| Change management is the process of implementing | | | | failures. |
| changes in IT effectively and efficiently, with least | | | | Failure of back-out plans or non-existent back-out |
| negative impact in accordance with the organizational | | | | plans. |
| objectives and priorities. These changes may be as | | | | Uninformed and confused end-users unable to |
| critical as a major application upgrade, or minor as | | | | cope with abrupt changes, mostly failing. |
| applying an OS-patch on a laptop. The focus ITIL | | | | lack of visibility into change dependencies and |
| change management is basically lowering risks and | | | | proper testing/QA procedure. |
| costs associated with planned, as well as, and | | | | The importance of controlling change in the IT |
| unplanned changes. ITIL sees this as a gradual process | | | | environment has grown significantly in the last few |
| that involves pre-deployment assessments and | | | | years. This shift in priorities has had a major impact on |
| reviews. It incorporates a life cycle approach for | | | | mid-sized businesses, which have needed to increase |
| managing the changes and strict guidelines ensure that | | | | their focus on IT compliance and initiatives centered on |
| changes are consistent with the policies, business | | | | security, control, and documentation. This emphasis on |
| requirement, governance/regulatory principles. | | | | change management is an outgrowth of regulations, |
| ITIL views "Change Management" as a | | | | such as Sarbanes-Oxley; an increase in the adoption |
| process-centric, "Configuration Management" as it | | | | of best practices in IT, such as the Information |
| focused on the collection of accurate and current | | | | Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL); and general |
| knowledge of how devices and applications are | | | | trends of corporate accountability. The challenge for |
| configured. The ITIL configuration changes must be | | | | change management today focuses on organizational |
| viewed in the context of performance, service and | | | | and technological maturity. Most IT shops have been |
| optimization of application and infrastructure. | | | | busy building out their technology infrastructure and |
| Proper management of change process demands due | | | | fighting fires along the way. Now more and more IT |
| diligence is ensured toward risk assessment and | | | | organizations are realizing the reasons why change |
| business impact analysis. It also emphasizes the | | | | management warrants the time and investment |
| necessity for and obtaining adequate approval, | | | | required to meet accountability needs. |
| documenting clear workflow for change, and reviewing | | | | Investing in change management software is a |
| the work of change. The Change Management | | | | necessary step for midsize businesses, otherwise it will |
| process itself should also be adjusted for operational | | | | impede the IT division in scaling the maturity level to |
| efficiency to assess the types of changes that are | | | | sustain organizational growth. It has to be keep in mind |
| requested through organization, the speed and pace | | | | for many successful corporate bodies, the It |
| with which changes to implement or the number of | | | | department work as a strategic partner rather than |
| changes to undo.Needles to emphasize that with the | | | | being a subservient support entity. Similarly, a weak IT |
| growing complexity of management and the size of | | | | without structured practices and adequate system |
| the organization there is a need to rely on some | | | | tools may become a corporate handicap. The mid-size |
| reliable ITSM application system to ensure quality of IT | | | | companies need to understand the efficacy of the ITIL |
| services.It is not an unusual sight to see a growing | | | | methodologies and establish an effective of IT service |
| mid-size organization with an understaffed It | | | | management frame work. The two most important |
| department with minimal capability to handle changes in | | | | areas that need some investment in the ITSM space |
| professional manner. | | | | are ITIL change management and configuration |
| The major pitfalls for not embracing standardized, | | | | management. Apart from delineating the logical |
| methodological automated change management | | | | process flow, it is necessary to have some kind of |
| process would include, inter alia, the following: | | | | ITSM system or application that would automate the |
| Unstructured and Inefficient approval process. | | | | processes defined. |
| Lack of proper evaluation and review and change | | | | |