What is Studied in an ITIL Foundation Course?

Students will learn the core disciplines and principles of ITIL and IT Service Management.  This course explores the five stages of the Service Lifecycle: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement.  Key Service Lifecycle processes, activities, and roles are studied as well.  Students will learn the benefits of implementing ITIL in an organization.  This course prepares learners for the ITIL V3 Foundation Certification exam.

What is the ITIL V3 Foundation Certification Exam?

The ITIL V3 Foundation Certification exam is a 60-minute exam that consists of 40 multiple choice questions.  Candidates must correctly answer at least 65% of the questions (26 out of 40 questions).  Upon successfully completing this certification exam, candidates will receive the ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate and 2 credits in the ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme.  Possessing the ITIL Foundation Certificate is a prerequisite for entry into the advanced ITIL training modules.

Are There Any Prerequisites for the ITIL V3 Foundation Course?

To enroll in the ITIL V3 Foundation course, students do not need to have any prior qualifications; however, students will benefit from having some experience with IT service delivery.

Choosing Your Training Style

At Florida-based Ashford Global IT (AGIT), there are three different styles of training that you can choose from when registering for the ITIL V3 Foundation course:  traditional classroom training, virtual instructor-led training, and self-paced training. The traditional classroom training option takes place over 3 days, is held in a physical classroom, and is led by a live instructor. The virtual instructor-led training option combines the features of a traditional classroom with an online environment.  This training method takes place entirely online but there is a live instructor and a set schedule.  This course is conducted over 5 half-day sessions, which are usually scheduled Monday through Friday from 1pm-5pm Eastern Standard Time. Students are able to ask questions and communicate with the instructor and other learners through chat windows. The self-paced training option allows a student to review the course material at his or her own pace.  The student will be able to access the online course material at his or her convenience for a period of 20 days.

To learn more about the training options available for the ITIL V3 Foundation course, contact Ashford Global IT today!

• The importance of Service Management as a practice
• Service Transition principles
• Service Transition roles and responsibilities
• How processes in Service Transition interact with other Service Lifecycle processes
• Service Transition activities
• Organizing Service Transition
• How to measure Service Transition performance
• Technology and implementation considerations associated with Service Transition
• Challenges, critical success factors, and risks related to Service Transition

This course uses a combination of lecture and scenario-based team and individual activities and exercises to best present the core disciplines of the ITIL Best Practice and prepare learners for the ITIL V3 Service Transition Certification exam.

This 90-minute, closed-book exam consists of 8 multiple-choice, scenario-based, gradient-scored questions.  Each question will have 4 possible answer options: the best choice is worth 5 marks, the second best choice is worth 3 marks, a not so good choice is worth 1 mark, and one distracter achieves no marks.  To earn the ITIL V3 Service Transition Certificate and 3 credits in the ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme, candidates must secure at least 70% of the marks.

The course is intended for –

• Individuals who wish to receive an in-depth understanding of the Service Transition phase of the ITIL Service Lifecycle.
• IT professionals who are already working in or set to enter a Service Transition environment.
• Individuals who wish to attain the ITIL Expert or ITIL Master qualifications.

To enroll in the ITIL V3 Service Transition course, candidates must possess the ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate or the combination of the ITIL V2 Foundation Certification and the V3 Bridge Certificate.

Contact Ashford Global IT today for more information on the ITIL V3 Service Transition course!

The ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme has four levels: ITIL Foundation in IT Service Management, ITIL Intermediate Level, ITIL Expert, and ITIL Master.  There are two streams in the ITIL Intermediate Level: the Capability Stream and the Lifecycle Stream.  The Capability Stream concentrates on executing, managing, and improving a series of clustered process activities throughout the ITIL Service Lifecycle.  The Lifecycle Stream investigates the management and control of activities and techniques within the specific phases of the Service Lifecycle but not the details of each of the supporting processes.

This article provides a brief overview of each course in the Lifecycle Stream.

