Disney’s ITIL Journey
Case Study Report
CIS3008 Report 2
Prepared for: Dr Anup Shrestha
Team Work
STUDENT NAME 1, Student Id: 00XXXXXX1
STUDENT NAME 2, Student Id: 00XXXXXX2
Word Count (Introduction to Conclusion): 2957
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 1 of 23
Table of Contents
1.0 Executive summary ............................................................................................................... 3
2.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Purpose......................................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Background ................................................................................................................................. 5
2.2.1 About the Theme Parks and Resorts (TP&R) division .......................................................... 5
2.2.2 About the Information Technology portfolio ......................................................................... 5
2.2.3 About Glen Taylor, Vice President of Technology, TP&R ................................................... 6
2.2.4 About TP&R objectives, strategies and goals ........................................................................ 6
2.2.5 About Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) adoption roadmap ................. 6
2.3 Scope ............................................................................................................................................ 7
3.0 Disney’s delivery of the guest ‘perfect experience’ through ITIL implementation................. 7
3.1 Availability Management (AM) ................................................................................................. 7
3.1.1 AM key activities ................................................................................................................... 8
3.2 Change Management (CM) ........................................................................................................ 8
3.2.1 CM key and overall activities ................................................................................................ 8
3.3 Release and deploy management (RDM) .................................................................................. 9
3.3.1 RDM key activities ................................................................................................................ 9
3.4 Value to Disney of AM, CM and RDM ..................................................................................... 9
4.0 Disney’s ITIL adoption roadmap ........................................................................................ 11
4.1 Three-step adoption .................................................................................................................. 11
4.1.1 Step 1 Marketing of ITIL to staff ......................................................................................... 11
4.1.2 Step 2 ITIL Foundation education program ......................................................................... 12
4.1.3 Step 3 ITIL Experts as advocates for continual buy-in ........................................................ 12
4.2 Sustained culture change challenge ......................................................................................... 12
5.0 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 14
6.0 References ........................................................................................................................... 16
Appendix 1: ITIL4 Update Research Activities and Essay ........................................................ 17
A1 Essay references ........................................................................................................................ 21
Appendix 2: ITSM Knowledge Repository other suggestions (not for marking) ....................... 22
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 2 of 23
1.0 Executive summary
Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) provides a non-proprietary, detailed set of IT
service management (ITSM) best practices to focus IT services to business needs (Orand 2013).
This report critically assesses the October 2010 case study; Disney’s ITIL Journey (Winter 2010).
Report focus areas are the identification of three core ITIL processes and Disney’s ITIL adoption
roadmap used in the implementation to achieve the ‘perfect guest experience’.
The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) Theme Parks and Resorts (TP&R) division in 2009
represented thirty percent (30%) of TWDC’s revenue. TP&R’s ITIL implementation faced several
challenges (Winter 2010):
•
Immense and complex Information Technology (IT) infrastructure distributed over multiple
global locations / time zones.
•
All year-round services at 11 theme parks, 2 water parks, 2 cruise ships and 42 resorts.
IT service management (ITSM) excellence is critical. Disney is guest-centric; providing in-themoment and immersive interactions and experiences between the guests and cast members.
TP&R’s business objective was to provide the perfect guest experience (Winter 2010). TP&R’s
implementation strategy was integrated service management underpinned by ITIL best practices. IT
specific goals were one hundred percent (100%) availability, maintainability and reliability, effective,
incident-free change and release management and effective, professional and efficient supply
management.
TP&R implemented three critical ITIL processes of Availability Management; Change management;
and Release and deployment management. These delivered value to TP&R by providing
•
an effective framework to align IT and business objectives and provide service excellence.
•
Ensure service-affecting incidents do not occur and where they do, ensure effective and
timely remedial action is undertaken
•
Provide assurances that nothing is missed that could affect the perfect guest experience
•
Minimise risk of change and release management through a series of control mechanisms
Disney’s ITIL adoption roadmap involved three steps of marketing of ITIL to staff, ITIL Foundation
education program and ITIL Experts as advocates for continual buy-in.
Learnings from this case study are
•
engage an experienced ITIL adopter.
