ITIL

The foundation of our Support Services Portfolio is the IT Service Desk Service. Offering a telephone-based service for both technical and end-user support, the Helpdesk is manned by highly qualified and experienced support personnel based in our purpose-built Service Desk Centre based in Poole, Dorset. Acknowledged as a fast, efficient and effective service, the IT Service Desk Service is the result of a significant investment in personnel training, a large, dynamic, knowledge-base of fault calls and their solutions, and a team of highly skilled technical analysts all of whom have attended ITIL courses. This investment enables fault resolution for our customers to be carried out with much greater...

The term Best Practice is a commonly used buzzword particularly in the consulting community. I am often asked by clients to advise them on the best practice in a particular area of their IT operation and delivery, however there is rarely a clear understanding of what this actually entails. My favourite definition is that a best practice is a technique or methodology that, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to a desired result. An organisation which commits to using the best practices in any field is a committing to using all the available knowledge and technology to ensure success. However, the challenges to using Best Practice are significant. In my experience there is...

A crisis, as defined by dictionary.com, may be a condition of instability or danger leading to a decisive change, and a dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person's life. Any service delivery provider that has announced their perfect performance scores to a dissatisfied client knows just how that crisis feels. The client may even be provoked to pursue contract termination if this dubious high performance reporting continues. The phenomenon has been labeled "Seeing Green and Feeling Red." All too often this happens when reporting mechanisms do not align with service realities-or when the provider's scorecard shows all to be green, yet the client is clearly unimpressed with false claims...

What is Availability Management As you will have learned on your ITIL Managers training course, the most important feature of a quality IT service is availability. Users / customers need the service to be there when they need to use it! Availability Management aims to deliver these levels of availability at the appropriate cost and despite hardware failures and major contingencies. Availability Management takes into account a number of sub activities all of which a crucial to the delivery of an I.T. service the organisation can depend on. These are: Reliability The ability of a configuration item (usually a hardware or software component) to operate as it is designed providing it is correctly used...

The ITIL certification courses created from these best practices and are now available in most UK towns and cities. Lincoln is a new location for ITIL courses. This location is in Lincoln. United Kingdom. Lincoln offers the v3 foundation ITIL course among other courses. In this course the student will learn about the basic elements of ITIL and learn about the different phases of the Service Management Life Cycle as defined in the ITIL courses. many people will benefit from having ITIL training in Lincoln Another new location is for ITIL training in Northampton , United Kingdom. This is taught through EPL-UK Ltd, an accredited ATO based in Northampton. These ITIL training courses are designed to...

ITIL training in Lincoln is a new location for ITIL courses. This location is in Lincoln, United Kingdom. Lincoln offers the v3 foundation ITIL training course among other courses such as PRINCE2. In this course the student will learn about the basic elements of ITIL and learn about the different phases of the Service Management Life Cycle as defined in the ITIL courses. Another new location is for ITIL training in Northampton, United Kingdom. This is taught through EPL-UK Ltd, an accredited ATO based in Northampton. These ITIL training courses are designed to train students who want to pursue a career in IT Service Management. You can now also complete ITIL training in Swindon, United Kingdom. The...

What is you get an Alert about Banking services not working but when you check, you find its working. How about putting is place a system that is 100% guaranteed, No False Alerts!! Today, more than ever, Banking companies rely on IT to deliver enhanced service to customers. While technology-based solutions have many advantages, it is important to understand how business transactions are constructed and implemented with technology components. How does your business improve with IT? how can IT add to the business goal of Banking Company directly. Retail banking Transaction monitoring Internet banking transaction monitoring Payment transaction monitoring ATM transaction monitoring CRM transaction...

Over the last few years I have facilitated several Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) work sessions within the oil and gas and utility industries. The challenge was to build consensus through identifying what is important, making recommendations and decisions and establish direction that would enable the IT organization to improve processes and services offered to their customers. The following article briefly outlines a number of lessons learned that came from our experiences. An ITSM Work Session should provide the foundation for your organization to create the blueprint to propel IT services and business value forward. In establishing an ITSM initiative the following key groups must...

