ITIL Cramming

[tractor]

So I have a telephone interview in a couple of days a part of which will be a discussion about ITIL implementation. I have only a high level of understanding but own a set of ITIL CBT that I have never gotten around to looking at.

For the qualified amongst us, which elements in your opinion would be the best to cram for this? The key thrust of the project is global process alignment (I am proficient at making pictures of process stuffs with VISIO/ARIS enterprise, that element of the project is the part that I am interviewing for). It is clear that I won't be cramming the whole lot in one weekend, so I just need a few key pointers.

Yes, I know there is a technical forum and the mods are welcome to move this if they wish, I just thought there would be more people messing around in General over a weekend than in Tech.

TIA.

[northernladuk]

To be honest with you if the role requires this experience and knowledge and you don't have it now you are screwed. No amount of cramming will give you any real experience and quoting from the ITIL books will stand out a mile. Many companies have ITIL based processes so the client will expect some realistic examples or demonstratable experience implementing it, not quoting from a book.

What exactly do you mean by implementation anyway? Implementing ITIL in to the client or applying ITIL to the project, which element? Tranistion? Design? Need a bit more info on exactly what part of the project you are working with.

[tractor]

...



Global alignment of processes in an ITIL framework, it will cover the whole design, transition, operation and include CMMI as an objective. They want me for the BPMN, domain and application skills and experience but want to see how deep my ITIL knowledge is/how adaptable I am. It is not imperative that I have any real experience (by that I'm guessing you mean practical as opposed to theoretical) They KNOW I have no practical exp.

So you see, I'm not as you put it screwed, whatever you want to think.

Are you actually qualified? If not, you won't mind if I pass on your advice for anyone that is and that cares to share. If you are perhaps you'd care to answer the question. I don't mind the crap as long as the question gets answered too. tyvm.

[mudskipper]

Sorry tractor, don't know. But good luck with the interview.

(Which is what NLUK really meant )

[cojak]

For the qualified amongst us, which elements in your opinion would be the best to cram for this? The key thrust of the project is global process alignment (I am proficient at making pictures of process stuffs with VISIO/ARIS enterprise, that element of the project is the part that I am interviewing for). It is clear that I won't be cramming the whole lot in one weekend, so I just need a few key pointers.

Yes, I know there is a technical forum and the mods are welcome to move this if they wish, I just thought there would be more people messing around in General over a weekend than in Tech.

TIA.

Lord knows, ITIL is massive these days and you have 2 problems in front of you. You're proficient in drawing (ARIS) but how experienced are you in Business Process Analysis?

Anyway, you haven't given enough info for us to steer you in the right direction but for a blanket cram take a look at this website ITIL Processes - IT Process Wiki

Take a look at the overviews of each of the 5 stages of the lifecycle, that's probably all you'll need for the interview if the client is aware of your skills and experience.

[tractor]

Lord knows, ITIL is massive these days and you have 2 problems in front of you. You're proficient in drawing (ARIS) but how experienced are you in Business Process Analysis?

Anyway, you haven't given enough info for us to steer you in the right direction but for a blanket cram take a look at this website ITIL Processes - IT Process Wiki

Take a look at the overviews of each of the 5 stages of the lifecycle, that's probably all you'll need for the interview if the client is aware of your skills and experience.

To answer your questions first, 25 yrs as BA with 15 of those having BPR as a key element of most projects covering ERP, SC, Procurement, credit cards and Property/Asset/Facilities management. None of this though in an ITIL environment.

I have looked at wiki of course, and even have a copy of ITIL CBT that I bought a while ago and never had need or time to spare on it. I have covered the foundation and taken several online readiness tests, tbh this level can be learned and passed in an hour of cramming but I needed to know whether there were any key elements that I should focus on. Perhaps I should stop at the BMM and make sure I can describe each of the 5 stages in enough detail to not look stupid. To be honest this is not a huge element of what I need to focus on for the interview and if it's anything like some that you go to they will have made their mind up before we even get that far.