•
understand the organisations IT portfolio.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 3 of 23
•
understand the organisation’s business objectives and align IT strategy and goals to achieve.
•
select specific ITIL processes to embed.
•
clearly define an ITIL adoption roadmap.
•
understand and overcome challenges in embedding a sustained culture change.
Overall, a successful implementation requires taking an integrated and holistic organisation approach,
never underestimate level of communication required and implement strategies to overcome people’s
resistance to change.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 4 of 23
2.0 Introduction
2.1 Purpose
Axelos Limited knowledge centre identifies several successful ITIL best practice user case studies.
The purpose of this report is to critically assess the October 2010 case study; Disney’s ITIL Journey
(Winter 2010). Report focus areas are the identification of three core ITIL processes and Disney’s
ITIL adoption roadmap used in the implementation to achieve the ‘perfect guest experience’.
2.2 Background
The case study was sourced and written by Kate Winter following interviews with Glen Taylor, Vice
President (VP) of Technology, Theme Parks and Resorts (TP&R) and Rick Lemieux, VP of Sales and
Managing Partner, itSM Solutions.
2.2.1 About the Theme Parks and Resorts (TP&R) division
Winter (2010) states approximately thirty percent (30%) or $10.7 billion (Financial year 2009) of The
Walt Disney Company (TWDC) revenue is generated, from over one hundred and eighteen (118)
million guests per annum, in their largest division; TP&R. The division portfolio includes globally
located,
•
theme parks (11);
•
water parks (2);
•
resorts (42) with 36,000 rooms; and
•
cruise ships (2).
2.2.2 About the Information Technology portfolio
The TP&R’s Information Technology (IT) department is decentralised and distributed over multiple
global locations. It manages one thousand (1000) IT employees, contractors and consultants covering
eight hundred (800) applications and one thousand eight hundred (1800) servers. This is in
conjunction with TWDC’s outsourced enterprise IT services of service desk operations and data
centre management (Winter 2010).
Winter (2010) outlines how the face-to-face demand on the IT infrastructure system is immense.
TP&R’s operations are three hundred and sixty-five (365) days a year. Theme parks are operational
for up to eighteen (18) hours per day; and incorporate high-demand, quick-service restaurants and
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 5 of 23
massive bus fleet management. One theme park alone has over one hundred thousand (100,000) cast
members (or employees).
IT service management (ITSM) excellence is critical. Disney is guest-centric; providing in-themoment and immersive interactions and experiences between the guests and cast members.
2.2.3 About Glen Taylor, Vice President of Technology, TP&R
Winter (2010) identifies that TWDC’s ITIL journey began in mid-2000’s. TP&R division’s ITIL
adoption was spearheaded by Glen Taylor, upon his appointment as TP&R’s VP of Technology in
2008. Glen was hired especially for his experience and championship in ITIL adoption.
2.2.4 About TP&R objectives, strategies and goals
As sourced by Winter (2010), TP&R’s business objective was to provide the perfect guest experience.
Due to ITSM criticality, Glen Taylor’s implementation strategy was integrated service management
underpinned by ITIL best practices. Important TP&R business goals were
•
business alignment of IT;
•
proactive IT;
•
improved service delivery;
•
increased return on investment / cost reductions from IT; and
•
increased customer engagement.
IT specific goals were
•
One hundred percent (100%) availability, maintainability and reliability;
•
Effective, incident-free change and release management;
•
Effective, professional and efficient supply management;
•
provide IT service value metrics; and
•
continual IT service improvements.
2.2.5 About Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) adoption roadmap
Disney acknowledged that getting widespread adoption of ITIL in a large, globally dispersed IT
department is not just about the consistency of service, quality of the technology, policies and
procedures (Winter 2010). It involves a change of culture from a traditional technology-focused to
embracing a service mindset that is cross-functional and not siloed. To aid in adoption the following
ITIL guiding principles (Parker n.d.) were employed
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 6 of 23
•
working holistically, by recognising people, processes, partners and products and their
relationships;
•
being transparent, with early and frequent sharing of information on the what, why and how;
and
•
collaboration, by getting the right people involved.