They say that in this world, you cannot avoid change because this is a permanent thing that we will have to deal with. This is also applicable to the business world and therefore one who wants to become successful will need to make sure that he handles change meticulously. Because of this, people are now more willing to go with the flow with the help of a good change management program. When it comes to selecting the right key performance indicator for changes, there is a need to align the goals of the organization with it. If done correctly, the company will be able to benefit from such action and can increase the gains and productivity of the firm. Effective change management is a requirement for...

If you own or operate your own business, whether online or in the real world with your own computer network, you need to find a way to enable your system to function better or else automate any and all changes that are likely to occur in your change management process through the use of change management software. Change management, also known as change control is the process in which changes in the system are put into operation. This process is done in a controlled manner, hence the term change control, through the use of a pre-delineated model or framework. In hindsight, this method makes use of the change management software which is very useful in making sure that any and all important changes...

Organizations are all looking to improve their competitive advantage by following one of the 3 Porter strategies:o Low cost provider; o Differentiation; and o Focus. Business Processes are the primary vehicle for the implementation of anyone of these strategies and that is the main reason why business process improvement projects are on the top of the list of many organizations. Gartner and numerous other research organizations have listed business process improvement on the top of the list for both CEO and CIOs. The cost of labor in developed countries such as the USA, UK and Europe also require continuous review and optimization of business processes to reduce the labor cost to a level where it...

CRM software solutions have progressed considerably in recent times. While the key ingredient in a successful system is always the design and planning, the software solution can also make or break your CRM. The first step is to plan your system based on your needs - and then match a best of breed solution that best fits those requirements. Obtaining expert knowledge of the market leading CRM platforms is critical if you want a truly tailored CRM system - designed to improve your business from day one, and be robust enough to grow as your business grows. What is CRM?CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. You can find a number of different definitions for CRM. CRM does not stand still; it...

EX0-101 Exam ITIL Foundation v.3 Exam Number/Code : EX0-101 Exam Name : ITIL Foundation v.3 Questions and Answers : 158 Q&As Update Time: 2010-06-05 EX0-101 Price: $ 99.00 Exam : EXIN EX0-101 Title : ITIL Foundation v.3 Certification 1. In which document would you expect to see an overview of actual service achievements against targets? A. Operational Level Agreement (OLA) B. Capacity Plan C. Service Level Agreement (SLA) D. SLA Monitoring Chart (SLAM) Answer: D 2. Which of the following is an objective of Release and Deployment Management? A. To standardize methods and procedures used for efficient and prompt handling of all changes B. To ensure all changes to Service Assets and Configuration...

p>Not all software-as-a-service (SaaS) IT service management (ITSM) vendors are created equal.  They each build and deploy their solutions using different methods and techniques.  They each communicate with clients in different ways.  And, they each provide varying levels of service.  Which makes some systems far superior to others. Want to make sure you're signing up for the best SaaS IT service desk solution possible?  Then, don't forget to ask your vendor the following questions: Is Your Solution Built on a Multi-Tenant Infrastructure? Multi-tenant infrastructures are those in which all clients and their users consume the service from the same technology platform, sharing all components in...

As technology specific to the problem, traditional system management vendors are trying to morph and reposition their existing solutions into our space. Some examples of this include HP Software, BMC Software, Service Now and other niche vendors that provide a service level management perspective. If you talk to a large corporation such as Expedia, Cisco, JP Morgan Chase, etc. - they will tell you that traditional systems management and technology business management are two separate disciplines and what they are trying to accomplish requires a radically new technology architecture that combines deep analytics, process automation, out of the box IT financial management expertise, and financial &...

Much is written about 'outsourcing governance' these days - specifically, that a lack thereof is causing a large percentage of companies to fail to fully realize the value of the outsourcing deal into which they entered. As always, industry research varies as to the exact percentage of value lost, but most will agree that a company's inability to manage governance has the potential to reduce business case realization by as much as 35-55%. So why aren't companies paying more attention to outsourcing governance? It is now widely recognized that standard procurement procedures do not apply to the selection of an outsourcing partner. And further, that zero-sum negotiations will lead to a lose-lose...

The PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) specifies the following "Use file-integrity monitoring or change-detection software on logs to ensure that existing log data cannot be changed without generating alerts (although new data being added should not cause an alert)" File or host integrity monitoring software can serve a significant and distinct role in your security policy. Host integrity monitoring software serves as another hurdle for an attacker to defeat and can provide the first indication of a break-in or compromised host. When properly configured and deployed, this type of software is a powerful addition to the layers that defend your infrastructure in depth. File...

No longer can health care organizations continue to provide services without changing the method of care delivery. There are so many processes involved in the delivery of care that many organizations do not know where to begin. Often when they do begin to implement a lean philosophy the focus is on the short-term project goals and not the long-term culture change. Culture change education and management along with implementing lean processes leads to project success and long-term permanent savings. That's a mouthful to say and a great deal to manage. Most lean projects lead to successful completion, but work culture tends to slip back to old habits after the focus is moved elsewhere in the...

We also recently introduced two other things that are the bottom two: Business Process Improvements and Customer Journey Mapping. Customer Journey Mapping I will come on to in a minute. Has anybody come across this Customer Journey Mapping before? Yeah, it is not new, but it is very, very effective. Business Process Improvement was another layer in our training and our skill set capability. Why it is we had Black Belts who had 15-day training completing two projects, they have to deliver at least a million a piece, very, very high level stuff. The Green Belts, 10 days training probably one project typically delivering about 50,000 pounds. We have got a lot of other people in the business who we need...

Six Sigma Black Belt certification is the gold standard qualification for practitioners of this leading process improvement methodology. It consists of progressive and rigorous training in the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) methodology. A Six Sigma Black Belt acts as a lead change agent and expert in a quality focused organisation. He or she is personally charged with scoping, planning and executing projects to reduce process variation and enhance quality in core business processes. A Black Belt is dedicated entirely to project execution and is typically discharged from ongoing operational responsibilities in the business. He or she has to be a resilient and technically...

Six Sigma is now a long-established process improvement methodology that has been demonstrably effective in turning round the fortunes of many industrial companies. Its relentless focus on quality and its goal of stable and consistent process performance has played an important role in narrowing the gap between Western production standards and the lean production model of Japan. Above all, Six Sigma has instilled a culture of data analysis and quantitative thinking well beyond its engineering roots, in businesses from call centres to hospitals. The hierarchy of Six Sigma change management is well known and characterized by a clear division of labour. Black Belts are dedicated full time change agents...

In the early 20th century, the psychologist Kurt Lewin developed the model - known as "Lewin's Freeze Phases" - and which still forms the underlying basis of many change management theories models and strategies for managing change. His model suggests that change involves a move from one static state via a state of activity to another static status quo -and all this via a three-stage process of managing change: unfreezing, changing and re-freezing. Kurt Lewin's change model recognises that people like the safety, comfort and feeling of control within their environment. It also recognises that they derive a strong sense of identity to from their environment. Thus change is threatening to that status...

The American social psychologist Kurt Lewin, widely regarded one of the early 20th century founders of modern psychology, developed the change model known as "Lewin's Freeze Phases" and which still forms the underlying basis of many change management theories models and strategies for managing change. Given that the people aspects of change is the overwhelming issue and in the light of the catastrophic fact that 70% of ALL change management initiatives fail, it is painfully clear that managing the change transition requires time and sensitive skillful leadership - exercised within people-focused change management processes. This can only be consistently achieved by addressing all of the key factors...

CMMI Consultants provide consulting services for CMMI Process Model Framework Implementation, Process Assessment, Process Improvement Strategy, and Organizational Change Management. CMMI Consultants helps organizations in achieving CMMI Maturity or Capability Level. DQS Certification India provides CMMI Consulting services for an organizational change. We act as catalysts to the organizational change process so that all the success elements are present and organizational change is a reality. DQS Certification India provides CMMI Process Consulting Services. Our CMMI and Process consulting is unique in respect of the approach. The CMMI and Process consulting approach is to de-mystify issues and...

Without the acceptance of employees, Six Sigma process improvement is bound to fail. Resistance to change has to be anticipated by the Six Sigma project team. Resistance may be shown by employees by ignoring the new process, disagreeing with the benefits, or criticizing the new tools or software applications. Communication is the Key Six Sigma team leaders must keep reminding employees of the vision of the organization. It helps to maintain employee morale and belief in the change process. Frequent communication about the positive results of any basic changes will help build up faith in change among employees. When a company implements Six Sigma, some people will show resistance by ignoring the new...

