History and Evolution of ITIL

The ITIL – Information Technology Infrastructure Library – acronym is a registered trademark of UK’s Cabinet office. It is a framework which ensures the efficient and effective functioning of Service Management in the IT industry. It is simply a collection of best practices gathered from all across the industry, vetted by IT service providers, suppliers, customers and all other stakeholders. It has evolved and established itself as the most prominent framework for service management for more than 3 decades now.

The ITIL concept emerged in the 1980s, when the British government determined that the standard of IT service quality provided to them was not sufficient and up to expected levels. The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), now called the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), was tasked with developing a framework for efficient and financially responsible use of IT resources within the British government and the private sector.

The earliest version of ITIL was originally called GITIM, Government Information Technology Infrastructure Management. Obviously this was very different to the current ITIL framework, but conceptually very similar, focusing on service support and delivery. 

Large companies and government agencies in Europe adopted the framework very quickly in the early 1990s. ITIL was spreading far and began to spread its wings in both government and non-government organizations. The IT industry in itself underwent considerable transformation in the 90s and ITIL kept pace and adapted to the changes in the industry.

In the year 2000, The CCTA merged into the OGC, Office for Government Commerce. In the same year, Microsoft used ITIL as the basis to develop their proprietary Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF). This was a significant milestone.

In 2001, version 2 of ITIL was released. The Service Support and Service Delivery books were redeveloped into more concise usable volumes. Over the following few years, it became by far, the most widely used IT service management best practice approach in the world.

In 2007, version 3 of ITIL was published. This adopted more of a lifecycle approach to service management, with greater emphasis on IT business integration. In 2011, ITIL 2011 was published and it is the most updated version of the ITIL framework as of today.

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Is online a good option to learn ITIL

The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), now called the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), was tasked with developing a framework for efficient and financially responsible use of IT resources within the British government and the private sector. The OGC now owns the ITIL framework and accrediting organizations all around the world accredit training companies to provide the ITIL course, physically or virtually.

ITIL training focuses wholly on service concepts, its life cycle, managing risks and controlling them, managing services and delivering the best to the customers etc. Every ITIL training has their students quizzed on the various service management jargons and are then awarded with the ITIL certification. ITIL v3 foundation courses are available in various modes in today’s market. No matter where you are located, you can access the needs at an arm’s length through your desktop or laptop. You don’t have to go through the hassle of traveling to the course venues, you can take the exam whenever you please and you can have access to the result immediately.

But the question here is:  are web based ITIL training equivalent to the regular classroom training session in terms of quality of course content and mode of delivery?

The answer is Yes. ITIL foundation  courses are best practised and rendered in the e-learning version next to the typical classroom sessions. In fact, the e-learning mode has many advantages compared to the classroom training mode,

• One can access the course material online whenever and wherever he/she is placed
• The course content can be referred to as many times as required to understand the concepts as instructed by the trainer
• All figures and notes are clearly available without having the pain to collect them
• The exam can be taken at the candidate’s own convenience
• The candidate has access to the result immediately after the test is taken, though the certificate will be issued later, as it is always the case irrespective of the mode of training

ITIL v3 follows mostly a schedule of introduction to ITIL v3  core, its functionalities, service life cycle, its merits, service operations, design of the service strategies, its transition phase, to-dos on service improvements etc. ITIL certification  can be obtained in an equally efficient manner through web-based Instructor led training as the classroom course. After a thorough understanding of the concepts in depth, one needs to enrol for an online examination in any of the centres where ITIL certification exam provisions are available. On successful completion of the exam, you will receive the certificate.

ITIL foundation courses are mandatory in order to get into the advanced version of the ITIL courses. Further, down the line, we are all introduced to cloud computing which holds virtualization techniques as its crust and this in turn enhances the e-learning methodology. With this, ITIL courses can be taken painlessly.

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All about the MOV Training

The management of value, also known as MOV training being about the essential and the most effective use of all the resources to increase the benefits from the portfolios, programmes and projects. This training is a combination of several set of principles, processes and techniques. 

This training proposes an exact description of the value that holds of the monetary as well as non monetary benefits. Additionally, it supports the fact that the subjectivity of the value will enhance the importance of it to be actively managed. 

It brings about an evolved method that is supported by several techniques for effectively distributing the fewer funds available. This training has been established as a value management across many sectors now.  Although there are times when the applications and the uses of these methods and techniques are over looked and also incorrectly applied, the methods continue to remain as relevant as always. 

This training guide is comprised of the following basic concepts:

• Principles:

These are the compiled theories and principles that have been tried and tested for a very long time (over 50 years).

• Processes and Techniques:

These are the methods that are used in the application of MoV. The techniques offer a practical understanding of the concepts.

• Approach:

The basic approach that teaches how to apply MoV to various portfolios programmes as well as projects.

• Environment:

This reacts to the external as well as internal influences. 

Moreover, this guide also entails the information on how to incorporate the principles and practices of MoV into any organisation.

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Is Agile for real

There have been questions raised about the reliability of Agile Project Management methods and its longevity. Since it is uniquely different from the usual project management methods, it has not been a walk on the park for professionals around the world to adapt to Agile methods. The objective of this article is to reiterate the fact that Agile project management does work and it shortens the duration of a project considerably without compromising on the quality of the products. 