2.3 Scope
The scope is limited to the provided case study (Disney’s ITIL Journey) and the requested tasks for
the report. This includes identification and discussion of three ITIL processes and the three-step ITIL
adoption roadmap employed to provide the perfect guest experience.
3.0 Disney’s delivery of the guest ‘perfect experience’ through
ITIL implementation
The case study (Winter 2010) identifies four (4) ITIL v3 processes in TP&R’s ITIL implementation to
achieve a perfect guest experience. These are
•
Availability Management;
•
Change management;
•
Release and deployment management; and
•
Supply management
Three of these ITIL processes and their key activities are outlined, followed by a discussion on how
the processes add value to Disney. Supply management is excluded from this analysis.
3.1 Availability Management (AM)
Orand (2013) introduces Availability Management (AM) in ITIL v3 Service Design core volume.
This tactical process’ purpose is to ensure actual availability levels achieved meets agreed business
service level for availability; and is delivered in a timely and cost-effective manner. This process’
activities has relationships with other ITIL life cycle services, such as Service Transition and
Operation.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 7 of 23
3.1.1 AM key activities
Orand (2013) states key process activities include
•
Reactive activities
 Service and availability monitoring, metrics, analysing, reporting and review
 Unavailable service and component investigation and remediation action
•
Proactive activities
 Risk management and ongoing assessment
 Cost effective, justifiable countermeasure implementation
 New and changed service planning and design
 New and changed service reviews
 Testing resilience and availability mechanisms

Continual improvement reviews and implementation
AM considers reliability, maintainability, serviceability factors and impacts; and proactively identifies
vital business functions to determine and prioritise resources to ensure fault tolerance resilience,
continuous operation and high availability (DuMoulin 2004; Orand 2013).
3.2 Change Management (CM)
Introduced in ITIL v3 Service Transition core volume, Change Management process’ purpose is to
ensure changes are controlled through planning, evaluation, prioritisation, testing and deployment
stages; and appropriately documented (Orand 2013). It is important to ensure changes involve
minimum business disruption; whilst realising full business benefits.
3.2.1 CM key and overall activities
Key process activities (Orand 2013) are
•
Creation, recording and reviewing of requests for change;
•
Assess, evaluate, authorise and coordinate change build and testing;
•
Change deployment authorisation and coordination; and
•
Change record documentation review and closure.
Overall activities (Orand 2013) include
•
Change planning and control;
•
Scheduling of change and subsequent release;
•
Communications;
•
Decision-making and authorisation for the change;
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 8 of 23
•
Planning remediation action;
•
Metrics and control;
•
Reporting to management;
•
Assessing impacts; and
•
Continual process improvement.
CM receives input from other service lifecycle processes; such as Service Asset and Configuration
Management, Availability Management, Capacity Management, IT Service Continuity Management,
Problem Management and Information Security Management.
3.3 Release and deploy management (RDM)
Orand (2013) presents Release and deploy management (RDM) process in ITIL v3 Service Transition
core volume. Triggered by an approved CM release plan, RDM process’ purpose is to release new or
changed services, that have been appropriately planned, developed and tested, with minimal to no
disruption to the business. RDM protects existing services integrity. This process has a relationship
with Service Operations. To ensure ongoing operational staff support, RDM ensures resources are
provided and skills and knowledge are transferred.
3.3.1 RDM key activities
Key process activities (Orand 2013) are
•
Release and deployment planning and preparation;
•
Release build, service testing and pilots;
•
Service deployment, process support and training;
•
Decommission and retire obsolete/unused assets; and
•
Deployment verification and close.
RDM is driven from CM inputs. Best practice depicts that release package outputs are held in
Configuration Management Systems.
3.4 Value to Disney of AM, CM and RDM
Winter (2010) states TP&R’s business objective was to provide the perfect guest experience. Disney
advances the magic of the guest experience through technology; if IT stops, the magic diminishes.
TP&R’s eight hundred (800) applications represent approximately forty-five percent (45%) of
TWDC’s total applications.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 9 of 23
TP&R has all year-round operations covering up to eighteen hours per day. An effective framework,
such as implementation of ITIL, is required to ensure alignment of IT and business objectives and
provide service excellence.