Six Sigma projects are strategy-driven, in the same way that the portfolio is driven by organizational strategy. So, how do the business drivers that are at work result in some projects being Six Sigma projects, and others not? Business Drivers and Project Selection Business drivers are the starting point for any project selection process because of their close relationship to organization strategy. Business drivers form the foundation for strategy. Strategy forms the basis for organizational goals. The goals can be translated into specific metrics for purposes of establishing benchmarks. The result of all of this is a set of initiatives wrapped up in a portfolio of projects and programs. The...

Although Six Sigma has its roots in manufacturing, it works just as effectively in service industries. It's no secret that service environments, such as financial organizations, healthcare providers, retail companies, and hospitality organizations have a harder time applying Six Sigma principles. However, the core principles of Six Sigma allow it to cost-effectively translate manufacturing-oriented Six Sigma tools into the service delivery process. Service organizations have different root causes of problems and a unique set of processes and metrics. Thus, the tools and methodology required to achieve the improvements of Six Sigma are significantly different. While problems in the manufacturing...

Six Sigma does have some influence from other popular business management and process improvement ideologies, but it still carries a weight all its own that allows it to be the infamous 'Six Sigma' that it has become today. This reputation that Six Sigma has created for itself is one that is less than savory. It would seem that a process improvement method that offers so many benefits like those that come from Six Sigma Projects would be more revered and appreciated in the business community. Many people do appreciate the Six Sigma Process for what it is, but there are also many people that truly believe that it is ineffective. Add to that the number of people who are actually afraid of Six Sigma...

So many people in the world are scared of change. They aren't ready for what it might bring, and they certainly don't think they can handle the different ways of operating things when they are so used to what they already know. However, if people simply take the time to figure out what works for them and what is best for the business, they will likely realize that change really isn't that scary. Six Sigma Certification even helps by explaining change management so that people can learn how to best teach others that change is good, especially when it comes to better profits and more efficient processes. It is human nature to be comfortable and to want to avoid change. After all, if your working...

Six Sigma is one of the major buzzwords in the corporate world and implementing the Six Sigma in the respective organizations has become the priority for Quality controllers and the QAD (Quality Assurance Departments) in these organizations. What exactly is meant by Six Sigma and what are the benefits that implementing it brings to the table? In statistical terminology, Six Sigma refers to "six" standard deviations from the mean and indicates the margin of error while inspecting the good or services produced by an Organization. What this principle means is that there can be a tolerance of about two defects per billion samples. In jargon free language this means that a manufacturing process cannot go...

The hot subjects at computer schools currently reflect the programs that are most commonly used in professional settings and the skills that are most profitable in the current job market. There are some basic courses that almost all computer students will take in the typical information systems training. These include training and education in subjects such as desktop applications, e-commerce, networking administration, programming languages, software applications, Web site development and more. But if you really want to get a great job in the computer and information technology marketplace, you'll go above and beyond to build the skills and earn the certifications that are hot right now. Many of...

Simply put, change control is the way that pharmaceutical, life science and technology companies (or any company for that matter) handle set-backs, "unpredictables" and upsets. Like people, companies have distinct ways of dealing with challenges and change. Some companies are calm......some have nervous breakdowns. The question is this: How can your company avoid the change control breakdown? The Change Control Debate Some may say the key to good change control is a good quality control department. Others might say that interpersonal communication is the key. Perhaps their arguments are convincing but they've missed the big picture: change control software. Change Control Software: Calm, Secure...

It is not surprising that some people may perceive Six Sigma as being only for large corporations. Major corporations such as Allied Signal, Black & Decker, Dow Chemical, Dupont, Federal Express, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, Kodak, Motorola, Sony, and Toshiba have all rolled out Six Sigma efforts and achieved outstanding results. Yet, it is incorrect to think that Six Sigma process improvement results can only be achieved by huge organizations. Small businesses can also succeed in implementing Six Sigma and reap the process improvement benefits that Six Sigma provides. Certainly, there are factors that can be disadvantageous for implementing Six Sigma in a small business rather than a...

