In Part I of this blog, we looked at the importance of defining the need for ITIL certification beyond one’s real-world experience. Part II will present a perspective on identifying the right training solution for your needs.
There’s No Shortage of Training
There are many courses available as part of ITIL certification, all of which earn candidates the 22 credits needed for passing the associated exams and becoming an ITIL Expert.
A foundation course in ITIL allows people to gain a high-level overview of ITIL and also what to expect in the intermediate courses. Passing the foundation exam earns the candidate two credits.
The intermediate courses are grouped into two main areas, lifecycle and capability modules:
- The Lifecycle stream has five individual qualifications, where each qualification relates to a specific book within the core publications as part of the ITIL service lifecycle. Passing the exam earns three credits.
- The Capability stream has four individual qualifications, which focus on a series of grouped process activities (across the publications), and their use and execution throughout the lifecycle. Passing the exam earns four credits.
There are also complementary certifications, such as Change Analyst, that earn candidates credits.
Tips to Get You Started
Once you get started, it will be easier to define your best path to certification and what is needed for other members of your team. Let’s get you started on your ITIL certification journey with four tips:
- A Foundation course will provide an overview of the key principles, definitions, processes and interfaces within the ITIL framework. For this reason, it’s recommended to send all key staff affected by an ITIL implementation to this course. It’s not only for IT stakeholders! The concept of services and service management can be applied to all areas of the business.
- The implementation team will not all need to become ITIL Experts. The implementation team will consist of staff who (1) will be looking to achieve a management role within the key disciplines, (2) require a further understanding on the ITIL framework and (3) will be affected by the change. These stakeholders should select from the lifecycle courses, which will help them meet their achievement needs and gain a deeper understanding of the ITIL framework.
- The implementation team will also consist of staff who will be focused only on a particular area (process or function) post-implementation. Due to the specific nature of these staff members' needs, the capability courses would be ideal. These courses go into further detail (as compared to the lifecycle courses) about the process structure, and touch points across other areas.
- Flexibility to meet the needs of your organization is still key. An ITIL Expert certification rewards those individuals who have gained 22 credits from passing exams associated with the foundation, intermediate and complementary certifications. It is possible to cross over between the Lifecycle stream and the Capability stream in achieving an ITIL Expert certification. Tailor the course qualifications you undertake according to your needs, while still achieving the right number of credits.
Once you have a general understanding of your needs and the needs of your team, invest some time to network amongst your peers to gain the ongoing real-world knowledge and experience that helps elevate your value within your organization and for ITIL certification as an industry best practice.
Hitesh Patel is an instructor and course author for Learning Tree International.
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