TP&R’s face-to-face demand on the system is immense. Disney is guest-centric; providing in-themoment and immersive interactions and experiences between the guests and cast members (or
employees). Identified vital business function applications include (Winter 2010);
•
Mobile application providing guests with their favourite character location within the park
and ride waiting times. Glen Taylor states that “each park is like a city in itself”. Ensuring
guests can quickly assess information to manoeuvre around the park is vital.
•
Mobile retail cart inventory tracking, handheld devices for quick vendor restocking. Magic
Kingdom Orlando’s Cosmic Ray’s restaurant is the world’s busiest quick service restaurant
and must be continually supplied with inventory to service guest.
•
Global costume management system using radio frequency identification for cast members. It
is stated that Walt Disney World (one of eleven (11) theme parks) for example, has one
hundred thousand (100,000) cast members that need to be in the right costume, with all of the
correct accessories, for the specific shift role.
ITIL AM helps ensure that service-affecting incidents do not occur (within cost justification) and
where they do, that effective and timely remedial action is undertaken. Former member of the Walt
Disney World leadership team, Dennis Snow stresses accuracy and availability are non-negotiable key
customer service expectations of Disney World’s success (Snow 2016). Disney’s AM objectives are
one hundred percent (100%) availability, reliability and maintenance (Winter 2010). ITIL best
practice on AM provides assurances that nothing is missed that could impact the perfect guest
experience.
The applications above highlight Disney’s adaptive and innovative approach to services to obtain that
perfect guest experience. ITIL CM and RDM are interdependent. They ensure that there is a defined
mechanism for minimising risk through the planning, authorising, coordinating, scheduling and
supporting change stages (DuMoulin 2004) until the new or changed service can be fully transitioned
to operations.
Uncoordinated, unplanned and unapproved changes can impact Disney’s guests and result in changes
that are not aligned with business objectives. At worst, this can result in a service unavailability,
emergency remedial action, brand reputation damage and result in full rollback of the change. All of
which, impacts the magic of Disney’s perfect guest experience.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 10 of 23
ITIL CM and RDM best practices provides assurances for minimal to no disruption to the business;
the linear methodology ensuring nothing is missed. The ability to control scheduling (the when, how
and by whom) in the production environment is especially important for Disney. IT provides global
services with immense portfolio operational hours across their numerous theme (11) and water parks
(2), resorts (42) with 36,000 rooms and cruise ships (2).
4.0 Disney’s ITIL adoption roadmap
In the case study (Winter 2010), Glen Taylor was identified as an experienced ITIL expert and
adopter. Glen reinforces the fact of never underestimating communication as they are vital to
adoption success.
Adopting an integrated and holistic organisation approach, the TP&R adoption roadmap focussed on
obtaining management commitment, business acceptance and sustained cultural change. Effectively
recognising the crucial importance that people have for successful ITIL adoption (Saleh & Almsafir
2013).
4.1 Three-step adoption
Due to the magnitude of TP&R’s IT infrastructure, it was not possible to adopt ITIL in a short
timeframe. It required a phased, stepped implementation targeted on influencing, educating and
overcoming resistance to change by people.
4.1.1 Step 1 Marketing of ITIL to staff
This first step involved communication to generate business interest in ITIL to staff from top-down
and then bottom-up.
A top-down marketing approach, from executive level down, was employed through manager
meetings and Lunch ‘n’ Learn sessions. The communication messaging focus was on raising
awareness, issues TP&R faced and how the ITIL framework assists in effectively addressing those
issues.
A bottom-up marketing approach with Backlot, an internal social networking tool was used.
Successful change requires genuine engagement with effective two-way people communication
(Macpherson 2017). Utilising Backlot enabled employees to have discussions and share documents
about ITIL.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 11 of 23
4.1.2 Step 2 ITIL Foundation education program
This step involved initiation of an educational program where two hundred and fifty (250) people
(representing twenty-five percent (25%) of TP&R’s global IT Department) undertook ITIL
Foundation training; from Chief Information Officer (CIO) down.
