ITIL 4 Guiding Principles

Question 1

How many guiding principles does ITIL 4 have (also how many did ITIL 3 have)

Answer 1

ITIL 4 has 7 guiding principles (ITIL 3 had 9)

Question 2

What is a guiding principle

Answer 2

A guiding principle is a recommendation that guides an organisation in all circumstances, regardless of changes in it’s goals, strategies or structures. It’s universal and enduring.

I.E. A generally accepted best practice or principle all IT Organisations can follow.

Question 3

What do the guiding principles encourage us to perform at all levels

Answer 3

• The guiding principles encourage us to perform continual improvement at all levels from the ground up

Question 4

How many principles should organisations consider

Answer 4

• ITIL recommends that organisations should consider all principles, not just one or two.
• Not all principles might apply, but should all be considered.

Question 5

List the 7 guiding principles

Answer 5

1. Focus on Value
2. Start where you are
3. Progress iteratively with feedback.
4. Collaborate and promote visibility
5. Think and work holistically
6. Keep it simple and practical
7. Optimize and Automate

Question 6

Define - Focus on Value

Answer 6

• Focus on Value: Keeping value in the front of our minds allows us to…
  
  • Understand and Identify the service consumer
  • Understand the consumers perspective of use
  • Map value to intended outcomes, which change over time
  • Understand the customer experience

Question 7

Define - Start where you are

Answer 7

• Start where you are:
  
  • Look at what exists
  • Determine if successful practices/services can be replicated
  • Apply risk management skills in decision making
  • Recognise that you might need to start fresh - but don’t reinvent the wheel.

Question 8

Define - Progress iteratively with feedback

Answer 8

• Progress iteratively with feedback
  
  • Comprehend the whole but do something
  • The ecosystem is constantly changing, use feedback
  • Fast does not mean imcomplete.

Question 9

Define - Collaborate and Promote Visibility

Answer 9

• Collaborate and Promote Visibility
  
  • Collaboration does not mean consensus.
  • Communicate in a way the audience can hear.
  • Decisions can only be made on visible data.

Question 10

Define - Think and Work Holisatically

Answer 10

• Think and Work Holistically
  
  • Recognise the complexity of the systems
  • Collaboration is key to working holistically
  • Look for patterns between system elements when possible
  • Automation can facilitate holistic work

Question 11

Define - Keep It Simple and Practical

Answer 11

• Keep it Simple and Practical
  
  • Ensure value
  • Simplicity is ultimate sophistication
  • Do fewer things but do them better
  • Respect the time of the people involved
  • Easier to understand, easier to adopt

Question 12

Define - Optimise and Automate

Answer 12

• Optimise and Automate
  
  • Simplify and/or optimise before automating
  • Define your metrics
  • Understand and agree to the context for the optimization