New to ITIL

[ddean]

i am just learning about ITIL and was wanting to get some input on how to start this process. Is the use of a consulting firm neccesary? i have mapped most of our processes out and documented. however, i am looking for a new ITSM package so if anyone knows of a good one, also let me know.
thanks
Dale

[Jan van Bon]

Hi Dale,
of course you can profit from the help of an experienced ITSM consultant. It might pay off very nicely if you find a good one, because there are many pitfalls waiting for you on your road to service improvement. But before taking that step you might get acquinted with ITIL at a much cheaper way: simply read the ITSMF introduction book on ITIL and understand the basics before you make any plans. And whatever you do, do it step-by-step.
If you're looking for a tool to support your IT service organization, you might find some support in a free shortlisting service that we've made available at the TOOLselector site: http://www.toolselector.com/ - simply click the TOOLS tab and add your requirements.

[aatencio]

Dale,
I am not one to discount the need for consultants, even though I am not one. However, I think that there is value in your organization taking the first steps on their own. I have been working with this for just over a year and a half now. I have been doing things very slowly so that I am able to learn as I go. Is there value in a consultant coming in to your organization? I am sure there is, however the stuff we are talking about here is not rocket science. For anyone that has been in IT for any length of time many of the best practices outlined in the ITIL books will sound very familiar.

I would recommend you spend some money on the itSMF conference in September to be held in Long Beach. There are a number of very good sessions planned at that conference (and yes I must disclose that as a slightly shameless plug since I am presenting in the government track at the conference). You will have the opportunity to talk to many different people from those that are doing it first hand to those that consult on it. Then after the event register and attend one of the courses given on ITIL and ITSM. I think you will find that with a little training, an understanding of your business, and some creativity you might just be able to do ITSM without the need of a consultant.

I hope that helps...
Andy Atencio
andy@atencio.org

[Ron]

I will agree with the replies to your question thus far.

ITIL/ITSM is not something that is put in place easily without the knowledge of the process and procedures outlined in the Information Technologies Information Library. Service Management, that is efficent and cost effective, has to start with a baseline or assesment of the current processes in place.

I would suggest getting the book, Implementing Information Service Management to gain some knowledge of what you may have in place or not. And contacting a ITIL consultant for a assessment. In the long run, I believe it will save you time, frustration and money to have someone do a gap analysis and recommend changes that will make your IT department and entire company more efficent.

[Rbernhardt]

Hello Dean,
I represent one of the world's leading ITIL tool vendors. Marval Software are a UK based company founded in 1989. Marval are:
- Co-authors of ITIL and ITIL 2
-Co-authors of the British Standard for IT ( BS 15000)
-Working with the ISO organization on the upcoming ISO variant for ITSM ( ISO 15000)
- Marval clients have won the prestigeous itSMF Service Improvement Project of the Year award the last 5 years in a row
-Marval is used exclusively by the owners of ITIL ( The OGC )
-Marval software supports all ITIL procesess out-of-the-box.

Please feel free to contact me as marval is now available in the US market through Stroma Service Consulting ( www.stroma.ca). I would be happy to give you a live demo.
We already have several Marval clients here including TaylorMade -adiadas Golf Comapany and Echostar Satellite LLC.

Thank you,
Rob Bernhardt
Account Executive
519-822-8049
rob.bernhardt@stroma.ca

[Itiler]

>> However, I think that there is value in your organization taking the first steps on their own. <<

I definitely agree with this. Your organization will actually emerge stronger if you make the effort to educate yourselves, rather than fall back on consultants, who are only short term anyway.

There's stacks of stuff on the net (use Google) and certainly, using an online course (for example) to learn wouldn't be a bad idea.

If you take this route, ultimately you'll be equipped to manage this area yourselves, rather than creating a dependency upon an expensive third party.

Some generic start points:
http://www.itil-itsm-world.com
http://www.itilcommunity.com
http://www.itil.org.uk

I'm too modest to put the site I manage in this list!