It is however not like a PMP or a PRINCE2 method which can be used to any project environment. Agile methods can be used only in certain environment and more importantly, only when all the members involved in the project are completely involved. It is the method of choice when requirements are dynamic. Agile needs small teams and typically less than 50 developers.

Agile has many methodologies which are important. However, there are 4 which are representative of them all,

• Scrum is a management framework and not a must have in all technical projects
• XP – it is a disciplined software engineering approach to agile
• Crystal – This is the most empathetic methodology and looks directly at the methods involved
• EVO- this is a true system engineer’s approach to Agile and works well with software practices

The main reason Agile Project Management is so popular amongst organisations today is due to its risk management methods. Agile addresses the major risks of the waterfall methodology – the risks which are blamed for any poor quality or poor performance. Further to this, Agile is all about responsiveness which is exercised regularly. All methods which are used are cyclic in nature and repeat themselves again and again.

The main advantages which make Agile so good and different from other methods are as follows,

• Rapid and frequent deliveries to production meaning the project can be financially self-sufficient in a short period of time.
• A strong commitment to business milestones
• The ability to change customer priorities and requirements efficiently
• Extremely cost effective
• Innovative potential for small groups working closely together
• The project objective is based around the customer

And thus we can confidently say that the Agile project management method is here to stay and it is as efficient a project management method as it gets.

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Top Misconceptions broken about PRINCE2

As the number of people who undertake PRINCE2 Training is increasing, so are the number of myths and misconceptions along with it. It is important that you have a clear, specific and the correct information about the training, especially if you are planning to invest in the same.

• PRINCE2 is an acronym for all the projects in the NON Commercial Environments

PRINCE actually stands for ‘Projects in Controlled Environment’. Its primary objective is to provide a structured project management method which is applied to all project situations.

• Only the project managers who want a job undergo this training

Not only is to get a job, training given in a way such that the employees learn a more rigorous and a beneficial approach to the project management.

• If you get this training, you will become competent

No, it doesn’t. It will simply mark you as somebody who has invested time and money to understand the basics of PRINCE 2 projects. Also, the training will develop your skills in such a way that you are able to apply the principles to real life situations. Only the theory understanding will not suffice. In fact, it is the blend of the theory understanding as well as the practical sessions that will make a successful project manager.

• It is only a three day foundation course and two day practitioner course

Yes, although a major group of people get trained in this way but it is not the only way that exists of getting the PRINCE 2 training. There are a number of training organisations that offer the instructor led training in different formats that suit a variety of learning styles and methods.

• The new exam pattern is degrading the value of training

A new system of examination was introduced that replaced the earlier essay based examinations. This exam is for three hours and it is meant to test the student’s potential to apply the basic principles of PRINCE 2 in the everyday life.

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Avail The Benefits Of Management Of Portfolios Training

Portfolio management denotes the various strategic processes or important decisions that are coordinated as a collection to help an organization, business or an individual to maintain a balance even if there is some kind of change. This is why many organizations and individuals prefer to undergo MOP training as it educates them the way to deal and manage the changes they face in a project and programme using the strategic view point.

MOP Training in Glasgow

Why prefer MOP Training?

When you opt for MOP Training in Glasgow, it can help you learn about the following changes in business activities such as:

What is there in the portfolio

The cost of it

The risks that can be a challenge to you

The progress that has to be made

The impact of it in the business as a whole

The strategic objectives of your organization

Benefits of MOP training

The following are the benefits of MOP Training in Cambridge for various parties.

1. For individuals: After undergoing this training you can be highly successful while delivering products or services in utmost quality, benefits and budget that is realized for that project. It can promote better communication between juniors and seniors.

2. For business organizations: to eliminate those projects that are fake, redundant and the ones with poor performance. It also enhances co-ordination among different processes and functions to complete projects in a short time.

Hence with effective MOP training, both the business firms and individuals are motivated and enjoy various benefits.

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Why Is It Important To Study PRINCE2?

Getting a certificate in PRINCE2 would help you be equipped with all essential skills that would give you the confidence for any projects in a successful manner. This would help you gain a better recognition than others in your team and climb up the ladder in your career at a swift pace. You can now enjoy the ability to face any risky situation in a business as you will have better control over your resources. Also known as Projects in Controlled Environments or PRINCE2, this course aims at teaching you about managing the projects in an effective way using available resources at hand. 

Benefits of PRINCE2 

You can enjoy the following benefits if you are learning it from PRINCE2 Training Cambridge.

• Offers better career prospects

This qualification adds enough weightage to your profile as it is world class training and is a standard platform to manage projects. Many employers will not afford to miss a candidate who has undergone such prestigious training, no matter what your basic qualification is. You can fulfil your dream of getting placed at your favourite company at a best remuneration that you have always yearned for.

• Learn at your convenience

It is available as an online training courseware which makes it possible for all learned professionals to learn it at their own pace even if they are working. You can come back from your work and learn PRINCE2 course in your free time without having the need to travel again, which can be tiring.

• Get recognized instantly

As soon as you have completed the PRINCE2 Training London you will be an asset to your organization as you will know the tricks to use up the resources effectively while having full control over it to prevent wastage. Hence you will be an asset to your company as you would save them a lot of resources and save more money in the process.

This course is highly recognized across the world by private firms and organizations but you must make sure that you learn it from a UK based training centre as it has wide acclamation which adds value to your resume.

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