Dettlaff & Dietz (2004) state that making training relevant is the key principle of adult learning;
accompanied with ensuring participates have clear understanding of the goals, reasons and benefits of
the training. In keeping with these principles, the ITIL Foundation course (beginners’ level
certification) was modified from the standard three (3) days to two (2) days and included coverage of
Disney specific and TP&R’s IT specific challenges-faced sections. Rather than a directive of ‘this is
how we are going to do things in future’, the education program aided in those employees
understanding ITIL benefits; and streamlines the ITIL implementation process (Rongala 2015).
4.1.3 Step 3 ITIL Experts as advocates for continual buy-in
This step involved embedding organisational commitment, buy-in and sustained culture change
(Winter 2010).
Twenty (20) TP&R people, from different responsibility levels, were selected to be champions and
advocates of ITIL. Various strategic, tactical and operational staff were chosen based on their
exceptional communication skills, powers of persuasion, passion for best practice and ability to
clearly communicate the vision of the processes being managed or operated.
These internal champions promoted ITIL’s role in delivering TP&R’s objective of providing the
perfect guest experience.
As all ITIL processes are interlinked with dependencies existing between each (DuMoulin 2004),
these internal champions were put onto the ITIL Expert level (second highest ITIL v3 certification) to
gain a broad overview of ITIL.
4.2 Sustained culture change challenge
The most challenging step is the third step. This step involves sustained culture change affecting how
people perform their work each and every day.
•
Step one focussed on awareness of ITIL and how it could provide benefits; using short and
frequent communication slots. This allowed ITIL to filter into people’s perceptions and
obtain familiarity with the ITIL jargon.
•
Step two focussed on depth penetration with exact details provided from the beginner’s
certification level (ITIL Foundation). The tailoring of the delivery to highlight specific
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 12 of 23
business issues allowed people to start thinking about how its application could help resolve
some of those issues; where current business practices were not. Introducing the concept that
change was required.
Disney recognised that attending a few lunch sessions or two-day training course will not change
work practices; more is required.
•
Step three focussed on continuing the momentum, long-term organisational commitment and
buy-in each and every day; changing the way people perform their daily work.
•
The justification on why this is the most challenging is discussed further.
Pink Elephant (n.d.) white paper states that ‘People Change’ is the primary cause of ITIL project
failure to deliver benefits. ITIL is focused on providing business value by serving customer priorities.
This involves delivery over a cross-functional rather than within silo approach; requiring a major
attitudes, behaviours and cultural norm change.
Esteves & Alves (2013) academic research recognised resistance to change as the most critical issue
for ITIL deployment. The higher the level of resistance to change; the higher the risk of ITIL
implementation failure.
Latif, Din & Ismail’s (2010) case study of the challenges of adopting and integrating ITIL identified
the lack of understanding of the necessity to introduce new processes and lack of acceptance. To
overcome this, the recommended course of action included an initial training program, creation of a
knowledge repository, ensuring management buy-in, and matching employee’s job scope and
responsibilities to ITIL processes.
Macpherson (2017) argues that along with communication clarity and frequency;
•
personal and rational reasons to motivate;
•
rewards;
•
consequences; and
•
strong, consistent management leadership
is required to make a person change. Stakeholder engagement process needs to identify the level of
resistance to change; categorising stakeholders as
•
advocates, acceptors (positive attitude),
•
neutrals (uncommitted),
•
sceptics, resistors or saboteurs (negative attitude).
To reduce resistance, communications, rewards and consequences need to be tailored to bring those
negative people to at least neutral and those neutral to at least acceptors.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 13 of 23
Wilkinson (2012) cites a Forrester report which revealed that resistance to change resulted in fifty-two
percent (52%) of failing ITIL initiatives. This is despite ITIL being introduced in mid-1980’s (Orand
2013) and hundreds of thousands of ITIL certifications.
Wilkinson (2012), a twenty-five (25) year ITIL Service Manager veteran, states to overcome
resistance and create buy-in is determined by people’s attitudes, behaviours and the organisation’s
culture. Adoption of ITIL is not something that is implemented i.e. obtain a certificate, design some
processes and policies and hand it over; it is about organisational change. The value offered by ITIL
best practices is not ITIL but what is achieved with it.