EX0-101 Exam ITIL Foundation v.3 Exam Number/Code : EX0-101 Exam Name : ITIL Foundation v.3 Questions and Answers : 158 Q&As Update Time: 2010-09-14   If you are looking to pass EXIN,Inc EX0-101 exam, then Testinside has the perfect solution for you. Get Testinside EX0-101 exam and be on your way to passing today. It's like having an automatic guarantee of passing because the EX0-101 exam is tough. With our Testinside tools,you can pass EX0-101 exam easily. With the help of the Testinside study materials and guidance of EXIN,Inc EX0-101 certification exam, you can pass your EXIN,Inc EX0-101 exam question in your first attempt. Testinside study materials of EX0-101 is composed by the...

This means defining where underlying problems occur, not merely by watching the end result, but by studying the process. The key is measuring where you are in a given procedure, and w here you would like to go. Then move o n to analyzing the data, improving the status quo, and controlling the activity afterward to institutionalize the improvements so they become permanent traits of your organization. Once you've accomplished all that on one project, you're ready for the next step: finding another project that will make a difference to your company and its customers. That is the most important part of Six Sigma, an improvement initiative that doesn't quit. Ongoing, continual efforts to improve...

I recently met one of my best friends, who are working as a Director for training in an Information Technology (IT) organization in the US who came to India for vacation. During our meeting, we had an interesting discussion about the certifications available for IT professionals. As you may know, thousands of certifications are available in the market place and it is very difficult to find out the most important certifications for a candidate who works in an IT organization. He suggested me the list of best certifications that I mentioned below for IT professionals and highlighted who can go for the PMP certification: Project Management Certifications (CAPM, PMP and PgMP) Microsoft IT Professional...

OK. So you have decided that your organization has toimprove the way in which it works. You have chosen toimplement a methodology as the best way to achieve thisgoal. And now you ask yourself, where do I start? Whatever the discipline you are trying to model (fromsoftware development to supply chain management), it ishighly probable that a standard framework exists, that canserve as the basis for your own methodology. WHAT IS A STANDARD FRAMEWORK? A standard framework is a set of best practices, normallyexpressed as a set of repeatable processes created by anorganization (a professional association, university, publicadministration, etc...). These frameworks are sometimesreferred to as bodies of...

IT infrastructure management is a highly critical activity that needs to be handled with extreme precaution. Efficient management of IT infrastructure can aid in preventing major backlogs and downtime of critical infrastructure assets that support important applications and systems. They primarily aid in enhancing overall operational efficiency of all remote systems and applications. Since IT infrastructure management is a very critical activity in every organization, there are now service providers who offer to handle all major infrastructure asset management activities. They usually cover four important areas of infrastructure management, which includes audit services, management services...

Help desk software solutions have made it easier for online businesses to provide efficient and quick customer service to their customers all over the world. An online business without proper customer service cannot survive for long. Help desk softwares offer unlimited support. It offers quality solutions and more accessible customer service. The most important thing you can do when looking for help desk software is to sit down in a room and write down what you want to do. A well-chosen help desk management application can accelerate resolution efforts, streamline the escalation path, and help identify process improvement opportunities. Accountability and auditing are two of the most important...

For individuals looking to receive tech certification, there are many available options. There are vendor-sponsored certifications that hold a lot of weight, from companies such as Microsoft or Cisco. There are also equally powerful certifications that are not-affiliated with any particular sponsor. One will quickly find that tech certification is not cheap. In fact, in some cases, it is extremely expensive. This means that going after and receiving the certifications, with the greatest Return on Investment (ROI) is vitally important. In this article, we list the tech certifications that will pay off biggest in the job market. 1. MCSE: The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification is...

The Six Sigma DMAIC process methodology is a system that brings measurable and significant improvement to existing processes that are falling below specifications. The DMAIC methodology can be used when a product or process is in existence at your company but is not meeting customer specification or is otherwise not performing adequately. DMAIC is an acronym for five interconnected phases: * Define the project goals and deliverables for both internal and external customers * Measure the process to determine current performance * Analyze and determine the root cause(s) of the defects * Improve the process by eliminating defects * Control future process performance Step One: Define In the Define phase...

