Value and Constranits of Documentation - ITIL

For IT project, documentation is significant. In fact, enterprise architecture framework is a framework for documentation. Many other practices for documentation have been developed. For example, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a common documentation practice for IT service management (ITSM). ITIL focuses on aligning services with the needs of business.

“ITIL describes procedures, tasks and checklists that are not organization-specific, used by an organization for establishing a minimum level of competency. It allows the organization to establish a baseline from which it can plan, implement, and measure. It is used to demonstrate compliance and to measure improvement.” (Wikipedia)

Compared with an enterprise architecture program is designed for each company to maximize the competency of the company, ITIL aims at setting minimum checklist which can be applied all organizations. 
 

 

Currently many major companies applies ITIL to increase efficiency their business. For example, The Walt Disney Company(TWDC) has started to adopt ITIL since 2008. Glen Taylor, VP of Technology for Theme Parks & Resorts (TP&R), led the TP&R’s ITIL initiative to move towards an integrated service management approach with ITIL best practices. TP&R is the largest division in the organization, which generated approximately 30% of TWDC’s revenue in 2009. The mission of IT in TWDC is 100% availability, reliability and maintainability in order to provide their guests with “the perfect experience”.

“It means we have to ensure that widespread change does not result in incidents; that we are sure-footed and confident with our release management and new capabilities. We also need to ensure we manage our outsourcing contracts with the utmost professionalism. ITIL best practice provides these assurances." (Disney's ITIL® Journey Case Study)

However, change of business in real world is not a simple way. One of major obstacle is not a technical problem; rather it is in human side.

“Where I talk about best practice and ITIL integration, at the start of the process, the staff only know how we do business. They are unaware of both ITIL and our interest in it. The first step is to make them aware of our interest.” (Disney's ITIL® Journey Case Study)

Anthony Orr, Global Best Practice Director and Senior ITIL Examiner, BMC points out that the most important factor in adopting ITIL is people.

 

"There are several constraints with adapting ITIL or utilization of ITIL. The major constraints are really found around people. In order to be successful ITIL, it requires executive involvement, management commitment, and individual contributor commitment. At the end of the day, the really constraints for these people are education."

As IT systems became necessity for the society, many frameworks and methodology including EA frameworks and ITIL have been developed. From many successful case studies, we can know these practices are useful. However, most important factor that determines success and failure of IT project usually seems to be in human side rather than technology or methodology side.