What IT Service Management Training Is Available?

he variety and depth of IT Service Management training has changed over the years.

Way back we all 'knew' our qualifications, first there was ITIL and the Managers certificate, and then came the Foundation. Then for a long time during the reign of ITIL V2, we had the familiar Foundation, Practioner and Managers certificates.

Foundation providing the entry prerequisite for further qualifications, prepared you with a brief exploration of some key processes from the framework, which you could cover in greater depth at Practioner level, with the final hurdle of the Managers Certificate, widely recognised as a tough exam which demonstrated a wide knowledge of IT Service Management, not just what was captured in the core ITIL publications.

Now we have the renewed framework and qualification structure for ITIL V3, which specialises in the Service Lifecycle as described in the ITIL publications.

We still have the Foundation, the entry-level, required for any further progression in the qualification structure as before. But as the ITIL examination structure now covers considerably more information than previously, the level and depth of understanding at Foundation level is considerably reduced.

The next layer of qualification is the Intermediate level. Here the qualifications split into two distinct streams Lifecycle and Capability. Both streams focus on the content of the ITIL publications, the Lifecycle stream looking at the management challenges for the Lifecycle stages, the Capability stream looking at the process management in grouped segments of the Lifecycle. These take the understanding of the framework as captured in the publications to much greater depth, so much so, that it is recommended that students complete some preparation between Foundation and Intermediate, to ensure they have studied the framework in more detail than is delivered at Foundation.

Unlike the previous Practioner courses, which were 'stand alone', these qualifications are not only recognised individually, but also build credits towards the Intermediate Expert qualification. A mix of disciplines is recommended to attain the required number of credits to achieve the higher qualification.

Expert status can only be granted once the required number of credits has been achieved, and the qualification of 'Managing Across the Lifecycle' has been passed. This last examination tests the candidates' knowledge of the complete management of the Service Lifecycle, as descried in the ITIL publications.

Once the required number of credits is achieved, (described on the Official ITIL website http://www.itil-officialsite.com/Qualifications/ITILV3QualificationScheme.asp) the qualification of ITIL Expert can be applied for and is awarded.

All of the qualifications are based on multiple choice examinations (of varying complexity), so they are specific to the framework publication, allowing no variation or originality of IT Service Management thinking, as could previously be achieved in the written examinations for both Practioner and Managers certificate in V2.

The final level of qualification - the ITIL Master, has not yet been formally released, although there is a pilot scheme currently in operation (article date October 2010).

In the IT Service Management arena we also have the qualification schemes that have arisen around ISO/IEC 20000, the IT Service Management standard. Some of the qualifications have been linked to specific certification schemes, but they provide education relating to the standard and its attainment.

As with the ITIL qualification structure, ISO/IEC 20000 begins with a Foundation qualification, introducing the standard at an entry level. Beyond this, the qualification structure splits according to requirement, for Auditors (those who will be involved in the governance and audit against the standard) and for Consultants (those who will be involved in the guidance for implementing the requirements of the standard).

These qualifications are applicable to those who wish or need to know more about the ISO/IEC 20000 standard. They are extremely helpful to those who are intending to attain the standard in their organisation.

Then we have COBIT - the framework for IT Governance and Control. Process driven, and providing guidance on the governance and audit of IT services. This also has a Foundation qualification, to introduce the concepts and provide a basic understanding of the framework.

These are the main frameworks that have recognised qualifications applying to IT Service Management. There are many more individual qualifications being developed by the various Examination Institutes, but these are too numerous to mention. This article does not cover the qualifications provided by the HelpDesk Institute for the development and improvement of service desks and customer service.

The choices are many and varied, and continue to increase as more qualifications are developed. Your Accredited Training Organisation will be able to help you identify the best programme to meet your needs.

"ITIL® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries"

Helen Morris, director of Henry Gale Associates Ltd., co-founder of Helix SMS Ltd., specialises in IT Service Management and Best Practice implementation in global organisations. Helen is a skilled and highly qualified consultant working in private and public sectors. With over 25 years of IT experience, she has valuable perception and insight into the issues facing businesses today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_M_Morris

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5253486
By Helen M Morris