ITIL Credit Profiler Has Been Updated

The Credit Profiler for the ITIL Qualification Scheme has now been updated. The update aligns the Profiler with the recently published policy on overlapping content and credit eligibility.

The ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme assigns a credit value for each of the V3 certifications. Credits are also available for V1 and V2 certifications. Learners who achieve 22 credits can apply for the ITIL Expert certification.

The ITIL Credit Profiler helps learners:

• Calculate the number of credits that a candidate has already achieved through his/her current certifications
• Enter potential courses to balance the knowledge required to become an ITIL Expert or meet an individual's learning objectives.

The Credit Profiler can be found at http://www.itil-officialsite.com/itilservices/v1/map.asp

ITIL V3 Credits

Since the 2007 introduction of the ITIL V3 certification scheme, there has been some confusion regarding the “value” of V2 certifications as credits towards ITIL Expert™ designation. There has been similar confusion about blending credits from the ITIL V3 Lifecycle and Capability schemes.

Recently, the Qualification Board issued an updated ITIL® Qualification Credit Administration
Policy. The Qualification Board has reviewed the content of similar V2 and V3 courses and revised their initial position based on the percentage of overlap.

Regarding the blending of V3 courses, this policy clarifies that those individuals aspiring to ITIL Expert™ may apply credits from related Lifecycle and Capability courses such as Service Transition and Release, Control and Validation. The courses have a different focus and the overlap is not significant enough to be considered duplicate learning. So, you can now apply credit from both:

• Service Transition (3pts) and Release, Control & Validation (RCV) (4pts)
• Service Operation (3pts) and Operational Support & Analysis (OSA) (4pts)
• Service Design (3pts) and Service Offerings & Agreement (SOA) (4pts)
• Service Design (3pts) and Planning, Protection & Optimization (PPO) (4pts)

That’s great news for organizations and individuals wishing to study a process from both the management and operational perspectives.

The application of V2 credits is a little muddier. In short, there is too much overlap between the V2 Practitioner and equivalent V3 Capability courses. So you cannot apply credits from both:

• IPRC and RCV
• IPAD and SOA
• IPPI and PPO

Instead, you can apply credits from one course or the other. There is a grandfather clause in the policy – if you did take and pass both V2 and V3 related courses before May 1, 2009, you may apply for credits for both courses before August 1, 2009.

The only exception to the rule is IPSR and OSA – it was determined that there is sufficient new material in OSA to allow for credits for both courses and taking both courses earns a total of 7.5 credit to be applied to ITIL Expert™

Those possessing V2 Practitioner certifications can still apply their credits (3.75 each) in a couple of ways:

• To claim credits instead of one of the V3 Capability Courses (credits will vary depending on whether the V2 course was a clustered or single process practitioner course)
• To apply 12 V2 Practitioner credits and be eligible to take the Service Manager Bridge and Managing Across the Lifecycle courses to earn the ITIL Expert ™ designation

The policy does contain a grid of courses that are compatible and incompatible in the V3 scheme. The caution is that an individual would still need to have balanced knowledge of the entire Service Lifecycle in order to succeed in Managing Across the Lifecycle, the gateway course to ITIL Expert.

It is important to note that the Credit Profiler has not yet been updated to reflect the new policy. It is expected to be revised in the near future.

The full policy and Credit Profiler are available at

http://www.itil-officialsite.com.

V2 Service Manager

I am getting ready to teach what is likely to be my last V2 Service Manager class. It's a bittersweet time - I have fully embraced V3 and the logic of the service lifecycle. To my mind, V3 puts V2 in context and introduces some interesting concepts such as the Service Knowledge Management System. I am enjoying building the V3 intermediate courses and initial feedback from our learners has been very positive.

But I will still miss Service Manager - it has always been my favorite class to teach. For those of you who have gone through it, you know that it is likely one of the most challenging and stressful courses ever taken. Despite this, most learners confess that it was an incredible and enlightening professional experience. Service Manager teaches ITSM leadership at a level that is still unsurpassed. The exam is extremely difficult, but it does provide an opportunity to showcase your advanced knowledge and application of ITSM in a mock environment. When you receive that red pin, you know that you have truly earned it.

So I am looking forward to this next class and welcoming new Service Managers. For them, V3 does not yet exist but, once done, they have a continuing path. That's exciting!

Having said all this, I would also recommend that existing Service Managers plan to take their Service Manager Bridge Courses. It's a great opportunity to refresh your skills and fast-track to ITIL Expert. The exam is not as difficult and results to date have been excellent. But most important, it is a chance to become better Service Managers by applying the same level of strategic thinking and leadership to V3.

V3 Qualification Scheme Book of Rules

An official description of the V3 Qualification Scheme has been published. Framed as a "Book of Rules", this document is much more detailed than previously release information.

It begins with clear definitions of each of the players in the ITIL market (APM Group, itSMF, OGC, TSO, Examination Institutes, Accredited Training Organizations). As the ITSM industry has evolved, there has not been enough quality communication about the roles, responsibilities and relationships between these parties. Even for vendors, this has often been confusing.

Most importantly, this document clarifies the credit program as well as the purpose, contents and requirements for the different course types (particularly the Intermediate Courses). Bridging and common questions are addressed. There are also suggested options for courses that can lead to ITIL Expert designation.

This is the most comprehensive description of the scheme that I seen to date and is certainly worth the time to read. You can download the full document at http://www.itsmacademy.com/Page.bok?file=resources.html#whitepaper.

The Foundation Bridge Class Moves to Two Days

Based on the advice of the Foundation Syllabus Review team that met in late 2008, the required syllabus hours for V2/V3 Foundation Bridge course will be increased to 9.5 hours, effective May, 2009. The result will be a two day Foundation Bridge course instead of the current single day. I am extremely supportive of this decision because it will better meet the needs of our learners, both from a certification and knowledge perspective. We want individuals and organizations who have already invested in ITIL V2 education to explore and leverage the new processes and lifecycle context from ITIL V3. However, we want them to gain that knowledge in a meaningful way, not just as a means to pass an exam. Now they can.

While our pass rates for Foundation Bridge have been very high, we have been concerned about the standard of the one day course. At ITSM Academy, we have never been "all about the certification". The one day structure crams a lot of information into a short span of time, with little to no time to assimilate the materials or study for the exam. The two day course allows for a better pace, a night to study, and an opportunity for practical advice, dialogue and exercises. Learner feedback repeatedly recommends spreading the material over more time.

Similarly, the one day Bridge course has not effectively prepared learners for Intermediate courses. Our instructors have noticed that learners entering the Intermediate courses (Lifecycle or Capability) with Foundation Bridge certification have not been as prepared as those who completed the full V3 Foundation course. The two day format will allow more time for assimilation and improve a learner's success in advanced courses - while also respecting their V2 Foundation knowledge and existing certification.

So, if our learners can have a better experience, get certified and come away with actionable V3 knowledge, why wait until May? At ITSM Academy, we have decided to move to a two day Foundation Bridge format, effectively immediately. And the best news is that, for a limited time, we are happy to offer the higher quality two day course at the one day price.