5.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, Disney’s ITIL Journey (Winter 2010) showcased the steps required for a successful
ITIL implementation. These being
•
engage an experienced ITIL adopter.
 In this case, employment of Glen Taylor.
•
understand the organisations IT portfolio.
 TP&R’s IT massive and complex infrastructure and relationship dependences of
TWDC’s Enterprise IT outsourced share services needed to be considered.
•
understand the organisation’s business objectives and align IT strategy and goals to achieve.

In this case, an integrated service management underpinned by ITIL best practices was
employed to achieve the objective of the ‘perfect guest experience’.
 IT goals were aligned with this strategy and related to measurable, cost effective and
efficient IT service.
•
select specific ITIL processes to embed.
 TP&R implemented three ITIL processes of
(1) availability management,
(2) change management and
(3) release and deploy management were implemented.
 TP&R’s face-to-face demand on the system is immense with year-round operations and
providing in-the-moment, immersive guest experiences.
 The value these processes created for Disney are discussed in this report.
•
clearly define an ITIL adoption roadmap.
 Disney adopted a three-step roadmap focussed on effective communication and
influencing people’s attitudes, behaviours and cultural norm.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 14 of 23
 These are identified as
(1) marketing of ITIL to staff,
(2) ITIL Foundation education program and
(3) ITIL Experts as advocates for continual buy-in.
•
understand and overcome challenges in embedding a sustained culture change.
 The report discusses the vital importance this represents.
 A Forrester report revealed that resistance to change resulted in fifty-two percent (52%)
of failing ITIL initiatives (Wilkinson 2012).
Overall, a successful implementation requires taking an integrated and holistic organisation approach,
never underestimate level of communication required and implement strategies to overcome people’s
resistance to change.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 15 of 23
6.0 References
Dettlaff, AJ & Dietz, TJ 2004, Making Training Relevant: Identifying field instructors’ perceived
training needs, The Clinical Supervisor, vol. 23, no. 1, pp.15-32.
DuMoulin, T 2004, An ITIL Roadmap White Paper: Developing a service and process improvement
plan, Pink Elephant, Burlington, Ontario.
Esteves, R & Alves, P 2013, Implementation of an Information Technology Infrastructure Library
process – The resistance to change, Procedia Technology, vol. 9, no. 505-510.
Latif, AA, Din, MM & Ismail, R 2010, Challenges of adopting and integrating ITIL and CMMi in
ICT Division of a public utility company, 2010 Second International Conference on Computer
Engineering and Applications, vol. 1, pp. 81-86.
Macpherson, C 2017, The change catalyst: Successfully instigating sustainable change, John Wiley &
Sons Incorporated, Milton, Queensland.
Orand, B 2013, Foundations of IT service management with ITIL 2011, ITILYaBrady, Richmont,
Texas.
Parker, B n.d., The ‘How’ of ITIL: White Paper, Pink Elephant, Burlington, Ontario.
Pink Elephant n.d., Thought leadership white paper: The ABCs of translating ITIL and ITSM
knowledge into results, Pink Elephant, Burlington, Ontario.
Rongala, A 2015, ITIL Implementation Roadmap: 6 tips to adopt ITIL effectively, Invensis Learning
Pvy Ltd, Wilmington, viewed 1 May 2019, <https://www.invensislearning.com/blog/itilimplementation-roadmap-6-tips-to-adopt-itil-effectively/>
Saleh, JM & Almsafir, MK 2013, The drivers of ITIL adoption in UNITEN, 2013 International
Conference on Advanced Computer Science Applications and Technologies, Kuching, Malaysia.
Snow, D 2016, On the scene: CRM evolution/customer service experience – Former Disney Exec
urges a customer-centric view, CRM Magazine, vol. 20, no. 7.
Wilkinson, P 2012, ABC of ICT whitepaper, GamingWorks, Bodegraven, Netherlands.