ITIL V3 Service Strategy Lifecycle Course – Service Strategy assists organizations with setting their objectives, policies, guidelines, and expectations for providing services to customers. IT professionals will learn how to design, develop, and implement IT Service Management as an organizational capability as well as a strategic asset. The four main processes studied in this course are Demand Management, Financial Management, Strategy Generation, and Service Portfolio Management.

ITIL V3 Service Design Lifecycle Course – This class addresses the design and development of services and IT Service Management processes.  Service Design studies how an organization can develop the most cost-effective service(s) while still providing value and customer satisfaction as well as meeting the organization’s objectives.  There are seven key processes in Service Design: Service Level Management, Supplier Management, IT Service Continuity Management, Availability Management, Capacity Management, Security Management and Service Catalog Management. Business professionals will also learn the Four Ps of Design: people, products, processes, and partners.  Furthermore, the five aspects of design will be explored: Service Solutions, Service Management Systems and Tools, Technology and Management Architectures, Process Design, and Metric System.

ITIL V3 Service Transition Lifecycle Course – Service Transition provides guidance on how to develop or improve existing capabilities for transitioning new or modified services into operation.  This phase deploys Changes to services and Service Management processes in a coordinated way to minimize the risk of failure or service disruption.  Service Transition has four underlying processes: Change Management, Release and Deployment Management, Service Asset and Configuration Management, and Knowledge Management.

ITIL V3 Service Operation Lifecycle Course – Service Operation coordinates and performs activities that are required to deliver and manage services at agreed upon levels to business users and customers.  Business professionals will learn how service stability can be maintained and value can be delivered to customers.   There are five main processes in Service Operation: Incident Management, Problem Management, Event Management, Request Fulfillment, and Access Management.   In order to complete these processes, Service Operation incorporates four key functions: the Service Desk, Application Management, Technical Management, and IT Operations Management.

ITIL V3 Continual Service Improvement (CSI) Lifecycle Course – Continual Service Improvement helps an organization create and maintain continuous value for customers.  CSI reviews, analyzes, and makes recommendations for improvement opportunities in each Lifecycle phase.  IT professionals will study the Continual Service Improvement model, the 7-step CSI process, and the Circle for Quality Improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Act).

The course length for each of these modules is 3 days.  Each course takes place in a traditional classroom setting with face-to-face instruction.  Students will learn through a combination of lecture, discussions, and scenario-based team and individual activities and exercises.

To learn more about the ITIL Intermediate Lifecycle Stream, contact Ashford Global IT today!

The Developing Successful Training for Non Training Professionals course is intended for business professionals who are in a training role and have no previous training knowledge or experience. In this course, participants learn the best ways to develop and present training in a successful manner.

In the Effective Presentations course, students will learn how to develop and deliver professional presentations.  In addition, this course addresses how to participate in and conduct effective business meetings.  Students will learn how to actively listen and take good notes, thereby facilitating the exchange of thoughts and ideas in presentations and business meetings.

The Effective Business Writing course offers students useful strategies for refining their writing skills, which include structuring their ideas in a logical manner, exercising diplomacy in business reports and letters, and shaping their arguments.  After the completion of this business course, students will be in a position to organize and write effective business correspondence in a way that is concise and suits the business culture of the company.

The Advanced Business Writing course identifies different techniques for preparing and writing various types of business documents, such as business plans and proposals, contracts, reports, and procedures.  Students will learn to create business documents that are focused and communicate to the audience effectively.

The Grammar Essentials course assists participants in refreshing and refining their grammar usage.  Students will review the rules of grammar, detect common grammar errors, and improve their writing style.

Students can elect to take these courses in a traditional classroom setting or online through virtual instructor-led training.

If you are one who wants to hone your business abilities, enroll in a business course at Ashford Global IT today!

This article will focus on the Incident Management process within Service Operation.

Incident Management is the process that handles all Incidents.  As defined by ITIL, an Incident is “an unplanned interruption to an IT service or a reduction in the quality of an IT service.”  Incidents can be reported by users, technical staff, or monitoring tools. The key purpose of Incident Management is to restore an IT service to normal service operations promptly and in the most effective way possible. This is to be done while minimizing any adverse effects the Incident may have on business operations. Doing so ensures that the best quality service levels and service availability are maintained. “Normal service operations” are defined as operations that fall within SLA guidelines.