The aim of the project scope statement is to document the goals and deliverables of the project along with assumptions, constraints, acceptance standards, and additional key components. Once Okayed, the project scope statement becomes the baseline for future project decisions. The scope statement is the institution for the remaining planning documents and becomes your guideline for success of project. It builds the basic agreement among stakeholders and team members as to the intention of the project. It points the measures you and the stakeholders will use to ascertain if the project matched its goal and was successful. It is crucial to spend the time to observe and document all the deliverables of...

The Citrix EdgeSight product line develops and enhances IT management capabilities, allowing enterprises to proactively monitor, measure and maximise all parts of application performance for any application and any user in any location. Providing comprehensive visibility to performance from the user perspective across all applications and application delivery process, Citrix EdgeSight allows IT managers to proactively monitor application availability; quickly identify, source and solve performance issues; and smartly plan and maximise capacity. The main objectives of any IT organisation is to optimise company profit by allowing business users to get on with thier work as speedily and effectively as...

In recent times, one of the most notable offshoots has been none other than Lean Six Sigma - it is already being touted as the next big thing in the world of quality improvement concepts, methodologies and systems. It would not be wrong to say that Lean Six Sigma is an advanced version of older variations of Six Sigma, because wherever possible it not only helps in reducing the defect rate but also helps in improving overall efficiency business processes by identifying and eliminating unnecessary sub-processes. For this, Lean Six Sigma depends on a wide variety of tools and techniques, some of which are described below. Statistical Lean Six Sigma Tools and Techniques There are many Lean tools...

There needs to be a marked change in attitude and focus on the part of all statisticians and leaders within the Six Sigma culture for it to be successful. These leaders need to understand how the business works from top to bottom in order to create the value and return desired by the customer. This in turn, turns into profit and a healthier bottom line for the company. It is also important to understand key performance measures in the core process, and the financial stake involved, as well as how to improve the processes in order to achieve the desired results. In other words, leaders, statisticians and quality engineers must be held accountable for the success of a project, along with other team...

Selecting the project becomes the necessary step after identifying the need for process improvement in your business or, for that matter, your department. But selecting a project is a series of complex decision-making processes aided by a variety of tools. A wrong project selection for Six Sigma implementation means the project is not in line with your business. You will end up encountering the same roadblocks and going in circles over and again. Steps Involved In Six Sigma Project Selection The steps that need to be taken in selecting a project for Six Sigma vary as per your line of business and the scale of the operation. However, the whole scope of Six Sigma hinges on two key focal points, namely...

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was a Swiss physician/researcher who undertook seminal work on the grief process. Many regard her as the mother of the modern hospice movement. The Kubler-Ross model, was first introduced in her 1969 book "On Death and Dying" in which she describes five stages of emotional and psychological response to grief, tragedy and catastrophic loss. In case you are wondering what all this has to with change management and strategies for managing change, the connection is quite simply that although it was originally used to describe the cycle of emotional changes experienced by the terminally ill, her model [though evolved within a clinical environment] was found to have a far wider...

Fleet management is important for any business, especially considering the impact of technological changes and environmental issues in recent times. Indeed, fleet controllers are becoming an integral part of any business in their attempts to ensure and maintain high standards of service when administering and managing a multinational fleet of vehicles. As a result, financially and commercially astute fleet controllers are in high demand to meet expectations that include ensuring budgetary constraints are met, cost savings are highlighted and innovative fleet procedures are developed. This comes at a time where fleet management companies are required to meet existing service level agreements in a...

Thomas R. Cutler, Associate Editor of Industrial Connection magazine ( is the leading North American manufacturing journalist, writing for more than 200 publications per year. Cutler recently announced an important addition for the July and August 2005 issues of Industrial Connection. With a fast approaching deadline of June 1, 2005, Cutler is going to provide four free advertorial profiles to manufacturers located in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. These one page Manufacturer profiles will include a JPG photograph, and information about their product line being offered to the readers of Industrial Connection. Industrial Connection is the only Manufacturing dedicated...