| I often hear people use the term "ITIL Lite." But what | | | | missed here is the point that this is contrary to best |
| exactly does it mean? The phrase is often used within | | | | practice. Best practice is best practice because it has |
| the context of trying to gain the benefits of ITIL without | | | | been proven. It is not based on conjecture or theory |
| making the necessary difficult choices and sacrifices; | | | | but on the examples taken from those that worked |
| thus, deviating from the core principles of IT Service | | | | diligently to put in the time and effort to define |
| Management. In this sense, ITIL-Lite is the shortcut | | | | objectives, create buy-in, and deliver the value |
| taken whenever the organization is not able (or at | | | | promised to the organization. |
| least does not believe it is able) to get the requisite | | | | In doing so, they realized that it's not possible to simply |
| level of buy-in to fully implement the best practice | | | | skip activities and levels of maturity in exchange for |
| concepts as defined in the Library. | | | | expediency and achieve the same level of quality. |
| In most situations, the following scenario exists: | | | | As a practical matter, neither can you cherry pick the |
| someone (usually a mid level manager) within the | | | | most palatable elements of best practice. But alas, |
| organization that has achieved some level of ITIL | | | | eventually the realization sets in that it just doesn't |
| certification (usually Foundation) has the revelation that | | | | work that way. The ITIL model is an integrated one. |
| the way forward is with Service Management. | | | | There is purpose and thought behind every activity |
| Unfortunately, due to having just enough knowledge to | | | | and process flow. This is a lesson most organizations |
| be dangerous, a grandiose implementation plan is | | | | who attempt an implementation without the right |
| hatched. After all, how can anyone argue against the | | | | amount of planning learn in the most disappointing of |
| "common sense" of Service Management? | | | | ways. |
| On paper, everything looks great; finally, a solution to all | | | | Often, even the generic "improvement in quality" or |
| that ails IT. | | | | "increased value" is never realized. This is mostly due |
| Sometime shortly after the project is launched | | | | to the fact that it was never very clear why it was |
| (assuming it was launched as a project,) the realization | | | | being done in the first place. No one really ever knew |
| sets in that people don't always embrace change | | | | where you were supposed to end up. This is best |
| simply because it is the right thing to do. After all, ITIL | | | | known among Service Management professionals as |
| looks very good on paper but it's "really just theory" | | | | the classic case of "ITIL for the sake of ITIL." The |
| and "it doesn't work for very complex organizations". | | | | objective of such an undertaking is never explicitly |
| Or, maybe, "our IT organization is very unique". | | | | identified before undertaking this effort. |
| Somewhere amid the haze of chaos which inevitably | | | | If you don't know where you're going, anywhere will |
| ensues from unplanned organizational changes, the | | | | do. And that's just where most organizations end up. |
| brilliant concept of ITIL-Lite emerges. If ever there was | | | | After all of the hype, time, cost and effort associated |
| the hope of a successful application of the ITIL | | | | with such an endeavor the let down has far reaching |
| concepts, all is now lost. | | | | effects. One of the greatest dangers lies is the |
| This genius is crafted as a compromise between what | | | | resulting loss of faith in ITSM as a really effective and |
| is viewed as the theoretical ideals of the "ITIL | | | | realistic set of best practices. |
| Methodology" in the "uniqueness multi-layered | | | | Eventually, the consensus becomes that Service |
| complexity" of the IT organization in question. | | | | Management just doesn't work for most organizations. |
| The promise, of course, is that all the required hard | | | | Over the next couple of weeks, I will continue to |
| work and discipline associated with realizing the | | | | explore some of the causes of these issues for IT |
| benefits of Service Management can be bypassed | | | | organizations as well as the implications for the |
| without sacrificing the quality of the outcome. What's | | | | Management Consulting profession. |