As part of the Service Lifecycle, Incident Management brings exceptional value to any business.  It improves a company’s ability to find and resolve Incidents, which results in fewer interruptions to business operations and a more dependable availability of service. Thus, the company is able to take advantage of the functionality of the service as it has been designed. Incident Management also helps the company align its IT activities with its business priorities. This process has the ability to identify business priorities and adjust resources as needed.  Incident Management can also recognize potential enhancements to services.

To learn more about the value Incident Management can bring to your organization, enroll in the ITIL V3 Service Operation course or the ITIL V3 Operational Support and Analysis course at Ashford Global IT!

This article will focus on the Problem Management process within Service Operation.

Problem Management is responsible for handling all Problems that occur throughout the IT infrastructure.  As defined by ITIL, a Problem is “a cause of one or more Incidents.  The cause is not usually known at the time a Problem Record is created, and the Problem Management process is responsible for further investigation.”  By preventing Incidents from occurring and minimizing the impact of Incidents that cannot be prevented, Problem Management can provide considerable value to an organization.  This includes improving IT service availability, IT service quality, and the productivity of business personnel.  Other key benefits of Problem Management include reduced costs as well as less downtimes and disruptions to business operations.

Problem Management includes the following activities:

• Detecting Problems
• Logging Problems
• Categorizing Problems
• Prioritizing Problems
• Investigating and Diagnosing Problems
• Resolving and Closing Problems

Within the ITIL Service Operation section, candidates are taught the activities, processes and techniques that are required to find, diagnose, and resolve any Problems or Incidents that may occur during the course of service delivery.

To learn more about Problem Management, enroll in the ITIL V3 Service Operation course or the ITIL V3 Operational Support and Analysis course at Ashford Global IT!

Service Strategy

The Service Strategy phase of the Service Lifecycle provides guidance on how to design, develop, and implement IT Service Management.  Students will understand how service strategies can be developed to give the business a distinct advantage in the marketplace.  During Service Strategy, an organization will determine its target markets and how to differentiate itself from its competitors. The organization’s management team will understand the costs and risks associated with their Service Portfolios and can efficiently use this information in their operational decision-making. Practical examples will be used to describe the assessment and planning involved within the IT departments of small, medium, and large corporations. Having the proper strategies in place can give the company a proactive and productive approach to their business operations.

Service Design

The Service Design phase of the Service Lifecycle provides guidance on how to design and develop services and IT Service Management processes that will support the service strategies already developed.  Learning how to design service plans will prepare IT professionals and business leaders to address customer concerns in the most proficient manner.

Service Transition

The Service Transition phase of the Service Lifecycle teaches IT professionals and their business associates to manage changes in a productive manner.  Service Transition provides guidance on how to efficiently and effectively transition new and changed services into operations without disrupting or interrupting other services or processes.

Service Operation

The Service Operation phase of the Service Lifecycle provides guidance on the practical aspects of day-to-day business operations. The goal is for the IT department to keep things running smoothly, reliably, efficiently and cost-effectively. The activities and processes in this phase ensure that services are delivered to customers at the agreed upon levels with minimal interruptions and disruptions.  Service Operation focuses on providing value to both the customer and the service provider.

Continual Service Improvement

Even if nothing changes in an organization, there is always room for development and improvement in IT services. Continual assessment is the key to understanding where improvements can be made. ITIL training can help learners identify where these possibilities for progress are.

To learn more about the five stages in the ITIL Service Lifecycle, enroll in an ITIL training class at Ashford Global IT today!

The ITIL Qualification Scheme:

• ITIL V3 is the current version of this framework.  The ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme has four levels: ITIL Foundation, ITIL Intermediate Level, ITIL Expert and ITIL Master. The ITIL Foundation Certification is the entry level module and is a requirement for entry into the ITIL Intermediate Level.