Winter, K 2010, Case Study October 2010, Disney’s ITIL Journey: Glen Taylor, Vice President of
Technology, Architecture and Security, Parks & Resorts, The Walt Disney Company, The Stationery
Office, Norwich, United Kingdom, viewed 11 April 2004, <https://www.axelos.com/case-studiesand-white-papers/disneys-itil-journey-case-study>
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 16 of 23
Appendix 1: ITIL4 Update Research Activities and Essay
This essay will begin with a discussion on how ITIL4 Service Value System (SVS) concept is
promoted. The final section will end with my personal experience in using the ITSM knowledge
repository.
ITIL4 was released in February 2019 and SVS was introduced into the framework structure. ITIL4
purpose is to retain relevancy in today’s environment of disruptive, significant and continuous change.
ITIL4 has been designed to meet business challenges with a more flexible and inclusive IT best
practice approach by
•
aligning ITIL with Cloud computing and other methodologies such as DevOps, Agile, IT4IT
and Lean;
•
addressing culture challenges from change through interface and connections with other
frameworks; and
•
adoption of the value stream methodology to look beyond service delivery to end-to-end cocreation.
ITIL4 SVS (Figure 1 first diagram) is promoted as a value stream approach which provides value cocreation. The value stream represents the stages a business takes on to create and deliver products and
services to consumers. ITIL4 Service Value Chain (SVC) (Figure 1 second diagram) within the SVS
provides a non-linear, end-to-end product and service management focus starting from
opportunity/demand through to value. The SVC contains six loosely linked activities – Engage, Plan,
Improve, Design and transition, Obtain or build and Deliver and support.
Figure 1: ITIL4 SVS is displayed on the left with the
exploded SVC on the right.
One criticism of ITIL v3 was that it was too linear. ITIL4 SVC activities allow several value streams
or paths, either linear or non-linear, from Demand to Value. Refer to Figure 2 for an example of a
value streams moving back and forth in the SVC.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 17 of 23
Figure 2: ITIL4 SVC stream example
Another criticism of ITIL v3 was the perception that processes were specific to a service life cycle
phase. ITIL v3 26 processes are now 34 management practices in ITIL4. Using heat maps, the
relationship of these ITIL4 practices to each of the SVC six activities are highlighted; removing that
prescriptive perception.
This section outlines my experience in using the ITSM knowledge repository to learn about ITIL4.
Overall whilst the body of knowledge was present it is very narrative, can involve a lot of scrolling
and some headers are difficult to define.
I found it hard to understand concepts of service management, four dimensions of service, guiding
principles and management categories each practice related to; and their relationships to the service
value system (SVS) and service value chain activities (SVC). Having purchased the ITIL4
Foundation book in March 2019, I found the knowledge repository not as intuitive to give me the
overall view.
From the Home Screen on selection of ITIL4 hyperlink in Framework boxed section, the resulting
display may be better enhanced by adding a picture such as Figure 3.
Figure 3: ITIL4 Framework structure: ITIL four dimensions model and Service value system.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 18 of 23
Using the search bar in the Home screen for Framework > ITIL4 the search result page lists ITIL4
practices (only recognised from my reading the ITIL4 book) which are not in alphabetical or by ITIL
management practices categories of General, Service or Technical (Refer to Figure 4).
Figure 4: Home screen search results for ITIL4 framework displays management practices in nonuser-friendly order.
In each of the management practices highly impacted SVC activities, it may be good to display the
diagram again as reinforcement (See Figure 5). The ITIL4 book shows it as heat maps.
Figure 5: ITSM Knowledge repository displaying highly impacted SVC activities using text only and
could be enhance with addition of a diagram.
It may enhance application of SVC by listing the management practices and category for each SVC
activity (See Figure 6).
Figure 6: Listing of SVC Engage activity with corresponding management practices by category.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 19 of 23
In conclusion, ITIL4 SVS is promoted as a more collaborative, flexible and non-linear value stream
model that is designed to work with frameworks and practices such as DevOps, Agile, IT4IT and
Lean and cloud computing.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 20 of 23
A1 Essay references
Anand, A 2019, Welcome to the Future of ITIL – Introducing ITIL 4, Axelos Limited, London,
viewed 28 March 2019, <https://www.axelos.com/news/blogs/february-2019/from-v3-to-4-this-is-thenew-itil>
Axelos 2019, Welcome to the Future of ITIL, Axelos Limited, London, viewed 28 April 2019,
<https://www.axelos.com/welcome-to-itil-4>
Foederer, M 2018, ITIL update – the high-performing IT organization, Axelos Limited, London,
United Kingdom, viewed 25 March 2019, <https://www.axelos.com/news/blogs/may-2018/itilupdate-the-high-performing-it-organization>
ITIL Foundation – ITIL 4 Edition, 2019, The Stationery Office, Norwich.
