Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

ITIL V3 can secure its position in the board room, but it’s a step change, says Parity.

The goal for ITIL V3 is to raise the bar for IT Service Management and get it operating at a more strategic level than it has been. “This is a step change” says Rick Firth, Parity’s MD of Training. “We welcome this change but the expectation is high. With the majority of organisations still only implementing Service Desk and measuring transactions, it’s going to require a massive culture change in IT to get to the end goal” says Firth.

Most IT Service Management implementations are focused on internal customer satisfaction ratings with few organisations measuring value to the whole business. The new qualifications offer a new focus on Service Strategy which includes the all important financial element and also how to determine the return on investment, so hopes are high for future boardroom inclusion. Whilst ITIL has undoubtedly transformed the quality of internal customer service over the past decade, providing support for IT users and keeping them up and running, it has not yet managed to break through the glass ceiling.

“The new ITIL Diploma is actually quite an exciting new qualification scheme”, says Firth “. It is flexible with its accumulated credit system, but we must emphasise that to speak the language of quantifiable value to the business, IT Service Managers must start measuring the right things. There are enormous costs savings that can be made with full roll-outs into other areas of IT Service Management, the trouble is, not enough organisations have done this.”

This week Parity launches its new ITIL V3 Foundation training course which will earn delegates credits for progression towards the new ITIL Diploma. Four levels are included in the new scheme: Foundation, two intermediate levels and an advanced level (currently under development).

“Whilst V2 qualifications do not ‘expire’ we want to encourage take up of V3 simply because we feel it is a step change that needs to take place in IT Service Management, and whilst we don’t think this is going to be easy, it is necessary” continues Firth.

About Parity Group plc

Parity is an IT and Business services organisation delivering technical, recruitment and IT training solutions to the UK and Irish markets.

Parity’s expertise in Project and Programme Management minimises business risk associated with systems implementation, integration or business change for our clients. As agents of change, we provide the skills, competencies and concepts necessary to improved business performance for IT enabled projects, programmes and change initiatives.

Having been established for over thirty years, Parity has developed deep industry and expertise in Finance, Utilities, Telecoms and the Public Sector delivering, people, skills and concepts for IT enabled projects and programmes throughout the UK.

Parity believes that better relationships deliver better results. Many of our current client relationships span more than ten years, and clients include; Barclays Bank, British American Tobacco, BT, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Department for Work and Pensions, HBOS, Ministry of Defence, Northern Ireland Electricity, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scottish Power, The Cabinet Office, The Charity Commission and the NHS.

Gina Cannon
Parity Group plc
Wimbledon Bridge House
1 Hartfield Road
Wimbledon
London
SW19 3RU
0845 873 6945
http://www.parity.net