea was not make sense. After inducting ITIL, IT department may along to the SLA agreement to provide IT the service which matches the request initiatively.

Mincheng Sheng suggested that each enterprise should induct ITIL, because inducts ITIL really has the advantage; it will let IT changed differently compare to the former. After inducting ITIL, might reduce IT the Operation Cost effectively. In term of ASE’s experience, in the past wanted we need about 250 did a matter personally, so long as now the same matter only 70 people can complete it. Moreover, enterprise might control all the events and the processing status by the daily report. Do more with few resources this benefit should have the opportunity in each enterprise.

In my opinion, each enterprise wants to use a limit cost to have more benefits under high competition environment. This idea also can be seen on the ASE case as well. With some one’s story illustrate their reaping, we can not feeling truly, only if we confirms the advantage on IT government personally.