ITIL Training 2019, ITIL4 FAQs, ITIL Training, Sydney, viewed 28 April 2019,
<https://www.itiltraining.com/aus/ITIL4faqs?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIucOs45ma4gIV1BqPCh07yQ52EAAYAiAAEgKv0vD_BwE>
Pink Elephant 2019, ITIL 4 Update, Pink Elephant, Burlington, Ontario, viewed 28 April 2019,
<https://www.pinkelephant.com/en-us/News/itil-4-update>
Process-Symphony n.d, ITSM Knowledge Repository, Process-Symphony (USQ), viewed 10 May
2019, <https://wiki.process-symphony.com.au/>
Watts, S 2018, Service Management Blog- ITIL V4: Intro to the 2019 ITIL update, BMC Blogs,
viewed 27 March 2019, <https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-v4/>
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 21 of 23
Appendix 2: ITSM Knowledge Repository other suggestions (not
for marking)
Due to essay word count limitations, these suggestions were removed from marking. They are
included in case they are helpful for further development of the repository.
Other improvement suggestions are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Improve search and display
Application of ITIL in practice
Ease of use
Continuing ITIL journey with introduction of ITIL 4
What is ITSM?
Improvement 1: Improve search and display
1. Add a repository search help section with outlines such things as exact item searches – use of
quotation marks, ampersand etc.
2. ‘All Categories + submit’ or ‘select a category + submit’ – the listing is not in alphabetical
order but appears by date posted.
Improvement 2: application of ITIL in practice
1. including lesson learnt.
2. order of application of the practices (ITIL4) / processes (ITIL v3) based on organisation
maturity or size (what worked and what didn’t work, on do-over what order would be better
and why).
3. Need to give the viewer a reason to go here. Question to be asked it does the repository
replace, revise or add onto what can be learnt elsewhere?
Improvement 3: Ease of use
Critic of https://wiki.process-symphony.com.au/framework/lifecycle/service-value-systemitil-4/
1. Make it more interactive such as interactive diagrams e.g. on SVS (ITIL4) diagram would
like to be able to click on Governance and jump to that section. Also hover over and get a
short spiel.
2. Noting that there is a lot of scrolling down on this page.
3. Headers on this page whilst a different font (Inherent), colour (black and bold) and size (11.5)
is same as used in body though font changes to Arial. No clear change between sections.
Perhaps add expand / collapse functionality.
Improvement 4: Continuing ITIL journey with introduction of ITIL 4
1. More detailed descriptions of changes at ITIL v3 processes to ITIL 4 practices e.g. in the ITIL
4 Availability Management add a section at the bottom outlining core changes (objectives,
inputs, outputs) from ITIL v3, if any
2. If I was on my ITIL certifications journey or had deployed ITIL in my business, I want a
single area and specific areas that tell me what has changed so that I can review and change as
relevant.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 22 of 23
3. There was a number of new management practices added for ITIL4 and some with similar
name but have changed from ITIL v3. I would like to see these highlighted as new and
changed.
4. ITIL4 book uses SVC activities terminology whilst knowledge repository uses SVS activities.
5. Ensure understanding that the SVC value stream or path can be linear or non-linear between
Demand and value (See Figure 5).
Figure 5: Example of the SVC value stream moving back and forth to deliver the product/service.
Improvement 5: What is ITSM?
1. History and background of IT service management and how it adds value.
2. Overall outline of the differences and similarities of the Frameworks (Agile, COBIT, IT4IT,
ITIL4 etc).
3. Depending on my level of organisation maturity, what would make me choose one over the
other, or multiple in combination.
4. There is a “related to” but no a “best combined with”.
CISXXXX Report 2_Name_ID
Page 23 of 23