Thanks anyway

[malvolio]

Put it this way: if you can't explain the relationship between Service Catalogue and CMDB and between Incident, Problem, Change and Configuration in three minutes, and why they are necessary, you can't do ITIL. YOu sure as hell won't learn enough in a few days to convince anyone.

You want to learn ITIL do the reading and add in about five years solid delivery management, then it will make sense. It's not a methodology (despite V3's pretensions), it's best practice codified and aims to ensure everyone is using the same language.

And if you want to query my qualifications, I learrned it in the 90s from the guys that wrote the original and have been using it ever since.

HTH

[tractor]

...

Put it this way: if you can't explain the relationship between Service Catalogue and CMDB and between Incident, Problem, Change and Configuration in three minutes, and why they are necessary, you can't do ITIL. YOu sure as hell won't learn enough in a few days to convince anyone. To be fair and like I already said, this level you can learn in an hour on the web and most of it is common sense to anyone who has been around a service desk for any length of time.

You want to learn ITIL do the reading and add in about five years solid delivery management, then it will make sense. It's not a methodology (despite V3's pretensions), it's best practice codified and aims to ensure everyone is using the same language.

And if you want to query my qualifications, I learrned it in the 90s from the guys that wrote the original and have been using it ever since. I did the same with OGC Gateway Reviews and OJEC (OJEU now), it was fun, wasn't it?

HTH

I think I'll ask them if they wouldn't mind letting me cut my teeth in the post room while I study for 5 years lol.

[malvolio]

I think I'll ask them if they wouldn't mind letting me cut my teeth in the post room while I study for 5 years lol.

Gosh you're witty.

I started from a twenty year permie career, mostly in Operations Management. I've built five fully-ITIL compliant service teams over the last fifteen years, and delivered ITIL consultancy for at least three system integrators. I've also lost count of how many "ITIL Implementation Programmes" I've seen, none of which have ever delilvered anything useful. And I don't even have a Manager's Certificate...

And it's not about "Service Desks", it's about the whole end-to-end department, from the desk to the coders and the bean counters at one side and the guys working with the users at the other. That's why you need the management experience. Anything else and you're only selling snake oil to the gullible.

But the core principles - yes, you can learn them in ten minutes, they're not rocket science. Putting them to work - that's a whole other problem.

[tractor]

...

How did you possibly turn an innocent question about something that by your own admission is best practice rather than a methodology into a need to defend your experience? This uncomplicated question that I asked only needed a simple answer, perhaps 'no it cannot be done' or 'concentrate on this bit', 'keep it at a high level' or whatever. I questioned NL's qualifications simply because he answered in his usual fashion and I wondered whether he could back up what he said with qualifications. I take his lack of answer as a no. Especially given he had no more to say on the subject.

Now to turn to my need ( which after all, this thread was about), this potential opportunity would make use of my skills and experience in a particular domain which are not in doubt but which have a need for some, reiterate SOME understanding of ITIL; at this, I would like to show some adaptability, willingness to learn and enthusiasm. I am not looking to con them into thinking I am something I'm not.

Gosh you're witty. Thank you

I started from a twenty year permie career, mostly in Operations Management. I've built five fully-ITIL compliant service teams over the last fifteen years, and delivered ITIL consultancy for at least three system integrators. I've also lost count of how many "ITIL Implementation Programmes" I've seen, none of which have ever delilvered anything useful. And I don't even have a Manager's Certificate...Neither do I but thanks for sharing


And it's not about "Service Desks", it's about the whole end-to-end department, from the desk to the coders and the bean counters at one side and the guys working with the users at the other. That's why you need the management experience. Yes it is, to do those things, not to understand what the experts on a project are trying to do; that's the level of understanding that I am looking for. Anything else and you're only selling snake oil to the gullible.

But the core principles - yes, you can learn them in ten minutes, they're not rocket science. Putting them to work - that's a whole other problem. And that is someone elses' job in my scenario

Anyway, to close, I think I've gotten about as much out of this thread as I ever will.