The Basic Ideas and Purposes of ITIL:

• The most basic principle of ITIL V3 is that it is based on a Lifecycle approach.  There are 5 stages in the Service Lifecycle: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement.
• ITIL provides guidance for IT personnel on how to work within the framework of their company’s business requirements. By doing so, these IT professionals can help the business work more productively and profitably. The organization is then able to provide better services to their customers and users.
• One of the main principles of ITIL training is to teach IT personnel to recommend changes that will impact business operations in a positive way. Technology is always advancing, and IT services will always have more to offer. It only makes sense that the knowledgeable IT team will have suggestions for changes on an ongoing basis.
• One of the main goals of an ITIL-based Service Model is supreme efficiency. Businesses need to accomplish their tasks with the least amount of time, energy and manpower expended in the process. IT personnel should use ITIL V3 concepts and principles to create designs for efficient business operations.
• ITIL places a high emphasis on consistent and predictable results, thereby enhancing the ability of the IT infrastructure and operations to align with business objectives.  This increases the stability of business operations.

The Benefits of Implementing ITIL:

• ITIL makes it easier for IT departments to integrate IT services to meet the demands of the organization.
• Financial tasks in the organization can be readily accomplished within the ITIL infrastructure without a need for excessive manpower. For example, ROI figures can be constantly available without lengthy calculations by business personnel.
• The business’s customers are served better as well, since the business itself is running more smoothly. The IT department meets the needs of the business, allowing the business to meet the needs of their customers.
• ITIL provides a way of speaking about IT problems, issues and developments that are common to all those who have had ITIL training. This permits free and efficient communication within all facets of the IT department.
• The ITIL framework promotes company progress through systematic steps, including continual assessment, setting reasonable goals, and putting new or improved IT services into place.

ITIL is an IT Service Management framework which improves IT departments and thus benefits their companies. IT departments become more efficient, businesses become more profitable, and customers more often get the high-quality services they want.

To learn more about the benefits of implementing the ITIL V3 framework, enroll today in an ITIL V3 training course at Ashford Global IT!

Application Management supervises applications throughout their lifecycles. This function is in charge of designing, testing, and improving the applications that are part of the IT services.  Application Management also plays a major role in deciding whether an application is bought or built in-house.

The role of and activities in Application Management are extremely similar to Technical Management. However, Application Management focuses on software applications instead of the IT infrastructure. Activities carried out within Application Management include identifying the knowledge and skills needed to manage applications, designing and delivering end-user training, contributing to the design and building of new services, managing vendors, and being involved in improvement projects throughout the Service Lifecycle.

Many organizations often label applications as services. However, applications are simply one component required to provide a complete service. One application can support more than one service, and it is possible for one service to make use of a number of different applications. Many service providers today use service-oriented architectures to design and build shared services.

To learn more about the activities that take place within Application Management, enroll in the ITIL® V3 Service Operation course or the ITIL® V3 Operational Support and Analysis course at Ashford Global IT!

This article will focus on the Request Fulfillment process within Service Operation.

Request Fulfillment is a predefined process which handles Service Requests. As defined by ITIL, a Service Request is “a request from a user for information or advice, or for a Standard Change or for access to an IT service.” Examples of Service Requests include a request to change a password or a request to install a software application on a specific workstation.  Because many of these Service Requests are frequently occurring, low-cost, and low-risk, they can be handled by the Service Desk.  However, it is up to the organization to determine and document which Service Requests will go through Request Fulfillment procedures versus which Service Requests will go through Change Management procedures and require a formal Request for Change (RFC).

The Request Fulfillment process can help improve the productivity of your employees by providing them with quick and efficient access to standard services.  Offering a central location where these Service Requests are fulfilled can heighten the level of control over services.  Request Fulfillment can also reduce your costs.  By having a separate process to satisfy these Requests, you are freeing up your Incident Management and Change Management teams to focus their resources on Incidents and Changes that are higher in risk and can have a bigger impact on business operations.  This process also reduces the paperwork and bureaucracy entailed with requesting and receiving access to services.

To learn more about the benefits of Request Fulfillment, enroll in the ITIL V3 Service Operation course or the ITIL V3 Operational Support and Analysis course at Ashford Global IT!